Bonfire Night, Fireworks & Fire: Children’s Booklist

A joyful, eye-catching picture book about a little fire-ball of a boy!

Til tries to play with his friends, but he’s different and somehow he always seems to upset them and ends up feeling angry and alone – until the day he meets a star, just like him. Til and the glowing star play through the night, on high mountains and in forests, glowing into the sky and playing hide and seek in the shadows. They meet a band of fireflies; Til watches them twinkle and flicker and learns how to glow at will and how to become quiet and calm as he wishes. Saying farewell to his new friend, Til returns home a different person and playing becomes a happy, new adventure where everyone wants to glow, just like him!

This is a picture book about the Great Fire of London, written by a primary teacher who was inspired to create it after teaching the topic for many years. It follows the events of the Great Fire as seen through the eyes of a tiny flea called Vlad who lives on the back of Boxton the rat. The two friends visit the bakery on Pudding Lane and witness the start of the fire before they join the masses of people fleeing the fire. Vlad and Boxton travel through the burning streets of London, watching the houses being destroyed and passing Samuel Pepys as he buries his most precious possessions. We were really struck by the images of the London refugee camps at the end, drawing striking comparisons to current day events and experiences. The author also offers school visits and resources via her website.

This exciting chapter book brings the tale of the great fire of London to life for young readers.

When Will Farriner wakes to the sound of crackling flames and the smell of smoke, he knows something is terribly wrong! As his family escape the flames engulfing their bakery, Will realises he must stop the fire from spreading. But what can be done before all of London goes up in smoke?

Full of adventure and danger, this chapter book is aimed at KS1 and lower KS2.

A captivating and thought-provoking dual narrative from the author of Ella on the Outside.

As Ren and her family drive home one evening, they see orange flames dancing in the sky and bursting like fireworks and flashing fire engines – this excitement soon turns to terror and misery when they realise it is their home on fire. Their lives change instantly when they have to rebuild their lives and home due to the devastating fire.

Ren feels empty and lost with nothing left and soon finds a way to help herself feel better – by taking small items that are meaningful to her old life or other people. Whilst doing this, she feels better but simultaneously she feels wracked with guilt. The narrative is split between Ren and Caspar, whose things at school start to go missing.

The story focuses on complex moral choices and what to do when your friend is in trouble, even though it could cause trouble for yourself. The story would make a great class read for Year 6 with links to PSHE, empathy work or class discussions.

Geraldine McCaughren’s latest book looks at the choices of four older teenagers as they all decide not to be evacuated with the younger children. With no younger siblings to look after, they all skip out of the train they should have left on to follow their dreams (or avoid their nightmares).

This war-themed book for readers aged 10-14 is no means a jolly “Blitz spirit” novel, but it illustrates beautifully how people can take lightness and joy from each other even in the darkest times.

The character development for each teen is fascinating – as you can imagine, they have to grow up rather quickly as the war begins. Lawrence is convinced he can contribute to the war effort while Franklin is desperate to become a fireman like his father. Gemmy “The Gremlin” is living rough and scavenging in bombed-out homes after escaping an abusive home. Olive somehow ties them all together as the group’s kindness and conscience – a role that becomes increasingly important and difficult as the war grinds on.

I would really recommend this both as a WW2 study of ordinary people and as a coming-of-age novel set against a flame-filled London blitz backdrop.

A popular novel set in Ancient Asia, suitable for Upper KS2 or more confident readers. The Firework Maker’s Daughter is the captivating story of Lila, who wants to be a firework maker just like her father. Follow her dangerous quest through strange lands as she journeys to the evil Fire-Fiend. Highly recommended.

Bringing the Fire of London topic – often studied in KS1 – to life for an older audience, The Great Phoenix of London is an exciting new historical fiction book suitable for 9-11 year olds. I really love the way that the author takes a historical event and turns it into such an entertaining story, all the while keeping the historical facts intact. I liked the added extracts from Samuel Pepys’ diary that were added to the beginning of each chapter, recalling the Great Fire of London and the atmosphere of the time.

The young characters in this story were fantastic. The way they took care of each other and the phoenix was endearing. The emotions of the event were accurately displayed through the characters and their actions as they tried to get to safety from the fire. The phoenix becomes a symbol for the rebuilding of London after the fire, as it also rises from the ashes.

A really enjoyable read, perfect for the classroom.

An action-packed historical adventure that transports the reader back to England at the time of the Gunpowder Plot. Black Powder tells the story of a boy called Tom, who finds himself at the service of an intriguing stranger called ‘The Falcon’. The stranger seems to be the only person who can help Tom to save his father from being hanged, but as Tom journeys towards London he discovers that the Falcon has his own, somewhat explosive, mission in mind. Suddenly Tom is faced with the choice of freeing his father or saving the king from an assassination plot. This gripping adventure will capture imaginations and is likely to resonate with anybody who has ever felt like knowing which people and beliefs to trust can sometimes be extremely difficult.

A fantastic book about the fire of London in a unique and engaging format.

From the introduction, the reader is placed in the role of Samuel Pepys and guided through the London streets as he knew them – with all the hustle, bustle, smells, smoke and gory details! Within the opening pages, the fire of London is firmly placed within the historical and political context of the time – the aftermath of the Civil War, the recent plague outbreak and superstitions rife and then takes you through the events of the fire and its speedy spread across London.

Each double page narrates a part of the story of the fire, including what you (as Pepys) are doing at this time. It them poses an interesting question and answers it in several ways – for example, the question ‘How can the fire be stopped?’ leads to a discussion around the fire brigade, fire breaks, water pumps and asking the mayor for help. Each page also has a ‘Handy Hint’ box containing fun facts or advice for Pepys!

This book is a perfect accompaniment to the popular KS1 history topic but could also be used as a valuable resource in Lower KS2 for a group or whole class reading text or as a reading-for-pleasure choice to consolidate knowledge.

Published to mark the 350th anniversary of the fire, The Great Fire of London is a spectacular visual retelling of whole story of the fire, from the first piece of coal that starts smouldering in the oven of the Pudding Lane bakery to a whole city engulfed by raging red and orange flames. With stunning illustrations, captivating storytelling and a treasure trove of historical fact, this books is an absolute essential for classrooms covering this topic. There is also an accompanying activity book.