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reception recommended reads 2024 50 best books

Reception: 50 Recommended Reads

Best Books for Reception (Children Aged 4-5)

NEWLY updated – April 2024!

We’ve hand-picked a list of 50 recommended books to read with 4- and 5-year-olds. Update your class library or home book collections with our list of the best Reception books, covering everything from rhyming frogs and super-greedy monsters to dreams of space travel and expeditions to faraway places. Not to mention the odd heroic potato or post-delivering penguin, too…

The Reception year of primary school is an important phase in children’s literacy development. Our booklist includes popular Reception stories such as Supertato, Oi Frog and Elmer, as well as some lesser-known storytime delights that we highly recommend, like Snail in Space and Blue Monster Wants it All.

This collection of books has been carefully curated by our team of teachers and children’s reading experts, with the help of our Review Panel members, who have tried and tested hundreds of titles in their primary school settings to bring you only the best of the best.

If you’re a parent or teacher looking for what you should read with Reception children, look no further than our Reception reading list. From classic tales and funny read-alouds to new releases and educational reads, we have something to suit every young reader’s interests. Our Reception booklist includes both fiction and non-fiction recommendations to read with children in this age group to encourage a love of books and to develop vocabulary, comprehension skills and creativity.

As well as the Reception booklist below to browse, we’ve also got a printable poster and downloadable checklist for you, and schools can purchase full sets of the books via Peters.

 

reception recommended reads printable poster 2024

reception recommended reads checklist 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Browse the Reception booklist below or scroll down to find more purchasing options and printable resources.

My Encyclopedia of Very Important Animals

Non-fiction

A charming children’s encyclopedia bursting with facts about the animals of the world!

The world is so much bigger than young minds can fathom and there is always more to learn.
My Encyclopedia of Very Important Animals is a vibrant encyclopedia for curious 5-9 year olds with a unique approach to the subject of animals that takes curious kids on an enjoyable, educational journey of discovery.

Mixing beautiful photography with charming illustrations, it’s the perfect visual language for young readers, and is packed with light-hearted fun, and fascinating facts. Featuring everything from legends and folklore, world history, and creatures from the land, sea, and skies, this series is bursting with all sorts of subjects that early readers will love!

Tad

Picturebook

Meet Tad.

She’s the smallest tadpole in a big pond, and lives there with all her tadbrothers and tadsisters.

Although something else lives there too… BIG BLUB! And when everyone else starts to disappear, Tad starts to wonder if Big Blub will get her too…

Or is everyone else going somewhere else; somewhere better? And if so, will Tad ever get there too?

A big story about a tiny tadpole – about growing up, branching out, and taking a leap into life.

Winner of the 2020 Oscar’s Book Prize and from the award-winning creator of The Storm Whale and Granddad’s Island, Tad is the perfect story for everyone who’s ever grown up, or still has a way to go…

The Tiger Who Came to Tea

Picturebook

The classic picture book story of Sophie and her extraordinary teatime guest has been loved by millions of children since it was first published more than fifty years ago. Now an award-winning animation!

The doorbell rings just as Sophie and her mummy are sitting down to tea. Who could it possibly be? What they certainly don’t expect to see at the door is a big furry, stripy tiger!

This warm and funny picture book story is perfect for reading aloud, or for small children to read to themselves time and again. First published in 1968 and never out of print, it has become a timeless classic enjoyed and beloved by generations of children.

The magic begins at teatime!

Zog

Picturebook

The magical and exciting picture book from the number one bestselling author and illustrator of The Gruffalo, Zog and Stick Man. ‘Madam Dragon ran a school, many moons ago.

She taught young dragons all the things that dragons need to know.

Zog, the biggest dragon, was the keenest one by far.

He tried his hardest every day to win a golden star.’

Zog is the keenest dragon in school. He’s also the most accident-prone, flying into trees and even setting his own wing on fire.

Luckily, a mysterious little girl always comes by and patches up his bumps and bruises.

But will she be able to help him with his toughest test: capturing a princess?

Shiny foil highlights on the cover makes this a special gift for toddlers.

A magical picture book about dragons, knights and princesses from the UK’s number one picture book author and illustrator.

Perfect read-aloud rhyming text and stunning pictures on every page with lots of details to spot.

The perfect story for children starting school with bravery, kindness, friendship and perseverance at the heart.

Afraid of the Dark

Picturebook

Today we are moving house but my new room is strange and scary. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to sleep…
A gentle first experience story about new beginnings, friendship and finding ways to cope with fear.

Caterpillar Cake

Poetry

“Caterpillar caterpillar caterpillar cake – it’s the only thing that my mum can make!”

Would you like to eat a caterpillar cake? Join a rocket race into space? See crazy crocodiles at the zany zoo or play with a furry, purry cat? Wherever these 16 fun-filled poems lead you, they will brighten your day.

Splashing at the seaside, storytime at school, playing in the bath or riding home on Daddy’s shoulders – this brilliant, read-aloud collection for young children has lots to join in with and lots to explore in the brightly coloured illustrations.

William Bee’s Wonderful World of Things That Go!

Non-fiction

Vroom Vroom! Peep Peep! We have blast off! William Bee is back with this bumper book of all his favourite vehicles!

Find out all about the weird and wonderful world of trucks, trains, and tractors, as well as aeroplanes, submarines, rockets and more! It features William’s turbo-powered high speed truck, his fire truck, his super collection of tractors – from extra-wide to super-small – and his locomotives, as well as his rocket in which he travels to the moon, his super speedy speedboat (which gets stolen by his dog!).

Join William, his dog and his gang of unruly traffic cones on a grand tour of the world of transport. And can you spot the toy rabbit hidden on every double page spread?

This hardback anthology of three books is the perfect gift for the little transport enthusiast in your life.

On the Way Home

Picturebook

Filled with a little girl’s inventive stories, On the Way Home is by Jill Murphy, the author and illustrator of the bestselling Peace at Last and Whatever Next!

Claire has hurt her knee so she sets off home to tell her mum all about it. On the way she meets her friends and tells them how the fall happened. But just how did it happen . . .? Was she dropped by a wolf, a slithering snake, an enormous dragon or a hairy gorilla?!

On the Way Home is a fantastic journey of the imagination that every small child who tells the occasional tall tale will relate to! A bestselling classic that has been delighting readers for forty years.

We Catch the Bus

Picturebook

Choose your favourite vehicle and LET’S GO! Join all the busy animals as they zoom around in every kind of vehicle you can imagine, vibrantly illustrated by the talented Katie Abey.

Is that a cheeky monkey flying a plane? And did I see a llama riding a scooter? And there’s a whole pack of animals catching that bus. All the animals are on the move in their favourite vehicles, zipping by in their own hilarious way. Travel across airports, race through city streets in fire engines and drive around building sites. Wherever you’re going today … tell us how it should be done!

We Catch the Bus invites children to choose their favourite vehicles and how they like to travel over 12 spreads, packed with animals driving cars, buses, diggers, spacecraft, bikes, ships, scooters and more.

With interactive speech bubbles and hilarious shout outs, this hilarious follow-up to We Wear Pants and We Eat Bananas is perfect for fans of You Choose and Just Imagine and kids who love to be on the move.

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Stone Girl Bone Girl

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