Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Publisher: Puffin

“AAHHHHH!!!! I am going to see TAYLOR SWIFT in concert. And, in case it wasn’t obvious, I am Taylor’s official biggest fan ever. I don’t have a certificate or a badge or anything to prove it. But I know a lot about Taylor Swift. Like, a LOT. I’m pretty sure I know facts about Taylor Swift that even her BEST FRIENDS, her FAMILY and her CATS don’t know. And I’m going to write them all down here as I prepare for the MOST IMPORTANT EVENT of my entire LIFE.”

Gemma is a Taylor Swift superfan.

As she journals the build-up to her first Taylor concert, she’s also navigating school, friendships, a dad who refuses to accept why Taylor Swift is the most talented musician in the world AND trying to become a songwriter herself.

Alongside record-breaking facts and stats about Taylor, her music, and of course her cats, this is a warm and funny tween diary narrative about owning who you are and following your dreams.

The first book in a brand new series about the lives of pop stars through the eyes of a superfan, by bestselling and award-winning children’s book author, Pamela Butchart.

Not endorsed by, affiliated with, or approved by Taylor Swift

The hilarious new illustrated series perfect for fans of Loki, Amelia Fang and Hotel Transylvania.

Ever wondered what it’s like to be a vampire?

To be super strong, super fast and super naughty? To sleep all day and party all night? Cool, right?

But what if you’re only half-vampire? Super awkward, super anxious and super allergic to garlic dip?

I’m Moth, and this is the story of how my sucky life got kinda better thanks to a girl called Mina, a plant called Gary and my best friend Biscuit (who is a bat).

Fangs for reading!

Indiana Jones meets Guardians of the Galaxy in this fast-paced new graphic novel series for kids age 9-13, a comic sci-fi adventure about a crew of treasure-hungry Star Breakers on an accidental quest to save the universe.

ZEKE ZERO has been living his worst life ever since his dad traded him for a spare battery when he was a baby …

Still, 13-year-old Zeke gets by. Or he did, until he ‘borrowed’ the wrong priceless star map and was forced to join a crackpot crew of STAR BREAKERS – brave (foolish) souls who dare to search dying worlds for (sometimes) incredible treasures.

Their first job? Finding an ancient GOD’S EYEBALL hidden on a monster-infested planet somewhere in the depths of space. Preferably before the evil, undead Princess Grizelda does, or the galaxy is pretty much doomed.

THE PERFECT FOOTBALL BOOK FOR THE WORLD CUP YEAR!

Learn how to DIVE, BLOCK and SAVE like your favourite players in this new football series by bestselling author, Ben Lyttleton! This is an ideal book for young football fans and aspiring goalkeepers.

Saving goals sounds simple, right? Watch the ball as it flies towards you and stop it from getting over the line. Then fall to your knees in relief knowing you’ve just saved another epic goal! Easy.

The truth is, saving goals is not easy. Not easy at all. So how do your favourite goalkeepers like Alisson, Hampton and Courtois do it?

There are LOTS of ways to make a save – whether you’re going to make a fingertip save from a powerful shot or an unbelievable dive to stop a penalty kick – this book will give you the skills, techniques, tactics and mindsets needed to be a top keeper and improve every aspect of your game.

So stick on your gloves, get out on the pitch and let’s save some goals!

Alex Rider meets Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse in this fast-paced, action-packed middle-grade series about a ‘normal’ boy who discovers he has superpowers and is destined to join an elite yet secret organisation.

There’s nothing special about Jamaal Target. He’s your average twelve-year-old boy who lives with his foster mum and likes to game with his best friend Myla. Until one day, everything changes . . .

When Myla is kidnapped in front of his eyes, Jamaal is pulled into a web of secrets and lies and the shadowy organisation known as PHANTOM. There he learns that he has inherited super strength, speed and heightened senses from the parents he never knew.

Forced to quickly put his new skills to the test, Jamaal finds himself on high-stakes missions across London, alongside teen PHANTOM Agent Lori Johnson. But does he have what it takes to save his best friend and put the bad guys away?

A brand-new action-adventure with a superhero twist written by a co-author of Marcus Rashford’s The Breakfast Club Adventures series.

A funny, heartbreaking and hopeful story of one girl’s resilience, from the author of the bestselling Tracy Beaker series.

Esme’s mum would do anything for her, including trying to steal the expensive dolls house that Esme desperately wants. When Mum gets caught, Esme has to go into foster care.

When a placement proves hard to find, Esme has to stay with an elderly couple who have retired from fostering. She knows she only has to stay until Mum gets back, but she still has to deal with a new school, and a real idiot of a class bully.

Esme might like to cause trouble, but this time she is going to have to find a way to get along.

A beautiful novel in verse about grief, family and the power of hope from Eilish Fisher, award-winning author of Fia and the Last Snow Deer.

Rowan was raised in the desert. Growing up all she’s known is sunshine, warmth, love. Then her beloved Dad dies, everything changes.

Now Rowan and her mum have moved from the hazy heat of the desert to the cold landscape of Ireland. Each of them hoping that living in the town Rowan’s Dad called home will bring them closer to him.

But as soon as Rowan arrives, she knows something’s not right. Why is it so cold even in August? Why do lights turn on without warning or kettles boil with no one pressing a switch?

Even more mysterious is The Wall. It surrounds the town, but no one can tell Rowan who built it or how long it’s stood, or why it’s forbidden to cross over to the other side. So, when she spots a crack in the stone, Rowan can’t resist the temptation to explore. In the woods beyond, she discovers a strange horse whom she feels an instant connection with, a bond that brings the return of warmth and hope . . . but at what price?

The first children’s murder mystery from number-one-bestselling author of The Appeal, Janice Hallett, perfect for fans of Robin Stevens and Rhian Tracey.

When Ava and Luke discover a mysterious box of papers in their attic they are instantly curious about secrets it might hold. As they read through letters, diary entries, newspaper cuttings and listen to secret recordings, they realize that a decades-old, still unsolved, murder mystery is unfolding right in front of them . . .

Ava and Luke decide to try and crack the case themselves. But as they work through the clues, it soon becomes clear that the mystery isn’t something left in the past: the killer is still out there – and might be closer than they think…

YOU know the facts. YOU have all the clues. Can YOU solve the mystery before they do?

Look out for DEATH AT THE MUSEUM, the next book in the A Box Full of Murders series, coming June 2026!

The Sheep-Pig is an animal classic by Dick King-Smith, also known through the film version ‘Babe’. The story is about a piglet who is determined to prove his worth on the farm by showing he can herd sheep just as well as any sheepdog. Under the wing of Fly the seasoned sheepdog, Babe develops his own unique style, choosing respect and manners over forceful snapping to get the sheep to comply. Readers can’t help but root for Babe.

It’s a farming story, so readers should be aware that the text uses the traditional term for a female dog and some discussion of the correct context for the use of this word might be helpful. It’s a much loved story that shows how persistence can help you reach a seemingly impossible goal and leading doesn’t always have to be aggressive.

Chapter book

Frozen meets Greenwild in this incredible debut, full of wild magic, spooky ghouls and adventure.

The children of Twigswick are taught three things:

Never stray past the rune posts at the edge of town
Run home as fast as you can when the warning bell chimes
Spirits are very real and very dangerous

Nettle Sourbud lives in the shadow of her older sister, Fern; fearless, tough and confident, Fern is everything Nettle is not.

So, when Fern runs off to join the Wildheart Rangers – the protectors of towns from the spirits and ghouls of Dryda Forest – Nettle thinks she’s lost her sister forever, as she’ll never be brave enough to follow her into the enchanted woods.

Then news reaches Twigswick that Fern has abandoned the Rangers to join the infamous Shadow Stalkers and Nettle knows something isn’t right. Fearing her sister is in danger, she ventures into the forest to find the truth . . .

Joining the Rangers, Nettle realises she’ll have to face her fears and defeat the Hollow Spirits who haunt the forest if she wants to rescue Fern. But soon Nettle starts to wonder if her sister needs saving at all, or Fern is the one who must be stopped . . .

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