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Booklists for KS2

KS2 Booklists (Ages 7-11)

Booklists for Children in Key Stage 2

In educational settings in England and Wales, Key Stage 2 (KS2) usually refers to children in school Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 (ages 7-11).

Our selection of recommended booklists for children in KS2 covers everything from storytime favourites and top graphic novels to popular curriculum topics like the Romans, Rocks & Soils and Space.

Browse our Reading for Pleasure recommended read lists or curriculum booklists to find the very best books for children in KS2 to enjoy at home or in the classroom.

Storytime favourite class read-alouds Year 3 and 4

Storytime Favourites: Year 3 and Year 4 (Ages 7-9)

Chapter book

Best Storytime Books for Lower KS2

We have selected a list of storytime favourites for Year 3 and Year 4 (ages 7-9), which includes books that are particularly well suited for being read out loud. From the best class readers to favourite bedtime stories, browse our list of brilliant books for capturing the magic storytelling with Lower KS2.

This thoughtfully curated collection is designed to ignite the love of stories for children aged 7 to 9. Share together stories of enchanting fantasy adventures like The Land of Roar, embark on laugh-out-loud escapades with Charlie Changes into a Chicken and delve into favourite animal stories such as Varjak Paw. We’ve also included true classics for this age group like Charlotte’s Web and storybooks that stimulate thinking and discussion on real-life topics, such as Hannah Gold’s beautiful story of The Last Bear.

The books on this list cater to a range of interests, ensuring that every young reader finds a story that resonates with them and that shared storytimes are ones to treasure.

diverse and inclusive books for Lower KS2

Diverse & Inclusive Books for Lower KS2

Best Diverse Books for Years 3 and 4

We have selected a list of recommended diverse and inclusive books for children in Year 3 and Year 4 (ages 7-9), which feature characters that are traditionally under-represented in children’s books.

This list of the best diverse books for children in Lower Key Stage 2 includes books with minority ethnic main characters and books with representations of cultural diversity, different types of families, physical disabilities, visual impairment and neurodiversity. 

The selection includes the entertaining story of young Yusuf’s schemes at a British-Bengali family wedding in Mayhem Mission and the tale of one child’s experience of the joy of Eid-ul-Fitr in Ramadan Moon, as well as deaf character Max’s compelling quest for friendship in Max and the Millions and the fast-paced story of limb loss and sport in Paralympian Ellie Robinson’s Thief on the Track.

You can find Diverse & Inclusive children’s book lists for other primary year groups here:

 

Schools can purchase full packs of our diverse book lists via Peters.

Books For Readers Who Love Sci-Fi

Tom Huddleston shares his sci-fi recommendations.

My futuristic adventure story FloodWorld and its sequel DustRoad are set centuries from today, in a world reeling from the effects of climate change. I’ve always loved sci-fi stories, from intergalactic action to time-travel tales to speculative fiction about humanity’s future. Here are five of my favourites for younger readers.

Detective Stories For Children

From murder mysteries to crimes to crack, detective fiction remains a popular genre with children in Key Stage 2. Katherine Woodfine – author of The Taylor & Rose Secret Agents series – shares her recommendations of the best books for children who love detective stories.

Books for reluctant readers Lower KS2

Reluctant Readers Lower KS2

Best Books for Reluctant Readers Aged 7-9 (Year 3 & Year 4)

There’s great joy in finding the right book for the right child, but the journey to getting to that point can sometimes be a tricky one. Some children naturally choose books and find it easy to navigate the world of reading for pleasure. Others need a little more encouragement to feel at home in the world of reading and we are often asked to recommend books for reluctant readers in Years 3 and 4 (ages 7-9), either for those who are less confident with reading or for children who have simply not yet caught the ‘reading bug’.

Try offering titles with a high image-to-text ratio like the popular The Bad Guys series or The 13-Storey Tree House books, offering an instant reading experience that appeals to visual learners. We also recommend that you explore books with high-interest themes like Salah Rules or Space Detectives, addressing hobbies and interests that are likely to captivate readers seeking meaningful reads. For those drawn to real-life stories and relatable worlds that create an easy connection between the reader and the narrative, try The Beach Puppy or Ellie and the Cat. For those who find reading boring, why not introduce a good dose of humour through Rabbit and Bear or Dog Man?

Which books are best for hooking in children who don’t feel interested in reading? We’ve put together a list of some of the best books for reluctant readers in lower KS2…

10 recommendations for World Cup themed books

Books About The Football World Cup

As the football World Cup approaches, we are delighted to host a guest post from best selling author Tom Palmer.

In this guest booklist, Tom discusses his top 10 recommendations for World Cup themed books to inspire reading among young football fans.

Reading for pleasure often begins with what the reader is passionate about. For many people that is football. And, with a World Cup this year, this is a great time to engage football fans with reading through the extraordinary wealth of fiction and non-fiction for kids. Available from bookshops and libraries, here’s a list of ten books with World Cup potential.

Books About Being on Stage

Laura Wood, author of The Animals of Madame Malone’s Music Hall, has picked her top five recommended books for children and teens about being on stage.

Laura’s new book explores the topic of helping to save a music hall – and despite being written pre-pandemic, its publication comes at a time when local theatres need support more than ever. Read on for a guest booklist from Laura, all about her favourite fictional moments of being on stage on children’s books.

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