Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Author & Illustrators

Nicola Davies Books

Whale Song

Picturebooks

A sumptuous non-fiction picture book by two of the most exciting talents in children’s books today.

Listen! Listen! Somewhere in the deep, deep blue, a humpback whale is singing.

In this poignant non-fiction picture book, bestselling children’s author Nicola Davies celebrates the beauty and power of the humpback whale’s song. Humpback whales listen and learn songs from each other – copying the distinctive patterns and sounds. This extraordinary book follows the story of one whale’s song as it spreads across the world’s oceans.

With spectacular artwork by award-winning illustrator Britta Teckentrup, this is a celebration of the beauty and mystery of the natural world.

The Map of Me

Nicola Davies & Olga Shtonda

Picturebook

This beautiful picture book does so much in just a few pages. It is a book about home, about feeling connected – to people and to our past. It is also hopeful, looking to map a bright future.

When a little girl leaves behind her Granny and dog to move to a new home in a different country, everything feels strange and unfamiliar. To help navigate her new surroundings, Mum creates a map of the local area for her. But she still feels far from the family she has left behind, so the little girl extends the map to include them.

With the help of her friends and family, the map grows and grows, and everything starts to feel closer and more connected, helping her to develop resilience in challenging times and to show her that change isn’t always bad. She even develops the map to manifest a better future for all.

There are fantastic curriculum links to this book, and teachers will feel inspired to use it in Geography (e.g. creating your own local area maps) and in PSHE to learn about navigating change and challenges. It could also be used when thinking about Climate Change and a vision for the future.

Green: The Story of Life on Our Planet

Emily Sutton & Nicola Davies

Non-fiction

A magnificent look at the science of plants from the internationally bestselling and multi award-winning team behind Tiny, Lots and Grow.

This tree doesn’t look like it’s doing very much: it just stands there in the sunlight, big and GREEN. But this tree is busy… Starting with the secret workings of a tree, this book transports readers billions of years into the past; back to the moment when plant life first appeared on our planet. Covering its evolution, the steady emergence of fossil fuels and the extraordinary communities of plants around the world today, Nicola Davies and Emily Sutton combine essential biology with a powerful message, calling on readers to celebrate and cherish the most precious colour on Earth: GREEN.

This Is How the Change Begins

Nicola Davies

Poetry

This is How the Change Begins is a collection of six illuminating poems inspired by the growing threat of climate change. From a consideration of our carbon footprints by way of Islamic mathematician Alhazen, the impact shifting weather conditions are having and will continue to have on our events and celebrations and the choices we have to make to turn the tide, these remarkable poems brilliantly confront the recognisable realities of the climate crisis with bold and lyrical language. Including background notes on the themes behind them, each poem has been typographically designed and arranged to best communicate these essential messages.

Lots: The Diversity of Life on Earth

Emily Sutton & Nicola Davies

Non-fiction

Winner of the Margaret Mallett Picture Book Award, as part of the English 4-11 Picture Book Awards.

There are living things everywhere: the more we look, the more we find. There are creatures on the tops of the tallest jungle trees, at the bottom of the coldest oceans, even under the feathers of birds and in boiling volcanic pools. So how many different kinds are there? One, two, three … lots! From the award-winning team behind Tiny: The Invisible World of Microbes comes Lots, a beautifully illustrated introduction to the concept of biodiversity for younger readers. With words from Nicola Davies and exquisite artwork by Emily Sutton, this groundbreaking book is certain to enchant and inspire children.

Grow: Secrets of Our DNA

Emily Sutton & Nicola Davies

Non-fiction

From the award-winning team behind Tiny and Lots comes a new book exploring another fascinating area of biology: growth.

A beautifully illustrated introduction to the concept of DNA for younger readers. All living things grow – every plant and every animal, including human beings. Some things grow fast and others grow slowly; some things grow by tiny degrees, while others grow to be enormous. Yet there’s something about the way we grow that links us all together. Ever since you were the size of a dot, your body has been following a set of instructions: a code, which connects you with every creature on the planet… With words from Nicola Davies and exquisite artwork by Emily Sutton, this groundbreaking book is certain to enchant and inspire children.

Protecting the Planet: Emperor of the Ice

Catherine Rayner & Nicola Davies

Non-fiction

‘Emperor of the ice’ is a beautifully written story based on fact. The book informs the reader about the life of penguins through the year and the struggles they face.

The illustrations are stunning and help to make it clear what time of year each event takes place. The information at the back of the book about climate change and how it is affecting emperor penguins was clear and well-explained.

This is a great book for children in Year 2 and beyond to learn about the topic of polar regions. Highly recommended for the classroom.

A First Book of Nature

Mark Hearld & Nicola Davies

Non-fiction, Poetry

This beautiful book has a dreamteam of components: Nicola Davies, Mark Hearld, poetry and nature. Together they create something that belongs in multiple genres. It’s a poetry book, an art book – Hearld’s woodblock prints are one with the words – and an information book.

The book poetically guides young children through the seasons, and the poems about British wildlife, weather and trees depict how special each one is, while gently informing. An essential addition to any library or classroom, and a fine multi-topic book for any age group.

Ariki and the Island of Wonders

Nicola Davies & Nicola Kinnear

Chapter book

After getting lost at sea in a tropical storm, Ariki and Ipo discover an uncharted island and have a great adventure in the second book of the Ariki series.

Ariki and Ipo are making the most of a beautiful day, sailing the sea near Turtle Island on a “borrowed” boat. They’re too busy daydreaming to spot the grey clouds gathering overhead – but then a terrible storm breaks, carrying them miles from home. After days without food or drink, they are washed up on an unfamiliar island. The island is beautiful beyond belief: they see butterflies, each one lovelier than the last, lizards chasing across the rocks and, most wonderful of all, a gigantic blue bird with eyes that glow purple. When they meet another castaway, however, the children discover this island is no paradise – there are dangers lurking in the shadows! A nail-biting adventure with a strong message about endangered animals and human intervention, and a wonderful partner to Ariki and the Giant Shark .

The Dog that Saved Christmas

Mike Byrne & Nicola Davies

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

Popular children’s author Nicola Davies returns with another wonderful book that draws out the special relationship between children and animals – this time with a festive twist. Published in Barrington Stoke’s ‘super-readable’ and dyslexia-friendly style, this is a short chapter book that readers will find easy to pick up and hard to put down.

Jake stands out from many of the other children at his school and Christmas is a time that is especially difficult for him, with the bright lights, loud noises and changes in routines causing him a great deal of anxiety. When Jake befriends a lost dog, which he calls Susan, a beautiful bond begins to form that helps Jake to stay calm and cope with the difficulties he faces. After a while, Susan’s real owners turn up to reclaim their missing dog and Jake and his family need to find a way forward while their world feels like it has fallen apart.

This is a touching and inclusive story that is well suited for the 6-8 age bracket or for less confident readers in the upper primary years. Readers will find the story engaging and are likely to feel deeply empathetic towards Jake. The narrative sensitively explores the idea that Christmas is not an easy time for everybody, while also drawing out festive values of family, kindness and compassion for those in need.