December 21, 2020 | melissa c
The following fiction and non-fiction titles may be enjoyed by children in second grade. Please remember, readers have different interests and read at different levels so not all of these titles will appeal to, or be appropriate for, every second grader.
For more specific recommendations, we encourage you to chat with the librarian at the Children's Desk about your child's reading interests or use our May We Suggest form.
Fiction Titles
A young boy in Concord, Massachusetts, who loves superheroes and comes from a long line of brave Chinese farmer-warriors, wants to make friends but first he must overcome his fear of everything.
Karen Brewer's imagination gets the best of her when she decides that her neighbor, Mrs. Porter--who has wild gray hair, wears black robes, and has a garden full of mysterious herbs--must be a witch.
When second-grader Eugene and his family move to a new neighborhood and he starts at a new school, he has a chance to bring out his superhero alter ego, Captain Awesome, to find the kidnapped class hamster.
As the youngest in her family, Dory really wants attention, and more than anything she wants her brother and sister to play with her. But she's too much of a baby for them, so she's left to her own devices. Dory has lots of things to do: outsmarting the monsters all over the house, moving into the closet, and exacting revenge on her sister's favorite doll. And when they really need her, daring Dory will prove her bravery, and finally get exactly what she has been looking for.
Eight-year-old EllRay's father has promised a family trip to Disneyland if EllRay can stay out of trouble for a week, but not defending himself against Jared, the class bully, proves to be a real challenge.
Frank likes peace and quiet. He likes his tent, his pencil, and writing in his secret notebook. Bean likes noise. He likes his bus, his trumpet -- toot, toot! -- and making music. Loud music. But Bean is missing something: he does not have words. What will happen if Frank shares his words with Bean?
When seven-year-old Bean plays a mean trick on her sister, she finds unexpected support for her antics from Ivy, the new neighbor, who is less boring than Bean first suspected.
On a hike with the Super Scouts, Katie is paired up with a girl she does not know who seems much better at scouting then Katie is, but eventually Katie finds that she has discovered a new friend.
Mr. Watson's usual Saturday drive in his Cadillac with his favorite pig, Mercy, turns into an adventure when an unexpected passenger shows up in the back seat and Mercy finds herself behind the wheel.
A mouse named Ricky Ricotta and his giant flying robot attempt to save the world from an invasion of massive Mutant Mosquitoes from Mercury.
In the first My Weird School book ever, second-grade teacher Miss Daisy is in over her head at Ella Mentary School. She doesn't even know how to add or subtract! But the students, like A.J. and his friends, have other things on their minds. Principal Klutz has promised their class that if they read a million pages in books, they can turn the school into a video-game arcade for one whole night!
Hosting her first sleepover, Jada has lots of scientific activities planned, but when her best friends just want to hang out, can Jada figure out the formula for fun and save the sleepover?
"Maybe your foot smells good. Maybe your foot smells great. But I will not smell your foot until you say PLEASE." Meet Chick and Brain. And their friend Spot. Chick likes to follow the rules. Brain might not be as smart as he looks. And Spot just wants to eat lunch.
Narwhal is a happy-go-lucky narwhal. Jelly is a no-nonsense jellyfish. The two might not have a lot in common, but they do they love waffles, parties and adventures. Join Narwhal and Jelly as they discover the whole wide ocean together.
Monkey and Cake love building forts! When Cake decides to build his own fort, Monkey feels left out. Monkey builds his own fort that's even bigger than Cake's fort. But before long, they both discover that being alone in a fort is no fun!
Tiger is BIG. Tiger is BRAVE. And Tiger is NOT afraid of anything . . . except WORMS! Are Tiger's worm worries worse than worms?
Fox and Chick are off on three new adventures involving a boat ride, a mysterious box, and an early morning trip to see the sunrise.
Nonfiction Titles
From its disorienting upside-down first page, this is one of the rare board books that speaks to many ages: A long, colorful foldout of Warhol flower variants would be ideal for a baby to gaze at during tummy time. A shiny mirrored page with black glasses will attract toddlers' eyes, but knowing it works as a disguise will intrigue preschool readers. All of the pieces of art are from the Whitney Museum's collection.
Are you curious about numbers, size, and how something small stacks up to something big, like the number of grains of sand that fill a bucket? Life-size photographs answer questions about all kinds of creatures and objects. How many balloons could you fill with the air you breathe in one day? Is it possible to measure time in colors?
Step-by-step illustrated instructions for kids to safely make snacks and treats, including princess fruit salad, ants in a log, very veggie dip, and more. No stoves, ovens, or sharp knives are involved. Kids will discover the pleasure of making their own food with healthy, easy-to-find ingredients, plenty of room for experimentation, and absolutely no need for parental supervision!
Fauja Singh was born determined. He was also born with legs that wouldn't allow him to play cricket with his friends or carry him to school miles from his village in Punjab. But that didn't stop him. At the age of 81, after a lifetime of making his body, mind, and heart stronger, Fauja decided to run his first marathon.
The giant squid is one of the most elusive creatures in the world. As large as whales, they hide beyond reach deep within the sea, forcing scientists to piece together their story from those clues they leave behind.
Get ready to laugh, chuckle, hee haw, and giggle! This collectible little book is packed with hundreds of silly jokes paired with hilarious photos of laughing animals and funny people.
When Beverley Bass was a young girl in the late 1950s, she told her parents she wanted to fly planes--and they told her that girls couldn't be pilots. After decades of refusing to take no for an answer, in 1986 Beverley became the first female pilot promoted to captain by American Airlines and led the first all-female crewed flight shortly thereafter.
From tiny bee hummingbird nests to orangutan nests high in the rain-forest canopy, an incredible variety of nests is showcased here in great splendor.
Take a bite out of the calendar with this cheerful collection of delicious seasonal poems, each one an ode to a favorite food!
With colorful photographs and interactive examples, Bruce Goldstone introduces children to the ideas of something being possible, probable, or impossible. Each spread features an easy-to-understand scenario such as dice rolling, with questions about probable outcomes and simple explanations.
What's that sound underground? In this thoughtful collection, it can be anything from ants, to a basement, to the subway, to the roots of a tree, and anything in between.
What do worms do all day? How do they see? And why are they so cold and squishy? Find out by going on an underground tour through the hidden world of earthworms.
There are so many different kinds of animals at the zoo, and they each make lots and lots (and sometimes LOTS!) of poo. So what do zoos do with all of that poo?