Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Home > Books

Age Group: KS2

Non-fiction

Over half of all the visual artists working today are women, but the paintings and sculptures shown in many galleries and museums tell a different story because they’re usually the work of men.

In this book Kate Pankhurst, descendent of Emmeline Pankhurst, tells the fascinating stories of some of history’s most talented female artists.

· Express your feelings and find your identity through art with Frida Kahlo · Run away to the circus and paint with Laura Knight · Help bring talented artists into the spotlight with Peggy Guggenheim · Challenge racism and segregation by creating powerful art with Faith Ringgold

Including comic strips, family trees, maps and more, Fantastically Great Women Artists and Their Stories is a celebration of just some of the women whose creativity and dreams have made a mark on the world. A fantastic gift for girls and boys alike!

List of women featured: Amrita Sher-Gil, Elisabeth Le Brun, Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Faith Ringgold, Frida Kahlo, Kathe Kollwitz, Dame Laura Knight and Peggy Guggenheim.

Picturebook

Part of the highly-successful Anholt’s Artists series about great painters, which tells the stories of real meetings between world-famous artists and the children who knew them. When Julie’s dog disappears into a mysterious garden, Julie follows him – and finds herself in a beautiful garden-within-a-garden where the roses grow like splashes of paint and a Japanese bridge bows over a silent pool. There she finds not only her dog, but also Claude Monet. The famous artist introduces her to his work and his garden, giving her encouragement that the young would-be artist will never forget. Set against the romantic, world-famous backdrop of Monet’s garden at Giverny, the story is accompanied by reproductions of the artist’s most celebrated paintings and a biographical note on Monet.

Non-fiction

Meet the masterminds behind the greatest inventions in history with this nonfiction book for kids aged 7 to 9.

Step into Leonardo da Vinci’s workshop, relax on board Hideo Shima’s speedy bullet train, and join movie star Hedy Lamarr to bounce ideas around in between takes. Inventors looks at the towering achievements of more than 50 inventors in great detail. The stories are as unusual as they are unique. From Mr. Kellogg, who accidentally created cornflakes after leaving grains boiling for too long, to the ancient Turkish polymath Ismail al-Jazari, who decided the best way to power a clock was with a model elephant, to Sarah E. Goode’s fold-up bed space-saving solution–the inventors of this book have all used tons of creativity to find ways to improve our world. These groundbreaking inventions include the very earliest discoveries to modern-day breakthroughs in science, food, transportation, technology, toys, and more.

Each page is packed with jaw-dropping facts, with every inventor’s achievements written as a story. Beautiful illustrations by Jessamy Hawke bring the inventor’s stories to life, and fantastic photography highlights the detail of their designs. With incredible hand-painted cross-sections revealing the intricacies of a robotic arm, the first plane, and the printing press, young readers will marvel at being able to see close-up how these amazing machines work. The inventors come from all walks of life and parts of the world, making this the perfect book for every budding inventor.

Non-fiction

Discover how machines are part of our daily lives with Everyday STEM Technology – Machines.

Explore a world full of technological innovation, from the first tools used in the Stone Age to the machines of the future. Learn about telescopes and rovers in space, see how modern machines can protect our planet, and meet the innovators and scientists who invented the machines that have improved our lives, including Dr Gladys West, Olafur Eliasson and Fei-Fei Li. Readers can also carry out cool machine experiments at home.

With easy-to-understand text written by STEM expert Jenny Jacoby, and lots of colourful artworks, photos and diagrams, readers can explore where we encounter machines and why they are even important at all.

The Everyday STEM series makes science relevant to tweens. Instead of telling kids STEM is important and is the key to their future success, these books show readers how we use science, technology, engineering and maths in our everyday lives. While the topics sound high-level and complex, this series makes these concepts age-appropriate and accessible. So, while we can’t promise to teach 9 to 11-year-olds quantum physics, we can explain in the simplest terms the practical applications of STEM.

Non-fiction

Build your own moving race car from household objects in this step-by-step guide based on the science behind Formula One.
Take your place at the starting gate and fire up your engine: it’s time to build your very own racing car! Join presenter and maker Fran Scott for a crash course in racing engineering, then use your new-found skills to build your own awesome air-powered machine using household objects. From the chassis to the engine, discover the science behind Formula One in this perfect project for budding young engineers. So what are you waiting for? 3, 2, 1 … let’s race!

Non-fiction

Explore the science of pulleys, which is a key physical science concept. Young children will enjoy the fun illustrations and learn from the simple diagrams. The book encourages the reader to see science in action in their everyday lives. It is perfect for budding scientists who are curious about machines and how they work, and allows readers to encounter this STEM topic in an approachable way. For children following Book Bands, it is suitable for children reading at band 7, turquoise.

Non-fiction

Explore the science of wheels and cogs, which are key physical science concepts. Young children will enjoy the fun illustrations and learn from the simple diagrams. The book encourages the reader to see science in action in their everyday lives. It is perfect for budding scientists who are curious about machines and how they work, and allows readers to encounter this STEM topic in an approachable way. For children progressing through book bands, it is suitable for children at Book Band 7: Turquoise.

Chapter book

‘Yes,’ she said, ‘he is really quite a beauty, and he has such a sweet good-tempered face and such a fine intelligent eye – what do you say to calling him Black Beauty?

Black Beauty is a handsome, sweet-tempered but strong-spirited young horse, used to galloping free in the fresh green meadows with his beloved mother, Duchess, and their kind master. But when his owners are forced to sell him, Black Beauty goes from a life of comfort and kindness to one of hard labour and cruelty. He bravely works as hard as he can, enduring hardships and fostering loyal friendships along the way.

Charming and timeless, Black Beauty is an uplifting story of strength, survival and empathy in the face of adversity. The original horse story that inspired a thousand pony books, Black Beauty sparked a new wave of animal cruelty awareness and remains a must-read for any animal lover!

Best Children’s Books About Horses and Ponies

This list of the best children’s books about horses and ponies offers something for everyone – whether they read at a trot or a gallop!

This horses and ponies booklist showcases a range of richly illustrated picturebooks alongside fact-packed non-fiction titles.

Both shorter and longer chapter books are also included, featuring tales of adventure, courage, magic and mystery to delight young readers of all ages and abilities.

Best Children’s Books About Dance and Ballet

From ballet to ballroom and disco to street dance, this list showcases the best children’s books about dance and ballet.

Vibrant and engaging picturebooks will have younger readers dancing along to tales of movement and rhythm, while non-fiction fans will delight at stories of real-life dancers.

This dance and ballet booklist also includes a wealth of dance-themed chapter books which tackle topics like friendship, teamwork and courage alongside rehearsals, costumes and talent shows.

Throw in some aliens, witches and dancing fruit, and you’ve got the best list of children’s books about dance!

Subscribe to our newsletter

Your Review

Stone Girl Bone Girl

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