Topic: Y5 50 Recommended Reads

Music: A Fold-Out History

Nicholas O’Neill & Susan Hayes & Ruby Taylor

Non-fiction

Learn about how different genres started – including classical, folk, jazz, gospel, rock ‘n’ roll, country, punk, grunge and pop. Discover the stories of maestros including Beethoven, Wei Liangfu, Django Reinhardt, The Beatles, Joni Mitchell, David Bowie, Maria Callas, Nina Simone, Louis Armstrong and Beyonce. Marvel at the orchestra with a huge illustration set in the Royal Albert Hall, and find out about ancient instruments from all over the world. Experience amazing musical moments from the first ever saxophone and early sound recording to the invention of the record and artificial intelligence. All this and more features in this richly illustrated timeline of music from 60,000 years ago to the present day.

The Dam

David Almond & Levi Pinfold

A lyrical, captivating and beautiful picture book by Carnegie Medal-winner David Almond, illustrated by Kate Greenaway Medal-winner Levi Pinfold.

When a great dam was built by the Kielder Water in Northumberland, the valley below slowly filled with water. But just before this, when the villagers had been moved out, two musicians went back to the abandoned valley. They tore down the boards over the houses, stepped inside and started to play – for this would be the last time that music would be heard in this place. In this astonishing picture book that combines themes of loss, hope and music David Almond pays homage to all musicians, showing the ancient and unstoppable power of creativity.

Pages & Co.: Tilly and the Bookwanderers

Anna James

Chapter book

Here’s one for the booklovers! Pages & Co: Tilly and the Bookwanderers is a middle-grade adventure where classic children’s characters wander from the pages of their books out into a bookshop, where they lead 11-year-old Tilly back into their fictional worlds.

Tilly lives with her grandparents in their bookshop, ‘Pages & Co’. Tilly’s mum mysteriously disappeared when she was very small and she knows very little about her dad. Often lonely, Tilly finds solace among the pages of the wonderful books in the bookshop. One day, things take a thrilling turn when Anne of Green Gables appears in the shop, soon after followed by Alice in Wonderland. Tilly’s world is turned upside down when she realises that not only can characters from the books leave their stories and come into her world, but she can wander right into theirs too. Tilly is a bookwanderer!

Along with her best friend Oskar, Tilly embarks upon a bookwandering adventure beyond her wildest imagination. But among the sheer joy of visiting fictional worlds, questions begin to emerge about bookwandering. Is there a network of other bookwanderers like her? Why is the mysterious Enoch Chalk always loitering nearby? Can bookwandering help Tilly solve the mystery of what really happened to her mother all those years ago? Do her grandparents know more than they have let on about the world of bookwandering?

This is a clever story with a high appeal to booklovers. Readers with prior knowledge of the classic book characters will get the most out of this book, but this is by no means a prerequisite for enjoying the story with its convincing characterisation, creative world-building and enjoyable plot twists and turns. A delightful story set to charm readers young and old.

My Life as a Cat

Carlie Sorosiak

Chapter book

This is a super-engaging story about an alien who gets to spend a month in the body of a domestic cat. We were totally charmed by this middle-grade novel by Carlie Sorosiak. A witty, moving and thought-provoking story about finding and claiming your place in the world. Animal lovers in Key Stage Two will no doubt fall in love with this other-worldly adventure.

Old Enough to Save the Planet

Adelina Lirius & Anna Taylor & Loll Kirby

Picturebook

Meet kids – just like you – taking action against climate change. Learn about the work they do and discover how the future of our planet starts here… with you.

The Hatmakers

Paola Escobar & Tamzin Merchant

Chapter book

Cordelia comes from a long line of magical milliners, who weave alchemy and enchantment into every hat. In Cordelia’s world, Making – crafting items such as hats, cloaks, watches, boots and gloves from magical ingredients – is a rare and ancient skill, and only a few special Maker families remain.

When Cordelia’s father Prospero and his ship, the Jolly Bonnet , are lost at sea during a mission to collect hat ingredients, Cordelia is determined to find him. But Uncle Tiberius and Aunt Ariadne have no time to help the littlest Hatmaker, for an ancient rivalry between the Maker families is threatening to surface. Worse, someone seems to be using Maker magic to start a war.

It’s up to Cordelia to find out who, and why . . .

Featuring gorgeous black-and-white illustrations throughout by Paola Escobar.

The Luckiest Kid in the World

Danny Wallace & Gemma Correll

Chapter book

What if you suddenly had everything you’d ever dreamed of? That’s exactly what happens to 10-year-old Joe Smith in this hilarious, brand-new comedy adventure from bestselling author, comedian and presenter Danny Wallace, with illustrations throughout from Gemma Correll.
Perfect for children age 8+ and fans of David Baddiel, Stephen Mangan, David Walliams, Andy Griffiths, Jenny Pearson and Helen Rutter.

Joe Smith is average in every way. He is average height. He lives in an average town, on an average street, in an average house, with a very average family. But when a survey identifies him as the most average kid in the country – well that makes him very special indeed. Suddenly, everyone wants Joe to test out their latest products. Overnight he is sent mountains of gifts – the best trainers, the coolest bike, the most exciting new tech, the latest flavours of ice cream – and so much more. He gets special cinema screenings and the entire water park all to himself. Joe now has everything he could possibly want in the world – and that’s far from average.

But is going from zero to hero all it’s cracked up to be?

This brilliantly warm-hearted, laugh-out-loud family adventure will leave you thinking about friendship, family and why everyone is special just the way they are.

Rumblestar

Abi Elphinstone

Chapter book

Magic, adventure, and a whole new world is waiting to be discovered! The perfect series for adventurers aged 9+ and fans of Michelle Harrison, Piers Torday and Jamie Littler. The Unmapped Chronicles will not only leave children entertained, but will also empower them to battle climate change and environmental issues.
‘Adventures are unpredictable and often terribly badly behaved – a bit like pickled onions if you’ve ever tried to fork one on a plate – but they have a way of unlocking people and turning them upside down so that all the astonishing things fizzing around inside them start to tumble out…’

Eleven-year-old Casper Tock hates risks, is allergic to adventures and shudders at the thought of unpredictable events. So, it comes as a nasty shock to him when he accidentally stumbles into Rumblestar , an Unmapped Kingdom full of magical beasts.

All Casper wants is to find a way home, but Rumblestar is in trouble. An evil harpy called Morg is sending her followers, the Midnights, into the kingdom to wreak havoc and pave the way for her to steal the Unmapped magic for herself. But Casper cannot turn a blind eye because the future of his own world, he discovers, is bound up with that of the Unmapped Kingdoms.

And so, together with Utterly Thankless , a girl who hates rules and is allergic to behaving, and her miniature dragon, Arlo , Casper embarks upon an adventure full of cloud giants, storm ogres and drizzle hags. Can he, Utterly and Arlo, the unlikeliest of heroes, save the Unmapped Kingdoms and our world from the clutches of Morg and her Midnights?

Live a life filled with adventure with Abi Elphinstone in this brand NEW series where a whole new world is waiting to be discovered…

Asha & the Spirit Bird

Jasbinder Bilan

Chapter book

Jasbinder Bilan’s debut novel has the perfect cover – her writing is as rich and bright as the wonderful illustration. Asha’s story braids courage, friendship and the power of family beliefs together into a great adventure across India.

When money from Asha’s father, working in the city, suddenly stops without word and their farm comes under threat from moneylenders, Asha and best friend Jeevan set off to find out what has happened. Accompanied by what Asha believes is the spirit of her grandmother in the form of a lamagaia bird, they travel far into the mountains and beyond, facing all kinds of danger from both animals and humans.

Asha carries enormous faith and hope with her, making this a positive, uplifting read despite the fact that Bilan is not afraid to show some of the poverty and human cruelty that exists side by side with the soaring beauty of India and the kindness of the people Asha and Jeevan meet along the way.

The text is peppered with Hindi words and phrases, with a glossary at the beginning to aid the reader, and the balance is just right – there is enough new vocabulary to intrigue an enthusiastic reader, but not so much as to put anyone off. The book would sit well as a class read alongside an RE topic of Hinduism, delving into the stories and beliefs of the faith; or a geography topic covering India.

The Secret of the Treasure Keepers

A. M. Howell

Chapter book

The Secrets of the Treasure Keepers is a wonderfully immersive story that takes the reader back to what life might have been like for one family at a particular moment in history. The story felt extra special as it is a rare example of fiction set in the Fens, near BooksForTopics HQ. I know that the author’s commitment to highlighting this area of the country will be warmly welcomed by schools both in the local area and also for those readers yet to discover the hauntingly beautiful geography of the Fens.

The story centres around the apparent discovery of some buried Roman treasure in the field of a struggling farming family. Ruth and her mum – a budding archaeology expert – visit the farm to discover more. What drives the story is the unfolding secrets and backstories of the various different main characters – all interesting and well-nuanced – making for an enjoyable mystery full of intrigue and due compassion for the desperation that can drive deceit.

I particularly enjoyed the well-drawn historical setting of post-war Britain. We see a lot of middle-grade stories set during the war, but the period immediately after the war had finished is just as interesting and much less widely considered in children’s books. How does a country get back on its feet after the devastation of the war? No stone is left unturned when it comes to incidental details that flesh out the time and place of the story’s setting. The country is still reeling from the war’s impact and the reader is given space to reflect on the difficulty this caused for different individuals – for example in terms of ongoing rationing, widespread poverty, the ‘make do and mend’ mentally, missing family members, the dawn of the NHS and the deeply-felt consequences of the war’s destruction on property, people and family relationships. A major theme of the story is embracing change and looking at ways to improve the future even during difficult times – a theme that is just as relevant today as it was in 1948. For me, this is the crux of what makes A.M. Howell’s writing so compelling; the stories feel so authentically and evocatively set in their time period while also being timeless in their themes.

Heartfelt and hopeful, this is a historical adventure not to be missed.

Best Books by Age

Life Changes Booklists

Values-Based Booklists

Real-World Issues Booklists

Popular Children's Authors

Topic: Y5 50 Recommended Reads

10 Children’s Books to Read Around the Solar Eclipse

Nature Art and Storytelling: Andy Shepherd

Top Children’s Books to Pack for a Holiday: Summer 2026

Subscribe to our newsletter

Your Review