Recommended Reads
Recommended Year Group Booklists
Our 50 Recommended Reads year group booklists introduce a variety of titles for reading for pleasure, matched to each year group. Each list comes with a free printable poster and checklist.
Our 50 Recommended Reads year group booklists introduce a variety of titles for reading for pleasure, matched to each year group. Each list comes with a free printable poster and checklist.
From Growing Plants and Life Cycles to learning about Spring and Habitats, find recommended children’s topic books: browse our expert-curated booklists for curriculum school subjects and topics to help children read around the curriculum this term.
Each month, our Review Panel highlights five recommended new children’s books. From picture books and poetry to novels and non-fiction, we love shouting from the rooftops about the best new children’s books when we find them.
The National Year of Reading Booklist has just launched! Explore 100 modern, teacher-vetted titles specifically chosen to hook every reader and help your school “Go All In” for 2026.
Our Mental Health Awareness booklist features recommended children’s books that open up conversations about mental health in age-appropriate ways.
As well as our popular topic booklists, we’ve also got a host of seasonal booklists for you. Whether you are stepping into Spring, celebrating Chinese New Year, looking for children’s books for Black History Month or building up a Christmas children’s book collection, our expertly-picked recommendations of the best children’s books for each month of the year will have you covered.
Looking for recommendations for brand new children’s books? On the BooksForTopics website, you’ll find the best newly published books for children, including our Books of the Month recommendations and regularly updated Ones to Watch lists. The BooksForTopics review panel is made up of teachers, librarians, education lecturers and children’s reading experts. Each month, our review panel reviews scores of books to select the very best quality titles to share. Our recommendations include both editorial choices and titles featured with the support of our publishing partners. See some of our latest recommended titles below.
The BooksForTopics booklists are curated by experts and real teachers to cover school curriculum topics, featuring the best children’s books to support learning in key subjects like science, history or geography. From the best books about the Romans and Vikings books to recommended children’s books about rainforests, we’ve got lists of high-quality children’s books to support learning. Many of our topic booklists are available for schools to buy in complete packs from Peters.
The BooksForTopics Reading for Pleasure booklists are here to help you to find the right books to boost enjoyment in reading – whether it is our popular lists of 50 Recommended Reads for each Year Group, the best graphic novels for children, recommended funny books, books for reluctant readers or lists of diverse children’s books. We’ve put together a wealth of resources to support book selection for children’s reading for pleasure.
The BooksForTopics age-based booklists are designed to assist you in finding the best books recommended for each age and stage of development, sorted by school key stage (EYFS, Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2 or Key Stage 3). Whether you are looking for the best picturebooks for Early Years, a list of first independent chapter books for KS1, the best books for year 4 or top recommended reads for Year 6, this is the place to find children’s book recommendations by age. Browse our lists to explore the best children’s books handpicked for each age group.
We work in partnership with Peters to supply complete book packs to schools. The book packs include our most popular curriculum topic collections and reading for pleasure lists, making it even easier to buy full reading lists in one go – and schools will get 20% off the books too.
30+ expert-vetted books for the 2026 curriculum. Features new historical enquiry guides and Nile focus, plus printable resources.
From Boudicca’s rebellion to daily life in Londinium, these are the top-rated Roman topic books to support sourcework and discussion.
Help your school 'Go All In' for 2026. Discover our definitive booklist designed to boost a lasting reading for pleasure culture .
review
Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Would you recommend the book for use in primary schools?
yes
Curriculum links (if relevant)
Curriculum links (if relevant)
Any other comments
Any other comments
