Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Author & Illustrators

Ben Lerwill Books

Although aimed at younger children, this book would be a perfect way to introduce the basics of Rocks and Soils, also with references food chains, mini beasts, different biomes and microbes!

Jam-packed full of knowledge and bright and colourful illustrations, this book is a perfect read for those wanting to know more about what is underground beneath our feet. It would be great to read aloud to challenge and extend fact-hungry children.

The book is written with the younger reader in mind, but doesn’t shy away from using scientific vocabulary, with key words and information in bold font so they stand out to the reader. I can see lots of opportunities for reading across the curriculum, as well as learning opportunities that could be inspired by this captivating text.

This story is a perfect bedtime or calming story, which is full of facts for curious readers about sleep. Each page is a fantastic two-page spread with a focus on a different animal. The facts are accessible for an early reader and are presented in small, readable chunks, where there are no more than a few sentences in each paragraph across each page.

There are well-known animals in this book, such as cats and dogs, but also less well-known ones, such as giraffes, kangaroos and sea otters. The sea otter section was very popular with a Year 2 class as the children enjoyed that sea otters hold paws with each other whilst they sleep, so they do not float away. In each section, there is a question linked to sleep and bedtime. This interaction with the reader, such as ‘What do you do before you go to bed?’ could lead to a discussion with a class or child. This lovely story ends with five top tips for getting a good night’s sleep. It is a perfect time to discuss with your class or child about bedtime routines and what we do to get ready for sleeping.

A truly wonderful read.

An excellent non-fiction book to accompany a Stone Age topic, with text that concentrates on 18 prehistoric animals.

The stunning illustrations from Grahame Baker Smith are the focal point of each double-page spread, accompanying a wealth of information about each. The information on each page is plentiful, offering an insight into Stone Age animals, their diet, behaviours and appearance, plus a handy comparison to modern-day animals. A fact box is also included on every page with details of scientific names, weight, extinction date and the location the animals lived in.

A must-have book for a Stone Age topic that would appeal to many young readers.

This lyrical non-fiction picture book celebrates the simple joys of football, whatever your background or ability. Rather than focusing on rules, skills, superstars, big clubs and record-breaking feats, this uplifting book for young children celebrates the planet’s best-loved sport and shows how the world’s most accessible game – where the only equipment needed is something that rolls – has evolved into a force for unity, and a sport for absolutely everyone. Spreads cover how football can be played by all ages, genders, and abilities, whatever your racial, cultural or economic background, and whether you’re in a state-of-the-art stadium or just a simple patch of scrubland.

We share one world, we share many colours.

One World, Many Colours is a lyrical celebration of the vibrant colours waiting to be found in all corners of the world. From the ice-white plains of Antarctica to the soft pink blossoms of the Japanese countryside. The same colours can be found everywhere else in the world, in nature, in our cities and in our cultures.

From travel writer Ben Lerwill, and with beautiful illustrations from Alette Straathof this non-fiction picture book opens children’s eyes to the wonders of the world and the spectrum of colour that we share.

‘How to Survive Anywhere’ is a fantastic non-fiction book that takes the reader on a journey to the most extreme places in the world, and even into space!

The extreme places referenced in the text are some of the most well-known in the world including, the African Savannah, The Antarctic and the Amazon Rainforest. The book not only offers new and interesting facts about each place but also a deeper understanding of what it would truly take to survive in each. Each location has 4-6 pages   dedicated to it and follows a similar layout pattern.

The illustrations by Daniel Long are engaging and help to bring the words to life. I really liked the use of warning symbols to bring the reader’s attention to important ‘things to remember’. The references to animals found, as well as some true stories of survival, are bound to be reading highlights.

This text offers lots of opportunities for cross curricular teaching: it could be used to further develop geographical understanding, be used to develop debate and drama skills in English or used in a PSHE lesson when focussing on  looking after our world, ourselves and each other.

This book is an enjoyable read that is guaranteed to encourage the next generation of world explorers!

Reviewer: Hayley Warner

Explore the amazing ways animal babies are just like us in this enchanting non-fiction picture book There are babies everywhere! Some babies can fly and some babies can swim. Most animal babies are very different to us, but there are lots of special ways that we might be the same. Especially when we were very little . . .

With a friendly text that’s perfect for reading aloud, this book encourages children to think about what makes them unique while learning about amazing similarities they might share with babies in the animal kingdom. From giraffes wobbling as they walk to puppies losing their baby teeth, each spread is fully illustrated with heart-warming collage artwork that beautifully captures the love between parent and child. This is a very special book to share again and again.

Every Nosy Crow paperback picture book comes with a free “Stories Aloud” audio recording. Just scan the QR code and listen along.

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