There are few authors who can make my own children squeal with delight quite so readily as Pamela Butchart. As a teacher, I really appreciate the accessibility of the books too and always get a positive response when I recommend them to even the most reluctant of readers.

This story is about a class trip to cabins by a lake, where the children are sure there is a monster and a humorous mystery unfolds. 

Thomas Flintham’s illustrations are easily recognisable and perfectly capture the chaotic, wonderful humour of the series. A must-read!

Grimwood is a wacky, anarchic animal story, full of nonsensical mayhem. The story will certainly appeal to KS2 (although possibly not the most sensitive in this age group – as there are incidents of biting off heads, tails or feet!). There’s a dark and whacky humour to the story that will delight fans of Dahl or Mr Gum and plenty of discussion points such as the relationship between the fox cubs, the changes in their personalities and the desire to find refuge. The book could work as a class reader and a fun and quirky independent read for ages 7-11.

Grant the Genie and Puppy Teeny double up on fun adventures in this short illustrated chapter book series. The books in the series do link together, but equally can be enjoyed as stand-alone reads.

The books feature gorgeous black and white illustrations throughout in Lenton’s highly recognisable style, plus the bonus of a draw-a-long activity for extra interaction.

The smaller format of these books makes them inviting to hold for younger children with well-spaced text and larger font appealing to beginner readers looking for a bridge between picture books and chapter books.

This is the first in the series, and highly recommended for a feel-good short chapter book.

This debut novel from Helen Rutter is inspired by her own son who has a stammer, and it delves into the worries and thoughts that Billy has about having a stammer and how he thinks the outside world will see him because of it.

When eleven-year-old Billy starts Bannerdale secondary school, he wants to fit in and be popular. In fact, he hopes to realise his dream of becoming a comedian and being known throughout the school as ‘Billy Plimpton, the Funniest Boy in School’. One thing stands in his way though – he decides he won’t talk until he’s ‘got rid’ of his stammer.

Each chapter begins with one of Billy’s jokes, and although the issues tackled in the book are serious, it’s a warm and funny read. The story shows that we all have differences, and it is important to accept ourselves as we are.

This is a lovely book with a positive message, as well as being packed with jokes which will make both children and adults laugh.

Mega Robot Bros is a long-running comic strip in The Phoenix, written and illustrated by Neill Cameron. There are three spin-off graphic novels, which are wildly popular in the school library, so we were delighted to see mega-powerful Freddy appear in a more traditional novel form too! The format is similar in style to Wimpy Kid and Tom Gates, but I would say there is a touch more text, so it’s a nice step forward for children who love the illustrated format and are ready for a slightly more complex story.

You’ve got a Freddy in your class, I’m sure – a boisterous child who hasn’t quite got control of their limbs and personal responsibility yet. A child who always wants to do the right thing, but gets it horribly wrong on a regular basis – and perhaps they’ve got an older sibling who always seems to get it right. Now equip that child with deadly lasers, a jet pack, no sense of danger and some excellent sidekicks and you’d be right in thinking absolute mayhem ensues!

Poor old Freddy is banned from using his superpowers at school after one too many incidents, but as you can imagine, there’s always a good reason – or perhaps a desperate, world-saving reason – to use them! Throw in a dodgy bully and some tricky friendship situations, and you know it’s all going to go wrong despite his best efforts to follow the rules. What makes Freddy vs School stand out is that Freddy learns and grows beautifully. He has to work hard to re-establish his friendships after disaster strikes, and to understand other people’s points of view. It’s so deftly done that it doesn’t feel preachy at all. I think Freddy is going to be really popular with primary school children looking for a hilarious, feel-good read.

This colourful, cartoon-style reference book brings history to life with humour and fun. Following on from the enormous success of its award-winning predecessor ‘A Day in the Life of a Poo, a Gnu and You‘, this book is packed full of information and facts, presented in an entertaining comic style that is a joy to read.

The book is divided into three main sections – Ancient History, The Middle Ages, and The Modern Age. Within each section, relevant ‘day in the life’ comics describes certain aspects of history. We learn about the typical day of a Neanderthal, an Inca Farmer, and a Gladiator, as well as the more unexpected daily routines of a wheel, a Samurai sword, and a stick of chalk!

Additional ‘bigger picture’ pages give extra details and more in-depth information – for example on Civil Rights, the Terracotta Army, and the world map. ‘Secret Diaries’ provides a wider viewpoint over a larger timescale – we find out from Isaac Newton’s cat that he got stuck in an apple tree, dislodging one of the fruits; The diary of a wooden board from Leonardo da Vinci’s studio stretches over four hundred years and sees the board end up in an art gallery in Paris. ‘Newsflashes’ are interspersed throughout the book and give more context to the ‘days in the life’ and ‘secret diaries’ by filling you in on what else was happening in the world at the time, and there is also a world map and a glossary for easy reference.

Readers will enjoy the variety of historical information, which feels like a balanced view of different areas of the globe. This is a great book to sit and read individually, or to dip into when exploring related topics.