Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Topic: United Kingdom

A Street Through Time

Non-fiction

This wow-factor history book takes the reader on a 12,000-year journey to find out the story of a single UK street, showing the street during a different historical period on each page.

Many young readers love any non-fiction books that explore or peek behind closed doors. A Street Through Time does this in the best possible way and over thousands of years. You can see what people’s kitchens and bedrooms (and loos!) looked like from the Romans to the Victorians (Roman toilets I’d avoid….!).

We also love how busy this book is, so many brilliant details to explore again and again and how it shows the change in a single place over a long period. A classic among children’s non-fiction – and for good reason.

Katie In London

James Mayhew

Picturebook

Come on a magical tour with Katie and discover London’s most famous sights! When Katie and her brother Jack visit London with Grandma, something very unexpected happens . . . One of the Trafalgar Square lions comes to life and takes them on a wonderful tour of all the best sights! Including Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, Big Ben and the London Eye. Featuring many of London’s key landmarks, this storybook has become a bestselling introduction to London, and is perfect for children visiting the city for the first time.

The Buildings that Made London

David Long & Josie Shenoy

Non-fiction

Take an incredible journey through the streets of London and see beautiful buildings as you’ve never seen them before! An elegant horizon of historic masterpieces mixed with sleek modern skyscrapers, the familiar London skyline seems to change every year. Using original architectural drawings from The National Archives brought to life by stunning artwork by Josie Shenoy, discover the rich heritage of some of London’s most iconic buildings.

Paddington’s London Treasury

Michael Bond & R. W. Alley

Short story collection

A collection of four stories featuring Paddington Bear in London. Paddington Bear had travelled all the way from Darkest Peru when the Brown family first met him on Paddington station. Since then their lives have never been quite the same… for ordinary things become quite extraordinary when a bear called Paddington is around.

Katie in Scotland

James Mayhew

Picturebook

Discover the sights of Scotland with this classic Katie picture book. With so much to see and do in Scotland, it’s lucky that Katie, Jack and Grandma have a very special guide to show them the best spots. Join their fun-packed tour – with Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster! Landmarks featured include Glasgow’s Kelingrove Park, Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood, The Royal Mile, Scotland’s National Gallery and Greyfriar’s Bobby.

Katie Morag: Island Stories

Mairi Hedderwick

Short story collection

Follow the adventures of young Katie Morag, who lives on the Scottish Island Of Struay. These endearing stories, which have now been turned into a popular CBBC series, will help children learn about the ups and downs of coastal life on a small island.

No Such Thing as Nessie!

Chani McBain & Kirsteen Harris-Jones

Picturebook

Finlay is going on a Nessie hunt. While visiting his Gran, who lives beside Loch Ness, Finlay is determined to get proof that Nessie, the famous Loch Ness Monster, really does exist. Finlay’s Gran might believe him but his big sister Sarah keeps telling him there’s no such thing. Until they spot a monster-ish shape under the water … There’s no such thing as Nessie: is there? Travel to the shores of Loch Ness with Kirsteen Harris-Jones’s bright, playful illustrations of the Scottish landscape accompanied by Chani McBain’s fun monster-hunting story.

An Amazing Animal Atlas of Scotland

Anders Frang

Non-fiction

Meet the amazing animals of Scotland in this beautiful book, packed full of fun facts, vibrant illustrations and maps showing where to spot these wonderful creatures. Young conservationists will love exploring Scotland’s distinct habitats — sea and coast, mountains and forests, rivers and lochs, and grasslands — and learning about the incredible creatures that live there. Discover exciting facts about Scotland’s most famous and best-loved animals — including puffins, seals, red squirrels, golden eagles, otters and Scottish wildcats — and reveal the amazing secret lives of unexpected creatures such as limpets, lizards, ants, eels, water voles and sharks!

Our Queen Elizabeth: Her Extraordinary Life from the Crown to the Corgis

Helen Shoesmith & Kate Williams

Non-fiction

Celebrate the Platinum Jubilee with this colourful and charming picture book by historian Kate Williams, taking young readers on an amazing journey through Queen Elizabeth II’s seven decades on the throne.

Discover everything there is to know about the life and the legacy of Queen Elizabeth II in this beautifully illustrated book. Readers will learn all about Elizabeth II’s youth growing up during WWII, how she came to the throne and what it really means to be the Queen. Along the way, they’ll see her sparkling crown jewels and magnificent palaces. They will meet her beloved corgis, horses and of course, her very famous family. Plus they’ll discover lots of amazing facts – such as why she has two birthdays, always wears bright clothing, and is a world record breaker!

This is a perfect gift for all the family, celebrating the extraordinary life of Queen Elizabeth II – from the Crown to the Corgis.

Coming to England (Picturebook)

Baroness Floella Benjamin & Diane Ewen

Picturebook

Baroness Floella Benjamin offers her own story of the 6000-mile journey from Trinidad to England, told for the youngest children in a picture book called Coming to England – An Inspiring True Story About the Windrush Generation.

The story explores and celebrates what it means to be a British person with Black Caribbean heritage, as well as opening doors to learning about the impact of Operation Windrush and experiences of racism. Speaking about the background to the book, Baroness Floella says,”Britain has always been a nation that’s evolved due to different races coming in, from as far back as you can go. I hope Coming to England makes people of colour feel worthy, appreciated and that they belong and that it makes white people say, ‘That could be me, what would it be like if I moved somewhere else?’.”

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Topic: United Kingdom

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