Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Age Group: KS2,KS3

The Big Bad Wolf Murder

Chapter book

THE BIG BAD WOLF IS DEAD…and what’s worse, he was murdered.

Alarick is the biggest and baddest wolf of the Tooth & Claw games – a legendary contest where Wolves battle Reds in a vicious game of “What’s the Time, Mr Wolf?” But when Alarick drops dead in the middle of the championship final, his rival Ruby Red is horrified…because she gets the blame.
Realizing she has been framed for the crime, Ruby and her wolf-cub friend Fillan go on the run, determined to find the real murderer. But with a dogged detective, a wolf assassin and a gangster granny on their tails, they’re going to need all of Ruby’s Tooth & Claw skills to save themselves and hunt down the truth.

A super-pacy fairy-tale crime romp, from the bestselling author of The Train to Impossible Places, for fans of Murder Most Unladylike and twisted fairy tales like Disney’s Descendants.

Scarlet Morning, Book 1: Scarlet Morning

Chapter book

From the powerhouse creator of Nimona comes a breathtaking illustrated novel, the start of a duology, following two orphans who leave the only home they’ve ever known to sail with an eccentric crew of pirates.

Viola and Wilmur have been waiting for their parents for fifteen boring years in the colorless town of Caveat. Their lives are a drudge of salt, trash, pirate stories, and what-ifs . . . until one very stormy night, when Captain Cadence Chase breaks down their door. They cut a deal with the captain: Chase can take their most prized possession, a mysterious book, but only if she takes them, too. After all, if their parents aren’t coming, Viola and Wilmur might as well have a grand adventure to find them.

Setting sail into the treacherous and beautiful world beyond Caveat, the two inseparable friends must uncover the facts behind legend—and the key to saving all of Dickerson’s Sea from obliteration—before the truth tears them apart.

Wickedly funny, deeply emotional, and sharply incisive, Scarlet Morning is a tale of love, betrayal, and the extraordinary lengths we’d go to save a world broken beyond repair.

Role Model

Chapter book

Aeriel is autistic and would love nothing more than to have proper friendships with people at her new secondary school in London, having had to move down from Scotland, which she misses keenly.

When her mum becomes Prime Minister, Aeriel is catapulted into the public eye, with both her school and her Mum’s aides trying to mould her into being an online role model for other children. As Aeriel’s reluctant videos go viral, she tries desperately to control her autistic behaviours and understand why she is still so lonely when she is trying so hard to fit in. It takes being compelled to join a new group, alongside a huge shift in family dynamics, to mend relationships and help her manage her life.

This is a fairly short book at 170 pages, but it packs a real emotional punch. The author states that there is much personal content from her childhood and adult life in this story, and it shows. It’s told in the first person, emphasising Aeriel’s vulnerability and the challenges she faces in her daily life, which are only exacerbated by her mother’s new position as PM. There are themes of resilience, courage, friendship, family and bullying, and Aeriel’s story should evoke a huge amount of empathy for autistic peers; it’s a thought-provoking read and would make a great class read-aloud.

Dragon Girl and the Awakened Flames

Chapter book

This is the first book in the series about Emba Oak. Originally called Emba Oak and the Terrible Tomorrows, the book has undergone a name change. This book is full of jokes and slightly gross humour (all right, very gross humour in places) and it is delightfully silly.

With dragons and quests being ever-popular story themes, I can see many lower KS2 children absolutely loving this, with its fast-paced plot and amusing characters. It has the feeling of someone chatting to you and telling you this story; the voice is so clear and individual.

There are strong themes of friendship and courage, as well as this being a really fun and easy-to-read book. David Dean’s cover and internal illustrations are a delight, and many will appreciate the great dragon pictures! The chapter heading font and the layout also add to the feeling of a book about a quest, which is exactly what this is.

The Disconnect

Keren David

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

With a high-interest premise for today’s teens, Keren David’s fast-paced novel explores a challenge offered to a group of students: give up their phones for six weeks to win a prize of one thousand pounds.

The story follows Esther, who struggles with the challenge as she uses her phone to keep in contact with her father and sister in New York. She soon realises that not everyone is playing the challenge fairly.

This relatable story offers a look at the impact of technology and social media on young people in a fair and balanced way – unapologetically touching on both pros and cons of teenage mobile phone use. Written in a dyslexia-friendly format, it is an ideal and accessible short read exploring themes of friendship, peer pressure and the digital world.