Books for Independent Reading
Second grade is a wonderful time for
your child to begin independent reading. Most children by this grade have had a
fair amount of reading instruction. It is very important to choose books at the
appropriate level of difficulty. Choosing books at the correct level allows
your child to achieve fluency and gain confidence. Gaining confidence is a very
important step at this age because it will help develop a lifelong love of
reading. Tutti Frutti loves to reread books…is this ok? Yes! Because this is
another step in learning to read that builds confidence.
Frutti gets so frustrated when she makes a mistake! But, I have to reassure her
it’s OK! Mistakes are all part of a
normal learning to read process. Here are some steps to take when your child
makes mistakes during oral reading:
shouldn’t stop to correct every mistake your child makes.
word is misread that is imperative to the story and your child gets confused,
step in and give the word. Otherwise let it go, often times children will
realize their mistake and come back to correct it.
child struggles to read a word, don’t jump in to help immediately; give her a
chance to figure it out herself.
the reading process, sometimes Tutti Frutti loses confidence or enjoyment if
she makes too many mistakes. When I see this happening it is my cue to step in and
give her praise and encouragement. We will finish the book but, I always make a
mental note to choose an easier level next time.
Ultimate List of 2nd Grade Reading Books by Level of Difficulty:
Easy Readers 1 – written for children learning to read. They
have simple words and sentences with lots of pictures.
The Ugly Duckling - Harriet
The Magic Porridge Pot -
The Cat in the Hat – Dr.
Green Eggs and Ham - Dr.
One Fish, Two Fish, Three
Fish - Dr. Seuss
Mrs. Brice’s Mice – Syd Hoff
Stanley - Syd Hoff
Danny and the Dinosaur Go to
Camp - Syd Hoff
Are You My Mother – P.D.
Joe and Betsy the Dinosaur –
Ducks in a Row – Jackie
Little Bears Friend – Else
Baa-Choo! – Sarah Weeks
Pip Squeak – Sarah Weeks
Readers 2 – written a little more advanced that Easy Readers 1. They have
more difficult vocabulary along with more text per page but still have lots of
Fox Be Nibble – James
Breakout at the Bug Lab –
Detective Dinosaur – James
The Case of the Troublesome
Turtle – Cynthia Rylant
Amelia Bedelia Goes Camping
– Peggy Parish
The Best Seat in Second
Grade – Katherine Kenah
Arthur’s Birthday Party –
Arthur’s Honey Bear –
Here Comes the Strikeout –
The Giant Jelly Bean Jar –
Buzby – Julia Hoban
Big Max – Kin Platt
Big Max and the Mystery of
the Missing Giraffe – Kin Platt
No Fighting, No Biting! –
Else Holmelund Minarik
Zack’s Alligator Goes to
School – Shirley Mozelle
Grasshopper on the Road –
Frog and Toad All Year –
Frog and Toad Are Friends –
to Chapter Books
The next list of books bridges the gap
between easy readers and chapter books. This often seems to be a struggle point
for homeschooling parents of exactly when and how to begin chapter books. Most
children begin reading transition books between mid-second grade and early
third. But, a good indicator is when they read easy readers with little to no
difficulty. Ideally, your child should read eight to ten transition books
before moving on to chapter books.
Books 1: These books are a step up in difficulty to transition books.
The sentences are longer and more complex, the story itself is richer – with
more complex plots and characters. The page range of chapter books 1 is
fifty-five to one hundred.
Pioneer Cat – William Hooks
A Toad for Tuesday – Russell
Julian’s Glorious Summer –
Invisible Stanley – Jeff
Bears on Hemlock Mountain –
Stone Fox – John Reynolds
A Hare Raising Tail –
Sarah, Plain and Tall –
The Time Warp Trio: Knights
of the Kitchen Table – Jon Scieszka (First Book in the Time Warp Trio Series)
McBroom’s Wonderful One-Acre
Farm – Sid Fleischman
Shoeshine Girl – Clyde
The Silver Balloon – Susan
Cam Jansen: The Mystery of
Dinosaur Bones - David Adler
Books 2: To really be ready for this next set of books, your child
should read ten to fifteen books from chapter books 1. These books are longer
and more difficult than chapter books 1. The paragraphs are longer and with
more dialogue. The page range of chapter books 2 is eighty to one hundred
forty. A good readiness indicator for chapter books 2 is that your child can
read silently and accurately for longer periods of time.
Encyclopedia Brown and the
Case of the Secret Pitch – Donald J. Sobol (There is many books available in
A Mouse Called Wolf – Dick
The Hoboken Chicken
Emergency – Daniel Pinkwater
Lady Lollipop – Dick King
The New Kid at School – Kate
McMullen ( #1 in the Dragon Slayers Academy Series)
Gooseberry Park – Cynthia
The Talented Clementine –
Sara Pennypacker ( #2 in the Clementine Series)
Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of
Mystery – James and Deborah Howe
Max and Maddy and the
Chocolate Money Mystery – Alexander McCall Smith ( one other book available)
Help! I’m a Prisoner in the
Library! Eth Clifford
Sable – Karen Hesse
Lion to Guard us. – Clyde Robert Bulla
is the ultimate reading list I have for second grade. Tutti Frutti is working
hard on her list but, there is absolutely no pressure to complete it all. What
fun would it be if we were a slave to our list?
Do you have a favorite
book for second grade? If so, please share!
Have a child who doesn’t want to read?
Stay tuned for
next week. I will be sharing how to encourage a child
doesn’t want to read!
Where to Buy:
Don't Want to Purchase:
*Your local library is a great resource
*Borrow from other friends :)
Labels: Life in our Homeschool