Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Follow the Swallow

Picturebook

A delightfully funny story about friendship and seasonal change from the multi-award-winning Julia Donaldson.

Chack the blackbird and Apollo the swallow are friends.

But when Apollo tells Chack that he will soon be flying to Africa – Chack doesn’t believe him.

And when Chack tells Apollo that the blossom on his favourite tree will one day turn into orange berries – Apollo doesn’t believe him either!

But as the seasons change, Chack and Apollo are both in for a big surprise …

Join Chack and Apollo on a round-the-world adventure in this delightfully funny story about friendship and change.

From the author of the multi-million-selling The Gruffalo, Julia Donaldson, Follow the Swallow is the perfect book for EVERY season!

The Guinea-Pig Party

Holly Webb & Rosie Butcher

Chapter book

Katy can’t believe her luck when she finds the perfect pet guinea pig hiding in the lettuce patch, but is everything as it seems?

Katy has always longed for a pet of her own, so when a cute ginger-and-white guinea pig turns up in her mum’s vegetable patch, she thinks her dreams have come true!

Katy calls the guinea pig Lettuce, as that seems to be her favourite food, and makes a lovely home for her in an old greenhouse at the bottom of the garden.

But where has Lettuce come from and will Katy really be able to keep her?

We absolutely love Barry Falls’ rhyming and joyful picturebook, Tiny McToot. It tells the fun tale of Tiny McToot, a surprisingly small giant who demonstrates that even the littlest can make a big impact.

The story’s vibrant rhythm and engaging illustrations make it an entertaining read-aloud, sure to bring smiles to EYFS and KS1 classrooms.

This book also carries an empowering message. It champions the idea that size doesn’t determine strength or significance, making it a brilliant choice for boosting confidence among the youngest children in the school. Tiny McToot is simply a really fun and uplifting story that children will want to revisit again and again.

Shadow Thieves

Peter Burns

Chapter book

Perfect for lovers of books such as Percy Jackson, Harry Potter and Skandar, this new fantasy adventure is bound to be a hit with children.

Shadow Thieves follows the adventure of Tom Morgan, an orphan surviving on the streets of an alternative London with other children who are homeless. Set in an alternative timeline where the French Empire has expanded to include Britain, it provides an interesting backdrop to the story. Set at a school for thieves, con artists and criminals alike, children are able to follow Tom as he undertakes missions or challenges and begins his training.

Tom is a likeable character that children will root for, especially as he is often driven by looking after and protecting those he cares about. An exciting book to share with children.

Clarice Bean: Smile

Lauren Child

Chapter book

The Clarice Bean books by Charlie and Lola creator Lauren Child are cleverly written, illustrated chapter books. The books are both laugh-out-loud funny and also tinged with mature themes that are suitable for a KS2 audience.

Clarice Bean has a unique voice that readers will find funny and interesting. She is also very ecologically aware, and the sustainability and climate issues are never thrust down your throat, but are just there and explained in the best way. This book covers a child’s perspective on stress, friendship, marriage breakups and old age decline, but the narrator’s warm and sharp observations never make it heavy or a difficult read.

Clarice Bean, narrating the story, is just wonderful. She is so straight-talking and demonstrates how youth see things clearly in a way that adults often do not.

Spyceratops

Alex Willmore

Picturebook

Meet the little dinosaur who is the GREATEST SECRET AGENT IN THE WORLD.

Spyceratops has all the skills: sneaking, peeking, blending in, daredevil manoeuvres.

She has all the kit: groovy gadgets, loyal sidekick, awesome spymobile.

And luckily the perfect opportunity has arisen for Spyceratops to share her spy skills with YOU, the reader.

GRANDAD is acting very suspiciously. Can he be trusted? BIG FAT NO. Spyceratops is on the case, determined to uncover Grandad’s secret plotting and show off her extraordinary spy skills . . .

Spyceratops is Mission Impossible meets Scooby Doo in a Flintstones-esq dinosaur world – come on in and join the fun!

I Did See a Mammoth! is the winner of the InspiREAD Award 2023.

The Cafe at the Edge of the Woods

Mikey Please

Picturebook

The Illustrations and quirky characters of the book are definitely what draws children to the story. They love the idea of disgusting recipes and when read to one of our Year 1 classes, they loved it! I really enjoyed the way the two characters worked together to find a solution that fits both the morals of the cafe owner and the demands of the customer. It would be a great stimulus to get young children writing recipes for their own menu at the Cafe at the Edge of the Woods.

Me and My Brian

Claudia Petrazzi & Helen Rutter

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

With help from his grandma, Josh finds a way to quieten his overactive ‘Brian’ in this gently humorous and empathetic tale about family and mental health by bestseller Helen Rutter.

Josh has always called his brain Brian, and Brian can sometimes be his best friend, helping Josh with tests and giving him brilliant moneymaking ideas. But he can also be Josh’s worst enemy, keeping him awake at night worrying, and telling him that his family’s problems are all Josh’s fault.

When the arguments at home get really bad, Josh is sent to live with his grandma, who lives in a weird shack in the middle of nowhere. At first Brian’s voice gets louder and louder, and Josh feels out of control. But as he helps his grandma in the garden, growing their own food, and with all the jobs that need to be done around the shack, Josh starts to realise that she understands him and Brian better than anyone.

Pinch Perkins and the Midsummer Curse

Cathy FitzGerald

Chapter book

Someone is misusing magic. Curses have been cast and terrifying creatures are on the move.

Twelve-year-old Pinch Perkins lives on Tricky Dragon Lane, deep in the heart of London’s magical quarter. But when her mum is struck by a curse, and nobody seems to have a clue what to do, Pinch knows it’s down to her to find a cure.

Racing the clock on Midsummer’s Eve, Pinch will face the terrifying boss of the Thames Mudlarks, dance with the devious fairy king and queen and share a burger with King Arthur’s knights, all the while trying to avoid the clutches of two most fearsome villains.

Puloma and the Bear

Jasbinder Bilan & Skylar White

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

Jasbinder Bilan’s books are always so lovely and heartwarming. They also have a powerful message within the pages, and this short and accessible animal story is no exception.

Puloma lives with her aunt and uncle after being orphaned. She isn’t treated very kindly, so she runs away. Joining the circus seems the perfect solution. Their encounters Nyla, a sloth bear who is forced to dance and is mistreated. Puloma escapes with Nyla in search of safety.

Puloma is a wonderful character. Lonely at first, she soon shows her brave, strong morals. She knows the way Nyla is treated is wrong. The story is well written and touches on the world of animal cruelty. There is a section at the back explaining India’s sloth bear protection and conservation projects. This book is also dyslexia-friendly.

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