Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Format: Dyslexia-friendly

The List

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

The List is the story of Jake whose best friend, Denny, is about to move away. But Denny is not just Jake’s best friend, he is his only real friend – it’s always just been the two of them, and Jake can’t imagine what his life will be like without him. It’s the end of an era, and Jake isn’t ready.

Denny doesn’t want to leave, but his mum has got a new job, and he doesn’t have a choice. In the days before Denny is due to leave, he comes up with a list of things he wants to do before he goes. It is a list of things that have gone wrong that he wants to put right, but none of them are going to be easy to achieve. In fact, Jake thinks they’re impossible, but Denny is his best friend, so he agrees to help.

What follows is adventure and mischief and a story of friendships tested and new relationships formed.

This is a short, pacey read for young teens. Although an easy read, it is a realistic portrayal of teenage life and tackles the complexity of being a teenager and the range of emotions that are felt. This book will encourage readers to think about the true value of friendship and the impression people leave on our lives, even at a young age

Northern Soul

Phil Earle

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

A truly funny and poignant look at first love and the fumbling attempts to gain the attention of a new girl in school.

Hilarious, cool, heartfelt, soulful and brilliant!

The Clockwork Queen

Lia Visirin & Peter Bunzl

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

Set in Russia, The Clockwork Queen might be a short story but it’s a powerful one.

Sophie Peshka is a chess prodigy having learned all that she knows from her beloved father, a chess grandmaster. When her father is imprisoned by Empress Catherine the Great, Sophie is left to fend for herself. She plays chess in the park and perfects her game, until one day she is invited to play against the mysterious automaton, The Clockwork Queen.

Sophie’s strategic skill is not just confined to chess; her quick, forward-thinking nature enables her to gain access to the Winter Palace, the location of her father’s prison.

Her adventure is both imaginative, captivating and heart-warming.
With off-white paper and a dyslexia-friendly font, publisher Barrington Stoke makes a compelling tale accessible to all. The illustrations help to secure the story in the reader’s imagination. The vocabulary used throughout the book is appropriately challenging, and despite its brevity, the story is in no way compromised.

Sophie is a character that readers will take into their hearts. Her love for her father and their mutual passion for chess is a real strength. Somewhat based on historical facts, the Clockwork Queen might inspire young readers to find out more about the Mechanical Turk, the inspiration for the story. The book will also appeal to chess lovers.

Frankenstein: A Retelling

Tanya Landman

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

A gripping and gruesome retelling of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein brought to life for a new generation of readers by Carnegie Medal winning author Tanya Landman.

A thrilling gothic tale of hubris gone badly wrong. A young man’s search for the secret of the spark of life leads him to a horrific experiment in which he creates a gigantic creature from dismembered body parts. Rejected by his creator, the initially gentle creature turns monstrous when his desire to find companionship and love are thwarted. Tanya Landman revisits Mary Shelley’s classic Gothic horror story, bringing to life Dr Frankenstein and his monstrous creation in an accessible format that more readers can enjoy.

The Mystery of Me

Cathy Brett & Karen McCombie

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

Karen McCombie explores identity, friendship and fresh starts in this touching tale perfectly pitched for struggling teen readers.

Ketty doesn’t remember anything about the accident, or much from before. The doctors say her memories will come back, but in the meantime school is a frightening and confusing place. Otis seems to be her only friend – he’s kind and caring, funny too. And he may hold the key to remembering the old Ketty … But will Ketty recognise or even like the girl she used to be?

Bella’s Den

Berlie Doherty & Ellie Snowdon

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

A moving tale of friendship and foxes from award-winning author Berlie Doherty, perfect for budding countryside explorers.

Bella has a secret – one that she is very good at keeping. That secret is a den hidden on a little muddy hill, wild amid the trees and nestled beside some foxes with a den of their own. But soon the secret is betrayed, and the foxes’ lives are put in danger…

Particularly suitable for readers aged 9+ with a reading age of 7.

Jenny’s Choice

Catherine MacPhail & Vladimir Stankovic

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

Support severely struggling readers with this spooky hi-lo thriller with a reading age of 6.

A ghostly voice promises to help Karam, a new immigrant to the UK, deal with the bully at school. But there is a price to pay in this chilling thriller that’s not for the faint-hearted.

Angel of Grasmere

Tom Palmer

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

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.

Bobby Bains Plays a Blinder

Bali Rai & Daniel Duncan

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

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.

He Says… She Says

Anne Fine & Gareth Conway

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

Skye and Harry discover Gran isn’t quite as strict as Dad makes out in this funny family story from multi-award-winning author Anne Fine.

Skye and Harry are dreading going to visit their gran, as Dad says she was so strict when he was young. He had to do lots of chores, wasn’t allowed much screen time and only had sweet treats on a Sunday! But when they arrive, Gran is much more chilled out than they were expecting. She lets them relax in the garden and play on their games consoles. On their way home, Harry wants to confront his dad, but Skye sees an opportunity.

Particularly suitable for readers aged 7+ with a reading age of 7.

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