The Great Fire of London books for children
The Great Fire of London is more than just a historical event – it’s a gateway to exploring resilience, change, and fascinating stories. Through engaging books, kids can journey back to 1666, witness the dramatic spread of the fire, and see how it reshaped London. From Samuel Pepys’ vivid diary entries to the birth of fire brigades, it’s a time that captures imaginations and builds a love for history. Perfect for sparking curiosity and making the past come alive! This list features books by Gillian Clements, Nick Hunter, Anna Fargher, Pippa Goodhart, Megan Rix, Lindsay Galvin, Catherine Randall and Tom & Tony Bradman.
The Great Fire of London books for children – our recommendations
The Great Fire of London: Was It Inevitable? by Liz Miles. 
Why Do We Remember? The Great Fire of London by Izzi Howell. 
The Great Fire of London by Hawys Morgan and Ludovic Salle. 
The Great Fire of London by Susanna Davidson, illustrated by Rick Fairlamb. 
The Great Fire of London by Gillian Clements. 
Vlad and the Great Fire of London by Kate and Sam Cunningham. 
Great Fire of London by Margaret Nash and Jane Cope. 
The Great Fire of London by Liz Gogerly. 
Samuel Pepys? by Paul Harrison. 
Plague and Fire by Richard Platt and Barbara Gibson. 
Short Histories: The Baker’s Boy and the Great Fire of London by Tom and Tony Bradman. 
You Wouldn’t Want To Be In The Great Fire Of London! by Jim Pipe, illustrated by David Antram. 
The Great Fire of London by Gillian Clements. 
The Great Fire of London by Robin Twiddy. 
The Great Fire Of London Unclassified by Nick Hunter. 
The Story of the Great Fire of London by Jill Atkins, illustrated by Julia Paterson. 
The Fire Cats of London by Anna Fargher, illustrated by Sam Usher. 
Raven Boy by Pippa Goodhart. 
The Great Fire Of London by Emma Adams and James Weston-Lewis. 
The Great Fire Of London Activity Book by Emma Adams and James Weston-Lewis. 
The Great Fire Dogs by Megan Rix. The Great Phoenix of London by Lindsay Galvin
The Great Phoenix of London is a breathtaking historical adventure set in 1666 London. When eleven-year-old Gil is separated from his family during the Great Fire, he discovers that a mysterious stone is, in fact, an unhatched phoenix. Along with his friend Jennet, he must navigate the burning city while protecting the mythical bird. This captivating middle-grade novel blends history, mythology, and science and will appeal to inquisitive 9-12-year-olds. For teachers, the Great Fire of London is sure to bring KS2 topic work to life. Highly recommended.
The Great Fire by Ann Turnbull. 
The Great Fire Of London 1666: Topic Pack by Bambi Gardiner, Joy Gardiner and Adora Holcroft. 
The White Phoenix by Catherine Randall. Click the buttons below to purchase all of the books in this The Great Fire of London book list, as well as class sets of any of these books and many more, from Bookshop.org UK. Or buy the 20 most popular titles from this list from Amazon – ideal for gifts or your classroom library.
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The Great Fire of London resources for teachers
- London Museum and the University of Leicester have produced this range of free resources for KS1 teachers. Activities include investigating Peyps’ diary, and timelines, looking at sources, fire-fighting and sorting information. The London Museum and Arts Council website has an interactive game for KS1 children, that’s ideal for interactive whiteboards or big screens. London Museum’s website also includes this useful page for KS1 teachers including teaching notes, a video, a glossary, 6 downloadable resources, and practical activity sheets.
- BBC Teach has a great range of interactive and video activities including music, songs dance and drama; an animation of the Great Fire and famous historical figures. There are more KS1-specific resources here.
- Oak Academy has written a comprehensive series of 10 lessons for KS1 to help plan and teach The Great Fire. These lessons include detailed planning, videos, slides and quizzes.
- Historical Association’s website includes a KS1 teaching unit on Samuel Pepys and the Great Fire with notes, planning, resources and examples of students’ work.
- The National Archives has a fantastic range of primary source-based activities suitable for KS1, KS2 and KS3. Students are asked, “What caused the Great Fire and how did they stop it from happening again?” There’s a vast array of downloadable materials and planning ideas to use.
BISAC YAN025000, JUV016000 History and the past, children’s historical fiction | Thema YNH, YFT
