Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Topic: Literacy

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…

Whole School Picturebooks

Five Picturebooks Suitable for the Whole School

With whole-school assemblies and book days to organise, lots of you have been asking us for suggestions of single books that can be used across the whole primary school age range. BooksForTopics founder Alison Leach gives us five recommendations for books that make great whole-school projects.

Picturebooks for Lower KS2

Picturebook

Best Picturebooks for Years 3 and 4

Picturebooks are wonderful for all ages in primary schools and are not to be limited to the younger classrooms alone. As children’s author Kate Cunningham says, “Telling a child that they are too old for a picture book is like telling them that they are too old for chocolate ice cream or computer games“.

In Lower KS2, picturebooks offer a unique opportunity to enjoy the interplay between images and words, as well as being brilliant for opening discussions on important issues like in The Emerald Forest. Others are perfect for exploring new ideas like If I Were Prime Minister, for boosting empathy like It’s a No Money Day and for developing critical thinking like Fearless. Sometimes they simply provide a fun reading experience that caters to a visual appetite that begins to be increasingly excluded from chapter books for the age group – like in Until I Met Dudley and Professional Crocodile.

This list features our top selection of recommended picturebooks that are most suitable for children aged 7-9….

Picturebooks for Upper KS2

Best Picturebooks for Years 5 and 6

Picturebooks are brilliant for all ages in primary schools and are not to be left behind in EYFS and KS1 libraries alone. Shared with older children, the best picturebooks can allow children and adults to share a reading common experience made up of the interplay between the visual and the written word.

In Upper KS2, picturebooks are excellent for opening discussions on important issues like Last: The Story of a White Rhino, for exploring philosophical or political concepts like The Island, for developing empathy and for challenging thinking like I Talk Like A River. Sometimes they simply provide an imaginative reading experience that caters to a visual appetite that is excluded from chapter books offered at this age, like The Midnight Fair. We’ve picked out a list of the best picturebooks that are suitable for children aged 9-11….

NB: If you are looking for more KS2 picturebook recommendations, try Picturebooks for Lower KS2 or Wordless Picturebooks. For even younger readers, head to Storytime Favourites for EYFS.

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.

Shakespeare

Best Children’s Books about Shakespeare

William Shakespeare was a famous British playwright born in 1564. His plays have been performed millions of times around the globe and are still well-loved today.

Primary school children often study simplified versions of the stories from Shakespeare’s plays, with A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Tempest being among the most popular. There are some excellent anthologies of Shakespeare stories retold for children available, such as the illustrated story collection A Stage Full of Shakespeare Stories or the comic-book style Mr Shakespeare’s Plays. There is also a handful of recommended fiction titles with new stories based on characters or settings from Shakespeare’s plays, such as Tempest Terror and A Romeo Roller Coaster.

For non-fiction about Shakespeare’s life and times, try Shakespeare for Everyone or the search-and-find book Shakespeare’s London.

From sonnets and star-crossed lovers to troupes and tragedies, learn all about the famous Bard with our list of the best children’s books about Shakespeare and his plays.

Funny Books

Recommended Funny Books For Children

Funny books are always a popular choice with children, and there are some brilliant laugh-out-loud books available for all ages. From picturebooks that bring out a multitude of giggles at storytime to chapter books to get readers laughing out loud to themselves, we’ve picked a selection of the best funny books for children.

We’ve compiled a selection of humour-riddled reads that not only entertain but also nurture a love for wordplay and storytelling. Picturebooks like Supertato and You Must Bring a Hat offer giggles for younger children, while short chapter books like Marge in Charge keep young readers engaged with comedic adventures. Dive into the world of funny graphic novels with Bunny vs Monkey and explore funny chapter books for older readers, like Kid Normal and The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh.

Beyond the giggles, these stories not only entertain but also foster a positive association with reading, making the journey of literacy a delight for children. Discover the magic of laughter and learning with these handpicked funny books that promise to be storytime favourites.

Top-Notch Non-Fiction

Best Non-Fiction Books for Children

It’s time to celebrate all things factual with our selection of recommended children’s non-fiction books for readers who have a passion for information and knowledge. We’ve picked out non-fiction books filled with interesting facts and strong visual elements to keep young readers engaged, informed and entertained.

Dive into a world where young minds uncover the marvels of our planet, encounter fascinating creatures, decode the mysteries of science, draw inspiration from extraordinary individuals and embrace the richness of diverse cultures. Each carefully chosen book on this list serves as a portal to knowledge and an invitation for readers to discover more about the world around them.

We’ve put together a list of our favourite non-fiction books for children, grouped into age categories of 3-5, 5-7, 7-9 and 9-11. You can purchase each age group’s non-fiction pack from Peters.

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.

FloodWorld

Chapter book

FloodWorld is a gripping, action-packed story for 10+ readers. Kara and Joe spend their days navigating the perilous waterways of a sunken city, scratching out a living in the ruins. But when they come into possession of a mysterious map, they find themselves in a world of trouble. Suddenly everyone’s after them: gangsters, cops and ruthless Mariner pirates in their hi-tech submarines. The two children must find a way to fight back before Floodworld’s walls come tumbling down…

With cover illustration by Manuel Sumberac.

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Booklists by Child's Age

Topic: Literacy

Graphic Novels for Children in Upper KS2

Booklist: Best Graphic Novels for Children Aged 9-11

Whole School Picturebooks

Five Picturebooks Suitable for the Whole School