Format: Dyslexia-friendly

What It Was Like to be an Ancient Roman

Dyslexia-friendly, Non-fiction

‘What was it like to be an Ancient Roman’ is clearly written and easy to read. In 10 quick-to-read chapters, this short book describes many facets of Roman life – including the gory parts. Topics include how the empire began, life in towns, entertainment, life in the countryside, rulers and armies, religion, inventions and the end of the empire. The final chapter speaks about the huge impact Romans had on the world and the legacy they have left behind.

This would be great as a class read when learning about the Roman Empire in lower KS2, but equally could be used by pupils for individual research. The dyslexia-friendly format from Barrington Stoke is wonderfully accessible and each chapter would be a great basis for reading comprehension lessons.

An absolutely great short chapter book, highly recommended.

Lottie the Little Wonder

Ella Okstad & Katherine Woodfine

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

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.

Secret of the Stones

Martin Remphry & Tony Bradman

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

Weaving together fact and fiction, this short adventure, written by Tony Bradman, is set in 2,300 BC and the advent of the Bronze Age.

The tale opens at Stonehenge where Maglos and his high priest father are preparing for the important mid-summer sacrifice. Suddenly Maglos’ uncle murders his father on the sacred altar and makes Maglos his slave. He is rescued when two strangers arrive from a far distant land and he travels with them learning the secrets of smelting copper and then bronze. He eventually returns to Stonehenge to avenge his father’s murder.

The story reflects on the value of friendship and companionship and also demonstrates the skill, resilience and humanity of our ancestors so long ago. As with all Barrington Stoke books, the text is a well-sized font on coloured paper to support readers who have dyslexia, and the text will appeal to older readers without being condescending. The black and white illustrations by Martin Remphry add atmosphere throughout.

The Royal Rebel

Bali Rai & Rachael Dean

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly, Non-fiction

Rebel, Princess, Suffragette: this is the incredible true story of the life of Princess Sophia Duleep Singh, a forgotten heroine of the early twentieth century.

Born in 1876, Princess Sophia Duleep Singh was the daughter of the last Sikh ruler of the Punjab, and goddaughter of Queen Victoria. After her father lost control of his empire and was exiled to England, Sophia had a privileged but troubled upbringing that left her unsure about where she belonged – in India or England. Sensitive to injustice, she became an suffragette and fought hard to win the vote for women. This is the extraordinary story of her life.

What it was like to be an Ancient Maya

David Long & Stefano Tambellini

Dyslexia-friendly, Non-fiction

An interesting and accessible guide to daily life for the Ancient Maya.

This is a short chapter book, at just under 90 pages, but it is packed with knowledge, presented in an accessible way. It has 9 sections, covering who the Maya were, daily life, inventions and discoveries they made, as well as theories about what happened to them. Throughout the sections, illustrations and helpful diagrams are also included.

This is such a useful book, great for teachers to use to support them with lesson planning, but also great for children to access if they want to learn more about a particular area of Ancient Maya.

Test Trouble

Louise Forshaw & Serena Patel

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

Arun is very anxious about a maths test that his class will be taking next week. This is partly because it will be on everything they have learned so far, but mostly because it is timed. He struggles with completing tasks against the clock, even if it is just getting ready for school in the morning, and also finds it impossible to concentrate on one thing at a time. Arun’s family tries to make him feel more positive, but he thinks they don’t take his worries seriously.

So Arun comes up with a plan to avoid taking the test. Unfortunately, his first attempt gets him into trouble with the Headteacher, and then fate gifts him an opportunity where he has to wrestle with his conscience. It takes an unexpected conversation with a neighbour and a friend-in-need to bring clarity to his thoughts.

This has themes of facing your fears and doing the right thing. It highlights the expectations that families have for their children and how young people compare themselves to siblings and classmates. I could see this being a useful class read when assessments are on the horizon, and it also provides children with some useful strategies for dealing with their anxieties.

The Ghost Cat Who Saved My Life

Monika Filipina & Pamela Butchart

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

A cat-themed short chapter book from Barrington Stoke’s super-readable ‘Little Gems’ collection.

Liam and Sav can hear a strange sound coming from the flat above Sav’s but it is a bit of a mystery because the flat is empty – so what could be making the noise? As they listen closer, they realise is a meow from a cat and this mystery must be investigated. They presume it is a ghost cat because a cat would not be living in a flat on their own, despite being told to stay away they venture into the empty flat. What they find causes more mayhem and mischief for the children to solve.

The story does have a happy ending where the mysterious cat ends up saving Liam’s life and due to their hard work, they are invited to live with Liam forever.

The bright, engaging and joyous illustrations bring the story to life and support the children with their reading, and all of the text is in a dyslexia-friendly format. This is a great book for any children who are beginning to make the transition from picture books to chapter books. The shorter number of words on the page makes it easy to manage and the short chapters are easy to follow.

Star for a Day

Charlie Alder & Jean Ure

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

Star for a Day is a heartwarming dance-themed story for independent readers in Key Stage 2. Following two contrasting sisters auditioning for a TV talent show, it explores themes of jealousy and relationships while imparting an important lesson about staying true to oneself. The book is accessible, with a straightforward narrative that effortlessly engages young readers. Through well-developed characters, children will empathise with the sisters’ journey and the challenges they face.

My Friend’s A Gris-Kwok

Andy Rowland & Malorie Blackman

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

Malorie Blackman’s hilarious tale of shape-shifting and babysitting antics – now in a standard paperback format for middle-grade readers.

Mike had no idea that his best friend Alex was a Gris-kwok – someone who can turn into any animal he chooses! But Mike’s naughty little sister Molly is a Gris-kwok too. Alex and Mike are about to take on the worst babysitting job in the world!

Hi-Lo Books

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

Booklist: Recommended Hi-Lo Books (High Interest, Low Difficulty) for KS2

Hi-Lo books are books tailored for children whose reading age is lower than their actual age. The style and content of the books on this Hi-Lo booklist will appeal to the interests matching the child’s actual age, while the vocabulary, syntax and formatting are suited to their lower reading age.

Often older children with a lower reading age struggle to find books that don’t appear ‘babyish’ in style. This selection provides books that match the style and interest level of the books that many of their peers will be reading, but formatted with text that suits a slightly lower reading age and manageable chapter length. There’s something to appeal to all different tastes on this list, from thriller stories like The Invasion of Crooked Oak to adventures like Wings: Spitfire and tales of friends and family like Picture Perfect and All About Ella.

The books in this collection are selected from the Barrington Stoke Hi-Lo range and the Bloomsbury High Low primary fiction selection. Hi-Lo books are particularly helpful for struggling and reluctant readers because they offer accessible texts which match their actual age and interests. The books in this collection have been selected with Upper KS2 children in mind (actual age 9-11), and despite the simpler text, dyslexia-friendly formatting and shorter chapters, the storylines are no less gripping than other books aimed at this age range.

Full packs of the books on this list are available for schools to purchase via Peters.

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