Here are some suggestions for Waldorf Second Grade read-alouds:
From “The Waldorf Student Reading List”: (and do get the book so you can read the complete list, I picked and wrote here out of what resonated with me!)
Aesop’s Fables (LEAVE THE MORAL OUT AT THE END) – These are usually done in a main lesson block, so I would NOT consider these bedtime reading or anything! Maybe these really shouldn’t be on this list, as they are usually told, not read……I will write a post on Fable Main Lesson Block soon!
Thornton Burgess Nature Stories – all of them and there are many!
“King Of Ireland’s Son” – again, if you are not doing this as a Main Lesson Block
Susan Cooper’s “The Selkie Girl” – a picture book, but definitely with second-grade content
Tomie De Paola – Clown of God, Big Anthony, Stregna Nona, etc.
“Wind In the Willows” – a classic!
George MacDonald’s “The Light Princess”, “The Princess and the Goblin”, “The Princess and Curdie”
Any of Gerald McDermott’s Trickster Tale kind of picture books
Arthur Ransome’s “Old Peter’s Russian Tales”
“Winnie the Pooh” if you have not read those stories yet
Jakob Streit’s “Animal Stories” (available through Waldorf booksellers)
Isabel Wyatt’s “The Book of Fairy Princes”
Some suggestions from Donna Simmons in her works:
Barefoot Book of Pirates
Ballet Shoes – N. Streatfield (there is a whole series available)
“John Henry” as illustrated by Julius Lester and also “The Adventures of Bre’r Rabbit” also illustrated by Julius Lester
King Arthur by Roger Lancelyn Green
Robin Hood also by Roger Lancelyn Green
Donna has a bookstore on Amazon where you can see titles for second grade here: http://astore.amazon.com/christopherus-20
Some Suggestions from Carrie:
Little House on the Prairie, but do save “Farmer Boy” for third grade!!
The Moomintroll Series
Any sort of Jataka tales if you are not doing these for a Main Lesson Block
Any of the appropriate stories from “Hear the Voice of the Griot!” by Betty Staley and available through Waldorf booksellers. A great resource for all grades; see the review on this blog!
Any sort of American Tall Tale or Native American trickster tales
Mungo, which is a story of a Saint found through Waldorf booksellers. I have not read it myself but I have heard from others that this would be appropriate for Grade Two. (Update I do not agree with this for grade two. I would put it much, much later – it has complex themes, including a rape).
The German classic now in English, “Peter and Anneli’s Journey to the Moon” available through Bob and Nancy’s Bookshop www.waldorfbooks.com
Peaceful and happy reading together,
Carrie
Hi Carrie, Thanks for the list of stories, I have a question about the “King Of Ireland’s Son”. When I looked on Amazon there was the same title by two different authors? Can you tell me which author is the right one? Thanks for your help!
Padraic Colum is the author you want. You can also look at Bob and Nancy’s bookshop at http://www.waldorfbooks.com and see which edition they have and compare. Rudolf Steiner College Bookstore also puts their catalogues on the Internet, although you have to order by phone, but that is another good place to look to see what books and authors match.
Cheers,
Carrie
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