20 of the Best Level 2 Books for Early Readers
by Melissa Taylor
Isn’t it exciting to watch children grow in their reading skills? When your child is ready to transition to Level 2 books, discover the best of what’s out there to build comprehension skills, vocabulary, and confidence, including these engaging fiction and nonfiction books that provide developing readers with strong visual clues and predictable sentence patterns.
Keep your kids reading with these favorite Level 2 books!
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DK Readers L2: Wild Baby Animals
Kids love baby animals, making this informational book a popular choice. They’ll learn where animals such as monkeys, squirrels, bears, foxes, and rabbits live and how they grow.
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How to Host a Sleepover
Available from:Grab your PJs and fluffy slippers because it’s time for a fictional sleepover! From the creators of the New York Times bestselling picture book How to Babysit a Grandpa comes an early reader story that kids will adore. Two little girls have planned an evening of fun, but when one of them gets homesick, they devise a creative solution to keep the good times rolling.
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Shampoodle
Available from:Jaunty rhymes capture the messy fun when these dogs get groomed before picture day at the park. What could possibly go wrong?
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A Pig, a Fox, and Stinky Socks
Available from:In this silly rhyming story, Fox plays stinky pranks on unsuspecting Pig, but Pig finds a way to prank him back. Appealing dialogue bubbles and colorful panels support readers with comprehension.
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DK Readers L2: Amazing Dogs
Animal-lovers will brush up on their dog trivia, including topics like communication, senses, puppies, and helper dogs.
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Pig and Pug
Available from:There’s only one pig on the farm, and when the other animals play, Pig feels lonely. But not for long, because she makes a new dog friend named Pug. Together they roll in the mud, nap, and eat.
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I Am Kind
Available from:This empowering Level 2 book focuses on the many ways kindness appears in our communities. From generous neighbors to service-minded activities, the little girl in the story notices the ways people show compassion. Beginning readers will find much to love about this sweet story.
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Unicorn Wings
Available from:A white unicorn with a magical horn wishes to have wings, but none of the wings he sees on other animals work for him. Finally, as a reward for healing a flying horse, the unicorn is rewarded with wings of his own.
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Slow, Slow Sloths
Available from:Full-color photographs engage readers while learning fascinating information about slow, slow (and cute, cute) sloths.
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Puppy Parade
Available from:Puppy joins the puppy parade, wondering what prize he might win. Maybe it will be a prize for the best tail or the best ears! But after a disastrous finish, will Puppy win anything at all?
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One Hundred Shoes
Available from:Playful questions ask Centipede about the types of shoes he might wear. Because how in the world does Centipede select one hundred shoes for his one hundred feet?
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Wild Sharks! (Wild Kratts)
Available from:Chomp! Chomp! Young readers who love learning about the ocean’s most ferocious predators can get their fill of jaw-snapping fun with this book. The characters from the popular Wild Kratts television series guide readers through facts and illustrations featuring these fascinating creatures.
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Unhappy Birthday, Grumpy Cat! (Grumpy Cat)
Available from:Pokey wants to surprise Grumpy Cat with a special birthday party. Luckily for Grumpy Cat, it turns out to be a perfectly unhappy birthday.
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Good Night, Good Knight
Available from:While the Good Knight watches over the kingdom, a mysterious noise leads him to three dragons who need his help getting to sleep. The knight travels back and forth from his tower to the dragons' cave with one request after another. Will the dragons ever go to sleep?
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DK Readers L2: Eruption!: The Story of Volcanoes
With just-right text and engaging photographs, readers gather the basics of volcanoes, plus highlights of famous volcanoes and volcanic myths.
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Let's Go, Bike!
Available from:If your early reader loved the picture book, The World Needs More Purple People, they’ll enjoy this story from the same creative team. Readers follow a girl and her purple bike as they explore the community with curiosity and joy. This feel-good book helps young readers strengthen their reading skills while learning to look past other people’s differences.
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The Bookstore Ghost
Available from:Mr. Brown’s spooky bookstore is full of mice. When he asks his cat to get rid of them, the cat finds a creative solution with a bit of help from the store’s ghost mice.
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The Pizza That We Made
Available from:Three friends use a recipe to gather ingredients and make a pizza. Each page begins with “This is the …,” which provides beginning readers with a familiar, structured refrain: “This is the flour, so soft and fine.”
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Richard Scarry's Be Careful, Mr. Frumble!
Available from:Bumbling, Mr. Frumble dashes after his windblown hat, but as you might imagine, he has a tricky time getting it back.
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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2021 and updated in 2023.