As you gear up for another exciting school year, it’s time to start thinking about fun and engaging ways that you can make the return to the classroom as warm and welcoming as possible. One of the best ways to kick off the school year is with read-aloud sessions. In today’s blog post, I will be sharing the top back to school read aloud for 2nd grade.
These books are perfect for helping your students settle into their new classroom environment, building your classroom community while sparking a love for reading.
The Top 25 Back-to-School Read Aloud For 2nd Grade
Reading aloud to 2nd graders can be an enriching experience that sets the tone for the school year.
Here is a curated list of the top 25 back-to-school read-aloud books suitable for 2nd graders.
I’ve selected these books because of their engaging content, relevance to back-to-school themes, and their ability to spark discussions among young students.
1.“The Kissing Hand” by Audrey Penn
The beginning of the school year is often filled with goosebumps, fears, and anxieties. Many of your students will be able to relate to Chester Raccoon who is quite anxious about starting school.
This book provides comfort and a sense of security, making it an excellent choice for easing first-day jitters.
2 “First Day Jitters” by Julie Danneberg
This book is definitely a classic and one you will surely want to add to your back-to-school read-aloud collection. This is an incredible book that showcases anyone (big or small) can have back to school jitters. Back to school jitters are not only for students, teachers get them too! Creating a relatable and comforting scenario for students.
3. “Wemberly Worried” by Kevin Henkes
This book is great for helping your second graders navigate those big emotions they may be feeling during the first few days of school. They will be able to connect to Wemberly who worries about everything, especially the first day of school.
It’s a phenomenal book when it comes to helping kids understand and cope with their anxieties.
4. “Chrysanthemum” by Kevin Henkes
This story is ideal for kids who feel like they don’t fit in or think their name is not popular and are often teased about it.
Chrysanthemum is the only one in her classroom who has a long name. All the other mice have shorter names. She is often made fun of for her long name. The story will eventually flip when Chrysanthemum becomes the highlight.
A wonderful read-aloud that addresses teasing and self-acceptance, encouraging students to embrace their unique qualities.
This is one of those books that you can come back to year-long.
5. “The Name Jar” by Yangsook Choi
This is a great story about cultural identity and acceptance, perfect for highlighting the importance of embracing diversity. And being proud of who you are and where you came from.
A great activity that you can do with your students after reading this book is to look up the meaning of each student’s name to see what it means. And perhaps even take it a little further by learning about Korea.
6. “How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids” by Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer
This story will teach your students about kindness, empathy, and the impact their actions can have on others. A great story for fostering a positive classroom environment and building friendships at the beginning of the school year.
7. “Miss Nelson is Missing!” by Harry Allard
A fun and engaging story about a teacher who leaves her class with a different teacher. (Ideal read aloud if you are substituting for a teacher).
There’s a twist at the end of the story that may be quite appealing for your students (if they don’t catch on ahead of time. )
8. “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” by Judith V.
We all have bad days, don’t we?!
This classic book will help your second graders understand the concept that everyone has bad days and that it’s okay when we do have them.
9. The Dot” by Peter H. Reynolds
This is a great read-aloud to encourage and motivate creativity and self-expression, inspiring your students to make their mark in the world in their own unique way.
10. Each Kindness” by Jacqueline Woodson
This book teaches a profound and powerful story about the importance of kindness and how small actions can make a big difference.
11. The Recess Queen” by Alexis O’Neil
This is one of the best read-aloud books that teach important lessons about social interactions, bullying, and building friendships in the playground.
12. “Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse” by Kevin Henkes
This is another fantastic story that will provide tips to your students about managing emotions, building patience, and understanding the consequences of their actions.
This is a great book for year-round!
13. “Enemy Pie” by Derek Munson
This story showcases a clever way of helping kids get along and build friendships by overcoming prejudices. It teaches many lessons on empathy and understanding.
14. “My Mouth is a Volcano!” by Julia Cook
This book will teach your students many valuable lessons such as the importance of listening, practicing patience, not interrupting, and being considerate of others.
Another great year long read aloud for second grade students.
15. “Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon” by Patty Lovell
This is an inspirational read aloud that inspires self-confidence and resilience. Ideal to encourage and motivate children to stand up for themselves and others.
16. “Have You Filled a Bucket Today?” by Carol McCloud
This is a beautiful read aloud to encourage kids to give back to others and be kind, and thoughtful through the acts of kindness. This book promotes positive behavior and will surely help build your classroom community.
17. “The Invisible Boy” by Trudy Ludwig
This is a phenomenal back to school read aloud. It will be a great addition to building your classroom community, building friendships, and teaching students the importance of inclusion and how to address the feelings and emotions of being overlooked.
18. “Ish” by Peter H. Reynolds
An inspiring read aloud that will motivate and encourage children to embrace creative thinking and the joy of self-expression through imperfect actions.
19. “The Most Magnificent Thing” by Ashley Spires
This book encourages a growth mindset, perseverance, and problem-solving, reminding kids that mistakes are part of the learning process.
20. “The Day You Begin” by Jacqueline Woodson
This is a must back to school read aloud to encourage diversity and acceptance in your classroom. The book will help kids realize that some of the fears they have are shared by their classmates as well – not being good enough, feeling, looking different, etc.
This is a gentle read that will give kids the courage to embrace their authenticity and step into their truth, knowing they belong and are perfect just the way they are.
21. “Last Stop on Market Street” by Matt de la Peña
This is a beautiful story between a grandma (nana) and her grandson about appreciating the beauty in everyday experiences and understanding socioeconomic diversity.
22. “If You Take a Mouse to School” by Laura Numeroff
Well, let’s hope your 2nd graders don’t bring a mouse to school after listening to this read aloud!😃
A fun and engaging read that showcases what a day in your life would be like had you taken a mouse to school with you. Your students would be thrilled with this story!
23. “The Pigeon HAS to Go to School!” by Mo Willems
humorous book helps alleviate first-day-of-school anxiety with its relatable and funny narrative.
24. “School’s First Day of School” by Adam Rex
This book is a tad different from the other read alouds listed above. The book takes a peculiar perspective on the first day of school. So instead of the first day of jitters being experienced by a human – this time around it’s by the school building. After the janitor mentioned that in a few days, kids would come by and fill him up. The story prompts empathy and understanding.
25. “We Don’t Eat Our Classmates” by Ryan T. Higgins
A silly, fun, and engaging read about Penelope the T-Rex who learns the importance of making friends and having the willpower not to eat them.
Tips for Effective Read Aloud Sessions
Reading aloud to second graders can be a transformative experience that fosters a love for literature and enhances listening skills. To make read aloud sessions both effective and engaging, consider incorporating a variety of techniques and strategies.
Using expressive voices
By varying your tone, pitch, and volume to match the characters and situations in the story, you can bring the narrative to life significantly boosting your students’ engagement. Not on capturing your kiddos’ attention but also helping them understand the emotions and nuances of the text.
Pausing to ask questions during read aloud sessions
This encourages active participation and critical thinking. Questions like, “What do you think will happen next?” or “Why do you think the character did that?”
Pausing and asking questions encourages students to make predictions and reflect on the narrative. This technique not only makes the session interactive but also deepens comprehension and retention of the story.
Create a cozy and inviting reading environment
A dedicated reading corner with comfortable seating, soft lighting, and a variety of books can make read-aloud time something students look forward to. Additionally, setting aside regular time for read-aloud sessions, such as morning meets, after lunch, or at the end of the day, helps establish a routine that students can anticipate with excitement.
Recap
Having follow-up discussions or activities is an excellent way to reinforce the themes and lessons from the books.
Activities such as drawing scenes from the story, writing a different ending, or role-playing favorite characters can extend the learning experience beyond the read-aloud session.
These activities not only solidify comprehension but also allow students to express their creativity and personal interpretations of the story.
Conclusion
These back to school read aloud for 2nd grade are not only entertaining but also serve as valuable tools to discuss important themes such as making new friends, embracing difference, building character, overcoming fears, and the excitement of learning. Creating opportunities for meaningful conversations to help students navigate the complexities of their social and emotional experiences as they embark on a new school year.
You May Also Like These Posts:
- How to mentally get ready for back to school
- Second grade grammar worksheets
- Writing prompts for second grade
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