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Topic: Y6 50 Recommended Reads

Year 6 Booklist: 50 Recommended Reads

50 Best Books for Year 6 (Children Aged 10-11)

Welcome to BooksForTopics’ recommended reading list for Year 6. If you’re looking for a list of the best books for Year 6, you’ve come to the right place. Our team of experts has selected a list of the 50 best books for Year 6 to read. We’ve tried to include something for all tastes – so look out for off-the-map kingdoms, school photographers, Hollywood blockbusters and bubble tea…

With a mix of classic and contemporary titles, our selection of recommended reads is designed to provide Year 6 children with a diverse range of literature that will encourage them to develop a love of reading. Our list includes popular Y6 books such as Skandar and the Unicorn Thief, Murder Most Unladylike and Artemis Fowl as well as lesser-known treasures that are equally delightful, like The Viewer and Angel of Grasmere.

This reading list of recommended books for Year 6 is curated by experts to match their developmental stage and cater to their interests, as they grow through their final year of primary school and prepare for the step up to secondary. There is also a downloadable checklist, a printable poster and a handy bookmark, and schools can purchase full sets of the 50 books through Peters.

Browse the Y6 reading list below or scroll down to find more purchasing options and printable resources.

When the Sky Falls

Phil Earle

Chapter book

1941. War is raging. And one angry boy has been sent to the city, where bombers rule the skies. There, Joseph will live with Mrs F, a gruff woman with no fondness for children. Her only loves are the rundown zoo she owns and its mighty silverback gorilla, Adonis. As the weeks pass, bonds deepen and secrets are revealed, but if the bombers set Adonis rampaging free, will either of them be able to end the life of the one thing they truly love?

Inspired by a true story.

The Invasion of Crooked Oak

Chris King & Dan Smith

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

The Invasion of Crooked Oak is a fast-paced adventure that will appeal to older KS2 children. It is the first instalment of the stories set in the town of Crooked Oak. Children who love horror stories like Crater Lake or Goosebumps will be thrilled to discover this quick and accessible read.

Strange things are happening in the town of Crooked Oak. People have started to behave oddly and the zombie-like symptoms seem to be spreading through the town. As Nancy and her friends Pete and Krish get stuck into the mystery, something scary is spreading its tendrils across the town. Can the friends get to the root of the mystery before time runs out?

As ever with Barrington Stoke books, this is an accessible book, printed with clear text on a coloured background that is specially formatted to cater for dyslexic readers. The illustrations by Chris King really add to the atmospheric mood of the book and also draw upon the details contained in the descriptive writing.

The children we read this to absolutely loved the story and moaned at the end of each session when it was time to finish. Each chapter finished on a cliffhanger, so it left them eagerly anticipating the next instalment. This short and spooky read was a definite hit with Year 6!

My Brother is a Superhero

David Solomons

Chapter book

Luke is a comic-mad eleven-year old who shares a treehouse with his geeky older brother, Zack. Luke’ s only mistake is to go for a wee right at the wrong time. While he’s gone, an alien gives his undeserving, never-read-a-comic-in-his-life brother superpowers and then tells him to save the universe. Luke is massively annoyed about this, but when Zack is kidnapped by his arch-nemesis, Luke and his friends have only five days to find him and save the world…

Books don’t come much funnier than these! Packed with heart and soul, this series is perfect for fans of David Baddiel and David Walliams.

My Brother Is a Superhero was the winner of the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2016.

Mega Robo Bros Power Up

Neill Cameron

Graphic novel

Mega Robo Bros is a long-running comic strip in The Phoenix, written and illustrated by Neill Cameron. The stories are not available in a series of graphic novels and are huge hits with KS2.

Alex and Freddy are robots and also brothers, doing typical brother things like arguing, going to theme parks and annoying each other at school. The boys band together when a series of robot attacks take place in London and the pair need to work as a team to defeat Evil Robot 23.

An action-packed graphic novel weaving feel-good themes of family and school life with a good scattering of deadly lasers, jet packs, danger and some excellent sidekicks.

Love That Dog

Sharon Creech

Poetry

This superb book is written in narrative verse from the point of view of Jack, a boy in school who doesn’t like poetry.

However, with the encouragement of his teacher, Jack begins to keep a diary and soon realises he can write a poem. The story covers the topic of losing pets and dealing with the associated emotions.

The whole book is written in verse and is a short read, while being very enjoyable throughout KS2. The story shows how poetry can be used to convey feelings and emotions and process important life events.

Head Kid

David Baddiel

Chapter book

A Freaky Friday tale for a new generation, Head Kid is a body-switch story with a difference that will appeal to fans of funny books and situation comedy.

When Ryan Ward, child prankster extraordinaire and his new headteacher Mr Carter swap bodies, there are unexpected consequences. Each finds out what it is like to be the other and neither is prepared for what they discover. With the school due an inspection and the staff trying to avoid it being closed down, Ryan (Mr Carter) and Mr Carter (Ryan) must somehow learn to appreciate each other’s point of view and find a way to work together to secure the school’s future.

David Baddiel’s writing is fast-paced, touching and very funny. Fans of David Walliams’ books will enjoy the similarities between the two authors, although this is longer and a little meatier with a pleasing depth behind the fun. Ryan is a character children can relate to and the problems encountered by him and other central characters will feel familiar to many readers: coping with bullying, having an absent parent, caring for an elderly relative. There is a good mix throughout the book of tender moments and laugh-out-loud scenes.

The book raises questions about leadership, responsibility and the consequences of your actions. It could form the basis of a discussion around different political systems (dictatorship or democracy?). What would you do if you were in charge of school? Why? What might happen if you made those changes? There is perhaps an obvious link to the role of school councils and pupils having a voice and influence in schools.

Appreciation is also a key theme in the book. Being able not only to accept and understand another’s point of view, but also why they might feel that way is an important skill for children to develop in these days of online comments and unsolicited opinions. This book definitely manages to illustrate the importance of understanding others. My first David Baddiel book, I would highly recommend Head Kid for readers in Key Stage 2.

Dr Ranj Brain Power

David O’Connell & Dr. Ranj Singh

Non-fiction

Discover how to train your brain and become the best you can be in this empowering and inclusive guide by the nation’s favourite doctor, Dr Ranj.

If you want to learn how to make the most of YOUR brain, this is the book for you. It doesn’t just explain how the brain works. It’ll teach you how to train your brain to get better at stuff you find difficult. It’ll show you how different people think in different ways and why that makes each person so special. It’ll help you keep your mind happy and healthy. Because when that brilliant brain of yours is in tip-top condition, you can be the BEST version of you.

Emmy Levels Up

Helen Harvey

Chapter book

Emmy is brilliant at the computer game, Illusory Isles. Her avatar is a powerful fire elemental with magma claws and flaming breath. When Emmy’s gaming video gets a front-page feature, thousands of devoted fans flock to watch her battle the ultimate online baddie, the Mulch Queen herself. Life at school is the exact opposite. Emmy is friendless and bullied by Vanessa AKA the Queen of Mean. To Vanessa and her gang, Emmy is a weirdo with bad handwriting, horrible fashion sense and no dad.

But if Emmy can take on the Mulch Queen online, perhaps she can also find a way to take on Vanessa too? Emmy decides to level up and solve this challenge alone. But then Emmy discovers that Mulch Queens and Mean Queens are much easier to face when you have a little help from new friends…

I Go Quiet

David Ouimet

Chapter book

I Go Quiet is the exquisite story of an introverted girl, struggling to find her place in a noisy world. Through the power of books, creativity and imagination, she begins to see possibilities for herself beyond the present, to a future where her voice will finally be heard.

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50 Best Books for Year 6 (Children Aged 10-11)