Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Topic: Diverse & Inclusive Books for Lower KS2

Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet

Chapter book

Omar is a boy with a huge imagination that can land him in trouble. As well as being very funny, the stories tackle important issues like bullying and prejudice, with Omar’s diary-style entries covering the everyday ups and downs of life including Muslim traditions, school worries, friendships, family life and a big dose of toilet humour. This first book in this illustrated chapter book series sees Omar move to a new neighbourhood and experience some religious and racial prejudice. It also sees Omar settle in at school, join in with family science experiments and experience the month of Ramadan including the Eid feast at the end.

The Accidental Diary of B.U.G.

Jen Carney

Chapter book

Meet Billie Upton Green and her VERY accidental diary – and don’t you DARE call her B.U.G!

Billie has taken the new girl at school under her wing. She’ll teach her the important stuff – Biscuit Laws, Mrs Patterson and of course where to sneakily eat a Jaffa Cake. She might even get invited to the EVENT OF THE YEAR (Billie’s mums are getting married).

But then suspicion sets in. The new girl seems VERY close to Billie’s best friend Layla.

And she knows a LOT about the big school heist – the theft of Mrs Robinson’s purse. But, Billie is on to her. Well, as long as Patrick doesn’t catch her eating biscuits first.

Diverse & Inclusive Books for Lower KS2

Best Diverse Books for Years 3 and 4

We have selected a list of recommended diverse and inclusive books for children in Year 3 and Year 4 (ages 7-9), which feature characters that are traditionally under-represented in children’s books.

This list of the best diverse books for children in Lower Key Stage 2 includes books with minority ethnic main characters and books with representations of cultural diversity, different types of families, physical disabilities, visual impairment and neurodiversity.

The selection includes the entertaining story of young Yusuf’s schemes at a British-Bengali family wedding in Mayhem Mission and the tale of one child’s experience of the joy of Eid-ul-Fitr in Ramadan Moon, as well as deaf character Max’s compelling quest for friendship in Max and the Millions and the fast-paced story of limb loss and sport in Paralympian Ellie Robinson’s Thief on the Track.

You can find Diverse & Inclusive children’s book lists for other primary year groups here:

Diverse Books for EYFS (Ages 2-5)
Diverse Books for KS1 (Ages 5-7)
Diverse Books for Years 5 and 6 (Ages 9-11)

Schools can purchase full packs of our diverse book lists via Peters.

Anisha Accidental Detective

Emma McCann & Serena Patel

Chapter book

This is a delightful book celebrating family and friendships and is part of a very popular series. Anisha is a funny and resourceful character, whose love of STEM and eye for detail makes her the perfect detective in this humorous series of mysteries. Anisha has an extended family that proves to be strong and supportive when things go wrong. There are authentic cultural references exploring Anisha’s Indian heritage, particularly around food and family.

The illustrations by Emma McCann help to reflect the humour in the story and the text is often broken up with lists and diagrams, making the book particularly appealing to children who may be daunted when faced with full pages of text.

No 1 Car Spotter

Atinuke & Warwick Johnson Cadwell

Chapter book

Oluwalase Babatunde Benson is No. 1. He’s the No. 1 car spotter in his village. The No. 1 car spotter in the world!

The start of an exciting new series about the irresistible No. 1, whose hobby is car spotting but who is good at solving all sorts of problems for his village.

When the family’s cart breaks down and there’s no way of bringing goods to market, it’s No. 1 who devises the Toyota Cow-rolla and saves the day. He runs errands for his family and helps Mama Coca-Cola feed the busloads of people who stop for her delicious fried akara. No. 1 even helps Grandmother get to the medical centre when she can’t afford treatment.

No. 1 is bright and plucky and resourceful – a fantastic new character in what will undoubtedly prove to be a brilliant series!

Double Felix

Maria Serrano & Sally Harris

Chapter book

He skips every second step when he takes the stairs, taps door handles twice and positions objects in pairs. The problem hasbecome so bad that Felix is on the verge of being expelled from school because the principal has had enough of trying to run theschool around his very specific rules.

Cally & Jimmy: Twins in Trouble

Katie Kear & Zoe Antoniades

Chapter book

Four stories in one!

I have a twin brother. Everyone calls him Jimmy, which is sort of the English version of Dimitri, his actual Greek name. Our mum’s Greek, you see. I’m Cally, short for Calista, which means, I don’t want to sound big-headed or anything, ‘most beautiful’. I’m not sure about Dimitri, but if Dimitri means most-annoying-brother-in-the-whole-wide-world, then that’s him.

Join Cally and Jimmy in four hilarious stories, perfect for newly confident readers. They get into scrapes together, bake some poisonous cakes, almost ruin their school assembly and finally have a twintastic birthday party.

The Dog that Saved Christmas

Mike Byrne & Nicola Davies

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

Popular children’s author Nicola Davies returns with another wonderful book that draws out the special relationship between children and animals – this time with a festive twist. Published in Barrington Stoke’s ‘super-readable’ and dyslexia-friendly style, this is a short chapter book that readers will find easy to pick up and hard to put down.

Jake stands out from many of the other children at his school and Christmas is a time that is especially difficult for him, with the bright lights, loud noises and changes in routines causing him a great deal of anxiety. When Jake befriends a lost dog, which he calls Susan, a beautiful bond begins to form that helps Jake to stay calm and cope with the difficulties he faces. After a while, Susan’s real owners turn up to reclaim their missing dog and Jake and his family need to find a way forward while their world feels like it has fallen apart.

This is a touching and inclusive story that is well suited for the 6-8 age bracket or for less confident readers in the upper primary years. Readers will find the story engaging and are likely to feel deeply empathetic towards Jake. The narrative sensitively explores the idea that Christmas is not an easy time for everybody, while also drawing out festive values of family, kindness and compassion for those in need.

Noah Scape Can’t Stop Repeating Himself

Guy Bass & Steve May

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

Noah Scape loves dinosaurs and spaghetti with tomato sauce. But Noah doesn’t always get what he wants and when school doesn’t revolve around dinosaur facts and lunch isn’t always his tried and tested favourite, well… enough is enough! It’s time for him to stop wishing and to decide on exactly what he needs; a world full of Noahs! Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant or dyslexic readers aged 8+.

The Christmasaurus

Shane Devries & Tom Fletcher

Chapter book

The Christmasaurus is the story of William Trundle – a dinosaur enthusiast, and his father – a Christmas enthusiast. When a series of events forces William to grapple with a season of loneliness, he sends a clever letter to Santa, initiating a magical Christmas journey.

Fans of The Creakers will be drawn to this book and will recognise the combination of good-natured humour and a focus on the determination and bravery of child characters who see their adventure though with a strong sense of self. This book has earned its place as a staple among classroom Christmas tales. Tom Fletcher skillfully captures the magic of Christmas time with all of its hope and surprises, while Shane Devries’s illustrations add depth to the narrative. The overall charm and whimsical nature of the story along with an endearing cast of characters make it a delightful festive read, especially for Lower Ks2.

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