Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Publisher: Button Books

This book reveals what it was like to live in the turbulent Tudor times, when England’s kings and queens held absolute power over their subjects, and stepping out of line meant a whipping or worse. From Henry VII to Elizabeth I, the Tudor monarchs were colourful, powerful people who presided over an era of naval expansion, exploration and trade.

Children will learn about ordinary people’s day-to-day lives, from what they wore and ate to how they spent their free time and what kind of jobs they did. They will get to know a young, fictional Elizabethan girl, as she tells them about her life, from helping her mother with the laundry to visiting the Globe theatre and having a visit from a doctor.

Dotted throughout the book are craft activities and recipes to have ago at, such as making Tudor marchpane (marzipan), learning how to play Tudor games and how to dance like a Tudor.

This beautifully illustrated book takes young readers on an immersive tour of a transformative period in history, when the Industrial Revolution, new inventions, and social change reshaped life in Britain. From grand mansions to crowded workhouses, children will explore the stark contrasts between the lives of the wealthy and the poor, gaining insight into Victorian fashion, food, jobs, education, and even life in prisons and service.

Engaging storytelling, vibrant illustrations, and historical facts bring the era to life, while fictional accounts from two Victorian children – one rich and one poor – help readers compare experiences and understand the realities of the time.

The book also features hands-on activities, including crafts and recipes, to encourage interactive learning. A timeline highlights key events and laws that shaped the era, and a detailed map showcases the British Empire and trade routes.

This is a great book about London for children. It encompasses a myriad of features of the capital, such as famous landmarks, tourist attractions and cultural aspects of the city. The illustrations are appealing and complement the brief text. However, there is a lot of information contained in the book. It covers events, such as Chinese New Year celebrations, cultural hubs such as Camden and Greenwich, as well as famous shops. Its historical coverage includes Hampton Court, where it explains about Henry VIII and his wives, as well as the Tower of London and other key historical landmarks.

Published in 2017,  it still mentions the Queen living at Buckingham Palace, but that is only a minor point. Any school doing a local study on London would value this book, which gives a good overview of the capital.

Live Like a Hunter Gatherer is a fantastic guide to the Stone Age for primary-aged children to make links between life in the Stone Age and life today. For example, we all know that fire allowed people to stay up later, ward off predators and cook food, but did you know that the reduction in the need to chew cooked meat fewer times than raw meat meant that people had more time to chat, which caused a surge in language development?

A section which particularly appealed was the myth-busting page. This allows children’s preconceptions to be challenged as they explore the subject and build a revised mental picture of life in the Stone Age. This book provides an excellent teaching resource: not only for learning about the Stone Age but also as scaffolding for writing in the form of the section ’24 Hours as a Hunter Gatherer’ or a plentiful provider of inspiration for forest school or outdoor learning.

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Stone Girl Bone Girl

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Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?

Would you recommend the book for use in primary schools?

yes

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