Yasmin is a smart and imaginative Pakistani American girl who shares adventures with her parents and grandparents. In four short, easy-to-read chapters, she comes up with creative solutions to the problems in her life. These popular chapter books for second graders work well for book groups or individual reading and response.

Buy it: Yasmin series

In this spin-off of the popular Katie Woo series, Katie’s friend Pedro plays sports and goes on adventures, while also putting up with his younger brother. These shorter and easier beginning chapter books for second graders are good choices for kids who like realistic fiction.

Buy it: Pedro series

Kayla’s dog King narrates this charming and entertaining series in which owner and pup work together to solve gentle cases. These transitional books are great for supporting fluency while engaging readers, and they’re good choices for first mystery chapter books for second graders.

Buy it: King & Kayla series

Little Bear is a beloved classic character who goes on adventures with his animal friends but sometimes needs help and guidance from Mother Bear. Imaginative stories offer plenty of content for second grade discussions about key details in text. Share these with second graders new to or hesitant about chapter books; simple word choices and larger text help with readability.

Buy it: Little Bear series

Henry is lonely, without a sibling or friends on his block, so he asks his parents for a dog. From the moment Henry meets his new dog Mudge, the two of them are inseparable. This sweet series is perfectly reassuring for second grade readers who are just ready to explore chapter books. The sentences are simple but the characters are full of heart.

Buy it: Henry and Mudge series

New neighbors Duck and Moose happen to be polar opposites, but can they reconcile their differences and become best pals? This three-book series of graphic novel chapter books for second graders is hilarious. We like to share them with kids who need a reading confidence boost. They are also ideal for explicitly teaching kids how to navigate the structure of a graphic novel.

Peter is a homebody and Ernesto is an adventurer, but they are loyal friends to each other. The cute pictures make kids laugh, while the simple language feels manageable. These make another great introduction to graphic novels for eager beginning readers.

Mercy is an endearing pet pig who loves hot buttered toast and tends to cause chaos in her neighborhood on Deckawoo Drive. The recognizable style of Chris Van Dusen makes these illustrated chapter books for second graders a perfect bridge from picture books, while the lighthearted text is a lovely introduction to rock star author Kate DiCamillo. These books work well for multiple purposes, from read-aloud to book groups to independent reading.

Buy it: Mercy Watson series

The brave Princess in Black is a superhero in secret, making quick wardrobe changes when local monsters need managing. The fresh take on princesses and superheroes and the lively full-color illustrations make these appealing choices for readers who are stretching their reading stamina to tackle longer books. We like reading aloud the first book to introduce the series, then using later installments, which have more complex stories and friendship themes, for independent reading and book group discussions.

Buy it: The Princess in Black series

An eclectic group of rejected animals band together to try to repair their “Bad Guy” reputation by doing good. Hilarious and eye-catching, these quick-to-read illustrated chapter books for second graders are a popular choice for independent readers not quite ready for longer and more text-heavy books.

Buy it: The Bad Guys series

Orris the rat and Timble the owl strike up an unusual and inspiring friendship. While the amount of text is manageable, some of the vocabulary and plot structure details are trickier. These gentle stories are ideal for sharing and discussing as read-alouds or for suggesting to thoughtful readers ready for a new challenge.

Frankie’s mom is a busy TV news journalist, so Frankie learns a lot about how current events unfold and get shared with the public. She often gets inspired to do her own reporting too! This series is ideal to share as a class read or book group text to complement social studies learning about famous activists. Or you can share it as inspiration for kids interested in journalism.

Fairies, rainbows, and unicorns—what’s not to love? In each title, best friends Kirsty and Rachel enter a magical world to help the fairy community. This fantastical series has over 200 titles, organized into smaller sets of adventures, making it perfect for independent readers who want to get lost in the magical world of books.

Buy it: Rainbow Magic series

These wildly popular chapter books for second graders had to make our list! Siblings Jack and Annie discover a tree house full of books that send them back in time. We’ve seen this series hook so many kids on reading that they are a classroom must-have. They’re also fantastic for building kids’ knowledge about different places, topics, and historical eras.

Buy it: Magic Tree House series

Telling the story of characters embarking on video game adventures, this graphic novel series makes the reader feel like they are transported into the game. Eye-catching illustrations and simple yet compelling text motivate new chapter book readers—especially those who also love video games!

Buy it: Press Start! series

Princess and Windtamer Lina has special powers but still wants to go to school with “groundlings” and her best friend, Claudia. These tales full of magic and adventure also grapple with themes of identity and friendship. Pass these to kids who still feel reassured by some illustrations and could use the confidence boost of a quick, enjoyable read.

Buy it: Diary of an Ice Princess series

Mia’s life gets turned upside down when she discovers she’s a superhero. She’s pretty sure she’s up for the task, as long as she can figure out how to balance her new identity with being a regular kid. The 13 books in this series are great first chapter books for second graders who enjoy a bit of action and adventure.

Buy it: Mia Mayhem series

This appealing series spinoff of the Heidi Heckelbeck series (also popular chapter books for second graders) stars Heidi’s classmate Lucy. After a series of unexpected events unfolds at school, Lucy finds out she’s actually a witch. Suggest this series to kids who are curious about the Harry Potter books but definitely not ready to read them solo. The author does a nice job tapping into kids’ curiosity about magical powers while also tackling relatable elementary school emotions and themes.

Buy it: Lucy Lancaster series

Alvin Ho is an Asian American second grader with a long list of debilitating fears, the biggest one being speaking at school. With strong characters and emotional honesty, this series tackles anxiety with humor and grace. Alvin’s trials with his siblings and friends at school will hook independent readers in need of a new and engaging series to keep them reading.

Buy it: Alvin Ho series 

Sadiq is a Somali American third grader who navigates real-life challenges of friendship, family, and school. In this series, he participates in many new activities with his friends, while dealing with being left out and feeling like he’s not good enough. Add this series to your classroom library to represent a diverse community. We appreciate that it portrays a boy as its main character too!

Buy it: Sadiq series

Miles loves science and is very competitive, but his anxiety spikes when he has to go ice-skating for the first time with his fourth grade class. With a strong focus on friend and family relationships, this series is both entertaining and discussion-worthy for independent readers who enjoy realistic stories. Bonus: It’s by the same author as the Jada Jones series, which we also recommend!

Buy it: Miles Lewis series

In this spin-off of the popular Judy Moody series, Judy’s brother Stink cannot stand being the shortest kid and does everything he can to get taller. Filled with humor and heart, these popular chapter books for second graders will entertain kids during independent reading or book groups focused on characters.

Buy it: Stink series

Bibsy Cross is an endearing protagonist who loves her friends and school—though she tends to butt heads with authority figures who want her to tone it down a bit. Hand this series to your spirited second graders who enjoy character-driven stories. Bibsy gives off definite Ramona Quimby vibes, but the more contemporary language and details make these titles a bit easier to navigate.

Buy it: Bibsy Cross series

Jo Jo Makoons is 7 years old and lives on a fictional Ojibwe reservation. The books in this series share Jo Jo’s age-appropriate challenges with friends and general life as a 7-year-old, with examples of Ojibwe culture and language woven into her experiences. These are great chapter books for second graders who like funny books and memorable girl characters.

Buy it: Jo Jo Makoons series

Energetic and positive Omar moves to a new school in the series opener, where he must make friends, cope with bullies, and, of course, find plenty of ways to have fun. The illustrations and formatting make this series feel like a younger version of Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Suggest these to kids who enjoy funny and mishap-prone boy protagonists. Kids less familiar with Muslim religion and culture may need some help building the knowledge needed to read and understand some details of the text.

Buy it: Planet Omar series

Alfie is a strong and charismatic 7-year-old, sister to the main character of the popular EllRay Jakes series. In each story, she navigates how to solve realistic conflicts with her friends and family. Relatable, funny, and honest, this series is a great choice for more advanced readers looking for longer chapter books.

Buy it: Absolutely Alfie series

This classic series of chapter books for second graders tells the story of three cousins who start a cookie business, write a newspaper, and get involved in all sorts of other creative endeavors. “Old soul” readers will enjoy these lighthearted stories that are reminiscent of simpler time.

Buy it: The Cobble Street Cousins series

As the new student in her class, Gooney Bird Greene causes quite a stir when she shows up wearing pajamas and cowboy boots. Through her wild imagination, Gooney teaches us the art of storytelling. Share this title to spark group discussions about character traits.

Buy it: Gooney Bird Greene series

Doesn’t every kid wonder what it would be like if our toys and stuffed animals came to life? This funny, endearing trilogy about three special toys explores that magical idea. These books have wide appeal for group sharing and also work well for second graders who are ready to try out longer chapter books independently.

Buy it: Toys Go Out series

A young girl named Fern befriends a special pig named Wilbur whose fate is uncertain on her uncle’s farm. This is one of our all-time favorite award-winning chapter books for second graders to read aloud. Heart-wrenching and profoundly beautiful, this story will bring groups of listeners together and inspire rich discussion.

Buy it: Charlotte’s Web

Ramona is an independent spirit with lots of opinions about her 1950s childhood world. Reading aloud is the ideal context for introducing these classic chapter books for second grade by timeless author Beverly Cleary. We especially like sharing the first three books in the series, in which Ramona is younger than second grade, as students find her “little kid” antics hilarious.

Buy it: Ramona series