Dyslexia-Friendly Books

This short, colour-illustrated chapter book for newly independent readers is based on the true story of Lottie Dod, a talented young athlete in the late 1880s who proved that she could do whatever she set her mind to.

Lottie was born to wealthy parents in the north of England. Lottie and her siblings were tutored at home and prevented from venturing outside the family estate. When a grass tennis court was created in the grounds, just as the sport of lawn tennis was gaining popularity, Lottie discovered that she had real talent for the game. Despite her mother’s refusal to allow her out to participate in a competition, Lottie sneaked out early and travelled to Manchester to take part. This is the start of a competitive career which sees Lottie winning many tournaments, culminating in lifting the Wimbledon trophy at the age of 15!

She also discovered a talent for golf, archery and hockey, amongst other sports. She became, perhaps, the world’s first female sports superstar. There are wonderful messages about self-belief in this story, and themes of resilience, female participation in sport and determination abound.

‘Sidney and Carrie Have a Party’ by Lisa Thompson is a brightly illustrated and fun book about friendship, compromise and celebration.

This book is perfect for children who are starting their independent reading journey, as it is split into manageable chapters. The book is also written in a dyslexia friendly font, so this book could be used to help encourage a love for reading from everyone.

The bright and cartoon-style illustrations help to bring the whole book together. A wonderfully written and beautifully illustrated story.

The Missing Bunny by Holly Webb is a heartwarming and captivating short chapter book story, perfect for early readers, especially those in Key Stage 1. The book blends themes of empathy and real-life situations, making it an excellent choice for both independent reading and story time in class.

The story follows Annie, a young girl with two new pet bunnies, eagerly awaiting the chance to introduce them to the hutch her dad has built. However, in the hustle and bustle of getting ready for school one morning, Annie forgets to properly close the hutch door, and Humbug, one of the bunnies, escapes. What will happen to poor Humbug?

Children will easily connect with the story, and the worry for a beloved pet opens up opportunities for meaningful discussions. The vocabulary is accessible yet not overly simplified, making it a great stepping stone for children who are ready to transition to chapter books.

A standout feature of this book is the colourful and engaging illustrations. These visuals break up the text, helping young readers understand the emotions and settings of the story, and making it easier to follow the narrative. The illustrations are especially helpful for visual learners or children with developing literacy skills.

In my Year 2 class, the storyline captured the children’s attention, and many chose to read the book independently after our class reading sessions.

The Shop-Witch’s Quest is a wonderful tale of magic, friendship and adventure. The light-hearted nature of this read, along with the interesting and accessible vocabulary used throughout, would make it perfect for any reader beginning their independent reading journey as an introduction to chapter books, as well as for those who enjoy stories about witches and magic.

In this story, there are a variety of witches with differing occupations, including a garden-witch, a smith-witch and post-witch. Laurel herself is a shop-witch, who helps her parents run the magic shop ‘Witch Wares Emporium’ in the village. There are also witches in the story that do not ride the traditional broomstick and instead use other interesting forms of unexpected flying transportation.

Tom Palmer creates a compelling historical story set in the Fells of the Lake District during World War II.

Dealing with issues such as PTSD and desertion, this book could have been a very difficult read, and yet it never strays into that. Almost instantly, the reader cares about Tarn, the main character and what life was like in the North during the War. The story also captures the hardships of farming communities as well as the suspicions and fears of the time.

Palmer always researches his stories meticulously, and this shows. Barrington Stoke books might be an accessible read, but this is not less of a story or indeed less of anything. The simplicity of the text makes it all the more impressive that this story is a compelling and interesting read that is hard to put down.

It is a book full of kindness and shows village life in the past clearly for us city dwellers. Above all, it is a book about humanity and what it means to be part of a war and a village.

A brilliant dyslexic-friendly book that is also perfect as a quick read for confident readers.

Bobby Bains loves football.  He dreams about it, he plays it at school, on the weekends and is even trying to get his grandfather to play football! Bobby lives with his mum and her dad, his Nana-ji, because Bobby’s dad left when he was a baby. Bobby is a Sikh, and his religion teaches him to be kind, and he is a really kind person. His mum works for the community food bank, where Bobby notices a lonely pensioner called Trevor. When the pensioner turns up at Bobby’s football match, he gets an idea to get Trevor and Nana-ji to become friends.

I think lots of children will be pleased to see this book. ‘Bobby Bains plays a blinder’ is a heartwarming read about community, friendship and kindness.