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Age Group: KS2

Non-fiction

Today, the Indus Valley Civilisation is known mainly through the ruins of its cities and the artefacts its people made. Ancient objects enable us to step back into the world of the people who made them. This book combines facts about the inhabitants of the Indus Valley with photographs of the artefacts they left behind to present a full picture of life at the time.

Chapter book

Whitby, Northern England, 867. Edwin and Luke are young boys training to be monks. It’s a quiet life, until one day the Vikings invade. The boys are terrified of the fearsome Danes, whose gods are even more terrifying warriors than they are. What will happen if the boys are caught?

Terry Deary’s Viking Tales explore the world and mythology of the Vikings through the eyes of children who could have lived at the time. These stories feature real people from history and take place in some of the most recognisable Viking settings. This new edition features notes for the reader to help extend learning and exploration of the historical period.

Chapter book

When failing trainee valkyrie Lotta mistakes an unconscious viking thief, Whetstone, for a fallen hero and takes him triumphantly to Valhalla, things are definitely not turning out to be epic or glorious. Having lost a precious talking cup, Whetstone is also desperate to cover up his mistake and the two embark on a quarrelsome journey to find it and regain their heroic status. But Loki the trickster God is desperate to get his hands on the cup with a plan to unleash chaos across the nine worlds. Can Whetstone prove himself a hero after all when it matters most?

Non-fiction

Part of Nosy Crow’s list of publishing in collaboration with the British Museum, developed in consultation with some of the world’s leading experts on Viking history.

A kid’s life as a Viking might sound like fun, what with all those cool battles and awesome longships, but actually life for kids could be pretty hard. In this hilarious book, children will learn just how tough life really was, from spending years on a raid and sharing your bedroom with farm animals, to being poked full of holes . . . and even eating extremely watery porridge.

Probably the first book about Viking times to feature children walking polar bears and rubber ducks, this is a must read for kids with a passion for horrible history!

Brought to life with rich, humorous illustrations by super-talented Marisa Morea.

Other titles in the series include: Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece, Aztec Age, Prehistoric Times, and Medieval Castle.

Chapter book

A thrilling middle grade mystery series, perfect for fans of Robin Steven’s Murder Most Unladylike. Set in eighteenth-century London, with all the fun and zest of Hamilton and inspired by real Black British historical figures.

Shortlisted for the Waterstones 2023 Children’s Book Prize

Twelve-year-olds Lizzie Sancho and Dido Belle are from different worlds – Lizzie lives in Westminster in her dad’s tea shop, while Belle is an heiress being brought up by her aunt and uncle at grand Kenwood House – but they both share a love of solving mysteries.

And when their eyes meet in the audience of the Drury Lane theatre one night, both girls are sure they’ve seen something suspicious on stage.

Lizzie and Belle soon find themselves on the trail of a mystery – and becoming best friends. But can they work out what’s going on in time to prevent a murder?

Chapter bookNon-fiction

One windy day, a magazine blew down the road. I reached out and caught it. A pretty picture of a woman was on the front cover of the magazine. She wore a short pink dress that stuck out around her in a circle. She looked very happy.

At the age of three, Michaela DePrince found a photo of a ballerina that changed her life. She was living in an orphanage in Sierra Leone at the time, but was soon adopted by a family and brought to America. Michaela never forgot the photo of the dancer she once saw, and decided to make her dream of becoming a ballerina come true. She has been dancing ever since, and after a spell as a principal dancer in New York, now dances for the Dutch National Ballet in Amsterdam.

Beautifully and gently illustrated by Ella Okstad, Ballerina Dreams is the younger-reader edition of Michaela DePrince’s highly moving memoir, Hope in a Ballet Shoe.

Chapter book

A riveting pirate tale set in the eighteenth century during the golden age of piracy in the Caribbean, perfect for fans of Emma Carroll and Jacqueline Wilson.

It’s 1718: pirate ships sail the oceans and brutal slave masters control the plantations.

Eleven-year-old Abigail Buckler lives with her father in the Caribbean. Her clothes are made of finest muslin so she can’t play in them, not that there’s anyone to play with anyway. She isn’t even allowed to go out alone. But when pirates attack Abigail’s life will change forever. Suddenly her old certainties about right and wrong, good and bad start to unravel.

Maybe Abigail doesn’t have to be so ladylike after all…

Packed with historical detail about the Atlantic slave trade, the ravages of empire and human cost of providing luxuries like sugar, cotton and tobacco to Europe, Blackbeard’s Treasure is a page-turning, swashbuckling adventure which takes a look at the real pirates of the Caribbean.

Graphic Novel

Peter is just an ordinary boy, who loves playing football with his friends and eating cake – until war comes to his city and the whole family have to go into hiding.

This powerful graphic novel is based on a true story.

Non-fictionPicturebook

Roll up! Roll up! And meet the incredible, the colossal, the world-famous … JUMBO!

Our story begins in 1860, in the mountains of East Africa, where a baby elephant struggles to his feet and takes his first shaky steps … This is the deeply touching story of an elephant who captured the world’s imagination, brought beautifully to life with enchanting storytelling and gorgeous artwork. Follow Jumbo’s amazing journey from his remote home in the rugged mountains of East Africa and the time he spent delighting visitors with elephant rides and comedy routines at London Zoo. Be amazed by his spectacular stint in P.T. Barnum’s ‘Greatest Show on Earth’ and how he led a herd of elephants across the newly-built Brooklyn Bridge to test its strength. Discover how Jumbo’s remarkable life and legacy transformed our understanding and treatment of these magnificent creatures. With a page-turning narrative by Alexandra Stewart and breathtakingly beautiful artwork by Emily Sutton, the true story of Jumbo’s incredible life will fascinate young and old alike.

Picturebook

Discover the true story about the determined engineer who fixed London’s pollution problem in this funny, accessible nonfiction picture book featuring engaging art from the illustrator of Queen Victoria’s Bathing Machine.

It’s the summer of 1858, and London’s River Thames STINKS. What is creating this revolting smell? The answer is gross: the river is full of poop.

But the smell isn’t the worst problem. Every few years, cholera breaks out, and thousands of people die. Could there be a connection between the foul water and the deadly disease?

One engineer dreams of making London a cleaner, healthier place. His name is Joseph Bazalgette. His grand plan to create a new sewer system to clean the river is an engineering marvel. And his sewers will save lives. Nothing stinky about that.

With tips for how to prevent pollution today, this fascinating look at science, history, and what one person can do to create change will impress and astound readers who want to help make their planet a cleaner, happier place to live.

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