The Best Websites for Free Online Books for 2nd Graders
Did you know that if kids read for just 20 minutes per day, they will read 1,800,000 words per year?! That’s a lot of words…and that’s why reading every day is so important!
The more kids read, the more they build their critical and analytical thinking skills.
But how can you encourage kids to embrace this idea of reading daily?
That’s where these free online books for 2nd graders come in!!
These helpful websites are a great way to find free eBooks, chapter books, children’s books, and young adult options your second graders might be interested in (without investing any money).
And they are easy to access right on your phone anytime and anywhere!
One quick caveat.
Some of the websites will require you to create an account to access the free content.
So don’t be surprised if you are required to set up a free account to get started because this is just fairly standard operating procedure for most free websites.
Now that we have all of that clarified (and out of the way), let’s dive right in.
Free Online Books for 2nd Graders
Storyline Online
Storyline online, a sag-aftra foundation website, is an award-winning website where famous actors and actresses (including Kevin Costner, Betty White, and James Earl Jones) read stories using fun voices.
According to Storyline Online, “Reading aloud to children has been shown to improve reading, writing and communication skills, logical thinking and concentration, and general academic aptitude, as well as inspire a lifelong love of reading.”
That’s why you will find these well-known actors and actresses reading popular books in a story time style that is sure to engage your most hesitant readers and increase those reading skills.
Discover titles such as…
- Harry the Dirty Dog
- The Giving Tree
- A Very Bad Case of Stripes
- Amelia Bedelia
- Rosie Revere Engineer
I highly encourage you to check this website out!
Oxford Owl
Oxford Owl, created by the Oxford University Press, is another excellent place to find free online books for 2nd graders.
After you create an account on the homepage, hover over reading, click on reading at home, then scroll down to find books that are appropriate for the age range of your readers.
From there you can choose the book type you want such as a specific series or a particular reading level.
Then be sure to browse the available books using the Oxford leveled reading option.
Another bonus on this reputable website is the activities tab.
You will find free developmentally appropriate activities for children ages 0-11 in a variety of subjects including reading, math, and english.
This means that younger children and older children alike can benefit from the myriad of activities on the site.
Monkey Pen
Monkey Pen is a great site to find excellent new books for your second grade students, and as an added bonus, you don’t have to create an account to gain access to the content.
The free stories from this online resource are ideal for young readers.
You have two different options when if comes to accessing the free content.
First, simply allow your learners to select books they would like to read and then read them directly from the website.
If you would prefer, the other option allows your students to select books and then download the books to a computer.
Although the downloaded version is basically just taking the place of the book itself, some young children may find that reading from paper is easier than reading the digital version.
The free access fiction books and fairy tales have beautiful illustrations on every page to keep your 2nd grade student engaged and interested in what they are reading making this a great option for early age readers.
YouTube
Every young boy and young girl on the planet has probably already got favorite YouTube channels they watch for entertainment.
But did you know YouTube is another great option for online books and even free audiobooks of all different levels?
From bedtime stories to easy reader books and early chapter books, you’ll find a variety of engaging options.
However, let me caution you with YouTube.
If you are letting your child access YouTube to find free online books for 2nd graders, just be mindful that ads aren’t always appropriate for young children.
You can sign up for a free trial for a limited time to remove the ads, if that is something you are interested in.
But if not, just be aware that ads are very common on YouTube channels and could pose a potential problem for young viewers.
Barnes and Noble
Did you know that Barnes and Noble offers thousands of free children’s eBooks?
To access these free books, simply go to the Barnes and Noble website, hover over eBooks at the top of the page, then click on free eBooks under “Customer favorites.”
Then scroll down on the left-hand side their books are grouped by ages.
Select the age range and pick the book of your choosing.
You can also download the free NOOK reading app on your smartphone or tablet.
While it is a Barnes and Noble app, you don’t have to have an account to access Nook books.
Amazon
Amazon is another great resource for free online books for 2nd graders.
To access them, go to Amazon.com and type in free books for second graders.
You will get a huge list of options through the Kindle store including fiction stories, nonfiction books, picture books, chapter books, and even kids’ cookbooks.
Download them directly onto your Kindle or read them on a Kindle cloud reader for free.
While these resources are free of charge, you will need to log in with your Amazon account to gain access.
Open Library
Open library is part of a nonprofit organization library that has millions of free books, movies, music, and many other options.
After you create a free account, click on browse and then click on K-12 student library.
Choose the book your student wants to read, click “borrow”, and start reading!
This is basically the same method as checking out library books from public libraries, but in this case, you have an e-book or online book as opposed to a physical book.
The load duration for most of the books is 1 hour, but some of the books have a 14 day loan time.
If there are best sellers your reader is interested in reading, they may not yet be available.
So join the wait list in order to gain access to the book as soon as possible.
Unite for Literacy
Unite for Literacy has an abundance of colorful and kid-friendly free online books for kids.
These are best for younger kids, but there are definitely some great options for second graders.
While this site does not have a way to filter by age or reading level, you will find books separated by topic.
One of the greatest features of this site is the fact that you don’t have to sign up or create an account.
Just go to the site, choose your first book and start reading.
BookSpring
BookSpring is a nonprofit organization based in Austin, Texas, that focuses on promoting literacy and a love of reading among children and families.
Its mission is to provide books, resources, and programs to support early literacy development and increase access to books for children in underserved communities.
And one of the amazing offerings they now provide on their website is an entire free digital library full of online books!!
Your young readers will find tons of great titles that cover basic topics like colors and community helpers as well as deeper topics like how simple machines work and cultural similarities and differences.
There is so much to learn and this is an awesome place to begin!
The Fable Cottage
If your readers are interested in fairy tales, folk tales, and fables, then the Fable Cottage is going to be a winner!
From fairy godmothers to talking animals, these stories are bound to entertain and educate.
The truly unique aspect of this particular site is the fact that these stories are available in multiple languages including English, Spanish, French, Italian, and German!
Plus, you have multiple formats with which you can interact including text to read, video to watch, and audio to hear.
This is genuinely a WONDERFUL site that your young learners will love!
Wilbooks
Wilbooks is another site that you can find books for children on a 2nd grade reading level.
Simply go to their website, and click on free resources.
From there you will choose second grade (but they do have other grade levels as well).
They also offer a poetry section, fiction section, guided reading section, and a Spanish section.
If your child loves a good true story, this resource is one of the best!
One of the best parts is that no log in is required!
International Children’s Digital Library (ICDL)
International Children’s Digital Library, supported by the University of Maryland, not only offers free books, but their mission is to provide access to a diverse and extensive collection of children’s books from around the world.
This diverse collection allows children to explore literature from around the world, fostering an appreciation for different cultures and different languages.
The books are categorized by age group, genre, and country of origin, making it simple to find all kinds of books that are age-appropriate.
ICDL offers interactive features such as turning pages, zooming in on illustrations, and searching for books by specific criteria.
This interactive format enhances the reading experience for children.
Other Places to Find Free Online Books for 2nd Graders
There are other websites that offer free online books including the Library of Congress, Project Gutenberg, StoryNory, StoryBerries, FunBrain, and MagicBlox.
However, I didn’t want to showcase them because they were a bit more limited…
- The Library of Congress – While you can find thousands of free books on their website, you will discover that most of them are too advanced for second graders.
- Project Gutenberg – Another site with TONS of books, but most are appropriate for adult readers.
- StoryNory – A site full of fantastic age-appropriate and free online books for 2nd graders, but there are intrusive ads that can interfere with the reading experience.
- Storyberries – Great site with a wide selection of free books from fairy tales and nursery rhymes to comic books and chapter books as well as a few informational text options, but the ads are too much (in my opinion).
- Fun Brain – Fantastic place to find free children’s books, but the ads can be very intrusive and hinder your students’ reading experience.
- MagicBlox – Great books for young readers, but many of the books are only available with a premium paid subscription.
While visiting public libraries and school libraries is a fun adventure for many kids, the coolest part is being able to apply for your very own library card.
Honestly, it’s a rite of passage!
Encourage your learners to still check out books from the library, but supplement by visiting some of the websites we discussed.
Family members of all ages can enjoy using the digital reading platform on each of these sites and thereby foster and model a love of reading.
Reading is essential to being successful as a student and also as a lifelong learner.
And the very best way for your second graders to strengthen their comprehension skills and increase their reading abilities is to have access to high quality literature.
Another awesome feature is that the team carefully selects and reviews the books included in the library to ensure they meet certain quality and content standards in order to maintain a high standard of literature available to children.