Age Group: KS3 (Ages 11-14)

Kamari Brown and his First Million

Chapter book

13-year-old Kamari Brown, tries to help his poor family out with get rich schemes, but they get him more trouble than money. Until the track of a best-selling rapper gets mixed up with one of his songs and he becomes the hottest property in music. He gets interviews, photoshoots, and an invite to the greatest party ever.

Things go great until he finds out about the mix-up. Will other people find out? Will he own up? One thing’s for sure; nothing will go as planned.

The book is a MG/teen comedy with a diverse set of characters. Exploring real world issues, and the importance of honesty, friendship and family.

TEN Children Who Changed The World

Paterson Joseph & Rumbidzai Savanhu

Non-fiction

THE DEBUT CHILDREN’S BOOK FROM AWARD-WINNING AND BESTSELLING AUTHOR AND ACTOR PATERSON JOSEPH.

MEET THE TEN …

Goddaughter to the Queen of England. Human rights activist. Librarian and author. Former slave . . . These ten inspiring children grew up in a time when slavery was still legal in most of the world and people who looked like them weren’t expected to become important. But they did! The ten all went on to change the world through their acts of rebellion, bravery and adventure that helped secure their freedom and the freedom of so many from slavery.

But how did these inspirational people change the world? To answer that, we’ll have to go back in time and met the ten aged ten, where their stories truly began . . .

· Meet Seaman William Brown, real name unknown, who’s love of adventure finds her sneaking aboard a British Royal Navy ship disguised as a man to explore the world beyond Grenada.

· Get to know Ira Frederick Aldridge as he joins the Free African Americans School in New York and discovers his love of performing.

· Celebrate Billy Sancho’s tenth birthday around the corner from Downing Street, London. Little does he know that he will become the first black librarian.

· Return to Africa with Omoba Ina (know as Sara Forbes Bonetta), who has been sent to Sierra Leone by her godmother Queen Victoria, to become a missionary.

Discover the untold stories of these remarkable children as well as Phillis Wheatley, Ira Frederick Aldridge, Dido Elizabeth Belle, John Edmonstone, William Cuffay, and Mary Prince Daniels. From Wonka actor and award-winning author of The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho, Paterson Joseph.

Year Group Booklists: 50 Recommended Reads

Best Books for Each School Year Group

Newly updated: June 2026!

Each of our Year Group Recommended Reads lists contains 50 books specially picked out for reading for pleasure in each school year group, from Preschool to Year 9. The lists are designed to provide recommendations of age-appropriate and accessible books across a range of genres and styles.

When we put together each list, we look for a balance across different genres and styles. Some children naturally navigate towards non-fiction, while others find graphic novels or poetry the most enjoyable forms to pick up and read.

Each list contains a balance of age-appropriate fiction, picturebooks, non-fiction, poetry and graphic novels, with a handful of novelty or tactile books added in too. We’ve also aimed to collate lists that cater for different reading styles, interest levels, publication dates (you’ll find some true golden oldies as well as brand new titles on each list) and also books that contain a diversity of characters and settings. This way, schools using our lists can offer children access to a wealth of quality reading choices to enjoy.

Each Year Group Booklist comes with a printable poster and checklist and is also available to purchase as a full book pack from Peters.

Becoming Grace

Hilary McKay & Keith Robinson

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

Award-winning Hilary McKay brings the childhood of Victorian heroine Grace Darling to life in this heartfelt reimagining of her life up to and including the Forfarshire shipwreck.

Despite her fear of boats, Grace Darling loves her life as the daughter of a lighthouse keeper and spends fun-filled childhood days with her three sisters, four brothers, numerous goats, chickens, cats and her beloved dog, Happy.

The only shadows come from the many shipwrecks caused by the poor location of their lighthouse, a problem that seems to be fixed when a new one is built further out on the remote Longstone Rock.

But in September 1838, a steamship called the Forfarshire is wrecked on the dangerous Harcar Rock. Grace alerts her father to survivors, but can she find the courage to help him row out through the mountainous waves to rescue them?

Particularly suitable for readers aged 9+ with a reading age of 8.

Wrong Tracks

Susan Brownrigg

Chapter book

Who is sabotaging the Rainhill Trials?

It is 1829. Everyone is talking about the exciting new railways and young Edward Entwistle cannot believe his good fortune: a chance encounter sees him offered a job at the Stephensons’ Steam Locomotive Manufactory.

The Stephensons are preparing for an important competition – The Rainhill Trials. A race of innovation and daring which will award the winner a contract to run the new Liverpool & Manchester Rail Way. Edward must protect the father and son inventors’ latest creation – their precious Premium Engine – but strange and dangerous accidents keep stalling construction.

Edward and his new loco-mad friend Prudence soon realise someone is trying to scupper the Stephensons’ chances. It is up to the friends to spot sabotage and chase down spies in a thrilling race against the clock.

Inspired by the Rainhill Trials.

The Dawn of Adonis

Phil Earle

Chapter book

From the bestselling author of When the Sky Falls and Finn’s Epic Fails comes the heart-wrenching story of a baby gorilla, Adonis, born into captivity, and the twelve-year-old girl who risks everything to rescue him.

In 1911, before the start of World War One, London’s docks thrum with underhand deals, none so great as the arrival of a valuable, rare and exotic animal – a baby silverback gorilla. The baby gorilla stands to make one man very, very rich. Heaven help anyone who gets in his way. But then one night a twelve-year-old girl is unwittingly drawn into his criminal underworld. Can she find a way to escape and rescue the baby gorilla?

The hotly anticipated follow-up to the multi-award-winning story about the incredible friendship between a young boy and a silverback gorilla in the Second World War, inspired by a true story: When the Sky Falls.

‘This richly atmospheric adventure . . . confirms Earle as a master of his craft’ Daily Mail
‘Nobody writes striking, heartfelt adventure like Phil Earle. I loved it!’ Ross Montgomery
‘It’s a tremendous nail-biting read, tender and terrifying in equal measure’ Jacqueline Wilson

Praise for When the Sky Falls:
‘A magnificent story’ Philip Pullman
‘Deeply felt, movingly written, a remarkable achievement’ Michael Morpurgo

Perfect for fans of War Horse, I Am Rebel and The Last Bear

To War With Wallace

Barbara Henderson

Chapter book

Scottish Wars of Independence, 1297. Scottish resistance has been crushed, and King Edward, Hammer of the Scots, now rules the North. Doesn’t he?

At Chester Castle, young apprentice armourer Harry has no idea just how much his life is going to change from the moment he is told to guard an imprisoned Scottish nobleman: the rebel Andrew de Moray. The boy’s momentary carelessness gives the prisoner all he needs: an opportunity to escape. Harry finds himself kidnapped, and on his way to Scotland.

Soon, he is caught up in the Northern Rising with its skirmishes and stealth attacks. But these are nothing to the storm of questions in Harry’s mind: Whose cause is right? Why has his new master joined forces with the outlaw William Wallace? Can his new friend Euphemia be trusted?

As arrows fly and swords clash at the battle of Stirling Bridge, Harry must choose: Whose side is he on?

Under the London Sky

Anna Woltz

Chapter book

A Telegraph best new children’s book

A Daily Mail book of the year

London, September 1940. Deep in the Underground, taking shelter from the bombs, four teenagers meet.

Without the Blitz, they never would have met.

Fourteen-year-old Ella walks with a limp. Some days, she feels like a laughing stock. Other days, like no one sees her at all. Quinn is fifteen, fancy and fearless. She’s run away from home with a bag of family jewels and big ideas about changing the world. Jack is sixteen and doesn’t care about anything anymore – he’s already lost it all. And then there’s Sebastian, Quinn’s older brother. He used to be her hero. Until he became a traitor

A coming-of-age historical novel for teens from internationally bestselling children’s author, Anna Woltz.

Lobster Blues

Jacqueline King

Chapter book

Winter, 1942, and eighteen months since the Germans invaded the beautiful island of Jersey.

For Joe, Spinner, Clem and Ginger, memories of carefree days are fading. They try to lift everyone’s spirits with their band, and they play tricks on the enemy. The local newspaper is controlled by the Germans, there’s no post to England and telephone calls are monitored.
Everybody is hungry.

16 year-old Clem is angry. His brother’s been killed in action and his father is unwell. Then he and Joe discover that Russian slave labourers have been brought to Jersey to build bunkers for the German army. These prisoners are beaten, starving and desperate.

The gang devise a plan. What if they can help the prisoners? Risking life and limb, they embark on an adventure to help in any way they can. But danger lurks in every corner and will it make it worse?

Jacqueline King is a Channel Islander living in Somerset.