Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

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Age Group: EYFS

Best Books for Each Year Primary Group

New Additions for 2024

Each of our Year Group Recommended Reads lists contains 50 books specially picked out for reading for pleasure in each primary year group, from Preschool to Year 6. The lists are designed to provide recommendations of age-appropriate and accessible books across a range of genres and styles. These lists differ from our topic booklists, as the books are purely selected to read for pleasure at each age group. The Year Group lists also come with printable posters and checklists.

We update our lists annually in April and schools can purchase sets of the packs from Peters. As well as the full book packs, schools can also purchase a top-up pack containing just the newly added titles for 2024.

Some of the titles are newly published, whereas others are older favourites that have just been added to the Year Group lists for the first time. Browse the lists below to see the new additions for each year group, launched 16 April 2024.

 

 

Best Books for Preschoolers (Children Aged 3-4)

NEWLY updated – April 2024!

Browse this list of 50 recommended books for 3- and 4-year-olds. Top up your preschool or nursery book collections with our hand-picked selection of classic stories, laugh-out-loud picture books, animal tales, poetry books, non-fiction for curious minds and more…

As parents and teachers, we know how important it is to foster a love of reading in children from a young age. Reading with nursery and preschool children not only helps with language development but also encourages imagination and creativity. Our booklist includes popular preschool stories such as Owl Babies, Aliens Love Underpants and The Tiger Who Came to Tea, as well as some lesser-known storytime delights that we highly recommend, like Mavis the Bravest and Eat Your Peas.

Handpicked by teachers and children’s reading experts, our preschool reading list is designed to help those looking for the best quality and age-appropriate books to make reading time engaging for nursery or preschool children. Join your little ones on a journey through some of the best books for preschoolers available today.

As well as the booklist below to browse, we’ve also got a printable poster and downloadable checklist for you, and schools can purchase full sets of the books via Peters.

 

preschool recommended reads printable poster 2024     preschool recommended reads checklist 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Browse the preschool booklist below or scroll down to find more purchasing options and printable resources.

Best Books for Reception (Children Aged 4-5)

NEWLY updated – April 2024!

We’ve hand-picked a list of 50 recommended books to read with 4- and 5-year-olds. Update your class library or home book collections with our list of the best Reception books, covering everything from rhyming frogs and super-greedy monsters to dreams of space travel and expeditions to faraway places. Not to mention the odd heroic potato or post-delivering penguin, too…

The Reception year of primary school is an important phase in children’s literacy development. Our booklist includes popular Reception stories such as Supertato, Oi Frog and Elmer, as well as some lesser-known storytime delights that we highly recommend, like Snail in Space and Blue Monster Wants it All.

This collection of books has been carefully curated by our team of teachers and children’s reading experts, with the help of our Review Panel members, who have tried and tested hundreds of titles in their primary school settings to bring you only the best of the best.

If you’re a parent or teacher looking for what you should read with Reception children, look no further than our Reception reading list. From classic tales and funny read-alouds to new releases and educational reads, we have something to suit every young reader’s interests. Our Reception booklist includes both fiction and non-fiction recommendations to read with children in this age group to encourage a love of books and to develop vocabulary, comprehension skills and creativity.

As well as the Reception booklist below to browse, we’ve also got a printable poster and downloadable checklist for you, and schools can purchase full sets of the books via Peters.

 

reception recommended reads printable poster 2024

reception recommended reads checklist 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Browse the Reception booklist below or scroll down to find more purchasing options and printable resources.

books for children who love elmer

If you like Elmer, try these…

Making his first appearance in 1968, Elmer the Patchwork Elephant has been entertaining young readers for decades and remains one of the most iconic and well-known children’s book characters of all time. The Elmer stories feature a bright and multicoloured main character who inspires readers to embrace inclusivity, connect with friends and find joy in celebrating difference.

We’ve compiled a list of ten similar books for fans of Elmer. Readers looking for more stories about larger-than-life elephant characters might enjoy Ernest the Elephant or Lo Cole’s Doris. For more characters who love spreading colour and joy among their friends, try The Rainbow Fish or The Artist. Some readers want more books about celebrating individuality, and we recommend The Bumblebear or the classic Dogs Don’t Do Ballet.  If you’re searching for more fun EYFS stories about animal friends, try Lots of Dots or Giraffes Can’t Dance. You can also head over to our Animals topic booklist or our list of children’s books about colours.

Browse the full list below of books for children looking for what to read next after Elmer…

Picturebook

Mr Big is strong, Mr Big is tough, Mr Big is . . . well . . . BIG!

He has just one small problem – because of the way he looks he just can’t get people to stick around.

How can he show them that although he may look a little scary, he is just a great big softy inside?

With his trademark bold colour and masterful graphic simplicity, Ed Vere sensitively and humorously tackles the universal and current subject of inclusion, reminding the reader that to get to know someone you need to look beyond their exterior.

Picturebook

Do you love pirates? How about aliens? And jungle animals? Find them ALL in the pages of this laugh-out-loud ‘pick your own’ picture book adventure!

Vincent’s dog, Trouble, has DISAPPEARED and he needs YOUR help. Has Trouble been stolen by aliens? Or pilfered by pirates? Is she exploring the jungle? It’s up to YOU to decide!

Pick a Story is the ONLY series where young readers choose between three completely different worlds – firing their imaginations and promoting agency.

Choice and value! Readers choose the direction of the adventure on every page. With endless story paths to be taken, the adventure is always different.

Packed with activities! Each page includes an activity, such as search-and-find, odd-one-out, mazes and more, woven seamlessly into the narrative – perfect for immersing and engaging young readers.

Picturebook

What do you see when you look at a tree? Leaves and twigs and branches?
Or do you see a real, living thing, That moves, and breathes and dances?

Immerse yourself in this gentle picture book that encourages us to explore our connection with nature.

In association with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, this wonderful picture book explores themes of empathy, mindfulness and personal growth through the eyes of a child. Beautifully written and illustrated by the award-winning artist Emma Carlisle, What Do You See When You Look At a Tree? urges readers to reconnect with nature by asking questions that encourage critical thinking and reflection on their own development, as well as helping to establish a deeper appreciation for the environment and their place within it.

Stunning watercolour and hand-finished artwork draws parallels to the bestselling The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse, and evokes the classic nostalgia of E. H. Shephard’s much-loved Winnie-the-Pooh.

Mindfulness tips and information about trees are included at the back of the book for both adult and child to read together.

Picturebook

From author-illustrator Katie Cottle comes a breath-taking journey about light pollution and saving the birds

When Ellie moves from her quiet village to a bustling city, she finds that the many different birds she loves to watch are missing. She stares out of her window, searches the skies on walks, but they are nowhere to be found. Then one night, she’s visited by a giant starling which asks for her help. The birds are lost because of the shimmering glow from the city’s bright lights.

Night Flight is a hopeful, inspiring story about the power of using your voice.

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