It’s easy to feel lost in the flood of so many new children’s books available. Each month, our review panel reads scores of new books and we highlight five of our recently published favourites.
Check out our Review Panel’s top books for you to read in August 2023.
It’s easy to feel lost in the flood of so many new children’s books available. Each month, our review panel reads scores of new books and we highlight five of our recently published favourites.
Check out our Review Panel’s top books for you to read in July 2023.
It’s easy to feel lost in the flood of so many new children’s books available. Each month, our review panel reads scores of new books and we highlight five of our recently published favourites.
Check out our Review Panel’s top books for you to read in June 2023.
It’s easy to feel lost in the flood of so many new children’s books available. Each month, our review panel reads scores of new books and we highlight five of our recently published favourites.
Check out our Review Panel’s top books for you to read in May 2023.
Best Books for Each Year Group
Each of our Year Group Recommended Reads lists contains 50 books specially picked out for reading for pleasure in each primary year group, from Preschool to Year 6. The lists are designed to provide recommendations of age-appropriate and accessible books across a range of genres and styles. These lists differ from our topic booklists, as the books are purely selected for the purpose of reading for pleasure at each age group.
When we put together each list, we look for a balance across different genres and styles. Some children naturally navigate towards non-fiction, while others find graphic novels or poetry the most enjoyable forms to pick up and read. Each list contains a balance of age-appropriate fiction, picturebooks, non-fiction, poetry and graphic novels, with a handful of novelty or tactile books added in too. We’ve also aimed to collate lists that cater for different reading styles, interest levels, publication dates (you’ll find some true golden oldies as well as brand new titles on each list) and also books that contain a diversity of characters and settings. This way, schools using our lists can offer children access to a wealth of quality reading choices to enjoy.
NB: This is an archive of the 2022 booklists. If you want to most up to date versions, click here.
This is the ultimate rhyming story book for preschool, by the much-loved illustrator Nick Sharratt.
Timothy Pope heads to the park with his telescope, but when he looks down it and is sure he sees a shark, we soon learn that things are not always as they seem! There are flaps and die-cut holes to explore, making this a memorable interactive story choice.
The repeated refrains of Timothy Pope, Timothy Pope, what can you see through your telescope? and ‘Is there a shark in the park?’ are remarkably catchy and will quickly have children joining in. A really fun must-read book for EYFS children!
It’s easy to feel lost in the flood of so many new children’s books available. Each month, our review panel reads scores of new books and we highlight five of our recently published favourites.
Check out our Review Panel’s top books for you to read in April 2023.
If you like Murder Most Unladylike, try these…The Murder Most Unladylike books form a series of children’s murder mystery novels written by Robin Stevens. Popular with children aged 9-12, the stories follow the adventures of two schoolgirls who set up their own detective agency.
Fans of the Murder Most Unladylike series enjoy the stories’ unfolding mysteries told through Hazel’s witty case notes. Readers also love the fast-paced plots with clever twists, the character-centred drama and also the 1930s boarding school setting. The stories deal with important themes like friendship, diversity, loyalty and social class against the backdrop of the murder investigations. Additionally, many children enjoy the collectibility of the series with their rainbow-hued covers and sprayed edges.
We’ve put together a list of ten similar books for fans of Murder Most Unladylike. Readers who want to get their hands on more murder-mystery style stories could try the Violet Veil Mysteries or equally one of Fleur Hitchcock’s atmostpheric murder stories like Murder at Twilight. Those looking for another boarding school drama to get stuck into might enjoy Malory Towers or Friends and Traitors. If you’re looking for a strong female sleuthing duo to fill the void left by Daisy and Hazel, we think you’ll love Meredith and Macy in Murder at the Ivy Hotel, or Sophie and Lil in The Clockwork Sparrow. Finally, for children looking for a new suspenseful series to start collecting, we recommend Agatha Oddly or Lizzie and Belle – both of which are strong favourites among children who like to read through a series.
Browse the full list below of books for children looking for more books like Murder Most Unladylike…
If you like Dog Man, try these…The Dog Man books form a wildly popular children’s book series written and illustrated by Dav Pilkey. The series features a half-dog, half-human police officer who fights crime and saves the day in the city.
Written in a graphic novel format with comic-style illustrations and speech bubbles, these books are popular with children aged 6-9. The series has become known for hooking children into reading through visual humour and wacky storylines. Each story in the Dog Man series is told through several short chapters, and the books can be read in any order.
It’s no surprise that the series is so popular, but many teachers and parents ask us for what to read next after Dog Man. We’ve put together a list of ten books like Dog Man. Readers who love getting silly with the absurd humour and wacky plots of the Dog Man books could also try the Bunny Vs Monkey books or Donut Squad – or if a dash of irreverence is what’s in demand then try Grimwood. Those looking for a good streak of save-the-day action as well as crime-busting adventure in their books might enjoy Kitty Quest or The Investigators. For children who love Dog Man’s graphic novel format, we suggest trying Tiny Hercules or Dadbot. Also, for more graphic novel ideas check out our primary school Graphic Novel Booklists.
Browse the full list below of books for children looking for more books like Dog Man…
If you like Lottie Brooks, try these…The Lottie Brooks books by Katie Kirby are hugely popular with preteen readers. This hilarious illustrated series explores the daily ups and downs of growing up, including facing puberty, navigating friendships, dealing with first crushes and all of the embarrassing moments that come with handling school and family life.
Many readers of the Lottie Brooks series enjoy the laugh-out-humour, the funny doodle-style illustrations and the true-to-life themes covered in the story. Lottie is a relatable character who resonates particularly well with girls in the 9-12 age bracket.
We’ve put together a list of ten similar books for fans of Lottie Brooks. Readers who love stories about real-life themes of family and friendships could try Cafe Chaos or Two is a Crowd. Those looking for another preteen illustrated diary series like Lottie Brooks might like the easy-to-read Accidental Diary of B.U.G, or Cringe Club which is told entirely in the form of a group chat. For children who enjoyed the compelling first-person voice of Lottie Brooks’ narrative and her positive energy in the face of the everyday challenges of life, we recommend Raina Telgemeier’s graphic novel Smile or Renee Watson’s Ways to Make Sunshine.
Browse the full list below of stories for children looking for more books like Lottie Brooks…
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Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Would you recommend the book for use in primary schools?
yes
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Curriculum links (if relevant)
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