Topic: Y3 50 Recommended Reads

Year 3 Booklist: 50 Recommended Reads

50 Best Books for Y3 (Children Aged 7-8)

Newly updated: June 2026

This is the BooksForTopics list of 50 top recommended books for Year 3 (children aged seven and eight). Y3 reading collections are best when they contain a variety of selected storytime chapter books, independent reads, funny stories, picturebooks, poetry collections, graphic novels, non-fiction texts and more. On this Year 3 booklist, there’s something for all tastes, but keep an eye out for jam-jar-sized mythical heroes, runaway trains , animal rescues and the odd time machine here and there, too…

As well as taking into account which reading trends are currently the most popular with Year 3 children, our team of experts at BooksForTopics loves to put each book through its paces to find the best quality books matched to the age, developmental stage and interest level of children in Year 3.

This booklist includes popular Year 3 stories such as The Boy Who Grew Dragons, Charlotte’s Web and Varjak Paw, as well as the most popular read-it-yourself choices like Dog Man and The 13-Storey Tree House. We have also included some lesser-known storytime delights that we recommend for Y3, like the illustrated conservation adventure Guardians of the New Moon, the wildlife rescue story Saving Sorya, and the choose-your-own-adventure style Traitor Island.

As well as the Y3 booklist below to browse, we’ve also got a printable poster, a downloadable checklist and a handy bookmark for you, and schools can purchase full sets of the 50 books via Peters.

Browse the Y3 booklist below or scroll down to find more purchasing options and printable resources.

The Worst Witch

Jill Murphy

Chapter book

The Worst Witch books have captured the imaginations of millions of young readers who enjoy stories about growing up and discovering magic.

Readers loved Mildred Hubble’s escapades as a trainee witch at Cackle’s Academy, where, however hard she tries, mishaps seem to come her way.

This is a classic chapter book series by Jill Murphy with a new memorable heroine to root for.

Book of Brilliant Bugs

Claire McElfatrick & Jess French

Non-fiction

Discover the insects of the world!

Earth’s creepy crawlies may be small but they are far from boring! Learn how they contribute to life on the planet, where they live, what they eat, how their bodies work, and what makes them so special.

This beautifully illustrated bug book for kids for ages 7-9 years old is packed with:

– Fascinating information about bugs that supports and goes beyond the curriculum
– Stories and facts to convey the amazing world of creepy-crawlies
– Factual and informative, with detailed illustrations and photographs of insects, spiders, molluscs, and more
– Compelling text written by insect expert, author, and television presenter, Jess French
– Stunning photographs of individual creatures, from beetles to butterflies

Take a magical journey through the forest floor, down into the deepest caves, and even across the open ocean. The Book of Brilliant Bugs , written by insect expert Jess French takes children on an expedition into the bug kingdom. The insect book is filled with fascinating facts about these little animals, how bugs pass on messages, compete for food, seek true love, and fill the air with buzzing wings. It also shows us how bugs help look after our planet and how we can help them.

Young animal enthusiasts can spot and learn all the main bug groups. From worms, snails, millipedes and centipedes, spiders and scorpions, woodlice, bees, and even bugs that glow! This educational natural science book will encourage children to love and appreciate science and nature.

Dragon Storm

Alastair Chisholm & Eric Deschamps & Ben Mantle

Chapter book

The first book in a thrilling, magical, and action-packed new fantasy series, illustrated throughout and perfect for 7 – 9 year olds.

In the land of Draconis, there are no dragons.

Once, there were. Once, humans and dragons were friends, and created the great city of Rivven together.

But then came the Dragon Storm, and the dragons retreated from the world of humans.

To the men and women of Draconis, they became legends and myth.

Tomas has always been told that now, dragons are extinct, and so he can’t believe it when a mysterious stranger invites him to join a secret society, the Dragonseer Guild – and tells him that not only do dragons still exist, but also that Tomas has a very special power… he can summon his very own dragon!

But Tomas faces a difficult choice, and he and his dragon, Ironskin, must learn to trust each other – and together, they have to save their home from a deadly threat.

Professor Astro Cat’s Frontiers of Space

Ben Newman & Dominic Walliman

Non-fiction

Professor Astro Cat is much loved in schools for non-fiction guides relating to space, atoms, human bodies and deep-sea voyages. Frontiers of Space was first published in 2013 as the starting book in the series and is now back with a new edition featuring eight new spreads and updated details about how rockets work, recent missions to Mars, space junk, black holes, and many more new insights into the ever-developing science of space and the outer reaches of the universe. There’s something new to learn about on every page.

Fictional guide Professor Astro Cat walks his readers through some of the key questions that children might have about the universe, and many more that they’ve probably never even thought about before. Where does our sun go at night? What are stars made of? If the Earth was a cherry tomato, what size would the other planets be (hint: Mars would be a pea and Jupiter a watermelon).

This is a beautifully designed non-fiction book with illustrations by an artist whose use of bold shapes and retro colours draws readers right in to enjoy soaking up the information. Each page has plenty of varied and interesting information to read and – coupled with the quality, durable feel of the book – the purchase of this text is a good investment as readers are likely to get a lot out of each sitting and still be left with plenty to come back and discover.

If you have yet to fall in love with the Astro Cat series, this is a great place to start.

Mr Penguin and the Lost Treasure

Alex T. Smith

Chapter book

From the international bestselling creator of Claude, comes a brand new hero – Mr Penguin, adventurer and penguin.

Indiana Jones meets Hercule Poirot in this new Alex T. Smith series with plenty of slapstick humour, mystery and adventure. Highly illustrated throughout with a striking black and orange design.

It has been weeks since Mr Penguin’s last adventure and he’s been stuck at his desk, twiddling his flippers ever since. That is until the phone rings!

Mr Penguin and Colin (a spider and Mr Penguin’s silent right hand man) are called in to find the missing treasure somewhere in the Museum of Extraordinary Objects. The quest finds them solving secret codes, fighting ferocious beasts, eating fish finger sandwiches and travelling deep below the museum to a lost jungle…

Charlotte’s Web

E. B. White & Garth Williams

Chapter book

A classic book for children, this poignant animal story has been a treasured choice for 7-9 year olds for decades.

Inspired by the author’s own experiences looking after pigs on a farm, this book tells the story of farmer’s daughter Fern, who requests to save Wilbur, the runt of the litter of pigs, and keep him as a pet instead. Wilbur soon befriends a spider called Charlotte, who concocts a fantastic plan to save him when she hears his life is in danger.

Exploring themes of friendship, loyalty and animal life cycles, this beautiful book has earned its place as a classic of children’s literature and is a story that is well-loved and not easily forgotten.

Beast Quest

Adam Blade

Chapter book

Battle fearsome beasts and fight evil with Tom and Elenna in the bestselling adventure series for boys and girls aged 7 and up.

An evil wizard has enchanted the magical Beasts of Avantia – only a true hero can free the Beasts and stop them from destroying the land. Is Tom the hero Avantia has been waiting for? Join Tom as he braves Ferno the Fire Dragon in the first of this bestselling series…

My Encyclopedia of Very Important Sport

A vibrant encyclopedia that combines facts and figures with the inspiring stories of sporting legends and icons.

This exciting book for children is packed with fun facts about a range of popular sports such as football, karate, badminton, and skiing, as well as ones you might never have heard of like biathlon or cheese rolling. Whether you’re a fan of team sports, winter sports, water sports, extreme sports, and even board games such as chess and go, this reference book has it all!

My Encyclopedia of Very Important Sport also celebrates the unique talents, lives, and careers of sporting heroes such as Usain Bolt, Serena Williams, Yuna Kim, Lin Dan, and Donald Bradman, and chronicles the most celebrated stories in sporting history, such as breaking the Four-minute mile, Nadia Comaneci’s Perfect 10, and Jesse Owens at the 1936 Olympics. Featuring everything from obscure rules and strange equipment, to moments of triumph and sporting events like The World Cup, Superbowl, Olympics, Paralympics, and more – this is the perfect compendium for budding superstars everywhere.

The Princess Rules

Chris Chatterton & Philippa Gregory

Chapter book

Princess Florizella may live in a classic fairy-tale world, but she’s no ordinary princess…

In Philippa Gregory’s The Princess Rules, rebellious Prince Florizella broke all the rules and embarked on some daring adventures across the Land of the Seven Kingdoms.

With beautiful illustrations from Chris Chatterton, the Princess Rules series make a perfect gift for little princes and princesses who don’t want to obey conventional rules.

Best Books by Age

Life Changes Booklists

Values-Based Booklists

Real-World Issues Booklists

Popular Children's Authors

Topic: Y3 50 Recommended Reads

50 Best Books for Y3 (Children Aged 7-8)

News: BooksForTopics Founder Alison Leach Named a Bookseller Rising Star of 2026

NEWS: Summer Reading Bingo is Back for 2026!

Father’s Day 2026: 5 Children’s Books about Dads and Father Figures

Subscribe to our newsletter

Your Review