Reading to my students is absolutely my favorite! There are thousands of wonderful read aloud books to choose from, so how in the world can you pick just a few? I want to share a read aloud list that you and your second graders will love.
I love taking the time throughout the book to demonstrate the think-aloud process, appropriate social-emotional responses to events and characters, and of course- comprehension questions! I’ve also included class discussion points or activity ideas for you to use if you’d like.
If you love this list, also check out my other book list of 8 Wonderful Read Aloud Books for 2nd Grade.
A Bad Case of Stripes
by David Shannon
Who doesn’t have insecurities? This story is about Camilla Cream, who loves lima beans and also worries about what others think of her. She wakes up one morning completely covered in rainbow-colored strips. By the end, she learns to be okay with who she is.
Discussion: This read aloud would be a great Turn and Talk starter by having your students talk about something they may not like about themselves and how they could work on changing it.
Click, Clack, Moo Cows that Type
by Doreen Cronin
Give your students a book to laugh at! You can also squeeze in a mini lesson about humorous fiction with this one (extra perk!). The barnyard animals come together to improve their living conditions with the help of a typewriter. But Farmer Brown won’t have it.
Activity: This read aloud is perfect for teaching friendly letter writing. You can have students write a letter to the principal or their parents asking for something to improve their living conditions.
Dex the Heart of Hero
by Caralyn Buehner
Capture student’s love for superheroes and animals at the same time with Dex! He is on a hero’s journey on becoming a super dog. Your students will love this read aloud because it shows through perseverance and hard work you can accomplish your goals and change your life.
Activity: A fantastic writing activity is helping students identify a goal they would like to accomplish. You can have them write a How To paragraph on their plan to achieve that goal.
Diary of a Spider
By Doreen Cronin
In this hilarious diary, we see the daily life of Spider and the happenings that go on at school and home. You can also sneak in a mini lesson about the author’s writing style and headings with this one!
Activity: After reading, get your students writing a personal diary for the day or the week! They can even take home the diary writing to continue writing about their activities at home.
Giraffes Can’t Dance
by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees
Gerald is a cute giraffe who feels tall and awkward, and the only thing he’s good at is eating leaves from trees. His dream is to dance but others laugh at him when he does until a little cricket gives him advice to try to dance to a different tune.
Discussion: This book offers up a great opportunity to discuss people’s different abilities and talents. Have students Turn and Talk about what makes them unique.
How to Catch a Dinosaur
by Adam Wallace
I absolutely love the How to Catch a book series! Why you might ask? Each book is about an engaging topic like dinosaurs, mermaids, and leprechauns- all which students love. You can easily find one of Adam Wallace’s books to fit into a season or theme study.
Activity: Have your students complete How To writing project based on whatever thing they want to catch.
Mr. Tanen’s Tie Trouble
by Maryann Cooca-Leffler
This story is a great example of fundraising for a good cause. The principal Mr. Tanen ends up auctioning his precious ties to get the school a new playground. Because of his sacrifice, the townspeople give back all his ties at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Activity: A great Project Based Learning extension for this book is thinking of different fundraising ideas, making a plan to do it, and marketing for it.
I hope this list gets you excited to incorporate read aloud books into your day! Don’t forget to check out my other post of 8 Wonderful Read Aloud Books for 2nd Grade!
Happy Teaching!
