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Best Graphic Novels for KS1 (Ages 5-7)

Graphic novels are longer stories written and illustrated in a comic style, 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.

Up until recently, most of the graphic novels available have been aimed at older children, but a newer demand for graphic novels suitable for younger readers in KS1 is now emerging. Whether you are looking for simple adventures like Max and Chaffy or comic tales of animal friends like Peanut Butter and Crackers, we’ve compiled a short list of the best graphic novels where the story content, length and text level are suited to children aged 5-7 in Years 1 and 2.

This list is aimed at readers in KS1. If you are looking for recommendations for graphic novels for older children, be sure to check out our Graphic Novels for Lower KS2 and Graphic Novels for Upper KS2.

Graphic Novel

Meet the most exceptional explorers of all time!

Which Viking voyager outclassed Columbus by 500 years?

Who cut Ferdinand Magellan’s round-the-world trip in half?

What got Amelia Earhart’s passion for piloting off to a flying start?

Uncover all this and more in Corpse Talk, the hilarious and mind-expanding chat show that brings the dead famous to life!

Picturebook

A captivating picture book retelling by Shakespeare’s Globe for very young readers.

William Shakespeare’s comedy about four lovers’ mishaps in an enchanted forest is unforgettably re-imagined by Shakespeare’s Globe as a picture book for very young readers. With exquisite and detailed illustrations from the acclaimed artist Jane Ray, who has been shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal, this captivating retelling is a magical way to introduce children to one of the best-loved works of the world’s greatest playwright.

Picturebook

Violet’s world has changed. Her voice has gone from a giggle to a whisper. So when her teacher casts her in the school play, she is filled with worry. How will she ever stand in front of a crowd and overcome her shyness? With the love and support of her family, Violet must find her inner confidence and turn that whisper into a roar!

Chapter book

Hamlet could NEVER make his mind up about ANYTHING. And one time he actually went to school in just his pants and got sent home because he couldn’t decide what to wear. When Izzy (star of The Spy Who Loved School Dinners) is asked to tell her friends some HILARIOUS and SCARY stories she knows exactly where to look: Shakespeare, the king of SUPER dramatic stuff.

After learning about Macbeth (a STRONG solider who ate four bowls of porridge and twenty pieces of toast every morning) her friends want more. So Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Romeo and Juliet all get the Izzy treatment. There’s blood and guts, ghosty stuff, and plenty of people wandering around in their nighties.

The perfect introduction to the Bard!

Chapter bookDyslexia-friendly

Only a sensible, level head can save the day when disaster strikes on a school trip in this hilariously slapstick introduction to Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

Frank and his drama club are off on a dream school trip to perform The Tempest at a festival. But it turns into a nightmare when their ferry is hit by a terrible storm! Half of the actors wash up on a sandy shore and they can’t believe their eyes.

Is this a desert island? Why is there strange music coming from the forest? Where are the rest of the cast? To Frank, it all sounds strangely like the plot of The Tempest and he hasn’t got a clue how they’re going to get out of this mess. One thing’s for sure … they’ve been tripwrecked!

Chapter book

I Was There… Ira Aldridge tells the exciting story of the African-American actor, Ira Aldridge, who rose to fame on the London stage. Brilliantly imagined, readers aged 7+ will love this first-hand account of a child’s experience of nineteenth-century London and the vibrant life of the theatre. Amazing black-and-white illustrations throughout bring the story to life.

 

Short story collection

Step on to a stage full of stories with this beautiful anthology of 12 stories from Shakespeare, rewritten to be accessible to children aged 7+. Including favourites such as The Tempest, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet and Othello, each story is stunningly illustrated by collage artist Alice Lindstrom.

Non-fiction

A fun, fact-packed introduction to the brain and nervous system for young science enthusiasts.

The brain – a wrinkly, spongy mass the size of a cauliflower that sits in our heads and controls everything we do! Discover what its made of, how it works and why we even need one in this fun, fact-packed introduction to the brain.

Inside the pages of this STEM book for children aged 7-9, budding young scientists will discover:

– An age-appropriate introduction to the brain, what it is, what it does, how it works, and how it evolved
– All about how scientists study the brain and nervous system
– Introduces concepts like how we think, what consciousness is, and how the brains of other animals are different
– Encourages young readers to develop an interest in STEM fields – including biology, medicine, and science
– Each page is filled with engaging photographs and artworks with easy to understand text

Filled with colourful illustrations and bite-sized chunks of information, this book covers all your questions on everything from the anatomy of the brain and nervous system, to how information is collected and sent around the body. Also, explore questions about the brain that we don’t know the answers to yet!

Non-fiction

Prepare to be inspired with this fantastically great new series for young readers from bestselling author Kate Pankhurst, a descendent of suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst. In this first book, read the true stories of amazing scientists and discover things that are out of this world!

Women have been responsible for many of the world’s most groundbreaking scientific discoveries. These are the stories of incredible female scientists whose hard work and persistence changed our understanding of science, and transformed people’s ideas of what women can do.

Including comic strips, family trees, maps and more, Fantastically Great Women Scientists and Their Stories is a celebration of women who made some of the world’s most important scientific breakthroughs.

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Stone Girl Bone Girl

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