30 Kid-Favorite Chapter Books for 2nd Graders

Katie G.:  Mary Pope Osborne's extensive Magic Treehouse series, about the adventures of sibling team Jack and Annie, has some of the best chapter books for 1st and 2nd grade. Each book begins with the siblings going to their "magic treehouse," where they are transported to the past, the future and other novel settings to solve a mystery. The fictional stories contain plenty of non-fiction nuggets to teach kids about animals, historical figures or important events in history, and a familiar format in each story makes them easy to follow. Each book is a separate adventure so they can be read out of order.

Brittany Kozielski:  The Boxcar Children tells a sweet story of orphaned children who make their home in an abandoned boxcar rather than going to live with their unknown relatives after the death of their parents. While the first book focuses on the children's life in their boxcar, the subsequent books in the series follow the siblings through various adventures and solving lots of mysteries.

Brittany Kozielski:  Junie B. is a 6 year old girl who can be very sassy and insightful, and who touches on age appropriate issues in a hysterical way. These are the perfect chapter books for 2nd graders who are stubborn readers. They will realize how fun reading really can be!

Alexandra F.:  This series by Ron Roy follows the adventures of 9-year-old best friends as they uncover and attempt to solve various mysteries in their hometown.The Absent Author begins the saga, which continues alphabetically all the way to The Zombie Zone.

Vanessa M.:  The lovable Amelia Bedelia has her own series of chapter books that are perfect for emerging readers. Amelia Bedelia, who until now we've known as the maid who gets everything wrong, is a young pig-tailed girl in this fun series. The chapters are short and easy to read, with cute illustrations to draw the reader in.

Vanessa M.:  The Mouse and the Motorcycle is the first book in the classic series by Beverly Cleary. Kids love reading about Ralph the mouse and all his fun adventures riding his toy motorcycle. The three book series is a great introduction to chapter books for 2nd graders.

Brittany Kozielski:  These books can be a little scary and may not be appropriate for all younger readers, but they also have a lot of humor to them. The characters are always kids or teens trying to solve some creepy mystery, and since each of the books tells a different story, they can be read in any order. My 2nd grader loves all of these books!

Sue Krawitz Tandoc:  My son loves reading the Ranger in Time series by Kate Messner. Ranger is a dog with search and rescue training that goes traveling back in time to save the day. During his travels, the reader gets to learn about moments in history with an exciting pace. Beginning with Rescue on the Oregon Trail, Ranger's escapades also take him to Ancient Rome, the South Pole, San Francisco during the Great Earthquake, New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, a Maryland plantation and more. Devon won't put these books down, even after bedtime, and shares the story with me every step of the way!

Vanessa M.:  The Ballpark Mysteries series by David A. Kelly follows cousins Mike and Kate from ballpark to ballpark as they solve baseball themed mysteries. Real historical facts, events, and baseball players are included in the books! The chapters are short, with a few pictures to keep the attention of young readers.

hope fugere:  My daughter read one of Judy Blume's Fudge series with her class & one independently. I could hear her laugh out loud while reading them! And then she'd love to retell moments from the book with us. She couldn't wait to read the next chapter at bedtime each night.

Alexandra F.:  My daughter read this book by Lois Lowry with her second grade class, and insisted that I include it on this list as one of her favorite books of the last couple of years. Gooney Bird Greene is a new student in second grade whose eccentric way of dressing and fascinating, far-fetched stories about her life captivate her classmates and readers alike, highlighting good storytelling techniques in the process. There are six books in the series.

Brittany Kozielski:  Judy Moody is a third grade girl who goes through lots of mood swings as minor predicaments come into her day. Very funny and entertaining series about relatable young girl topics.

Tracy Snyder Molina:  Cam Jansen has a special talent that makes her a superb junior detective; a photographic memory! She uses her super skill to help her solve all sorts of zany mysteries with the help of her friends. My son really enjoyed these short chapter books that helped develop his reading skills in a fun way. Great for independent reading and reading aloud together.

Kelly R:  There's much to love about the Zoey and Sassafras series of early chapter books...a young science-loving heroine, positive messages, adorable illustrations, and imaginative storylines that involve magical creatures and real world science.

Brittany Kozielski:  This is a fantastic series of chapter books for 2nd graders and can be read in any order. The series is about the Peterson family, who aren't ready for a full time dog but help take care of dogs who need a full time home. The books are simple enough to capture the attention of younger readers for multiple chapters at a time, and are great for reading out loud or on their own.