Branching Out: Books for Fans of Adam Kay

Science is Lit is an interactive book with a range of chemistry experiments to inspire and entertain.

The book is written to engage children in the whole process of a science experiment, including controls, safety elements and how to record and analyse results. Experiments include an aim, hypothesis, method, variables/controls, how to record results, conclusion and evaluation.

There are difficulty ratings for experiments and explanations of the why and how of what is happening during the process. All scientific processes are described in a child-friendly and fun way that would be accessible in KS2.

The book ends with a conclusion, quiz and a detailed glossary.

Join Greg Jenner and his expert companion, Dr Campbell Price, on their whistle-stop tour of Ancient Egypt. Over 3,000 years of history told in just 156 pages!

From the earliest days of Egypt, even before the Pharaohs made their first appearance, to the last ever Pharaoh to rule, this book takes in all the key figures of Ancient Egyptian history from Ramesses to Tutankhamun and Cleopatra. We learn about family feuds, religious and political turmoil and all kinds of dastardly shenanigans along the way. The book also includes chapters on Ancient Egyptian Gods, pyramid building, Ancient Egyptian medicine and a real-life murder mystery to solve.

Full of myth-busting and fact-checking from a real Egyptologist, many of which may turn what you think you know about Ancient Egypt on its head (was mummification a way of preserving the body or transforming it?).

David Solomons’ science fiction adventures are laugh-out-loud funny and have won several book awards. In this latest, Gavin finds himself with the fate of the world in his hands. The new girl at school, Niki, is really getting on his nerves, following him everywhere and declaring that she has never seen anyone so cosmically insignificant. He doesn’t believe her assertion that she is a galactic princess, trying to evade her warring, alien despot parents.

However, a series of surreal events including being taken hostage by a talking bounty hunter cat called Cupcake, soon make him change his mind. To avoid Earth being obliterated, Gavin must help Niki’s crew repair her spaceship as well as try and bring her parents together again.

Family and friendship are at the heart of this story. Gavin is fostered but worried that he is about to be moved on again, ousted by the baby he calls the Tiny Horror. Although Niki may seem to live a privileged life as a princess, her parents are fighting, forcing her to choose between them. Despite her annoying behaviour, Gavin realises he will miss Niki if she leaves whilst she has come to understand that families can grow from other relationships.

Hilarious and ultimately heartwarming, with inventive detail, this will appeal to readers in upper KS2.

There is having a bad day, and then there is Finn’s life. Starting ‘big school’ can be a whole challenge in itself, but Finn seems to be inundated with problems. Embarrassment after embarrassment, failure after failure and mishap after mishap! Finn’s siblings (as well as his divorced parents) are not too far away from the root of all his problems.

Finn’s Fails include losing his swimming trunks in a school swimming lesson, his brother pinning him to the floor and all whilst filming, country dancing in PE and his dad’s daily cycling outfits! Luckily for Finn, he has some knights in shining armour in the form of his best mates. There is also a surprise to enter his life, and it was exactly what he needed in so many ways – with some wins for Finns finally starting to appear.

Through Finn’s first-hand account, the author captures the vulnerability and anxieties of secondary transition (where everything, from the uncomfortable uniform to whether or not to play up for a supply teacher, can feel mortifying one way or another…) with a huge dose of humour and heart.

What another superb book from Phil Earle. A light-hearted and hilarious book that would gain the attention of children in upper KS2 and lower KS3, with a particular appeal to boys, reluctant readers or lovers of funny, diary-style stories.

Evie is an only child desperately trying to spend more quality time with her Dad, Tony, who gives most of his attention to car racing and the Speedwheels 3000 title he has been attempting to win for fifteen years. She decides to stow away in the boot of her Dad’s much-loved racing car in the belief that he won’t be able to take the time to turn back home once he discovers her.

The Speedwheels 3000 event develops into a race against time (and the other competitors) as Evie attempts to unravel the mystery of the stolen gold, evade the Swiss police, and keep ahead of the villains who are trying to retrieve the gold by any means, whilst still winning the competition with her dad.

Written with Jenny Pearson’s trademark humour whilst addressing a serious issue, this story has themes of family, mental health, grief and loss, resilience and hope. The additional ‘fun facts’ about racing and European countries at the start of each chapter are a bonus for curious readers, racing fans and adventure lovers. Highly recommended!

A Freaky Friday tale for a new generation, Head Kid is a body-switch story with a difference that will appeal to fans of funny books and situation comedy.

When Ryan Ward, child prankster extraordinaire and his new headteacher Mr Carter swap bodies, there are unexpected consequences. Each finds out what it is like to be the other and neither is prepared for what they discover. With the school due an inspection and the staff trying to avoid it being closed down, Ryan (Mr Carter) and Mr Carter (Ryan) must somehow learn to appreciate each other’s point of view and find a way to work together to secure the school’s future.

David Baddiel’s writing is fast-paced, touching and very funny. Fans of David Walliams’ books will enjoy the similarities between the two authors, although this is longer and a little meatier with a pleasing depth behind the fun. Ryan is a character children can relate to and the problems encountered by him and other central characters will feel familiar to many readers: coping with bullying, having an absent parent, caring for an elderly relative. There is a good mix throughout the book of tender moments and laugh-out-loud scenes.

The book raises questions about leadership, responsibility and the consequences of your actions. It could form the basis of a discussion around different political systems (dictatorship or democracy?). What would you do if you were in charge of school? Why? What might happen if you made those changes? There is perhaps an obvious link to the role of school councils and pupils having a voice and influence in schools.

Appreciation is also a key theme in the book. Being able not only to accept and understand another’s point of view, but also why they might feel that way is an important skill for children to develop in these days of online comments and unsolicited opinions. This book definitely manages to illustrate the importance of understanding others. My first David Baddiel book, I would highly recommend Head Kid for readers in Key Stage 2.

Entertaining and quirky, The Astounding Broccoli Boy tells the story of a boy called Rory who unexpectedly turns green. Stuck in a hospital isolation ward with the less-than-ideal companion of the school bully, who has also turned green, Rory must figure out what is happening to him and find a way to be a superhero no matter what he looks like on the outside. A very funny story that makes a good choice to read aloud in KS2.