There’s just something very magical about children’s books and the way the characters come alive. Children love stories. And they love it more when their mums and dads read them a good bedtime story. If you’re searching for the best children’s books by age, read on, because we will be sharing some cool book recommendations — especially for those in the Primary 2 level.
The list (not exhaustive), covers a wide range of genres and topics and include both non-fiction and fiction recommendations. Best of all, they are available to you at the public libraries in Singapore!
14 Best Children’s Books By Age: Primary 2
While these are recommended for Primary 2 kids, they’re definitely appropriate for younger bookworms too.
Apart from what the books are about, we will also share what readers like from each book and what your kids can learn from them. In no particular order…
1. Florentine and Pig and the Spooky Forest Adventure
Author: Eva Katzler
Publisher: Bloomsbury, 2014.
Call No.: JP KAT
Summary: Florentine and her pig are awakened by a ghostly sound in the middle of the night. Florentine believes that the sound is made by a growling, prowling bog mog – a mysterious monster that lives in the deep, dark and spooky forest. Join them as they head into the forest to search for the monster!
Why it’s great:
The characters are very charming. Funny and endearing even. There are also stacks of yummy-mummy appeal with its strong design, sweet stories, plus bonus recipes and craft ideas.
Tips: If you want to help spark your kid’s inner creativity, try this out. Besides, the illustrations are lovely and really show the joy of getting messy and creative.
2. The Mystery of the Lion’s Tail (Greetings from Somewhere, Book 5)
Best Children’s Books By Age: A highly raved upon series
Author: Harper Paris
Publisher: Little Simon, 2014.
Call No.: JS PAR
Summary: Join Ethan and Ella on a safari adventure in Kenya. The twins spend their days on the safari in search of the Big Five game animals – the African elephant, Cape buffalo, leopard, rhinoceros and lion. They manage to spot four of the game animals fairly quickly, but the lions are nowhere to be seen. Will they be able to find the King of the Jungle before their trip ends?
Why it’s great:
Tips: Check out the other series as well as your little ones will learn a little bit about different countries, cultures, and landmarks. It’s a good way to help get your children excited about travel!
3. My Secret Alien (Green Bananas)
Author: Elizabeth Dale
Publisher: Egmont, 2013.
Call No.: JS DAL
Summary: Charlie gets the surprise of a lifetime when he finds Zak, an alien from Planet Zog, in his shirt pocket. They soon become friends and Zak learns many things about Earth. However, can Zak stay and be Charlie’s friend forever?
Why it’s great: Aliens, fun and laughter — what’s there not to like? Besides, there are 3 stories in the book which makes it ideal if your child does not want to read it in one sitting. Plus, there are a lot of dialogues and speech bubbles to encourage reading aloud.
Tips: There could be some “long words” which your kid could struggle with, so if mums and dads can help to explain them, it would be beneficial.
4. Biggest, Baddest Book of Pirates (Biggest, Baddest Books for Boys)
Best Children’s Books By Age: believe it or not, lady pirates did exist!
Authors: Anders Hanson & Katherine Hengel
Publisher: ABDO, 2013.
Call No.: JP 910.4 HAN
Summary: Who are the most fearsome pirates in history? Do you know that there are lady pirates? Which animals are believed to bring good luck to pirates? All these interesting facts and more await you in this book!
Why it’s great: The book is informative and well-researched. It gives kids a taste of the history involved without being overwhelming.
From laughs, disbelief, and plenty of “Ew!”, it will get kids fascinated and kept on the edge of their seats!
5. Believe It or Not, My Brother Has a Monster!
Author: Kenn Nesbitt
Publisher: Cartwheel Books, 2015.
Call No.: JP NES
Summary: One Halloween night, a boy catches his brother bringing a furry monster home. It scares him terribly but his brother is not remorseful at all. Instead, his brother brings back more creepy crawlies and other disgusting creatures!
Why it’s great: The mischief the animals get up to will keep your younglings entertained.
Tips: The 11th-hour transformations may confuse some readers.
But if your kid has a great deal of imagination; getting out of control sometimes, or if they tend to exaggerate memories of actual events, this book could be a great fit.
6. The One-eyed People Eater: The Story of Cyclops
Best Children’s Books By Age: what better way is there to introduce your young ones to Greek mythology?
Author: Joan Holub
Publisher: Simon Spotlight, 2014.
Call No.: JS HOL
Summary: Odysseus and his army meet a one-eyed, man-eating monster known as Cyclops when they are stranded on an island. Odysseus needs to think of a plan to defeat Cyclops before he and his army are eaten by it!
Why it’s great: It is a “cute retelling” of the Greek myth in an easy to read format; this will be an ideal introduction for beginning readers.
Tips: The writing can get quite expressive so if your child is too young to read on their own, tell the story to them — they will love it! There is an extensive collection of other books by Joan Holub as well so do check them out!
7. Scribbles and Ink: The Contest
Best Children’s Books By Age: it’s only a good time with a book like this!
Author: Ethan Long
Publisher: Blue Apple Books, 2013.
Call No.: JS LON
Summary: Scribbles and Ink want to enter a drawing competition where the top prize is a fabulous trip to Mudsplash Mountain. However, there is a lot of chaos when they draw and the pictures come to life! Will they be able to make it in time for the competition?
Why it’s great: There’s nothing better than giggling like mad with your kids, and this one will have you feeling all silly. Perfect for busy families. Also, your kids will feel like they’ve made some great new friends who reflect their lives and feelings.
Tips: Mums and dads, it’ll be good if you read this to your kids as the dialogue in word bubbles are meant to be read in a certain order with the higher bubbles first.
Also, because of some inflection and wording that could be a little confusing for younger kids, it’s recommended for kids around 7 years old and up.
8. Wild Ideas
Best Children’s Books By Age: as naturally curious explorers, your kids will appreciate the content in this book.
Author: Elin Kelsey
Publisher: Owlkids Books, 2015.
Call No.: JP 153.4 KEL
Summary: Be inspired by how animals survive in the wild and pick up some skills from them to solve problems creatively.
Why it’s great: Indulges their sense of wonder and tickles their curiosity by observing the natural world. It inspires kids to really think about problems and the creative ways they can resolve the problem. The text is also enjoyable with different sized fonts and bold words to help children focus.
9. Mrs. Noodlekugel and Four Blind Mice
Author: Daniel Pinkwater
Publisher: Candlewick, 2013.
Call No.: JS PIN
(This book is also available on eReads at www.nlb.gov.sg.)
Summary: When her four mice mess up her dining table, Mrs. Noodlekugel decides to send them to have their eyes checked. After that, the mice get to eat cheesecake at Dirty Sally’s Lunchroom. Unfortunately, when the mice run out of the diner, Mrs. Noodlekugel needs to figure out how to get her mice back.
Why it’s great: Its comical tone and cozy illustrations will delight your young ones!
Tip: The story might not be very realistic and can be silly, but fun. Although the language (dialect) can get a little difficult for kids to understand, they might think it’s funny when they get it. Overall, it’s an interesting book to read aloud.
10. Lindbergh: The Tale of a Flying Mouse
Best Children’s Books By Age: a great story with great illustrations.
Author: Torben Kuhlmann
Publisher: NorthSouth Books, 2014.
Call No.: JS KUH
Summary: Mechanical mousetraps, ferocious cats and sinister owls are driving mice out of Europe. For Lindbergh the mouse, he decides to escape to a safer place. An idea strikes him when he sees bats in the sewers and he sets out to invent a pair of wings that will take him away from the dangers in Europe.
Why it’s great: It’s a lovely and heartwarming tale with beautiful illustrations. There’s also a brief but impressive history of aviation at the end.
11. Extraordinary Eloise
Author: Charlene Chua
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Children, 2013.
Call No.: J SING CHU (This book is also available on eReads at www.nlb.gov.sg.)
Summary: Eloise is an ordinary girl with ordinary looks and skills. However, she wants to be something more. She soon gets the wrong kind of attention when she tries to copy her popular classmates’ talents. Join Eloise in her search for what makes her unique in this book.
Why it’s great: It celebrates a child’s unique individuality. The story will tickle your little ones’ funny bones and inspire them to be their own person instead of trying to be like others.
Tip: Apart from all the good things in the book, it also highlights a lot about Eloise’s mega-privileged lifestyle.
12. Mr. Ferris and His Wheel
Author: Kathryn Gibbs Davis
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014.
Call No.: JP 791.06 DAV
Summary: George Washington Gale Ferris Jr wanted to build something that would trump the Eiffel Tower at the Chicago World’s Fair. Through many trials, George constructs the world’s first Ferris wheel. How did he do it? Find out more in this beautifully illustrated book.
Why it’s great: If your child is interested in how the Ferris Wheel was invented, this book does a great job, but more so in a child-friendly point of view. This story can teach anyone to always follow their dreams, no matter what others will say about them.
13. Blast Off! (Alien in My Pocket, Book 1)
Best Children’s Books By Age: spark your child’s interest for Science through this book!
Author: Nate Ball
Publisher: Harper, 2014.
Call No.: JS BAL
Summary: An alien, Amp, has crash-landed in Zack McGee’s bedroom. To avoid an alien invasion on Earth, Zack and Amp have to fix the spaceship quickly and help Amp return home. Will they succeed?
Why it’s great: This is a perfect choice for a 6-9 year-old-reader who loves science, particularly space and rockets; it accompanies STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) engagement!
Tip: There might be all sorts of idioms that younger kids won’t really understand so it could help for you to explain them to your kids. But still, the plot is cute.
14. Zinc Alloy Revealed! (Graphic Novel)
Author: Donald Lemke
Publisher: Raintree, 2010.
Call No.: JS LEM
Summary: Zack Allen accidentally reveals his superhero persona, Zinc Alloy, when he rescues the diner lady trapped inside a burning school canteen. Now that Zack does not have to hide his superhero identity, he is able to bask in the limelight. However, the pressure is on him when everyone expects him to perform better than anyone else because he is a superhero. Can he do it?
Why it’s great: The adventure is funny with some positive messages that children can take away from.
We hope you enjoy this list of best Children’s books by age that recommended for Primary 2 kids. Revisit these fun times with your little one by engaging in story-telling sessions, which is just more of a reason to bond with them, right?
The book covers are the copyright of the respective publishing companies.
Visit discoveReads for more reading recommendations.
Source: National Library Board
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