Inside: Looking for books to read with your second grader? Check out our top 10 read aloud books for 2nd grade, from picture books to chapter books!
I chose a collection of some of my favorite chapter books and picture books for second grade read alouds. Truth be told, I don’t really remember exactly what books my kids were read to in the classroom during 2nd grade. For some reason, it’s drawing a blank at our house.
Second grade at our elementary school is memorable for a foreign country unit. The kids study China, Ghana, and Mexico. I have the Red Envelope Crafts project (which can also be used for Chinese New Year) that I presented for my son’s class, and the Mexican Crafts Party (which can also be used for Cinco de Mayo).
Top 10 read aloud books for 2nd grade
I researched lists from 2nd grade teachers and I wanted to warn you that my list leans a little towards chapter books and multicultural picture books to reflect their country studies.
What are your favorite read aloud books for 2nd grade? Please share!
10. Virgie Goes to School with Us Boys by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard, illustrated by E. B. Lewis
Set during the Reconstruction Era, freed slaves are finally able to go to school and Virgie, a girl, wants this privilege as well. She’s willing to walk the seven miles to school with her brothers, even though they don’t believe she can make it. [picture book, ages 5 and up]
9. Clementine by Sara Pennypacker
PickyKidPix has had a love affair with the Clementine series that started in second grade. She’s starting seventh grade this fall, but she will still ask me to buy every new Clementine book that comes out.
Clementine is a spunky heroine who gets in a little bit of trouble despite herself, reminiscent of Ramona The Pest, but at an easier reading level.
This is her description of Clementine:
“It’s so funny. Once you read, you keep cracking up. Once I was reading at school and I was laughing too much so I got in trouble. I read all four of the books and I recommend for 2nd grade through 5th grade.” [chapter book, ages 6 and up]
8. Sam and the Lucky Money by Karen Chinn, illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu
In second grade at our elementary school, the students study three countries: China, Ghana and Mexico. This picture book reflects Chinese culture but is set in the United States. Sam gets lucky money for Chinese New Year from his grandparents and wants to spend it in Chinatown.
It’s here that he meets a stranger and rethinks how he wants to spend his money. [picture book, ages 5 and up]
7. Boundless Grace by Mary Hoffman, illustrated by Carolyn Binch
Grace’s parents are divorced and her father has remarried. She is going to visit him and his new family … in AFRICA! It’s so different from what she’s used to, but Grace learns that family is family, no matter what country you are in. [picture book, ages 4 and up]
6. Mrs. Piggle Wiggle by Betty McDonald
I loved Mrs. Piggle Wiggle as a child so I was so happy to see that other 2nd grade teachers also use this series as a read aloud! She’s like a Mary Poppins of sorts, with a similar bag of tricks, but hers are cures for kids’ bad habits. [chapter book, ages 7 and up]
5. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
My son told me that was one of his favorite read aloud in third grade. The adventures of an arrogant and cold-hearted beloved toy china rabbit as he learns about fear, humility, and ultimately love. [chapter book, ages 7 and up]
“Somewhere between fairy tale and fable, DiCamillo spins the tale of Edward, transformed by the lives he touches. The reader will be transformed too.”
— Kirkus (starred review)
4. The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirkpatrick Hill
My son said that it was a read aloud in third grade last year, but I remember reading this with my girls in second grade as their first introduction to historical fiction. I also loved that this chapter book showed them how precious education is.
Miss Agnes arrives in a remote part of Alaska to teach kids in a one-room schoolhouse. They are used to teachers leaving abruptly; it’s not the easiest place to live.
But Miss Agnes is different. She actually wants to be there and she finds a way to connect education with what life is really like for the Athabascans in Alaska during 1948.
By creating materials of her own, she finds a way to teach each and every one of the kids, including learning sign language to help a hearing-impaired child. [chapter book, ages 7 and up] Note that I would recommend reading this at the end of 2nd grade.
3. Matilda by Roald Dahl
My son said that they read a few Roald Dahl books in 2nd grade including Matilda and Fantastic Mr. Fox but I chose Matilda because almost every third grade kid in PickyKidPix’s class raved about it because they thought it was so funny!
Another favorite Dahl book of mine that is lesser known but makes a great read aloud is Danny The Champion of the World. It also has a little tie-in to The B.F.G. which makes it especially fun.
I read a few chapters aloud to my daughter’s 3rd grade class and they really appreciated the reference having read The B.F.G. previously. [chapter book, ages 7 and up]
2. What the Moon Saw by Laura Resau
Clara Luna’s grandparents have invited her to visit them in Mexico. The problem is that she’s never met them, never heard much about them, and isn’t sure that she wants to go to her father’s remote village.
But not knowing about her father’s past as an undocumented worker who crossed the border to make a successful life for himself, her American mother, and herself is a mystery that nags at her.
This chapter book tells a balanced story of what it means to cross the border and leave all that you know behind to pursue a better life. [chapter book, ages 7 and up]. I would recommend reading it after the Mexico unit towards the end of the school year.
1. Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Hudson Talbott
Woodson’s family history parallels the United States’s from slavery to freedom. True freedom comes from literacy and after overcoming segregation.
During slavery, a quilt called a “Show Way” was a secret map to point the way toward freedom. But when slavery ended, challenges still remained. From quiltmakers to wordsmiths, the Woodson women were indomitable, showing their family the way.
“This is the story of seven generations of girls and women who were quilters and artists and freedom fighters.” [picture book, ages 6 and up]
p.s. A few more lists:
26 Perfect Read Alouds for Kindergarten
19 Perfect Read Alouds for 1st Grade
10 Perfect Read Aloud Books for 3rd Grade
10 Perfect Read Alouds for 4th Grade
10 Perfect Read Alouds for 5th Grade
23 Great Picture Books for 5th Grade
90 6th Graders Name Their Favorite Book
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I had the opportunity to interview with Hudson Talbot on his radio show. I love his books and illustrations, particularly his sense of design.
Hi Ann,
I’d love to share your link; I know you can’t post it in my comments but if you email me, I’ll add it here.
Great list, personal fan of Jackie’s books and my oldest was a big fan of anything Dahl. My youngest daughter loved the book Search for Delicious in 3rd grade. Still talks about it and she’s 23 now.
Thanks so much for sharing your daughter’s favorite book in 2nd grade Evelyn! The Search for Delicious by Natalie Babbitt. I will try to get my hands on a copy! A book that stays with you for that long is a keeper!
Great list. Many are new to me. Much thanks. PK mom
Thank you so much Jen!!
Great list. I plan on sharing it with my 2nd grade teachers (I am a principal) as well as my wife, also a 2nd grade teacher.
One suggestion – I tried Matilda as a read aloud when I taught elementary. It wasn\’t the most popular among the students. I think the length and the large amount of dialogue made it a challenge for some of my students. Instead, check out Tumtum and Nutmeg by Emily Bearn.
Hi Matt,
Thanks so much for sharing your experience with Matilda! I’ve added Danny, the Champion of the World as an alternative. I read the first few chapters aloud as a parent volunteer and the kids loved the reference in it to The B.F.G. which was a clever and fun play by Dahl. It’s also one of my favorite Dahl books that I recall reading as a kid. Thanks also for your great book recs!
I haven’t read most of these, although we own the Edward Tulane book. I love that Grace series, and Mrs. Piggle Wiggle is a favorite in our home!
Hi MaryAnne,
You have a well stocked bookshelf!! I’m glad your kids love Mrs. Piggle Wiggle too! My kids never got into them but I LOVED them as a child and I worried that they were too old fashioned for kids these days! Glad to see that it isn’t true; it’s just my kids!
My sister is reading Clementine right now! 🙂 Great list of books!
Thanks Erik! My 6th grader, PickyKidPix, still wants to read every new Clementine as they come out as she still loves them! (And I’m happy that she loves reading them!).
Lovely!!! Pinning this so I remember to buy the books when my younger son gets to that level! 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing Roshni!
Mia this is a fantastic list. There are a couple of books I haven’t seen before and look forward to reading them.
Thanks so much Valarie!! That means a lot, coming from you!
Very diverse list! We read Clemintine on your recommendation and enjoyed it. I’d really like to read What the Moon Saw.
Hi Ann,
Thanks so much! I really loved What the Moon Saw; it just came out but it touches on so many different elements in one moving book! I hope it gets widely passed around!
My boys and I loved Mrs. Piggle Wiggle! So funny and educational. Great list! 🙂
Thanks so much Michelle! I’m so glad your boys love Mrs. Piggle Wiggle too!!! I loved that series as a child and could not get my kids to read it on their own. Sometimes a teacher introduction can be so powerful!
What an awesome list! We just made our first trip to the library for this school year and had such a hard time picking books on my oldest’s 2nd grade level. Now I can go back with this in hand and feel more successful! Thanks for sharing…
Thanks so much Tiffany! It makes me so happy that my list helps! The list can be slightly high for 2nd graders as it’s meant as a read aloud but if you are reading to your child or doing shared reading, it’s fine. (Or if your child reads at a high level than grade level).
Thanks for sharing such a great list. I love “Show Way” and “Virgie goes to School with us Boys.” I wrote reviews of them on my own blog for Perfect Picture Book Friday.
Hi Clara,
I’d love to add your links. Do you mind emailing me with them? I tried to find them on your blog, but the search box didn’t turn them up. Thanks!!
This looks like a wonderful list. We’ve read a few of the books on your list, but we’ll have to check out the others for sure 😉
XO
Thanks so much Mrs. AOK! I hope your kids like the books on the list!
I have not read Danny – thanks! I don\’t think Dahl wrote a bad book. Matilda probably is fine as a read aloud – maybe I just had finicky class that year. :-)My wife has a few of your suggestions as potential read alouds in her 2nd grade classroom, highlighted on my blog Reading by Example. Thank you again for taking the time to share your thinking.
Thanks Matt,
I found a link to what I think is the post you mentioned:
http://readingbyexample.com/2014/08/31/create-a-more-connected-classroom/
And I’m going to list the books she showed in the photograph because they are great:
The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes
Mercy Watson (series) by Kate DiCamillo
Mrs. Piggle Wiggle (series) by Betty MacDonald
The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirkpatrick Hill
Ivy and Bean (series) by Annie Barrows
Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson (* Diversity pick!)
So sorry I could not find your email or Show Way on my blog either. But here is Virgie Goes to School With Us Boys. I Loved that book!!
Comment could not go through with url. But my search showed it. 🙂
Thanks so much for the link Clara:
Virgie Goes to School with Us Boys: http://clarbojahn.wordpress.com/2013/09/27/perfect-picture-book-friday-virgie-goes-to-school-with-us-boys/
I love Jacqueline Woodson’s books, especially “The Other Side” and “Each Kindness.” Ironically I’ve not read “Show Way.” I see second grade as a transition year, because kids still are reading PB. I think of book like the Magic Treehouse series as beginning chapter books for that age group. Of course kids read at all levels. “The Paper House” by Lois Peterson may fit that group. But, my favorite anti-bullying books for this age group is by Erin Frankel (Weird, Dare and Tough).
Hi Patricia,
I loved that anti-bullying series too. I thought I covered them on my blog but I can’t find the link. I guess not.
I need to read Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson and I agree with you that The Magic Treehouse, Bailey Street Kids, A to Z Mysteries etc are a rite of passage for kids to transition to early chapter books.
I’ll have to find The Paper House too!
Thanks again for your great book recommendations!!
What a great collection of books for 2nd graders just in time for the new school year. My daughter loves the Clementine books. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Stacie,
Thanks so much! Glad your daughter loves Clementine too! My 7th grade daughter will still read them because she loved them so much when she was younger!
Mrs. Pigglewiggle would make a good classroom read aloud because it is silly and the chapters read like little individual stories. Great list. I have a second grader, and I am always looking for suggestions.
Thanks so much Jenny,
I have always loved Mrs. Piggle Wiggle since I was a kid! I remember the cure for the kid who wouldn’t take baths: growing radishes right on the dirt on the body! That always made me laugh and now I have a kid who hates to take showers or baths!
This is an amazing book collection. Mrs. Piggle Wiggle is a favorite at my house. What a Thank so much for adding it The Sunday Showcase link up!
Thanks so much JDaniel4’s mom! I’m so glad you like the list!
Many of these I haven’t seen before so thanks for sharing. We do love Clementine though! She’s awesome! Thanks for sharing in the Kid Lit Blog Hop. Pinning!!
Thanks so much Renee!