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Age Group: Year 1

Recommended children’s books about people who help us

Discover the world of key workers! From teachers and bin lorry drivers to medics and police officers, this collection offers a fascinating insight into the people whose job it is to help us. This list offers the best children’s books about people who help us, and features illustrated storybooks alongside lift-the-flap explorations of emergency vehicles to introduce young children to a host of helping jobs.

Best children’s books about farms

Whether it’s the animal characters who live in the farmyard, the exciting machinery or how farms help to get food onto our plates, this collection covers all aspects of life on the farm in an entertaining and informative way. From fun rhymes about an animal talent contest to informative non-fiction texts about tractors and milking, there’s plenty to discover in the Down On the Farm topic. Roll your sleeves up and get stuck into this list of the best children’s stories about farms, farmyard animals and where our food comes from.

Recommended children’s books about animals and their habitats

Books about animals are wildly popular with young children. In KS1 Science, children learn to identify and name common animals including those living in the local area as well as animals from habitats around the world. Children will learn to group animals according to what they eat or look like, to match animals to their babies and to describe the basic needs of living creatures.

Whether it’s story books about talking animals, funny books about animal escapades or non-fiction books about living things and their habitats, we’ve put together a roar-some selection of the best animal books for children.

NB: This animal topic booklist is aimed at children in Key Stage 1 (ages 5-7). If you are looking for animal books for older children, try our Amazing Animals (KS2) booklist.

Best Children’s Books about the Human Body

In the younger primary school years, children learn the basics of human anatomy, including learning to name and identify body parts and finding out about the senses – as well as learning about basic human needs and the importance of healthy lifestyles.  To support children in finding out more about their amazing bodies, we’ve put together a list of the best children’s books about human bodies and health.

NB: This human body topic booklist is designed to cover Key Stage 1 (ages 5-7). For human body books for older children, try our Healthy Humans (KS2) booklist.

Chapter book

Meet Grant the genie, and his best friend – the puppy, Teeny…

The third in a series of magical adventures from the renowned illustrator, Steven Lenton, winner of Waterstones Picture Book of the Month and the Times Children’s Book of the Week.

When Grant starts to miss his old life in Genie World, Teeny has a plan on how he can get the genie home for a flying visit. But as usual, where wishes are involved, nothing is quite that simple and they soon find out they’re in for a rollercoaster of a ride!

Chapter book

Beautifully illustrated in two colours, this NEW series from the world of Isadora Moon introduces Isadora’s mermaid friend, Emerald!

Emerald is learning how to be a mermaid princess, but she doesn’t feel like one at all. She’s not very good at waving to crowds and royal headdresses just aren’t her thing – her hair is too spiky and wild. Emerald’s wriggly pet octopus, Inkibelle, doesn’t much like living at the royal palace either. The annual Ocean Parade is coming up. Will Emerald be brave enough to be a mermaid princess but do it her own, special way?

Isadora Moon is such a popular series with early readers and is known for flying off the shelves in KS1 classrooms and libraries. We can’t help feeling that Emerald and her underwater world will also make waves with children looking for first chapter books.

Chapter book

Bear wakes up early from hibernation. If she can’t sleep, then at least she can make a snowman. Rabbit has never made a snowman, but he definitely wants to make one that’s better than Bear’s.

But with an avalanche and a hungry wolf heading his way, Rabbit soon realises that it might be nice to have a friend on his side.

From novelist and playwright Julian Gough, and the winner of the Roald Dahl Funny Prize, Jim Field, this is a tale of friendship, gravity, and just a little bit of poo.

Best Children’s Books for 5-7 Year Olds: Christmas 2023 Gift Guide

Books make for a wonderful choice of Christmas gifts for children and we’re here to help with some top recommendations of children’s books for Christmas 2023.

From timeless bedtime stories and curious information books to festive favourites and glorious gift books, we’ve selected our top recommendations of book gifts for children aged 5-7.  We’ve tried to include something for all tastes – look out for rooftop present deliveries, backpack-wearing penguins, ice-skating adventures and microscopic science in this year’s Christmas Gift Guide for 5- to 7-year-olds.

Whether you are looking for festive twists on classic favourites like You Choose: Christmas or chapter-a-day advent adventures like The Nutcracker and the Mouse King’s Christmas Shenanigans, we hope this guide will fill your little ones with festive cheer. We’ve also included KS1 popular favourites like Einstein the Penguin and classic story books like Pippi Longstocking, as well as information books for curious minds like Atlas of Animal Adventures and beautiful poetry compendiums to treasure, such as A Whale of a Time.

 

The books on this list are also available to purchase from Bookshop or Amazon.

Download Printable PDF – Christmas Gift Book Guide Age 5-7

 

Picturebook

Pasta Man has run out of Pasta Power. . . Can our young hero help him to get his powers back and defeat evil Madame Chilli, who wants to rule the world with lashings of chilli sauce?

With action-packed adventure and bright, detailed artwork, this is the ultimate fun-filled counting storybook!

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