Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Format: Chapter book

Tsunami Girl

Chapter book

Fifteen-year-old Yuki is struggling at school with her confidence, and goes to Japan to stay with her grandfather, a well-known manga artist and to whom she is very close. But during her visit, a calamitous event occurs – the March 2011 East Coast Earthquake and Tsunami – and her beloved Grandpa is lost.

Yuki and her friend Taka must make sense of the terrible situation and come to terms with the loss of their life as they knew it – and see that through renewal and with resilience, they can emerge from this tragedy with optimism for the future. Interwoven with Japanese folk tales, modern-day ghost stories, and the creation of her very own vibrant manga hero, Yuki finds the courage to overcome extraordinary odds, and take her first steps into the world that lies beyond catastrophe.

Told through both prose and manga, this story for young adults will touch the heart of any reader.

The Eagle of the Ninth

Rosemary Sutcliff

Chapter book

The Ninth Legion marched into the mists of northern Britain – and they were never seen again.

Four thousand men disappeared and their eagle standard was lost. It’s a mystery that’s never been solved, until now.

Marcus has to find out what happened to his father, who led the legion. So he sets out into the unknown, on a quest so dangerous that nobody expects him to return.

The Eagle of the Ninth is heralded as one of the most outstanding children’s books of the twentieth century and has sold over a million copies worldwide. Rosemary Sutcliff writes with such passion and attention to detail that Roman Britain is instantly brought to life and stays with the reader long after the last page has been turned.

Once

Morris Gleitzman

Chapter book

For three years and eight months, Felix has lived in a convent orphanage high in the mountains in Poland. But Felix is different from the other orphans. He is convinced his parents are still alive and will come back to get him. When a group of Nazi soldiers come and burn the nuns’ books, Felix is terrified that his Jewish, bookseller parents will also be in danger. After escaping from the orphanage, Felix embarks on a long and dangerous journey through Nazi occupied Poland, befriending a little orphan girl called Zelda and a kindly dentist, Barney, who hides and cares for Jewish children. But when the Nazis discover them, Barney makes the ultimate sacrifice for the children.

Outlaw

Michael Morpurgo

Chapter book

After a fierce storm, a boy discovers a human skull, buried beneath the roots of an ancient tree. A skull with a legendary story…

Vivid re-imagining of the legendary hero Robin Hood by bestselling author of War Horse.

“Tell the sheriff, tell Sir Guy of Gisbourne, tell everyone in Nottingham, that the Outlaws rule here in Sherwood, that we rule in the king’s name… I am Robin Hood.”

Homeless and lost in a dark, strange forest, young Robin is rescued by a motley crew of misfits. He yearns to avenge his father and seek justice against cruel oppressors, to finally defeat the Sheriff of Nottingham, once and for all.

And through his friends, Robin Hood finds the courage to become a legendary hero.

Crusade

Elizabeth Laird

Chapter book

Crusade is a richly detailed historical adventure, from Carnegie shortlisted author, Elizabeth Laird.

Two boys. Two faiths. One unholy war . . .

When Adam’s mother dies unconfessed, he pledges to save her soul with dust from the Holy Land. Employed as a dog-boy for the local knight, Adam grabs the chance to join the Crusade to reclaim Jerusalem. He burns with determination to strike down the infidel enemy . . .

Salim, a merchant’s son, is leading an uneventful life in the port of Acre – until news arrives that a Crusader attack is imminent. To keep Salim safe, his father buys him an apprenticeship with an esteemed, travelling doctor. But Salim’s employment leads him to the heart of Sultan Saladin’s camp – and into battle against the barbaric and unholy invaders . . .

Arthur: The Seeing Stone

Kevin Crossley-Holland

Chapter book

Medieval life meets Arthurian magic in a novel that transcends boundaries of time and age, appealing to children of 9+ and older readers alike. The winner of the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize and the Smarties Prize bronze award in 2001, this timeless novel is stunningly reissued for a new generation.

The year is 1199, the place the Welsh Marches. Young Arthur de Caldicot is given a magical shining stone in which his legendary namesake is revealed. In 100 short chapters that brilliantly evoke life in a medieval manor, stories of the boy King Arthur begin to echo – and anticipate – the secrets and mysteries that emerge in his own life.

Cue for Treason

Geoffrey Trease

Chapter book

A timeless classic by renowned historical fiction writer Geoffrey Trease, A Cue for Treason is a thrilling adventure set in Elizabethan England.

The novel follows fourteen-year-old Peter Brownrigg, who joins a travelling theatre group and apprentices with William Shakespeare after fleeing a tyrannical lord. Peter uncovers a dangerous plot in a gripping tale of spies, betrayal and treason against Queen Elizabeth herself.

Originally published in 1940, this is a story that remains exciting for today’s readers in KS3 who enjoy historical fiction and is an excellent companion to any study of the Elizabethan era.

A Skinful of Shadows

Frances Hardinge

Chapter book

Frances Hardinge’s historical fantasy A Skinful of Shadows transports readers to the turbulence of the English Civil War.

The tale follows twelve-year-old Makepeace, who has been raised to ward off the restless spirits of the dead. Her abilities are tested when, in a moment of grief, she is possessed by an unexpected spirit: a bear. With this powerful spirit residing within her, Makepeace is thrust into a terrifying new life with her estranged and sinister family.

This multi-layered narrative blends a paranormal mystery with fast-paced historical drama, creating a highly original story for teens that is as beautiful as it is thought-provoking.

Grimwood: Attack of the Stink Monster!

Nadia Shireen

Chapter book

Venture back to Grimwood in the wildly funny third book in Nadia Shireen’s bestselling and brilliantly anarchic illustrated comedy-adventure series.
Perfect for readers age 7+, and fans of Dog Man, Roald Dahl, David Walliams, Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Being Good, Bunny vs Monkey and anyone who likes to laugh.

A Bigfoot is on the loose! Ted, Nancy, Willow and the rest of the Grimwood gang must embark on their greatest adventure yet to save their home from a nasty, thieving stink monster. Monster hunters are GO!

Fully illustrated throughout and full of heart, laughs and surprises, this is the must-read third title in the bestselling and fantastically funny Grimwood series.

The Shop of Impossible Ice Creams: Big Berry Robbery

Jeff Crowther & Shane Hegarty

Chapter book

One of the funniest books you’ll read this year, perfect for fans of Roald Dahl’s George’s Marvellous Medicine.

Welcome to the Shop of Impossible Ice Creams! Step inside to discover a delicious world of magical adventure, from bestselling author Shane Hegarty. Second in a comic, heart-warming illustrated series, for 7+ readers.

Limpet and his mum run an ice-cream shop, full of her favourite flavours: spaghetti ice cream, anyone? Terrific tomato and parsnip ice cream?

But his mum’s off for the weekend, leaving Limpet and his dad in charge. What could possibly go wrong?

When Limpet finds himself in a giant cucumber costume, defending a fairy fort against a mysterious robber, he knows that things can’t possibly get any worse … Can he catch the thief, save the ice cream shop and avoid the dastardly stink eye of Mr A Pigeon?

Illustrated throughout with fabulous black and white illustrations by Jeff Crowther and written by the bestselling author of Boot, this story will make you fall in love with reading.