Should my second grader be reading chapter books?
The answer to that question is, yes! Absolutely, one hundred percent, YES! When it comes to finding the best series books for 2nd graders, there are so many wonderful chapter books to choose from.
If you have young readers who loves to read, finding a great series is like finding a gold mine! Once your child gets sucked into that first book and immediately asks for the next, you know you have to keep the ball rolling and foster that love of reading. Reading great books is single-handedly the greatest gift we can give to our growing children.
And, finding the best series books for 2nd graders can help give your child days, weeks, months, or even years of reading time at their fingertips.
If you haven’t read through each and every children’s series on the market, you may be nervous to put a book into your child’s hands without fully knowing the content. Are there adult themes in the series that haven’t been addressed in your home yet? Does the author promote bad behaviors through the actions of the characters? What about language?
While it’s great to do read-alouds with your homeschoolers or second grade classroom, having them read their own great chapter books is a great way to enhance their reading skills as well. So, having a list of chapter books on hand for this reading level that is educational and quality literature is always a good thing!
What should my 2nd grader be reading?
With so many books being marketed toward kids, you may be asking, “What should my second graders be reading about anyway?!” As parents and educators, we want to make sure we are putting quality literature in our children’s hands, especially books that teach a valuable lesson or enhance our child’s life.
Important things to look for in a children’s series are:
Diverse Characters
Choosing books that show a wide range of characters in terms of socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and personal life experiences can enhance our children’s understanding of the world around them. Reading stories of characters who may not be the same as them teaches empathy, respect, compassion, and friendship to others.
Themes
Be wary of book series that promote unacceptable behaviors or attitudes, all for the sake of humor. While these stories may be lighthearted and funny on the surface, a child may learn that mimicking the same actions will bring about laughs and attention from others. This may be true, but it will inevitably come at the sake of hurting someone’s feelings. Unless the story is showing a theme of character development and a valuable lesson learned, maybe skip those childish behavior books at this age.
I try to avoid letting my kiddos read too much “fluff” that doesn’t add value to their lives. Contrary to popular opinion, I probably wouldn’t recommend reading the Junie B. Jones series, Judy Moody, or similar series. While these can certainly be entertaining, they do not always use accurate grammar or emulate positive behaviors. Since second graders can be little sponges, I would encourage filling their minds with stories of value that expand their vocabulary and model quality writing skills.
Great stories
We often think books must have beautiful illustrations in order to keep our 6 to 8 year olds engaged. The truth is, though, that a great story is more effective than any illustration at holding the attention of a 2nd grade reader. Look for good books that use beautiful, descriptive language, bring out emotion as you read, and leave you feeling like you have gained valuable knowledge that you didn’t have before you began reading.
Stories that teach about a particular time period and portray hardships or dangers can give your child a new perspective. Mystery books can challenge your reader to use problem-solving skills and critical thinking. And, stories of friendship can teach values of loyalty, love, and relationship.
Rather than purely entertaining stories, choose books that offer depth and value and expand your child’s ability to think in a new way.
Favorite series books for second grade
There are so many great series out there for early readers. And, this is only a fraction of the ones on the market. If you are looking for the perfect read, though, here are the 20 best book series for 2nd graders. All homeschool approved and guaranteed to enrich lives!
1. Boxcar Children
The main characters, the Alden siblings, are orphans who do not want to go live with their grandfather. The series follows their adventures of living on their own while solving mysteries and eventually being reunited with their grandfather, who turns out to be a kind man after all. Some positive themes in this series include respect, hard work, family bonds, and finding in joy in life no matter the circumstances.
2. Rainbow Magic Series
A fantasy series about fairies, the main characters in this series, Kirsty and Rachel, model positive behaviors including friendship, respect, politeness, and using their brains to solve problems. This Scholastic series has over 200 books, so your child will be sure to have plenty of reading material!
3. Main Street
Written by the author of The Baby-sitters Club, Ann Martin, the Main Street series follows Flora and Ruby as they move to Camden Falls after their parents’ death to live with their grandmother. This series features a set of diverse characters from different socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and life experiences. Some adult topics such as alcoholism, loss of jobs, and dying parents are addressed in the series, so be wary of that for sensitive readers. Otherwise, valuable lessons can be gleaned throughout these heartwarming stories.
4. Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary
This series follows Henry and his dog, Ribsy, on heart-warming adventures around their neighborhood. Ribsy comes to Henry as a pup without a home and clearly needing a hearty meal. Henry models compassion and responsibility by adopting and caring for Ribsy, the beginning of a sweet new friendship.
5. Adventures at Hound Hotel
Follow Alfie and his twin sister, Alfreeda, as they encounter all sorts of hilarious adventures at the Hound Hotel. Each dog who visits the kennel has a different need, making for an exciting, unforgettable, and heart-warming series.
6. Magical Animal Adoption Agency
The series follows the main character, Clover, a young girl who stumbles across a cabin in the woods that houses all kinds of magical creatures. Clover begins working for the owner of the Magical Animal Adoption Agency. And, she faces some challenges while trying to protect the magical friends she has grown to love.
7. “I Survived” Series
Written by Lauren Tarshis, each book in this series tells the story of a particular event in history from the point of view of a child who survives the event. Different historical events addressed are: The Titanic, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Hurricane Katrina, September 11th, and more. These books are wonderful for homeschoolers learning about the different events in history, as it helps them understand what living through such a time would have been like for someone their age.
8. Nate The Great
Nate the Great is a young boy who solves a mystery in each book of this series. With 27 books total, there is plenty of logical problem solving as your child reads through each mystery and tries to solve along with Nate!
9. Magic Treehouse Series
Follow along with Jack and Annie, siblings who find a magic treehouse in their backyard. This treehouse takes them on many adventures through time. And, they have encounters with dinosaurs, pirates, mummies, and ninjas, to name a few! One of the most popular series out there, Magic Treehouse is sure to keep your new readers engaged for a long time.
10. Hank the Cowdog
Hank the Cowdog is the head of ranch security. He encounters all sort of adventures during his time on the ranch! Follow along as Hank solves some mysteries, learns some lessons, and sharpens his problem- solving skills along the way.
11. A to Z Mysteries
A to Z Mysteries isn’t just any other mystery series for 2nd graders. It’s a mystery series you can read in alphabetical order! Featuring a mystery for each letter of the alphabet, these 26 books are fun to read in alphabetical order. But, they can also stand alone or be read in any order. Follow along with three 3rd grade kids as they solve mysteries in their hometown.
12. The Golly Sisters
An “I Can Read” series, The Golly Sisters follows pioneer sisters as they head West. Sure to encounter lots of adventure, this series is another great one for homeschoolers studying pioneer life! The “I Can Read” Books are also an easy read for reluctant readers who may not be ready for chapter book series.
13. Curious George Series
Featuring lots of colorful illustrations and easy-to-read text, the classic story of Curious George is sure to be a favorite of your 2nd grade reader! George has lots of adventures through this series that keeps the reader engaged and laughing along with the endearing monkey.
14. Harry The Dirty Dog
Harry is a dirty dog, literally! Children love reading the excitement of Harry’s bath time adventure in the first book of this sweet series.
15. Young Cam Jansen
In this easy-to-read series, join Cam Jensen as he solves a variety of mysteries at school, for his family, and around his town. This series is great for building confident readers and engaging young ones in a thrilling mystery!
16. Amelia Bedelia
Beloved Amelia Bedelia is always in the middle of silly mix-ups. A heartwarming and funny series, Amelia Bedelia is a great first series for emerging readers that will keep them engaged and laughing at all of the silliness.
17. Henry and Mudge
With many life lessons about love and loyalty, Henry and Mudge, have many adventures together in this sweet series about a boy and his dog. Henry and Mudge may just become some of your child’s favorite characters because of the bond they share.
18. Mr. Putter and Tabby
Mr. Putter and his cat, Tabby, are always getting into hilarious predicaments together. You’re child will be rolling with laughter at all the funny mishaps these two true friends get into.
19. Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa
Cowgirl Kate and her beloved horse, Cocoa, are best pals. Together they tackle all sorts of adventures and problems that are inevitable with life on the ranch!
20. The High-Rise Private Eyes
Bunny Brown and Jack Jones are private eyes who can solve any mystery. Follow these two best friends as they tackle some silly, light-hearted mysteries.
21. The Campground Kids: National Park Adventures
A great mystery series that introduces kids to the national parks, The Campground Kids is not only fun but also educational. This series would be a great campion to a study about the national parks!
Where to discover the best series books for 2nd graders
If you feel overwhelmed trying to pick a great series for your 2nd grade reader, you are not alone! Lucky for us, there have been plenty of parents in the same boat who have taken the time to research and review book series.
As a homeschooling mom, these resources add so much value to my life. I don’t have to worry about screening series myself and can trust that the books are enriching my children’s lives. We often use book lists to help find great stories. Our curriculum comes with a wonderful book list that relates to each topic we are learning on a weekly basis.
But, even if you aren’t using a formal curriculum with a book list included, there are tons of free lists out there that are just as researched and full of quality material. Having a list on hand makes it super easy to find books in all sorts of different topics that will enrich your reader. Doing a simple Google search for “Charlotte Mason living book lists” is a great starting place! There are also a few books out there that are written specifically on the topic of finding great literature.
Some of my favorite resources to find quality books for my kids are:
Honey for the Child’s Heart by Gladys Hunt
The Good and the Beautiful Book List
Where can I find the best books?
The Library
I have always been able to find most of the books of these series at our local library. I have success either requesting them from different branches or by borrowing digital copies for the Kindle.
The library will always be the first place I check. They are free (other than investing in the initial membership)! So make sure you check there first.
Because my second grader can devour a single chapter book in one day, checking the library first saves us from investing lots of money and piling up books that are only read once. The library is by far the most economical choice for our family! Not to mention, it’s just a fun place to take your kiddos every now and then to let them explore all the beautiful books to be read!
Amazon
Amazon is a great place to find copies of books. You can either purchase the physical copy, or you can sometimes find free/cheap options for your Kindle. If you don’t have a great library selection or don’t have a library card, you can subscribe to Amazon Unlimited for lots of digital download options. If I can’t find a book at my library or by requesting from a different branch of the library, Amazon is always my next place to check. Sometimes Kindle versions are much cheaper than purchasing even a used copy of the book.
Thrift Books
Thrift books is a good place to find used books at a great price. Often gently used, the books are typically reduced in price from buying them brand new. Of course, I would recommend cross-checking prices with places like Amazon to ensure you’re getting a good deal. But, I have had great luck finding series here that are no longer carried at the library or are out of print.
Finding the best book series for 2nd grade readers has never been easier!
There are tons of resources to help you find the best series for your little readers! With so many options on the market, it can feel overwhelming trying to ensure you are giving your child quality literature.
The good news is there has never been easier access to thousands of books at our fingertips than there is now! Whether you are searching for the best chapter books, classic books, graphic novels, funny stories, or picture books, there is likely a great book list out there to help you find the perfect book.
Giving your child lot of great books can help them build a solid foundation for learning for the rest of their life.
As a homeschooling family, we value great books as a core part of our curriculum. There is so much to be learned through reading, and developing a love of reading is foundational to becoming a life-long learner. Whether it’s reading about history, catching up on current events, or just trying to escape reality for a bit, reading is a part of our daily routine.
I encourage you to not base your reading off of what the “popular books” are at the time. Instead, read all the tried-and-true classics and study book reviews. Do your research, and dive into some of the best books you’ve ever read!
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