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Just the Facts, Ma'am: Non-Fiction Books for Second Graders
Read Anything Good Lately? by Susan Allen and Jane Lindaman (J 420 ALL)
Have you ever thought about how many different types of things there are to read? From "an atlas at the airport" to "the zodiac at the zoo," this book names 26 different types of reading material you can enjoy--and that's not counting the bonus section on the last page!
Here is the African Savanna by Madeleine Dunphy (JE 577.48 DUN)
Rhyming text describes the different plants and animals that live together on the savanna.
Cactus Hotel by Brenda Guiberson (J 577.54 GUI)
How do animals survive in the desert? The live in, on, under, or near a giant "cactus hotel."
Boy, Were We Wrong about the Solar System! (J 523.2 KUD) and Boy, Were We Wrong about Dinosars! (J 567.9 KUD)
Children may be surprised to learn how much not only technology, but also ideas, have changed since their grandparents were young. Both these books explain in simple terms how scientists learn new information--and that new information sometimes changes old ideas.
Jurassic Shark by Deborah Diffily (J 567.3 CAR)
Did you know that sharks lived alongside the dinosaurs? This book tells about "hybodus," a type of shark that hunted 45 foot long dinosaurs.
Chickens Aren't the Only Ones by Ruth Heller (J 591.3 HEL)
This rhyming text celebrates the thousands of different animals who, like the humble chicken, lay eggs.
Actual Size (JE 591.41 JEN) and Prehistoric Actual Size (JE 560 JEN)
The clever illustrations in these books help children to better envision what the text is describing.
From Pit to Peach Tree by Ellen Weiss (JE 634 WEI)
Bean by Louise Spilsbury (JE 635 SPI)
Seed, Sprout, Pumpkin, Pie by Jill Esbaum (JE 635 ESB)
The above books are all photessays which will increase your appreciation of common plants--and teach you new facts as well.
Oh Say Can You Say? by Dr. Seuss (JE 808.88 SEU)
Silly tongue twisters by Dr. Seuss.
You Read to Me, I'll Read to You series by Mary Ann Hoberman (JE 811 HOB)
This is a series of books of "poetry for two voices." Treat these poems as "mini plays" and read them aloud with a grown-up, a sibling, or a friend.