School Reading List curates children's and YA booklists. We recommend new and classic children's books, young adult books and teen books to teachers, parents, librarians, home educators and schools in the UK and worldwide. Our highly qualified and experienced team of children's literature experts has been creating reading lists and online resources since 2011.

Our children’s books and recommended reading lists

Our core children’s and teen book lists

Welcome to the School Reading List, your go-to resource for curated and comprehensive children’s book lists and ready-made reading spines. Whether you’re a dedicated teacher, a passionate home educator, an involved parent, an inspirational librarian, or a forward-thinking school seeking quality reading recommendations, our website is designed to help you promote reading for pleasure culture and encourage young people to read.

Book lists for children in primary schools.

Books for 0-11-year-olds

Recommended reading books for children aged 3-11 in UK primary schools. Our lists are curated and updated by qualified teachers and librarians.

Book lists for young adults and teens in secondary school.

Books for 11-18-year-olds

Books for young adults and teens aged 11-18 with reading lists for years 7-9, years 10-11 & years 12-13 in secondary school. Titles are selected by experienced teachers.

New children's and YA book reviews

New book reviews

Children’s, teen and YA book reviews, all written by our panel of experienced teachers, home educators and librarians.

Magazines for children and teens

Magazines for children

Our recommended newspapers and magazines for children aged 3-6, 7-12 & 13+, and subject teachers.

Topic books and themed reading list books for kids

Genres & nonfiction

Genre lists, themed lists, cross-curricular teaching topic book lists and nonfiction lists for children and teens.

School Reading List children's and YA books of the month

Books of the month

Each month we select a picture book, a chapter book and nonfiction children’s and YA books of the month.

Literacy and reading competitions for children and teens.

Competitions

Browse our regularly updated month-by-month calendared lists of competitions covering reading, writing, and oracy.

Children's booklists with favourites chosen by children

Chosen by children

Browse favourite children’s books chosen by children. Find out which titles proved to be popular in each age group.

Reading and literacy resources for teachers and librarians.

Teaching resources

Reading for pleasure, literacy, library and teaching resources, including our free-to-download summer reading challenge.

Home learning resources, activities and courses for children and teens.

Home learning ideas

Online learning courses, activities, lessons, interactive games, and video teaching for primary and secondary-aged students.

Inset and training courses for teachers, with a focus on literacy and reading for pleasure

Training for teachers

Literacy, reading and English courses, training and inset ideas for teachers, librarians and teaching assistants.


Our latest children’s and YA book lists

At the School Reading List, we understand the importance of fostering a lifelong appreciation for literature in young minds. Our carefully curated children’s book lists cater to a diverse audience, encompassing a wide range of genres, themes, and reading levels. We aim to provide an extensive collection of kids’ books that not only entertain but augment cross-curricular teaching and inspire your students’ learning and imagination.

Chess books for children and teens

Chess books for children and teens

Chess themed books for children & teens, including titles by Daniel King, Tanitoluwa Adewumi, Murray Chandler, Jennifer Shahade, Graham Burgess, Sabrina Chevanne, Stefan Zweig and Vladimir Nabokov.
Summer themed topic books for children

Summer themed books for children

Summer themed books for children with books by Sam McBratney, Sam Usher, Julia Donaldson, Gabby Dawnay, Jeffrey Boakye and Yuval Zommer and more.
Spring themed topic books for children

Spring themed books for children

Spring themed books for children with books by Cicely Mary Barker, Eric Carle, Ruth Brown, Sam Usher, Gabby Dawnay, Moira Butterfield and Daniel Thompson and more.

Our latest children’s and YA book reviews

Read our reviews of fiction and non-fiction children’s, teen, and young adult books. Expertly analysed by experienced teachers, librarians, and children’s authors, our reviews provide valuable insights to help you buy new titles for your children, classroom or school library. Every new book opens a new chapter of discovery!

Normal Women by Philippa Gregory

Normal Women by Philippa Gregory

Normal Women is both an informative and entertaining read – an ingenious way of imparting valuable, insightful, yet often delightfully irreverent knowledge to a younger audience.
Ella Jones vs the Sun Stealer by Lucy Edwards

Ella Jones vs the Sun Stealer by Lucy Edwards

Ella Jones vs the Sun Stealer presents a fresh take on the adventure quest novel. Ella and her young companions are excellent role models for young readers. There’s a wholesomeness to the characters and an uplifting resolution.
Blue Jelly and Strawberries by Attie Lime

Blue Jelly and Strawberries by Attie Lime

Blue Jelly and Strawberries: Poems to Tickle Your Tastebuds is a funny, accessible poetry collection that will appeal to fans of Michael Rosen and Joseph Coelho. The poems include free verses, formal rhyming schemes and shape poems.
Something More by Jackie Khalilieh

Something More by Jackie Khalilieh

Something More is a charming and affirmative teen romance that will appeal to fans of Aoife Dooley’s Finding My Voice and Abigail Balfe’s A Different Sort of Normal.
Nightweaver by R.M Gray

Nightweaver by R.M Gray

Nightweaver is an immersive tale of mystery and magic that will appeal to fans of Kalynn Bayron’s Cinderella is Dead and Amie Kaufman’s Isle of the Gods. It is a highly topical tale that is sure to find a devoted readership.
Circle of Liars by Kate Francis

Circle of Liars by Kate Francis

Circle of Liars is a nail-biting thriller of confessions, guilt, and friendship. With dramatic twists and turns, and a swiftly increasing number of sniper victims, the truth about the fire, the students’ guilt from that day, and their true colours will be exposed.
The Girl Who Raced the World by Nat Harrison

The Girl Who Raced the World by Nat Harrison

The Girl Who Raced the World is very well written, the narrative flows beautifully, and even if you haven’t read the original – as is likely for most children in the suggested age group – it is still full of drama and jeopardy.
What Happens Online by Nathanael Lessore

What Happens Online by Nathanael Lessore

What Happens Online is a heart-warming read that combines high school drama with video game chats. It offers a realistic portrayal of the stresses of being a teenager, includes gamer lingo, and features a fight-back against bullies.
Oh No, Flo!: A funny farmyard fiasco! by Catherine Cawthorne and Mike Byrne

Oh No, Flo!: A funny farmyard fiasco! by Catherine Cawthorne and Mike Byrne

Oh No, Flo!: A funny farmyard fiasco! is aimed at preschool children and it’s a book they’re sure to want to read again and again. The ludicrous antics will have readers in fits of laughter as they try to recall what Flo should be doing.
Mrs Owl’s Forest School: The Wet Welly Day by Ruth Symons, illustrated by Sebastien Braun

Mrs Owl’s Forest School: The Wet Welly Day by Ruth Symons, illustrated by Sebastien Braun

Mrs Owl’s Forest School: The Wet Welly Day is ideal for children aged 2–8 and would be a great addition to homes, nurseries, schools, and of course, forest schools. A must-have for libraries and for encouraging children to get outdoors, play, and explore.
How Not to Share a Pizza! by Tracy Curran and Lauren Beard

How Not to Share a Pizza! by Tracy Curran and Lauren Beard

How Not to Share a Pizza! is a powerful message for children to reflect on their behaviour, how it affects others, and how it makes them feel in return. Promoting positive life skills with guinea pigs galore, the illustrations are fun!
The Girl With Gills by Becca Rogers

The Girl With Gills by Becca Rogers

The Girl With Gills is an original and exciting novel that features a likeable main protagonist who will hold the reader’s attention throughout. The world-building here is so seamless it’s almost unnoticeable – rich with mental imagery.

Trending children’s book lists

Whether it’s the latest page-turners inspired by current events, seasonally-themed picks, or recommendations tied to festivals and news items, our curated lists keep you in the know. Browse the hottest reading trends in children’s and YA literature.

Carnegies 2025 Shortlisted Books

Carnegies 2025 Shortlisted Books

Shortlists for the Carnegie Medal 2025 and Kate Greenaway award 2025 – recommended for children and young adults in primary and secondary schools.
Take It As Read book recommendation service from School Reading List

Take It As Read

Take It As Read is School Reading List’s free children’s and teen book recommendation service for teachers, parents/guardians and librarians in the UK. Let us know what you are looking for and we’ll get back to you – Take It As Read!
Key Stage 2 SATs revision books

KS2 SATs revision books

KS2 SATs revision books for children of all abilities in Year 6. Our recommendations cover Maths, English, SPaG & confidence building and include resources by Andrew Jennings, Matthew Syed, CGP, Igloo Books, Collins Education, Pearson and STP Books.

Brand new this school term

Our curated picks for autumn, spring, and summer terms showcase the best in children’s and young adult literature. Tune into our monthly podcast episodes for insights into new releases, classics to revisit, and current educational trends. Plus, explore our handpicked book club lists, perfect for sparking discussions in primary and secondary school book clubs. Every month is an adventure in reading!

Summer 2025 new children's books

Latest season preview

Published on 

Our picks of the best children’s books coming out in Summer 2025

Here’s our selection of top new titles coming out in Summer 2025. These reading recommendations include picture books, poetry, early and middle-grade fiction; young adult novels and non-fiction.
Do Children and Teens Read More Than We Think?

Latest podcast episode

Published on 

Do Children Read More Than We Think? | Series 1, Episode 29

Season 1, Episode 29 of the School Reading List podcast. New book post, 30 great books for April 2025 and Do Children Read More Than We Think?
April 2025 book club picks

Latest book club list

Published on 

April 2025 book club picks

April 2025’s book club recommendations feature titles by Tracy Curren, Laura Dockrill, Maudie Powell-Tuck & Duncan Beedie, Dan Abdo & Jason Patterson, Ben Garrod, Helen Rutter, Matt Goodfellow, Eve Wersocki Morris, Graci Kim, Alexia Casale, Grainne O’Brien, & Patrice Caldwell.

Our latest resources

Find your child’s next favourite book in regularly updated age group reading lists! Carefully selected by experienced teachers and librarians, we hope you will discover the perfect books for every stage of your child’s development. Our free resources are designed to enhance learning and literacy and offer time-saving tips. Our latest revision resource book lists cover exams from 11+ through to GCSE. We believe in the transformative magic that happens when children connect with the right books.

Books for Year 3

Latest age group list

Updated on 

Year 3 reading list for children aged 7-8

Suggested reading books for Year 3 children, aged 7-8. A diverse and interesting range of exciting titles aimed at children of all abilities in lower KS2 including books by Roald Dahl, Jacqueline Wilson, Zanib Mian and Tony Bradman.
Wordshark online games for reading and spelling

Latest resource

Updated on 

Wordshark online games for reading and spelling

Wordshark Online is an interactive tool that helps students improve their reading and spelling skills. It focuses particularly on students with special educational needs (SEN) such as dyslexia.
Key Stage 2 SATs revision books

Latest revision resource

Updated on 

KS2 SATs revision books

KS2 SATs revision books for children of all abilities in Year 6. Our recommendations cover Maths, English, SPaG & confidence building and include resources by Andrew Jennings, Matthew Syed, CGP, Igloo Books, Collins Education, Pearson and STP Books.


How to use our recommended book lists

Our lists of books for kids and teens are carefully curated to make it easier for teachers, parents, and schools to find high-quality, engaging and interesting books to instil a reading-for-pleasure culture in the classroom and encourage primary and secondary-aged pupils to read at home. Share the joy as your children experience Michael Rosen, Julia Donaldson, Eric Carle, Malorie Blackman, Liz Pichon, Cressida Cowell, and many more, for the first time.

Empower your students with a thought-provoking, diverse and inclusive selection of children’s books that foster imagination, empathy and inclusion. Our expertly curated booklists cover a range of topics, from history and geography to STEM and personal development, aligning with primary and secondary curriculum subjects. Handpicked for the classroom by experienced educators and librarians, our lists support pupils’ learning and cater to various age groups, helping teachers and parents to recommend great books to all young readers.

Dive into our new book reviews, where our team of reviewers spotlight exciting children’s books each month, spanning picture books, poetry, chapter books, YA novels, and non-fiction. Stay on top of the literary scene with our trending children’s book lists, featuring curated selections influenced by current events, festivals, and themed weeks.

Whether you’re a teacher, parent, or librarian, we hope you will find the School Reading List a useful resource to help instil reading for pleasure in your school. Explore our latest resources, age-specific reading lists, genre and topic-based booklists and season previews to build a cracking collection of books to spark imagination and curiosity.


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School Reading List –Our Mission

Our mission is to recommend great children’s and teen books, covering both new titles and classics in age group, genre and nonfiction lists. In addition to our lists of books for kids and teens, we also provide free resources for schools, teachers, authors and librarians and round-ups of online courses for home learning.

What we do

We recommend fiction and nonfiction children’s books and YA books to teachers, UK curriculum primary and secondary schools, parents, librarians, home educators and tutors of children aged 3-18.

Our values

We are committed to ensuring our content is accurate and fair and our policies are transparent. See our policies on corrections, copyright, diversity, ethics, and publishing principles.

Get in touch

Use our contact form, email us, message us on social media, check FAQs, or call us – all the details of these and more methods to get in touch with us can be found on our contact page

Editor: Tom Tolkien

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Tom Tolkien is a highly qualified (BA Hons, PGCE, QTS) children's literature expert and teacher with over 25 years of experience. He has led inset courses, developed curriculum materials, spoken at conferences, advised on longlisting for several international children's literature literature awards and written for educational publishers including contributing to a BETT award-nominated app. Social profiles: X | Linkedin