Books for Second and Third Graders

Titles in this list were recommended by Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh staff. Ask your neighborhood librarian for additional suggestions.



Frankie Sparks and the Class Pet

Frankie Sparks, the self-proclaimed “best inventor in the third grade,” does research and creates a tool to try to persuade her classmates that a rat would make the best class pet. You can also check out this title as eAudio on Hoopla.


Mr. Wolf's Class

Chronicles the everyday adventures of Mr. Wolf, a new teacher at Hazelwood Elementary school, and his class of wild and special students. You can also check out this title as eBook on OverDrive/Libby.


Narwhal's Otter Friend

A collection of three stories featuring Narwhal and Jelly, including one in which they meet Otty, a super-adventurous otter, who causes Jelly to worry that she will take his place as Narwhal’s best friend. You can also check out this title as eBook on OverDrive/Libby.



Polly Diamond and the Magic Book

Polly loves writing stories, so when a magic book appears on her doorstep that can make everything she writes happen in real life, she is certain that all of her dreams are about to come true–but Polly soon realizes that what you write and what you mean are not always the same thing. You can also check out this title as eBook on Hoopla.




When Sue Found Sue

From a very young age, Sue Hendrickson was meant to find things: lost coins, perfume bottles, even hidden treasure. Her endless curiosity eventually led to her career in diving and paleontology, where she would continue to find things big and small. You can also check out this title as eBook on OverDrive/Libby or as eBook on Hoopla.