Great Books for Second and Third Grade
Picture Books
The Village that Vanished by Ann Grifalconi 42 pages
- In southeastern Africa, a young Yao girl and her mother find a way for their fellow villagers to escape approaching slave traders. Check our catalog
Chester’s Way by Kevin Henkes 32 pages
- Chester and Wilson share the same exact way of doing things, until Lilly moves into the neighborhood and shows them that new ways can be just as good. Check our catalog
Mama Provi and the Pot of Rice by Sylvia Rosa-Casanova 32 pages
- Mama Provi takes chicken and rice to her sick granddaughter Lucy who lives upstairs. Check our catalog
Abiyoyo by Pete Seeger 47 pages
- Banished from the town for making mischief, a little boy and his father are welcomed back when they find a way to make the dreaded giant Abiyoyo disappear. Check our catalog
Zathura by Chris Van Allsburg 32 pages
- Left on their own for an evening, two boisterous brothers find more excitement than they bargained for in a mysterious and mystical space adventure board game. Check our catalog
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst 32 pages
- Recounts the events of a day when everything goes wrong for Alexander. Check our catalog
The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson
- Two girls, one white and one black, gradually get to know each other as they sit on the fence that divides their town. Check our catalog
Easy Readers
Young Cam Jansen and the Dinosaur Game by David Adler 32 pages
- When eight-year-old Cam Jansen and her friend Eric go to a birthday party, she uses her photographic memory to solve the puzzle of the dinosaur count. Check our catalog
Wiley and the Hairy Man by Molly Bang 64 pages
- With his mother's help, Wiley outwits the hairy creature that dominates the swamp near his home by the Tombigbee River. Check our catalog
Minnie and Moo Go to the Moon by Denys Cazet 48 pages
- Two cow friends, Minnie and Moo, decide to drive the farmer's tractor all the way to the moon. Check our catalog
Baseball Ballerina by Kathryn Cristaldi 48 pages
- A baseball-loving girl worries that the ballet class her mother forces her to take will ruin her reputation with the other members of her baseball team. Check our catalog
Get Ready for Second Grade, Amber Brown by Paula Daniziger 48 pages
- Amber is nervous about starting second grade with a new teacher, but despite being in the same class as mean Hannah Burton, things turn out just fine. Check our catalog
Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate DiCamillo 68 pages
- Breaking the Watson's bed is only one of the adventures that their adored pig Mercy gets into. Check our catalog
Iris and Walter by Elissa Haden Guest 43 pages
- When Iris moves to the country, she misses the city where she formerly lived; but with the help of a new friend named Walter, she learns to adjust to her new home. Check our catalog
Lionel at Large by Stephen Krensky 56 pages
- Lionel faces such ordeals as having to eat green beans, going to the doctor, and looking for the snake his sister lost in his room. Check our catalog
Captain and Matey Set Sail by Daniel Laurence 64 pages
- Despite their frequent disagreements, two pirates share many adventures. Check our catalog
Days With Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel 64 pages
- Five more stories about Frog and Toad and their happy adventures. Check our catalog
Soccer Sam by Jean Marzollo 48 pages
- Sam's cousin from Mexico comes for an extended visit and teaches Sam and all the second graders to play soccer. Check our catalog
Bravo, Amelia Bedelia! by Herman Parish 40 pages
- From the time she is sent to pick up the guest conductor to the final bow by the orchestra, Amelia Bedelia's confusion causes quite an uproar at the school concert. Check our catalog
Henry and Mudge and the Happy Cat by Cynthia Rylant 47 pages
- Henry's family takes in a stray cat, the ugliest cat they have ever seen, and an amazing relationship blossoms between it and their big dog Mudge. Check our catalog
In a Dark, Dark Room, and Other Scary Stories by Alvin Schwartz 63 pages
- Seven scary stories to tell at night in front of a fire or in the dark, based on traditional stories and folklore from various countries. Check our catalog
Nate the Great by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat 60 pages
- Nate the Great solves the mystery of the missing picture. Check our catalog
Chapter Books
The Absent Author by Ron Roy 87 pages
- Dink Duncan and his two friends investigate the apparent kidnapping of famous mystery author Wallis Wallace. Check our catalog
Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus by Barbara Park 69 pages
- In her own words, a young girl describes her feelings about starting kindergarten and what she does when she decides not to ride the bus home. Check our catalog
Dinosaurs Before Dark by Mary Pope Osborne 68 pages
- Meet Jack and Annie as they travel back to the time of the dinosaurs in this first book of the Magic Tree House series. Check our catalog
Andy Russell, NOT Wanted by the Police by David Adler 118 pages
- Andy and Tamika are watching their neighbor's house while they are away, but when strange and troubling things start happening inside the house, the police do not believe the children. Check our catalog
Freckle Juice by Judy Blume 40 pages
- Andrew wants freckles so badly that he buys his friend’s freckle recipe for fifty cents. Check our catalog
The Stories Julian Tells by Ann Cameron 71 pages
- Relates episodes in seven-year-old Julian's life which include getting into trouble with his younger brother Huey, planting a garden, what he did to try to grow taller, losing a tooth, and finding a new friend. Check our catalog
The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Catling 87 pages
- What if everything that touched your lips turned to chocolate? Check our catalog
The Dog that Pitched A No-Hitter by Matt Christopher 42 pages
- Mike's telepathic dog sends him signals on the pitcher's mound. Check our catalog
Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary 190 pages
- The further adventures of the Quimby family as Ramona enters the third grade. Check our catalog
Lunch Money by Andrew Clements 222 pages
- Twelve-year-old Greg, who has always been good at moneymaking projects, is surprised to find himself teaming up with his lifelong rival, Maura, to create a series of comic books to sell at school. Check our catalog
Molly's Pilgrim by Barbara Cohen 32 pages
- Told to make a doll like a Pilgrim for the Thanksgiving display at school, Molly's Jewish mother dresses the doll as she herself dressed before leaving Russia to seek religious freedom--much to Molly's embarrassment. Check our catalog
The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes 80 pages
- When ragged Wanda brags that she has one hundred dresses at home, the other girls in her class don’t believe her. Check our catalog
The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman 90 pages
- A bratty prince and his whipping boy have many adventures when they inadvertently trade places after becoming involved with dangerous outlaws. Check our catalog
The Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaiman 56 pages
- Lucy is sure there are wolves living in the walls of her house, although others in her family disagree, and when the wolves come out, the adventure begins. Check our catalog
My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett 86 pages
- A boy takes along chewing gum, two dozen lollipops, a package of rubber bands, six magnifying glasses and seven hair ribbons when he goes off to Wild Island to rescue a baby dragon. Check our catalog
Runaway Radish by Jessie Haas 56 pages
- When Radish the pony grows too big for the girls who own him, he goes to live at a horse camp where there are always new children for him to train. Check our catalog
The Big Nap: From the Tattered Casebook of Chet Gecko by Bruce Hale 113 pages
- Someone is turning the students at Emerson Hickey Elementary into zombies, and it's up to fourth-grade private eye Chet Gecko to find out who. Check our catalog
Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry 173 pages
- The determination of two youngsters to win a Chincoteague pony is greatly increased when the Phantom and her colt are among those rounded up for the yearly auction. Check our catalog
Pinky and Rex by James Howe 40 pages
- Rex and her best friend Pinky, each the proud possessor of twenty-seven stuffed animals or dinosaurs, find their visit to the museum and its gift shop complicated by Pinky's little sister Amanda. Check our catalog
Lady Lollipop by Dick King-Smith 123 pages
- A quick-witted swineherd and a pig named Lollipop are royally rewarded after they reform a spoiled princess. Check our catalog
Horrible Harry in Room 2B by Suzy Kline 56 pages
- Doug discovers that though being Harry's best friend in Miss Mackle's second grade class isn't always easy, as Harry likes to do horrible things, it is often a lot of fun. Check our catalog
Catwings by Ursula Le Guin 39 pages
- Four young cats with wings leave the city slums in search of a safe place to live, finally meeting two children with kind hands. Check our catalog
Morgy Makes His Move by Maggie Lewis 74 pages
- When third-grader Morgy MacDougal-MacDuff moves from California to Massachusetts with his parents, he has a lot of new things to get used to before he feels comfortable. Check our catalog
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren 158 pages
- Escapades of a lucky little girl who lives with a horse and a monkey -- but without any parents -- at the edge of a Swedish village. Check our catalog
Gooney Bird Greene by Lois Lowry 88 pages
- A most unusual new student who loves to be the center of attention entertains her teacher and fellow second graders by telling absolutely true stories about herself, including how she got her name. Check our catalog
Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan 58 pages
- When their father invites a mail-order bride to come live with them in their prairie home, Caleb and Anna are captivated by their new mother and hope that she will stay. Check our catalog
Judy Moody by Megan McDonald 160 pages
- Third grader Judy Moody is in a first day of school bad mood until she gets an assignment to create a collage all about herself and begins creating her masterpiece, the Me collage. Check our catalog
7 x 9 = TROUBLE by Claudia Mills 103 pages
- Third-grader Wilson struggles with his times-tables in order to beat the class deadline. Check our catalog
Amelia Works it Out by Marissa Moss 40 pages
- Amelia draws on her artistic talent to earn money for something special that she really wants. Check our catalog
The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey 121 pages
- Two mischievous boys turn their ill-tempered school principal into a superhero in an outrageously funny book featuring comics and flip-o-rama art. Check our catalog
The Many Adventures of Johnny Mutton: Stories and Pictures by James Proimos 42 pages
- Although he is a sheep, Johnny Mutton goes to school, competes in the spelling bee, and dresses up for Halloween while always remaining true to himself. Check our catalog
The Best School Year Ever by Barbara Robinson 117 pages
- The six horrible Herdmans, the worst kids in the history of the world, cause mayhem throughout the school year. Check our catalog
Wedding Flowers by Cynthia Rylant 72 pages
- Ten-year-old cousins Lily, Rosie, and Tess return to their aunt's house on Cobble Street to help her plan the perfect wedding. Check our catalog
Knights of the Kitchen Table by Jon Scieszka 55 pages
- Joe receives a magic book for his birthday present from his uncle. Joe, Fred and Sam are transported to a time when evil knights, fire-breathing dragons and vile-smelling giants roamed the land. Check our catalog
The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden 134 pages
- A country cricket, unintentionally arrives in New York City and is befriended by Tucker Mouse and Harry Cat. Check our catalog
Secret Identity by Wendelin Van Draanen 138 pages
- Fifth-grader Nolan Byrd, tired of being called names by the class bully, has a secret identity--Shredderman! Check our catalog
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White 184 pages
- Wilbur, the pig, is desolate when he discovers that he is destined to be the farmer's Christmas dinner until his spider friend, Charlotte, decides to help him. Check our catalog
Little Wolf's Haunted Hall for Small Horrors by Ian Whybrow 125 pages
- In a series of letters to his parents, Little Wolf describes his attempts to create "the scariest school in the world" and convince his ghostly Uncle Bigbad to teach a magic class. Check our catalog
Folk & Fairy Tales
The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka 52 pages
- Young subversives everywhere will love these ten fractured fairy tales. Check our catalog
Not One Damsel in Distress: World Folktales for Strong Girls by Jane Yolen 116 pages
- A collection of thirteen traditional tales from various parts of the world, with the main character being a fearless, strong, heroic, and resourceful woman. Check our catalog
Bruh Rabbit and the Tar Baby Girl by Virginia Hamilton 32 pages
- In this retelling, using Gullah speech, of a familiar story the wily Brer Rabbit outwits Brer Fox who has set out to trap him. Check our catalog
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears by Verna Aardema 30 pages
- A retelling of a traditional West African tale that reveals how the mosquito developed its annoying habit. Check our catalog
John Henry by Julius Lester
- Retells the life of the legendary African American hero who raced against a steam drill to cut through a mountain. Check our catalog
The Boy Who Drew Cats by Arthur A. Levine 32 pages
- An artistic young boy's love for drawing cats gets him into trouble and leads him to a mysterious experience. Based on a Japanese legend. Check our catalog
Non-Fiction
How Much is a Million? by David Schwartz 40 pages
- Text and pictures try to make possible the conceptualization of a million, a billion, and a trillion. Check our catalog
Actual Size by Steve Jenkins 32 pages
- Discusses and gives examples of the size and weight of various animals and parts of animals. Check our catalog
Koko’s Kitten by Francine Patterson 32 pages
- The real life experience of Koko, a gorilla in California who uses sign language, with a young kitten whom she loved and grieved over when it died. Check our catalog
Gross Universe: Your Guide to All Disgusting Things Under the Sun by Jeff Szpirglas 64 pages
- The book reveals the science behind all the disgusting things that kids love to talk about. From mucus to vomit, from farts to phlegm, nothing is off-limits. Check our catalog
Poetry
Read a Rhyme, Write a Rhyme by Jack Prelutsky 23 pages
- Encourages children to write poetry by providing complete poems by various authors as well as the opening lines of poems by Jack Prelutsky which young readers are asked to complete. Check our catalog
Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein 166 pages
- A boy who turns into a TV set and a girl who eats a whale are only two of the characters in a collection of humorous poetry illustrated with the author's own drawings. Check our catalog
Insectlopedia by Florian Douglas 47 pages
- Presents twenty-one short poems about such insects as the inchworm, termite, cricket, and ladybug. Check our catalog
Biography
Harvesting Hope by Kathleen Krull 48 pages
- As a boy, Cesar Chavez had to attend 35 schools. When he grew up he changed the world. Check our catalog
26 Fairmount Avenue by Tomie dePaola 71 pages
- The popular author-illustrator recalls a year from his childhood, including memories of kindergarten and moving to a new house. Check our catalog
updated 9/7/07