Year 5 Booklist: 50 Recommended Reads

Fans of Katherine Rundell‘s previous books will have high hopes for this, and dare I say it may be her best yet.

Full of adventure, mythical creatures and character growth, it is perfect for a school library. The story follows a boy’s adventures when he discovers a cluster of magical islands on which all sorts of mythical creatures are really alive. He teams up with a local girl on a magical quest to save the islands.

The two main characters have a lot of grit, and their adventure would be appealing to a lot of readers. It is an emotional journey, but one I think children would enjoy.

The world-building is exceptional, with detailed descriptions of the different creatures and exciting descriptions of the places along the journey,  allowing you to picture the settings in your mind. This is the kind of book that feeds children’s imaginations with wonderful and exciting ideas in a way that only the best children’s stories can do.

Brightstorm is a cracking adventure story with flying ships, intrepid explorers, identity quests, sapient animals and the most wonderful cast of characters.

This thrilling steampunk adventure follows siblings Arthur and Maudie Brightstorm as they try to find out what happened to their explorer father. Arthur, who has a prosthetic iron right arm, is a great problem solver and book lover, while his sister is good at fixing things. When they learn about a race to South Polaris, where their father was lost, they win a place onboard the Aurora, a fantastic sky-ship. Maudie’s talent with tools see her appointed as second engineer. Arthur is hired as cook’s assistant.

Stories about explorers and expeditions are always popular in primary classrooms and this one, with its fresh take on the adventure quest and its convincing world-building, is sure to fire up imaginations and become a firm favourite with budding adventurers across KS2.

This is a cleverly thought out dystopian story imagining what the world could be like with no freedom or privacy and an authoritarian regime controls every part of your life.

Society has broken down in the world due to a lack of manners, courtesy and respect. The Ministry of Manners now controls every aspect of daily life. All spoken and written communication is monitored and life has become a performance for the authorities.

The story follows quiet and well-behaved Alfie, his older sister Margot, who has rebellion in her heart, and their parents, who both work in minor roles for the Ministry. Then rumours surface about The Unsilenced – a group of rebels who are challenging the Ministry with disruptive acts and we hear of The Harmoniser – an AI system built to reshape human behaviour and render people hollow, passive and obedient. To Alfie’s horror, Margot’s resistance flags her to the Ministry and she is taken to a Manners Retreat for personality recalibration, and Dad turns out to be the Harmoniser project leader.

This would be wonderful read-aloud with tense plot moments interspersed with humour, and a set up for a sequel at the end. There’s even a section at the back to explain how a collapsing society had led to a takeover by The Ministry of Manners.

Gabriel has never really felt like he fits in. Abandoned by his parents as a baby, he’s lived with his ‘grandma’ ever since but they have moved house so many times that nowhere really feels like home. Why have they moved house so many times? The answer is that Gabriel has a habit of getting into trouble. Wherever he goes things seem to disappear and he always gets the blame. Until one day, when he picks the pocket of the wrong person (or should that be the right person?) and finds himself enrolled at Crookhaven – a school specifically aimed at honing the skills required of crooks but only so they can use them to put the world right. His lessons include Deception and History of Crookery. He quickly makes friends and throws himself into lessons. But the biggest challenge of the year is the Break-in. The aim? To break into the headteacher’s office and steal something that won’t be missed. Can Gabriel pull it off? And can he do it alone? Also, who are his parents and why did they abandon him?

An exciting start to what promises to be a brilliant series following Gabriel through his years at Crookhaven. The plot is full of twists and turns and endearing characters. Just brilliant storytelling – I can’t wait to read the next one.

Hannah Gold’s animal books always go down a charm in the library, and this return to the Arctic is another absolute triumph. The story follows April Wood (who we first encountered in The Last Bear,  but the story works as a standalone) as she volunteers for a long-distance dog sled race across the frozen tundra, facing both a treacherous landscape and a (somewhat ruthless) rival. This time, the spotlight is on April’s growing connection with a solitary husky named Blaze.

The evocative setting descriptions beautifully capture the wonder and peril of the icy wilderness. What we love most about Hannah Gold’s books is how tenderly she portrays human-animal bonds, and true to form this is what remains the beating heart of this latest story.

A gripping adventure that weaves themes of environmental conservation and personal integrity into a high-stakes, icy race, with a compelling choice of lead animal character that readers will quickly fall in love with.

A debut middle grade novel from Lui Sit, Land of the Wildcat rests beautifully as an adventure novel with an environmental undertone.

Puffin Lau, the 10 year old protagonist of the story, has lost both of her parents and lives with her best friend Lance and his grandad Moe. Thankfully, Lance shares Puffin’s love of adventure, but when her mother fails to keep her promise to deliver a talk to her class on the Kuri, long, lost wildcat of Linger Island, Puffin takes it upon herself to act as museum guide, a role she feels well qualified for.

Before she has time to complete her talk, her Mum’s boss Professor Smoult takes over and Puffin, smarting with anger, decides to investigate for herself just what her Mum felt was so important that she couldn’t be there for her daughter.

While at times fantastical, Sit masterfully weaves the emotions and relationships of each of the characters in an animal tale that explores folklore and conservation work, while keeping up the pace of the adventure and painting a picture of each scene in the story, taking the reader on a real journey of exploration.

This highly recommendable book would be a very worthwhile addition to the school library alongside Olivia Wakeford’s first novel, My Dog.  It could be used as a class read, too, in Year 5 or 6, if not considered too long.  There are links to history and mining, for schools where the curriculum covers these topics, and the links to Wales will make it particularly popular in Welsh schools.

The lives of quite a disparate group of characters intertwine with imagination and skill, focused around main character Evan, his family, school friends and dog. Evan’s Grandad has dementia (the word isn’t used, but ‘sundowning’ is and it’s clear he lives with this condition) and he does not like to talk about his memory of being a miner along with pit ponies who were put to work in the mines.

We begin to inhabit their world; the world of school museum visits and classroom bullies; of Welsh mining history, auras and ghostly apparitions; of grown-ups struggling to balance work and family; of arguments and reconciliations. There lives are sometimes disturbing, sometimes mundane, sometimes difficult and sometimes puzzling. This is fiction at its best; storytelling which deals sensitively with pertinent issues while still being enjoyable. The inclusion of a ghost pony introduces a magical element.

This is an engrossing read: eye-opening, heart-warming and memorable.

This story is full of fantastical treasures to keep a reader enthralled: a villain in need of redemption, a mischievous girl and an insatiable bone-crunching beast.

Ebenezer Twitch is five hundred and eleven years old. He has reached this astounding age due to an elixir of youth provided to him by a magical beast, which lives on the top floor of his house. Ebenezer adopted the creature when it was tiny and was thrilled to find that it could magically vomit up any item he desired in exchange for food. As the beast grew larger, so did its demands for unusual dishes, until Ebenezer’s reliance on it to continue living caused him to sacrifice some of the world’s rarest (and subsequently extinct) creatures. Now, though, the beast wants to eat a child…

A laugh-out-loud tale with comic and sinister strands that Roald Dahl and Lemony Snicket fans will love.

What a treat this is for our younger but curious readers, and especially those who like funny books.

From the former doctor and bestselling author of This is Going to Hurt comes a new side-splitting series about the world’s youngest doctor, Dexter Proctor. He is different. He is ten years old. He has friends but he is so bright and gifted. And by the age of ten, he is working as a paediatrician at Lilydale General Hospital!

But Dexter has a mortal enemy (Dr Drake) and a major problem – all the teachers are struck down with dreadful diarrhoea! Dexter must step up to the challenge and try to save the teachers and the school.

This hilarious new series about the world’s youngest doctor from the record-breaking Adam Kay and Henry Paker will keep our children informed, engaged and laughing out loud.

Walker’s hilarious story of an angry and bold twelve year old called Meddy Gordon will be passed around the hands of classroom children repeatedly.

When Meddy Gordon is condemned to a series of very bad schooldays after angering the goddess Athena, she does nothing but rant into her diary, a place she thinks her anger and her emotions are safe. Siblings argue, sisters bicker, problems with classmates come and go, disagreements with teachers are the worst! But Meddy has more than her fair share of troubles; dealing with owls, swarms of snakes and a random dog. All this, alongside the small problem of her snake hair that appears if she doesn’t control her anger!

Combining the mythical powers of ancient Greece with modern twenty-first century humour, Walker’s brilliantly written middle grade novel will be gratefully received by youngsters aged 8+. Why? Because what happens when the goddess of war is on the warpath? You get a bad day. And everyone has bad days, especially preteens. Super fun and relatable.

Beloved Children’s Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce‘s returns with the usual humour and storytelling mastery in the movie-making-themed The Blockbusters!.

The story begins when brothers Rafa and Cillian must move in with their Uncle Miles as their family faces housing difficulties and Rafa’s class go to visit a movie set. A comedy mix-up leads to Rafa resembling a huge film celebrity at all kinds of star-studded chaos ensues!

Frank Cottrell-Boyce, who has experience of the film industry, combines cinematic insight with deep empathy for modern children’s lived experiences, resulting in a warm, funny and insightful story recommended for Year 5 and 6.

This is a multi-million-selling series that has also been televised with Disney and is hugely popular among fans of action and adventure.

Percy Jackson’s modern world is turned upside down when he finds out he is descended from Greek gods. What follows is battles with monsters and epic quests in an action-packed series that merges Greek mythology with the modern world.

There are also Teachers’ Notes available to download from the publisher.

This is a wildly imaginative and highly unusual story (in the best of ways) brimming with wonder, magic, folklore and compassion.

Marinka is a 12-year-old girl who lives with her grandmother, Baba Yaga. Together, they live in a house with chicken legs and move around from place to place, fulfilling their role of ‘guardians of the gate’ by guiding the spirits of the deceased through the gateway between life and death.  Marinka’s destiny appears to be already decided; she is to train to become a Yaga like her grandmother and this means that she is never allowed to go to school or make friends with the living. What follows is an emotive coming-of-age story that sees Marinka working to resolve the tensions between her desires and the path she is expected to follow.

Sophie Anderson is a wonderful storyteller and has very skillfully crafted a compelling and believable magical world that enables readers to explore elements of a Slavic folk story in a fresh and relatable way.

This is a magical and captivating narrative that dances its way through darkness and light, joy and grief and life and death, and it is highly recommended for Years 5 and 6.

There is something about a magical world that is not too far removed from our own, that is so captivating.

Set in an alternative London and New London (the magical version), this is world-building at its brightest. A bit like a crazy dream, the story takes the reader into a place that is vivid and frantic like a fever dream. Metty is a wonderful heroine, stubborn and determined, full of energy and excitement. The other characters are also easy to imagine and imaginatively written. This story is fast paced and perhaps the most interesting aspect is the idea of whether a person’s fate is set in stone or whether one is capable of changing what one is or will become.

It is always nice to find a new author with a debut book that you just know you will want to read more from.

Full of short but wonderfully detailed stories of the feminine heroes in Greek mythology, this is a perfect addition to any bookshelf of someone interested in history and Ancient Greece.

Every last detail has been considered, including the contents page, which shows a picture of each woman and a short synopsis of their story, for example, Ariadne: the Cretan princess who helped crack the Labyrinth and stop the Minotaur. Who would not want to read such an intriguing tale? Each story is written in first person, from the viewpoint of the female, a side that has not always been told before.

Though the stories are not in full, they give enough details to inspire a love of Greek mythology. It even ends with a section entitled, ‘What happened next?’ with a short insight into the future of these famous women. This book will surely be an inspiration to many and foster that interest in Ancient Greece and the tales from there.

Rumaysa: A Fairytale is an absolute must-have for anyone looking to diversify their school bookshelf.

This book offers an empowering twist on Rapunzel, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty, interweaving the classics into a seamless adventure. Instead of waiting around for a prince, these strong Muslim heroines take charge of their own destinies.

The narrative is layered with South Asian culture and Eid celebrations amid the traditional fairy tale tropes and their twists. Perfect for readers across Key Stage 2, this is an essential and highly recommended addition to your library shelves that will help readers think outside the box.

This is the first book in a super-fun and positive new series aimed at younger readers who are not yet ready for Dork Diaries, Lottie Brooks or Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

It follows the life of Riley Wright, a girl starting in Year 4 at a school where her Dad is going to be the new Headteacher! Riley is often embarrassed by her father and hopes to blend into her new environment, so she is horrified when he announces that she is his daughter on the first day. Despite this, she manages to make a best friend (Emmie) that morning and is shown her secret library in a long-forgotten cupboard, which becomes the girls’ refuge during the next few weeks.

Unfortunately, Riley’s Dad shatters the relative peace by announcing a talent show where all pupils showcase a skill, firstly to their class, and then to the whole school. Riley doesn’t believe that she has any talents at all and worries every day about what she could do, although it turns out that she is brilliant at helping Emmie with her own act.

The story gives a great insight into friendships at school and will give plenty of laughs about family and growing up. I think it is perfectly pitched for the middle of primary upwards and would be popular with those who have enjoyed Jen Carney’s stories.

Main character ‘Z’ – short for Zero, since he speaks no words at school – is bullied and teased, and doesn’t really fit in; his passion for rapping means that he finds it difficult to talk without rhyming his words and this can lead him into trouble. Then Mr G, a teacher who seems to understand Z, introduces him to beatboxing new pupil Essef – SFX for short – who also prefers not to speak, relying instead on pointing to phrases on her decorative jacket badges. The two quickly bond, especially as Mr G wants them to audition as a duo for the upcoming famous Rap Rumble competition but there is always the shadow of Bully Boy – Z’s nemesis – hanging over them.

The book has a straightforward storyline and much of the narrative is taken up with Z talking to you, the reader, who he terms ‘my G’. There is plenty of child-level humour – for example the main character picks his nose and flicks it at someone and there is some toilet humour.

This book has themes of friendship, acceptance and bullying. It has a main character wearing a hijab, featuring different family dynamics (parents separated), and states that other kinds of families are ‘cool’.

Written by ex-primary teacher turned viral video celebrity MC Grammar, this is the kind of book that many children will love to pick up – even those who are not usually drawn to chapter books. Funny and entertaining, the book is full of street words e.g. sick, bro/bruh, garms, barz. The story also encourages literacy and reading in one of the latter chapters as potential rappers must have a great vocabulary to find the words to create rhymes about their interests. There are many pages where you can fill in your own rapping ideas and a section with hints and tips for writing your rap.

This is the perfect book for tweens and is sure to be a popular reading for pleasure choice. Birdie is an overthinker, and she currently has a lot of change to navigate in her life, including moving house, becoming a blended family, tending to an elderly hamster and not yet needing a bra!

Birdie and her best friend decide to create a happy list of ideas to help them with their well-being. But, along with daily gratitudes, drinking water and doing things for others, her BFF adds ‘new friends’ to the list! Trying to branch out, Chloe and Birdie find themselves the target of a bullying group of girls.

This book perfectly encapsulates tween life – the happiness, stresses, anxieties, betrayals and joy. The brilliantly chatty tone, mix of font styles and illustrations make it so engaging, and there’s plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. Above all, it is filled with supportive friendships and a caring family to help the girls find their way.

A great reading for pleasure book that will resonate with young people making the transition to Secondary School in the next couple of years.

We absolutely love Danny Wallace’s books for their signature dry humour and Operation Evil Genius is another brilliantly funny addition to the library.

Wallace has a wonderful knack for capturing the real-world niggles and grumbles that drive human behaviour, offering a witty take on the everyday frustrations that children will find honest and instantly recognisable, knowing that things go awry when retaliating to those niggles is left uncapped. This time, that trademark wit follows a protagonist whose elaborate plans to get back at a former best friend backfire hilariously at every turn.

A high illustration-to-text ratio makes this incredibly readable, ramping up the comedy while keeping the pages turning quickly for reluctant readers. Beneath the laugh-out-loud moments, the story cleverly tackles shifting friendships, handling envy and navigating grief. A fantastic, high-energy pick for KS2 bookshelves.

This is an uplifting story about self-belief, heritage and community.

Sunshine feels utterly ordinary, especially when a special school assembly challenges everyone to showcase what makes them unique. Surrounded by vibrant family members, particularly her effervescent Grandad, Sunshine struggles to find her own special talent. As everyday stresses mount, Sunshine grapples with a growing sense of inadequacy. The story follows her journey to follow Grandad’s advice to seek her own adventures, stand proud and shine.

Sunshine begins to embrace her unique identity and rich Jamaican heritage, making this an assured and wonderfully readable debut with an interesting cultural backdrop. Author GM Linton visited our blog to tell us more about how the Windrush Generation inspired the series.

Told with heart and humour, this relatable read will go down a treat in Year 5.

This haunting story has earned its place as a true classic for Year 5.

The story is set in an alternative Victorian England, one where wolves roam freely around the land and are a dangerous threat to humans. Cousins Sylvia and Bonnie are being looked after by a new and highly unpleasant governess called Miss Slighcarp. With dangers at every turn, the girls have to pool their resources and keep their eyes wide open to escape to safety.

Truly exciting with tunnels and old houses and secret places, this classic story book is just as thrilling for today’s children as it was when first published decades ago.

A classic from Roald Dahl, with an edginess to it that invites Dahl’s darker humour to come out more strongly than some of his other children’s books. There’s fantasy, horror and the grotesque woven through what is ultimately an optimistic story about good triumphing over evil, where the smallest character saves the day, with the help of a caring grandparent.

The Grandmother in the story is bold, brave and full of great advice on how to cope in a world filled with secret child-hating witches. She works with her grandson (The Boy) to outsmart and eradicate the Grand High Witch and her followers.

Michael Morpurgo is well loved for his modern animal stories, making him the perfect author to introduce Anna Sewell’s classic horse book to a new generation of readers.

This beautiful new hardback version, with artwork by Tom de Freston, brings a deeply empathetic voice to Black Beauty. The retelling captures the galloping drama of the original, from the stable fire to the backdrop of the Crimean War, while bridling a narrative that will keep modern primary readers hooked all the way by shifting the emphasis onto animal welfare.

A moving retelling of a true children’s classic that is perfect for the Upper KS2 book corner.

We absolutely love Tony Bradman’s historical fiction, and Greek Boy is a fantastic follow-up to highly recommended history favourites like Anglo-Saxon Boy and Viking Boy. Set in Ancient Greece, the story follows an Athenian boy called Nikos who finds himself thrust into the brutal reality of the Greek Navy to prove his family’s loyalty to the city state.

If you don’t mind a bit of blood, guts and gore, this is the one for you. The story explores themes of loyalty and betrayal, while plunging readers straight into the high-octane world of ancient warfare.

Steeped in historical detail and clearly well researched, the story is aided by a helpful historical note about the context. This gripping adventure brings the Ancient Greece curriculum topic to life for Upper KS2.

This well-researched and highly readable historical fiction book takes its title from the name of the medal that honours the Arctic Convoys during World War II and in recognition of the particularly harsh conditions they endured.

Tom Palmer has taken facts gathered from the Imperial War Museum, among other sources, to compose a gripping fictional story about three teenage Royal Navy recruits from Plymouth: Frank, Stephen and Joseph. Their resilience, fortitude and courage shine as brightly as the Arctic (North) Star against the surrounding darkness. Their very survival, both physical and mental, is threatened by constant attacks from German U-boats, submarines, planes and, most terrifying of all, the German battleship known as the Scharnhorst – not to mention freezing conditions, fierce storms, shattered dreams and rocky relationships. The life-and-death struggle is played out until the very last page.

This book, with its concluding Author’s Note together with the accompanying online teaching notes available from Tom Palmer’s website, provides an exciting and informative classroom resource for the teaching of WWII as a curriculum topic, besides being a book many children will choose for the sheer enjoyment of reading. A thoroughly recommended read, just like Tom Palmer’s other well-researched and highly readable novels.

If you want to learn about little-known corners of history or unsung narratives, Sufiya Ahmed is a great author to turn to. Under Fire is an engaging read that will help bring fresh understanding to classroom topics about World War 2. The story follows a 12-year-old Anglo-Indian boy called Hassan, who leaves Blitz-torn Coventry for Calcutta in 1943 to stay with his grandfather.

Once in India, Hassan and his friend Jaya confront the stark injustices of the British rule. Before long, the pair are plunged into a nail-biting plot to help the war effort.

It’s fast-paced and gripping, and yet beneath the dangerous escapade the story beautifully tackles themes of grief, injustice and letting go. Certainly a story to pack a punch – both historical and emotional!

This chapter book story is set in 1922, around the time that Howard Carter famously excavated Tutankhamun’s tomb. Thirteen-year-old Lilian joins a voyage to Egypt to the very heart of Howard Carter’s fascinating discoveries.

Woven into Lilian’s story are letters from Ancient Egyptian times, detailing the last days of the young Sun King and his closest friends, revealing stories of humanity and vulnerability. Much like the tomb’s treasures, there is a strong sense that these stories from the past should only fall into the hands of people willing to treat them responsibly and act with due respect to the original owners.

Rich in historical details about Ancient Egypt and moving at a pleasing pace, this is a gripping story with plenty of mystery to get stuck into. Dynamics of race and gender are explored compassionately, and this aspect of the book has the potential to lead to some promising discussions in the classroom.

This moving World War 2 novel begins with Anna, the grandmother, explaining how she was sent away by her parents, following the events during the night of the ninth of November 1938 in Germany on Kristallnacht.

Knowing that, as a Jew, she would no longer be safe, young Anna manages to get a space on the Kindertransport, bringing children like Anna to the relative safety of Britain. Following an arduous journey, Anna is taken in by a family in Kent, who live and work on a country estate. During 1940, when the threat of invasion pervades the country, Anna and her foster siblings Molly and Frank find themselves drawn into a dangerous web of deceit and betrayal. This is Anna’s opportunity to prove whose side she is on.

Told in the first person, Anna’s story has an immediacy that grips the reader, drawing them in as she adapts to her new life. There is poignancy as well as excitement, through short chapters that keep up the momentum of the adventure, as well as exploring Anna’s feelings.

There are many links in this complex, but simply written, story – links between: the present day and the past; Chinese and British culture; fantasy and reality. They all intermingle. Jirou the ghost’s search for peace over his betrayal of Ping An mirrors modern boy Nate’s behaviour towards former friend Leighton, being reconciled with and to Chinese family and heritage and the notion of secrets needing to be uncovered and understood rather than causing hurt.

The ant facts at the beginning of every chapter, which sometimes link very obviously to the story, are interesting. Chapter 19 is a good example: ants releasing a ‘death pheromone’ being like the job of Chinese Labour Corps service personnel in World War I, moving bodies away from the battlefield trenches. The book could link into the WWI curriculum topic, offering a different perspective – that of people from a Chinese background who signed up to help the British war effort.

KS2 readers of Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths will be pleased to see this latest addition on their bookshelves, and librarians to increase the diversity of their stock.

The second in a brilliant dyslexia-friendly series that is also perfect as a quick read for Upper KS2 readers.

In this instalment, a five-a-side tournament is on the horizon and Bobby and his friend Maisie can’t wait to join in. However, an injustice arises when Maisie’s girls’ team is no longer allowed to play. Not one to let unfairness go unchallenged, Bobby comes up with a plan to turn the tide.

It’s a short read with heartwarming characters and real-life issues, and Bobby certainly strikes a chord with children who love football.

12-year-old Vinnie is frustrated by the picture perfect life that his mum – a viral online life coach – is portraying to her readers in order to fit in with her “brand” when the reality couldn’t be further from the truth – their family seems to be falling apart. But more than that, Vinnie is struggling, and his mum is the one person who he used to be able to talk to about things, but she has become too busy answering the world’s problems to have time to deal with his problems, so he keeps them to himself.

One day, Vinnie stumbles across an old blog that his mum used to write before she became famous, and he notices that there are lots of unanswered questions from people asking for her advice – he decides that these people deserve responses and sets about replying himself. Much to his suprise, the public seem to like his responses and more and more messages come flooding in. Reading about other people’s problems makes Vinnie feel like he is not alone and he begins to realise that sharing your problems is better than holding them all on your own.

Typical of Helen Rutter, this book is an incredibly easy read – perfect for struggling or reluctant readers – which is full of laugh out loud humour but with a strong message at its heart.

Another enjoyable read from the Barrington Stoke team, this story is a welcome addition to the gaming genre and should interest readers who have an interest in any of the major game platforms.

Blitzers are the latest craze: characters in handheld electronic games that fight against each other when their owners join their screens together. Danny is desperate to have one, so when his brother Jay brings one home, he starts to ‘train’ it to become a champion. However, Danny’s Blitzer, Chew Lip, is a bit different to the others and doesn’t want to fight. He is advised to reset it, but Danny takes a different approach, and Chew Lip surprises him. When all the Blitzers suddenly vanish from their screens and the manufacturers declare technical issues, Danny receives a mysterious message, and the hunt is on to find out what is really going on at the Blitzers Inc. headquarters.

There are themes of friendship, self-esteem and celebrating differences, as well as a message of concern regarding ‘big tech’. The story does play with the emotions too: it is genuinely funny in places as Danny tries in vain to make Chew Lip more combative, but there is a sorrowful side to it when the electronic game appears to have feelings and becomes emotional. This book does make you think!

A dyslexic friendly novel, ‘Dance of Resistance’ tells the story of Josephine Baker, a performer and civil rights activist. Starting right from her birth in 1906, Josephine’s life story is told in the first person.

The book is split into short chapters detailing her dream to be on the stage and how she made it come true through her hard work and determination. Whilst I knew some information about Josephine’s adult life, I didn’t know very much about her childhood and I think this is a really thorough retelling of her story. She had a fascinating life and her involvement with the French Resistance during WWII makes this book a good link to history topics in Primary Schools, whilst also linking to Black history and civil rights.

I think this book would be best suited to UKS2 as there are a few things that may require further explanation such as that it was more common for people to marry younger at the time.

An enjoyable sports-themed graphic novel recommended for Year 5 and Year 6.

This graphic novel oozes individuality. It’s the story of Astrid, a middle-grade girl on the cusp of adolescence and coping with all the problems that come pre-prescribed.

Roller Girl packs much in: friendship, mother/daughter relationships, being yourself and self-belief (also hair-dye), all under the backdrop of roller derby (to say it’s a sport not for the faint-hearted is an understatement)!

Torben Kuhlmann’s Edison is a brilliant addition to a unique science series we love, and just as recommendable as the other books – Armstrong and Lindbergh.

This beautiful text is a longer picture book, and feels more like a large-format chapter book with full-page illustrations, drawing Key Stage 2 readers into a brilliant illustrated adventure with science themes of light, design, discovery and invention. The story follows a young mouse, Pete, on a quest to uncover the mystery of his ancestor’s lost treasure, a journey that unexpectedly leads him and an old Professor into the fascinating world of submarine design and the history of invention.

The narrative weaves real-life scientific discovery into a fantasy plot, and the author’s notes at the end provide a brief history of Thomas Edison and the history of the lightbulb.

Kuhlmann’s unique and detailed illustrations are stunning, often telling aspects of the story themselves and providing incredible detail to pore over and discuss. Impressive, and highly recommended!

We are big fans of Christina Balit’s historical picture books. Following the style of classroom favourites Escape from Pompeii and The Corinthian Girl, this new title features equally gorgeous, detailed illustrations that bring the sights and sounds of the past to life.

The story is set in Elizabethan London, where a street-singing orphan named Jack catches the attention of William Shakespeare. Before long, Jack is swept into the bustling world of the Globe Theatre, working his way up to star in A Midsummer Night’s Dream as the Fairy Queen. The reality of how child actors were treated is not glossed over, and there is both light and darkness in Jack’s experiences of stage life.

This is a spectacular, beautifully researched book that makes a fantastic accompaniment to Tudor and Shakespeare topics in KS2.

Varmints is an intriguing and mysterious picture book, with an environmental theme, and images that play with concepts of light and dark. This is not a story to enjoy in the traditional storytime sense, but an intriguing picturebook to offer reward to those willing to ponder over, consider and reflect upon the multi-layered offerings on each page. The ideal age of the audience for this book is Upper Key Stage 2 children.

A once peaceful place becomes darker when varmints turn up. They destroy the bees and plants and bring with them grey buildings and too much noise to think. Peace and tranquillity become lost – as does thinking – and the environment gets darker and more ominous with each page turn. Some of the images are stark and haunting – almost cinematic at times. In one tiny moment, a creature restores hope by nurturing a pocket of wildlife and a little bit of wilderness grows once again.

Created in partnership with Kew Gardens and a worthy Carnegie nominee from a CliPPA-winning poet, this beautiful-to-hold volume is packed with a mix of rhymes, haikus and short performance scripts. An ode to the joys of the natural world, it is the type of poetry collection that invites the ‘awe and wonder’ back to primary classrooms.

The poems encourage readers to look at the environment with fresh eyes and really notice the details in the world around them, as well as the interplay between different elements of the natural ecosystem.

Paired with stunning colour illustrations, this is a joyful book of nature poetry that makes a fantastic addition to poetry shelves or outdoor learning topics in KS2.

Shortlisted for the CLiPPA poetry prize, Wise Up! Wise Down! is a collaborative poetry book that reads like a chat between old friends. The concept is a conversation between two poets – in poetry, of course!

Instead of a standard collection of separate pieces, celebrated poets John Agard and JonArno Lawson volley ideas, rhymes and riddles back and forth across the pages. Different fonts make it easy for children to track the witty conversation between the two.

Satoshi Kitamura’s distinctive illustrations add another appealing layer, connecting the verses beautifully. It is a rich, challenging and deeply fun poetry book that makes a fantastic addition to poetry shelves or reading for pleasure slots for confident upper KS2 readers who love wordplay. You can also find out more in JonArno’s recent interview about the book for our blog.

Written in different forms of poetry and told as a flashback, this is a heart-wrenching story that offers many possibilities for engagement and discussion. Dealing with themes of bullying, courage, unlikely friendships, loyalty and betrayal, this book explores a child’s ability to perceive everyday experiences in a multi-sensory way.

Davey is new at school and attracts the attention of the school bully, Sam, who makes fun of the holes in his jumper and his unusual ideas. But then Davey heroically saves Sam’s life and the pair become friends. Davey shares a secret with Sam, but when Sam betrays that secret it puts Davey in a life-threatening situation which changes everything.

Devon, 1941. Like her brother, Ralph, Bonnie wants to help in the war effort rather than tend the home vegetable patch. So when the mysterious Mr Fisher is billeted at their family home, Bonnie’s mission to uncover his secrets begins. Why is he here? Is he a shirker? Or worse … a German spy?

In this engaging and emotional verse novel the words dance on the page to tell the story through poetry. Digging for Victory is captivating, powerful and entertaining. The words form interesting shapes to mirror certain themes in the story, which creates the interest needed for a reluctant reader and creates a playful vibe.

While the story is about a girl in the Second World War, some will see it as a detective story, and others will latch onto the important themes running through the book. Cathy Faulkner weaves themes through the story so that your young reader will emerge with more insight into life – it tackles self-esteem, intrinsic versus extrinsic influences on identity, fitting in, bullying, rejecting stereotypes, grief and family. While being a positive and hopeful book, it is also very moving.

The verse format clearly tells the story through poetry and makes the book stand out from the crowd of WW2 stories. It is the perfect way to tell this emotional story while encouraging the reader to care about the characters.

Omnibird’s subtitle, ‘An avian investigator’s handbook’, sums this book up well. This is no dry and dusty bird guide, this is an investigator’s handbook full of hints and tips and guides to reading clues in order to help the reader play detective and identify the birds who live all around us. From the shape of their wings to the sounds they make and their colouring and patterns, this book covers all the things to look for when trying to identify a bird.

With sections on how eggs are formed, the various jobs birds do in our environment and even the steps to take to help rescue a bird trapped indoors, as well as information on many of our most familiar birds, this is a fascinating book for both budding ornithologists, as well as anyone with an interest in the natural world.

The illustrations are bright and eye-catching and the information is laid out in a very accessible, child-friendly, humorous way. A brilliant addition to any primary classroom or library.

This wonderful book is written by an actual scientist and geologist. There are 3 main categories to the book: ‘Stuff – The Basics’, ‘Nature Stuff’ and ‘Stuff Humans Make & Use’. It is incredibly hard to choose a favourite section with sections called: ‘It came from the Big Bang’, ‘Yum…Dirt’ and ‘Here’s to Your Health’.

The information is clear, succinct and accessible for children in KS2 and illustrations are clear, informative and child-friendly with a mix of photographs and images. Every few pages, there is a ‘bonus’ paragraph which shares brilliant facts like: a little more than half the weight of an average adult person is water but this number is even higher in children. There is also a section on how to grow your own mineral crystals.

There is also a glossary and index at the back. Here’s hoping there is a follow-up to this book…the author mentions that there was a lot more ‘stuff’ he wanted to include, such as extremophiles, asteroids and dark matter. We can’t wait!

‘If you need space for…comfy places to read; listening to stories; finding out about the world…what building do you need?’ This is just how What’s That Building? by Rebecca Donnelly is constructed. Each double-page spread is a guessing game for readers: put together the clues using the pictures and work out what the building is, then turn the page and all is revealed, along with a detailed explanation of what the building has inside it, what it’s made of, and why.

With each new building the reader finds themself immersed in a mini world full of life depicted in the detailed illustrations by Jocelyn Cho. A museum jammed packed with exhibits; a planetarium full of possibility; a school teaming with children – each building has its own structure and design, perfect for the job in hand. An added mystery element is the ‘hidden’ architect on each page: similar to a Where’s Wally search, every building houses its own architect-in-situ – scan the pages to find her!

Written, designed and illustrated by an all-female crew, this book is a refreshing take on picture books about buildings and building designs. Each building is packed with unusual characters too – spot the penguin pilot and the teddy bear traveller at the airport, for example. Modern and inclusive, this large, hardback non-fiction book deserves a place in every classroom.