Grade 2 · ages 7–8 · levels R11–R14
2nd Grade Reading Books – Stories and Non-Fiction with Audio
40 books for second graders: stories with a problem to solve and people who talk, and information books with headings, captions and labelled pictures. Every book has audio, a glossary and a quiz.
Ages 7–8Grade 2Levels R11–R1440 books4 free to read
Free reading level test
Not sure which book to start with?
Read a few short texts and answer two questions about each. Young children tap the picture that matches the words. The test finds your exact level, from R1 to R29, and opens the right shelf of books.
- Ages 4 and up
- 5–10 minutes
- No timer
- Picture questions for young readers
Second-grade books sit at levels R11–R14. A page holds a short paragraph; stories have a beginning, a problem and an ending, and non-fiction explains how something works with a labelled picture. A book runs to three to six hundred words – long enough to need a contents page.
The grades are a guide, matched to the levels children read at school in the US (R11–R14 on the 7ESL ladder). Children read at different speeds, so start where the quiz feels comfortable and move up one level at a time. Older beginners and adult learners use the same books.
What the 40 books for 2nd grade are about: how things work (6), jobs & community (5), biographies (4), animals (4), art, music & making (3), and 11 more topics.
Level R11
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Level R12
Level R13
Level R14
Questions about 2nd grade reading books
What reading level is 2nd grade?
R11 to R14 on the 7ESL ladder – levels J to M on the Raz-Kids scale.
My child finds these too hard. What now?
Go to the 1st grade books and move up one level at a time. The steps between levels are small on purpose.
Can teachers assign these books?
Yes. Teachers with a 7ESL Teacher plan can assign any book to a class and see each student's quiz score.