Second Grade Reading Growth Spurt
Studying Characters and their Stories
Bigger Books Mean Amping Up Reading Power
Some help for parents searching for good books for their child:
1. A note on series: Books in a series are very motivational. The children develop a sense of satisfaction as they follow their beloved characters through different experiences! It also helps a child know just where to go when looking for another just-right book (see #3 below).
2. Books with two characters’ names in the title are usually about friendship. For example Mr. Putter and Tabby, Henry and Mudge, Pinky and Rex…These are wonderful because the child gets to know the main characters and can follow relationships and journeys. They’re also highly motivational and relatable.
3. To find books that are “just-right" or a "good fit" for your child you can have your child read a page or two of a book they are interested in. Use the “5-finger-rule". If there are 5 words, phrases, or ideas on the page that cause any trouble, the book is too difficult. (That does, to some extent, depend on the length of the page. In some books you might make it three, or even one.) The child must understand not just the decoding, but the meaning. It is better at this stage to be reading a book a little too easy than way too difficult.
2nd Grade Book List Suggestions:
Henry and Mudge- C. Ryland
Annie and Snowball- C. Ryland
Tony Baloney Series- D. Gutman
Katie Woo Series- F. Manushkin
Pedro Series- F. Manushkin
Andy Shane Series- J. Jacobson
My Weird School Daze Series- D. Gutman
Danny and the Dinosaur- S. Hoff
Mr. Putter and Tabby- C. Ryland
Cam Jensen or Young Cam Jansen- S. Adler
Nate the Great- S. Sharmat
Amanda Pig and her Brother Oliver- Van Leeuwen
The Littles- John L. Peterson
Magic Tree House- Mary Pope Osborne
A to Z/Calendar Mysteries
Jake Maddox Sports series