Having my boys home from school has been nothing short of interesting, as I’m sure it has been for you. During this interesting time, I’m trying my best to survive, keep up with distance learning, keep everyone alive, and try to shower once in a while lol.
My second grader still has to take AR tests as part of his reading grade for school. I truly want to keep his love of reading and learning alive. After turning to my local moms group on Facebook to ask for book recommendations, and asking my son what he’d like to read, I ordered some books from Amazon recently to surprise him. He was so excited to receive these books in the mail! He’s been reading a bunch, and I am so happy that he’s happy with the book selections. He did specifically ask for the A to Z Mystery series. He had read many of these books at school and fell in love with them.
Best Books for Second Graders
Second Grade, Here I Come – if your child is just starting second grade this is an adorable book to mark the milestone!
The 50 States: Explore the U.S.A. with 50 fact-filled maps! – This book is not an AR book but it is gorgeous! It’s BIG, and filled with so many beautiful maps and facts about each state in the United States. My son’s eyes lit up when I took it out of the box. He loves it! It’s perfect to keep him sharp on geography while we are learning from home.
A to Z Mysteries: The Empty Envelope – he specifically requested books from this series. He loves these and they seem to be very popular with kids his age.
Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House, No. 1) – When I asked my local moms group for book recommendations they overwhelmingly said their children in this age group have been loving The Magic Treehouse book series. So I ordered the first book in the series to see how my son likes it!
Amelia Bedelia – this was my favorite series as a child and I am so excited to share my love of silly Amelia Bedelia with my children. I ordered a boxed set for my son and can’t wait to hear him laugh at her antics.
Splat the Cat Gets a Job! (I Can Read Level 2) – I like the I Can Read series of books for their fun and simple stories. My boys love these and they’re great for racking up quick AR points, too!
The Best Seat in Second Grade (I Can Read Level 2) – Also from the I Can Read series, this is a super cute and quick book about Sam who has the best seat in second grade—right next to George Washington, the class pet!
Dog Man: The Epic Collection – My son fell in love with the Dog Man books while visiting his school library! These are funny and engaging. The wildly popular Dog Man series appeals to readers of all ages and explores universally positive themes, including empathy, kindness, persistence, and the importance of being true to one’s self.
Ready, Freddy! Second Grade Rules! – Freddy is a popular series and he’s back for 2nd grade!
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: The Illustrated Edition (Harry Potter, Book 1) – This is something I want to read together with my boys. Harry Potter came out when I was in high school, and was not illustrated. When I found out there was an illustrated hard-cover version I knew I had to grab a copy! It’s absolutely beautiful inside and I can’t wait to introduce the kids to the world of Harry Potter!
How Not to Start Third Grade (Step into Reading 4) – a cute book to read at the end of the school year!
I hope this list provides you with some inspiration for books to keep your second grader reading and entertained. Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know your second grader’s favorite books.
