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Topic: Diverse & Inclusive Books for Upper 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 Boy with the Butterfly Mind

Victoria Williamson

Chapter book

A moving and compassionately-told story from the author of the The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle. Also told through a dual narrative, this is a story with weighty themes including blended families, life with ADHD and the search for acceptance. Hugely relevant for today’s generation, Victoria Williamson writes with a galloping pace packaged at every turn with extraordinary compassion, delivering an enjoyable and empathy-building reading experience. The narrative offers powerful insights into life with ADHD…

Llama Out Loud

Allen Fatimaharan & Annabelle Sami

Chapter book

Yasmin Shah has not spoken for years, not since the ‘Purple/poo incident’. Her family on the other hand, all speak at the top of their voices all of the time. Yasmin wonders if her house could possibly get any louder, when she is joined by Levi – a madcap, well meaning but noisy and often rude Llama. Annabelle Sami, author of the Agent Zaiba Investigates series, skilfully weaves a fun and silly llama adventure story with more serious themes including the impact of bullying, selective mutism, loneliness and old age. We shared this story as a family bedtime read with my 7-year-old, and once we got into the story we struggled to put it down, wanting to know just what Levi would get up to next and how Yasmin would react to the chaos unfurling around her..

Diverse & Inclusive Books for Upper KS2

Best Diverse Children’s Books for Ages 9-11

We have selected a list of recommended diverse and inclusive books for children in Year 5 and Year 6 (Upper KS2), which feature characters that are traditionally under-represented in children’s books.

This list of the best diverse books for children aged 9 to 11 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 Danny Chung and his Nai Nai in Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths and an exciting fantasy story inspired by Hindu legends in Kiki Kallira Breaks a Kingdom, as well as Sophie’s compelling story of hearing loss in Can You Feel the Noise and the coming-of-age graphic novel following an autistic girl who finds friendship where she least expects it in Speak Up!.

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 3 and 4 (Ages 7-9)

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

Just Call Me Spaghetti Hoop Boy

Lara Williamson

Chapter book

My name is Adam Butters. I live on planet Earth, I like eating spaghetti hoops and I’ve decided I’m going to be a SUPERHERO.

Everyone loves superheroes, they solve problems and make people happy, and that’s good because my mum needs cheering up. Also, I’ve found out that before I was adopted my real mum called me ACE. So now I’ve just got to prove to the world that’s what I am. One mission at a time…

Hilarious, heart-warming and heart-breaking in equal measure, this is a story about the power in all of us to be extraordinary.

Patina (Run)

Jason Reynolds & Selom Senu

Chapter book

It’s not the taking part, it’s the winning that counts for Patina!

Patty, as she’s known to her friends and family, has lost a lot in her life – her dad died when she was young, her mum has lost her legs and now she has to live with her uncle and his wife. On top of that Patty has to go to the poshest school that ever existed. Now her running team has become a relay team and independent “I can do everything by myself” Patty has to work with her team mates to win.

The Secrets of Sam & Sam

Susie Day

Chapter book

Sam likes being a twin. He likes having two mums. He likes cheese sandwiches and his dog and drawing comics with his friend Pea. He does not like humus – or heights . . .

His twin sister Sammie likes being a twin too. She knows that she’s perfect best friend material for somebody – the girls in her class just haven’t realised yet. And she knows that she’s the best Sam – Sam A.

Both Sam and Sammie – and everybody in their lives seems to be keeping secrets – which ones will come out?

The Distance Between Me and the Cherry Tree

Paola Peretti

Chapter book

Nominated for the CILIP CARNEGIE MEDAL 2019 and the IBBY Honour List 2020. A novel for all ages about a young girl losing her sight, inspired by the author’s own life story. For fans of Wonder, The Little Prince and The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly

Mafalda is a nine-year-old girl who knows one thing: some time in the next six months her sight will fail completely.

Can Mafalda find a way through a seemingly dark future and still go to school, play football and look after her beloved cat? With the help of her family, and her friends, Mafalda needs to discover the things that will be important to her when her sight has failed.

A moving, empowering tale of courage and determination that will inspire young and old. Translated by Denise Muir.

Running on Empty

Rob Biddulph & S.E. Durrant

Chapter book

AJ’s grandfather has always been the one to keep his unusual family together, so when he dies things start to unravel at the edges. AJ is worried about his parents but they don’t really seem to notice. In order to deal with his grief and to keep his anxiety at bay, AJ does what he and his grandfather did best: running. Round and round the Olympic Park, aiming for the cross country trials. Running to escape, AJ only seems to be heading ever closer to disaster.

Running On Empty is a beautiful book about false starts and emotional journeys, with hope as the ultimate finishing line.

From the author of Little Bits of Sky and Talking to the Moon

Cover illustration by Rob Biddulph

A Storm of Strawberries

Jo Cotterill

Chapter book

Darby loves summer on her family’s strawberry farm – but is the weather about to turn?

A UK nomination for IBBY’s List of Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities 2019

Darby is twelve and has Down’s syndrome. Her favourite things are music, chocolate, and her big sister Kaydee. It’s nearly time for the annual chocolate hunt, the highlight of Darby’s year, but Kaydee has brought a friend home for the weekend. Suddenly both the chocolate hunt and her favourite person are in danger of slipping away… and to make things worse, the family’s strawberry farm is hit by a tornado.

When the storm clears, what will be left? And can Darby mend what’s been broken when nobody will listen to her?

A warm, thoughtful and empathetic novel from acclaimed author Jo Cotterill.

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