Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Topic: Y1 50 Recommended Reads

Look I’m a Maths Wizard

Non-fiction

A great introduction to learning maths, this book teaches children the magic of numbers through play. Inside they’ll deal with number bugs, creating a hungry adding robot, learning about subtraction by playing skittles, crafting 3D shape aliens, and even making a repeating pattern fruit wand.

Covering a comprehensive range of maths topics, from counting and numbers, to shape and size, and measurements and time, this is the perfect first maths book for children. Every fun project features a mixture of bright photography and charming illustrations that support the easy-to-follow activity instructions. These creative hands-on activities support Early Years and Key Stage One maths curriculums taught in schools.

Look I’m A Maths Wizard allows little readers to do what they do best – imagine, create, learn, problem-solve, and play their way to maths magic!

Bad Bunnies Magic Show

Mini Grey

Picturebook

When the great magician, Hypno, goes missing just before a show, his rabbits Abra and Cadabra step in to save the day.
But are they all that they seem? Or is there more to their sleight of paw than meets the eye?
An exciting new novelty book from British author and illustrator Mini Grey that will have children and parents laughing out loud.

I Can Only Draw Worms

Will Mabbitt

Picturebook

This laugh-out-loud story book has become a modern classic and a true story time staple for Year 1.

The format is a simple counting book, but the commentary from the illustrator adds a layer of hilarity that children love – making it a funny counting book with a humorous twist.

The illustrator directly addresses the reader to explain that he can only draw worms, and proceeds to demonstrate by drawing a series of brightly coloured neon wiggly worms. His added commentary promises extra details – such as flying unicorns and an outer space setting – but as he has admitted, he can’t draw these details so he teases the reader with the details instead and leaves the rest to the imagination.

Children love the tension of wondering whether anything other than worms will really appear, but never feel short-changed when they don’t because the in-joke is now theirs to enjoy over and over again.

Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea!

Ben Clanton

Graphic novel

A laugh-out-loud short graphic novel, bound to get even the least enthusiastic readers engaged.

The three short comic-style stories would be great for introducing a graphic novel to reading sessions for those children moving on from phonics; exploring the characters, the humour and how the illustrations support the storytelling and help the reader make inferences about the characters. It is jam-packed with possibilities for the classroom. There are Narwhal and Jellyfish facts that could lead to information writing and the final text is a reflection on imagination and storytelling the blank pages would be a brilliant prompt for children to unleash their own creativity and design their own comic strip style stories.

A reading-for-pleasure ‘must have’ for the KS1 classroom! I highly recommend it!

You Matter

Christian Robinson

Picturebook

For fans of Jon Klassen, this sensitive and impactful picture book from award-winning author-illustrator Christian Robinson is all about seeing the world from different points of view, and the perfect entry point for parents to help teach their little people about empathy and community.

In this bright and beautiful picture book, many different perspectives around the world are deftly and empathetically explored – from a pair of bird-watchers to the pigeons they’re feeding, from the hugest dinosaur to the tiniest fly.

Young readers will be drawn into the luminous illustrations inviting them to engage with the world in a new way and see how everyone is connected and that everyone matters.

Paddington

Michael Bond & R. W. Alley

Picturebook

The Paddington Bear books by Michael Bond are classic stories for children and have been enjoyed for years. Paddington is a real bear, all the way from darkest Peru, and his well-meaning misadventures in England are funny.

Paddington moves in with the Brown Family in London and has a series of accidental adventures with his new clan. The stories have a timeless appeal and there is something charming about all the mishaps that Paddington finds himself in.

Paddington is a loveable and memorable iconic children’s character and the stories are really well told, with warmth and gentle humour that is perfect for children aged 5-8.

Search and Find A Number of Numbers

AJ Wood & Allan Sanders

Picturebook

Take a ride through 26 fully illustrated search and find spreads, each one themed on a number.

Count the animals going into Noah’s Ark two-by-two, spot 13 scary skeletons at the haunted house on Halloween and visit Farm Fifteen where everything from one scarecrow through to 15 apples need to be found. Allan Sanders’ weird and wonderful drawings are packed full of funny things to spot and plenty of Where’s Waldo style humour, making this the best way to learn your 1, 2, 3s…

Great for parents and guardians to use with kids, or for young readers to enjoy independently, the 26 fun puzzles will keep readers entertained for hours.

Monster Hungry Phone

Fred Benaglia & Sean Taylor

Picturebook

Monster is HUNGRY. He wants PIZZA. And he’s got a PHONE! But uh oh . . . who is he going to call?

Hold the line – Monster is in for a wild ride!

WARNING: This book may make you laugh your socks off!

A hilarious picture book that’s perfect for anyone who’s ever REALLY wanted PIZZA. With bold, bright illustrations by the talented Fred Benaglia, it’s an unmissable treat, and perfect for fans of Oi Frog!

Kitty and the Twilight Trouble

Jenny Løvlie & Paula Harrison

Chapter book

Paula Harrison’s early reader series features a girl called Kitty and her crew of felines as they embark upon brave rooftop adventures in the moonlight.

Illustrated in cool blacks and oranges, these fun-filled mystery adventures with talking cats are likely to be a purrrfectly popular independent reading choice among ages 6-8. Brilliant for fans of Isadora Moon or for those looking to make the leap into chapter books for the first time.

How Airports Work

James Gulliver Hancock & Lonely Planet Kids & Tom Cornell & Clive Gifford

Non-fiction, Picturebook

Where does luggage go after check in? What happens in the control tower? How do planes actually fly? This interactive, lift-the-flap book takes you behind-the-scenes to uncover the hidden secrets of the airport – from a peek inside the cockpit to the hustle and bustle of departures.

In this follow-up to How Cities Work , we explore the earliest airports through to today’s giant transport hubs and what airports could look like in the future. Packed with amazing facts and illustrations from James Gulliver Hancock, it’ll surprise and delight readers young and old, ensuring they never look at air travel in the same way again.

Created in consultation with Tom Cornell, VP Airspace / Airfields, Americas at Landrum & Brown.

Contents include:
Airports Through the Ages
The Great Get-to-the-Airport Race
Find Your Way Round the Airport
The Maintenance Hangar
In the Terminal
Inside an Aircraft
The Control Tower Sees All
Preparing Planes
Ship That Cargo
The Incredible Luggage Journey
Airports of the Future