Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Home > Books

Publisher: Nosy Crow Ltd

Chapter book

A goofy new puppy turns the lives of two rescue pets upside down in this hilarious graphic novel for pet lovers and fans of The Secret Life of Pets.

Butter and Crackers are rescue pets living their best (and quiet) lives. Butter, a laid-back cat, has access to all the butter he can lick and Crackers, a slightly nervous dog, is free to bark at squirrels to his heart’s content. With an owner who goes to work every day, they spend their days doing whatever they want.

But when Peanut, a brand-new puppy with big floppy ears, arrives, everything changes. He has no appreciation of the quiet life, no idea how stairs work and he’s even afraid of the dark!

Butter and Crackers have had enough – this puppy needs to go! But when Peanut escapes and gets lost, it turns out that home isn’t home without the noisy little puppy after all…

A sweet and hilarious story about life seen through the eyes of pets, perfect for newly independent readers, visual readers and pet owners.

Poetry

A brilliantly illustrated collection of 366 hilarious poems to keep you laughing all year round!

From rib-ticklingly funny to wryly witty, each poem in this uplifting collection is guaranteed to put a smile on your face and is perfect for reading aloud to share even more side-splitting hilarity with family and friends. Whether it’s a poem about socks or spaniels, eggs or elephants, this bright and brilliant collection will bring you cheer and laughter every day.

The spectacular range of poems for children includes work by John Agard, Maya Angelou, Hilaire Belloc, Brian Bilston, Lucille Clifton, Wendy Cope, Roald Dahl, Edward Lear, Spike Milligan, Ogden Nash, Grace Nichols, Jack Prelutsky, Michael Rosen, Christina Rossetti, Benjamin Zephaniah and many more.

A wonderful gift for all ages, this beautifully produced anthology includes luxurious cloth binding and ribbon marker.

Chapter book

When Kevin and his family get stuck in a strange town, they accidentally wake up something OLD and VERY HUNGRY. It’s up to Kevin to save everyone – or else! The first in a brilliantly funny fantasy adventure series.

Kevin Aurelius is just like any other almost eleven-year-old.

Well, apart from his fangs obviously. And that he’s immortal. Oh and did I mention he’s a vampire?

Together with his vampire parents and annoying older siblings, Kevin’s on his way to Monstros City when, due to dodgy batnav, they get stranded in a strange, quiet place full of humans called Lower Drudging. With empty coffers in need of filling, their only choice is to put on an impromptu carnival to earn the gold they need to get back on their way.

But Lower Drudging has a monstrous secret of its own. A secret that is old, very hungry and has just woken up! It’s up to Kevin and his new best friend Susie to save the town – or else!

Black and white illustrations throughout by Flavia Sorrentino.

Chapter book

Peanut, Butter and Crackers are off camping. But getting lost was never part of the plan. The second hilarious graphic novel for pet lovers and fans of The Secret Life of Pets.

Peanut, Butter and Crackers are off to the great outdoors in a camper van. But when indoor cat Butter discovers that their human forgot to pack a litter tray, he’s sure there must be one in the forest – how else do cats go to the toilet?! Together with puppy Peanut, he sets out to find one … only to get lost. And things go from bad to worse when Butter and Peanut fall into a river! Can Crackers pull off a river rescue and help his two friends get back home?

Another heart-warming and hilarious story about life seen through the eyes of pets, perfect for newly independent readers, visual readers and pet owners.

Chapter book

Willow has always felt like an outsider at school, but she and her Nanna were so alike that she never felt alone. Now Nanna is gone and Willow is adrift. So when a group of girls offer her friendship in exchange for “fun” stealing dares, Willow can’t say no. But as the dares escalate, she has to ask herself: How far will she go to fit in?

This wise, warm and uplifting story from the acclaimed author of Luna Rae is Not Alone explores what it feels like to lose yourself and the joy of discovering you’re perfect just as you are.

Chapter book

Narrated by Michael Golab.

A thrilling debut, with extraordinary twists and incredible action, from an incredible new voice in children’s fiction.

I can steal time. The most I can take at the moment is fifteen seconds, which is not a lot. Grandmother took almost three minutes once and she told me she’s done more, but I never saw it. She says there are stories of someone who can take all the time in the world, but how can that be right? When Alex and his father are forced to flee their home to escape a brutal government, they begin a life-threatening journey across Europe. But when they are separated before they can reach Britain, Alex finds himself alone, with only his extraordinary gift to keep him alive.

Perfect for fans of Alex Rider, Artemis Fowl, and Inception, Running out of Time is an ingenious, high-concept thriller with a twist that you won’t believe.

Picturebook

All aboard for an exciting new Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam escapade!

When Shifty and Sam are asked to bake on board the Pawrient Express, travelling to Venice for Carnival night, they find themselves caught up in a robbery. A sneaky thief has stolen the posh passengers’ gems and she’s making her escape in a getaway gondola! The doggy detectives are hot on her tail, but can they unmask that kitty-cat criminal and save the day?

Tracey Corderoy is a multi-award-winning author and has written over 70 books for children including collaborations with Rosalind Beardshaw and Sarah Massini.

Steven Lenton has created many books with Tracey Corderoy and also illustrates books by David Baddiel, Frank Cottrell-Boyce and Peter Bently. His books have won awards such as the Sainsbury’s Children’s Book Award and have been selected for the WHSmith Children’s Book of the Year and Tom Fletcher Book Club.

Picturebook

Get ready for this fast-paced and big-hearted rhyming adventure about a penguin who loves curry!

When Pierre the penguin tries Nabil’s delicious biriyani rice, Pierre decides to leave the zoo and go home with him! But Nabil will be in BIG TROUBLE if his mum finds out. And Pierre is EVERYWHERE – honking, dancing, bouncing on the bed and making a HUGE bubbly mess in the bathroom . . . Will Nabil’s parents let Pierre stay?

Brimming with personality, this hilarious story with a lovable, hapless hero is perfect for fans of Paddington.

Non-fiction

A brilliantly fun search-and-find puzzle book for children from 6+, developed in consultation with the British Museum!

Tom’s not only lost in time, he’s lost his cat, too! Can you find Tom and his naughty cat, Digby, on every page? Packed with detailed artwork, fascinating facts about Ming Dynasty China and over 100 other things to find – from the emperor in his yellow robes to an acrobat doing a handstand!

The perfect book for fans of Where’s Wally!

Filled with stylish artwork by award-winning illustrator Fatti Burke. Now in paperback!

Have you read Tom’s other adventures? Find Tom in Time: Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece.

Non-fiction

Part of Nosy Crow’s list of publishing in collaboration with the British Museum, developed in consultation with some of the world’s leading experts on Viking history.

A kid’s life as a Viking might sound like fun, what with all those cool battles and awesome longships, but actually life for kids could be pretty hard. In this hilarious book, children will learn just how tough life really was, from spending years on a raid and sharing your bedroom with farm animals, to being poked full of holes . . . and even eating extremely watery porridge.

Probably the first book about Viking times to feature children walking polar bears and rubber ducks, this is a must read for kids with a passion for horrible history!

Brought to life with rich, humorous illustrations by super-talented Marisa Morea.

Other titles in the series include: Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece, Aztec Age, Prehistoric Times, and Medieval Castle.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Your Review

Stone Girl Bone Girl

review

Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:

Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:

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

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

Curriculum links (if relevant)

Curriculum links (if relevant)

Any other comments

Any other comments