Recommended Reads for Year 1: New Additions for 2026-27

We love this short, illustrated chapter book series! Pedro is an endearing main character who will strike a chord with many KS1 children.

Bear Heart is a fantastic story about a Bear and how he makes space for love in his heart.

Earnest the bear has lots of things in his heart until one day he meets a lion and learns to make space in his heart for them. He learns to love the lion, making space for him in his heart, which has a positive impact on Earnest. The book also shows how Earnest deals with the loss of this love and how it provides space in his heart for more love.

The illustrations in this book are stunning and really complement the softness and kindness of the story.

A really lovely story about the impact love can have on someone’s life. This book is suited to KS1, where you can discuss the feeling of love and how it impacts the bear.

A young graphic novel series, about two friendly ‘bugbops’ called Bumble and Snug.

This brightly illustrated story told through comic form is lovely for Key Stage 1 to read independently. The characters are lovable, the story is fun and easy to follow, and the comic strip style makes for a really fun read. There are oodles of fun moments to enjoy, from dragon eggs to treasure!

Visual readers new to the graphic novel format will find this a real treat.

Carybara Disco Dreams is a joyful and entertaining story that instantly captured the children’s attention during story time in my Year 2 class. From the very first page, the book dazzles with its wonderful, eye-catching illustrations that are bright and colourful. The pictures perfectly match the lively disco theme and kept everyone excited to see what would happen next.

A capybara is a very popular but underrepresented animal for many children and the playful characters and silly moments created lots of giggles. The book also includes some rhyme, which gives the story a fun rhythm and makes it even more enjoyable to share together.

This book has a lovely message that comes across. Beneath the sparkle and dancing, the story encourages children to be themselves, feel confident and have lots of fun without worrying about what others think. It celebrates individuality in a way that young readers can easily understand.

Overall, this is a delightful picture book that combines laughter, fun and is a must have in any book corner. It is a perfect for story time!

In this book a little girl and a gosling are great friends. They enjoyed spending lots of time together and one of their favourite activities is going to the library and reading books with each other. They read lots of different books until one day the girl stops reading the books and starts hiding them. The books the girl is reading are helping the gosling to grow up and the girl is worried the gosling will leave. She doesn’t want to loose her friend. The gosling then meets some grown up geese and the girl has to try and repair the friendship as the gosling leaves.

This would be a brilliant book to encourage children to go to the library and share a book with their friend. It could also be used to discuss how people can be friends even if they are very different people with different beliefs. It would be good to support children that are having difficulties in their friendships, helping them realise they have to work to keep their friendship and the importance of saying sorry.

A bright and funny picturebook story that has much read-it-again appeal!

Duck is a ‘home-bird’ and happiest when he’s home sorting his sock collection. A nudge from Great-Granduck sends him out into the big wide world to start a delivery service. Of course, things don’t go exactly to plan and it isn’t long before everything goes a bit topsy turvy for him, much to the reader’s delight.

This is a genuinely funny story about finding your feet and learning to problem-solve when life gets chaotic. The illustrations are packed with humorous details that let the reader in on the joke while Duck is still scratching his head – great for children who enjoy connecting the dots by looking for clues in the pictures. The repetitive nature of the story and the catchy refrains make it enjoyable for children to join in. Duck will fast become a favourite once this book is on your shelves.

Gina Kaminski is on a boring school trip to the museum so she goes to read a story, however, she is not happy with the story that she picks – Jack and the Beanstalk. She decides there are three major issues with the story and decides that the best thing to do would be to visit fairy tale land to fix it and therefore make the story better and save the giant!

She then travels into fairy tale land and lives the story of Jack and the Beanstalk instead of Jack, making sure that she fixes the three mistakes that she has identified.

The story of Gina Kaminski Rescues the Giant is one of the stories that follows neurodiverse main character Gina as she identifies mistakes and fixes them. Gina can struggle with communicating her emotions and has a card that helps her identify how she is feeling when things happen to her. The illustrations take on a simple cartoon style but are effective and add a depth to the story. This book would be perfect to use in EYFS and KS1 looking at an alternative telling of a traditional tale to spark other creative alternative fairy tales.

‘Habitats’ by Hannah Pang and gloriously illustrated by Isobel Lundie is a beautifully illustrated, informative book. Taking you through different habitats of our planet, each page is packed with fascinating facts. Carefully designed pages reveal facts behind each flap. There is so much to see and learn on every page. The illustrations feel life like with intricate layers of texture created through the drawings. T

here are so many animals to learn about and explore. This book would be perfect to use within the classroom setting during a science lesson to add more depth to a lesson about habitats. The book could be used to share a fact with the class or using it as a resource for children who love learning about animals. This book is a perfect gift for nature lovers and one I will be using again and again in my classroom.

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!

This early chapter book is part of the wonderful Hotel Flamingo series. The gorgeous colours and shimmery snowflakes on the front cover are enough to draw anyone’s attention.

The workers at the hotel are preparing for a quiet winter, the temperatures are dropping, and Mrs Turpington – the hotel’s resident tortoise – needs to hibernate. Then, it snows more than anyone could have imagined, and the hotel becomes overrun with guests. What follows is how the hotel’s community comes together to help many of its guests in so many different ways at a time when the hotel is full to the brim. First, a party (Frosty Fiesta) with some very wise words from Mrs T the tortoise (‘We are nothing without each other)  and the White-Out Games with bunnies performing record-breaking stunts. Then, the birth of a polar bear cub and an external ice hotel for some guests.

This truly is a fiesta of fun, and who could resist a stay at Hotel Flamingo, even if Madame Le Pig seems terrifying?

This is part of a highly recommended early chapter book series responsible for turning many young children into independent readers.

Isadora Moon celebrates ten years of magic in this special anniversary edition with a shiny cover and celebratory sprayed edges. In this story, everyone’s favourite half-vampire, half-fairy attempts to host a human birthday party.

This series is a perfect pick for KS1 children moving onto their first chapter books, using the iconic pink-and-black illustrations to support newly independent readers. This edition also features a bonus story told by Pink Rabbit, giving fans a rare chance to hear from Isadora’s usually silent best friend! A lovely, positive story that encourages children to be happy in who they are.

A gentle, feel-good tale about hospitality and the joy of sharing a meal, this is a good choice for looking at food, community or Chinese culture.

This story follows a young girl in a Southern Chinese village who is sent to the market to buy meat for Mama’s wonton soup. Her trip is full of classic childhood distractions, like splashing in puddles and trying to turn toads into princes. But it’s the kindness of her neighbours that really shines through. As she greets everyone with a zǎo ān (good morning), her empty basket is quickly loaded up with unexpected gifts like radishes, shrimps and sweet persimmons for the soup. In turn, she will share the food with the community once it’s ready.

There’s something a bit different about this book and it will add depth to your EYFS or KS1 collection. The earthy illustrations bring a warm-hearted community to life as well as connecting to the colours of the soup. It’s a lovely look at local life, community and the theme of ‘sharing is caring’.

Full of laugh-out loud humour and perfect for young readers aged 6+, this series is fabulously written and beautifully illustrated.

It’s the day of the annual Fastest Feathers race but poor Marty Moose has a very important parcel to deliver. No time to race for Marty! But of course Marty and Nibbles have many a trial and a thief in their way, and everyone wants the prize of a beautiful shining golden egg – including ferret bandits and a pair of cheating ducks. Will the golden egg reach the finish line before the contestants do? Will the villains get the prize and the glory?

A classic mousey tale of good guy versus bad guy, suited for early readers to laugh their way through.

A wonderful book explaining the thought and care that goes into choosing a child’s name. In this story a little girl recalls the love that went into her parents giving her a special name. Sitara explains how she feels when people cannot pronounce her name correctly.

I think many of us, including me, can relate to Sitara’s frustrations when people could not pronounce our name or dismiss our feelings. This story suggests ways people can try and get to know someone’s name. The beautiful and colourful illustrations by Asa Gilland elevate this story and will keep the readers captivated. A useful and meaningful addition to any bookshelf or collection.

Huw Aaron’s book is a brilliantly offbeat addition to the bedtime genre, and an award-winning one at that.

The story follows a sleepy blob being tucked into bed in a normal suburban house, while its parent reflects on all the other monsters who are doing exactly the same routine.

The humour is spot on and captures the familiar back-and-forth of bedtime routines and parents trying to get a child to settle. The illustrations highlight the side-by-side nature of the weird and wonderful fantasy elements (monsters, brains-in-jars and slimy lairs) and the familiar, quotidian routines that will be recognisable to many readers. Beneath the slime and the fun, it’s a lovely, quirky way to show that no matter how different we look or feel, we share similarities.

This is a must-have for the classroom and a perfectly fun twist on the traditional bedtime story.

The story begins with a small, green dung beetle on a fresh pile of soft elephant poo. From here we see her form a small ball of poo which she seeks a mate to help her roll. Together they roll it to a soft patch of earth where they bury it. She lays an egg in the middle of the soft ball of poo. Then they start again until there are several buried balls of poo, each with an egg inside. The book then follows the life cycle of the dung beetle through all the stages until it hatches and then repeats the cycle itself.

This book is jam-packed with facts and information not just about the dung beetle but about the African Savannah and the animals who live there. The illustrations are beautiful with lots of elements for children to spot, aided by an eye-spy on the large, fold-out page at the end. The fold-out page also includes a map showing the distribution of dung beetles around the world and illustrates clearly the life-cycle of the beetle.

This book would be a beautiful addition to any classroom or school library. Valuable both as a reading for pleasure book as well as when teaching about Africa, animal life-cycles or food chains.

A quirky and fun story full of mythical creatures and funny, cafe-based shenanigans.

The Illustrations and quirky characters of the book are definitely what draw children to the story. Children love the idea of disgusting recipes and escalating mishaps. I really enjoyed the way the two characters worked together to find a solution that fits both the morals of the cafe owner and the demands of the customer.

A ‘read-it-again’ choice for many children in Year 1 and beyond. It would be a great stimulus to get young children writing recipes for their own menu at the Cafe at the Edge of the Woods.

This is an absolutely beautiful book – one that is positive and empowering. In the author-illustrator team’s previous book The Proudest Blue, we saw the beautiful bond between sisters Faizah and Asiya and heard the supportive and uplifting words of their mother. In The Kindest Red we see this again throughout the story as we ponder the question posed by Faizah’s teacher, ‘What kind of world would you like to live in?’ A beautiful world? A strong world? A kind world?

Faizah and her friends spend the day showing acts of kindness and seeing them spread until the whole class is beaming. However, it’s school photo day and when it comes to her turn to step up with Asiya, she needs a small act of kindness herself which her friends gladly give. The central theme of ‘passing things on,’ between family members, and to friends and strangers, is beautifully woven through the story, along with the idea of sharing kindness with others. The author’s note beautifully links the theme to her faith too, causing the reader to think about the impact of our actions and behaviour on others around us.

Michael Morpurgo‘s The Puffin Keeper is a beautiful story of friendship, love, family, hope and new beginnings, which pays homage to memories of family holidays to the Scilly Isles and is set alongside Benji Davies’ colour illustrations that evoke the untamed coastal setting.

The book tells the story of a young boy named Allen and the friendship he forges with solitary Benjamin Postlethwaite, the lighthouse keeper who saves his life. The ship that Allen and 30 others are sailing on becomes washed up on some rocks near the lighthouse, Benjamin saves them all and give them shelter until help can come. Although he doesn’t have much to say, Benjamin and Allen sow the seeds of a friendship that will last a lifetime.

As years go by, Allen grows up and seeks out Benjamin. He returns to Puffin Island and rekindles his friendship with Benjamin, who is feeling unwanted as he no longer has the job of keeping the lighthouse going. Together, they rescue an injured puffin and nurse it back to health. Over time, the puffin returns and brings more puffins to the island. Thus Benjamin becomes known as the puffin keeper.

This story is so beautiful and heart-warming. It will appeal to readers of all ages, although at just over 100 pages it sits well among Morpurgo’s much-treasured shorter illustrated stories like The Rainbow Bear and Dolphin Boy, which are well loved for capturing hearts in KS1 classrooms before readers progress onto the author’s lengthier chapter books.

This spellbinding picturebook captures the power behind the simplest of all acts – a smile. When a baby smiles at her brother, the joy he feels is so powerful that it sets in motion a chain of kindness that spreads through the community and around the world. Journey through the illustrated pages and witness the magic behind each and every smile, seeing how far a smile can go and the impact it can have.

This beautiful picture book encourages children to reflect on their own smiles, who makes them smile and how they make others smile. It leaves children wondering ‘Where will your smile go?’.

This book’s attractive, full-page illustrations immerse readers in a magical and diverse world of happiness and possibility. It is incredibly hard not to smile when reading this book! This book is likely to help to bring back smiles for children whose smiles may have gone away. The book would work well as a whole class read but I also believe it could be used one-to-one with a child who may need a little support with their emotional well-being or assembly on how the smallest of actions can impact whole communities.

A brilliantly witty book that also gives pause for thought, with a story about overcoming preconceptions and breaking through barriers and divisions between different groups.

Jon Agee cleverly uses the ‘gutter’ space that runs down the middle of the picture book spread as the wall between the two opposing sides. The main character is surprised to find that the other side of the wall is a much friendlier place than he imagined.

A good stimulus for discussions about overcoming divisions in society. It could lead schools into a fun story-making project inviting pupils to make their own books that use the gutter space. Super fun!

This is a sweet story about finding wonder all around. It follows Daniel on a grey, rainy day where everything feels flat and dull, until he starts noticing the flashes of joy, beauty and wonder in the world around him.

The use of colour is what makes this story special. The illustrations start in muted greys to mirror Daniel’s mood, and, beautifully, as he shifts his perspective, brilliant bursts of colour begin to drop onto the page.

This is a moving and powerful story with lots to notice and discuss, and a reminder to seek out the magic in the everyday.

What a stunningly illustrated and beautiful story by Bryony May Smith!

Meet Tiny Jenny  – a small, wingless fairy born into Mr & Mrs Wrens nest and brought up as one of their own. All is good until Tiny Jenny starts to question who she is and where she came from. So she sets out in search of those missing fairy wings and her true home.

Tiny Jenny is a strong, bold and feisty female heroine (not the fairy stereotype), who won’t take no for an answer. Mr and Mrs Wren are just as surprised when a tiny, wingless fairy hatches from one of their eggs. But they lovingly name her Tiny Jenny and raise her as their own. She digs up the squirrels’ nuts and blocks up mole hills. Her rebellious nature upsets the forest creatures and she begins to question her roots. But leaving her loving home doesn’t make it right. Only Tiny Jenny can make the changes and begin to realise the error of her ways.

Written with powerful twists and beautiful illustrations of magical woodland scenes, this will be a great classroom addition to share about knowing who you are and what is important to you.

Wands Away is a charming early chapter book series. Fans of Isadora Moon will feel right at home with this format, offering a perfectly pitched entry point for newly independent readers.

This story is one of gentle magic. The magical world here is grounded in the everyday, proving that even witches have to deal with back-to-school nerves, lost wellies and soggy school runs! Ramona and her friends are relatable characters who model positive ways to handle worries and puzzles as they learn that patience and practice are the keys to mastering any skill – magic or otherwise. Whether the group is solving scavenger hunt riddles or giving mossy trolls a clean up, the focus remains positively on finding solutions and the strength of working together as a friendship group or community.

We enjoyed the low-peril, high-optimism tone of this short chapter book, and it will prove a real asset to KS1 classrooms, primary libraries or home bookshelves catering for newly independent readers aged 5-8. Emma Farrarons’ joyful purple-and-grey illustrations keep the charm level high. The artwork is full of character, capturing stylish details like oversized glasses and jubilant facial expressions as well as the sparkling energy of the target age group.

High in fun, the plot is packed with celebratory togetherness, like fireworks, water fights and shared hot chocolate moments. With the added fun of spell badges to keep in each book, this is a positive series with high collectability potential.

The characters in this book are a celebration of girls in STEM, with the focus being on inventors. The main character Lizzy, has lost her hamster, Gizmo, and she goes through the process of creating and adapting an invention to find him. Lizzy, has cochlear implants and the supporting character, Lizzy’s babysitter and neighbour, has bionic hands. Information is included on these, as well as information on diabetes and heart surgery.

Many girls and women are celebrated for their inventions, and it is wonderful that young inventors are also included. Science is interwoven throughout, and every reader will come away learning something new. The illustrations are very busy, and there is a lot to see. It is best suited to readers who prefer to have lots to look at, with text presented in different ways.

The author’s note at the back of the book explains why the inventors in the books were chosen, and the important message that everyone, no matter their age, disability or gender, has ideas that matter. This book is a delightful addition to Kate Pankhurst’s Great Women books – a must-have for inspiring more children into STEM.

Children love feeling that they know more than the hapless storyteller and We Are Definitely Not Human gives plenty of scope for that!

Three aliens crash-land in Mr Li’s field and are keen to insist how very ‘human’ they are. The story itself is told through pared-back, simple language, giving just enough information for the children to then look at the pictures and infer what was really going on.

This a firm favourite with EYFS and KS1 pupils and teachers, who love the vibrant colour scheme and use of neon pink and blue to pick out the aliens, especially during the night-time scenes.

Whilst the story is about three aliens who crash-land in Mr Li’s field – who does what any kind human would do and helps them to fix their “car” – I fell immediately in love with the dog, who is the best side-eyed, suspicious hound I’ve ever seen! A message about kindness to people who are not like you is clear and warmly given. Readers can also have lots of fun creating voices for the aliens’ not-quite-human speech.

Judy Wise’s debut non-fiction picture book is a beautifully crafted celebration of the natural world, combining engaging storytelling with important environmental themes. Through lyrical, rhyming text, young readers are invited to follow the footprints of a variety of fascinating creatures, from majestic animals to tiny minibeasts, discovering the unique stories they leave behind.

As the journey unfolds, the book gently introduces children to concepts of conservation, ecology and environmental responsibility. Wise highlights the contrast between the footprints left by wildlife and the larger impact humans have had on the planet.

The uplifting conclusion delivers a hopeful message, inspiring children to take small but significant steps to help protect the Earth and its inhabitants. Adding further value, the book incorporates factual snippets about the featured creatures and interactive elements, including a search-and-find activity and practical tips for helping the planet.

Marking a century of the Hundred Acre Wood, this anniversary edition of the original stories and The House at Pooh Corner is bound with a gorgeously inviting new cover that sings out with the same honey-hued joy as the tales inside.

 Milne’s writing remains a masterclass in gentle, child-centred storytelling. With deadpan humour and child logic played out through the animal friends, the stories are just as sharp now as they were in 1926.

Introduce Christopher Robin and friends to today’s generation of young readers and you’ll soon see that these tales haven’t aged a day. A brilliant, must-read classic for any primary bookshelf.

We adore this charming story about a young boy who is tasked with finding a hat in order to be allowed into a party. When the boy struggles to find one, a helpful animal friend steps in to save the day. However, when he arrives, a tough doorman and an even tougher series of entry requirements lead to a snowballing of humorous actions and a hilarious climax.

The story is filled with wonderfully illustrated, silly characters and a ridiculous storyline that will have children and adults alike laughing out loud.  This is a picturebook to recommend to anyone looking for a fun and engaging story to share with children. With vibrant illustrations and humorous characters, You Must Bring a Hat is a sure-fire hit in the classroom and a book that children will ask for over and over again. We think this is a perfect choice for entertaining storytimes with Year 1 and 2.