Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Author & Illustrators

Michael Rosen Books

Hot Food: Nice!

Picturebook

Michael Rosen, who recently celebrated his 80th birthday, is the master of rhyming hilarity. This picture book edition brings Michael Rosen’s classic poem Hot Food to life, all about a boy realising his dad isn’t the expert he thought. While the rest of the family patiently cools their potatoes until they are just cool, Dad recklessly takes a giant mouthful, leading to pure slapstick chaos at Dad’s expense.

Neal Layton’s expressive illustrations perfectly capture every wide-eyed puff and huff as Dad endures the steaming results, and if you have ever heard Michael Rosen perform this out loud you’ll appreciate how well the illustrations capture the sounds and sights of his performance.

It’s a brilliant choice for a classroom, offering plenty of chances for children to join in. There’s even a fun note at the back about how ‘Nice’ became a global meme for Rosen. A great pick for KS1 that captures a moment of hilarity over family dinner!

I Am Hungry

Michael Rosen & Robert Starling

Picturebook

An absolute gem from Michael Rosen that is the perfect addition to any EYFS/Y1 classroom. This playful text is a delight to read out loud. The rhyming text is accompanied by striking illustrations and tells the tale of a hungry squirrel and the items he eats. At first the meals are similar to meals the children will enjoy but as the text advances, the delicacies the squirrel eats become very unconventional and obscure.

This is a great story to share and young children will find the content hilarious. Children can join in, guess some of the rhyming couplets and chorus ‘I’m hungry’. Children will also enjoy thinking of their own crazy cuisines and sharing them with their friends.

Oh Dear, Look What I Got!

Helen Oxenbury & Michael Rosen

Picturebook

A classic new picture book by the creators of the bestselling We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.

“I went to the shop to get me a carrot. Oh dear, they gave me …. a parrot! Oh dear, look what I got! Do I want that? No I do NOT!”
From beloved author and illustrator pairing Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury comes a brilliant new picture book that will delight a new generation of children. Each visit to the shop brings an animal surprise in this playful read-aloud, with a final twist and a joyful ending. Young readers will love joining in the rhyming text and guessing what comes next in this hilarious picture book, sure to become a timeless classic.

On the Move: Poems About Migration

Michael Rosen & Quentin Blake

Poetry

Former Children’s Laureates Michael Rosen and Sir Quentin Blake join forces for a landmark new collection, focusing on migration and displacement. Michael’s poems are divided into four: in the first series, he draws on his childhood as part of a first-generation Polish family living in London; in the second, on his perception of the War as a young boy; in the third, on his “missing” relatives and the Holocaust; and in the fourth, and final, on global experiences of migration. By turns charming, shocking and heartbreaking, this is an anthology with a story to tell and a powerful point to make: “You can only do something now.”

One Day by Michael Rosen

Benjamin Phillips & Michael Rosen

Picturebook

One Day shares the true story of survival during the Holocaust. Michael Rosen may be well known for his funny verses and entertaining poetry performances, but here he showcases a different, more serious and thought-provoking depth, inspired by real experiences from family history.

This stark, accessible picture book features Benjamin Phillips’s sombre and expressive illustrations in muted watercolour and inks, to follow a young French Resistance fighter who is captured by the Nazis and placed on a convoy headed to Auschwitz, but refuses to give up hope and eventually plans an escape.

The book deals with the harsh realities of the Holocaust and therefore is one for older primary or younger secondary readers. Among the darker historical truths, light also shines through in the focus on human courage and acts of agency in the face of evil. A gentle way to introduce a tough historical topic to children, making it a highly recommended choice for Upper Key Stage 2 history shelves.

Michael Rosen’s Pocket Shakespeare: A Beginner’s Guide to the Best Bits of the Bard

Chris Riddell & Michael Rosen

Poetry

The ultimate beginner’s guide to the magic of Shakespeare, from the award-winning Michael Rosen and Chris Riddell.

Step inside a sparkling celebration of the wonderful words of William Shakespeare. With former Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen as your guide, discover how Shakespeare explores love and heartbreak, magic and superstition, jealousy, beauty and much more in a collection of quotes and speeches taken from his plays – plus a selection of Shakespearean insults and one-liners! Michael Rosen’s commentary illuminates the Bard for beginners alongside sumptuous illustrations by Chris Riddell, making this the perfect book to bring Shakespeare to life for all ages.

Wolfman

Chris Mould & Michael Rosen

Chapter book

The town is in chaos – Wolfman is on the loose! Support severely struggling readers with this funny hi-lo tale.

Wolfman is on the loose and he is raging and rampaging through town like a terror! Lamp-posts have been ripped up, paving slabs chewed – even the Army has gone into hiding!

Particularly suitable for readers aged 7+ with a reading age of 6.

Out Of This World: Poems to Make You Laugh, Smile and Think

Ed Vere & Michael Rosen

Poetry

This new collection of poems by Michael Rosen is designed to make you ‘laugh, smile and think’.

The book includes a poem on the life of a red blood cell and its journey round your body, a monster who slowly eats the entire alphabet (how do you speak if you’ve run out of letters?) and a day in the life of a cat – sleeping, eating and manipulating your pet human.

All told with Rosen’s usual sense of humour and ear for rhythm, these poems would be great for reading aloud in class as well as being easy enough to be read independently by a child. The book is beautifully illustrated throughout by the brilliant Ed Vere, who manages to bring Rosen’s imaginings creatively to life.

Perfect for children (and adults) of any age.

Goldilocks and the Three Crocodiles

David Melling & Michael Rosen

Picturebook

A fabulously funny take on a classic story from two giants of children’s books!

Goldilocks and her little dog are off on an adventure, looking for that house again – the one with the chairs, the porridge and beds. The sound of the sea calls to them and before they know it, they have found quite a different sort of a house . . . there are bowls, and chairs and sort-of beds . . . plus some rather unexpected and hilarious inhabitants!

From Michael Rosen, the highly regarded author of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, comes this wonderful new take on the famous nursery rhyme, brilliantly brought to life by David Melling, the creator of Hugless Douglas.

The Incredible Adventures of Gaston le Dog

Michael Rosen & Vivane Schwarz

Chapter book

A funny and fantastical adventure from former Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen and award-winning illustrator Viviane Schwarz.

Gaston le Dog longs to return to the beautiful beach he remembers from years ago. So he sets off on an adventure – but mystery and danger lurk at every turn, and Gaston will need all the help he can get from the friends he meets along the way. But can they all be trusted? And will Gaston’s odyssey bring him everything he hoped for? This playful new tale from national treasure Michael Rosen sprinkles myth, magic and fairy tale to create a brilliant story, illustrated by award-winning artist Viviane Schwarz, perfect for fans of the Grimwood series.