Recommended Reads for Year 4: New Additions for 2026-27

Simon Lamb’s collection is a treasure. Each of the fifty poems is exactly fifty words long. We love this concept, which pupils can easily replicate in their own writing or simply enjoy reading.

The poems cover a playful range of topics, from beach scenes to witches, and showcase a mix of haikus, shape poetry and rhyme.

Chris Riddell’s illustrations add an extra layer of atmosphere, bringing humour and emotion to every page through line sketches . At just fifty words, these pieces are the perfect length to dip into, meaning the poems never feel overwhelming – yet manage to pack a huge amount of depth in their word count! 

A must-have for any primary poetry shelf.

This is a hilarious graphic novel about a girl who falls down a hole into the underworld and has to battle the ruler, while navigating terrifying challenges such as the “bog of intense emotions”.

A funny, weird, mysterious and absurd page-turner!

This Roald Dahl classic remains a classroom favourite and has been the inspiration for numerous films, keeping it in the hearts of children’s imaginations over the decades since it was first published in 1964.

The story follows the life-changing moment Charlie Bucket finds a coveted Golden Ticket and wins a visit to see inside Wonka’s mysterious chocolate factory. His trip is taken with his much loved Grandpa Joe, alongside four other winners who prove to be humorously flawed in their own ways.

This is a fantasy rags-to-riches tale with moments of both dark and light humour.

Emma Swan has nailed the gap in the market for a female protagonist on the level of Tom Gates or Wimpy Kid. Cruise Ship Kid is everyday life with a difference – the protagonist, Silver, lives on a cruise ship. This opens up a myriad of intriguing and wonderful conceits – where does she do her schooling, how does she shop, and of course, the most pressing matter for Silver – how does she make and keep friendships.

The book is offered as a detective story with motives and clues and red herrings as well as how to solve the mystery of making friendships whilst being true to yourself. Delightfully funny, the novel is written in casual, confessional first person with an authorial wink so that the reader can glimpse things that perhaps Silver herself can’t see, as well as have Silver explain to the reader what her life is like.

Silver is both lovable and authentic, the ship is extraordinarily detailed and interesting, and the text is accessible, super modern, and fun. This book is highly illustrated throughout, with a revolting vomit scene and also bottom jokes, as well as giving information on the tourist stops where the ship docks. Something for everyone – just like a cruise ship.

Flooded is a visually stunning book with a powerful story about learning to face up to problems before they grow too big.

In Flooded, the city faces a problem. It seems like a normal day; the city wakes up to find itself a little bit wet. No one minds at first as it was just a little bit of water, but as the city carries on with its usual rhythm, the smaller animals start to realise that it is all becoming a rather big problem.

Flooded is a fun story illustrating how small problems can grow into bigger problems if we don’t give them enough attention. It is also a story about how problems are easier to solve together and communities that work with a positive common goal can be very powerful.

This book is full of surprises and has a pull-out page at a very significant part of the story, which really creates excitement for younger children as they are reading the book. When sharing this book with my class, it really made them think and predict about how the animal’s problem could be solved. They absolutely loved the artwork featuring gorgeous, blues and blacks as well as yellow shades for a very significant character within the book.

Written with humour and clarity, this non-fiction book breaks down complex ideas associated with the Internet –  like data packets, algorithms, networks, and cybersecurity – into manageable and child-friendly explanations supported by diagrams and real‑world examples.

The book also discusses online risks, including scams, hacking and privacy concerns. These are handled in an age‑appropriate, factual way that would be great for starting discussions around e-safety, cyber security and Safer Internet Day.

As a teacher, I find it a strong choice for developing digital literacy and supporting cross‑curricular learning in computing, science, and PSHE.

Set in secondary school, this short and dyslexia-friendly title tells the story of Jay and his quandary over doing what makes him happy or keeping in with his friendship group.

Jay has an interest in computing, and a talent for it too, according to his teacher, Mr Chan, although his friends think it’s for nerds. They have only one interest – football – so when his best friend Noah’s Dad starts a new football club, the pressure on Jay to join in is huge.

Jay knows that he’s not very good at football and would much rather go to Mr Chan’s new Computing Club, but the club falls on the same days as football practice, and Jay is torn between the two. He ends up lying to his friends in order to attend the club, but then an announcement regarding a competition and an amazing prize raises the stakes, and Jay’s web of deceit falls apart.

The characters are believable, with the bonus of seeing from the illustrations that various ethnic groups are represented.  It certainly gets the positive message across that everyone is different, and I could see it being very useful in some football-obsessed classes in my school!

A highly illustrated diary-style story that will appeal to fans of Tom Gates, Wimpy Kid or Loki.

To begin with, I found myself curious to know how the events which loom so large in Hari’s mind – particularly the film competition and his friendship with schoolmates – would unfold. His doodle-filled diary was a perfect way to view the drama from his perspective; ‘drama’ being the right word for someone with ADHD and autistic traits for whom small things can prompt BIG feelings.

We have teacher Mr Gill to thank for suggesting that Hari keep a journal. More than that, I enjoyed getting an inside look into a mind – one who is aware that he’s neuro-divergent and is not ashamed to admit it, but who, nonetheless, struggles sometimes with expectations, noise, deadlines, focus and relationships. Just as well his BFFs, Rahim and Lily are non-judgmental and forgiving, which is more than can be said for Martin the bully. But what of new boy Cameron? Whose side is he on? And will he help or hinder Hari’s bid to become a Bollywood superstar?

Read it and see, all those who love a good laugh, KS2 children especially.

History’s Most Epic Fails is a fantastically funny compendium of some of the most disastrous things to happen to historical figures ever! Athena Kugblenu achieves the rare feat of being able to present the facts in a witty and appealing way without losing historical authenticity. She doesn’t just mock the figures, she explores the context that made them possible. This reminds the reader that history is quite often a series of human mistakes, rather than a perfectly planned path towards the present day.

The book is a wonderful resource for the Upper Key Stage Two classroom as there are so many different historical figures discussed. Due the short paragraphs and page design, it’s also incredibly accessible, making it ideal to use with reluctant readers.It can be used to consider how ‘failures’ can often be a catalyst for positive change and how even the most powerful leaders in history had issues where things went wrong!

This poetry collection from Joshua Seigal is a good choice for school libraries and book corners, with plenty of humour and lots of wordplay and puns. Some of the poems include vocabulary that will stretch even the strongest Year 6 readers, while others are very easily accessible to much younger readers. This range is one of the strengths of the book.

The cover art leans into the silliness of Seigal’s style, and many of the poems are undeniably and joyously silly, but there are also some that tackle heavier emotions. These are handled sensitively and powerfully and the juxtaposition with the silliness of previous poems is effective. The order of poems is well planned too, so that the more difficult emotional themes are followed by themes of love and optimism, so the overall effect is of giving space for those hard issues while keeping them in a healthy balance.

The collection encourages writing for pleasure. The playfulness of the language used offers children the freedom to express themselves beyond the rigid rules of correct English, whether by example with poems like Ponky Woem or by explicitly discussing the freedom of writing as in Poetic Licence and Saturday Morning.

A beautifully heartfelt and moving story with strong environmental themes. This story highlights the topic of global warming, but also draws a picture of the wonderful connection that can develop between children and animals.

When April heads to a remote Arctic island with her father, who is there for scientific research, she’s not sure exactly what to expect. The trip to ‘Bear Island’ has the potential to be a very lonely trip – with endless summer Arctic nights, an isolated wilderness and, according to her father, no actual polar bears left on the island for April to spot despite its name.

Surprisingly, April encounters a real polar bear on the island when nobody else is around. Isolated from his family, the bear is starving and alone, with nobody to help him. Over time, a friendship develops and April becomes more determined than ever to save the bear. 

There’s something magical about this story – from the wonderfully evoked Arctic setting to the glorious friendship that develops between April and the bear. This is a powerful and important story that will stir the heart through its gently unfolding message that places hope in the hands of the young to make a difference in the planet’s future.

Mighty Myths is a collection of myths, legends and monsters collected from around the world. From the mighty and well-known Cyclopes to the diminutive and lesser-known Nisse, with tales of what causes the weather, a guide to dragons, Zeus’s photo diary and stories of the Spider Goddess, Anansi and so much more. This book is colourful with illustrations that really bring the stories to life and are highly entertaining. The text is broken up into small chunks and well laid out, which makes it very accessible as well as visually appealing to a wide range of readers and abilities.

Quirky, colourful and entertaining, this book would fit in any Key Stage 2 classroom and could be used in a variety of topics including the telling of myths and legends. It is also a great book for reading for pleasure and for helping children to fall in love with mythology or storytelling.

Peanut Jones is a wonderfully imaginative story with likeable characters and plenty of action and adventure.

Pernilla Jones (Peanut to her friends) isn’t having the best time. Her dad suddenly disappeared over a year ago, her mum is moving on and dating someone Peanut can’t stand and she has been made to move schools, leaving her beloved Melody High behind in favour of St Hubert’s School for the Seriously Scientific and Terminally Mathematic. Peanut is paired with Rockwell Riley as part of a study buddy scheme to help new students settle and she couldn’t be more disinterested.

One day, when she finds a magic pencil which has the power to make drawings a reality, Peanut sets out to find out what really happened to her dad. She takes Rockwell and her little sister, Little Bit, along for the ride in this alternate dimension where there is always danger and surprise around the corner. The story follows her journey into a hidden world where she must think quickly and use her drawing powers to save herself, her friends and the people she meets from those who wish to destroy all creativity – all the while, searching for the truth about her dad.

Throughout the book, there are superb, detailed drawings which are in black, white and orange, giving the book a unique style. The short chapters make it easy to read.

There is something about a girl being brought up in a rhubarb shed that is instantly interesting and captivating! We only find out why at the end, but it is so compelling and awful and yet at the same time the reader knows there must be a good reason. That is how the story starts and the contrast between the enclosed space and the wide-open spaces is very much in evidence as the story progresses.

As a Londoner I loved the London setting. This is exactly the sort of story I love, combining fantasy and real places and there is even the ubiquitous school to train the students who have magical abilities – in this case wings. The school setting (the Starminster of the title) is actually St Paul’s Cathedral, which is such a fun place for a school.

Suitable for Key Stage 2, this is a wonderful and original story which fantasy lovers (and bird lovers!) will really enjoy.

Guy Bass’s Scrap books have been among my favourite books of the last few years, so I was keen to read Stitch Head, particularly having seen trailers for the film recently. This version also has stills from the film inserted into the book.

Who could resist little Stitch Head with his woeful face, admirably rendered by Pete Williamson. The book is a shorter read, made easier by those illustrations, which I loved. The story is not complex, but the emotions are. The reader really feels for poor Stitch Head and the way he has been abandoned, and how he clings to the past. The villain is suitably villainous, and whilst the book is littered with monsters, this is not a scary read, and the scariest ones are actually the people.

Sometimes illustrations enhance a story, but in this case, they are part of the story and I’m sure that the visual aspect of storytelling is what made the book so ripe for being turned into a film.

We are very fond of Tony Bradman’s history-themed fiction, and this new 1941 Blitz adventure is a fantastic addition. It follows the Cobb Street Commandos, a spirited gang of East End children determined to support the war effort in their own way.

The story weaves in details about rationing and the Home Guard, handling wartime themes in a way that will make sense to today’s young readers. The characters are brave and full of pluck, showing the power of community spirit in overcoming hardship.

With an accessible font and well-spaced layout, this is a top recommendation for KS2 pupils who enjoy a history themed read.

From the author of the popular Horrible Histories, this book is a set of four of Terry Deary‘s ‘Saxon Tales’ short stories.

Our favourite of the four is the story about King Vortigern (who may or may not have existed in real life, but many believe that he did) and his servant Mervyn, as they are faced with the threat of invading Saxons and Picts. The book also includes The Shepherd Who Ate His Sheep, The Witch Who Faced the Fire and The Lord Who Lost His Head – covering different perspectives on Anglo-Saxon life without ever passing the opportunity to explore the gruesome bits with characteristic humour.

Each story provides a relatively short text, which is accompanied by fun illustrations, making the volume easily accessible to most pupils in lower KS2.

The Accidental Viking is an easy-to-follow and entertaining adventure story, with a few twists and turns along the way.

In true Barrington Stoke fashion, the text and print used mean this story is inclusive and accessible for all readers. The story is told through short, manageable chapters with illustrations running alongside.

The Accidental Viking also includes interesting historical facts about Viking life, which would further support the understanding of any reader learning about this era of time, in particular those linking to a Viking village. Some of the facts are quite humorous, particularly those about Viking toilets!

The story has a funny, playful undertone throughout, and readers will no doubt like the personalities of Alfie and Kat – the two main characters – as well as their approach to managing life as Vikings and their reasons behind this. This book would be enjoyed by anyone with an interest in Vikings or as part of a reading bank to support learning about Vikings in a classroom.

This story was partially inspired by footballer Marcus Rashford’s own experiences growing up and is written with children’s author Alex Falase-Koya. Marcus remembers the breakfast clubs he attended growing up, and said “Breakfast Club guaranteed I had the best possible start to my day and welcomed me with open arms. It wasn’t just about food. It was about forming friendships, about togetherness, about escape. It was where some of my greatest memories were made.” This fiction book pays homage to the role breakfast club played in his upbringing.

In the story, Marcus attends Breakfast Club along with his football-loving friends. Since he lost his lucky football over the fence, his magic touch is gone and he’s lost his enthusiasm a bit. Everybody knows that he won’t get the football back because the other side of the fence is a no-go zone with a derelict, abandoned building. Before he knows it, Marcus ends up swept up on an adventure with the Breakfast Club Investigators involving a mysterious note, a strange creature and a deep dive into what really lurks beyond the fence.

This fun, pacey adventure full of twists and turns is a big hit with Key Stage 2.

We love the sumptuous Sri Lankan setting and adventurous heart of this fast-paced tale. The story follows Razi, who has avoided the ocean since his father’s death, until a mysterious traveller named Zheng washes ashore. Joined by his twin sister Shifa, Razi is swept up in a mission while outrunning a pair of ruthless villains.

Farook’s writing is rich with island details and the joys of the natural world. The setting is so evocative it makes you want to visit! Encounters with majestic turtles and a giant whale help Razi find his courage once again, and many readers will love the animals in the story as much as Razi.

A thrilling tropical treasure hunt with plenty of emotional depth, this is a top recommendation for KS2 classrooms.

Jen Carney writes with love and humour. A brilliantly funny, family-friendly story perfect for fans of dogs, pranks and adventures. Cleverly illustrated with comic strips and cartoons this is both easily accessible and inclusive, with representation of families of different shapes and sizes.

Ferris Foster’s neighbour Destiny boasts about videos of her dog going viral. So in retaliation, Ferris claims that his dog Aldo can become an even bigger internet star. However, despite being his best friend, Aldo is not big or clever or talented. He is a dog! So when Aldo is filmed doing what looks like an amazing trick, Ferris believes he is onto a winner.  will Aldo give Ferris the break he needs and live up to his comic book alter-ego? Or will this be Failure with a capital F? Who doesn’t want to be famous these days, anyway?

This is a funny, feel-good, laugh-out-loud adventure to prove that family and friends are everything.

Who could resist a book with the title The Domesday Cows?  Coupled with being written by Iszi Lawrence, whose books I have enjoyed in the past, this was an irresistible draw for me.

This is a story about the culture clash between the Anglo-Saxons and the Normans. Billed as a comedy, this is a romp through the early days of the Norman Invasion and how it impacted the Anglo-Saxon people already living in England (and Wales). It is full of historical details, all cleverly disguised as a funny story. The fact that deer, for example, were no longer permitted to be killed as they belonged to the Normans is all wrapped up in an episode where a deer behaves incredibly stupidly, and the villagers can do nothing about it. I also did not realise the Normans brought rabbits into the country.

The amusing illustrations by Davide Ortu start each chapter with a hint of what is to come, and the tiptoeing cows are very funny. There is a lot to unpack in what seems like a simple book.

Maggie is an orphan who has recently escaped from a workhouse after losing her mum. Her mum had given her a letter to deliver to a Monsieur Passepartout and said that he would help her.

In tracking down Monsieur Passepartout, Maggie also finds Mr Fogg, a gentleman who has made a wager that he can travel around the world in only eighty days. She also discovers that Mr Fogg is believed to have stolen a lot of money from a bank in London.

Maggie accompanies Mr Fogg and Monsieur Passepartout on their journey around the world and tries to prove Mr Fogg’s innocence along the way. Their journey is not a straightforward one – they encounter lots of people along the way, some helpful and some not so helpful. Not everyone wants Mr Fogg to succeed in his endeavour.

‘The Girl Who Raced the World’ is a fantastic reimagining of ‘Around the World in Eighty Days’. Maggie and Monsieur Passepartout are both incredibly likeable characters, and I like how their relationship develops as they get to know each other better. Mr Fogg is mysterious but perhaps not as stern as he first appears. The story moves at a pace and is a fantastic adventure for Y4 and up. It would make a great read-aloud in the classroom or a good independent read.

From the moment orphaned Dilly arrives on Ollipest Island to live with her grand-Aunt Florence, whom she has never met before, she can sense that there is something unusual about the place, yet she feels strangely connected to it – the storybook cottage is comforting and her aunt is kind, although for some reason distant, and she immediately feels like somehow she belongs.

Dilly quickly starts to notice some very strange happenings on the island, and when she and her new friend Callum decide to go to the reopening of a local museum, things become even more bizarre, and the pair find themselves on a quest to uncover the mysteries of this strange island. What follows is a fast-paced, fantastical adventure where time is critical and the stakes are high.

With mystery, fantasy and adventure rolled into one, The Museum of Lost Umbrellas is an engaging read from start to finish, and it is sure to capture the imagination of KS2 readers. The use of rich, vivid and descriptive language creates a strong sensory experience, and readers will find themselves transported into the fantasy world. I cannot wait for the next book in series!

We always enjoy Ross Welford’s dry and intelligent humour, and this diary-style adventure with a difference is a real treat. It follows Prince Kal, a tiny and somewhat haughty royal alien from the Imaginaria Forests, who ends up stranded on a Northumberland beach after a mishap. In his diary, he logs his experiences of encountering the ways of Earth.

Interspersed with humorous observations and comical illustrations, this is an enjoyable blend of science fiction, satire and sharp wit.

Andy Shepherd, bestselling author of The Boy Who Grew Dragons, returns with another enchanting story in The Wood Where Magic Grows.

This beautifully written tale follows Iggy as he adjusts to big changes — moving house and learning to live with his new stepbrother, Cal. But when the boys begin exploring their garden, they discover that the mysterious wood at the end holds secrets beyond their wildest dreams.

Rich with nature imagery and magical surprises, this story is bursting with awe and wonder. Fans of Shepherd’s previous work will feel right at home with the familiar tone, engaging vocabulary, and heartfelt themes of friendship, family, and discovery. It’s a perfect pick for children who love imaginative adventures grounded in relatable emotions.

A gentle, magical story that draws readers to the joys of the natural world, inspires discussion and encourages children to never stop being curious.

Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright contains an animal poem for every day of the year. It’s a real stunner of a book – a gorgeously bound hardback compendium with full-page colour illustrations by Britta Teckentrup.

Readers can have fun dipping in and out of the pages and reading animal poems both familiar and new to us – flicking through to the entries for today, tomorrow, our birthdays, family and friends’ birthday and other special dates in the calendar, as well as pausing on random pages that catch our attention due ot the illustrations or the titles of the poems.

It’s the kind of collection that is perfect for a teacher’s desk or family coffee table to open when there’s a spare few minutes in the day. This is a book to treasure and one that sings of the joy of poetry as much as the wonders of the natural world.

The opening to the book has illustrations that introduce you to some of the characters, followed by a unique map, which gives you a brief overview of The Garden, showing the Unfairies and Tree Fairies holdings. Pip, the little hero fairy of this story, sets out with his new friend Midge by his side to deliver a report on how the winter food stores have gone mouldy. Danger seems to follow him throughout, or perhaps he follows danger!

His encounters with sticky, bug-bum honey, a crash involving a beetle and centipede and the carrying of a prophecy are just a few of the quests set out for Pip. Throughout the book, double-page spreads share a map or information page based on different areas of The Garden and Oakhold, both unique and humorous.

This graphic novel is a fantastic combination of a Welsh author, who provides endless laughs, and an Italian illustrator, who brings the colours and vibrancy. It ticks all the boxes for a fun read.

Wish Upon a Star gives the reader a vibrantly illustrated insight into our galaxy and beyond. The book looks at stars from a scientific, historical and cultural perspective, allowing the reader to understand the importance of stars across all aspects of our lives on Earth.

Each double-page spread has a different focus and is beautifully illustrated, with short, age-appropriate captions which support the reader in building their vocabulary around the subject.

The early pages of the book have a scientific focus, with pages which look at ‘Galaxies’ and ‘When a Star Dies’. These pages balance easy-to-read insights with some useful topic vocabulary. The book tends to keep the information given fairly brief, giving opportunity for further investigation and research if needed.

The latter pages of the book consider how stars are central to the traditional tales across many different cultures, with insight into Chinese, Maori and the Anishinaabek communities, amongst others.

It is ideal as a core text for topic work around the Earth and Space and would be perfect for Key Stage Two classrooms.