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recommended hi-lo books

Hi-Lo Books

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly, Hi-Lo

Booklist: Recommended Hi-Lo Books (High Interest, Low Difficulty) for KS2

Hi-Lo books are books tailored for children whose reading age is lower than their actual age. The style and content of the books on this Hi-Lo booklist will appeal to the interests matching the child’s actual age, while the vocabulary, syntax and formatting are suited to their lower reading age.

Often older children with a lower reading age struggle to find books that don’t appear ‘babyish’ in style. This selection provides books that match the style and interest level of the books that many of their peers will be reading, but formatted with text that suits a slightly lower reading age and manageable chapter length. There’s something to appeal to all different tastes on this list, from thriller stories like The Invasion of Crooked Oak to adventures like Wings: Spitfire and tales of friends and family like Picture Perfect and All About Ella.

The books in this collection are selected from the Barrington Stoke Hi-Lo range and the Bloomsbury High Low primary fiction selection. Hi-Lo books are particularly helpful for struggling and reluctant readers because they offer accessible texts which match their actual age and interests. The books in this collection have been selected with Upper KS2 children in mind (actual age 9-11), and despite the simpler text, dyslexia-friendly formatting and shorter chapters, the storylines are no less gripping than other books aimed at this age range.

Full packs of the books on this list are available for schools to purchase via Peters.

when poems fall from the sky

When Poems Fall From the Sky

Poetry

Nominated for the 2023 Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing and the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Illustration.

Original, inspiring and intimate, When Poems Fall From the Sky marries science and poetry to create a tender and thoughtful love-letter to Earth promising children a riot of imagination, humour and joy – the perfect book to celebrate National Poetry Day on 6th October.

The collection of poems, raps, rhymes, haiku and little plays is written by Zaro Weil, winner of the 2020 CLiPPA children’s poetry prize and is illustrated in full colour throughout by artist Junli Song.

When Poems Fall From the Sky is the first title to publish since the pair won the coveted CLiPPA prize with their stunning poetry anthology, Cherry Moon.

In exquisitely illustrated full-colour pages, trees, birds, animals, rivers, flowers, mountains and insects each share their own magical stories. And the stories they tell, the ‘poems’ that fall from the sky, subtly and powerfully illuminate our hope and collective role as guardians of our earth.

Books for reluctant readers Lower KS2

Reluctant Readers Lower KS2

Best Books for Reluctant Readers Aged 7-9 (Year 3 & Year 4)

There’s great joy in finding the right book for the right child, but the journey to getting to that point can sometimes be a tricky one. Some children naturally choose books and find it easy to navigate the world of reading for pleasure. Others need a little more encouragement to feel at home in the world of reading and we are often asked to recommend books for reluctant readers in Years 3 and 4 (ages 7-9), either for those who are less confident with reading or for children who have simply not yet caught the ‘reading bug’.

Try offering titles with a high image-to-text ratio like the popular The Bad Guys series or The 13-Storey Tree House books, offering an instant reading experience that appeals to visual learners. We also recommend that you explore books with high-interest themes like Salah Rules or Space Detectives, addressing hobbies and interests that are likely to captivate readers seeking meaningful reads. For those drawn to real-life stories and relatable worlds that create an easy connection between the reader and the narrative, try The Beach Puppy or Ellie and the Cat. For those who find reading boring, why not introduce a good dose of humour through Rabbit and Bear or Dog Man?

Which books are best for hooking in children who don’t feel interested in reading? We’ve put together a list of some of the best books for reluctant readers in lower KS2…

Books for reluctant readers Upper KS2

Books for Reluctant Readers Aged 9-11

Best Books for Reluctant Readers in Upper KS2

For parents and teachers, there is often pressure and desire to guide every child successfully through the process of learning to read – while making sure it’s fun, enjoyable and a learning journey that will lead to a lifelong love of books. But which books are best for hooking in children who don’t feel interested in reading?

We’ve put together a curated collection of books designed to engage children who can appear reluctant to read for pleasure. At BooksForTopics, we understand the unique challenge of inspiring a love for reading in older primary school students who may be hesitant or less enthusiastic about picking up a book. Our list aims to break down common barriers and offer a diverse range of titles that cater to varied interests and reading abilities.

Try offering titles with a high image-to-text ratio like the popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid series or Freddy vs School, offering an immersive reading experience that appeals to visual learners. We also recommend that you explore books with high-interest themes like Rashford Rules or Gamer, addressing hobbies and interests that are likely to captivate readers seeking meaningful reads. For those drawn to real-life stories and relatable worlds that create an easy connection between the reader and the narrative, try Ella on the Outside. For those who find reading boring, why not introduce a good dose of humour through Grimwood or Iguana Boy Saves the World With a Triple Cheese Pizza?

With something for all different tastes, this selection of our top book choices for engaging reluctant readers in Year 5 and Year 6 is here to help. Schools can purchase full sets of the books from Peters.

An Emotional Menagerie

Emotions are like animals: No two are quite the same. Some are quiet; some are fierce; And all are hard to tame. An Emotional Menagerie is an emotional glossary for children. A book of 26 rhyming poems, arranged alphabetically, that bring our feelings to life – Anger, Boredom, Curiosity, Dreaminess, Embarrassment, Fear, Guilt, and more. The poems transform each emotion into a different animal to provide a clear and engaging illustration of its character: how it arises; how it makes us behave and how we can learn to manage its effects. Boasting a rich vocabulary, the poems also give children a wide variety of options for describing their feelings to others. Children experience all sorts of emotions: sometimes going through several very different ones before breakfast. Yet they can struggle to put these feelings into words. An inability to understand and communicate their moods can lead to bad behaviour, deep frustration and a whole host of difficulties further down the line. Like adults, they need help to recognise and verbalise their inner state. The greater their emotional vocabulary, the more likely they are to grow into happy, healthy and fulfilled adults. Filled with wise, therapeutic advice, brought to life through musical language and beautiful illustrations, An Emotional Menagerie is an imaginative and universally appealing way of increasing emotional literacy.

Best graphic novels for ages 9-11

Graphic Novels for Children in Upper KS2

Graphic Novel

Booklist: Best Graphic Novels for Children Aged 9-11

Graphic novels are longer stories written and illustrated in the style of a comic, combining a sequence of engaging visual elements that drive the plot, coupled with short pockets of text in the form of captions and dialogue. The format has seen a burst in popularity in recent years, and these books are seeing an increasing demand in primary schools. We’ve picked out a list of brilliant graphic novels that are most suitable for children aged 9-11…

Best wordless picture-books to inspire writing

Wordless Picturebooks

Picturebook

The Best Wordless Picturebooks for Primary School Children

Wordless picture books are like portals to imaginative worlds where stories unfold without a single written word. Instead of relying on text, these books let the illustrations do all the talking. There’s a superb variety of wordless picturebooks available for children in KS2, Ks2 and EYFS, and we’ve picked out some of the best wordless picturebooks for primary-aged children.

More and more teachers are discovering that wordless picture books can inspire incredible literacy learning across the primary age range, right up to Year 6. Books that tell stories through pictures alone can help develop visual literacy, expand the imagination, start discussions about interpretation and give children space to add spoken or written narratives of their own.

From EYFS right through to Year 6, the role of wordless picturebooks in literacy development and imaginative enjoyment is hugely valuable. Wordless picturebooks help to break down language barriers and invite readers of all ages to craft their own stories based on the pictures before them. Curious details and intriguing clues in the illustrations enable the narratives of wordless picturebooks to be open to a range of interpretations – levelling the playing field for every reader to be the storyteller.

From whimsical wordless delights like the adventure of flying frogs in David Wiesner’s award-winning Tuesday to poignant stories of displacement and migration like Shaun Tan’s The Arrival, this booklist features a selection of the best wordless picturebooks for children aged 4-11. 

books for dyslexic readers

Dyslexic Readers

Dyslexia-friendly

Booklist: Dyslexia Friendly Books

On this booklist, we feature a selection of recommended books that have been specially designed for dyslexic readers by the experts at Barrington Stoke. All of the books on this list have a dyslexia-friendly layout, typeface and paperstock, so that even more readers can enjoy them. Scroll down to find the best books for dyslexic readers in KS1, lower KS2 and upper KS2.

first chapter books

First Chapter Books

Chapter book

Best First Chapter Books for Children

Finding the right books is essential in helping young readers successfully make the leap into their first chapter books.

On this booklist, we have picked a selection of short, illustrated chapter books that are perfect for children launching into independent reading. This collection of early reader books – with colour illustrations, shorter length and clear formatting – has been picked with those readers in mind who need something to bridge the gap between reading scheme books and lengthier chapter books. 

Invite early readers to delve into tried-and-tested short, illustrated chapter books with favourite characters like Isadora Moon and Claude, providing delightful and imaginative adventures that children can enjoy in a series to read through or collect. Some readers might opt for gentle animal stories like The Little Lost Kitten while others will prefer to embark on exciting fantasy escapades like the pirate-themed Molly Rogers to the Rescue.

This booklist serves as a resource for parents and teachers seeking engaging and developmentally appropriate first chapter books for newly independent readers.

Best primary poetry books

Primary Poetry

Primary Poetry Booklist

On this booklist, we have picked a selection of poetry suitable for primary school classrooms. Scroll down to find the best children’s poetry collections recommended for EYFS, KS1 and KS2.

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