Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Topic: Victorians

You Wouldn’t Want to Be a Victorian Schoolchild!

Non-fiction

Cruel school and wicked punishments await in this hilarious look at Victorian school days!

Growing up in Britain in the 1880s wasn’t easy. The going was tough and the punishments were even tougher. Follow the experiences of Victorian schoolchildren and discover their top tips on how to survive at school. This perfect curriculum companion uses humorous cartoon-style illustrations to bring Victorian characters to life, while informative captions, timelines and maps explain processes or chronological events. Suddenly modern-day school doesn’t seem quite so bad, as readers learn that they really wouldn’t want to be a Victorian schoolchild!

The ever-popular You Wouldn’t Want to Be series transports readers to the grisliest times and places in history, perfect for reluctant readers. The first-person narrative approach puts children in the shoes of some of the most unfortunate people ever to have lived.

Another Twist in the Tale

Catherine Bruton

Chapter book

Another Twist in the Tale’ is a rip-roaring ode-to-Dickens adventure set in the Victorian era. The ‘twist’ in the tale is given away right at the start and refers to a character rather than a plot device: what if Oliver Twist, that famous Dickensian orphan, had a twin sister?

The reader is immersed in Dickens’ London through the sights, smells, tastes and unique characters. The story highlights the plight of girls and women during the Victorian era and sets a feminist tone, as we see the prominent, colourful, female characters strive to overcome disadvantages and find their place in a world where power so readily falls upon men.

Catherine Bruton, author of No Ballet Shoes in Syria, has a clear passion for the works of Charles Dickens and the story, settings and character depictions are a faithful tribute to his writings.

Victorian Tales: The Twisted Tunnels

Helen Flook & Terry Deary

Chapter book

In a tunnel under the Thames, an urchin named Jenny and the young Queen Victoria dream of a wonderful new idea – underground trains! Twenty years later, the dream is finally becoming a reality. However, the construction of the Underground is tearing London apart and destroying the home of Jenny and her family. When Jenny comes face-to-face with the Queen again – will she tell her about the human cost of the ‘dream’?

The Bluest of Blues

Fiona Robinson

Picturebook

A beautifully presented picture about Anna Atkins, who is acknowledged to be one of the first women in the world to take a photograph, and one of the first people to publish a book of photographic images.

After being given a camera in 1841, Anna was excited by this new process, but it was her introduction to Herschel’s discovery of cyanotype printing that sparked a passion for cyanography; the process of using chemicals that react to sunlight to dye paper and print images. In the book, the author’s own drawings and cyanotypes are combined with reproductions of Anna Atkins’ original work.

Anna’s father, a scientist himself, is represented throughout the book as a passionate role model who continually inspires Anna, as well as encourages her to pursue an interest in nature and science, which, during Victorian times, was an unusual freedom for women.

The Bluest of Blues feels very topical and relevant for this generation. The story reminds us of the important role that pioneering women in history have contributed to science and art over the years.

What Mr Darwin Saw

Mick Manning & Brita Granstrom

Picturebook

This highly illustrated picture books introduces readers to the life and legacy of Charles Darwin. Through diary-like text sections, cartoons and captions, the story offers insight into Darwin’s life and how his understanding of evolution developed through real life experiences with nature. Also available from the same author-illustrator team are The Wordsworths and The Brontes.

Rose Campion and the Stolen Secret

Lyn Gardner

Chapter book

A mystery story set in Victorian times.

Rose Campion is an orphan who has been drawn into the glamorous world of musical theatre. One day, when a popular actor mysteriously disappears, the veneer of the colourful music hall scene begins to fall apart. Rose must use all of her skills and resources to face the troubling reality of the crime and grime of Victorian London.

Rose Campion and the Stolen Secret is a well-written mystery story suitable for Years 4-6.

You Wouldn’t Want to Be a Victorian Miner!

David Antram & John Malam

Non-fiction

This humorous non-fiction book is part of the very popular ‘You Wouldn’t Want to Be’ series. The entertaining text gives an insight into what life would have been like as a coal miner in Victorian times. Learn about pit ponies, mining methods, canaries and some top survival tips for coping with the harsh conditions and dangers of work underground.

The Secret Diary of Jane Pinny, Victorian House Maid

Jamie Littler & Philip Ardagh

Chapter book

Part of Philip Ardagh’s popular ‘The Secret Diary of…’ series, this is highly entertaining historical fiction for a young audience, bringing a place, a time and a way of life alive for its readers.

This illustrated and easy-to-read diary focuses on Jane Pinny, a hard-working maid in a Victorian house. A good choice for lower KS2 or less confident upper primary readers.

Victorians (Eyewitness)

Ann Kramer

Non-fiction

The ultimate children’s non-fiction guide to all things Victorian.

This classroom classic guide is brought to life with colour photographs, infographics, statistics, facts and timelines as well as a wall chart. Topics include inventions, the monarchy, schooling, railways, working conditions and leisure.

A Christmas in Time

Rachael Dean & Sally Nicholls

Chapter book

Time slip adventures are the order of the day in A Christmas in Time (Nosy Crow) by Sally Nichols and Rachael Dean. Alex and Ruby fall through a magic mirror and land just before Christmas in 1873.

There’s plenty of fun to be had preparing for a Victorian Christmas, and a host of old traditions are explored. The two children also learn of the misfortune and peril faced by many during this period. Goodwill and festive spirit abound, though, and this makes an enjoyable and fast-paced Christmas-time read for fans of historical fiction or those wanting to learn about a Victorian Christmas.

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