Age Group: KS3 (Ages 11-14)

Coram Boy

Chapter book

The Coram Man travels around the country and collects the newborn babies from desperate mothers who are promised that their children will be delivered safely to a foundling hospital. Unbeknownst to them, Otis kills and deposits the infants along the side of the road.

Otis is the Coram Man and has his son Meshak to help him with his business, as well as collecting and selling unwanted children. They find themselves entwined with a wealthy family, the Ashbrooks, after Meshak decides to save one of the babies, Aaron. Aaron grows up with his guardian angel ‘Mish’ watching over him in the foundling hospital. Aaron finds himself being pulled closer to his real family through his talent in music; however, just as things are starting to look up, the Coram man reappears and is back to his evil ways.

This book is a gothic novel split into two parts. It highlights some of the horrors of life during the 18th century – the hardships, the poverty and the importance of wealthy women being seen as proper at all times. The prologue starts the book’s theme off by sharing a story about a wealthy woman abandoning six of her children and keeping only one by asking her midwife to drown the other six.

The story has historic themes and is suitable for mature readers who can handle sensitive topics. This is a dark story with some difficult parts, but also one that will reward readers with its gripping and thought-stirring narrative.

The Bubble Wrap Boy

Phil Earle

Chapter book

‘The Bubble Wrap Boy’ is a coming-of-age novel which will make you howl with laughter and cry with heartache. Phil Earl tells the story of a teenage boy Charlie, who feels lost and isolated, until he finds his passion: skateboarding. The only issue is his overprotective mother, who will do everything in her power to ruin his fun and consequently, all chances of being popular at school. Interweaved within hilarious plot twists and teenage angst, is a powerful message of friendship, loyalty and resilience.

The story is told with utter brilliance as Earl manages to capture the point of view of a misunderstood young boy, who shows that anything can be achieved if you put your mind to it. This novel is undoubtedly a modern classic, which conveys some important messages for young people today.

How To Be Disabled and Proud: (or at least kinda sorta okay with it…)

Cathy Reay

Non-fiction

A really well-presented, beautifully thought-out book. The layout makes it easy to dip in and out of and is very visually appealing to a reader. The author’s introduction is heart-warming and inspirational, with clear messages that ‘disabled is not a bad word.’ Though the title might lead you to believe that the main audience is the disabled population, it is also a great read for non-disabled readers to understand the best ways to support their disabled peers and loved ones, and to understand that we all must advocate for a more accessible, accepting world.

This is best for Key Stage 2 pupils and is definitely a book which should become a classroom staple read to pupils as an enjoyable text and not simply popped in the library to hit a diversity quota.

Rebel Heart

Ally Sherrick

Chapter book

Rebel Heart is an exciting adventure story set during the reign of King Charles I and the English Civil War. The main character is a girl called Merriweather Pryce, the daughter of a warrior fighting for the king. She decides, after hearing about Oliver Cromwell and his plans to divide the country, to leave her home and find a safe place to live. The story’s setting makes it unique, and the character is wonderfully feisty. However, the character of Merlin will undoubtedly become a favourite. The raven beings addional mystery and intrigue to the story.

It’s a fantastic class reader and offers a fresh perspective on this period in history. It would be suitable for upper Key Stage Two.

Rat

Patrice Lawrence

Chapter book

Al lives in a council flat with his Mum until she is sent back to prison. Al’s Dad is absent, so his gran enlists the help of his half sister Plum to prevent him from returning into care. Al wants to get his revenge on the neighbour whom he believes sent her there. The only friends he feels he can rely on are Venom and Vulture, his pet rats, but with their help, he thinks he has the perfect plan…

Award winning author, Patrice Lawrence, has once again woven a story that brilliantly brings together characters, that each pull at your heart, while artfully introducing threads to the plot that further enrich those deep complex relationships and mean you can’t put the book down as you will Al to find happiness of his own.

This is a story that feels full of pain and loss, but equally full of love, joy, hope and understanding sometimes from the most unlikely of sources. Space is given in the book for young readers to further independently explore the book with guided questions and additional information about some of the topics and words used.

The Bone Sparrow

Zana Fraillon

Chapter book

‘The Bone Sparrow’ is a poignant and beautifully written book that is hard to put down.

The story follows Subhi, who is a refugee born in an immigration detention centre. As explained in the afterword of the story, Subhi and his family are Rohingya, and there are traditional tales woven into the book. The afterword is very informative and clearly explains different aspects of the characters, history and what is happening in Australia and around the world.

This book is raw – not an easy read for children, but an emotionally rewarding one. Readers will find themselves fully invested in the story and better educated about the lives of others.

Global

Andrew Donkin & Eoin Colfer & Giovanni Rigano

Graphic novel

This ambitious graphic novel highlights the devastating effects of climate change through the lives of two children on either side of the globe.

In the Bay of Bengal, Sami has lost his home, both his parents and the family’s lucky knife to a cyclone some years before. Now he and his grandfather are struggling to catch anything on their fishing trips and the cyclones are becoming fiercer and more frequent. Sami is set on recovering the knife, hoping that it will restore their good fortune, but doing so means disobeying his grandfather and taking risks that may threaten them all.

Meanwhil, Yuki lives north of the Arctic Circle where she too undertakes a dangerous mission. Setting off into the icy wilderness with her dog, Locky, she is determined to track a grolar bear – a cross-breed between a grizzly and a polar bear whose territories have collided as the climate has warmed. Soon it’s the grolar bear that is tracking Yuki and Locky. Can their close bond and indomitable spirit save them?

Subtly different colour palettes differentiate the two worlds and the switch from one to the other enables thrilling cliffhangers as each child in turn is flung into jeopardy. The pictures carry much of the emotional weight of the story too, conveying the impact of terrifying natural disasters on humans in marginalised communities. The greater the sense of panic, the more the reader has to look closely to make sense of the deliberately disordered illustrations.

Despite everything, the story never loses its faith in humanity. Sami’s grandfather is a model of how to behave with generosity and empathy no matter how bad things get and the story ends with a hope of connection, as a chance find puts the two children in touch with each other. It’s a gripping and emotional read that doesn’t shy away from its message and yet remains positive and uplifting – definitely a story not to miss!

The Things We Leave Behind

Clare Furniss

Chapter book

How I Live Now meets Exodus – a startling YA dystopia that imagines London as the epicentre of the refugee crisis, from critically acclaimed author Clare Furniss.

Civil unrest in London has reached an all-time high after years of a growing authoritarian regime, and it’s no longer safe for Clem and her half-sister Billie in the city. Clem tells of their treacherous journey to Scotland, by road and then by sea, fleeing with nothing but a notebook filled with stories and memories of home. But is there something Clem’s not saying? And how will this journey – and the sisters’ story – end? With the start of a new life? Or a mirror held up to the past?

Read For Empathy – Secondary

Read for Empathy 2026 Booklist – Secondary Collection

Updated 2026 booklist!

“Science shows that empathy is learnable and that reading is an important empathy-building tool. This collection will help parents and educators to surround children with empathy experiences, inspiring them to understand others better, and tackle societal problems like racism.” EmpathyLab Founder Miranda McKearney OBE.

The aim of the Read for Empathy collection is for schools, libraries, families and community groups to use the books to help raise a generation with strong empathy skills. Chosen by expert judges, the secondary collection showcases 25 fiction and non-fiction books for 12-16 year olds.

There is also a primary empathy booklist which features picturebooks, novels, poetry, non-fiction and graphic novels for ages 3-11.

Each title on this list was selected because of its empathy-building job, offering young readers the opportunity to expand their understanding of different people and life experiences, and helping them to find ways of experiencing and building empathy.

The 2026 Read For Empathy book collection comes at a time when empathising with others has never been needed more. Contemporary themes highlight the big social issues our children face, including characters affected by poverty, prejudice and racism. Many books underline the importance of understanding other people’s points of view, and respecting differences.

Others address the urgent need for empathy for the environment, the conflicting expectations placed on young people, and empathy’s power to build stronger communities.

More information is available on the Empathy Lab website.

Normal Women: Making History for 900 Years (Teen Edition)

Alexis Snell & Philippa Gregory

Non-fiction

Normal Women by Philippa Gregory is a bold, eye-opening dive into the hidden histories of women in Britain – and is not your typical historical non-fiction. Aimed squarely at teens and young adults, this is an empowering and unflinching look at the lives of real women through the ages, from rebels and revolutionaries to everyday figures whose stories have too often been untold.

Gregory, best known for her historical fiction, turns her sharp storytelling skills and deep research to a new audience. She reclaims women’s historical roles with a refreshing, no-nonsense tone, refusing to sanitise or soften the truth. Rather than focusing on queens and noblewomen (as she points out), Gregory celebrates the “normal” women – the working-class, the enslaved, the protestors, the thinkers, the mothers, the childless, the defiant – and the roles they played in shaping the world.

This book encourages critical thinking about the narratives we’ve been taught. Gregory doesn’t just add women to history—she questions why they were left out in the first place. It’s a powerful invitation for young people to reflect on their place in the world and the systems they’re growing up within. The language is accessible and conversational, making it highly readable for secondary-age students while still grounded in rich, historical evidence.

For secondary pupils, the book could be a brilliant companion text to enrich studies in History, PSHE, or English. It also offers plenty of cross-curricular potential – opening doors to discussion, debate, and a deeper understanding of both history and the present day. It might also be a great book club choice for mature, socially aware readers ready to engage with feminist thought and historical injustices.

Philippa Gregory has undoubtedly delivered something special here: an unflinching, inspiring, and much-needed reminder that “normal” women have always been anything but ordinary.

Best Books by Age

Popular Children's Authors

Age Group: KS3 (Ages 11-14)

Read for Empathy 2026 Booklist – Secondary Collection

NEWS: BooksForTopics Launches 2026-2027 Year Group Booklists

NEWS: Entries Open for the HarperCollins Reading for Pleasure Awards 2026

The Rise of the ‘Comic Strip Myth’ in the Classroom (plus Giveaway!) – Stephen Davies

Subscribe to our newsletter

Your Review