If you’re looking for Read Aloud Books for Second Grade, I’ve put together a fantastic list of chapter books. There are old classics and new favorites, perfect 2nd grade read aloud books for home and school.
Second Grade, or age 7, is such a fun time for reading aloud. Kids this age can understand more complex stories and have attention spans that allow them to sit and listen to longer chapters. It opens up a whole new world of reading.
Whether you're a parent or a teacher, reading aloud with your second grader is a valuable way to connect and an effective teaching strategy.
And, most kids this age are excited to gather around and listen to a good story.
Tips for Reading Aloud to 2nd Graders
Choose books that you enjoy reading too: I think reading should be fun for everyone involved, so pick a book that you don't dread reading aloud. You can't convince the kids to enjoy a book if you don't enjoy it too.
Go all in: Read with accents and voices and all the enthusiasm you can muster. You might feel silly, but kids will love it. I wouldn't listen to an audio book with a bland reader, so I know my kids will enjoy a reading experience more if I put a little effort into it.
Pick books above their reading level: Read aloud books can be a level or two ahead of what second graders can read on their own.
Let them keep their hands busy: It's easier for many kids to focus on the story if they can keep their hands busy. I like to hand out coloring pages or coloring books for the kids to use while I read.
Read Aloud Books for Second Grade
Below is a collection of my favorite read aloud books for second grade. I've read every single book on this list, most of them aloud to my children, and I love them all.
Note: All of the Amazon links in this post are affiliate links. You can also download a printable copy of the list below.
More Helpful Book Lists
- Excellent Chapter Book Series for Second Graders (Independent Reading)
- Read Aloud Books for First Grade
- Read Aloud Books for Third Grade
- Easy Chapter Books for Independent Reading
Buckle and Squash: The Perilous Princess Plot
This is fantastic and so very funny! There are two sisters: one who longs for adventure and danger, and another who only dreams of being a pampered princess. They live in the middle of nowhere and their lives are very ordinary, until one day, an evil villain kidnaps one of the sisters. This is just as funny for the adult reading aloud as it is for the kids listening. I can't recommend this one highly enough.
Cilla Lee-Jenkins: Future Author Extraordinaire
I can almost guarantee you'll fall in love with the charming Priscilla "Cilla" Lee Jenkins! She's a second grader getting ready for third grade, the birth of a baby sister, and trying her very best to become a best selling author before her family forgets all about her.
Fortunately, the Milk
This is another quick read, but so much fun! The author himself describes this one as "very silly" and that's very accurate. A father goes out to get milk for the children's cereal and encounters a good amount of trouble . . . trouble that involves things like dinosaurs and wumpires and a floaty-ball-person-carrier. Kids love this one.
The Hundred Dresses
It's a classic for a reason! Wanda Petronski is a Polish girl at a school in Connecticut and she doesn't fit in. Her classmates ridicule her for wearing the same faded dress everyday and then laugh when Wanda earnestly tells them that she has a hundred dresses at home. It's only after Wanda moves away that her classmates realize that they were wrong and it's too late to apologize. This is one of those books that changes lives.
The Wild Robot (The Wild Robot, 1)
By Peter Brown | 288 Pages
When Roz the robot opens her eyes for the very first time, she discovers that she is bound by cords in a crate, alone on a wild island. She doesn't know how she got there or why she's on an island, but Roz realizes pretty quickly that she needs to figure out how to survive.
There just aren't enough great Robots in children's literature. Thank goodness for this absolute masterpiece by Peter Brown!
Appleblossom the Possum
This is a fun animal story. Mama possum has trained all her babies and now it's time for them to head out into the world. But it doesn't take long before Appleblossom finds herself down the chimney in a human house. While Appleblossom's possum brothers try to launch a rescue team, she's becoming friends with a human girl inside the house.
Beatrice Zinker, Upside Down Thinker
Beatrice is feisty and creative and such a fun character, not unlike Ramona Quimby. Over summer break Beatrice and her best friend Lenny make a plan to wear matching black ninja suits on the first day of school. But when Beatrice shows up on the first day wearing her ninja suit, she sees that not only did Lenny forget their plan, but he's also made a new friend. This is a great book about friendship and you'll love Beatrice's creative solutions to her problems.
The BFG
This book, with its snozzcumbers and fleshlumpeaters, needs little introduction. Kids like this one, a lot! Plus, it really is fun to read aloud.
The Boxcar Children (The Boxcar Children Mysteries)
Mysteries are fun to read aloud because they keep kids engaged and wanting more. These Boxcar Children mysteries are perfect for young elementary school age kids.
Mac Undercover (Mac B., Kid Spy #1)
As far as I'm concerned, Mac Barnett is a genius. We've enjoyed every book he's written. In this one, he features himself as the main character - a James Bond type spy for the Queen of England. It's super fun and if your little listeners enjoy it, there's more in the series.
Bob
This is a strange and sweet book about a child, Livy, rediscovering the imaginary friend, Bob, she left behind at her grandmother's house in Australia. Now, Livy is trying to figure out what exactly Bob is and how to help him get home. The perspective shifts back and forth between Bob and Livy and there's a hint of mystery throughout the book. Very gripping!
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Illustrated First Edition)
I loved reading this aloud with my kids. It's pure magic! And 2nd graders will have a fun time comparing and contrasting the book with the movie.
The Adventures of Pippi Longstocking
This will always be one of my absolute favorite books to read aloud. My kids adore Pippi Longstocking - it's really hard not to.
Abel's Island (Newbery Award & Honor Books (Paperback))
I love this charming little book. One day Abel, a mouse, and his wife Amanda, also a mouse, are out on a picnic when a terrible storm blows in and Abel is swept up in a stream and carried away. He washes up on an uninhabited island and for days, weeks, months, tries desperately to escape. It's quite the adventure!
Emil and the Great Escape
Another wonderful book from the author of Pippi Longstocking. In this one, Emil is a good hearted boy that always seems to find mischief. It's very funny and will definitely have your 2nd graders giggling and begging for more.
The Adventures of Nanny Piggins (Nanny Piggins (1))
The three Green children have a nanny and their nanny is a PIG. She's well dressed, well spoken, and loves chocolate, but she is in fact a pig. This is a very fun read aloud and if you enjoy this quirky twist on the Mary Poppins books, there are more in the series.
Ginger Pye
Eleanor Estes wrote such sweet, gentle books for kids. This one is about an animal loving family. While there's not a ton of action, I find that many kids appreciate the slow and simple pace of this story. It's charming.
Where the Sidewalk Ends: Poems and Drawings
This is the best collection of wacky, funny, weird poems. I still remember reading these as a kid. They'll never go out of style and they'd be so fun to read aloud in a classroom.
How to Train Your Dragon
A lot of kids have seen this movie, but the book is definitely better. Dragons, vikings, adventure. This one is great fun!
Stuart Little
Once you get past the weird thought that a human woman birthed this tiny mouse, the rest of the book is superb. Stuart is an unforgettable character.
Snow & Rose
This fairy tale retelling is magical! And there are gorgeous illustrations throughout the book too. It's the story of an enchanted wood and the two sisters that break its terrible spell. Fairy tales make such wonderful read alouds.
Hilda and the Hidden People: (Hilda Tie-In)
I never read books based on movies or tv shows, but this really is the exception. I love the Hilda graphic novels and I really love the Netflix original series. This new chapter book series is based on the Netflix show, but it's really quite good on its own. Hilda is an explorer and adventurer and she meets trolls and elves and all sorts of magical folk in this exciting little book.
The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread
Kate Di Camillo weaves pure magic with words in this magnificent book. It's a classic tale of light vs. dark, and it's set in a castle. Bravery, adventure, and the best little hero you could ever hope to find in a book. Enjoy!
The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles
Did you know Julie Andrews, in addition to being a star, also writes fantastic children's books? It's really not fair. But, you should definitely read this book. The Whangdoodle was once the most extraordinary creature in the world but then he disappeared. But Professor Savant and the three Potter children are determined to find him once again. It's very magical.
Sideways Stories from Wayside School
I loved these when I was a kid, and now my kids love them. They are wacky stories from a crazy mixed up school, but they're so fun. And if you grew up reading these like I did, be sure to check out the newest one, just released in 2020: Wayside School Beneath the Cloud of Doom
Tuesdays at the Castle (Castle Glower series Book 1)
Every Tuesday at Castle Glower, the castle adds something new - a new room, a new staircase, sometimes an entirely new wing. No one ever knows exactly what to expect on Tuesdays. But Princess Celie loves the castle's quirkiness and she's the only one who takes the time to map out all the new changes. When the king and queen are ambushed, Celie's secret knowledge about the castle helps save the day. This is an exciting series!
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