Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Age Group: KS3 (Ages 11-14)

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (Hardback Deluxe Collector’s Edition)

Chapter book

A gorgeous, foiled, clothbound edition of THE LIGHTNING THIEF with brand new interior art – a must-have for all Percy Jackson fans!

The son of a sea god has never looked so good!

Rick Riordan’s classic first novel, THE LIGHTNING THIEF, has been dressed up in a deluxe, clothbound edition with a foiled cover, stained edges, a marker ribbon, ten pages of new interior illustrations, and notes from Rick. The perfect edition to beautify any book collector’s shelf.

Return to the World of Percy Jackson in the best-selling, new adventure featuring the original hero in Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Chalice of the Gods – out now!

Football School Facts: A Fact for Every Day of the Year

Non-fiction

Welcome to Football School Facts! It’s a book of facts and so let’s start with an important one: football is the best sport in the world.

– Did you know that Erling Haaland is a record-breaking goalscoring machine?
– That a player was once sent off for farting on the pitch?
– Or that Diego Maradona has a religion named after him?

Discover all this and much, much more all about your favourite players, great goals, super stadiums and marvellous mascots – the perfect gift for all young fans and their families to enjoy.

The Cartoonists Club

Raina Telgemeier & Scott McCloud

Graphic novel

Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud team up for a one-of-a-kind friendship story about creativity and self-expression.

Welcome to the club!

Makayla is bursting with ideas but doesn’t know how to make them into a story.

Howard loves to draw, but he struggles to come up with ideas and his dad thinks comics are a waste of time.

Lynda constantly draws in her sketchbook but keeps focusing on what she feels are mistakes, and Art simply loves being creative and is excited to try something new.

They come together to form The Cartoonists Club, where kids can learn about making comics and use their creativity and imagination for their own storytelling adventures!

A full colour graphic novel to inspire a new generation of young cartoonists!

BobLand

Matt Lucas

Chapter book

Dive in to this funny and heart-warming adventure from superstar author, Matt Lucas. With themes of creativity, resillience and being yourself this is perfect for young readers of 8-12 and a must-have gift for Christmas.

What’s better than the best theme park in the world…? The best theme park in the world – IN YOUR OWN GARDEN!!

Bob Grubb and his family live on a ramshackle smallholding backing on to the world-renowned theme park, Happey World, run by Arthur Happey and his dreadful granddaughter, Maisie. When Bob accidentally gets into Maisie’s bad books, he is banned from Happey World – FOR EVER. What is an entrepreneurial boy to do? Build his own theme park in his back garden, of course! With the help of friends and family, BOBLAND is go! But with Arthur and Maisie doing everything in their power to derail Bob’s plans, will they make it to the Grand Opening in one piece, where they are due to meet the king himself? And what is the big family secret that lurks beneath it all?

Discover even more laughs, thrills and candyfloss with Matt Lucas’ newest wonderful children’s novel, perfect for 8-12 year old readers!

The Rocks Book

Nancy Dickmann

Non-fiction

The ultimate introduction to rocks, minerals, and gemstones for kids – and grown-ups too!

What are rocks? How do fossils form? Are rocks different across the world? The Rocks Book has all the answers for curious readers, budding geologists – and petrologists! Learn about rocks from space, tips on how to collect rocks sustainably, and discover an epic directory of rocks and minerals to help kids identify treasures found on rock hunting trips.

Inside The Rocks Book:

An incredible breadth of knowledge about the planet’s many rocks and minerals written in an engaging and informative way for children and grown-ups alike
Rocks around the world are explored continent by continent across North America, South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, Oceania, Antarctica, and even Under the Sea
Fun sections and features including Rock Detectives and Be a Rock Collector! keep kids entertained and aid learning
Fascinating ‘Directory of Rocks and Minerals’ provides in-depth coverage of basalt, obsidian, sandstone, marble, gold, copper, and many more
Written by Nancy Dickmann, author of Lonely Planet Kids’ Amazing Night Sky Atlas and Amazing Ancient History Atlas

Find out what the world is made of, from top to bottom, with The Rocks Book – the latest addition to Lonely Planet Kids’ The Fact Book series. This is the ultimate study of rocks for geology-loving kids and the perfect gift for curious children who want to learn more about our planet.

The Wild Life of Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Animals

Mike Barfield & Paula Bossio

Non-fiction

Take a colourful tour through the prehistoric animal kingdom with this hilarious collection of non-fiction comics from award-winning author Mike Barfield and illustrator Paula Bossio.

From the earliest life forms living under the ocean, to the most fearsome dinosaurs, all the way through to early mammals like the woolly mammoth, this book tells the story of what life was really like on early Earth. Discover what these animals looked like, where they lived and how they survived (or didn’t) in the most extreme conditions.
Split into chapters covering the Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras, the book covers animals from all over the world, with each one telling its own life story. Also featured are ‘Dead Cool’ pages showing some of the stranger animals of each period, and ‘Living Legends’ pages looking at the true survivors who are still around today.
This is a funny, accessible guide to the astonishing animals who once thrived in a world that looked very different to the world of today.

Small Wonder

Ross Montgomery

Chapter book

Small Wonder by Ross Montgomery was the winner of the Children’s Book Award in 2025. Tick, his little brother, Leaf, and their horse, Pebble, are in an epic race across the country to safety before the gates close.

Summed up in 5 words: thrilling, epic, roller-coaster, danger and adventure!

The Secret of the Night Train

Sylvia Bishop

Chapter book

A jewel theft aboard a train that rattles across Europe. A little girl on her first solo trip. I loved the blend of realistic feelings, together with wonderful descriptions of new cities and, of course, plenty of adventure and excitement.

Summed up in 5 words: adventure, trains, Europe, jewel-theft and food!

Spirit Warriors

Ashley Thorpe

Chapter book

Spirit Warriors is a fantastic action-adventure where friendships are forged between two children and a cat when they battle the evil Blackheart Man for control of the island’s magic. It’s a huge amount of fun!

Magical, mysterious, spooky, historical and exciting!

Song of the Lioness: Alanna: The First Adventure

Tamora Pierce

Chapter book

11-year-old Alanna of Trebond dreams of becoming a knight, but like in all good adventure stories, her path is not easy. How can a girl become a knight? This is a book to pick up if you love swords, sorcery and very clever cats.

With themes of adventure, magic, bravery, identity and journeys.

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Age Group: KS3 (Ages 11-14)

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