Best History & Social Studies Books for 2nd Grade

For second graders, history often comes alive through one person's story. The picture books on this page introduce real people and moments from the past, from a Filipino immigrant who turned a toy from home into an American craze in Pedro's Yo-Yos to a young Judith Heumann pushing back against schools that shut her out in Fighting for Yes! Other titles follow a Mexican freedom fighter, the Brazilian master who helped keep capoeira alive, and a painful chapter in the history of Los Angeles. Most carry honors from the Caldecott committee or the Orbis Pictus Award for nonfiction, and each pairs clear, readable text with art worth lingering over.