Early Second Grade
Second graders (typically ages seven and eight) love to play, interact with family and friends, and explore. As they grow older and progress from first grade, they form stronger opinions around the books they choose to read. They have a strong desire for engagement with text through laughing and empathizing, and they place great value in relating to characters.
In the classroom, second graders build on all of the phonics learned from first grade and begin to study more challenging words, learning to decode suffixes, contractions, word families and more multi-syllabic words.
The Quick Stats for each book lists highly decodable (all short vowel words, common suffixes attached to base words, suffixes -ly, -le, -en,-et, -er and word families -ild, most, high, light), sight words and challenge words (irregular words with -er, -ed,-ing endings, two- and three-syllable words with different syllable types, more complex word families and words with the “schwa” sound.
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In all five books in the Max & Mo series, Max and Mo collaborate to devise solutions to their problems. As classroom hamsters, they have access to glue, tape, pencils and more. They use these supplies and other various tools to problem solve through trial and error.
The text is lush with dialogue and will give readers an opportunity to read with expression. The last pages of each book include fun activities related to each story which readers will love.
Quick stats: 242 words total, 104 unique. 101 highly decodable and 3 challenge words (cottage, cried, tomorrow).
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Cork is a muskrat and Fuzz is a possum. They eat different foods and are interested in playing different games. But in an embarrassing moment near the book’s end, they discover something they have in common: they both collect beautiful rocks. Throughout Cork & Fuzz series, though each animal approaches life in different ways, their friendship prevails.
The Cork & Fuzz books are chapter books with text that is highly decodable, but at the same time, offers a challenge to young readers; 80 words in the book are two or more syllables. There is much dialogue between characters. These books uniquely offer readers the chance to learn vocabulary related to the natural world. Readers will also learn a lot about possums and muskrats - for example, possums play dead when they’re scared, and muskrats have a vegetarian diet and like cattails, roots and seeds.
Though Cork & Fuzz is fictional, there is informative text woven throughout. Follow up by researching more about possums and muskrats and the other animals they meet along the way.
Quick stats: 895 words total, 251 unique. 236 highly decodable, 15 challenge words (afraid, because, began, behind, buzzard, caterpillar, collect, disappeared, echo, explain, guess, interesting, okay, pretend, surprised).
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Crabby is almost always crabby but Plankton is persistent in his quest to make crabby smile. Though Crabby doesn’t break often, readers will! Those who can interpret sarcasm will be especially drawn to Fenske’s humor. The illustrations will captivate the reader’s interest and help readers to see the emotions each character experiences.
The text is mostly written in speech bubbles between characters. Words are mostly highly decodable. Readers will have a chance to encounter vocabulary words related to sea life – dunes, plankton, barnacle. And with regard to specific words Fenske has chosen, readers might think about how a crab ‘scuttles’ rather than ‘walks.’
As with other books in the Acorn series by Scholastic, the last page contains a “You Can Draw” section where readers will have a chance to draw a character step by step.
Quick stats: 656 words total, 195 unique. 181 highly decodable, 14 challenge (alright, around, barnacle, because, chocolate, choices, enough, ocean, okay, prefer, probably, promise, reason, record).
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Within this series, readers will feel empowered with possibility as they travel along with Princess Truly throughout her adventures. She creates inventions, travels the world and places a high value on self-confidence and friendship.
Readers will also love that the text rhymes and has a fluent flow. The sentences are clear and concise but also loaded with multisyllabic words like celebrate, anything and mighty. The writing shifts from current and future tense to past tense; readers will get extra practice with suffix endings
Quick stats: 416 words total, 195 unique. 185 highly decodable and 10 challenge words (across, afraid, balloons, begin, believe, celebrate, hero, noodles, power, super).
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Pete the Cat suits up with fins, a mask and an air tank to dive down deep into the ocean. He’s looking for a seahorse but finds a swordfish, angelfish, blowfish, jellyfish and more along the way. Just before climbing back aboard the boat, he finally finds a seahorse!
The book is 32 pages with two to three sentences per page. The book takes place in the present tense with many verbs that end in s such as “tickles” and “feels” and “wishes.” Readers should be able to quickly recognize this suffix s and es. Readers should also be ready to tackle multisyllabic words. There are many compound words as well, so readers can use their knowledge of the single syllable words to tackle larger ones such as seahorse, swordfish, jellyfish and blowfish.
Quick stats: 362 words total, 150 unique. 144 highly decodable and 6 challenge words (captain, colorful, except, octopus, scuba, surprise).
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When a new dancer shows up in Mia’s studio, she doesn’t know quite what to think. Sarah listens to the teacher but also adds her own step into each dance step. Just when Mia and her friends think Sarah is in the wrong, their dance teacher quickly steps in to celebrate differences rather than reject them.
As much as the dance moves in this book are varied, so too are the words. There are 320 words total in the book, of which almost half are unique. Readers will need to pay close attention to suffixes as the text often shifts from words with -ed, -ing, -er, -es,-ly.
Quick stats: 370 total, 140 unique. 139 highly decodable and 1 challenge word (gallop).
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While making plans, April and Mae quickly realize they have different intentions around the sleepover. April wants to sleep outdoors, but Mae is less than excited about roughing it in the dark backyard. April does just about everything she can to make her friend more comfortable.
Author Megan Lambert wrote one book in this series for each day of the week, and she imagines that this topic is a perfect book for Friday. Throughout the series, these friends show that friendship is all about empathy, kindness and compromise.
Quick stats: 814 total, 225 unique. 220 highly decodable and 5 challenge words (almost, awake, okay, quiet, though).
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Author Grace Lin won a Theodor Geisel Honor for the first book in this series – Not Exactly the Same. Each of the three books is broken in to chapters and clearly listed in the table of contents. The chapters are concise with extremely funny aspects.
Ling and Ting are both likeable and relatable kids. At the same time, they invite us into some of their home experiences, including using chopsticks and making dumplings. After reading, readers will be inspired to read more and make some of the things they’ve read about.
The amazing and talented Grace Lin also wrote Dim Sum for Everyone as well as the Newbery Honor book Where the Mountain Meets the Moon.
Quick stats: 850 total, 209 unique. 194 highly decodable and 15 challenge (abracadabra, because, Chinese, couldn’t, decide, during, exactly, hocus, library, magic,, money, okay, pocus, remember, shazam).
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In Kick It Mo! the reader will feel suspense build as Mo’s team seeks to score a goal. Mo isn’t able to contribute much because he gets tired easily … until he ends up scoring the game-winning goal.
There are 517 words total in the book but less than a third are unique. The top twenty words comprise about half of the total text, which will free up the reader to focus attention on more difficult words. Readers will have a chance to practice -er and -ed endings.
Quick stats: 517 total, 152 unique. 148 highly decodable and 4 challenge words (almost, behind, practice, toward).
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Written in 1957, The Cat in the Hat has sold over ten million copies and has spawned the creation of two movies, multiple television shows and several games. Dr. Seuss wrote the book in response to the more boring Dick & Jane primers geared toward first and second graders.
Dr. Seuss used words that readers could sound out phonetically rather than having to rely on automatic word recognition. He also aimed to deliver a more exciting book that young readers couldn’t put down. And many young readers could argue that he did just that!
In this story, the frisky Cat invites himself into the house of Sally and her brother to shake things up while their mom is away. Their fish begs them not to partake but the persistent Cat and his comrades Thing One and Thing Two take over!
Dr. Seuss used many high frequency words and monosyllabic words. The words on each page often rhyme, which parallels the playful nature of the Cat himself. The book is 61 pages long and can be broken up into several readings.
Quick stats: 1625 total and 242 unique words - all of which are highly decodable for this point in second grade.
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Together, they venture out into nature and figure out crafty ways to bring color into the day. Though the text in this book includes short and simple sentence, Bolling’s descriptive text shines through. The author even elucidates the rain sounding like thunder.
At 544 words, Rainbow Days is on the longer end, and is divided into a short story format. The text is highly decodable for this grade level but will provide some readers with challenges to decode longer words such as “dandelion” and “everything.” Readers will need to pull together all phonetic knowledge of r-controlled vowels, word families and vowel teams to decode many two-syllable words like “sparkle” and “window.”
Quick stats: 544 words total, 206 unique. 201 highly decodable and 5 challenge (angels, colorful, dandelions, necklace, scissors).
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In Chicken on a Broom, Zoey bravely rescues Mouse’s mask so they can go to a Halloween party. The story is entertaining and suspenseful; readers will be on the edge of their seats as the animals have to creep into an old barn to find the mask.
Author Adam Lehrhaupt’s writing is lush with dialogue and expressions. Readers need to think about what it might mean for something to be “fully equipped” or for Zoey to be off before another character can find her.
There are 416 words in total and the most frequent words make up a third of the text. This means readers will be able to focus attention on the detailed vocabulary words. In this particular book, readers will see words related to Halloween such as costume, haunted, vampire and dangerous.
Quick stats: 416 words total, 156 unique. 148 highly decodable and 8 challenge (already, aside, avoid, costumes, dangerous, protect, rewards, through).
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Hi! Fly Guy is the first book of the Fly Guy series. The main character, Buzz, meets Fly Guy and become fast friends and virtually inseparable. Arnold’s writing throughout the series includes puns, lush vocabulary words and humor. Young readers will like that this book is an early chapter book. There are many compound words in the book like something and friendship. Additionally, many verbs are past tense. There are some challenging words such as beautiful, heaviest, surprised.
Quick stats: 335 words total, 117 unique. 112 words highly decodable and 5 challenge words (award, beautiful, caught, minute, surprised).
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Sometimes big feelings can be overwhelming, and young readers will be put at ease reading about others who also experience them. In addition to the wonderful focus on emotional intelligence, Carbone’s writing is incredibly vivid. In This Makes Me Jealous, which centers on, you guessed it, jealousy, she uses simile and metaphor. The main character in this book feels “as prickly as a cactus.”
In total this book includes 244 words, of which half appear just once in the book. The limited number of words per page and simple sentences will help the reader to focus on decoding many words in the past tense and absorbing the wonderful vocabulary.
Quick stats: 244 words total, 128 unique. 124 highly decodable and 4 challenge words (Amy, during, jealous, recess).
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Readers will relate to Harry as he feels nervous about the various activities in this book series –swimming underwater, a sleepover in an outdoor tent or visitng the doctor. And readers will also love Hedgehog as his empathy toward Harry shines through and prompts him to think of solutions. Each book is incredibly witty within the text and pictures. These books are written in a graphic novel format.
Readers may love the last page of the book which includes step-by-step instructions explaining how to draw Hedgehog.
Quick stats: 558 words total, 178 unique. 168 highly decodable with 10 challenge words (afraid, behind, blanket, brought, guess, idea(s), promise, secret, surprise).
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Inside Scouts Sanjay and Viv have the superpower to become very small, which they use to shrink and travel inside of various mammals to fix them from the inside out. In The Inside Scout Help the Kind Lion (the first book in the series) the scouts gather their tools and fix the lion’s leaky heart. The book offers readers the chance to learn about the circulatory system, including a wonderful “fun facts” section; illustrations include labeled drawings that will help readers to visualize a four-chambered heart.
The text includes wonderful STEM-related vocabulary words such as valve and heartbeat.
Quick stats: 569 words total, 182 unique. 176 highly decodable and 6 challenge words (figure, moving, power, problem, remember, super).
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The Unicorn and Yeti series includes longer books, but which have fewer words per page and are divided into three sections. The books have a graphic novel/cartoon quality to them that is sure to entertain, and may prove to be good choices for reading over the summer or while in the car.
Quick stats: 855 words total, 224 unique. 213 highly decodable and 11 challenge words (already, amazing, because, colorful, except, fancy, idea, probably, problems, protect, super).
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Pedro is a brother, son, friend, student, athlete and nature enthusiast. He is motivated to try new things, but just like any kid, he also faces worries and insecurities. Each book in the Pedro series toes the line of unique circumstances and the thoughts and feelings behind them. In the end, Pedro often gets to where he needs to be with the help of his determination, family and friends.
In the first book in the series, Pedro’s Big Goal, Pedro must try out to be the goalie. Roddy, a tough teammate with a big attitude, boasts about how he undoubtedly will win the spot. Despite wanting to give up and throw in the towel, Pedro perseveres and ultimately wins the goalie spot.
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Middle of Second Grade
As second graders continue to be more adventurous, they are also more curious and often seek answers to life’s mysteries. Our recommendations below feature a lot of suspense-filled mystery books, which meet our confident second graders where they are from a reading and phonics point of view.
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These books are sure to hook young readers into the plot early on as Katie and Pedro work together to solve mysteries. There are typically about three short chapters that move the story and suspense along quickly.
In The Mystery of the Stinky, Spooky Night, readers will soon find themselves laughing as they found that the stink for which they were searching originated from the shoe of Pedro’s dad!
Be sure to check out the glossary at the end of each book before and after reading to enhance understanding and vocabulary. Author Fran Manushkin also added wonderful comprehension questions, and in some books, included a fun follow-up activity related to the book’s plot.
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In this series about three nocturnal animals, young readers will have a chance to imagine what is happening at night. Together, a sugar glider, pangolin and fox embark on adventures just after waking up when the sun is down.
There are eight books in total in the series with some variance in length (on average about six chapters) and difficulty of text. Readers may need some clarification around some vocabulary like haunch, brigade and sputtered.
Visit nocturnalsworld.com for free and easy follow-up activities related to each book. As a gift idea, consider this adorable kit that includes books, activity ideas and a stuffy.
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Katherine Applegate, an award-winning and well-known author from The One and Only Ivan, wrote this Doggo and Pupper series as her first beginning chapter books for young readers. The series consists of three books featuring Doggo and Pupper together. The illustrations by Charlie Adler will captivate the reader’s attention and make them laugh, and the stories are entertaining and easy to follow. There are some multisyllabic vocabulary words such as “hydrated” that the reader will need to sound out syllable by syllable.
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Dav Pilkey writes and illustrates these books in a fun, cartoon style that deviates from his graphic novels, an approach which is sure to appeal to young readers. The books contain about 50 pages over five chapters that act almost as short stories within the theme of each book. Each page has fairly simple sentences with mostly decodable words and few tricky/challenge vocabulary words. Young readers will appreciate the humor and silliness in this series.
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Written in the 1970s, author Arnold Lobel received a Caldecott Honor for his illustrations and a Newbery Honor for his writing in two of the books in the Frog and Toad series. Each book in the series offers five chapters read more like sweet short stories about friendship.
Frog is cheerful and energetic and Toad is more stubborn and solitary. They don’t always agree on their outlook in life but they always try to understand and appreciate the other’s perspective. Readers will find the text to be highly accessible and decodable. The stories are entertaining and easy to follow, and there is some humor woven in to each situation.
Quick stats: 2,281 total words, 414 unique, 150 of which have two or more syllables.
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Readers will be hooked from page one when a weasel abruptly catches a mouse while reading. In a creative and crafty manner, the mouse suggests that the weasel collect various ingredients to add to the soup in which the weasel plans to cook the mouse. By the end, it becomes clear the mouse has led the weasel astray and made his escape.
The story is evocative of popular fables (think a fox being outfoxed) and the reader will undoubtedly enjoy the underdog’s triumph at the end.
Similar to the Frog and Toad books, the text is incredibly accessible and highly decodable. There are few tricky vocabulary words and so the reader can concentrate on fluency and comprehension of text.
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In this first book of the series, which won a Geisel award, the two brothers create their own neighborhood party and then find a way to earn some money and spend it.
The reader will be challenged by parts of the story that will require some inferential thinking to fully comprehend each chapter. The pages are structured in a user-friendly way, in that many of the pages include just one sentence per line. The book also repeats words with some frequency, which will help with word automaticity and fluency.
Because the topics and themes of the books in this series are so relatable to childhood, ask young readers follow-up questions about the story. For instance, ask young readers a way in which they could make money. What would they do with the money - save it or buy ice cream like Charlie and Mouse? And from what evidence in this book do we know that Charlie and Mouse bought ice cream?
Quick stats: 993 total words, 254 unique.
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Each book in the Poppleton series has three chapters written as short stories. The stories are wholesome and often highlight the importance of communication and friendship. Readers will find themselves laughing as the subtle humor within the context as well as the illustrations.
Each book in the series contains a large map of Poppleton’s town which readers will enjoy seeing before and after reading. The text is in clear print and is sometimes repetitive which will help young readers with fluency.
For more like this, author Cynthia Rylant wrote the thematically similar Henry and Mudge series, the Mr. Putter and Tabby series and the Annie and Snowball series.
As an added bonus at the end, and as is typical for some Acorn imprint books , there is a fun how to draw section at the end of each book.
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Minnie and Moo are cows with big personalities, often thinking of ridiculous ways to solve their predicaments. The books in this series often come full circle as the cows put their minds together to solve a case, like a missing jelly donut (as in this book) or finding the Eiffel Tower (in Minnie and Moo Go to Paris).
Readers will delight in the slapstick humor author Denys Cazet deploys. It is clear from this series that Cazet himself was an elementary teacher for 25 years and understands what makes this age group laugh and stay entertained.
The Case of the Missing Jelly Donut is long story divided into chapters, and the text is highly decodable and very much in synch with the phonics principles taught to this point in the classroom.
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Together, Kayla and her dog King work together to solve mysteries - from missing golden rings to missing teeth! The duo is notably methodical in how they solve cases, as they carefully list out the known facts. From there, they use their analytical skills to crack the case.
The books include five chapters which contain titles and corresponding content that moves the plot along. The text is highly decodable and contains some repeition of sentence structure,. Both of which compoenents will help the reader to read with better accuracy and fluency.
For fun resources related to the King & Kayla series check out this great activity kit from Peachtree
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Complete King & Kayla series (10 books)
King & Kayla and the Case of the Unhappy Neighbor
King & Kayla and the Case of the Secret Code
King & Kayla and the Case of the Missing Dog Treats
King & Kayla and the Case of the Missing Tooth
King & Kayla and the Case of the Mysterious Mouse
King & Kayla and the Case of the Found Fred
King & Kayla and the Case of the Gold Ring
King & Kayla and the Case of the Lost Library Book
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In the Young Cam Jansen “prequels”, Cam is younger and the text is geared more toward second grade. (Readers will be ready for the original Cam Jansen series by third grade.)
Cam’s name is a nickname for “Camera,” since she has a photographic memory and often “clicks” various scenes in her mind to capture important visual details. These details are then used in collaboration with her friend Eric to solve each case.
The text is highly decodable but has a smaller font with more words per page. Readers who are ready to tackle slightly longer mysteries will enjoy Young Cam Jansen, and can soon progress to the original series.
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Complete Young Cam Jansen series (20 books)
Young Cam Jansen and the Dinosaur Game
Young Cam Jansen and the Missing Cookie
Young Cam Jansen and the Lost Tooth
Young Cam Jansen and the Ice Skate Mystery
Young Cam Jansen and the Baseball Mystery
Young Cam Jansen and the Pizza Shop Mystery
Young Cam Jansen and the Library Mystery
Young Cam Jansen and the Double Beach Mystery
Young Cam Jansen and the Zoo Note Mystery
Young Cam Jansen and the New Girl Mystery
Young Cam Jansen and the Substitute Mystery
Young Cam Jansen and the Spotted Cat Mystery
Young Cam Jansen and the Lions' Lunch Mystery
Young Cam Jansen and the Molly Shoe Mystery
Young Cam Jansen and the 100th Day of School Mystery
Young Cam Jansen and the Speedy Car Mystery
Young Cam Jansen and the Circus Mystery
Young Cam Jansen and the Magic Bird Mystery
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As each book in the Flat Stanley series reminds readers, Stanley is four feet tall, about one foot wide and a half an inch thick. Stanley makes the most of his flatness in each book by finding creative ways to use his streamlined body to solve problems.
In The Lost Treasure, Flat Stanley curls up his body to fit through a net to save a dolphin and saves his brother Arthur from giant waves by turning himself into a surfboard.
Readers will love the creativity involved in each story. The books are around thirty pages with text covering about half of each page. There are descriptive verbs and adjectives throughout each book which will help to build vocabulary, i.e. “nestled” and “gleaming.”
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Cynthia Rylant was inspired to write these books after raising her son and dogs. In the Henry and Mudge series, young Henry and his big dog Mudge are inseparable. Though Mudge is giant and sometimes slobbers too much, he is gentle and kind.
The books have three chapters that read as short stories. There is some repetition of language primarily toward the beginning of sentences which will help the reader gain fluency.
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Henry and Mudge, Complete Collection (28 books)
Henry and Mudge Ready-to-Read Pack (6 books)
Henry and Mudge The First Book
Henry and Mudge in Puddle Trouble
Henry and Mudge in the Sparkle Days
Henry and Mudge Under the Yellow Moon
Henry and Mudge in the Green Time
Henry and Mudge and the Forever Sea
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From protecting his bacon to becoming a rock star, Charlie loves to be on his ranch most. Charlie is an adorable basset hound readers will quickly come to adore. He is real, relatable and funny. He talks about needing his personal space and how his short legs aren’t so great for running.
The book takes place in the present tense so there are many -s, -es and -ing endings. Most words are highly decodable intermixed with common sight words.
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Stuck in the Mud
Charlie’s New Friend
Charlie’s Snow Day
Rock Star
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Pearl the rabbit and Wagner the mouse always find a way to work through challenging situations. As they navigate these challenges, McMullan’s writing has readers laughing out loud with relatable situations. For example, in this first book, Pearl continuously asks Wagner if he likes his new boots, and Wagner tries to find ways to elude the question but it is always an honest no!
There are 1,205 words in total, spread across three chapters. There is a nice table of contents readers can reference if they unable to read in one sitting. Much of the text is sight words and the characters’ names. Readers will often decode by breaking compound words in two. There is much dialogue which often contains more casual speech with apostrophes. Readers should be adept in understanding the decoding and meaning of didn’t, don’t, let’s.
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Five Days Till Summer
One Funny Day
Four Eyes
Three Secrets
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Similar to Adler’s other sports books featuring Mo, Mo is undoubtedly the underdog who readers will be rooting for from the sidelines. He’s never the biggest or fastest on the team, but has a good attitude and often capitalizes on his circumstances to achieve great outcomes. Sports enthusiasts should read this book, but all readers will feel empathy for Mo when he’s teased by opponents.
There are 402 words in this book, of which 142 unique. The book takes place in the present tense, so many words have -s, -es and -ing endings. All text is highly decodable. Readers will see nine words with apostrophes made up of contractions and possessives.
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Swim, Mo, Swim!
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At Bear Country School, the Berenstains have a chance to visit a real honey farm. Brother Bear is accompanied on this trip with Mama Bear, Papa Bear and Sister Bear. The bears have a chance to see a queen bee in action and learn about the process of extracting honey. All is well on the trip until Papa Bear’s impulses get the best of him. Like many Berenstain Bear books, the moral of this story is listening and patience!
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Meet the Easter Bunny
Respect Each Other
Around the World
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Cowgirl Kate is the young protagonist who is best friends with her horse name Cocoa. Together, the two go on adventures but also have to often negotiate and compromise. They have an endearing friendship that always prevails.
This is a long book clocking in at more than 1,200 words divided into four chapters. There are 343 unique words, of which almost all are highly phonetic for this point in second grade or are words studied as sight words. Readers will have a chance to build vocabulary around taking care of horses – corral, mane, mucked, cantered. Silverman often uses detailed verbs such as squealed, slouched, chomped.
Much of the text is written in the past tense, which will require the reader to decode -ed words, or those the base word’s “y” ending is changed to -ied (e.g. cried, replied, hurried).
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School Days
Partners
Rain or Shine
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Buster is a shy dog, as one might guess; the first book of the series is called Buster the Very Shy Dog.
Author Lisze Bechtold writes adventures in a way that will show the reader that shyness can be good and relatable at times. Buster is kind and thoughtful, and though he is at times envious of Phoebe’s bravery, he learns to grow as a dog. Introverts and extroverts alike will appreciate this series of four books.
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Finds a Kitten
Great Bone Game
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Each book in the Iris and Walter series centers on a main topic, which helps Iris and Walter grow and develop, as they experience real-world adventures together.
The adventures are simple and will be relatable to young readers who are about the same age as Iris and Walter. They work together and find solutions when they lose things or have a sleepover or feel excluded when a cousin comes to play. Readers will empathize with these characters as they show their honesty and sensitivity.
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The Field Trip
The Birthday Party
The Sleepover
True Friends
The School Play
Lost and Found
End of Second Grade
As readers grow and become more fluent, they’re better able to appreciate longer and more complex narratives. Often around this time we see interest in fantasy and legend emerge - lots of dragons, wizards, kings and queens, time travel and superpowers.
Books in this section get more challenging from beginning to end, and by the end, the fantastical elements really become front and center. Kids often follow a well-traveled path beginning with Kingdom of Wrenley, Dragonmasters and Magic Treehouse, which sets them up well for longer chapter books like Wings of Fire in third and fourth grade.
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Capozzi’s stories include characters who are met with a challenge and are tempted to give up. But instead, they receive encouragement along the way and persevere to meet and exceed their goals.
This book, is written in the first person in the present tense - the word “I” shows up nearly 40 times. The book has 427 total words of which half are unique.
Readers will build vocabulary related to each story in this series. In I am Smart which is about a science fair, the reader will read about “gravity,” “demonstration” and “information.” The sentences are simple but include lush vocabulary and words to build emotional intelligence – “struggle,” “nervous,” “worry,” “affect” and “encourages.”
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I Am Kind
I Am Strong
I Am Helpful
I Am Brave
I Am Thankful
I Am Powerful
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Each book centers around relatable themes for elementary-age students. Katie cooks, conducts science experiments, has sleepovers, is a flower girl and in Katie Woo Loves School, she talks about Valentine’s day. In reaction to events that occur within each topic, Katie has understandable feelings with which readers will empathize.
The books are divided into three short chapters which are quick reads as the plot moves along swiftly.
Young readers will love the suggested activities at the end of the book. At the end of this one, readers learn to bake delicious heart pretzels for Valentine’s Day. There are also discussion and comprehension questions which the author has written out to help the reader reflect on what they’ve read.
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Look at You, Katie Woo!
Katie Woo and Friends
Katie Woo Celebrates
Katie Woo, Every Day’s an Adventure
Katie Woo Rules the School
Katie Woo and Her Big Ideas
Katie Woo, Don’t be Blue
Katie Woo Tries Something New
Katie Woo, We Love You!
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Similar to the Poppleton books (also written by Cynthia Rylant), Mr. Putter lives with his cat named Tabby in a small town. He and his neighbors take care of each other and help one another out. The adorableness of these books is also helped out by his next-door neighbor, Mrs. Teaberry and her bulldog Zeke.
The text is extremely accessible to readers with simple sentences sprinkled with a few which are more complex. Readers will have the opportunity to read each of the four chapters and focus on comprehension.
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Mr. Putter and Tabby Box Set of 6
Write the Book
Bake a Cake
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In a humorously engaging way, this book is written in diary format from the perspective of Worm. The book is filled with puns and forces the reader to take the perspective of a worm and embrace the thinking that his teacher might actually like a gum wrapper scarf or a rotten apple!
This book is a quick read with 407 words in all; just over 130 are used only once. Much of the language is casual and includes contractions. There is also a wealth of vocabulary centered around dates – Monday, Thursday, yesterday.
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Nat the Gnat
Teacher’s Pet
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After Dodsworth and Duck arrive by train, they hop on a scooter, pass by the Coliseum and later travel to the Vatican and Trevi Fountain. They eat gelato and talk about Michelangelo. And in between, they get into plenty of adventure.
These stories (see also Dodworth in New York, Tokyo, Paris and London) introduce young readers to new places, new cultures and even new language spoken around the world. Happy reading and arrivederci!
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Dodsworthin Paris
Dodsworth in Tokyo
Dodsworth in London
Dodsworth in New York
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Mr. Green decides to use math and calculates the number of gumballs based on his knowledge of pints, quarts and gallons. The strategy pays off and he wins first prize; he gets to keep all 7,917 gumballs!
Though the book is only about 400 words total; about half are unique and about 60 have two or more syllables. In addition to pint, quart and gallon, there are other excellent math words such as calculation intertwined.
This book provides an excellent opportunity to use a clear container and estimate as well as expand on math measurements. Also check out the other books in this series as they include detailed vocabulary words.
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Fishing
Cookies
Camping
The Talent Show
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Mouse and Mole have an endearing friendship that often compliments the other’s personality. Mole is at times ridiculous. In this first book for example, Mole needs space in his house not just to exercise but to do his deep breathing.
The books are divided into short chapters and include soft illustrations that capture the gentle nature of both the plot and the characters’ friendship.
Fans of this series should be sure to read Frog and Toad and Max and Mo.
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Have a Party
A Very Special Mouse and Mole
A Fresh Start
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Young readers will feel incredible suspense and understanding in Penny as she contemplates the right thing to do. She found a marble in her neighbor’s yard that she wants to keep, but at the same time knows it’s not right to take something that doesn’t belong to her. All ends well in this tale, but young readers will certainly relate to Penny’s predicament.
At nearly 900 words, this book is on the longer end for this grade level, but is divided into clear chapters. There are 268 different words, of which over 25 are past tense verbs. The sentences vary from short to longer, and there are accompanying illustrations on each page (also by Henkes) which mirror the emotions Penny feels.
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Penny and Her Song
Penny and Her Doll
Penny and Her Sled
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Annie and her adorable bunny, Snowball, absolutely love their neighbor and cousin Henry, and his big dog Mudge. The four of them have many adventures together, and Annie and Henry often bounce ideas off each other as they problem solve throughout each book in the series.
In this book, Annie and Snowball and the Thankful Friends, Annie and Henry think about who Annie can invite to Thanksgiving. The two cousins show empathy by reaching out to relatives and thinking of others they know whose families live far away. In the end, Annie’s grandmother invites two friends, the postman Mr. Bell and their old first grade teacher, Mrs. Chan.
This is an excellent book for fluency, as it is highly phonetic with simpler sentences.
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Collector’s Set
Collector’s Set 2
The Wedding Day
The Wintry Freeze
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While Peggy Parish’s original books in the series are slightly more challenging phonetically and better suited for third grade, the Herman Parish books, including Amelia Bedelia Takes the Cake, work well for mid and later second grade.
Though not quite as entertaining as the originals, these books have a lot of merit and some funny moments. For her bake sale brownies, Amelia creates a giant, brown letter “E” with her classmates (get it?).
This is an excellent book for fluency; it is highly phonetic and with simpler sentences.
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Five-book Box Set
On The Move
Lost and Found
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Boris has an adventurous spirit; he loves to explore new places. He and his family have been lucky to have visited places like the China, Mexico and Paris. He craves yet another new experience but is flabbergasted when the next spot his parents take him to is the local conservation park. By the end, however, Boris learns that adventure can take place anywhere.
There are excellent activities at the end of each book; at the conclusion of Boris on the Move, there is a science project which demonstrates how to make a compass at home. The book also includes comprehension questions to consider after reading.
There are 731 words total of which 323 are unique. Many of the verbs are action oriented and descriptive, like “clambered.”
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Boris Gets a Lizard
Boris for the Win
Bori Sees the Light
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The eleven-book Princess in Black series is led by protagonist Princess Magnoli and her unicorn Frimplepants who have a very big secret. When their monster alarm sounds, they slip on their magic rings and transform into the Princess in Black and Blacky the Faithful Pony. Together, they fight off monsters and find creative ways to save the day throughout their adventures, all the while attempting to avoid discovery of their secret identities.
The books are creative, humorous and action-packed. Science enthusiast and teachers particularly like book #6 in the series, Princess in Black and the Science Fair Scare. For those in search of a male protagonist, the Prince in Pink is introduced in book #10.
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Three Smashing Adventures
The Hungry Bunny Horde
The Kitty Catastrophe
The Mermaid Princess
The Prince in Pink
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In the case of this particular book in the four-book series, Fergus and Zeke plan to celebrate the 100th day of school with the class. They brainstorm many great ideas but have to be creative and persevere to finally end up with an idea that satisfies them. Throughout the book, and the series, Fergus and Zeke show how intangible skills of problem solving and collaboration pay off.
Readers will appreciate the entertaining illustrations as they read, and will love seeing so much of their own school experiences (the classroom setting, field trips and field day) reflected in the books.
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At the Science Fair
The Field Day Challenge
The Great Farm Field Trip
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Within the first few pages of Orris and Timble, The Beginning, DiCamillo uses beautiful simile and metaphor, requiring the reader to use higher critical thinking skills, like “specks of dust danced” and “yellow marble glowed like a lamp.” She also weaves in incredible vocabulary such as “solemn,” “regal” and “expectant.”
The beautiful story about Orris the rat and Timble the owl begs readers to slow down, empathize and perspective take. For example,if you were Orris and heard a struggling owl that could potentially eat you, would you jump to help?
There are 1,583 words of which 439 are unique. This book can be read all at once or spaced out by chapter; the dense vocabulary and the higher level thinking encourage taking this one at a slower pace.
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Lost and Found
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Kate DiCamillo is well known for her novels, including two which won Newbery Medals - The Tale of Desperaux and Flora and Ulysses. Her Mercy Watson series includes a book which won a Geisel award. The Mercy Watson books are DiCamillo’s first early chapter book series, which she then followed up with the six-book series, The Tales from Deckawoo Drive.
In the Mercy Watson books, Mercy the pig is highly motivated by her favorite treat, “toast with a great deal of butter.” Mercy finds herself in all kinds of humorous escapades, especially with neighbors, Baby and Eugenia Lincoln.
The books include short chapters that are incredibly funny and entertaining. Readers will be further engaged with these books because of the amazing illustrations by Chris Van Dusen. Van Dusen has also authored several books of his own, including the amazing “If I Built” books, which imagine how kids might design their ideal car or school (etc.) unbounded by cost, physics or really any constraint whatsoever.
After reading, check out the website mercywatson.com for activities related to the books.
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Mercy Watson to the Rescue
Mercy Watson Goes fo a Ride
Mercy Watson Fights Crime
Mercy Watson: Princess in Disguise
Mercy Watson Thinks Like a Pig
Mercy Watson, Something Wonky This Way Comes
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Grace likes to use big words, which will give readers an opportunity to expand their vocabularies, especially as it relates to words surrounding solving mysteries. Readers will come to understand the meaning of “evidence,” “proof,” “eyewitnesses” and “culprits” as well as how important it is to gather the facts.
There is some humor embedded in addition to the focus on facts and evidence. Readers will find these books to be both suspenseful and entertaining.
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Wallace and Grace and the Cupcake Caper
Wallce and Grace and te Lost Puppy
Wallace and Grace and the Gift Thief
Wallace and Grace and the Owl-o-ween Mystery
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Nate the Great follows boy detective Nate who, together with his dog Sludge and good friend Annie, works to solve mysteries through analysis, clues, and …. pancakes! Nate often finds pancakes help him do his best thinking, especially when he is stumped.
The books include short chapters with text covering at least half of the page, and in some cases the entirety of it. Readers will be able to practice reading with expression as there is dialogue between characters and Nate himself which is quite expressive. The plot moves along quickly with short, suspenseful chapters and humorous situations.
Check out the activity section at the end of each book. Additionally, a fun extension of the mystery genre could be to play the Clue Jr. board game!
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Goes Undercover
The Lost List
The Phony Clue
The Sticky Case
The Missing Key
The Snowy Tail
The Fishy Prize
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After walking home from school with her best friend, Eddie, Mia sees a letter addressed to her from “PITS” (the Program for In Training Superheroes). She is even further surprised to learn her parents have been undercover superheroes her whole life too!
Mia must maintain her secret identity while saving the day throughout many adventures in the 13-book series. Readers will enjoy discovering how Mia learns to fly and uses x-ray vision.
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Mia Mayhem Collection Boxed Set 1 (Books 1-4)
Mia Mayhem Collection Boxed Set 2 (Books 5-8)
Learns to Fly
Rides the Waves
Super Family Field Day
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So what’s to love about the Kingdom of Wrenly series? Immediately upon opening each book the reader will see a two-page map of the Kingdom of Wrenly. The land, surrounding waters, and names like Hobsgrove and Primlox allude to the whimsical and fantastical nature of these books.
Eight-year-old Lucas is a prince in the kingdom of Wrenly who teams up with his best friend Clara, horse Uvan and his dragon Ruskin. Together, they face numerous adventures and adversaries like goblins and sea monsters. Just when the reader thinks they’ve have traveled to each part of Wrenly and met all characters, there is a next book.
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The Kingdom of Wrenly Collection 1 (4 books)
The Kingdom of Wrenly Collection 2 (4 books)
The Kingdom of Wrenly Collection 3 (4 books)
The Kingdom of Wrenly Collection 4 (4 books)
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What keeps this series so successfully rolling into the next release? Each new book introduces a new type of dragon with its own set of magical powers. For example, there is a shadow dragon, an invisible dragon, a dream dragon and about two dozen more.
Eight-year-old Drake is the main character. He battles villains and and adventures with other dragon masters and the wizard Griffith throughout the series. Readers who love the Kingdom of Wrenly and fantasy in general will be particularly enthused by this series.
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Dragon Masters Book Set (Books 1-5)
Dragon Masters Complete Set
Saving the Sun Dragon
Secret of the Water Dragon
Song of the Poison Dragon
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The series takes place on Isla’s home island of Sol. Her best friend is a gecko named Fitz. Together, and with other friends in the series, they have all kinds of adventures on and around the island.
Author Dela Costa incorporates some subtle humor that is more sophisticated and well-suited for second graders. There are engaging illustrations on almost every page and the amount of text feels very accessible and not too overwhelming visually for young readers.
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The Secret Cabana
Deep in the Rain Forest
The Critter Cafe
Starry Ghost
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This adorable series is written in diary format from the perspective of Bub the pug. Bub journals about his adventures with his human and best friend Bella. Bub’s diary appears on the page as an actual notebook with blue lines and taped pictures to help illustrate his writing, which, together, are lively and hilarious. The plot moves along as Bub narrates, and speech bubbles include dialogue along the way.
Readers can check out the last page of each book which includes comprehension questions to help reflect on the text. As another extension, your reader can begin a diary of their own or even just start with one entry.
Journaling has been proven to help mental health and to offer children a way to express their thoughts and feelings. Scholastic has a good article on this topic.
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Pug Blasts Off
Pug’s Snow Day
Paws for a Cause
Pug’s Got Talent
Scaredy-Pug
Books 6-10:
Pug’s Sleepover
Pug’s Road Trip
Pug’s New Puppy
Pug the Prince
Beach Pug
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Not only is Owl Diaries series intriguing to young readers because it is written in diary format, it is also part of Scholastic’s Branches books. The Branches collection includes books with accessible text (mostly phonetics taught by this age), fast-paced plots and exciting illustrations.
In this first book of the series, Eva the owl writes in her diary and elaborates on her thoughts and feelings around the pressure of organizing a festival. In addition to hearing Eva’s reflections, readers have a chance to read actual dialogue between characters in speech-bubble format. There are interesting illustrations, lists and maps. The age-level humor and wonderful creativity in Elliot’s writing, even beginning with Eva’s last name of “Wingdale” and her address on “Woodpine Avenue” in “Treetopolis.”
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Eva’s Treetop Festival
Eva Sees a Ghost
A Woodland Wedding
Eva and the New Owl
Warm Hearts Day
Books 6-10:
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Bo lives in Sparklegrove Forest with other unicorns who all have magic powers. Bo and friends like Scarlett Sugarlumps attend SSU – the Sparklegrove School for Unicorns. They live in Sparklegrove Forest which is nicely mapped out in the opening pages and includes parts like the Goblin Castle and the Fairy Village. The unicorns have a unique combination of magical powers but also very real emotions. For instance, the unicorns glow when they get nervous! Readers will love Elliot’s creativity and humor as well as the engaging illustrations, maps and diagrams.
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Books 1-5:
Bo’s Magical New Friend
Bo and the Dragon-Pup
Bo the Brave
The Goblin Princess
Bo and the Merbaby
Books 6-10:
Storm on Snowbelle Mountain
The Missing Magic
Welcome to Sparklegrove
The Glitter Bug
Bo and the Witch
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Young readers will love seeing firsthand, via Priya’s diary, the behind-the-scenes activities as she starts her business. They’ll relate to her as a grade school person and find much of her humor to be very funny. There are excellent vocabulary words incorporated throughout the book and highlighted in blue. Priya introduces us to many aspects of her Indian culture – from samosas to saris to a delicious mango lassi.
Readers may enjoy the fun craft at the end of each of the five books in the series. There are also comprehension questions at the end of each book.
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Starry Henna Night
Top Secret Anniversary
Fairy-Tale Puppy Picnic
Lucky Mermaid Sleepover
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Siblings Jack and Annie discovered a tree house in their backyard that magically whisks them away to different places and points in time. In this first book, Dinosaurs Before Dark, they find themselves amongst dinosaurs in the prehistoric past!
Each book is driven by a unique adventure where the main characters must collaborate, problem solve and show bravery. These themes will resonate well with young readers, and they can either read the series in order or choose the book topics based on their interest—there are 39 books in this series!
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Magic Tree House Boxed Set #1, Books 1-4
Magic Tree House Boxed Set #2, Books 5-8
Magic Tree House Large Boxed Set, Books 1-15
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Within the 12-book series, Sparky embarks on adventures from London to Brazil to Tanzania and beyond. In addition to a suspenseful plot sequence of transporting to a new place and then attempting to dig out of peril, readers will have the ancillary benefit of learning about new countries and cultures. The setting of each book often takes place around famous spots. In Rome, for example, Sparky finds himself in the Colosseum!
The pages typically include a full side of text with black and white illustrations filling a half of the following page. Readers will often need to use inferential thinking to decipher some situations and subtle humor. Additionally, readers may need help with decoding and pronunciation of some foreign words and sites.
For follow up activities, use this book as an opportunity to discuss geography and other cultures, or locate the various places on the map and then discuss similarities and differences of cultures.
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Catch That Wave
Follow That Furball
Nice Snowing You!
Go Fetch!
Don’t Mess With The Ninja Puppy!
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Three whiz kids from Newtonburg Elementary, known as the Data Set, meet their reclusive neighbor who turns out to be a scientist. Dr. Bunsen has good intentions, but inevitably some part of his experiments go awry in each of the stories in this book set.
In March of the Mini Beasts, for example, a growth ray hits some small animal toys and they come to life! Readers who love suspense and sci-fi will especially love these books. The text is plentiful in language related to science. Just like the data set trio, readers will have the chance to think quickly on their feet and problem-solve in outrageous situations. There are interesting diagrams and expressive illustrations that accompany the scientific thinking required in each book.
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The Data Set Collection #1, Books 1-4
The Data Set Collection #2, Books 5-8
Don’t Disturb the Dinosaurs
A Little Snow Must Fall
S.O.S. From Outer Space
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Best friends Pablo, Violet and Deepak stumble across a magic portal from their school which leads to an incredible makerspace. There are robots, 3-D printer, and materials that help to create a boundless STEM experience. Behind each door in the laboratory awaits an exciting adventure that ties back to what the kids are learning in science class.
There are small illustrations to enhance each story but the text often fills the entirety of one or two pages. The books are around 90 pages, and each book includes two wonderful science experiments for makers to create at home!
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Brain Trouble
Riding Sound Waves
Race Through Space
The Great Germ Hunt
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Each book in the series has an incredibly creative plot centered on main character Alexander Bop. After moving to a new town, Alexander finds a notebook entitled "Doom" that withholds information about threatening monsters. One monster named the Forkupine is introduced in the first book and is a relative of the sporkupine.
Each book is about 90 pages with multiple chapters. Phonetically, readers will need to deploy all phonetics learned to this point. In terms of comprehension, these creative books will challenge readers to use background knowledge of various subjects and think outside of the box.
Outside of the text, the dynamic sketches, diagrams, schedules and charts will engage the reader more deeply and allow them to think in a scientific and inventive way.
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Notebook of Doom Complete Collection (13 Books)
Day of the Night Crawlers
Attack of the Shadow Smashers
Chomp of the Meat-Eating Vegetables
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Following the Notebook of Doom, Alexander almost misses the challenge and chaos of the monsters in the notebook. But when he attends summer camp, he discovers a binder (this time instead of a notebook) that has more monsters!
These books are similar in format to the Notebook of Doom books – roughly 90 pages with short chapters. These books include a clear Table of Contents so readers can get an idea of what is to come by previewing the chapter titles.
The illustrations include some extra data and graphic organizers that will deepen comprehension. Readers will have the chance to make predictions based on the various situations. They will often need to ask themselves “what if” and employ higher level and imaginative thinking.
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Binder of Doom Book Set, Books 1-4
Boa Constructor
Speedah-Cheetah
Hydrant-Hydra
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The books in this 12-book series read as though you’re playing a video game with the protagonist, Sunny. The plot moves quickly and suspensefully as Sunny attempts to keep Animal Town safe by helping his favorite character, Super Rabbit Boy, succeed. Needless to say, readers who enjoy video games will inevitably like these books. The sentences on each page are straightforward and punctuated by speech bubbles and text embedded within the colorful and entertaining illustrations.
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Press Start! Box Set, Books 1-5
Press Start! Complete Series, Books 1-13
Super Rabbit Boy Powers Up!
Super Rabbit Racers!
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In each of the four books in this series, Gordon / Kung Pow Chicken repeatedly saves the day. The plots are creative and suspenseful, and the humor is hysterical. Author Cyndi Marko alludes to Gordon giving her the “mom face” and Gordon complains of his superhero suit giving him a leotard wedgie.
If that’s not enough, young readers will love that the first problem to solve in this book is saving the chickens from being naked!
These books are perfect for those readers who love humor, fast action and engaging illustrations. There are comprehension questions at the end of each book. For those with an adventurous palette, it may also be a fun extension activity to eat some Kung Pao Chicken!
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Kung Pow Chicken Collection, Books 1-4
Bok! Bok! Boom!
The Birdy Snatchers
Jurassic Peck
Non-Fiction
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These books are unbelievably captivating for young readers right from the start. Each biography begins when the person, Usain Bolt in this particular book, is a young child. Slowly, the stories unfold as the person becomes older and is often met by a setback or defining moment on their path to fame.
Studies have shown that storytelling reduces stress, and in these books, readers will be able to be fully present as they become engaged by these child-friendly biographies.
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Taylor Swift
Leo Messi
Rafa Nadal
Sally Ride
Princess Diana
Mozart
Steve Irwin
Michael Jordan
Beyonce
Rosa Parks
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This series, Ordinary People Change the World, includes over 40 biographies ranging from industries and time periods. For instance, a reader can read about the Beatles, Rosa Parks, Benjamin Franklin and so many more.
Each book begins in the hero’s childhood, and similar to the Little People, Big Dreams biographies, there is often a setback that requires some form of determination and grit. The illustrator, Christopher Eliopoulos, began his career at Marvel Comics and you can see the resemblance shine through on each page. The end of each book includes an interesting timeline with real photographs of each hero.
Visit Brad Meltzer’s website, where he holds story time and has activities which extend thinking from his books.
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Gift Set
Neil Armstrong
Anne Frank
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Jane Goodall
Helen Keller
Muhammad Ali
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Compared to the series’ Ordinary People Change the World and Little People Big Dreams, these books are slightly longer and include more challenging text. The wonderful vocabulary is printed in bold and then included in the glossary at the end of each book. The books also include engaging diagrams, illustrations, timelines and maps.
For deeper thinking, readers can try to answer the comprehension questions within the last chapter.
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Abraham Lincoln
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Frida Kahlo
George Washington
Harriet Tubman
Albert Einstein
Wright Brothers
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Each biography offers actual quotes from the person as well as key words that are explained in captions. Young readers will especially love seeing and reading about what life was like when the person lived. For instance, what did cars look like when Amelia Earhart was around? Was there television or radio? In Amelia’s time, a nice stuffed bear costed only 98 cents.
The books offer more fun facts, a wonderful timeline of key events, and maps.
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Helen Keller
Rosa Parks
Susan B. Anthony
George Washington Carver
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Each book is about sixteen pages long with key words bolded throughout and explained in a glossary at the end. The books are chronological, straightforward and have a sort of reference-book feel to them.
Interestingly, the important figures sometimes overlap in these books. For instance, Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks not only lived at the same time but were extremely important to each other and the pursuit of equal rights.
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Johnny Appleseed, George Washington, Betsy Ross, Abraham Lincoln, and more.
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These book teach rules and vocabulary, but also integrate a lot of humor.
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My First Book of Soccer
My First Book of Football
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Parents and educators will love that along the way readers learn amazing facts about each animal in the lead-up to the final battle. The data and attributes will engross young readers who want to better understand the animals of the natural world, past and present.
The book encourages readers to form predictions about which animal will prevail and why at the end-of-book conflict. Readers are will be so enthralled by these competitions that they’ll often sneak a peak at the end just to see which animal will emerge victorious!
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Who Would Win? 1 Book Box Set
Who Would Win Complete Series (26 Books)
Ultimate Showdown
Extreme Animal Rumble
Battle Royale
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As readers learn about each topic, in this case storms, they will learn facts which are then thoughtfully put into context in each book. Key vocabulary words are explained each page.
Readers will also love the jokes throughout the books. What is a tornado’s favorite game? Twister!
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Weather
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Each book in the series includes a combination of real-world photographs, illustrations and diagrams. In the visuals as well as the text, readers will be swept away in to different worlds where people or animals are often affected by their surroundings and environment.
The books are sure to inspire empathy from young readers particularly when young children and animals are affected. They will also have a chance to literally see new places and situations and have the opportunity to consider varying perspectives.
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Science Collection Book Box (10 Books)
History Collection Book Box (10 Books)
Nature Collection Book Box (10 Books)
Our World Collection Book Box (10 Books)
Graphic Novels
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Similar to the Yeti Files (recommended below), readers will immediately meet Mr. Wolf. He looks scary and acts tough, but he’s actually a good guy, and together with his fellow scary animal friends, only wants to do good deeds and save the day.
These books are hilariously entertaining. Readers will love the humor. Author Aaron Blabey uses different size font and typefaces to help convey meaning, which will give readers will have the opportunity to work on reading with expression and gain meaning.
There are some occasional vocabulary words and terms where readers may need a dictionary or help from an adult.
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Bad Guys Box Set, Books 1-5
The Bad Guys Even Badder Box Set, Books 6-10
Bad Guys Book Series, Books 1-16
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The Yeti from Nepal, Blizz Richards, speaks to readers immediately upon beginning the book in an interactive question and response format. Blizz shows diagrams, maps, photographs and supplies information about Bigfeet and other cryptids. But, there is a problem. Cryptids cannot be seen because they cannot simply offer up proof of their existence. They must remain a secret, but secrecy can be lonely.
Additionally, a troublesome character named George Vanquist tries to expose them. Readers will feel the suspense and likely empathize with the cryptids! This book has the feel of a graphic novel and includes some complex vocabulary. The number of words and sentences are limited, which will cause the reader to think inferentially and concentrate on subtle phrases and humor.
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Attack of the Kraken
Monsters on the Run
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Author and illustrator Ben Clanton creates scenarios between the two characters that are both endearing and humorous. He cleverly weaves in jokes related to aquatic life as well as information and factoids about marine biology.
Readers can visit narwhalandjelly.com for activities and to learn more about the author.
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A Waffle Lot of Narwhal and Jelly Books (5 Books)
Narwhal’s Sweet Tooth
Narwhal’s Otter Friend
A Super Scary Narwhalloween
Peanut Butter and Jelly
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Young readers will find themselves laughing so hard that they may need a minute to regroup before continuing reading. Benton uses a blend of basic (slapstick) and more sophisticated (subtle) humor throughout the book; even parents will laugh alongside their reader.
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Catwad Series 6-Book Set
It’s Me, Two
High Five!
Four Me?
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From going on vacation to taking a test to attending camp, young readers will easily connect to many of the topics in each book. Bruel creatively mixes text into dialogue, pages from books, letters and more. He includes an interview at the end of the book where he discusses inspiration for the book and reflection about various plot elements.
For follow-up activities, young readers can visit badkittybooks.com
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Bad Kitty Gets a Phone
Supercat
Bad Kitty Makes a Movie
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Young readers interested in marine life will especially enjoy this series. Squizzard the squid has a strong personality that lands him in predicaments with his fellow underwater friends, including but definitely not limited to his best friend Toothy the great white shark.
The books are written in a graphic novel style with entertaining pictures and dialogue. The text includes dynamic vocabulary and sophisticated phrases. Toothy speaks of his “perfect school attendance” and the Deep Reef Elementary teacher expects “concise presentations.” Young readers will learn a plethora of information about marine life as facts are intertwined throughout the narrative.
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Fish Feud!
Class Clown Fish
Prank You Very Much
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To date, there are eight graphic novels in this series. And though the graphic novels can be read before the chapter book version, readers may benefit most from starting with the latter as they will have read the entire storyline and create their own visualization of characters and events; it’s almost like reading a book before seeing the movie.
For follow-up activities, readers can visit magictreehouse.com
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Magic Tree House Graphic Novel Starter Set, Books 1-4
Midnight on the Moon Graphic Novel
Pirates Past Noon Graphic Novel
Afternoon on the Amazon Graphic Novel
