Great Read Alouds for Second Graders

Set in the 1800s, a widowed farmer advertises for a wife and mother for his two children. A tall, plain woman answers the ad; Sarah leaves her Maine home and the sea for the Plains as she grows to love Caleb and Anna. An elegantly simple telling.

The real and truly amazing size of animals from the sea and land are shown in a way that children can understand and appreciate. Textured collage illustrations are used to show the actual size of a gorilla’s hand, a giant squid’s eye and much more. Additional information on each animal is included in an afterward to allow reading on several levels.

Gooney Bird is a memorable character whose outrageous tales are all true! Children may see their world differently through Gooney Bird’s storytelling and consider writing themselves just like the kids in Ms. Pidgeon’s class at Watertower Elementary School. This is first of Lowry’s Gooney Bird books, all of which are relatable.

Life as a paper-thin boy is not all bad as Stanley finds out. He was flattened by a bulletin board bit adjusts quite well with the help of his parents to his new dimensions — all of which makes for very funny reading (and travels in later books about Stanley and his family).

When Mary Poppins arrived at the house on Cherry Tree Lane, life became much different and more exciting. The unique nanny stayed only until the wind changed leaving the family with many happy memories. Some echoes of the film are evident, however, the book remains a read aloud classic that stands apart and is rather different.

Lulu and her family, along with their dog Sam, rent a house by the sea for their family vacation. There they meet a stray mutt, the “dog from the sea” who becomes a hero to kite-flying Lulu and her cousin, Mellie. Eventually, the stray finds friendship and a home.

The Boy, a shepherd, helps his friends — a large, peaceful dragon and dragon-slaying St. George — find a solution that satisfies all. Line drawings by Ernest Shepard (illustrator of Winnie the Pooh) and enduring themes continue to appeal. An introduction to the 75th anniversary edition by Leonard Marcus puts the tale into historical context.

Discover why boats — even filled with people — can float, but a small pebble sinks in water. Easy experiments and lucid explanations are presented with cartoon-like illustrations to bring concepts like density and displacement into focus for readers of all ages.

When a squirrel is snatched up by a hungry hawk (but not eaten), his courageous friends go after him. Together they discover another squirrel society and save their homes from devastation in this clever, quite funny, and often insightful tale that provides a glimpse into what squirrel civilization might be.

Is it one story or four? Is it about cows, commuters, a thief, or a boy? Careful reading and re-reading is required to tell. Warning: it may take young readers to explain how this clever Caldecott-winning book works!

Clementine hates change. And there’s a lot of change about to happen: summer is approaching and the end of third grade means goodbye to her beloved teacher, Mr. D’Matz. Plus her family expects a new baby. Like other books in the series, this seventh and final one is sure to cause laughter as Clementine works to come out successfully on the other side of change.

Pearl, a bonnet-wearing pig in pink, finds a magic bone that fell from a witch’s basket. Can she and the magic bone save Pearl from the jaws of a hungry fox? Cartoon illustration and exceptional language make this a must to read aloud.