As our year is beginning to wrap up {I can’t believe it – but I am kind of excited too!} Jacob wanted to share his favorite books that he has been reading this year.
Jacob’s feelings about reading have totally transformed this year. He has developed a true love of reading. And I am really happy about it!
The interesting thing about 2nd Grade is I feel like you are still in this kind of inbetween area. Or at least that’s how it’s been with Jacob. He still loves to sit down and read through picture books but he is also transitioning to chapter books too.
I asked Jacob to pick his TOP FIVE favorite books of this last year – so here they are!
Imagination Station
THIS is the series that developed Jacob’s love for reading! If you ask him about them – sit back and relax because he will be talking for a LONG time.
These are simple chapter books that are wholesome and fun. They embrace good values – kindness and gratitude. They are also great books to spark interest in history.
They center around two children, Beth and Patrick, and they go back in time to different periods in history and have adventures!
I cannot say enough good things about these books. We now have every book in the series {or at least all that are currently released} and Jacob has probably bought half of them on his own. That’s how much he loves them!
Once you read the first book in the series, the rest can be read in any order.
Little Golden Books
We have accumulated quite a collection of Little Golden Books. We definitely have some “just for fun” books but I love the “Classic” Series.
I have yet to meet one that I haven’t loved. These books are just charming and take you to simpler times. Here are the titles we have and adore:
- Animal Orchestra by Ilo Orleans
- Baby Animals by Garth Williams
- I Am a Bunny by Ole Risom
- Scuffy the Tugboat by Gertrude Crampton
- Tawny Scrawny Lion by Kathryn Jackson
- The Color Kittens by Margaret Wise Brown
- The Fuzzy Duckling by Jane Werner Watson
- The Happy Man and His Dump Truck by Miryam
- The Little Red Caboose by Marian Potter
- The Poky Little Puppy by Janette Sebring Lowrey
- The Saggy Baggy Elephant by Kathryn Jackson
- The Sailor Dog by Margaret Wise Brown
- The Shy Little Kitten by Cathleen Schurr
- Wonders of Nature by Jane Werner Watson
Jacob says they just make him happy.
The Story of Ferdinand
The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf is a great, simple story. We’ve had it for years and it’s just good fun.
It’s a story about a bull named Ferdinand, who is just content to sit and smell the flowers under his favorite cork tree. However, after an unfortunate accident with a bee, he is brought to fight in the bull fights in Madrid. But everyone quickly learns that that is not the place for Ferdinand.
The Little House on Stilts and Other Stories
The Little House on Stilts and Other Stories by Lucia Patton & Margaret Friskey is a great read for this age.
There are three stories in the book and they are set in the Colorado Rockies in the 1940s. They have “messages of kindness, service, courage, and respect for nature.”
Can’t get better than that!
Richard Scarry Books
My kids love the illustrations by Richard Scarry. Every single one of my young kids can sit and look at his books for long stretches of time. They are so much fun and there are always silly little things to find. I am amazed at his creativity!
I think the illustrations are definitely what draw my children into the books – but the writing is great as well and has some uplifting messages.
We have two books that I think fall into this age group for reading:
Honorable Mentions
Here are some other books that Jacob has really enjoyed this year – because five is just too few!
- Amelia Bedelia Series (I Can Read 2 Series) by Peggy Parish
- Booker T. Washington by Thomas Amper (This is a wonderful biography!)
- Childhood of Famous Americans Series {We have Abe Lincoln and the Muddy Pig and Davy Crockett: A Life on the Frontier and have enjoyed both of them.}
- Daniel’s Duck by Clyde Robert Bulla
- Greg’s Microscope by Millicent E. Selsam
- Lola Books by Anna McQuinn {There are several, we have Lola at the Library and it’s two thumbs up!}
- Margaret Wise Brown Books {We have several, but for this age I really liked Big Red Barn.}
- Oliver and Amanda Series by Jean Van Leeuwen
- Penny Series by Kevin Henkes
- Prairie School by Avi
- Snipp, Snapp, Snurr Series by Maj Lindman
- The Littles Series by John Peterson
- Three Dollar Mule by Clyde Robert Bulla
- Winnie the Pooh First Reader by Isabel Gaines
Final Thoughts
Reading is such a powerful thing. I hope this list helps give you ideas of stories to share with your child. I am a big believer in the power that literature can have. And I try to give my children books filled with characters that uplift and portray attitudes and behavior that I want them to have themselves.
Jacob and I hope this helps light the fire of reading with you!
If you are wanting a greater list – there is an amazing FREE BOOK LIST from The Good and the Beautiful that is my “go to” when we are looking for books.
P.S. Holy smokes, that was a LOT of linking! I hope it was helpful!
