2nd Grade Book List
Fables, legends, and saint stories aligned with each Sabbat. Second grade is the year of fables and moral tales!
Unit 1: Lammas (First Harvest)
- The Ant and the Grasshopper by Aesop
Fable about hard work
- Stone Soup by Marcia Brown
Community sharing
- The Legend of Johnny Appleseed by Various
American folk hero
- The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza by Philemon Sturges
Modern fable twist
- Farmer Duck by Martin Waddell
Fairness and teamwork
Unit 2: Mabon (Fall Equinox)
- The Tortoise and the Hare by Aesop
Slow and steady wins
- The Country Mouse and City Mouse by Aesop
Appreciating what you have
- Squirrel's New Year's Resolution by Pat Miller
Helping others
- The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush by Tomie dePaola
Following your gifts
- Leaf Jumpers by Carole Gerber
Autumn nature
Unit 3: Samhain (Ancestors)
- The Lion and the Mouse by Aesop
Kindness repaid
- The Legend of the Bluebonnet by Tomie dePaola
Sacrifice for community
- Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox
Memory and elders
- The Rough-Face Girl by Rafe Martin
Native American Cinderella
- Day of the Dead by Tony Johnston
Honoring ancestors
Unit 4: Yule (Winter Solstice)
- The North Wind and the Sun by Aesop
Gentleness over force
- The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tomie dePaola
Gift of the heart
- Saint Nicholas by Ann Tompert
Original gift-giver
- The Trees of the Dancing Goats by Patricia Polacco
Interfaith kindness
- The Cobbler's Song by Various
Happiness isn't wealth
Unit 5: Imbolc (Brigid)
- The Boy Who Cried Wolf by Aesop
Honesty matters
- Saint Brigid and the Cows by Eva K. Betz
Irish saint legend
- The Cloak for the Dreamer by Aileen Friedman
Finding your path
- The Rag Coat by Lauren Mills
Community care
- Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
Following passion
Unit 6: Ostara (Spring Equinox)
- The Crow and the Pitcher by Aesop
Problem solving
- The Legend of the Easter Egg by Lori Walburg
New life symbolism
- Saint Francis and the Wolf by Various
Peace with nature
- Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
Making world beautiful
- The Empty Pot by Demi
Honesty rewarded
Unit 7: Beltane (May Day)
- The Fox and the Grapes by Aesop
Sour grapes attitude
- The Bee Tree by Patricia Polacco
Sweetness of learning
- Saint George and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges
Courage legend
- Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe
African Cinderella
- The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
Generosity
Unit 8: Litha (Midsummer)
- The Dog and His Reflection by Aesop
Greed loses all
- The Legend of the Persian Carpet by Tomie dePaola
Creativity and loss
- Anansi stories by Various
African trickster tales
- Arrow to the Sun by Gerald McDermott
Pueblo legend
- Why Mosquitoes Buzz by Verna Aardema
African pourquoi tale
🦊 Essential Fable Collections
- Aesop's Fables by Jerry Pinkney
Beautifully illustrated
- The Aesop for Children by Milo Winter
Classic illustrations
- Fables by Arnold Lobel
Original fables, Caldecott winner
- Tomie dePaola's Favorite Nursery Tales by Tomie dePaola
Includes fables
📚 Tips for 2nd Grade Reading
- • Tell fables orally - Children remember better when stories are told
- • Discuss the moral - "What lesson did this teach?"
- • Compare versions - Different cultures have similar tales
- • Act them out - Dramatization deepens understanding
- • Draw the story - Illustrate in Main Lesson Book