Top books for children inspired by the Solar Eclipse
On Wednesday 12th August 2026, the UK will experience its deepest solar eclipse since 1999. Visible here in the early evening between 6pm and 8pm, this partial eclipse will see the moon cover 90% to 96% of the sun across Britain’s sky. To mark the occasion, we have put together a list of 10 recommended children’s books about suns, moons, skies and space to share with young readers inspired by the excitement of the eclipse.
Taking place right in the middle of the school summer holidays, the 12th August eclipse is a fantastic real-world event for families to watch together (only with safety eyewear, remember!). As the daylight dims and shadows lengthen in the middle of the evening, children naturally start asking questions about how the sun and moon interact, why the sky changes and what else lies out in our solar system. Pairing the event with a good story helps ground those big astronomical ideas in something relatable and gives inspired children a way to connect the events in the sky to reading for pleasure.
In this blog post, you will find 10 titles chosen to build on that sky-watching excitement. These chosen reads, reviewed by the BooksForTopics review panel, focus on the wonder of looking up at the day and night skies.
Whether you are looking for bedtime reads during the August holidays or planning ahead for the autumn term, these 10 books offer a great route into celestial stories. For primary teachers, science leads, or parents wanting to dig deeper into core STEM topics like orbits, light rays and shadows, we also have dedicated, curriculum-aligned booklists for Space (Ages 7-11), Space (Ages 3-7) and Light & Dark.
Here are 10 brilliant children’s books to read alongside the 2026 solar eclipse.
10 Children’s Books Inspired by Looking at the Sky!
1. Look Up! by Nathan Bryon & Dapo Adeola
Picturebook
Look Up! is an entertaining and vibrant story book about a space-loving girl called Rocket. Rocket is excited about the chance to view an upcoming meteor shower, and she wants everyone she meets to be ready to look up and see it. Frustratingly, her much older brother would rather look down at his phone. With a little sibling compromise and a never-giving-in approach from Rocket, the pair have a wonderful time together and Rocket helps everyone to see how amazing the sky can be when you just look up.
This book is great fun and always a big hit with Year 1. Many children at this age can relate to the frustration of seeing older family members immersed in their phones, but also know the feeling of being excited by the night’s sky and fascinated by stories about space.
The story includes space facts and references to significant figures in space history like Mae Jemison, who was the first black female astronaut to travel into space. The underlying values of the importance of community and family bonds give a real warmth to this super story book. Learning resources are also available to download.
Purchase Look Up! from Amazon or Bookshop.
2. The Light Thieves by Helena Duggan
Chapter book
A dystopian thriller for Upper Ks2, also selected for our Light and Sound booklist. Something strange has happened, and the earth has shifted from its axis. The sun is burned with a blemish and no one knows how it appeared. The people of the world have been told that this will eventually mean the sun will disappear – it would seem the world end is nigh.
This new fragile world is dominated by tech genius and billionaire Howard Hansom. And rather conveniently, he declares he can reverse this disastrous fate for the planet. But of course, this means everyone will need to live in his artificial town, which will tip the balance of the world and put the earth back where it should be.
Grian is a boy growing up with this uncertain future and is an avid fan of Hansom tech, ruled by his smartwatch avatar Bob. Grian has a typical relationship with his older sister Solas, who is on her own agenda in life. But when she goes missing, Grian is sure she has run off to Hansom city to save the world. Grian and his friends set off to find her; not only do they track her down, but they are also faced with a mysterious place with artificial intelligence that fuels a thousand questions. What is Hansom up to? What is really happening to the sun?
The intriguing prologue to Helena Duggan’s book kept me hooked yet puzzled simultaneously. The book is described as quirky, and I think that is a fitting word. Duggan has an incredible imagination, and the fantasy elements of the story cleverly intertwine with real life elements with which readers can make connections. This story perhaps reminds us of the power of technology and the negative aspects of the dominance of large corporations. There is clearly an environmental message running through, reminding us of how fragile our planet is too.
Purchase The Light Thieves from Amazon or Bookshop. An audiobook is also available.
3. Sunshine at Bedtime by Clare Helen Welsh & Sally Soweol Han
Picturebook
A beautifully illustrated book with just the right amount of words and phrases to help children understand the science behind why there might be sunshine at bedtime.
After reading this with my own small child who struggled to sleep because of the light, it was a quick snapshot into the scientific reasons behind why light seeps through the curtains at bedtime.
Taking you through the lens of a small child, it journeys through the world to explain how the Earth is tilted and spins on its axis which causes our summer and winter alongside other fantastic scientific facts about the topics of Light and Dark, Weather and Seasons, and Space.
This well-crafted book is definitely one to purchase in schools. The gentle, illustrated story with a Scientific basis is a great book to add to a KS1 library. An activity pack is also available to download.
Purchase Sunshine at Bedtime from Amazon or Bookshop.
4. Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun by Tolá Okogwu
Chapter book
Onyeka and her best friend, Cheyenne, are both Nigerian and live in London. One day, Onyeka’s hair glows blue and crackles with electricity when Cheyenne is in trouble. Onyeka’s mum is forced to tell her that she is ‘Solari’ and has inherited this trait from her dad. When Onyeka struggles to control her power and it starts to make her sick, her mum decides it’s finally time to return to Nigeria and try and locate Onyeka’s dad and learn to control her powers.
Despite being surrounded by other Solari, Onyeka still feels like she doesn’t belong. The other children have lived with their powers for years, but Onyeka has only just discovered hers. If only her mum could find her dad, and maybe she could get some answers!
This exciting, edge-of-your-seat adventure story would make a fantastic read for Upper Key Stage 2 children, particularly for those who are fans of superhero stories and films. Tola Okogwu says in the author’s note in the book that she hopes it will “act as both a mirror and a window” in terms of representation, and I think lots of people will agree that it does. What a wonderful book.
You’ll also find this book on our Branching Out list of books for fans of Skandar. A resource pack is also available to download and you can read more from the author about the book and how its themes of self-acceptance and identity might help young readers to find positive perspectives and own their power on our blog.
Purchase Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun from Amazon or Bookshop. An audiobook is also available.
5. Isla and the Sky by Greg Stobbs
Picture book
A unique and interesting story about a little girl who helps the sky to reframe her discouraged feelings. This beautiful book earned a place on our newly refreshed Reception Recommended Reads booklist as well as Top Summer Read 2026.
Isla loves the sky and sees its beauty no matter what. She thinks the sky is beautiful on thundery days, on rainy days and dull days, and on cloudy nights – not just on days when it is bold and bright. So Isla paints the sky and all its beauty. 
But Sky, who is personified in the story, can hear people complaining when she isn’t feeling bright and so she decides to try as hard as she can to smile all the time and make every day be bright, blue and brilliant (even when she is feeling stormy) because the people only seem to like her when she is happy.
However, all of Isla’s paintings start to look the same – she misses seeing all the different moods and colours of the sky. She sets about to convince Sky that it’s okay not to feel sunny all the time and that she should let all of her feelings show, whatever the weather.
This is an absolutely beautifully illustrated and captivating book, which shares the very important message about accepting and naming emotions, and helping others to navigate their own storms.
6. The Skies Above My Eyes by Charlotte Guillain & Yuval Zommer
Non-fiction book
Some books are made for sharing and ‘The Skies Above My Eyes’ is a wonderful example of one. The book folds out into a beautifully-illustrated 2.5m long double-sided journey up through the layers of the atmosphere, with small chunks of informative text along the way.
Starting on ground level with a girl standing on a busy street, readers can follow her gaze upwards to pass towering skyscrapers, various aircraft and space vehicles and finally to planets and stars. On the reverse, the girl lays on the grass at the foot of a mountain, looking up towards birds, paragliders, through weather systems, meteoroids and comets.
Much like its predecessor ‘The Street Beneath My Feet’, this book is likely to be a huge hit in the classroom as children will love gathering around the fully folded-out pages to pore over the many details and facts hidden around the different layers of the atmosphere. The text helps to direct the reader to tiny details that they may not have already spotted in the illustrations. Reading the information from the bottom to the top on one side and then the opposite way round on the reverse feels like jumping into a spacecraft and blasting off on a trip to the ends of the solar system and then descending back to the Earth’s surface.
Yuval Zommer’s bold and bright illustrations are hugely appealing and joyful as he masterfully captures the variation of hues and textures that make the skies above us such a visual delight. The thick paper of the book’s concertina pages feels durable and ready to withstand being opened out and refolded many times.
This is a book that young readers will love to treasure and share and one that will hold a strong appeal across the whole primary age range. Find more sky-themed inspiration including this book on our History of Flight booklist.
7. Bekah and the Moon by Tolá Okogwu & Abeeha Tariq
Picture book
This is a book about Bekah and Luna, who visits her when she is afraid of the dark. Luna teaches Bekah a special song to sing when Luna is not able to be there. This special song helps Bekah to sleep and stops her from being afraid of the shadows or strange noises in her room.
This is a gentle story which explores the themes around being afraid of the dark and also includes some teaching elements about what the moon does (controlling the tides, for example), but should not be taken as a science book.
The illustrations add to the story well, enabling younger readers to become enchanted with the characters.
This book features on our Light & Dark topic booklist for EYFS & KS1.
8. Lunar by Chris Bradford & Charlotte Grange
Short chapter book
This short, accessible chapter book is an action-packed sci-fi survival story where a young reader can step into the shoes of the central character, aptly named Luna.
When events take a turn for the worse, she is the only person left stranded on the moon’s surface. Tension builds as she faces challenges in harsh conditions, and with dwindling supplies, it is a race against time to somehow escape before night draws in. Despite her age, Luna has many responsibilities while living on the moon with her father (a Moon Miner). She has undertaken intensive training, which comes in handy later in the book! A meteorite warning threatens the safety of the team, and in a rush to evacuate, Luna is separated from everyone. In a mission to reach the far side of the moon, she must use her scientific knowledge to solve a range of problems in the hope that she will be reunited with her father.
The gripping moments and dilemmas, including the risk of running out of oxygen, keep the reader on the edge of their seat as they take the journey with her. The quick-witted comments from Luna are a fun aspect, and many children, including reluctant Upper KS2 readers, will enjoy this humorous aspect of the book, particularly the mention of nappies and exploding eyeballs!
Sci-fi enthusiasts and those interested in Earth and Space will enjoy the scientific details mentioned throughout. We love this dyslexia-friendly series at BooksForTopics HQ. A resource pack is also available to download.
Purchase Lunar from Amazon or Bookshop. An audiobook version is also available.
9. Until You Find the Sun by Maryam Hassan & Anna Wilson
Picture book
This heartfelt picture book tells the story of Aminah’s comfortable life – full of love, joy, family and sunshine – versus a new adventure that is the complete opposite: cold, grey and strange.
Everything is just fine for Aminah until she is told she and her parents are leaving. This is not the adventure she craves, especially as her grandfather is not coming with her.
Landing in a cold, dark and grey new place, Aminah longs for everything she has lost, especially her Da. Her warmth and happiness are gone.
But despite being scared of new surroundings, Aminah is encouraged to look for the sunshine, because then she will feel her Da in her heart.
This beautifully written and illustrated picture book combines the right sentiment of being brave to give something new a go, whilst holding on to what you’ve lost. Being kind and patient with yourself can be hard, but it is all too often worth it. The book features on our Reception Recommended Reading List and also won the picture book category of the Diverse Book Awards.
This book will encourage conversations about coping with change and finding ways to stay connected to our loved ones, no matter the distance. Perfect for any age, I know this will be welcomed into any household, classroom or library to share, discuss and above all cherish.
Purchase Until You Find the Sun from Amazon or Bookshop.
10. A Day in the Life of an Astronaut, Mars and the Distant Stars by Mike Barfield & Jess Bradley
Graphic novel style non-fiction book
This colourful, cartoon-style reference book brings facts to life with humour and fun illustrations. Following on from the enormous success of its award-winning predecessors, this latest book in the ‘Day in the Life Of..’ series is packed full of information and facts about space, presented in an entertaining comic style that is a joy to read.
Readers will enjoy the variety of scientific information, which felt like a balanced view of different areas, including science, technology, astronomy and the history of space travel.
This would be a great book for children who love a highly visual element to what they read. Readers could dip in and out of the various topics individually, or teachers could choose sections to share as a class when exploring related topics.
When added to a classroom library, this series is sure to be in high demand during independent reading time. Check out our full booklist for more KS2 books to learn about space.
Purchase A Day in the Life of an Astronaut, Mars and the Distant Stars from Amazon or Bookshop.
We hope these eclipse-inspired reads are helpful!
More booklists you might like:
- Books about Light & Dark
- Books about Space KS1
- Books about Space KS2
- Weather & Seasons Booklist
- Light & Sound Topic Books (KS2)
- All STEM topic Booklists
- Science Books for KS3 (11-14)
Browse our Year Group booklists for more age-based recommendations to read together!
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Where next?
- Visit our Reading for Pleasure Hub
- Browse our Topic Booklists
- View our Year Group Recommended Read Booklists.
- See our Books of the Month.
Monday 6th July 2026
We are incredibly excited to share some news from behind the scenes at BooksForTopics. As we mark a decade of matching the right books to the right classrooms, BooksForTopics founder, Alison Leach, has officially been named one of 
In their official announcement profile, The Bookseller highlighted this evolution, noting that the past 12 months have been transformational for the platform:
The summer holidays are just around the corner, bringing with them a chance for children to relax and enjoy themselves.
There are two levels of difficulty to choose from – 9 squares or 25 squares. Children and adults participating in the challenge can fill in the squares over the holidays as they complete each reading experience challenge.
Complementing the engaging Bingo challenge, BooksForTopics also provides a set of
Father’s Day is just around the corner, bringing a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the dads, stepdads, grandads and special male role models who shape children’s lives. Every family is unique, and today’s picture books beautifully reflect this by showcasing father figures in all their diverse forms.
It would be interesting to ask children what other things they thought were a ‘new’ part of Sunny’s life. The voice of young, purposeful Sunny shines through and reminds us that children often adapt more easily to new homes and communities than adults, having perhaps fewer expectations and abundant natural optimism.
Neal Layton’s expressive illustrations in 
More booklists you might like:
This year, bestselling author and Authorfy founder Mel Taylor-Bessent will be joining the judging panel. Mel Taylor-Bessent is the author of 
The deadline for entries is midnight, Sunday 14th June, using forms found via this link: 
Where next?
Over our ten years at BooksforTopics, we have grown a loyal and highly engaged audience of teachers and librarians who interact daily with the website and social media communities. The Small Business Growth Award recognises the scale of that growth and is an important validation of our impact on the teaching community.