Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Topic: Picturebooks Lower KS2

Mum’s Jumper

Picturebook

This beautiful picture book is well suited for being in the hands of a child who experiences the loss of a loved one. It is a story of grief that manages to hold the complexity of the feelings of a child and her dad alongside the rawness of those emotions in a simple and perfect way. The child in the story finds comfort in her mum’s jumper. She muses why her mum left it behind, as she loved it so much. The child wears the jumper all of the time – the smell of her mum merging with her own smell. Her dad explains that grief is like the jumper – it stays the same size but she will grow into it – so the grief never goes away or diminishes, it is just that everything else grows around it.

The Proudest Blue

Hatem Aly & Ibtihaj Muhammad & S.K Ali

Picturebook

This is an absolutely beautiful book from former Olympic medallist Ibtihaj Muhammad, exploring themes of heritage, diversity, siblings, acceptance and new beginnings.

The story is positive and empowering, and explores the beautiful bond between sisters Faizah and Asiya as they each begin new phases of growing up. When the time comes for Faizah’s first day at school, she is excited to share the special day with her older sister Asiya, whose first day of wearing hijab it is. Asiya’s hijab is made of a beautiful blue fabric, like the ocean waves or the endless sky. Sadly, not everyone sees hijab in the same light and in the face of ignorant comments, Faizah learns not to hold on to hurtful comments but to find strength in new ways.

A thought-provoking story with a warm and positive message, illustrated in striking blues.

The Journey

Francesca Sanna

Picturebook

There is so much detail in this beautiful book – each page stirs heart wrenching thoughts and sparks discussion. An extremely useful book to aid understanding and empathy of the refugee crisis.

Wilma Unlimited

David Diaz & Kathleen Krull

Picturebook

This is the story of perseverance against all odds and power of having a positive attitude of never giving up. At just five years old, Wilma Rudolph was paralysed in her left leg from polio and told that she would never walk again. This book tells the inspirational story of her journey from that point to how she became the first American woman to earn three gold medals in a single Olympiad.

The Invisible

Tom Percival

Picturebook

A moving, powerful story that shines a light on those that feel invisible in our world. Isabel and her loving family are forced to leave their home due to poverty. Feeling alone and invisible to the world, Isabel begins to notice the many other people living in similar circumstances – in fact, there are other ‘invisible’ people everywhere. Isabel is stirred to action and decides to make a difference to her new community in the little ways she can. By gradually improving small things that cost nothing, she starts a community movement and, before long, colour floods into her life and the lives of others once again.

This story links to whole school values of tolerance, kindness and caring and can be used for developing a sense of belonging and community. It shows how anyone can make a positive impact on those around them, regardless of how little they have.

Manfish

Éric Puybaret & Jennifer Berne

Picturebook

Once upon a time in France, a baby was born under the summer sun. His parents named him Jacques. As he grew, Jacques fell in love with the sea. He dreamed of breathing beneath the waves and swimming as gracefully as a fish. In fact, he longed to become a manfish. Jacques Cousteau grew up to become a champion of the seas and one of the best-known oceanographers in the world. In this lovely biography, now in paperback, poetic text and gorgeous paintings come together to create a portrait of Cousteau that is as magical as it is inspiring.

One Plastic Bag

Miranda Paul

Picturebook

A picture book telling the true story of how one woman in Africa began a movement to recycle the plastic bags that were polluting her community. In Isatou Ceesay’s village was becoming cluttered up with discarded plastic bags, causing problems for animals (who choke on them) and attracting disease-bearing insects. Determined to bring about positive change, Isatou finds a way to put the bags to a new use. A highly recommended picture book to use across the whole primary age range.

Journey

Aaron Becker

Picturebook

A beautiful, award-winning wordless picture book. It follows the journey of a young girl who draws a magic door in her bedroom and travels through fantasy worlds by boat, balloon and magic carpet. Highly recommended for pupils across the whole primary range.

Flotsam

David Wiesner

Picturebook

This award-winning wordless picture book offers endless opportunities for discussion and creative writing. A beach-combing young boy finds a washed-up camera on the shore, and when the film is developed it reveals a fantastic new world of creatures from the ocean. Incredible illustrations that speak for themselves. Read our blog for inspiration from one talented teacher who brought a Flotsam literacy unit to life.

Henry’s Freedom Box

Ellen Levine

Picturebook

A stirring, dramatic story of a slave who mails himself to freedom by a Jane Addams Peace Award-winning author and a Coretta Scott King Award-winning artist.
Henry Brown doesn’t know how old he is. Nobody keeps records of slaves’ birthdays. All the time he dreams about freedom, but that dream seems farther away than ever when he is torn from his family and put to work in a warehouse. Henry grows up and marries, but he is again devastated when his family is sold at the slave market. Then one day, as he lifts a crate at the warehouse, he knows exactly what he must do: He will mail himself to the North. After an arduous journey in the crate, Henry finally has a birthday — his first day of freedom.

Best Books by Age

Popular Children's Authors

Topic: Picturebooks Lower KS2

NEWS: BooksforTopics Named Award-Winning Finalist at HSBC & FSB Awards

Child Judges Wanted: Join the First Ever Children’s Booker Prize Panel

Little People, BIG DREAMS: Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara Answers Your Questions!

Subscribe to our newsletter

Your Review