We love to hear about which books are popular among our community of primary teachers, TAs, librarians, authors and children’s book lovers.
We searched for your top children’s books published in 2021. Browse the SHORTLISTED books in each category below or head to the Books of the Year page to see the category winners.
If you are looking for a library top-up of new books for your school, you can purchase the full selection in one pack.
See the 2022 version of this list here…
This incredible guide to the Moon takes 7 to 9 year olds through its past, present, and future through stunning illustrations, photographs, and fascinating information.
The perfect introduction to the Earth’s closest neighbour for young readers, The Book of the Moon covers the entire subject in thrilling detail. It explains the Moon’s geography, its phases, NASA’s Apollo missions, the Moon’s effect on Earth, recent scientific discoveries, and much more. Packed with eye-popping facts, this is the perfect book for space lovers.
Beautiful illustrations by artist Dawn Cooper combine with up-to-date images from space agencies to help demystify and explain the wonder of the Moon to young readers.
Unwrap the mysteries of ancient Egyptian mummies in this fascinating gift book from the British Museum
What is a mummy? How exactly were they made? And is there really such a thing as a mummy’s curse? Find out the answers to these questions and many more, in this gruesome guide to the mummification process. Filled with grisly detail, you’ll uncover secrets of the embalmers, tales of the tomb robbers and even what happened when pets were mummified! Meet some famous mummies from around the world, from Tutankhamun to the ‘unlucky mummy’, and find out what happened when archaeologists discovered mummies thousands of years after they were buried . . .
With a glorious gold foil cover and quirky colour illustrations on every page, children aged 7+ will enjoy learning lots more about mummies!
India, Incredible India written by Jasbinder and brought to life by artist Nina Chakrabarti is a joyful celebration of India. For years the BooksForTopics inbox has received requests for recommendations of good books to support curriculum learning about India – and for the first time we really do have a book that hits the spot. Layered between the information is a story of the bond between Nanijee (Grandmother) and Thara (her granddaughter). Each night when Thara sleeps over, Nanijee lets her choose an object from her beautiful carved trunk. Each of the objects has been lovingly collected over many years and when it is taken out, Nanijee tells a story of the object and where it is from over a series of beautiful and informative double-page spreads.
Share in the wonderment of science with a crew of crazy cats and measure your amazement, awe and disgust alongside their furry feline faces!
Like every topic, science becomes more interesting when cats are involved. Cats React to Science Facts is an engaging and fun way to understand the world of science. It’s just purrfect! A vast cast of feline friends take us on a tour of the core areas of science from outer space and the human body, to forces and materials. Bitesize text, fun photos, diagrams, dollops of humour and a react-o-meter all help to make science memorable and fun to learn.
This book is a great gift for cat lovers and science students aged 7 and beyond, covering key science topics in a unique way.
Famous German illustrator Dieter Braun offers his readers an accurate representation of animals from all around the world in this gorgeously illustrated volume.
Our world is full of wonderful animals. From the brightly coloured mandrills in the rainforests of Africa to the majestic humpback whales in the icy waters of the Antarctic. Through his beautiful and colourful illustrations, readers will be dazzled by the giraffes and elephants in Africa, koalas and kangaroos in Australia, huge blue whales in the open oceans, and many more! These animals, some endangered, remind us that nature is incredible, and that we need its diversity more than ever.
With a foreword by England captain Steph Houghton, She Shoots, She Scores!tells the incredible story of the BEST sport in the world, women’s football – from the men who tried to ban it to the superstars of today’s game, including Lucy Bronze, Sam Kerr and Alex Morgan. Young footie fans can find out about . . .
– The girl who had to play football in secret but grew up into a goal scoring legend
– The thirteen-year-old who shot to international fame but didn’t get a mention in school assembly
– The greatest women’s footballer ever, who scored in FIVE World Cups
Written by acclaimed YA novelist Catriona Clarke, the book is packed with facts and stats about the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the Olympics, plus pocket profiles of the world’s top players – from Marta to Megan Rapinoe – and record-breaking teams, including the US national women’s team and Olympique Lyonnais. What’s more, discover the key skills you’ll need to become a great goalkeeper, a tough-tackling defender or the world’s next superstar striker!
If you have children who like non-fiction then this is a ‘must have’ addition to your school shelves. Humour and history combine with eye catching graphics to introduce us to some well known (and not so well known) super ‘show offs’ from the past.Split into 3 main sections – People in charge, People who think up stuff and People who create things – we meet bold, brilliant characters who are known for their supersized power, riches, glamour, creativity or intelligence.
From the Ancient Indian Maratha warrior queen, Tarabai, to Henry VIII who showed off their power through military skills (and shoulder pads in Henry’s case); to the inventions of the Montgolfier Brothers, whose inaugural hot air balloon flight was staged at the Versaille Palace and the spectacular, showstopping art and architecture of Basquiat and Gaudi; extraordinary tales and quirky facts are shared about these characters who have more than made their mark on history.
The eye-catching design, illustrations and layout of this book make it accessible to a wide range of readers and children will be drawn in by its engaging, chatty, modern vibe. Top Ten’s and ‘battles’ between two brilliant minds in the same field (Edison vs Tesla being one) and a timeline to help give context also add interest. In addition, there are many ways children can interact with the book, with quizzes and questions carefully placed throughout and elements encouraging children to consider how they can stand out in the future.
When do you eat ‘bread of the dead’, or walk barefoot across red-hot coals? When might you dress up as a demon in a hairy suit and huge horned headdress? What are you celebrating if you climb an 18-metre-high tower made out of buns?
Includes a stunning central gatefold that opens out to reveal a calendar of all the festivals featured in the book. This is a visual celebration of festivals from across the globe, from the more familiar to those you might never have heard of before. Discover more about Junkanoo in the Bahamas, Juneteenth in the United States, Matariki in New Zealand and Poland’s Great Dragon Parade. As you journey around the world, explore celebrations of food and drink, nature, culture, religion and history, plus ways to mark the passing of the year.
Join brilliant young naturalist Dara McAnulty – winner of the 2020 Wainwright Prize for his book Diary of a Young Naturalist and author of Wild Child! – on a journey through a year in the life of birds. A Wild Child’s Book of Birds is a fantastic nature book, illustrated in full colour by Barry Falls.
This beautiful, informative book takes you through a year in the life of the birds you will find in Britain and Ireland and is divided into four sensational seasonal sections. Find out what birds do in each season, learn about birdsong, beaks, nests and eggs, the science of flight, migration, what to grow to attract different birds to your garden and what foods to put out on your bird table. Learn about different ways of recording what you see and about birds in literature. There are sections on birds of prey and corvids too.
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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?
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