BUCKHEAD PREP
Rising 2nd Grade
Summer Reading Recommendations
2025
READING EXPECTATIONS: 3 Total Books (Preferably Chapter Books)
CHOOSING BOOKS
WHERE TO FIND MY BOOKS
AFTER I READ MY BOOKS
Reading Guide:
Students are able to do their best reading and thinking when they choose books that are 1) on their appropriate level and 2) high-interest to them.
Students should be encouraged to test out a book to see if it feels “just-right” by using the 5 finger test. Have your child read a few pages (the Look Inside feature on Amazon is a great way to do this!). As they read, have your child hold up a closed fist. Each time a word or sentence gives them pause, have them raise one finger. If, at the end of 2-3 pages, they have more than 3 fingers held up, that particular book might not be “just-right” YET. Go back and check it again in a few weeks! If your child did not hold up any fingers, that may indicate the book is too easy. It is ok to work through a few words or tricky sentences. The goal of this exercise is to teach students to find books where they spend the appropriate amount of effort decoding. This way, your child will have the energy to do all the thinking that makes reading fun: making predictions and connections, asking questions, and visualizing!
**Note: Do not feel pressure to have your child progress to more complex reading levels. At this stage in the game, the most important thing to remember is that students should enjoy reading. The more they enjoy reading, the more they will read, and the better readers they become!
Realistic Fiction
Mrs. Katz and Tush
by Patricia Polacco
In this special Passover story, Larnel Moore, an African-American boy, and Mrs. Katz, an elderly Jewish woman, develop an unusual friendship through their mutual concern for an abandoned cat named Tush. Together they explore the common themes of suffering and triumph in each of their cultures.
Amelia Bedelia (I Can Read Book Series)
by Peggy Parish, Fritz Siebel (illus.)
Meet Amelia Bedelia, the unflappable maid who does everything literally. With her purse on her arm and hat firmly on her head, Amelia Bedelia follows instructions to a T: Change the towels? Nothing a pair of scissors can't do! Dust the furniture? That's when the perfumed dusting powder really comes in handy. Dress the chicken for dinner -- well, do you want a boy chicken or a girl chicken? Amelia Bedelia's well-meaning gaffs cause readers to chuckle but her employer to fume -- it's a good thing she's such a good cook!
The Great Kapok Tree A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest
by Lynne Cherry
A man walks into a lush rain forest and starts chopping down a huge kapok tree. Lulled by the heat, he sits down and soon falls asleep. The forest dwellers approach, each whispering in his ear a reason to keep the tree standing. Suddenly, the man wakes up, and for the first time notices the beauty all around him. Will he still chop down the tree? The beauty of Cherry's art helps to convey an important message in this environmental tale.
Flat Stanley
by Jeff Brown, Steve Bjorkman (illus.)
Stanley Lambchop is a nice, average boy. He leads a nice, ordinary life. Then one day a bulletin board falls on him, and suddenly Stanley is flat. This turns out to be very interesting. Stanley gets rolled up, mailed, and flown like a kite. He even gets to stop crime. He's flat, but he's a hero!
Justin Case
by Rachel Vail
It's the start of the school year, and nothing feels right to Justin. He didn't get the teacher he wanted, he's not in the same class as his best friend, and his little sister, Elizabeth, is starting kindergarten at his school. Elizabeth doesn't seem nervous at all. Justin is very nervous about third grade.
Realistic Fiction
You Can't Eat Your Chicken Pox, Amber Brown
by Paula Danziger, Tony Ross (illus.)
Amber Brown has survived third grade -- even though her best friend, Justin, moved away. Now she's heading to London with her Aunt Pam -- and then to Paris. Before she gets there, Amber finds out she has chicken pox. Amber Brown is a kid with problems. Now that she can't go to Paris, how will she convince her dad to move back in with her mom?
Zelda and Ivy
by Laura McGee Kvasnosky
Zelda and Ivy are sisters with a flair for the dramatic. Whether they're performing a circus act, fashioning their tails in the latest style, or working wonders with "fairy dust," their exploits are described with wit and charm in a very special trio of stories exploring the intimate dynamic between an older and younger sister.
The Big, Big: The Girl With Big, Big Questions
The spirit of curiosity blossoms in a determined young girl"s quest for knowledge. A beautifully illustrated picture book companion to The Boy with the Big, Big Feelings.
I Am Curious: An Acorn Book (Princess Truly #7)
In these three rhyming stories, Princess Truly visits a museum and learns about dinosaurs and butterflies, she solves a mystery when her snack goes missing, and she takes a trip to outer space in a rocket ship with her pug, Sir Noodles.
Acorn - Racing Ace: Ride It! Patch It!
Ace polishes up her mountain bike and prepares for the big bike race! But Ace's bike chain comes off the sprocket and then she needs to patch a tire! Will she be able to fix her bike in time and find her way to the finish line?
Magic, Sci-Fi and Fantasy
Dory Fantastmagory
By:Abby Hanlon
Move over, Junie B. Jones and Ivy and Bean! Here comes a lovably energetic little sister with a BIG personality - and an imagination to match!
As the youngest in her family, Dory really wants attention; and more than anything, she wants her brother and sister to play with her. But she's too much of a baby for them, so she's left to her own devices - including her wild imagination and untiring energy. Her siblings may roll their eyes at her childish games, but Dory has lots of things to do: outsmarting the monsters all over the house, escaping from prison (aka time-out), and exacting revenge on her sister's favorite doll. And when they really need her, daring Dory will prove her bravery, and finally get exactly what she has been looking for.
Galaxy Zack
By: Ray O’Ryan
In Hello, Nebulon!, Zack makes the big move from Earth. He is already nervous about starting school and making new friends, but it only gets worse when he dreams that his classmates are slimy aliens with tentacles, pizza comes covered in gross bugs, and he can never communicate with his Earth friends again! Fortunately, when Zack arrives at Sprockets Academy for his first day of school, he meets and befriends Drake Tucker, a Nebulite boy who also loves to explore and learn about the planets. Nebulon isn’t as awful as Zack’s dream, but there are a lot of differences between Nebulon and Earth, and they make Zack miss his home in Dubbsville, Texas, even more. But things start to look up when he receives a mysterious surprise. What could it possibly be?
Super Cat
By: Jeanne Willis
The first hilarious book in a super new series by bestselling author and queen of comedy, Jeanne Willis.Meet Tiger – an ordinary, tubby tabby cat.
But Tiger has a secret! Just one lick of a toxic sock and he transforms into… SUPERCAT!
Robot and Rico Series
By: Anastasia Suen
Rico is missing just one Hero Cat prize. Robot and Rico take a trip to the grocery store. With Robot's special tricks, Rico is sure he'll get the prize he wants. Even if he has to check every cereal box in the store!
Mystery and Adventure
The Case of the Spooky Sleepover, Jigsaw Jones Mystery #4
by James Preller
Ralphie Jordan can't sleep. Something is making spooky noises in his room at night. It's a perfect case for Jigsaw Jones, who pieces together all the ghostly clues.
Tonight on the Titanic, Magic Tree House Series #17
by Mary Pope Osborne, Sal Murdocca (illus.)
The Magic Tree House whisks Jack and Annie away to the decks of that ill-fated ship, the Titanic. There they must help two children find their way to a lifeboat -- while they are in danger of becoming victims of that tragic night themselves.
Super King Viking Land!: A Branches Book (Press Start! #13)
Sunny's dad enters Super World as none other than King Viking himself! In order to get off a faraway island, King Viking has to become the HERO and help Captain Trevor fix his boat. But since Dad is not very good at playing the game, King Viking struggles to find all the supplies.
IT'S A DIRTY SHAME!��Misty's younger brother left her brand-new bike in the middle of the street, and a speeding car ran over it. Not only is the bike totally mangled, it's covered with ugly red dirt.
Pick-your-own-path and puzzle-packed mystery collide in the first book in Lauren Magaziner’s hilarious and high-stakes four-book middle grade series in which the reader must help Carlos and his friends put together the clues to save his mom’s detective agency.
In this wildly entertaining and interactive adventure, YOU pick which suspects to interview, which questions to ask, and which clues to follow. You pick the path—you crack the case!
Mr. Merlin’s Third Graders are known as the Third Grade Detectives—with some hints from secret code clues and help from Mr. Merlin’s friend, the police scientist Dr. Smiley, they help solve cases. Perfect for fans of the Hardy Boys!
Animals
Martha Blah Blah
by Susan Meddaugh
When the current owner of the soup company breaks the founder's promise to have every letter of the alphabet in every can of soup, Martha, the talking dog, takes action.
DIs Your Mama a Llama?
by Deborah Guarino, Steven Kellogg (illus.)
A young llama is curious -- are all his friends' mamas llamas? Each animal tells Lloyd facts about its mother, and Lloyd -- along with young readers -- guesses what kind of animal each mother is. The rhyming text and illustrations give hints, and preschoolers will enjoy yelling out the answers, which are revealed by turning the page.
The Adventures of Taxi Dog
by Debra Barracca, Sal Barracca, Mark Buehner (illus.)�Jim, a New York City taxi driver, rescues a stray dog and dubs his new pet Maxi. Maxi accompanies Jim in his taxi and meets all sorts of people. With each new passenger, Maxi makes a new friend -- and even helps Jim get tips! The text is written in a bouncing rhyme, and Beuhner's paintings capture Maxi's doggy personality and Jim's geniality. Can you find the cat in every picture?
Stillwater and Koo Save the World (A Stillwater and Friends Book)
During the course of the day, Koo straightens his room, feeds his cat and the hungry fish outside, and he bakes a cake to welcome new neighbors. He even helps a family of ducklings to safely cross a street. But still, Koo wonders, how will HE ever save the world?
Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse
by Kevin Henkes
Lilly the mouse adores her teacher, Mr. Slinger -- until he takes away the purple plastic purse she was proudly showing off to her class. Lilly is so angry she draws a nasty picture of Mr. Slinger and slips it in his bag. At the end of the day, Lilly gets her purse back and inside is a sympathetic note and a bag of treats. As in all his other books, Henkes shows an incredible sensitivity to children's feelings.
Stellaluna
by Janell Cannon, Jewell Cannon
Stellaluna, a little brown bat, is accidentally dropped by her mother. The helpless baby falls smack into a nest of fledglings and is immediately accepted as one of the family. Stellaluna tries to fit in but keeps acting unbirdlike, hanging upside down and wanting to fly at night. By chance Stellaluna is reunited with her mother and finally learns to be a proper bat.
Animals
Stuck with You: An Acorn Book (Unicorn and Yeti #7)
Best friends Unicorn and Yeti have lots of fun in this sparkly, laugh-out-loud story. With full-color artwork, speech bubbles, and easy-to-read text throughout, this adorable book is perfect for new readers!
The World According to Humphrey
by Betty G Birney
You can learn a lot about life by observing another species. That’s what Humphrey was told when he was first brought to Room 26. And boy, is it true! In addition to having FUN-FUN-FUN in class, each weekend this amazing hamster gets to sleep over with a different student,
Welcome to Sparklegrove: A Branches Book (Unicorn Diaries #8)
In the eighth book in the USA Today bestselling Unicorn Diaries series, a jackalope family arrives in Sparklegrove Forest! Unicorn Bo Tinseltail and friends are excited to welcome the new family. But they soon learn that the jackalope family is being chased by centaurs, which puts the whole forest at risk.
How to Save Your Tail
By Mary Hanson
ONCE UPON A time, in a grand castle, there lived a rat named Bob, who was fond of baking and wild about reading. So begins Bob’s quest to save himself from being eaten by Muffin and Brutus, the Queen’s cats. How does Bob attempt to escape their claws? By telling them fractured fairy tales about his whole rat family (and feeding them cookies).
Socks
by Bevely Cleary
Newbery Medal-winning author Beverly Cleary charms readers with yet another lovable character—Socks, a jealous cat who must learn to share his owners with their new baby.
Eva in the Band: A Branches Book (Owl Diaries #17)
Eva is ready to rock out at the Woodlandstock Music Festival! But when another band can't make it, Eva and her friends are ready to step in. Will they be able to form their own band in time to save the festival?