Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Author & Illustrators

Marcia Williams Books

Kings and Queens: Alfred the Great to King Charles III and Everyone in Between

Non-fiction

Meet every king and queen in the history of Britain in this lively comic-strip guide from award-winning author-illustrator Marcia Williams.

From medieval monarchs to the newly crowned King Charles III, join award-winning author-illustrator Marcia Williams on an entertaining guide to every king and queen of Britain. Discover the kings who fought off the Vikings, the queen who spent the longest time on the throne, the king who died from eating too much fish, and many more. Featuring famous faces like Henry VIII and Elizabeth II, plus the lesser-known stories of the daring, the caring and the cruel who have worn the crown, this is an accessible and engaging introduction to the kings and queens of Britain, sure to inspire even reluctant readers.

The Fantastic Book of Feelings: A Guide to Being Happy, Sad and Everything In-Between!

Marcia Williams

Non-fiction

Get to know all your feelings and how to look after them in this positive and practical guide from beloved author-illustrator Marcia Williams.
How do you feel today? Whether you’re happy, sad or anything in-between, this book is the perfect guide to understanding and celebrating all your feelings! In colourful comic-strip stories, explore a whole range of emotions and discover ways to cope when any feeling becomes overwhelming. Packed with top tips for mental wellbeing and a first aid box for feelings, this is a helpful and engaging guide celebrating the importance of good mental health.

Greek Heroes: Top Ten Myths and Legends!

Marcia Williams

Graphic novel

Discover the magical myths and legendary heroes of Ancient Greece with award-winning author-illustrator Marcia Williams .

Travel back in time with goat-footed Pan to explore the myths and legends of Ancient Greece. Meet the mighty gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus and some of the worlds best-loved heroes and heroines. In this book you’ll find the stories of Perseus, slayer of Medusa the gorgon; tragic lovers Orpheus and Eurydice; daring Heracles who fearlessly completed twelve Labours and many more. The lively text and humorous cartoon style make these stories accessible and fun for younger readers.

The Iliad and the Odyssey

Marcia Williams

Graphic novel

Thrilling comic-strip action, with monsters, mighty heroes and even mightier gods and goddesses.

The Iliad tells the story of the war between Greeks and Trojans; the love between Helena and Paris; Achilles and Hector’s deadly combat; the Trojan Horse… The Odyssey depicts the perilous voyage home of the Greek warrior Odysseus; his struggles against the one-eyed Cyclops; the terrible Sirens; the dreadful, six-headed Scylla… These classic Greek stories have been retold with lively text and a dramatic cartoon style, making them accessible and fun for young children.

Children Who Changed the World

Marcia Williams

Graphic novel

From the heroes familiar to everyone, such as Malala Yousafzai, to the amazing activists you might not have heard of, like Baruani Ndume, the teenager who gave a voice to fellow refugee children in Tanzania, discover the incredible true stories of child activists. An inspirational and moving book from beloved author-illustrator Marcia Williams, providing the perfect introduction to an important subject and marking 30 years since the Convention on the Rights of the Child was signed by the United Nations General Assembly.

Mr William Shakespeare’s Plays

Marcia Williams

Graphic novel

Discover the joys of Shakespeare’s plays retold in an innovative and lively way. The comic book style illustrations and the delightful details make these stories accessible to young readers. Pupils will enjoy the tales of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Macbeth, The Tempest, Romeo and Juliet and more.

Cloud Boy

Marcia Williams

Chapter book

Cloud Boy is a beautiful, heart-breaking dual narrative that links the stories of Harry, who is diagnosed with a brain tumour in modern times, and Gertie, who was taken prisoner in Changi, Singapore during WW2, through Gertie’s granddaughter and Harry’s best friend – Angie Moon.

Harry enjoys cloud spotting and is an expert on the different types of clouds; Angie is an artist who loves to paint; and Grandma Gertie is a dab-hand at sewing. Marcia Williams’ story cleverly weaves the two narratives together through a series of diary entries and letters, based – in part – on real-life memories around the creation of the Changi Quilt.

It is a magnificent exploration of human bravery, determination, kindness and love, while also expertly exposing the denial, anger and hurt experienced in different ways by each of the characters in response to their experiences.

This tale of friendship, love and loss will stay with you long after you have read the final page.

The Adventures of Robin Hood

Marcia Williams

Graphic novel

Delve into the fascinating tales of outlaw Robin Hood and his merry men. The tales are retold in Marcia Williams’ distinctive comic book style, with speech bubbles and many humorous details in both the text and illustrations that pupils will love.

My Secret War Diary, by Flossie Albright

Marcia Williams

Chapter book

This is a highly recommended diary-style text by the popular author-illustrator Marcia Williams. It recounts the experiences of a nine-year-old girl during the Second World War and is presented with cartoon style illustrations, flaps, envelopes and a wealth of details about life for children during the war. My Secret War Diary, by Flossie Albright is a superb text to use to inspire recount or diary writing.

Oliver Twist and Other Great Dickens Stories

Marcia Williams

Graphic novel

Delve into the fascinating world of Victorian England as shown through the stories of Charles Dickens, here retold by Marcia Williams in her iconic comic book style. Stories include Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities, David Copperfield and A Christmas Carol.

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