Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Topic: Stone Age to Iron Age

Set 17,300 years ago in Lascaux in France, this is a fast-paced Stone Age adventure from the best-selling author of Horrible Histories. Willow isn’t the strongest or fastest in his tribe; he is careful and clever. But that’s not what matters to the other boys. All they care about is who is the best hunter and who can provide meat for the tribe. So when the brawny and brash Bull takes over as the tribe’s chief, it’s going to take all of Willow’s wits to survive.

An exciting tale based on real historical and archaeological evidence, this story is full of Terry Deary‘s imaginative style and dry wit. With helpful reading notes to extend learning, this book is the perfect springboard for further study of the Stone Age under the Key Stage 2 History Curriculum.

Live Like a Hunter Gatherer is a fantastic guide to the Stone Age for primary-aged children to make links between life in the Stone Age and life today. For example, we all know that fire allowed people to stay up later, ward off predators and cook food, but did you know that the reduction in the need to chew cooked meat fewer times than raw meat meant that people had more time to chat, which caused a surge in language development?

A section which particularly appealed was the myth-busting page. This allows children’s preconceptions to be challenged as they explore the subject and build a revised mental picture of life in the Stone Age. This book provides an excellent teaching resource: not only for learning about the Stone Age but also as scaffolding for writing in the form of the section ’24 Hours as a Hunter Gatherer’ or a plentiful provider of inspiration for forest school or outdoor learning.

There has been a gap in the market for Stone Age texts that children in Lower KS2 can access, especially independently. The Stolen Spear fills the gap well as it is easy to read and is ideal for newly confident readers or younger classes. Readers follow the main character’s journey to try and redeem himself and prove himself to others in his village. With further stories following in the series, readers have the opportunity to continue their journey with Wolf if they have enjoyed the story.

Best Books for the Stone Age to Iron Age Topic

From stone circles and woolly mammoths to hill forts and roundhouses, the Stone Age to Iron Age history topic is such an interesting one to dig into. This list of the best children’s books about the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages is here to guide those looking for recommended children’s books and to help transport readers back to prehistoric times…

This history curriculum booklist offers recommended children’s books about the period of British prehistory from the Stone Age to the Iron Age, selected by the experts at BooksForTopics. Step back in time to discover the Secrets of Stonehenge, visit the prehistoric settlement of Skara Brae in The Boy With the Bronze Axe or nestle into an Iron Age hill fort in Pitch Invasion.

Teachers looking for a shorter picture book with lots of scope for discussion and writing opportunities will enjoy the classroom favourite Stone Age Boy.

As well as the recommended reading list below to browse, we’ve also got a printable poster, and schools can purchase the full set of books via Peters.

So, if you are looking for recommended children’s books about the Stone Age, this specially selected reading list for KS2 is the right place to start…

This engaging picture book tells the story of a boy who falls down a hole to find himself back in time 15,000 years. He wakes in a prehistoric camp and finds out about life in a Stone Age village.

Stone Age Boy is a hugely popular book with lower KS2 classes and helps to encourage children to engage with how life might have been different during Stone Age times. Extra facts and information are peppered throughout. There is also an accompanying 2-week English unit available from KS2History.

Marcia Williams embraces the Stone Age topic with her distinctive comic-book style.

This informative text covers a range of subtopics including prehistoric animals, hunter-gatherers and Stone Age tools. This is a book with a high level of visual appeal and is particularly popular for engaging reluctant readers.

A whimsical and quirky picture book doubling as an instruction manual for the ‘mammoth’ task of washing this prehistoric beast. This is a humorous and creative text and a brilliant way into instruction writing. There is an accompanying 2-week English unit from KS2History.

This gripping children’s novel takes us back in time 6000 years as twelve-year-old Torak and his wolf cub journey through the prehistoric landscape.

Wolf Brother is a real page-turner that uses the structure of an adventure story and majors on the theme of good versus evil in a prehistoric setting. Highly recommended for more confident readers or upper KS2 pupils.

A wildly heartfelt timeslip adventure that takes readers back to the Stone Age to explore themes of family, courage, loss and what it means to be human.

Charlie lives in modern times, but after hearing very bad news about a new sibling, Charlie flees to the forest and is transported in time to a Stone Age forest. This is an exciting narrative that will be lapped up by mature readers who are ready for a roller coaster of adrenaline and who can handle difficult themes. Most suitable for Upper KS2.

A much-loved non-fiction choice that also spans the Neolithic period and the Bronze Age is The Secrets of Stonehenge by Mick Manning & Brita Granström.

Built over hundreds of years, Stonehenge is one of the most famous monuments from prehistoric times. Historians believe that construction began in the late Neolithic Age and work continued over the next thousand years, with people making many changes to the monument well into the Bronze Age. There is some doubt over exactly why Stonehenge was built, but a likely reason is for religious ceremonies and gatherings.

The Secrets of Stonehenge is a fascinating information text full of images, questions and captions that probe deeply into the mysteries of Stonehenge. This engaging non-fiction text is easy to understand, visually appealing and bursting with interesting facts and theories about the mysteries of Stonehenge.

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