Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Home

Resource Available: Bookpack available

Best books for fans of Dog ManIf you like Dog Man, try these…

The Dog Man books form a wildly popular children’s book series written and illustrated by Dav Pilkey. The series features a half-dog, half-human police officer who fights crime and saves the day in the city.

Written in a graphic novel format with comic-style illustrations and speech bubbles, these books are popular with children aged 6-9. The series has become known for hooking children into reading through visual humour and wacky storylines. Each story in the Dog Man series is told through several short chapters, and the books can be read in any order.

It’s no surprise that the series is so popular, but many teachers and parents ask us for what to read next after Dog Man. We’ve put together a list of ten books like Dog Man. Readers who love getting silly with the absurd humour and wacky plots of the Dog Man books could also try the Bunny Vs Monkey books or Peng and Spanners. – or if a dash of irreverence is what’s in demand then try Grimwood. Those looking for a good streak of save-the-day action as well as crime-busting adventure in their books might enjoy Kitty Quest or Real Pigeons Fight Crime. For children who love Dog Man’s graphic novel format, we suggest trying Mr Wolf’s Class or The Investigators. Also, for more graphic novel ideas check out our primary school Graphic Novel Booklists.

Browse the full list below of books for children looking for more books like Dog Man…

 

 

books for fans of Lottie BrooksIf you like Lottie Brooks, try these…

The Lottie Brooks books by Katie Kirby are hugely popular with preteen readers. This hilarious illustrated series explores the daily ups and downs of growing up, including facing puberty, navigating friendships, dealing with first crushes and all of the embarrassing moments that come with handling school and family life.

Many readers of the Lottie Brooks series enjoy the laugh-out-humour, the funny doodle-style illustrations and the true-to-life themes covered in the story. Lottie is a relatable character who resonates particularly well with girls in the 9-12 age bracket.

We’ve put together a list of ten similar books for fans of Lottie Brooks. Readers who love stories about real-life themes of family and friendships could try Ella on the Outside or Invisible Emmie. Those looking for another preteen illustrated diary series like Lottie Brooks might like the easy-to-read  Accidental Diary of B.U.G or the humorous gentle fantasy series Diary of an Accidental Witch. For children who enjoyed the compelling first-person voice of Lottie Brooks’ narrative and her positive energy in the face of the everyday challenges of life, we recommend Raina Telgemeier’s graphic novel Smile or the Front Desk series – both of which are popular favourites among the 9-12 age group.

Browse the full list below of stories for children looking for more books like Lottie Brooks…

If you’re looking for books like Bunny vs Monkey, try these…

The Bunny Vs Monkey series by Jamie Smart has become a popular favourite with children. The stories started as part of the Phoenix Comic and have now been made into a book series of their own. Teachers in the BooksForTopics community have told us what a big hit these funny graphic novels have been in the classroom and the books have also seen success in bestseller lists and book award shortlists.

Readers enjoy the whacky tales of Bunny and his friends Weenie the Squirrel, Pig (the pig), Action Beaver and Skunky the Inventor, who all lived a peaceful life in the forest until Monkey’s rocket crash-landed and he decided to take over. What follows is a riot of chaotic adventures and mayhem that unfolds through a funny comic strip format.

We’ve put together a list of ten similar books for fans of Bunny vs Monkey. Readers who love the graphic novel format could try the Investigators books or the action-packed Mega Robot Bros books. Those looking for a new animal-led whacky adventure to read after the Bunny Vs Monkey books might enjoy Kitty Quest or Grimwood. For children who like a high image-to-text ratio, we recommend trying the 13 Storey Treehouse series or Real Pigeons Fight Crime – both of which are tried-and-tested hits with fans of Jamie Smart.

Browse the full list below of books for children looking for more books like Bunny vs Monkey…

Best Children’s Books About Spring

As the mornings grow lighter and green shoots start to peep through, why not celebrate the changing of the seasons with some Spring-themed books for children? Spring is a season of new beginnings, growth and new life, and our booklist is full of stories that capture the wonder of this magical time of year.

From charming tales about animals waking up from hibernation, like Little Bear’s Spring and books about seasonal life cycles like Pip and Egg, to books about springtime weather and enjoying the natural joys of the new season like Hello Spring, our selection has something for everyone to enjoy. This Spring booklist is recommended for parents, teachers and librarians looking to inspire a love of reading and an appreciation for nature in young children.

From tadpoles and bunnies to daffodils and blossoms, our list of recommended children’s books about Spring will breathe new life into your Spring storytimes all season long.

books for fans of Isadora moon
If you like Isadora Moon, try these…

The Isadora Moon books by Harriet Muncaster are widely popular with young readers just taking the leap into independent chapter books. With easy-to-read text and stylish two-tone illustrations, this short, illustrated series hits the sweet spot as a first chapter book collection for many children in the 5-8 age bracket, with a growing number of magical adventures in the series.

We’ve put together a list of ten similar books for fans of Isadora Moon. Readers who love the magical adventures of the Isadora Moon books could try Midnight Magic or the Princess Mirror-Belle collection. Those looking for new stories featuring fairies or unicorns might enjoy Aziza’s Secret Fairy Door or The Naughtiest Unicorn. For children who want more very short chapter books with adventurous female leads like Isadora Moon, we recommend the super-cool Kitty series or Tiny, the Secret Adventurer and for those looking for more chapter books with colour illustrations, we suggest trying Princess Minna or Unipiggle next.

Browse the full list below of stories for children looking for more books like Isadora Moon…

 

Recommended children’s books about animals and their habitats

Books about animals are wildly popular with young children. In KS1 Science, children learn to identify and name common animals including those living in the local area as well as animals from habitats around the world. Children will learn to group animals according to what they eat or look like, to match animals to their babies and to describe the basic needs of living creatures.

Whether it’s story books about talking animals, funny books about animal escapades or non-fiction books about living things and their habitats, we’ve put together a roar-some selection of the best animal books for children.

NB: This animal topic booklist is aimed at children in Key Stage 1 (ages 5-7). If you are looking for animal books for older children, try our Amazing Animals (KS2) booklist.

Best Children’s Books About Music

From clefs and composers to instruments and improvisations, music is a pastime that many children come to love in their primary years. We’ve put together a list of the best children’s books about music, composers, instruments, singing and performing…

Best Children’s Books about New Beginnings

Whether it’s books to begin a new year, stories that explore fresh starts or tales of resolutions and new challenges, we’ve put together a list of picturebooks about new beginnings and starting afresh. These books could be used in school assemblies, at home or as classroom stories.

Books of the Year 2023

books of the year 2023We love to hear which books are most popular among our community of primary teachers, TAs, librarians, authors and children’s book lovers.

Our Review Panel searched for the top children’s books published in the last year. We looked for the best classroom read-alouds, the most popular books with children and the best books to support the school curriculum.

Browse the SHORTLISTED books in each category below – perfect for topping up your library with the best new children’s books from the past year!


See your winners!

Members of the BooksForTopics website have voted for their favourites to find the winners of the Books of the Year 2023. Voting is now closed – Click here to see the winning books!

 

 

 

Best Books for Each Year Primary Group

NEWLY updated – April 2024!

Each of our Year Group Recommended Reads lists contains 50 books specially picked out for reading for pleasure in each primary year group, from Preschool to Year 6. The lists are designed to provide recommendations of age-appropriate and accessible books across a range of genres and styles.

When we put together each list, we look for a balance across different genres and styles. Some children naturally navigate towards non-fiction, while others find graphic novels or poetry the most enjoyable forms to pick up and read. Each list contains a balance of age-appropriate fiction, picturebooks, non-fiction, poetry and graphic novels, with a handful of novelty or tactile books added in too. We’ve also aimed to collate lists that cater for different reading styles, interest levels, publication dates (you’ll find some true golden oldies as well as brand new titles on each list) and also books that contain a diversity of characters and settings. This way, schools using our lists can offer children access to a wealth of quality reading choices to enjoy.

Each Year Group Booklist comes with a printable poster and checklist and is also available to purchase as a full book pack from Peters.

 

Subscribe to our newsletter

Your Review

Stone Girl Bone Girl

review

Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:

Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:

Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?

Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?

Would you recommend the book for use in primary schools?

yes

Curriculum links (if relevant)

Curriculum links (if relevant)

Any other comments

Any other comments