Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Home

Age Group: Whole School

best books for primary school children

Best Primary Books for Children

50 Books for Primary School Children

Newly Updated – April 2024

Browse our reading list of 50 recommended books for Primary Schools. Update your class library or home book collections with our list of the best Primary School books, featuring everything from intergalactic snail adventures and unexpected unicorns to secret agent chameleons and mountain explorers.

This primary reading list includes books to read with children alongside books for them to read themselves. Featuring popular storytime reads like Gigantic and Pop!, early chapter books like Magic Faces, action-packed adventure books like The Glorious Race of Magical Beasts and top-notch non-fiction like How Do Meerkats Order Pizza?, this list really does have something for everyone.

This list has been put together based on a mix of titles taken from our popular individual year group reading lists and with the help of the team of librarians and booksellers at Peters.

If you’re a parent or teacher looking for the best books for Primary School children, look no further than our list. Whether you are looking for funny read-alouds, new releases or educational reads, we have something to suit every young reader’s interests. Our Primary School booklist includes both fiction and non-fiction recommendations to offer primary school children a deliciously tempting offering of reading-for-pleasure choices.

There is also a downloadable checklist and a printable poster, and schools can purchase full packs of these books from Peters or select packs of the KS2 books or KS1 books from the list.

 

best books for primary school children posterbest books for primary school children checklist

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are looking for more specific recommendations, you may like our Year Group Lists (see below) or Curriculum Topic Booklists.

Browse the primary school reading list below or scroll down to find more purchasing options and printable resources.

best childrens books about diverse families

All Different Families

Best Children’s Books about Diverse Families 

Families come in all shapes and sizes! Our All Different Families booklist is designed for anyone seeking to promote diversity and inclusion in their personal or school settings, including parents, teachers, and those looking for personal development.

This varied booklist of picturebooks and chapter books includes relatable stories representing children from a whole variety of family structures, as well as books that will help all children to encounter and understand a range of family types that may not look like their own.

From stories of foster families like The Star Outside my Window and The House with a Dragon in it, to families featuring same-sex parents like Who’s Your Real Mum and My Daddies, there’s something for all primary ages on this booklist.

best childrens books about australia

Australia Topic

Best Children’s Books about Australia

Australia’s enchanting landscapes – from the Outback to the Great Barrier Reef – are brought to life in this list of the best children’s books about Australia. These titles offer vibrant illustrations and engaging narratives to help young readers to discover Australia’s unique wildlife, indigenous cultures and fascinating history. Start young explorers off on their journey “down under” with this inspiring collection of books.

best childrens books about hearing loss

Hearing Loss and Deafness

Hearing Loss and Deafness Booklist

Our hearing loss booklist is designed for anyone seeking to promote diversity and inclusion in their personal or school settings, including parents, teachers, and those looking for personal development.

This varied booklist of picturebooks, chapter books and graphic novels includes relatable stories for children with hearing loss, as well as books that help all children to understand what it is like for deaf and hearing impaired people to navigate a world that isn’t always designed with them in mind.

From the inspiring real-life story of deaf musician Evelyn Glennie to the moving story of sudden hearing impairment in Stewart Foster’s chapter book Can You Feel the Noise?, there’s something for all primary ages on this booklist.

best childrens books about south america

South America Topic

Best Children’s Books About South America

South America boasts a rich cultural heritage and history alongside stunning landscapes. Introduce young readers to this fascinating topic with this list of the best children’s books about South America.

From the lush Amazon rainforest, through the majestic Andes mountains, to the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu, the geography of South America offers much to explore, as does the history of its people from ancient times to the rich diversity of its modern population.

Whether you are looking for an exciting chapter book adventure set in the Amazon like Katherine Rundell’s The Explorer, or unique picturebooks like the beautiful tale of The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay, we’ve got you covered. This booklist features the best children’s books to help young explorers study the topic of South America…

best childrens books about the slave trade

The Slave Trade

Recommended Children’s Books About The Slave Trade

Our list of the best children’s books about the slave trade is an essential guide to educating children about slavery in history in an age-appropriate way.

Children can discover stories of how Harriet Tubman helped to free hundreds of slaves in Trailblazers: Harriet Tubman, or how Mary Prince escaped slavery to become a key figure in the abolitionist movement in Mary Prince. Younger readers can join Paloma as she discovers her family’s history in Our Story Starts in Africa.

Rich with memoirs and tales of bravery and extraordinary journeys as well as exploring the wider themes of racism and exploitation, this varied selection of titles aims to illuminate the important topic of slavery in a way that children can engage and relate with.

 

Explorers and Exploration

Best children’s books about explorers and exploration

Join swashbuckling adventurers and brave pioneers in this list of the best children’s books about explorers and exploration. A journey through this handpicked selection of the best children’s books for an exploration topic is sure to inspire young readers to seek out new horizons!

Discover the fascinating world of legendary explorers in The Indestructible Tom Crean and Everest: The Remarkable Story of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. These tales get right to the heart of the explorer topic, championing courage and resilience while showcasing the triumph of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

For those eager to chart their own course of discovery, the Atlas of Great Journeys offers a lavishly illustrated, fact-packed tour of the world’s greatest journey, which can be enhanced with a unique augmented reality feature.

Our carefully curated list of children’s books celebrates the spirit of exploration and fosters a love for learning about the world’s unreached places. Discover the history of exploration and instil a sense of adventure in the hearts of young explorers, as they embark on a voyage of knowledge and imagination with this carefully selected list of children’s books all about explorers.

best books for children for autism awareness

Autism and Autistic Characters

Recommended children’s books about autism and autistic characters

Browse our booklist of recommended children’s books that foster awareness and understanding of autism. Our selection of books offers a range of perspectives on neurodiversity, exploring different experiences of autism including personal accounts and experiences of supporting family and friends. Books and stories can play an important role in raising awareness and promoting understanding towards autistic individuals as well as celebrating their strengths and talents and allowing children with autism to be represented in stories written by authors with similar experiences.

Our booklist is designed for anyone seeking to promote diversity and inclusion in their personal or school settings, including parents, teachers, and those looking for personal development. This varied booklist of picturebooks, chapter books and graphic novels includes relatable stories for autistic children, as well as books that help all children to understand what it is like for autistic people to navigate a world that isn’t always designed with them in mind and stories designed to celebrate neurodiversity.

best childrens books about king charles iii

King Charles III

Best Children’s Books about King Charles III

What better way to get to know our monarch than this list of the best children’s books about King Charles III? Featuring richly-illustrated books full of facts and fun stories for sharing, children will love learning about the King’s life story and passions, and the customs and traditions of his role.

Our list of recommended stories about the King provides a glimpse into the life of our monarch and offers a perfect blend of education and entertainment, making history come alive in an engaging and accessible way. For young readers looking to learn about the King’s life story and journey to coronation, this list will provide the most relevant recommended books such as The Boy Who Would Be King or Our King Charles.

For readers looking for fiction themed around the king, we recommended the entertaining illustrated picturebook The King’s Hats or a royal encounter with a favourite character in Winnie The Pooh Meets the King.

Whether it’s a bedtime story or a classroom adventure, join us on this enchanting journey through living history and introduce young children to the royal world of King Charles III.

What's new on BooksForTopics?

Join our Mailing List

For the latest news on primary books and our booklists, as well as a chance to win in on one of our regular giveaways, sign up to our mailing list!

Subscribe
BooksForTopics
Email: [email protected]
Subscribe to our Mailing List
Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest Tiktok

Booklists by Topic

Booklists by Age

More About Us

Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, BooksForTopics earns from qualifying purchases.

As an affiliate partner of Bookshop.Org and Peters, BooksForTopics may earn from qualifying purchases. Click here to learn more.

Website designed by Speckled Frog

© BooksForTopics 2015-2024

Subscribe to our newsletter

Your Review

Stone Girl Bone Girl

review

Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:

Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:

Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?

Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?

Would you recommend the book for use in primary schools?

yes

Curriculum links (if relevant)

Curriculum links (if relevant)

Any other comments

Any other comments