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Stone Age to Iron Age Topic

Best Books for the Stone Age to Iron Age Topic

From stone circles and woolly mammoths to hill forts and roundhouses, the Stone Age to Iron Age history topic is such an interesting one to dig into. We’ve put together a list of the best children’s books about the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages to help transport readers back to prehistoric times…

This history curriculum booklist offers recommended children’s books about the period of British prehistory from the Stone Age to the Iron Age, selected by the experts at BooksForTopics. Step back in time to discover the Secrets of Stonehenge, visit the prehisotic settlement of Skara Brae in The Boy With the Bronze Axe or nestle into an Iron Age hill fort in Pitch Invasion.

Teachers looking for a shorter picture book with lots of scope for discussion and writing opportunities will enjoy the classroom favourite Stone Age Boy.

So, if you are looking for recommended children’s books about the Stone Age, this specially selected reading list for KS2 is the right place to start…

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Chapter books about the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages

Sophie Kirtley
Chapter book

A wildly heartfelt timeslip adventure that takes readers back to the Stone Age to explore themes of family, courage, loss and what it means to be human.

Charlie lives in modern times, but after hearing very bad news about a new sibling, Charlie flees to the forest and is transported in time to a Stone Age forest. This is an exciting narrative that will be lapped up by mature readers who are ready for a roller coaster of adrenaline and who can handle difficult themes. Most suitable for Upper KS2.

Michelle Paver
Chapter book
This gripping children's novel takes us back in time 6000 years as twelve-year-old Torak and his wolf cub journey through the prehistoric landscape. Wolf Brother is a real page-turner that uses the structure of an adventure story and majors on the theme of good versus evil in a prehistoric setting. Highly recommended for more confident readers or upper KS2 pupils.
Kathleen Fidler
Chapter book
If you are looking for a class text about the Bronze Age, this is the one for you. Set in the Scottish settlement of Skara Brae, The Boy with the Bronze Axe is a well-researched story filled with exciting challenges and mysteries. Perfect for confident readers or as a class novel.
Clive King
 & Edward Ardizzone
Chapter book

Stig of the Dump is a classic children’s novel about a young boy called Barney who encounters a strange cave-dwelling creature called Stig. Stig takes Barney on a series of fantastic adventures into prehistoric times.

This classic text is popular choice as a class reader or for a literacy unit. There is also an accompanying Read & Respond (click to see on Amazon) book to help teachers with planning.

Shorter chapter books about the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages

Saviour Pirotta
 & Davide Ortu
Chapter book

There has been a gap in the market for Stone Age texts that children in Lower KS2 can access, especially independently. The Stolen Spear fills the gap well as it is easy to read and is ideal for newly confident readers or younger classes. Readers follow the main character’s journey to try and redeem himself and prove himself to others in his village. With further stories following in the series, readers have the opportunity to continue their journey with Wolf if they have enjoyed the story.

Tom Palmer
 & David Shephard
Chapter book Dyslexia-friendly

In the “Defenders” series, best-selling author Tom Palmer brings together his passions for football and history in haunting stories that are “super-readable” due to their accessible layout including a dyslexia-friendly font and tinted paper. In this story, a boy called Seth encounters visions of severed heads raised high on spikes surrounding an Iron Age hill fort. Seth discovers that the heads were a means of keeping intruders out of the hill fort in Iron Age times and must find a way to face the horrors of the past that echo through the ages.

Terry Deary
Chapter book
Set 17,300 years ago in Lascaux in France, this is fast-paced Stone Age adventure from the best-selling author of Horrible Histories. Willow isn't the strongest or fastest in his tribe, he is careful and clever. But that's not what matters to the other boys. All they care about who is the best hunter, and who can provide meat for the tribe. So when the brawny and brash Bull takes over as the tribe's chief, it's going to take all of Willow's wits to survive. An exciting tale based on real historical and archaeological evidence, this story is full of Terry Deary's imaginative style and dry wit. With helpful reading notes to extend learning, this book is the perfect springboard for further study of the Stone Age under the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum.

Picturebooks about the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages

Satoshi Kitamura
Picturebook

This engaging picture book tells the story of a boy who falls down a hole to find himself back in time 15,000 years. He wakes in a prehistoric camp and finds out about life in a Stone Age village.

Stone Age Boy is a hugely popular book with lower KS2 classes and helps to encourage children to engage with how life might have been different during Stone Age times. Extra facts and information are peppered throughout. There is also an accompanying 2-week English unit available from KS2History.

Mordicai Gerstein
Picturebook

A story set in the Stone Age that explores how the first drawing could have come to be, based on real discoveries made in the Cave of Chauvet-Pont-d’Arc in France, which contains some of the oldest known cave drawings made 30,000 years ago. A free educator’s guide is also available.

Hannah Salyer
Non-fiction Picturebook

Ancestory – The mystery and majesty of ancient cave art – is a wonderfully illustrated non-fiction book that brings to life the history of ancient civilisations and cultures through rock art. Not only do the drawings (or time capsules as they are referred to by the author Hannah Salyer) depict how life could have been many, many years ago, Salyer also explores with the reader whether the drawings could have been used for other reasons – for example, to map the stars, tell ancient stories, share important information or show drawings of animals now long extinct.

There are many interesting facts to discover, including the materials that would have been used to create ancient drawings and also the differing locations (for example within caves) these have been found in. In particular, the reference to drawings like these being prominent today in some cultures still or disappearing due to climate change or vandalism are pivotal and tell the ultimate message by the author: we must work together to protect these important pieces of early history and knowledge. To quote the author, “we have roughly only 3% of modern human history recorded in writing.

This book also offers some additional extras that are both informative and enjoyable: a map of rock art sites located around the world; a glossary of key vocabulary to support the reader’s understanding; a timeline; resources for further investigation as well as shares the story of the Lascaux caves in southern France. These pages, amongst others in the book, could be used to inspire some fantastic writing and discussion. This book is a must when launching into the theme of prehistory, with links to the Stone Age and Iron Age topics, or used as the beginning of an experiment linking to rocks in science. Furthermore, it could be used within art for pupils to replicate their own rock art drawings.

Non-Fiction about the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages

Mick Manning
 & Brita Granström
Non-fiction

The Secrets of Stonehenge is a fascinating information text full of images, questions and captions that probe deeply into the mysteries of Stonehenge. This engaging non-fiction text is easy to understand, visually appealing and bursting with interesting facts and theories about the mysteries of Stonehenge.

Clare Hibbert
Non-fiction

An accessible information text designed especially for the National Curriculum, this is a text pitched for teachers and pupils of lower KS2. Taking an investigative approach to history, The History Detective Investigates Stone Age to Iron Age examines key questions and pieces of evidence from the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages in order to build a picture of life in prehistoric times.

Naomi Walmsley
Non-fiction

Live Like a Hunter Gatherer is a fantastic guide to the Stone Age for Primary aged children. It is illustrated throughout in a colourful, appealing way and includes photographs of prehistoric evidence and artefacts. The language is accessible and the tone is appealing to KS2. There are many opportunities in the book for children to make links between life in the stone age and life today- allowing them to put things into context and understand how the achievements of the Stone Age society influence the way that we now live. For example, we all know that fire allowed people to stay up later, ward off predators and cook food, but did you know that the reduction in the need to chew cooked meat fewer times than raw meat meant that people had more time to chat which caused a surge in language development?

A section which particularly appealed was the myth-busting page. This allows children’s preconceptions to be challenged as they explore the subject and build a revised mental picture of life in the Stone Age. Spread throughout the book are instructions to enable the reader to share some of the experiences of the hunter-gatherers, including full-size shelter building, making a fat lamp and brushing your teeth with a willow twig. This book provides an excellent teaching resource: not only for learning about the Stone Age but also as scaffolding for writing in the form of the section ’24 Hours as a Hunter Gatherer’ or a plentiful provider of inspiration for forest school or outdoor learning.

Lan Cook
 & Laurent Kling
Graphic Novel
Join a young cave-dweller for a day, as she goes hunting, makes her own stone tools and creates amazing cave art. Learn all about the dangers of life in the Stone Age, what makes a good shelter and what edible plants can be gathered in the wild.

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Guidance: Recommended Stone Age to Iron Age Topic Books for Children

What are the best Stone Age picturebooks for schools and classrooms?

A popular book choice that sums up the spirit of the Stone Age is Satoshi Kitamura’s Stone Age Boy. This engaging picturebook tells the story of a boy who falls down a hole to find himself back in time 15,000 years. He wakes in a prehistoric camp and finds out about life in a Stone Age village. Stone Age Boy is a hugely popular book with lower KS2 classes and helps to encourage children to engage with how life might have been different during Stone Age times, as well as being a good choice for stimulating creative writing and the creation of time-slip adventures.

Another popular picturebook choice is The First Drawing by Mordicai Gerstein – which explores how the first drawing could have come to be, based on real discoveries made in the Cave of Chauvet-Pont-d’Arc in France. Although not set in Britain, it invites interesting links about prehistoric people globally and is a well-loved classroom book choice that ties will with art projects.

Which chapter books and class readers would you recommend about the Stone Age?

A well-loved option for a class reader or chapter book to study at KS2 is Clive King’s Stig of the Dump, which is a classic children’s novel about a young boy who encounters a strange cave-dwelling creature called Stig. Stig takes the boy on a series of fantastic adventures into prehistoric times. Many teachers enjoy the opportunity to introduce pupils to a classic text, and there is also an accompanying Read & Respond book to help teachers with planning.

For a less demanding read at lower KS2, you may wish to try the Stone Age tales by Horrible Histories author Terry Deary, which are short, fun chapter books offering prehistoric stories based on real historical and archaeological evidence, or Saviour Pirotta’s The Stolen Spear.

For Upper KS2 or more mature readers, Sophie Kirtley’s The Wild Way Home offers a wildly heartfelt timeslip adventure that takes readers back to the Stone Age to explore themes of family, courage, loss and what it means to be human. This is an exciting narrative that will be lapped up by mature readers who are ready for a roller coaster of adrenaline and who can handle difficult themes, including infant illness. Michelle Paver’s Wolf Brother series is also a firm favourite with Upper KS2, which is a gripping children’s series that takes us back in time 6000 years as twelve-year-old Torak and his wolf cub journey through the prehistoric landscape.

The BooksforTopics Stone Age Booklist has everything you need to make your history topic a mammoth success! Schools can buy full packs of the books via Peters.

Are there any children’s books set in the Bronze Age?

While the Stone Age tends to dominate this topic in classrooms, the Bronze Age is also part of the curriculum specifications. We have a couple of tried-and-tested book recommendations that span the change from the end of the Stone Age (Neolithic Period) through to the start of the Bronze Age.

A chapter book that sums up the achievements of the age well is Kathleen Fidler’s The Boy with the Bronze Axe. Set in the Scottish settlement of Skara Brae at the very end of the Stone Age and just before the dawn of the Bronze Age, The Boy with the Bronze Axe is a well-researched story filled with exciting challenges and mysteries. Perfect for confident readers or as a class novel, the book leads well into exploring the changes between the Neolithic period and the discovery of bronze. As characters who had only ever seen stone tools respond to bronze, there is an opportunity to consider what the discovery meant to people who had never seen it before and why it had a such an impact on prehistoric lifestyle.

A much-loved non-fiction choice that also spans across the Neolithic period and the Bronze Age is The Secrets of Stonehenge by Mick Manning & Brita Granström. Built over hundreds of years, Stonehenge is one of the most famous monuments from prehistoric times. Historians believe that construction began in the late Neolithic Age and work continued over the next thousand years, with people making many changes to the monument well into the Bronze Age.

Which children’s books are set in the Iron Age?

Children’s books set during the Iron Age tend to focus on the warring nature of tribes, on life in hillforts or on the cross-over with the Roman period. Bestselling author Tom Palmer’s Pitch Invasion is a book about a boy called Seth who encounters visions of severed heads raised high on spikes surrounding an Iron Age hill fort. Seth discovers that the heads were a means of keeping intruders out of the hill fort in Iron Age times and must find a way to face the horrors of the past that echo through the ages. There are plenty of gruesome moments in this story – but it is an exciting and gripping one too. Author Tom Palmer provides supporting materials like quizzes and videos on his website.

The cross-over between Iron Age culture and Roman Britain is explored in-depth in Caroline Lawrence’s The Archers of Isca. We would recommend this book for mature upper KS2 readers and above – a very good opportunity perhaps to extend more able historians to explore cross-over between periods of study.

Are Stone Age topic lesson plans or resources available for any of these books?

Some of our selected books also feature downloadable resources including worksheets or teaching packs provided by our publishing partners. Teachers looking for Stone Age to Iron Age KS2 planning or guided reading notes could try the Educational Resource Pack that comes with The Wild Way Home, which offers an ideal learning resource for children in upper KS2. It includes extracts from the text, with corresponding reflection questions and activities to keep children engaged in the classroom or at home.

Teacher notes are also available for Terry Deary’s Stone Age Tales including discussion questions that could be used for whole class reading or guided reading planning.

For Year 3 or Year 4 Stone Age planning, we recommend the lesson plans produced by KS2History to accompany Stone Age Boy, which forms a 2-week literacy unit for lower KS2. A complete Stone Age to Iron Age KS2 history unit is also available from the same website.

Which other booklists for KS2 history topics are available?

Travel back in time with our handpicked selection of recommended children’s books about history topics. From books for children about the Vikings and Victorians to topic books about Great Fires and Ancient Greeks, we’ve got oodles of book recommendations to support your topic.

After the Stone Age topic, many classes go on to learn about the Romans in Britain and there is some cross-over here with what children have learnt about the Iron Age Celts. Head to our list of recommended books about the Romans to see our topic selection. The early to middle ages of British history are also covered in our booklists about Anglo-Saxons, Vikings and Tudors, whereas our Victorians topic book recommendations and WW2 booklists bring readers up to speed with more modern history units.

For classes learning about global history, try our Early Civilisations booklist or more specific collections like the Ancient Egyptians topic booklist, Maya topic books and books about the Ancient Greeks.

Some of our history booklists are more thematic and span larger time periods, such as our Black British History booklist, children’s books about explorers and exploration or the Crime and Punishment topic booklist.

Be sure to check out our full range of topic booklists if you are looking for children’s books themed around a particular history topic. Here are a few popular favourites you might also like:

Where can I purchase the books on the BooksForTopics Stone Age to Iron Age booklist?

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