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.
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.
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 book reviews
Children’s, teen and YA book reviews, all written by our panel of experienced teachers, home educators and librarians.
Magazines for children
Our recommended newspapers and magazines for children aged 3-6, 7-12 & 13+, and subject teachers.
Genres & nonfiction
Genre lists, themed lists, cross-curricular teaching topic book lists and nonfiction lists for children and teens.
Books of the month
Each month we select a picture book, a chapter book and nonfiction children’s and YA books of the month.
Competitions
Browse our regularly updated month-by-month calendared lists of competitions covering reading, writing, and oracy.
Chosen by children
Browse favourite children’s books chosen by children. Find out which titles proved to be popular in each age group.
Teaching resources
Reading for pleasure, literacy, library and teaching resources, including our free-to-download summer reading challenge.
Home learning ideas
Online learning courses, activities, lessons, interactive games, and video teaching for primary and secondary-aged students.
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.
Playscripts
Ocean and sea life
The Great Fire of London
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!
BLITZ: One Family’s War by Martin Impey
Guardians of the Moon: The Year of the Rat by Eric Huang, illustrated by Phung Nguyen Quang
The Zombie Project by Alice Nuttall
Guardians of the Moon: Ming and Miaow’s Great Race by Eric Huang, illustrated by Phung Nguyen Quang
Ballet Besties: Indu’s Time to Shine by Yasmine Naghdi with Chitra Soundar, illustrated by Paula Franco
The Bold Kitten by Holly Webb, illustrated by Sophy Williams
Mondays Are Murder by Ravena Guron
A Symphony of Stories by James Mayhew
Waiting for Santa by Lucy Cochran, illustrated by Heidi McKinnon
Mission: Manta Ray by Philip Kavvadias, illustrated by Euan Cook
Pia’s Pet Club: Puppy Problem by Serena Patel, illustrated by Emma McCann
Blue, Barry & Pancakes: Beach Ball Bedlam by Dan Abdo and Jason Patterson
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.
Winter topic books
Take It As Read
Best Children’s Books of 2024
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!
Latest season preview
Published on
Our picks of the best children’s books coming out in Spring 2025
Latest podcast episode
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What Are We Reading For? | Series 1, Episode 25
Latest book club list
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December 2024 book club picks
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.
Latest age group list
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Year 3 reading list for children aged 7-8
Latest resource
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Fabula Deck for Kids
Latest revision resource
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KS2 SATs revision 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.
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
