20 Chapter Books for 2nd Graders

Cornbread and Poppy by Matthew Cordell
The perfect read aloud for readers who loved The Princess in Black or Mercy Watson books. Best friends, Cornbread and Poppy, have opposite personalities, and when winter comes they must work together to make sure they both have the food they need to be well stocked for winter.

Murray the Viking by Adam Stower
When a wizard accidentally enchants the cat flap, Murray the nap-loving cat and Bun the trouble-magnet rabbit tumble into a world of Vikings, trolls, and very silly adventure. With lots of illustrations, big humor, and major Bad Guys vibes, this is the kind of fast, funny read kids will tear through and immediately want the next book.

Aven Green Sleuthing Machine by Dusti Bowling
Aven Green is a confident, laugh-out-loud detective who’s been solving mysteries for almost a whole month – and now she’s facing her trickiest case yet when a teacher’s lunch goes missing and her great-grandma’s beloved dog disappears. This sounds like the perfect elementary mystery to me!

What Happened to the Naked Mole Rat? by Akeem S. Roberts
When Carter is blamed for the death of his class pet, he has to clear his name, with some unexpected help from the ghost of Mr. Pebbles, the naked mole rat. This one is a funny, slightly spooky graphic novel that would be a great pick for kids who love mysteries, humor, and just a touch of supernatural fun.

The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
I’m a lifelong fan of Beverly Clearly and I particularly love little mouse Ralph (despite the fact that in real life I hate mice more than almost anything). Adventure, tiny motorcycles and a little bit of danger? What’s not to love?

EllRay Jakes Is a Rock Star by Sally Warner
For the kid who loves a book that’s funny AND realistic, they can’t go wrong with EllRay Jakes. He may be the smallest kid in his class, but that doesn’t stop him from getting into big trouble!

Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business by Lyla Lee
This adorable chapter book series is all about Mindy Kim. In this installment, Mindy Kim just wants to fit in at her new school – oh, and get a puppy! But when her favorite lunch, dried seaweed, leads to some undesirable faces in the lunchroom, her and her friend get creative.

Leroy Ninker Saddles Up by Kate DiCamillo
If you love Mercy Watson (and who doesn’t?), this series that includes some of the same Deckawoo Drive characters is a must read!

The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale & Dean Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham
Most of the time, she’s Princess Magnolia, prim and proper. But when her Monster Alarm rings, she transforms into the Princess in Black and no monster will get the better of her! This series is a huge hit for 2nd graders who love the full color pictures, short chapters, and high humor!

The Littles by John Peterson
I’d vaguely heard about this series but knew nothing about it until Ella’s teacher read it aloud to them during the first weeks of school and then Ella started plowing through the rest of the series (it has 16 books!). The books are pretty short (less than a 100 pages) and have been around since the early 90s about a minature family that lives in the walls of a home belonging to the Biggs. When the Biggs go on vacation, all sorts of trouble erupts and it’s up to the Littles to save the day.

Tales of Sasha by Alexa Pearl, illustrated by Paco Sordo
This is the 8th book in this cute series, about a horse named Sasha who doesn’t quite fit in with the herd. In this installment she is on a mission to plan a summer solstice party for all the other horses.

Dragon Masters by Tracey West
This fantasy adventure is perfect for any child who loves dragons, kings, wizards, and magic! My girls have listened to this series a million times over the past few years – each book in the series has around 100 pages, short chapters, and includes illustrations scattered throughout.

Bisby Cross and the Bad Apple by Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Dung Ho
Bibsy Cross is an enthusiastic, big-hearted eight-year-old who loves school, until she ends up with a teacher who thinks she’s just a little too much. I could see how this one could be very relatable, and still full of a lot of heart and humor.

The Stories Julian Tells by Ann Cameron
Julian has a huge imagination and a talent for spinning stories – especially ones that get his little brother Huey into (very funny) trouble. Even though this book was first published in the late 1980s, it’s still a fantastic read for second graders, with short chapters, lots of humor, and timeless kid logic that totally stands the test of time.

The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
For all of my children, The Boxcar Children books have been what really cemented their love of listening to audiobooks. These mysteries are wildly popular and have been for decades, for good reason. I like that the mysteries aren’t too scary and I really love that they showcase siblings that like each other, get along, and work together to solve problems.

Marvin Redpost: Kidnapped At Birth? by Louis Sachar
Marvin Redpost is just your average third-grader, getting into your average third-grade trouble. He is also relatable, kind, and a loyal friend, even during all the hilarious and unexpected adventures he ends up on.

Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch by Julie Abe
Eva Evergreen has just a pinch of magic (because she is really just a semi-magical witch), but she still has to prove herself by helping a small seaside town if she wants to keep her powers. This one sounds like a sweet, cozy fantasy perfect for second graders who love magic without anything too intense.

The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey
When my oldest was around 2nd grade, she LOVED this series about a crew of traditionally “bad” animals (shark, wolf, snake, etc) that decide they’re tired of being bad and want to be good instead. Funny and LOTS of black and white illustrations.

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
The girls and I listened to this fun audiobook a few years ago and I’ve heard from SO MANY families that have loved this one too. And now with the movie out, it would be a great one to read the book and watch the movie afterward!

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
This one might look a little intimidating at 336 pages, but since it’s written in verse, it actually reads very quickly – and it gives 2nd graders that confidence-boosting feeling of real reading momentum. And even though I’m not particularly into animal stories (I know!), I still think this is one of the best kids’ books ever – Newbery winner or not. When a book is this sweet, funny, and beautifully written, who cares if it’s narrated by a gorilla? Not me. (Full review here)