If your child is in 2nd grade and you are looking for the Best Book Series for 2nd Graders, this post will point you in the right direction. These books are good for either boys or girls in second grade, even if they struggle with reading or are reluctant readers.
Second grade is a great time to read. Books are just starting to get really interesting as kids are moving into slightly more complex chapter books. They’re exploring more and more topics and really stretching their imaginations.
If only it was so easy for everyone. My oldest daughter took to books like a fish to water. I barely had to encourage her, and now at almost 11-years-old, she never goes to bed without a flashlight and a few books.
Her younger brother was another story. Books never held the same allure as a baseball game or a math problem. He struggled with finding a book that interested him, and that was only after a lot of prodding (bribery?) on my part.
His younger sister, who is in 2nd grade now, had her own difficulties. If the book wasn’t quite right, she was off and running to something – anything – else. It took time to find the right fit for her interests.
Making reading interesting for kids
Kids in 2nd grade have a world of book possibilities open to them. But they might find it hard to sit still when their bodies want to move, to engage with books that have less picture than they’re used to, or read books that are a half-step outside their comprehension levels.
So, it’s our job to help them along on this journey. And I hope this post helps. These are 20 books and book series that my kids have discovered and enjoyed. They helped turn my non-reader son into another flashlight-wielder at bedtime. My younger daughter is reading passages to me at breakfast. It’s a beautiful thing.
But it takes patience and work on our parts and the parts of our children. For tips on how to make reading a bigger part of your son or daughter’s life, check out these helpful posts:
How to Inspire Curiosity, Creativity, and a Love of Reading in Your Children
How to Create a Reading Area in Your Home
20 Best Book Series for 2nd Grade Boys & Girls
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The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
These are classic and I love reading them even today. My kids were fascinated by how the children moved into a boxcar and made it their home. I think they were most impressed by the kids’ resourcefulness. The books go on to solve mysteries and they are a lot of fun to read.
Also check out the special editions, which are a little longer and have a more involved mystery. Our favorite: The Mystery in Washington, D.C.
My Weird School books by Dan Gutman
With titles like Mrs. Dole is Out of Control! and Ms. Coco is Loco! this book series is fun and wild. It’s an easy chapter book for 2nd grade boys and girls, all about the students and teachers at Ella Mentry School and their zany adventures. Your child will laugh out loud reading this.
Chet Gecko mysteries by Bruce Hale
These hilarious books are full of wit and fun and follow the exploits of a mystery-solving gecko in elementary school. The main character is a little sarcastic, but not mean. And the mysteries do keep your kids guessing. Oh, and the titles of each book in this series? Just awesome!
Also check out this fairy-tale mystery with a twist: Big Bad Detective Agency.
The Magic Tree House books by Mary Pope Osborne
This book series has a ton of options, so if your kids love them, there’s plenty to work with. They are a fun look at history and geography, and there’s even a corresponding Fact Tracker series that matches up to each book. Even with the educational elements, the books are still entertaining and my older kids love them. Some parents find them repetitive, but I think many kids find comfort in that comfortable style.
The Unfinished Angel by Sharon Creech
Set in the Swiss Alps, this story of an angel who is still waiting for her mission from the angel training center and a little girl from America is sweet, funny, and poignant. The chapters are short and easy to read, but the story will draw your child in. It also has themes of kindness and appreciation for others’ differences. If your 2nd grader likes this book, Sharon Creech has a number of others.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
My nephew loves this book series, so I had to check them out. Basically, they are about a boy who is entering middle school and the growing pains that accompany it. Hilarious events, friendship challenges, and life with bullies abound. There are even movie adaptations if that might whet your child’s appetite for the series. Although we all know the book is always better than the movie… 🙂
Dogman books by Dav Pilkey
These are awesome hardcover, graphic novels that are filled with the crime-fighting adventures of a half-dog, half-human. There are even drawing pages in the back to inspire children to try drawing characters themselves. This is also the author of the Captain Underpants series (my kids haven’t read those yet, so I can’t say how they’ll like them – but my nieces and nephews love them).
Keena Ford and the Second-Grade Mix-up by Melissa Thomson
Your 2nd grade girl (or boy) will love the Keena Ford books. This series deals with real-life situations that they’ll relate to, and lovable characters that they’ll want to keep reading about. These books are funny, relatable, and enthralling—perfect for your early to middle reader.
Also try the next book, Keena Ford and the Secret Journal Mix-up
Ivy + Bean by Annie Barrows
There is nothing sweeter than true friendship. Ivy and Bean are two unlikely friends who never thought they’d like each other, until they did. Now, the two opposites get into all sorts of mischief that will have the child in your life giggling out loud and hoping to find their own Ivy or Bean.
Gooseberry Park by Cynthia Rylant
The location of this story, Gooseberry Park, is an intriguing place full of various animals and their oversized personalities. I discovered these books when my children’s elementary school did a school-wide reading of Gooseberry Park and the Master Plan, grades K-5. I loved reading it as much as they did and I think your 2nd grader will, too. The stories also carry a solid moral theme that was a plus.
Also check out the sequel, Gooseberry Park and the Master Plan, and another great series by this author, starting with Poppleton in the Winter.
Gooney Bird Greene by Lois Lowry
Gooney Bird is one of a kind and has a flair for storytelling. Second-graders will relate to her schoolroom experiences and her incredible imagination. These books also sneak in a few English lessons—and they’re seriously funny.
The Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Your 2nd grade child will love the descriptions of pioneer life and the fascinating experiences of curious Laura as she and her family explore life on the frontier. While these are on the longer side, the chapters are short and the vocabulary is within a second grader’s grasp.
Odd, Weird, and Little by Patrick Jennings
In a world where bullying is on every parent’s mind, this story of a new student who is different and the young boy who takes a chance and befriends him – even though this new friend is odd, weird, and little – is a fresh and funny look at friendship and life in the hierarchy of elementary school. It has serious heart, too, and teaches the value of kindness without ever getting preachy.
Also check out other books by this author, like Guinea Dog and My Homework Ate My Homework.
The Somewhat True Adventures of Sammy Shine by Henry Cole
This story of a pet mouse who accidentally flies off in a toy plane and then crash lands will be a winner with any 2nd grader. Sammy’s adventures in the woods, complete with a villain who wants his plane, and new friends make for a fun and exciting read. Lots of great illustrations will capture your 2nd grade boy or girl’s imagination, too.
Amelia Bedelia by Herman Parrish
We loved reading the original (adult) Amelia Bedelia books, and these books of her younger years (written by the original author’s nephew) are just as good. The 2nd grader in your life will love the crazy things that happen when literal-minded Amelia in involved. This is also a great way to teach your child about idioms.
My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett
These books are a fun adventure through a magical land by a boy who is trying to free an exploited dragon, with the help of some interesting friends. This trilogy is rather old, but my kids still enjoyed it. The books have such a cool fantasy world that they won’t be able to help getting pulled in.
The Ramona books by Beverly Cleary
Based off the author’s own childhood experiences, the Ramona books are fun and relatable. This book series for 2nd graders is great when they are ready for easy chapter books. The stories are engaging and hilarious, and if your child loves them, they can branch out to the author’s Henry Huggins books.
Wayside School stories by Louis Sachar
These stories are great if your child likes quirky and funny tales about school. The books follow the students and teachers of Wayside School, which was accidentally built 30 stories high, with one classroom on each floor. My husband read these as a boy and they’re still fun reading for kids today.
Geronimo Stilton books by Geronimo Stilton
These adventure stories are actually a favorite of my three oldest children (2nd-5th grade). They love the colorful illustrations and maps, as well as the funny characters and crazy stories. This mild-mannered mouse journalist gets involved in some great adventures that your kids will surely enjoy.
They might also like the other Geronmino Stilton series, such as the Thea Stilton books, the Cavemice series,and the Spacemice series.
The Magic School Bus books by various authors
Kids love Ms. Frizzle. From her crazy adventures to unique teaching style, these are fun chapter books with great illustrations that also teach about different science subjects. Your 2nd grader will love following along with the class as they explore everything from whales to germs to the solar system.
I hope these book series are a good starting point as you and your 2nd grader find the genre, author, or character that they love best.
Do you have any book series for 2nd graders that you’d like to see on this list? Leave your suggestion in the comments below!
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