Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Author & Illustrators

Keith Robinson Books

Ben’s Gargoyle

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

Keith Gray’s Ben’s Gargoyle is a powerful modern Gothic story that explores family breakdown, bullying, neglect and resilience through the eyes of 11-year-old Ben. After his mother moves to France with her new partner, Ben is forced to leave his friends behind and live with his angry, controlling father. Struggling to settle into a new school where he is bullied, Ben feels isolated and frightened. His only escape is the view from his tiny attic bedroom, where he begins to see a terrifying gargoyle creeping across the rooftops each night.

Gray skilfully blends psychological horror with emotional realism, using the gargoyle as a powerful symbol of Ben’s fear and trauma. The story builds tension effectively, with unsettling scenes as the creature moves ever closer. Some moments are particularly graphic, including detailed descriptions of the gargoyle feeding on a pigeon and a disturbing climactic sequence, making this a book better suited to confident readers who are comfortable with darker themes. There are also references to domestic abuse, neglect and emotional manipulation, as well as some strong language.

Despite its dark subject matter, Ben’s Gargoyle is ultimately a story of hope. As Ben begins to recognise that he is not alone, he discovers the courage to stand up to both the bullies at school and the far greater threat at home. Gray handles these difficult issues with sensitivity, creating believable characters and an emotionally satisfying conclusion.

Keith Robinson’s striking monochrome illustrations perfectly complement the brooding atmosphere, while Barrington Stoke’s dyslexia-friendly font, tinted paper and accessible layout ensure the story is available to a wide range of readers. Suitable for readers aged 9+, this compelling and thought-provoking novella would make an excellent choice for Upper KS2 or KS3, providing rich opportunities to discuss symbolism, resilience, healthy relationships and finding hope in difficult circumstances.

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.

Rosa By Starlight

Hilary McKay & Keith Robinson

Chapter book

Rosa by Starlight is a book about how a young girl tries to understand her emotions when her life changes in monumental ways. This is mixed in with a little bit of magic and some feline friends who help along the way.

Rosa loses her parents at the start of the story and has a period of uncertainty as she waits to find out who will care for her moving forward. Eventually, a distant Aunt and Uncle are chosen to care for her – but they don’t like her. Rosa’s whole life is changed from a loving environment to one where she isn’t treated very well and she now spends a lot of time on her own.

Rose makes friends with a cat called Balthazar and this is where the first sparks of magic begin to appear. After a while, Rosa goes to Venice with her Aunt and Uncle. Her Aunt and Uncle are hoping they can lose Rosa while they are there because they don’t want the responsibility of looking after her anymore. Rosa starts to understand that she is lonely compared with the people around her as she has no one she can turn to. There is no one to help her when she is upset. Her Aunt and Uncle continue to treat her terribly, showing no concern for Rosa or her well-being.

While in Venice, Rosa makes friends with a different cat and magic starts to surround Rosa again. Both the cats and a little magic help Rosa to understand some of her feelings. The story does have a happy ending although it is a surprise to find out what will happen to Rosa next.

The book is full of beautifully descriptive language, imagery and illustrations to support the reader in creating the magical scenes in their minds. One for cat lovers and fans of stories where emotions and magic collide.

The Haunting of Aveline Jones

Keith Robinson & Phil Hickes

Chapter book

This is a deliciously dark and spine-chilling tale of mystery and ghosts. Phil Hickes’s descriptively spooky tale is much darker than I was expecting from this middle-grade novel, and is not for the sensitive reader!

When Aveline is left to spend half-term with her Auntie in a quiet coastal town, she never expected the mystery she would uncover or the danger she would find herself in. Atmospherically written, this absorbing storyline feels so realistic. The unfolding folklore throughout the story kept me intrigued – from the Lady in the water to her connection to the Malmouth scarecrows. In addition to this, I was completely invested in Aveline’s plight and the terror she felt. I loved the charming and unique cast of characters we were introduced to in Malmouth, especially Mr Lieberman and his quirky second-hand bookshop (which I have to admit had me wishing I owned a second-hand bookshop).

The idea that second-hand books could connect you to their previous owner I found fascinating, as well as the developing relationship and understanding between Aveline and Primrose (counteracting the horrifying Lady character and suggesting that not all ghosts have evil intentions).

The use of Keith Robinson’s illustrations within the book only enhance the eeriness of the story, especially the rather sinister-looking child scarecrows. Equally, the addition of the Book Club Questions (at the back of this book), would certainly be a useful tool if you were using this for a book club or as a guided reading text.

This is a spectacular, haunting tale that will be devoured by readers who love scary stories and who are not too easily spooked!