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Crime and Punishment Topic

Crime and Punishment Topic Booklist

Explore the history of crime and punishment in Britain – from gallows and gangsters to jails and juries.

Learn about Scottish witch trials in A Kind of Spark, the Gunpowder Plot in Ally Sherrick’s Black Powder or real-life pirates in Blackbeard’s Treasure. We’ve put together a list of recommended children’s books to support the KS2 topic of how crime and punishment have changed through the ages.

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Chapter books about crime and punishment

Louis Sachar
Chapter book

An absorbing read about an American boy who is unfairly sent to a juvenile detention centre called Camp Green Lake. There, he and the other prisoners are forced to dig a large hole each day in the intense heat of the desert, because the warden claims it is character building. He soon discovers that much more is at play and themes of prejudice, family, fate, identity, and justice emerge as he digs for the truth. A popular choice in Upper KS2/Lower KS3 classrooms.

Frank Cottrell Boyce
 & Steven Lenton
Chapter book

Millions is the humorous tale of a not-so-great train robbery. Damian and Anthony are brothers who unwittingly find themselves in possession of a large amount of money after being caught up in a train robbery. The pair have big decisions to make, needing to reconcile their wildly different ideas about what to do with the cash. You may also like Framed by the same author.

Malorie Blackman
Chapter book

A cyber-crime thriller from the former Children’s Laureate Malorie Blackman. Vicky’s father is sent to jail for stealing a large sum of money from the bank and she sets about to prove that he is innocent. Using her brilliant computer skills, Vicky decides to hack into the bank computer files to find evidence of the truth about the real thief.

Sharna Jackson
Chapter book

When their art teacher is mysteriously murdered during the summer holiday, sisters Nik and Norva turn detective to solve the case and find his killer. With a modern-day urban setting in a high-rise block, this entertaining whodunnit will keep you turning the pages. A sequel, Mic-Drop, sees the smart and curious young sleuths investigate the suspicious death of a pop-star — and I hope there will be lots more mysteries to come for Norva and Nik.

Bethany Walker
 & Jack Noel
Chapter book

A funny art heist mystery from the duo behind Chocolate Milk, X-Ray Specs and Me. One day, the Royal Family announces a £25 million reward for a painting that has been missing for about 200 years – a second version of The Mona Lisa. As the hunt is on for the missing painting, criminals start to think that it might be hidden at Mia and Jake’s school.

The layout of the book is fun and really appealing with different size fonts and small illustrations around the writing. The story is mainly told through emails between Mia and her granny but there is occasionally a newspaper article, blog, or notes between the characters.  A great medium-length book for Year 4 and up, and one that will appeal to fans of Liz Pichon, Danny Wallace or Sam Copeland.


Elle McNicoll
Chapter book

This is a beautifully written book with a fascinating story behind it, and an insightful exploration of one girl’s experiences of autism.

The way that the messages of the book about acceptance and self-belief are intertwined with the story of the witches persecuted in Scotland is clever and thought-provoking.

This book will help those children who may feel they are ‘different’, but also challenges all children to think carefully about how they treat those who they see as different to them.

The story has also been televised for CBBC. See our blog interview with author Elle McNicoll for more information.

J.J. Arcanjo
Chapter book
Such a brilliantly clever and unique twist on the boarding school genre, with complex characters and a great plot.

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 twists and turns and endearing characters. Just brilliant storytelling – I can’t wait to read the next one.

Children's books about crime and punishment in history

Andy Seed
 & Gareth Conway
Chapter book
If you could go back in time and talk to famous villains from the past, what would you ask?Brave animal interviewer and author Andy Seed has adapted his incredible 'tranimalator' device into a time machine, allowing him to go back and talk to all kinds of figures from history! Get to know 10 famous villains who take a quick break from dastardly deeds to answer all sorts of (very nosy) questions about their actions and unique perspectives. Are they as wicked as we've been led to believe? Will Andy make it out alive? Discover the good, the bad, and the unexpected as each villain reveals the truth about their lives – and attempts to find out about the future!In this fun and fact-filled book, bite-sized text in a question-and-answer format is paired with engaging illustrations, perfect for reluctant readers and humour-seeking history fans. Featuring interviews with Blackbeard, Ivan the Terrible, Nero and more – plus bonus facts about the time period and its events.Perfect for fans of the Horrible Histories books, this series offers a fun, fresh take on history, featuring true stories from historical figures from across the world.
Ally Sherrick
Chapter book

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.

Berlie Doherty
Chapter book
Most suitable for upper KS2, Berlie Doherty offers a tensely dramatic tale with plenty of detail to explore about Tudor life. Set in the time of Henry VIII, this story explores the high tensions around religion and politics in this era as well as opening discussions about the power of the monarchy.
Iszi Lawrence
Chapter book
A riveting pirate tale set in the eighteenth century during the golden age of piracy in the Caribbean, perfect for fans of Emma Carroll and Jacqueline Wilson.It’s 1718: pirate ships sail the oceans and brutal slave masters control the plantations.Eleven-year-old Abigail Buckler lives with her father in the Caribbean. Her clothes are made of finest muslin so she can’t play in them, not that there’s anyone to play with anyway. She isn’t even allowed to go out alone. But when pirates attack Abigail’s life will change forever. Suddenly her old certainties about right and wrong, good and bad start to unravel.Maybe Abigail doesn’t have to be so ladylike after all…Packed with historical detail about the Atlantic slave trade, the ravages of empire and human cost of providing luxuries like sugar, cotton and tobacco to Europe, Blackbeard’s Treasure is a page-turning, swashbuckling adventure which takes a look at the real pirates of the Caribbean.
Katherine Rundell
Chapter book

The Good Thieves transports readers back to the roaring twenties in New York City, complete with its mafia presence, its speak-easy hide-outs and promises of wealth. Vita arrives in New York to find that her grandfather has been robbed of his family home, Hudson Castle, by mafia-linked scammers. Clever and spirited Vita gathers together a crew of unlikely vagabonds to help her reclaim it, becoming the ‘good thieves’ who will carry out a Robin Hood style mission leading to a daring heist scene.


Shorter novels about crime and punishment

Philip Ardagh
 & Jamie Littler
Chapter book

Part of Philip Ardagh’s popular ‘The Secret Diary of…’ series, this is highly entertaining historical fiction for a young audience, bringing a place, a time and a way of life alive for its readers. This one is set in 18th century Cornwall, where Kitty and her family live in a small fishing village. Kitty’s father is the head of a gang of smugglers who are trying to keep their contraband and illegal activities hidden from the excisemen. Kitty is supposed to stay safely at home but she regularly creeps out at night to watch her father and his men at work. Very soon she gets caught up in the action, including a shipwreck, secret caves, betrayal and a prison break.

Terry Deary
 & Stefano Tambellini
Chapter book
Super-readable historical fiction from the creator of Horrible Histories. Terry Dreary explores the infamous highwayman Dick Turpin through the eyes of different people in the crowd at his execution scene. An easy-to-read introduction to Dick Turpin with short chapters and dyslexia-friendly formatting.
Terry Deary
 & Helen Flook
Chapter book
The year is AD 51 and Bran is a slave, a prisoner of Rome, but dreams of one day returning to his homeland, Britannia, to fight against the Romans. When the proud young slave is overheard criticizing Rome, he is thrown into prison and faces execution the next day. Luckily, his cellmate Caratacus is a very special prisoner indeed - a British chief. He believes he has a way to save both their skins, but he'll need Bran's help. A tale based on a key moment in Roman history, full of Terry Deary's dark humour and dry wit.
Terry Deary
Chapter book
In Saxon Kent the law says thieves should be executed, and soup made from a stolen sheep has been found in the Medway house. Young Edward takes the blame, but does his father know more than he's letting on? And can he find a way to save his son from hanging?Join master storyteller Terry Deary for a trip back in time to Saxon times and an exciting adventure.
Terry Deary
Chapter book
Wilfred, the Saxon village Cunning Man, is loved by all for his wondrous healing powers. But he is growing old and weary, and it will soon be time for his apprentice, Ardith, to step up. It's a risky job, and Ardith's about to learn the hard way that you need more than potions and magic words. You need to be... cunning.Join master storyteller Terry Deary for a trip back in time to Saxon times and an exciting adventure.

Picturebooks and graphic novels about crime and punishment

Alfred Noyes
 & Charles Keeping
Poetry

This is a classic narrative poem from 1906. It tells the story of an 18th Century highwayman who rides the roads at night to rob travellers. He falls for a landlord’s daughter called Bess and comes to a terrible fate in a tale of betrayal and sacrifice. This version won the Kate Greenaway Medal for its atmospheric illustrations.

If you study this poem in KS2, take the opportunity to show pupils the picture book the Highway Rat by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler – they will enjoy their newly informed understanding of the inspiration behind an old favourite picture book!

Job Scieszka
 & Lane Smith
Picturebook

A tongue-in-cheek twist on a well-loved fairy tale. This version of the Three Little Pigs story is retold from the eyes of the wolf, who claims the whole story was a misunderstanding and that he has been wrongly framed for his crime of killing the pigs. This picture book can be used in KS2 to explore themes of objectivity, prejudice and the importance of hearing different sides of the same story before reaching a verdict.

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