Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Home > Books

Age Group: KS2

Chapter book

G’day, Stanley!

Flat Stanley and his brother Arthur have just won a trip to Australia! They fly down under on a private jet and go diving in the Great Barrier Reef. But when Arthur launches him into the air for a game of boomerang, Stanley is accidentally sent spinning off into the heart of the Australian outback!

Non-fiction

Where on Earth is the UK? Where are koalas from, and who lives on Antarctica? From landscapes to animals, cities to people and languages to food, this series will let readers take a trip to each continent. It’s time to travel around the Earth.

Non-fiction

What is it like to live in or visit Australia? What makes Australia’s culture unique? Explore the geography, traditions and daily lives of Australian people.

Non-fiction

Simon is in Darwin, Australia, preparing to travel through the unique mix of tropical forest, savannah and desert that make up the Australian Outback. But he’s already worrying if his 4×4 is up to the job, and about the dangers posed
by crocodiles, spiders and snakes – and road trains!

Simon Chapman, winner of the Blue Peter Book Award, brings geography to life, and his Expedition Diaries are a great way to introduce the world’s biomes and habitats to children, direct from someone who’s actually been in them – sometimes up to his neck! These books are perfect for sparking interest in this key school topic.

Picturebook

Travel along Melbourne’s twisting Yarra river in a glorious celebration of indigenous culture and Australia’s unique flora and fauna.

Yarra Riverkeeper Andrew Kelly and Aboriginal Elder of the Wurundjeri people Aunty Joy Murphy join to tell the indigenous and geographical story of Melbourne’s beautiful Yarra river – from its source to its mouth and from its pre-history to the present day. The writing dazzles with poetic descriptions of the trees, plants and wildlife that thrive in harmony along the iconic waterway, while lush and vibrant acrylic paintings from indigenous illustrator Lisa Kennedy make the mighty Yarra come to life – coursing under a starry sky, drawing people to its sunny shores, mirroring a searing orange sunset.

The end matter includes an author’s note and a glossary of the Woiwurrung words used in the story.

Non-fiction

Where on Earth is the UK? Where are koalas from, and who lives on Antarctica? From landscapes to animals, cities to people and languages to food, this series will let readers take a trip to each continent. It’s time to travel around the Earth.

Non-fiction

Find out about Argentina with this fun and engaging first information book. Topics include the country’s geography, major cities, people and interesting places. For children following Book Bands, it is suitable for children reading at band 8, purple.

The Info Buzz series, for age 5+, helps children develop their knowledge and understanding of the world by covering a wide range of topics in a fun, colourful and interactive way. The books have a lively design, engaging text and photos, questions to get children thinking and talking and teaching notes. Each title is written in conjunction with a literacy consultant and features book band guidance and downloadable activity sheets online.

Non-fiction

Brazil: the Land and People takes you on a whistlestop tour around this most incredible country. Explore its rainforests, rivers (including the mighty Amazon), mountains and beaches, and meet some incredible wildlife along the way. Marvel at the vibrant street life, the amazing food and the diverse, multiethnic culture, and delve into the country’s rich history.

Discover what it’s like to grow up in Brazil – school, family life, socializing and religion – and find out how life is for the richest and the poorest members of society, in one of the most divided countries in the world. Learn about Brazil’s booming economy, and the industries that fuel it, and get ready to party, Brazilian-style, at carnival. Amazing photographs transport you to the very heart of this busy, colourful, visually-exciting country. Crammed full of facts, stats and incredible information – and much cheaper than a plane ticket – this is the perfect introduction to Brazil!

Non-fiction

Discover some of Earth’s most spectacular places on the continent of South America!

Uncover the unique features of South America, from the wide variety of habitats and landscapes to the cultures of the peoples that inhabit the continent. Explore Tierra Del Fuego National Park, Lake Titicaca and the Atacama Desert that lie in the Andes Mountains, the Amazon Rainforest and more in this beautifully illustrated and informative celebration of Earth’s flora, fauna and spectacular geography.

This book is part of the Continents Uncovered series, which takes the reader on a tour of the world, charting landmarks, climates, people, animals and other wildlife. But it doesn’t stop there! This series is full of easy craft activity ideas that explore human cultures, wildlife and geographical phenomena. This series is ideal for children aged 7+ studying geography at KS2 or who are interested in maps, continents, wildlife and habitats.

Here at BooksForTopics HQ, we were delighted to be involved in judging the longlist for this year’s Diverse Book Awards. Now in their fourth year, these awards were created by award-winning author Abiola Bello and award-winning publicist Helen Lewis, to highlight the best of the diverse voices published in the UK and Ireland.

We are very excited to share the shortlist for these awards, showcasing the best of the UK and Ireland’s diverse children’s books, and featuring several of our own favourite authors, illustrators and titles.

Among the selected picturebooks are Dadaji’s Paintbrush, a universal story of love and loss in a beautiful Indian setting, which features on our Year 1: 50 Recommended Reads booklist. Also shortlisted is Our Tower by Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho, a modern-day fable about learning to find nature and magic everywhere, which was the BooksForTopics pick for the 2023 Read for Empathy collection.

The Children’s category highlights a BooksforTopics favourite, The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries: Drama and Danger, which our review panel described as, “…a fantastic mystery story, which could also lead to discussions about race, theatre, slavery and family history.” Author Sangu Mandanna is shortlisted for Kiki Kallira Conquers a Curse – a welcome return for one of our favourite characters who first featured on our Diverse & Inclusive Books for Upper KS2 booklist with Kiki Kallira Breaks a Kingdom.

Check out the full shortlist for the 2023 Diverse Book Awards below!

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