Curious Picks for Grades 2-4

Top picks for grades 2-4 inspired by the Summer Reading Club 2024 theme: World of Curiosities

Updated July 4, 2024
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Dragons and marshmallows
Citro, Asia 
Paper Book
With magical animals, science, mystery, and adventure -- the brand new series Zoey and Sassafras has something for everyone! Easy-to-read language and illustrations on nearly every page make this series perfect for a wide range of ages. In the first book of this series, Zoey...

Primary fiction

Legend of the Star Dragon
West, Tracey, 1965- author. 
Paper Book
The legendary Star Dragon must battle the powerful Shadow Dragon in the latest action-packed installment of this New York Times bestselling series! Pick a book. Grow a Reader! This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line, Branches, aimed at newly independent...

Primary fiction

Ruffing it
Patterson, James, 1947- author. 
Paper Book
Junior, the first dog author to make the New York Times bestseller list, tells his latest howlarious tale of going off-leash in the wilderness.​ Junior is so excited--his human family is going on vacation and this time they're taking him with them. And...

Primary fiction

Time of the turtle king
Osborne, Mary Pope 
Paper Book
The #1 bestselling Magic Tree House series is ready to whisk you away across the world with Jack and Annie--this time as World Turtle Experts in the Galapagos Islands!! It's just a regular day when ordinary kids Jack and Annie are whisked away in the magic tree house to the...

Primary fiction

Magic tree house. 1, Dinosaurs before dark, the graphic novel
Laird, Jenny, 1969- adapter. 
Paper Book
The #1 bestselling chapter book is now a graphic novel! Magic. Mystery. Time-travel. Get whisked back in time in the magic tree house with Jack and Annie! Where did the tree house come from?      Before Jack and Annie can find out, the mysterious...

Graphic novel

Unicorn Boy
Roman, Dave
Paper Book
Go on a magical journey with this quirky, young reader's graphic novel about a boy who sprouts a unicorn horn and uses his newfound powers to help those in need! The first few years of Brian Reyes' life were unremarkable--nothing weird about this kid, no sir. Then, one day, a...

Graphic novel

The Wondrous Wonders
Jourdy, Camille, 1979- author, artist. 
Paper Book
With irresistible wit and brilliant strokes of watercolor, Camille Jourdy brings this dreamlike fable to life. Wondrous Wonders is a tale of pure magic for children and adults alike. Hurt by her parents' divorce and struggling to accept her new stepfamily, she decides to...

Graphic novel

Baby-sitters little sister. 1, Karen's witch
Farina, Katy, author, artist. 
Paper Book
A fresh and fun graphic novel series spin-off of The Baby-sitters Club, featuring Kristy's little stepsister!Karen Brewer lives next door to Mrs. Porter, who wears long robes and has wild gray hair. Mrs. Porter has a black cat named Midnight and always seems to be working in her garden. Karen...

Graphic novel

The eyes & the impossible
Eggers, Dave
Paper Book
NEWBERY MEDAL WINNER * #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * An enthralling novel for all ages by award-winning author Dave Eggers, told from the perspective of one uniquely endearing dog-- featuring beautiful color artwork with illustrations by Caldecott honoree Shawn Harris.<...

Intermediate fiction

Spirited. 1, Day of the Living Liv
Livingston, Liv, author, artist. 
Paper Book
The only living girl in a ghost town struggles to find her place in the first book in the Spirited graphic chapter book series. Olivia "Liv" Livingston thinks life on the right side of Narrow Bridge is, well, just right! What's not to love about the perfect town of Pleasant Place...

Graphic novel

A true home
George, K.
Paper Book
When Mona the Mouse stumbles across the wondrous world of the Heartwood Hotel in the middle of a storm, she desperately hopes they'll let her stay. As it turns out, Mona is precisely the maid they need at the grandest hotel in Fernwood Forest, where animals come from far and wide for safety, luxury,...

Primary fiction

Rez dogs
Bruchac, Joseph
Paper Book
Renowned author Joseph Bruchac tells a powerful story of a girl who learns more about her Penacook heritage while sheltering in place with her grandparents during the coronavirus pandemic. Malian loves spending time with her grandparents at their home on a Wabanaki reservation...

Intermediate fiction (novel in verse)

Rebel Girls Presents : Dr. Wangari Maathai Plants a Forest
Rebel Girls (COR)/ Mello, Eugenia (ILT)
Paper Book
Get inspired by the Nobel Peace Prize-winning activist and environmentalist Dr. Wangari Maathai in Dr. Wangari Maathai Plants a Forest.

Intermediate fiction

Dogtown
Applegate, Katherine 
Paper Book
Now a New York Times bestseller, an Indie bestseller, and an Amazon Best Children's Book! From beloved authors Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko and with illustrations by Wallace West, Dogtown is at once an uplifting story and a page-turning adventure, sure to find a...

Intermediate fiction

Skunk and Badger
Timberlake, Amy
Paper Book
When friendly, free-spirited Skunk moves in with solitary rock-scientist Badger, both are forever changed in this whimsical, emotionally rich story from Newbery Honor author Amy Timberlake, illustrated in full-colour and black-and-white pictures by Caldecott Medalist Jon Klassen (I Want My Hat Back,...

Intermediate fiction

Worst Love Spell Ever!
Coven, Wanda.
Paper Book
In this hilarious sequel to the New York Times bestseller Worst Broommate Ever, witch-in-training Heidi Heckelbeck wants her crush to notice her. Featuring black-and-white illustrations and doodles throughout and perfect for fans of Dork Diaries, The Worst...

Intermediate fiction

And then I turned into a mermaid
Kirkpatrick, Laura
Paper Book
Louise Rennison meets Bad Mermaids in a hilarious new series for 9+ readers Molly Seabrook's dull seaside life is turned upside down when she turns 13 and is let in on the family secret: she's PART-MERMAID! While this does explain why her bonkers Mum is always skinny-dipping, Molly isn...

Intermediate fiction

Willow Moss and the lost day
Valente, Dominique
Paper Book
The first book in a spellbinding children's fantasy series, with beautiful black-and-white inside illustrations by Sarah Warburton. Perfect for fans of Cressida Cowell and Nevermoor. Willow Moss, the youngest and least powerful sister in a family of witches, has a magical ability for...

Intermediate fiction


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