Poppy Corn Bread 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 the 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, fall into a world of Vikings, trolls and very silly adventures. With many illustrations, great humor and more Bad boys vibes, this is the kind of fast, fun read that kids will read and immediately want the next book.

Aven Green detective machine by Dusti Bowling
Aven Green is a confident and fun detective who solves mysteries Almost a whole month – and now he finds himself facing the most complicated case ever: a teacher’s lunch disappears and his great-grandmother’s beloved dog. This seems like the perfect elemental mystery to me!

What happened to the naked mole? by Akeem S. Roberts
When Carter is blamed for the death of his class pet, he must clear his name, with the unexpected help of the ghost of Mr. Pebbles, the naked mole rat. This is a fun and slightly disturbing graphic novel that would be a great choice 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 Ralph the mouse (despite the fact that in real life I hate mice more than anything else). Adventure, tiny motorbikes and a bit of danger? What’s not to love?

EllRay Jakes is a rock star by Sally Warner
For kids who love a fun AND realistic book, 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 Delicious Seaweed Business by Lyla Lee
This adorable chapter book series is all about Mindy Kim. In this episode, 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 unwanted faces in the dining room, she and her friend get creative.

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

The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham
Most of the time she is Princess Magnolia, prim and proper. But when her Monster Alarm sounds, she transforms into the Princess in Black and no monster will get the better of her! This series is a big hit with second graders who love full-color pictures, short chapters, and good humor!

The Little Ones by John Peterson
I had vaguely heard about this series but knew nothing about it until Ella’s teacher read it aloud to her during the first few weeks of school and then Ella started delving into the rest of the series (it has 16 books!). The books are quite short (less than 100 pages) and have been around since the early 1990s about a miniature family living within the walls of a house belonging to the Biggs. When the Biggs go on holiday, all sorts of trouble erupts and it’s up to the Littles to save the day.

Sasha’s Tales by Alexa Pearl, illustrated by Paco Sordo
This is the eighth book in this cute series, about a horse named Sasha who doesn’t quite fit in with the herd. In this episode he is on a mission to throw a summer solstice party for all the other horses.

The 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 last few years – each book in the series has about 100 pages, short chapters, and includes illustrations scattered throughout.

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

The stories that Giuliano tells by Ann Cameron
Julian has a great imagination and a talent for telling stories, especially the ones that get his little brother Huey into trouble (very funny). 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 childish logic that totally stands the test of time.

The children of the boxcar by Gertrude Chandler Warner
For all of my kids, The Boxcar Children books were what really solidified their love of listening to audiobooks. These mysteries are very popular and have been for decades, for good reason. I like that the mysteries aren’t too scary and I really like that they show siblings who 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 typical third grade trouble. He’s also outgoing, kind, and a loyal friend, even during all the hilarious and unexpected adventures he finds himself on.

Eva Evergreen, semi-magical witch by Julie Abe
Eva Evergreen has only one pinch of magic (because she’s 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 seems like a sweet and cozy fantasy, perfect for second graders who love magic without anything too intense.

The Villains by Aaron Blabey
When my oldest daughter was around second grade, she LOVED this series about a group of traditionally “bad” animals (shark, wolf, snake, etc.) who decide they’re tired of being bad and want to be good instead. Fun and LOTS of black and white illustrations.

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

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
This could I wait a little intimidating at 336 pages, but because it’s written in verse, it actually reads very quickly and gives second graders that confidence-building feeling of real reading momentum. And even though I don’t particularly like animal stories (I know!), I still think this is one of the best children’s books ever, Newbery winner or not. When a book is this sweet and funny and well-written, who cares if it’s narrated by a gorilla? Not me. (Full review here)