Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Age Group: KS3 (Ages 11-14)

A gripping tale of conflict and survival that has inspired millions of young readers and adults alike, with three million copies sold worldwide

Eleven-year-old Salva is forced to flee on foot when his village comes under attack. Braving every imaginable hardship – including killer lions and hungry crocodiles – he is one of the ‘lost boys’ travelling the African continent on foot in search of his family and a safe place to stay.

Nya goes to the pond two times a day to fetch water. It takes her eight hours. But there is unexpected hope, as these two stories set in Sudan – one unfolding in 2008 and one in 1985 – go on to intersect with Nya’s in an astonishing and moving way.

Chapter book

Ten strangers trapped in a television studio Forty-two remote cameras One rule: Trust no one When a casting call is announced for new reality TV show Lie or Die, Kass is tricked into auditioning by her best friend. Big Brother meets Mafia, Lie or Die pits contestants against each other as they try to discover who is a murderous agent and who is an innocent player. But when contestants start to turn up dead (the real kind, not the fake kind), Kass realises that not being eliminated and winning the game is the least of her worries. No longer a game of truth and lies, Kass and her friends are in a fight for survival. ‘Reality’ just got very real.

Discover the groundbreaking Korean YA thriller, for fans of Squid Game, Black Mirror and The Hunger Games.

Raised in a climate-ravaged, frozen world, every day is a struggle for survival for Chobahm. Her only solace comes in the form of twenty-four-hour reality television shows, streamed directly from Snowglobe – the climate-controlled domed city at the heart of her world, and the only warm place left on the planet.

The citizens of Snowglobe have everything: fame, fortune and, above all, safety from the frigid wasteland outside their walls. In exchange, their lives are broadcast to the less fortunate of their world, who watch eagerly, hoping for the chance to one day become an actor themselves and join their ranks.

Chobahm is one of the dreamers. But her life changes in an instant when she is visited by two strangers from Snowglobe, who deliver earth-shattering news: Goh Haeri, Snowglobe’s biggest star has died – and because of Chobahm’s striking resemblance to her, she’s been chosen to take her place.

Given the chance of a lifetime, Chobahm agrees to enter Snowglobe and take on Haeri’s identity. Within the domed city’s walls, she will finally have the existence she’s always dreamed of – but if life in Snowglobe is so great, why did Haeri seem so desperate to escape it?

Translated from its original Korean by Joungmin Lee Comfort, the critically acclaimed Snowglobe is a page-turning thriller with twists around every corner.

Mira Levenson is bursting with excitement as she flies to India to stay with her aunt and cousin for the first time. As soon as she lands Mira is hurled into the sweltering heat and a place full of new sights, sounds, and deeply buried family secrets . . . From the moment Mira meets Janu she feels an instant connection. He becomes her guide, showing her both the beauty and the chaos of Kolkata. Nothing is as she imagined it – and suddenly home feels a long way away.

Before Mira leaves India she is determined to uncover the truth about her family, whatever it takes, and she must also make a decision that will break someone’s heart.

Back on track is a no-nonsense guide to when things aren’t going to plan in secondary school. This guide is divided into 8 short chapters covering topics such as The Meh Monster and Fitting back in.

It’s easy to read with lots of funny bits along the way. As an adult and a parent, a lot of the messages resonated with me, especially “Find your normal in a world that’s not at all normal”. There are lots of tips and comforting words for when things aren’t going so well.

This book is targeted at secondary school pupils and could be a useful tool for those transitioning between key stages.

When I first picked up A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, I was curious to see why it had become such a hit with teenagers. Very quickly, I found myself completely drawn in. Holly Jackson has written a gripping, clever mystery that feels both modern and accessible, while still offering plenty of depth for discussion.

The story centres on Pippa Fitz-Amobi, a sixth-form student who decides to re-investigate a local murder for her school project. What begins as a straightforward academic exercise soon turns into something much darker, as she uncovers secrets the town has worked hard to keep hidden.

As a teacher, I was struck by how well the book models critical thinking skills. Pippa questions assumptions, evaluates evidence, and reflects on bias – skills we encourage in the classroom across subjects. It also raises important issues for discussion, including truth, justice, and how we decide whose voices are believed. These themes make it more than just a page-turner; it’s a book that invites students to think deeply about the world around them.

Does anyone ever really want to ‘fall’ in love? Knowing me I’ll just trip over it and graze my knee on the gravel of humiliation.

Haylah Swinton is fairly confident she’s brilliant at being a girl.

She’s an ace best friend, a loving daughter, and an INCREDIBLY patient sister to her four-year-old total nutter of a brother, Noah.

But she has a secret. She wants to be a stand-up comedian, but she’s pretty sure girls like her – big girls, girls who don’t get all the boys, girls who a lot of people don’t see – don’t belong on stage.

That hasn’t stopped her dreaming though, and when the seemingly perfect opportunity to write routines for older, cooler, impossibly funny Leo arises . . . well, what’s a girl to do? But is Leo quite an interested in helping Haylah as he says he is?

Will Haylah ever find the courage to step into the spotlight herself? And when oh when will people stop telling her she’s ‘funny for a girl’?!

A gripping and moving novel by one of the world’s best-loved writers for children.

From much-loved author Shirley Hughes comes a thrilling World War II novel for children aged 10 and up. It is 1944 and Florence, Italy, is occupied by Nazi German forces. The Italian resistance movement has not given up hope, though – and neither have Paolo and his sister, Constanza. Both are desperate to fight the occupation, but what can two siblings do against a whole army with only a bicycle to help them? In extraordinary circumstances, people are capable of extraordinary things…

In this inspiring and confidence-boosting guide, the cyclist Sir Chris Hoy, six-time Olympic Champion, shows kids that with the right mindset, they have the power to do something extraordinary.

As a boy, Chris Hoy never would have believed that he could have achieved his dream of becoming an Olympic Champion. In his first motivational book for children, he shares everything he has learned on his journey to help inspire kids to fulfil their potential and be the best they can be.

The book brings together his incredible personal story with practical ideas for building confidence, resilience and self-belief, as well as dealing with failure. An essential read for any young person with a big dream, this guide shows that anything is possible with a positive attitude!

A brisk guide for the aspirant bike rider all the way from choosing a first bike to techniques for wheelies and bunny hops and the finer points of riding in a group. This multi-layering of information makes this an inspirational read on many levels.

Who doesn’t remember what it feels like to be a young person on a bike. Cycling offers kids an unrivalled freedom and independence. With global cycling trends on a new, post-pandemic high, ever more young people are experiencing the joys of the beautiful machine.

This book is aimed at young people who are already proficient cyclists and are keen to learn more. It explains all the basics: How to choose a bike (types of bike, getting the right fit), basic maintenance (changing a tire, cleaning your bike), cycling techniques (pedalling, gearing, cornering, bunny hops) and next level cycling (competitions and training).

Alongside these informative texts there is a cornucopia of facts and trivia about the unusual habits of famous cyclists, the weirdest, biggest, furthest and longest bikes and journeys, the most useful cycling life-hacks, etc.

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Stone Girl Bone Girl

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