Every human brain is utterly unique, with 180 billion brain cells which keep us safe, curious and creative, whilst gifting us incredible powers of memory and bamboozling brilliant imaginations.
Maximise your understanding of our miraculous minds!
Every human brain is utterly unique, with 180 billion brain cells which keep us safe, curious and creative, whilst gifting us incredible powers of memory and bamboozling brilliant imaginations.
Maximise your understanding of our miraculous minds!
We are brave around here.
Being bold and audacious is our way.
No subject is off limits in this brilliant guide to life.
From frenemies, crushes and consent to mental health, family dynamics and online addiction, this book will be the big sister you wish you had – answering all your most pressing questions, offering reassurances and helping you to understand your rights.
Be empowered to put your safety first and gain the confidence to speak up and live your best life!
A friendly, colourful guide covering all the need-to-knows about growing up.
COME ON A JOURNEY THROUGH CHILDHOOD with this anthology of twenty-two autobiographical stories from the very best writers in the disabled community.
From birthday parties, to navigating the sports field, to being given random free stuff, to juggling hospital visits alongside social lives . . .
These twenty-two true stories capture the highs and lows, the tears and laughter, the friendships and fallouts of growing up with a disability.
Whether you’re disabled yourself, or know someone who is, or want to better understand the experience, this book is a window into the young lives of these disabled writers: their stories, in their own words.
Edited by James Catchpole, Lucy Catchpole and Jen Campbell. With contributions from Ali Abbas, Polly Atkin, Imani Barbarin, Jen Campbell, James Catchpole, Christa Couture, Carly Findlay, M. Leona Godin, Eugene Grant, Jan Grue, Matilda Feyisayo Ibini, Ilya Kaminsky, Sora J. Kasuga, Jessica Kellgren-Fozard, Elle McNicoll, Daniel Sluman, Nina Tame, Rebekah Taussig, Steven Verdile, Alex Wegman, Ashley Harris Whaley and Kendra Winchester. Illustrated by Sophie Kamlish.
Inspired by faery myth and folklore, the haunting, heart wrenching tale of a girl called Nettle in a dark, foreboding faery kingdom, for fans of Holly Black’s The Folk of the Air series and Twin Crowns.
Welcome to a world of glittering courts, dangerous bargains and dazzling trickery…
A wild misfit in the human world, Nettle is enthralled by the glamour of the faery realm, with its two moons and scarlet stars. She grows close to Conor, a human stolen centuries before, and she also falls under the spell of mysterious Ellion, a Shadow Faery. To try to help her beloved grandmother who is fading in her world, Nettle makes a pact with the faery king. He’ll heal her grandmother in exchange for Nettle completing three tasks. She agrees, not realising that deception lurks in this enchanted place, and that she has been tricked…
In this dangerous fantasy kingdom Nettle discovers, too late, her part in an age-old love story and the price she will pay.
An astonishing magical adventure story from the award-winning Ross MacKenzie.
They would like to turn and run, but are frozen in place…
A hand is reaching through the curtain of moonlight.
Thirteen-year-old Samm Wolfback is a faerae who relies on no one. But when he is drawn into a secret plan to escape the faerae refugee camp, he must put his trust in others and embark on a perilous journey. From a circus of nightmares to a murderous museum, Samm’s path is riddled with danger. And coming his way is an unsuspecting human boy, Ally, with a magical power he can’t control . . .
Nobody talks about the strange happenings in Maimsbury. No one speaks of the hooded figures glimpsed in the woods, nor the children’s game that went so horribly wrong. But most of all, nobody dares whisper their doubts about the river they have worshipped for centuries.
Like everyone in Maimsbury, Gorse is used to the sacrifices made every spring to the River Yeelde. The life of a farm animal – in return for a year of plenty – seems a fair trade. That is, until a tragedy leads Gorse to a blood-curdling discovery.
Because this year is a Brim Year, and after giving so much, the river needs more than an animal’s life to sate its thirst…
Being able to clearly and confidently articulate ideas, to engage in discussion, and to listen actively to others are critical life skills that everybody should have, and ‘How to Speak and Be Heard’ is an engaging read, which sets out to provide children with the necessary tools to develop these important skills.
This colourful book provides a relatable rationale for developing oracy skills – it looks at how the way people communicate on a daily basis (not only when they are speaking publicly) impacts whether their voice is heard. Importantly, the book also considers non-verbal form of communication including sign language, facial expressions and body language.
This KS2 book looks at all aspects of oracy and provides clear steps for readers to take and activities for them to engage in to help them to become better communicators in every day life and to be able adapt their communication style in different situations. This is an essential, well-written and informative tool kit for children and an excellent teaching resource for both teachers and parents.
Set in the freezing Nova Scotia winter, A Million Tiny Missiles All At Once draws on Lucas Maxwell’s upbringing to set the scene for his breath taking debut novel.
Dropping back ten years as an introduction Maxwell deftly utilises an incident from Elias’s early childhood to give a meaningful insight into who Elias is and how autism affects him. Back then, Elias knows his brother Bo would go to the ends of the earth to look after him but Bo has grown more distant and barely grunts at him nowadays, his parents are arguing and he knows he needs to do something about it. A talent show at the school could just be the key to helping but will it be too little too late?
Beautifully eloquent, heart-breaking yet uplifting, Maxwell doesn’t hide from the, at times, harsh reality of life. Dealing with a life spiralling due to addiction and associated debts, neurodiversity, poverty and the physical and mental strains that can put on families. This is also a story of hope, of the kindness of friends and strangers, of the power of human strength and determination in the face of adversity when powered by love. If that all seems to heavy for some, Maxwell also peppers the story with a series of puns, from Elias in preparation for his comedy sketch at the talent show, which you can’t help but chuckle at, confusing anyone who happens to observe you reading it. Quite how so much can be squeezed into such a relatively concise text is somewhat baffling, but it unequivocally works.
The Department for Education has teamed up with the National Literacy Trust to launch a National Year of Reading in 2026 to revitalise reading engagement across the UK. At BooksForTopics, we are supporting this initiative by showcasing the very best in recently published children’s literature. We believe that introducing pupils to fresh, contemporary voices and modern storytelling is one of the most effective ways to build a vibrant Reading for Pleasure culture.
Our experts have curated this Year of Reading book collection to feature the latest “must-read” titles, ensuring your school library stays current and exciting. By aligning these new releases with our established Year Group Recommended Reads and specialised Topic Lists, we’ve created a roadmap for teachers to integrate the newest bookshelf favourites into their daily practice.
To help you navigate the National Year of Reading with the latest titles, we have highlighted these standout picks:
EYFS & Year 1: For our youngest learners, the recently published The Biggest Breakfast has a timeless and fun appeal, also featured in our Preschool Recommended Reads. For a barrel of laughs, younger primary children will also love We Are Definitely Human and Dotty Doughnut.
Year 2: As children move towards independent reading, new adventures with Luna Grace or Watts & Whiskerton serve as a brilliant “bridge”. These titles are a core recommendation for readers ready for early chapter books.
Year 3: Visual literacy is a major focus for 2026, and the recently released Pablo and Splash: Frozen in Time is already a firm favourite. This graphic novel is a highlight of our Graphic Novel Reading List, offering a high-speed, modern entry point for all readers.
Year 4: For laugh-out-loud relatable fiction, we highly recommend the recent release The Misadventures of Mina Mahmood: School Trip. It holds a prominent spot on our Year 4 Recommended Reads list. Another fun choice is Traitor Island, which offers a choose-your-own-adventure style twist that our review panel described as a ‘an interactive and immersive read.’
Year 5: Developing stamina in upper KS2 is made easier with contemporary hits like Bobby Bains Plays a Blinder. This book is a key part of our Year 5 Reading for Pleasure list, offering inclusive, modern storytelling that resonates with today’s pupils.
Year 6: For older readers who crave high-stakes tension, the latest from Christopher Edge, Escape Room: Game Zero, is an essential pick which combines cutting-edge themes with intense narrative drive.
Beyond fiction, this collection includes recent non-fiction gems that bring subjects to life. There Was a Roman in Your Garden is a fresh addition to our Romans Topic Booklist, while the new Hunt for the Golden Scarab offers a thrilling hook for those exploring the Ancient Egypt theme. For budding KS1 scientists, the recently published The Great Pollination Investigation fits perfectly within our Science & STEM book recommendations.
Explore the full collection of new 2026 releases below and remember that schools can save 20% on school book packs via our partners at Peters when ordering these sets.
Young readers can even record their reading on our printable checklist!
Omnibird’s subtitle, ‘An avian investigator’s handbook’, sums this book up well. This is no dry and dusty bird guide, this is an investigator’s handbook full of hints and tips and guides to reading clues in order to help the reader play detective and identify the birds who live all around us. From the shape of their wings to the sounds they make and their colouring and patterns, this book covers all the things to look for when trying to identify a bird.
With sections on how eggs are formed, the various jobs birds do in our environment and even the steps to take to help rescue a bird trapped indoors, as well as information on many of our most familiar birds, this is a fascinating book for both budding ornithologists, as well as anyone with an interest in the natural world.
The illustrations are bright and eye-catching and the information is laid out in a very accessible, child-friendly, humorous way. A brilliant addition to any primary classroom or library.
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