Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Format: Chapter book

Terrible True Tales: First World War

Chapter book

A really engaging way of bringing the First World War to life for children. The short stories make the history easy to get into and there are lots of interesting facts along the way. I can see this being particularly popular with children who enjoy Horrible Histories. A great addition to a class library.

Terrible True Tales: Second World War

Terry Deary

Chapter book

Terry Deary, author of the hugely popular Horrible Histories series, continues to make history accessible and engaging with this collection of four short stories about the Second World War.

The focus is on everyday life in World War 2 Britain, rather than frontline conflict. There are stories about spies, evacuees, the Home Guard and the black market. Each of the four stories has plucky children at its heart.

The chapters are short, and the stories are pacy, with engaging illustrations throughout. This makes the book ideal for reluctant or newly confident readers. The book will also appeal to non-fiction enthusiasts as the stories are packed full of historical details – from blackouts and air raids to ration books, the Land Army and propaganda slogans. There’s a real mix of locations too, with stories set across the UK.

The stories are exciting with plenty of tension, and there are some moments of comic relief too. Each of the stories is based on true events, and at the end of each story, there’s a historical note providing more context and details.

The Diary of Wiska Wildflower: The New School

Harriet Muncaster

Chapter book

The first book in an exciting new series from the creator of Isadora Moon, Harriet Muncaster.

Told in diary format and packed with beautiful full-colour illustrations, this is the enchanting story of Wiska Wildflower and her search for friendship at Inkcap’s Academy.

Wiska Wildflower is relieved when she makes friends with Cleobelle and Primrose on her first day at Inkcap’s Academy.
They love Wiska’s drawings and ask her to help them design matching outfits for a special fashion show in Spellbrooke City.
But the more Wiska gets to know her new friends, the more she feels she must hide her true self and follow their rules.
Can Wiska find the bravery she needs to get her creative spark back and discover true friendship?

Time Travel Twins: The Maya Sacrifice

Josh Lacey

Chapter book

Twins Scarlett and Thomas have been learning about the Maya at school.

They even had a go at making hot chocolate from cacao beans.

When Grandad falls ill, the twins know what the perfect cure will be – hot chocolate!

They nervously borrow Grandad’s time machine and travel back to the time of the Mayas.

Scarlett pretends to be a god, and gets taken in by the royal family.

Thomas is not quite so lucky, and ends up playing for his life in a brutal Mayan ball game.

Watch out, Thomas, if you lose, you might be sacrificed to the gods!

How far would you go to find the best hot chocolate?

The Legend of Viking Thunder

M.G. Leonard & Manuel Sumberac

Chapter book

Hot on the heels of Hunt for the Golden Scarab, the first in M.G.Leonard’s new Time Keys series, comes this epic Viking adventure.

Sim and his cousin Jeopardy have an ability to open doors in time when they tune in to the right frequency with their instruments. What follows is an immersive and seat-of-your-pants odyssey from Norway back to Viking England as the family try to keep the powerful Gjallarhorn out of the hands of the evil Council of Keys.

M.G. Leonard excels at bringing history to life in this series. Her writing is compelling and pacey, and her focus is always on carrying the reader along with the story, never getting bogged down too long in any one moment. For teachers looking for fiction to support and enthuse kids as they learn about history, this series is a winner!

Date with Danger

Jo Browning Wroe & Julia Page

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

A day at the beach turns deadly in this gripping story, specially designed to engage seriously struggling and reluctant teen readers.

It was supposed to be a great day at the beach. Carla said she’d help Ben in the water. But now Carla has swum away – and Ben can’t swim!

My Perfect Cousin

Karen McCombie & Sofia Miller Salazar

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

Cousins Yasmin and Ruby have always been rivals, but both sides of the story are exposed in this cleverly composed clean-teen novella from Karen McCombie.

Ruby can’t stand her “perfect” cousin Yasmin. Yasmin is pretty, popular and has a gorgeous boyfriend Max. She’s set to get excellent grades in her GCSEs and her parents won’t stop going on about how brilliant she is.

Ruby always feel small and hopeless around Yasmin, and whenever she gets any attention, Yasmin tries to make sure the spotlight turns back to her.

Or that’s how Ruby feels anyway. But is there another side to the story?

Trapped

Melania Badosa & Sophie McKenzie

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

A dramatic coach crash forces Hailey to re-examine her relationships with her fellow singing-club members in this gripping drama from queen of teen thrillers Sophie McKenzie.

A singing-club trip ends in disaster when the coach carrying the members spins out of control. Hailey is trapped at the back of the coach with her nemesis Bex, who’s taken the lead role in their latest performance, and handsome Kit, on whom Hailey has a massive crush.

As the coach hangs over the edge of a precipice and Kit escapes to find help, Hailey and Bex have to get over their initial judgements about each other and work together if they are to stand a chance of survival. Will they find a way to safety?

City Boy

Alan Combes & Aleksandar Sotirovski

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

Josh undertakes some unusual training methods to improve his technique in this fun football story, edited to a reading age of 6.5.

Josh is football mad – and so is his granddad, who used to be a league player. Josh is disappointed when he doesn’t do so well in matches at school, so his granddad comes up with some rather unorthodox training methods to help him. Will Josh make it all the way?

The Wrong Wheels

C. L. Tompsett & Julia Page

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

A boastful teen faces the consequences of showing off in this funny short school story, specially designed for seriously struggling and reluctant teen readers.

Troy loves to show off. He loves to boast about his money and his dad’s new car. Will Troy ever learn his lesson?