Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Home > Books

Topic: Reading for Pleasure

Chapter book

The Breakfast Club Adventures is the first fiction book by England International footballer, child food-poverty campaigner and #1 bestselling author Marcus Rashford MBE, inspired by Marcus’s own experiences growing up! Written with Alex Falase-Koya, it is the third title in the Marcus Rashford Book Club and is packed with tons of illustration throughout and is the perfect book for children aged 8-11.

There’s something fishy going on at school . . .

When twelve-year-old Marcus kicks his favourite football over the school fence, he knows he’s never getting it back. Nothing that goes over that wall ever comes back. But the next morning during Breakfast Club Marcus gets a mysterious note inviting him to join the Breakfast Club Investigators, and he is soon pulled into an exciting adventure with his new mates to solve the mystery and get his football back!

Picturebook

A Traveller girl with a passion for design and technology collects cans for her local recycling plant and uses the metal to renovate an elderly neighbour’s caravan.

When Janie’s neighbour Mrs Tolen goes into hospital with a broken hip, it looks as though she will have to move out of her old caravan and into a house. Janie is desperate to help, but all seems lost until her school visits a local recycling plant. All it takes from there is imagination, a supportive community, and lots and lots of hard work to transform Mrs Tolen’s old caravan into a safe and secure new home! The latest picture book by renowned Romani storyteller Richard O’Neill celebrates the traditional Traveller virtues of resilience, adaptability, loyalty and independence.

Picturebook

The Gifts That Grow is a tale of generational love expressed through the importance of nurturing our environment for future generations to enjoy, even though we may never benefit from its rewards ourselves.

Picturebook

Six-year-old Asiya loves to go to Nanu’s house. Best among all of Nanu’s treasures is the big old chest filled with quilts that tell the stories of the women in Asyia’s family.

With gorgeous, fresh and beautifully colourful illustrations inspired by Bangladeshi katha quilts and traditional West Bengali pattachitra panel illustrations, The Katha Chest is a beautifully woven tale about the bonds of love, culture and memory.

Chapter book

A heartwarming story about family, friendship and finding your inner fire.

Between bullies at school and changes at home, Charlie Challinor finds life a bit scary. And when he’s made guardian of a furry fox cub called Cadno, things get a whole lot scarier.

Because Cadno isn’t just any fox: he’s a firefox – the only one of his kind – and a sinister hunter from another world is on his trail.

Swept up into an unexpected adventure to protect his flammable friend, Charlie’s going to need to find the bravery he never thought he had, if he’s going to save the last firefox…

Chapter book

Join Jada and Granny Jinks in this charming new series for readers aged 6+! Gorgeously illustrated throughout by Selom Sunu, and brimming with warmth, tricks and magic, this is the perfect read for fans of The Naughtiest Unicorn , Bad Nana and Wigglesbottom Primary!

When Jada Jinks finds a box of magic tricks in her granny’s flat, she uncovers her granny’s SECRET dream of becoming a magician . Jada soon decides that she’s going to help Granny Jinks fulfil her dreams, but one thing stands in her way – her dad, Jonny Jinks, who hates magic! Will Jada be able to help Granny Jinks pass the auditions for Dalton Green Magic Society , and will she learn some tricks of her own along the way?

Inspired by the true story of Jenny Mayers – the first Black woman to be accepted into the Magic Circle.
*Includes how-to magic tricks for you to try at home!*
With themes of finding courage, making friends, managing relationships at home, school and in the community, this is a wonderful new series for readers aged 6 and up!

Picturebook

Just one more sleep before EID!

Safa is so excited for Eid-al-Fitr. She loves drawing henna patterns on her hands, decorating her home and munching on biryani, kebabs and samosas. It is the perfect day.

Then the best part comes: she gets to open her presents! She is gifted a shiny pink bicycle. The only thing is she absolutely doesn’t want to share with her cousin, Alissa.

As her mum takes her on an adventure to gift delicious Eid treats to all their neighbours, Safa will realise how wonderful it is to make others happy…and will want to make it up to Alissa.

After all, what makes Eid exciting is sharing special moments with the people we love.

A beautifully illustrated picture book to introduce the true meaning of Eid to little ones

This book has a heartwarming message at its core all about sharing

Features a non-fiction page for especially curious minds about Eid, including different Eid traditions, foods and greetings.

Picturebook

Koya and her friends, Hassan and Alex, love to visit their neighbour, Mrs Fig. When they find out Mrs Fig is moving to a retirement home, they want to help their parents plan her going away party! When cooking for the party, the children are aware of everyone’s dietary needs and are excited to prepare yummy vegan and vegetarian food everyone will be able to eat! Everyone on Redbird Road gather to celebrate Mrs Fig and enjoy the food!

Picturebook

No matter how hard she tries, Triangle doesn’t roll like the circles, or stack like the squares…so she sets off to find friends that look exactly like her. But when she finds the other triangles, playtime isn’t as fun. She misses the shapes that roll and stack; she misses being different. So she starts a new quest, one that gets all of the different shapes playing and having fun together!

Chapter book

Kiki Kallira is more of a worrier than a warrior – but today she will learn to be a hero. The mythical beasts she loves to draw have come to life, and she is the only one who can defeat them. A middle-grade fantasy inspired by Hindu legends about anxiety, creativity and finding your own strengths. For 8+ fans of Abi Elphistone and The Land of Roar.

Kiki Kallira has always been a worrier. Did she lock the front door? Is there a terrible reason her mum is late? Recently her anxiety has been getting out of control, but one thing that has always soothed her is drawing. Kiki’s sketchbook is full of fantastical doodles of the Hindu myths and legends her mother has told her since she was tiny.

One day, her sketchbook’s calming effect is broken when her mythological characters begin springing to life and Kiki is pulled into the mystical world she drew.

There, she discovers the band of rebel kids who protect the kingdom, as well as an ancient, monstrous god bent on total destruction. Kiki must overcome her fear and anxiety to save both worlds – the real and the imagined – from his wrath.

But how can a girl armed with only a pencil defeat something so powerful?

Subscribe to our newsletter

Your Review

Stone Girl Bone Girl

review

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

Curriculum links (if relevant)

Curriculum links (if relevant)

Any other comments

Any other comments