Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

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Age Group: KS2

Non-fiction

How much sleep do I need? What happens when I sleep? Why do I dream? Will screen time affect my sleep? Why should I rest? The answers to these and many other questions about resting and sleeping can be discovered in this lively and informative book. The topics of fitness and fun are complemented by charming and humorous illustrations. This book is designed for children to begin to learn about the importance of being healthy, and the ways in which we can look after our bodies to keep fit and well.

At the back are notes for parents and teachers that provide additional advice and support as well as further activity ideas and information.

Non-fiction

Why should I eat fruit and vegetables? What’s wrong with chocolate and crisps? What are proteins and carbohydrates? The answers to these and many other questions about healthy eating can be discovered in this lively and informative book, where the topic of healthy eating is complemented by charming and humorous illustrations.

This book is designed for children to begin to learn about the importance of being healthy, and the ways in which we can look after our bodies to keep fit and well. At the back are notes for parents and teachers that provide additional advice and support as well as further activity ideas and information.

Best Children’s Books About Music

From clefs and composers to instruments and improvisations, music is a pastime that many children come to love in their primary years. We’ve put together a list of the best children’s books about music, composers, instruments, singing and performing…

Chapter book

Everyone’s always telling Will to stop making so much noise. That is, until he meets music teacher Mr Brand. He thinks Will’s not just noisy but that he has a gift and must learn to play the violin. But Will doesn’t feel special . He can never find peace to practice at home and carrying a violin around school is too embarrassing. There’s also the small matter of his stage fright … Can he really become the star Mr Brand believes in? Beloved and award-winning author Anne Fine returns with a touching, musical story of patience, practice and courage. Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant or dyslexic readers aged 8+.

Non-fiction

How on Earth do you play a bass that’s 3.5 metres tall? How can you play a theremin without touching it? Can you turn a cave’s stalactites into an organ? (Spoiler alert: yes, you can!)

Including a stunning central gatefold that opens out to reveal the family tree of musical instruments, this book is a visual celebration of the huge variety of instruments played across the world, from those you know to those you almost certainly don’t. Grouped into percussion instruments, wind, and string, as well as the weird and wonderful that defy categorization, readers will discover how they are all related to each other in ‘families’, and enjoy exploring the musical family tree as a fold-out poster.

Around the World in 80 Musical Instruments covers traditional instruments from various cultures, such as the gamelan and mbira, as well as the creations of modern artists and musicians, such as the Wintergatan Marble Machine and the eerie-sounding yaybahar. Readers will even discover a band that plays exclusively on instruments fashioned from fresh vegetables, and makes the offcuts into soup to serve to the audience!

Non-fiction

Find out what makes up an orchestra and learn about its different instruments with this beautifully illustrated book, produced in association with the London Symphony Orchestra.

This wonderfully illustrated story follows a conductor who is auditioning each instrument for his orchestra. With accompanying CDs and downloadable music, follow our conductor on his journey and discover the beautiful music of an orchestra.

With pictograms of a full-size symphony orchestra and information on all of the music featured, as well as a foreword by Sir Simon Rattle, Music Director of the LSO, this is the must-have book on the orchestra and its instruments for children aged 7+.

Chapter book

In Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, Sonam’s world is dark and silent. Then one day, she follows a magical melodious sound to a walled garden, and her world is silent no more. The sound is music, and it lifts her up amongst the stars and takes her deeper than the tree roots in the earth. How can she hold on to this feeling in a world where music is forbidden?

A lyrical fable-like story by the well-known musician, author and broadcaster Eddie Ayres, about the irrepressible power of music.

Chapter book

The first book in a heartwarming and timeless new series with a brave and spirited heroine, from the acclaimed duo behind THE BOOKSHOP GIRL .
Betsy Bow-Linnet is determined to become a world famous concert pianist like her parents. There’s just one problem: no matter how hard she practises she doesn’t share their musical talents. So when a mysterious letter arrives from a woman claiming to know of an unusual Method that will make Betsy’s playing ‘stupendous’, Betsy jumps at the chance. There’s just one condition: she must keep the Method a secret.
But it isn’t just one secret – it’s forty-four tiny secrets in the shape of a boxful of pygmy mice! Betsy is mystified – how are they going to help her play the piano and – more importantly – how on earth can she keep them all a secret?
Gorgeously illustrated in two-colour, this is a warm, funny and pitch-perfect story about the true nature of family love and finding your real talents in the most unexpected of places. Perfect for fans of ISADORA MOON, AMELIA FANG, OTTOLINE and HARPER.

Picturebook

A Traveller girl creates her own musical instrument from a willow branch and lots of recycled objects. She plays it enthusiastically, but it sounds terrible! Ignoring warnings not to awaken the ogre in the hills, Ossiri goes there to practise playing her instrument. Will she wake the ogre, and will it appreciate her playing? Told by a Romani storyteller and a picture book author, this original tale offers a fascinating insight into Travelling lifestyles and cultures.

Picturebook

From award-winning author Susan Hood and illustrator Sally Wern Comport comes the extraordinary true tale of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay, an orchestra made up of children playing instruments built from recycled trash.

Ada Rios grew up in Cateura, a small town in Paraguay built on a landfill. She dreamed of playing the violin, but with little money for anything but the bare essentials, it was never an option…until a music teacher named Favio Chavez arrived. He wanted to give the children of Cateura something special, so he made them instruments out of materials found in the trash. It was a crazy idea, but one that would leave Ada-and her town-forever changed. Now, the Recycled Orchestra plays venues around the world, spreading their message of hope and innovation.

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