Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Publisher: Penguin Random House Children's UK

It’s 1953, the year Elizabeth is to be crowned Queen of England.

Elsie Kettle can’t wait to go to London to see the celebrations on Coronation Day. Elsie lives with her Nan – her mum works as a showgirl, so she’s not around very often. Spirited and imaginative, but often lonely, Elsie longs for a best friend. Luckily, she and Nan are very close; Elsie just wishes she was allowed a cat to keep her company sometimes.

Then tragedy strikes.

Nan and Elsie both fall ill with tuberculosis, and Elsie finds herself whisked away to the children’s ward of the hospital. Confined to bed for months on end, Elsie finds it very hard to adapt to the hospital’s strict regime. But she invents astonishing ways of entertaining the other children on the ward, and for the first time finds herself surrounded by true friends – including Queenie, the hospital’s majestic white cat.

Finally, Elsie is well enough to leave hospital. But before she does, she has one very special, very unexpected visitor…

Did we go too far?’ Charlie asked.
‘Too far?’ cried Mr Wonka. ‘Of course we went too far! We’ve gone into orbit!’

WHOOSH! Inside the Great Glass Elevator, Willy Wonka, Charlie Bucket and his family are cruising a thousand feet above the chocolate factory.

They can see the whole world below them, but they’re not alone. The American Space Hotel has also just launched. Lurking inside are the Vermicious Knids – the most brutal beasts in the universe!

Can Charlie and Willy Wonka stop them from destroying everything?

Marty and her sister Melissa couldn’t be more different.

“That’s the worst thing about my sister. She NEVER misses a chance to wind me up.”

Football-mad Marty loves her Converse and helping her dad with his DIY. Melissa, however, loves all things pink and girly.

So it comes as no surprise that when they have to share a bedroom, Marty and Melissa struggle to get along. But all that changes after a terrible accident, which helps the sisters realise they are closer than they thought…

From bestselling author Jacqueline Wilson, The Worst Thing About My Sister explores sibling rivalry and the importance of family.

“A stodgy parent is no fun at all. What a child wants and deserves is a parent who is sparky”

Danny has the most marvellous and exciting father anyone ever had. He can repair any car or machine that people bring to him, loves going on adventures with Danny and tells him incredible stories around the stove in the cozy caravan they call home.

The land around them belongs to Mr Hazell, a rich bully who NOBODY likes, not one-little bit. So, Danny and his father concoct a daring plot that will give Mr Hazell the greatest shock of his life.

But can they pull off this level of mischief-making without getting caught…?

September, 1939: At the breakout of the Second World War, ten-year-old Shirley is sent away on a train. She doesn’t know where she’s going, or what’s going to happen to her when she gets there. All she has been told is that she’s going on ‘a little holiday’.

She soon finds herself lodged deep in the countryside, with two boys from the East End of London, Kevin and Archie. But here, living in the strange, half-empty Red House with the mysterious and reclusive Mrs Waverley, the children’s lives will be changed for ever.

Award-winning, bestselling and beloved author Jacqueline Wilson pens an unforgettable story about the confusion and loneliness of a World War II evacuee, with a moving and hopeful friendship at its centre.

“For my lunch today”, he said, I would like a nice JUICY little child.”

The Enormous Crocodile is planning what to have for his lunch.

He’s the greediest croc in the whole river, and he wants to eat something juicy and delicious.

But what can the greedy grumptious brute guzzle up?

Beware! He’s looking for someone to feast upon… someone who looks a lot like YOU!

“I’ll be famous at something some day, you mark my words.”

Katy Carr is a daredevil.

You’ll always find her outdoors, climbing on the garage roof, or up a tree, cycling, skateboarding… Anything to get away from her new stepmother, Izzie.

But, when Katy’s involved in a terrible accident, her life is changed forever.

Inspired by the much-loved classic, What Katy Did, bestselling children’s favourite Jacqueline Wilson creates an irresistible modern version for the twenty-first-century. As seen on CBBC!

I do actually happen to know how to make tortoises grow faster, if that’s really what you want.’

Mr Hoppy really loves his neighbour Mrs Silver, and Mrs Silver really loves her tortoise, Alfie.
Oh, if only Mr Hoppy could perform some great feat that would make him a hero in her eyes!

Then one day an amazing idea rushes into his head.

With the help of a magical spell, some cabbage leaves and one hundred and forty tortoises, can shy Mr Hoppy win Mrs Silver’s heart?

Little Billy’s mum says he must never go out through the garden gate and explore the dark forest beyond.
So, one day, that’s exactgly what he does.
There he meets the Minpins: miniature people who live int he hollow trees.
They soon warn Little Billy of the fearsome, galloping Gruncher, who has grunched thousands of Minpins. And it will gobble up Little Billy too – uness he can find a way to defeat the hungry beast, once and for all…

The much-loved Roald Dahl collection of hilarious animal rhymes, updated for a whole new generation of readers with an exciting new interior design and cover look.

A collection of (mainly) grisly beasts out for human blood, ranging from Crocky-Wock the crocodile to Stingaling the scorpion. Described in verse with all Dahl’s usual gusto and illustrated in suitably lurid style by Quentin Blake.

Exciting, bold and instantly recognisable with Quentin Blake’s inimitable artwork.

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