Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

The Complete Chronicles of Narnia

Chapter book

All seven tales in The Chronicles of Narnia are bound together, with full-colour illustrations, in one magnificent hardcover volume with a personal introduction by Douglas Gresham, stepson of C. S. Lewis.

Talking beasts, heroic deeds and epic battles between good and evil await you in C. S. Lewis’s classic fantasy series, which has been enchanting readers for over sixty years.

This edition presents the seven books-The Magician’s Nephew, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Horse and His Boy, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, and The Last Battle-unabridged and arranged in C.S. Lewis’s preferred order, featuring full-colour artwork by the original illustrator, Pauline Baynes.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

C.S. Lewis & Pauline Baynes

Chapter book

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the second book in C. S. Lewis’s classic fantasy series, which has been drawing readers of all ages into a magical land with unforgettable characters for over sixty years. This is a stand-alone read, but if you would like to explore more of the Narnian realm, pick up the full series.

The idea that undiscovered magic is on your doorstep, or possibly even in your bedroom, is wonderful. This remains a favourite childhood book and a true classic for children in KS2.

Goodnight Already!

Jory John & Benji Davies

Picturebook

Bear is utterly exhausted and is looking to get a good night’s sleep but his neighbour Duck has other ideas. This hilarious story, illustrated by Benji Davies who is the master of drawing an increasingly knackered bear, has me giggling every time I’ve returned to it. As it turns out, it also happens to be a true-to-life reimagining of my son’s toddler years where I am played by Bear and he is played by Duck.

Peter Pan

J M Barrie & Minalima Ltd

Chapter book

From the lost boys to the mischievous mermaids and madcap swagger of Captain Hook, there’s so much I love about this book. But what gets me most, every time, is the heart-breaking ending – the disconnect between Peter and Wendy now that she is grown-up and he never will be. I’ve tried to capture something of that painful disconnect in the relationship between my mortal and vampire characters.

The Green Giant

Katie Cottle

Picturebook

You’ve met the Iron Giant, the Big Friendly Giant and the Selfish Giant. Now meet the Green Giant! A young girl, Bea, and her dog, Iris, are staying with her grandad in the country. Bea is bored, but Iris’s adventures lead them to the small and rusty old greenhouse next door. Inside the greenhouse, Bea finds… a giant. A giant made entirely of plants and greenery. Bea is scared, but the giant reassures her and explains that he has escaped from the grey city. Bea and the giant become friends, and together they try and find a way to make the grey city a greener place. This is a lovely picture book and Katie has recently released a follow on, ‘The Blue Giant’, which addresses issues of plastic waste in the oceans.

Mr Gum and the Power Crystals

Andy Stanton & David Tazzyman

Chapter book

I love all funny books, but it’s rare for one to make me actually laugh out loud… the Mr Gum books never fail to make this happen. This particular one is probably my favourite in the brilliant series, not least because of the song, ‘Crazy Barry Fungus’, which is a work of total genius. If my daughter and I want to make each other laugh like drains, we just quote the song’s line, ‘You stupid dangerous weirdo’ at each other and proceed to fall about in fits of giggles for the next week or two. Our lives were incomplete before we discovered Polly, Friday O’Leary, Alan Taylor (the best name for a gingerbread man with electric muscles EVER) and of course the always-foul Mr Gum and Billy William. These books always cheer me right up.

I, Robot

Isaac Asimov

Chapter book

If I could only choose one book for this list, it would be I, Robot. It’s a collection of connected short stories written mid-twentieth century, featuring the robots manufactured by Asimov’s fictional organisation, U.S. Robotics and Mechanical Men, Inc. I, Robot explores the ethics and practicalities of artificially intelligent machines, and each story is brilliantly plotted within the strict framework of Asimov’s three laws of robotics. My desert island robot book.

Gangsta Granny

David Walliams & Tony Ross

Chapter book

Ben hates spending time with his boring granny while his parents go off to their ballroom dancing, but it turns out that there is much more to her than meets the eye! Because Granny is really a gangsta. Together they go on an adventure and become the best of friends.

Lottie Potter Wants An Otter

Jeanne Willis & Leonie Lord

Picturebook

This was read aloud to Beanstalk staff at a recent conference and there were people crying with laughter! A wonderfully funny rhyming book filled with plenty of tongue twisters which children and adults will love trying to read out loud together. Practice also makes perfect with this and often children will refine their technique first before their reading helper. A great book for adults as well as it shows you how many words rhyme with ‘otter’!

Happy Hatchday

Rob Biddulph

Picturebook

This vibrantly illustrated rhyming picture book makes for a egg-cellent dinosaur-themed story time. The little band of dinosaurs that emerge from their eggs all have different names and personalities. Can late-comer Greg find a way to be included with the others? You may also like the second book in the series, Give Peas a Chance.

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Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

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