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.