Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

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Steph Marshall Books

Meet teenagers like Timarete, a young woman artist, and Cosimo, a trainee bard. There’s Lysander, who wants to be an actor, and Cassie, who wants the right to vote. Sebastian is an oarsman who dreams of owning a market stall, while Agnodike has become a female doctor, against the odds. We’ll introduce children working on farms, in pottery workshops and barber’s shops. You’ll hear the clash of weapons, gossip at the market, music lessons and philosophical debate. You’ll even watch the ancient Olympics!

When China was first united some 2250 years ago, it was already a country rich in skills and tradition, where farmers grew rice in flooded fields, women wove beautiful silk cloth, and philosophers wrote important guides to life. China’s imperial age of dynasties and emperors lasted to the 20th century.

Makes it easier for modern readers to understand the past.

Shows the lives of girls and women on every page providing an inclusive view of life in the ancient world.

Ideal for home & school libraries.

If you are teaching the Romans in primary school, this book would be an excellent investment. Each double page spread unpacks a different aspect of Roman society, nominally introduced by a young Roman following a different path through life. We meet farmers and butchers, engineers, lawyers and merchants as well as priestesses, soldiers and charioteers. Overall, it builds a rich picture of different experiences, from slave to emperor’s daughter.

The layout is clear, with the text broken into sensible chunks and accompanied by attractive illustrations. It looks engaging for younger readers as well as being easy to dip in and out of to discover more about particular topics. The history of Rome being a special subject of mine, I read it with an eye open for misconceptions but I was impressed by how well it had been researched and by the depth and reliability of the information. I also appreciated the odd snippet of Latin.

This is an appealing and accessible information book for children to pick up, read and enjoy in its own right. Don’t limit it to history lessons – recommend it to children who prefer fact to fiction and are ready to move beyond Horrible Histories.

What would you be in Ancient Egypt? is a fantastic book for anyone wanting to learn more about Ancient Egyptians and their daily life. The book begins with a simple timeline and an introduction that explains that real men and women got married, worked their jobs and had families – there is much more to learn than just mummification and the pharaohs! Each double-page spread then focuses on different types of people or professions during the Ancient Egyptian era.

The book is full of interesting facts and details about all aspects of Egyptian daily life and job roles, and would be an excellent resource for anyone studying this period. With a clear contents page and an index page, the book is easy to navigate. There is also the fun feature of a two-page quiz at the back of the book to test the knowledge acquired.

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Stone Girl Bone Girl

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