Recommended reading books for primary & secondary aged children in the UK
Curated children’s book lists selected by genre and nonfiction topic for cross-curricular teaching. Are you looking for great books to support your primary KS1 or KS2 teaching areas?
Below are our recommended collections for cross-curricular projects. These book list suggestions aim to cover all curriculum subjects and themes and include a variety of genres, including poetry, reading for pleasure fiction and narrative nonfiction. We’re adding new genres and nonfiction topics every week and we hope these lists of quality texts will help teachers and librarians to find useful books for classrooms and school libraries.
Genre and nonfiction books are a great way to encourage children to read for pleasure, delve into a subject on their own terms, investigate areas they are interested in for deeper home learning, and develop a personal attachment to a curriculum area. Books for cross-curricular teaching also allow pupils to appreciate how cultures, civilisations, movements and philosophies span discipline in real life and are not limited to discrete areas of learning.
Not only that, but when a child reads a book about something they are enthusiastic about, suddenly it no longer seems like schoolwork. Using classroom displays of topic-books, and highlighting non-fiction corners of the library can help to motivate students to read independently and develop preferred literary interests.
The lists are updated and revised regularly to make sure books are up-to-date and relevant to the UK National Curriculum. Each recommended book includes a description and suggestions for classroom use. For each topic, there’s also a hand-picked selection of useful resources, links and free downloadables.
For more nonfiction and ideas, see our list of magazines for children and teens.
Refugees and migration books for children and teens, featuring books by Erika Meza, Na’ima B. Robert, Brian Bilston, Eoin Colfer, Onjali Q. Raúf, Sita Brahmachari, Armin Greder, Michael Rosen, Ele Fountain and Malcolm Duffy.
Animal stories for children – our reading suggestions with first chapter books, middle-grade fiction, teen novels and picture books by writers including Iona Rangely, Joe Wicks, Satoshi Kitamura, Moira Butterfield, Toon Tellegen and Nina Bawden.
Environment, climate change and eco topic books for EYFS, KS1, KS2 & KS3 with titles by Emma Shevah, Neal Layton, Jess French, Karen Swann, Piers Torday, Gemma Fowler, Isabel Thomas & Zillah Bethell.
Kindness, empathy and love children’s books for students aged 3-12+ including titles by Laura Dockrill, Malcolm Duffy, Dan Smith, Alice Oseman, Jess McGeachin, Michael Rosen, Catherine Rayner, Satoshi Kitamura, Suma Subramaniam, Benjamin Dean, R J Palacio & more.
Science fiction and STEM topic books for Key Stage 1,2 & 3, including fiction and nonfiction titles by Amy Bond, Christopher Edge, David Wiesner, Jane Wilsher, Ross Welford, SF Said and Margaret Wild.
Children’s poetry for 7-11-year-olds with collections and anthologies by Michael Rosen, Joseph Coelho, Carol Ann Duffy, Brian Moses, Benjamin Zephaniah, Zaro Weil, Kate Wakeling, Neal Zetter, John Agard, T.S Eliot, Maya Angelou, Kaye Webb and more.
Book series for children and teens to encourage reading for pleasure, including titles by Dominic Sandbrook, Liz Pichon, Harriet Muncaster, Kevin & Katie Tsang, Marie Lu Robert Muchamore and Jason Reynolds.
Dinosaurs topic books for EYFS, KS1 & KS2. With books by authors including Dean Lomax, Susan Hayes, Chae Strathie, Hollie Hughes, Sophy Henn, Julia Donaldson, Matthew Reinhart and Deiter Braun.
Anglo-Saxon topic books for children aged 7-11 in KS2. This list includes nonfiction books and stories by Tony Bradman, Rosemary Sutcliff, Terry Deary, Karen Wallace, Robert Fowke and Anita Ganeri.
Books to help teach diversity to children in KS1 and KS2 in primary schools – with characters and settings to introduce age-appropriate discussions of the diversity of culture, race, ethnicity, gender, education, disability, identity, nationality, religion, sexuality, neurodiversity, social background, and beliefs.
Stone Age, Bronze Age & Iron Age themed children’s books including titles by Bridget Marzo, Raymond Briggs, Kathleen Fidler, Tom Palmer, Marcia Williams, Satoshi Kitamura, Sophie Kirtley, Terry Deary, Ben Lerwill & more.
Australia topic books by a diverse range of Australian children’s authors and illustrators, including books by Margaret Wild, Armin Greder, Lian Tanner, Dianne Bates, Aunty Joy Murphy, Kate Grenville and Paul Jennings.
Ancient Egyptian topic books for Key Stage 2, including titles by David Long, Emma Carroll, Emily Bone, David Weitzman, Marcia Williams, Joe Todd-Stanton, Laura Wood and Terry Deary.
Here’s our selection of great nonfiction books and topic books for children about castles. These reading suggestions contain a range of books suitable for primary aged children aged 5-11 in KS1 and KS2.
Exploration topic books for KS2, including fiction and nonfiction novels, picture books and real life stories by writers including Sally Walker, William Grill, Libby Jackson, Nellie Huang, Catherine Johnson, Katherine Rundell, Alexandra Stewart and Joe Todd-Stanton.
Winter themed books for children and teens with titles by Chitra Soundar, Walter De la Mare, Dawn Casey, i-Spy, Abi Elphinstone, Sam Usher, Sue Hendra, Michael Morpurgo, Melissa Albert and Michael Rosen.
LGBTQIA+ themed books for secondary schools, featuring titles by Simon James Green, Alice Oseman, David Levithan, Phil Stamper, Rainbow Rowell, Dean Atta, Meg Grehan, Juno Dawson, Kalynn Bayron, William Hussey and Erin Ekins.
Children’s books with LGBTQIA+ themes for primary schools with titles by Jessica Love, Simon James Green, Ian Eagleton, Juno Dawson, Raina Telgemeier, Sarah Hagger-Holt, Alex Gino, Jen Carney and Benjamin Dean.
Narrative nonfiction genre books – our list includes true life stories and literary nonfiction for KS2 and KS3 by authors including Dr Christle Nwora, David Long, Roma Agrawal, Stefan Milosavljevich, Alexandra Stewart, William Grill, Britta Teckentrup and Andy Seed.
Transport topic books for children aged 5-11 in KS1 and KS2. This list includes nonfiction books and stories by Uijung Kim, Emily Hawkins, Giles Chapman, Vivian French, Vashti Hardy, and Ian Fleming.
Adventure stories for children and teens, including modern and classic titles by Maz Evans, Cressida Cowell, Dom Conlon, Lucy Brandt, Sufiya Ahmed, Varsha Shah, A.F. Steadman, Wilbur Smith, Robert Muchamore, Robert Louis Stevenson and more.
Superhero stories for 3-11-year-olds – our recommendations. This list features picture books and short chapter books by writers and illustrators including Julia Donaldson, Dav Pilkey, Neal Zetter, Phil Earle, Mini Grey, Cynthia Leonor Garza, Sue Hendra and more.
Vikings topic books for children aged 7-11 in KS2. This list includes nonfiction books and stories by Tony Bradman, Jane Chisholm, Michael Morpurgo, Cressida Cowell, Terry Deary, and Neil Gaiman.
Victorians topic books for children with titles by Mick Manning, E.L Norry, Jacqueline Wilson, Michael Rosen, Catherine Bruton, Philip Pullman, Berlie Doherty, Terry Deary, Lindsay Galvin and Kieran Larwood.
Volcanoes and earthquakes topic books for KS2. Authors include Ben Hubbard, Sophie Williams, Philip Pullman, Lauren St John, Caroline Lawrence, Anita Ganeri, Anne-Sophie Baumann and Meredith Hooper.
Our 20 great children’s books for Christmas – spectacular picture books to surprise, bewitch and survive longer than one holiday season.
Christmas topic books with fiction and nonfiction suitable for children in EYFS, KS1 & KS2 including titles by Raymond Briggs, Fiona Watt, Dawn Casey, Kate Saunders Graham Oakley and Catherine Doyle.
Mayan civilisation books for children including fiction and nonfiction titles by Maz Evans, Katherine Rundell, Alex Scarrow, Alastair Humphreys, Clare Hibbert, Davide Domenici, Jerome Martin and Rupert Matthews.
Children’s and teen books about World War 2 with fiction, nonfiction, true stories, picture books, graphic novels, poetry and diaries, with titles by Michael Rosen, Bali Rai, Tom Palmer, Sufiya Ahmed, Michael Morpurgo, Ruta Sepetys and Anne Frank.
British Black history books for children and teens including titles by Floella Benjamin, David Olusoga, Atinuke, Benjamin Zephaniah, Alison Hammond, Jeffrey Boakye, Catherine Johnson, Michaela Morgan, David Lammy and Troy Deeney.
Africa themed books for children and teens with nonfiction and fiction titles by Wakanyi Hoffman and Onyinye Iwu, Niki Daly, Ken Wilson-Max, Yaba Badoe, Wilbur Smith, Namina Forna, Wole Soyinka and more.
Ancient Greece children’s books for KS2 with titles by Sue and Steve Weatherill, Chae Strathie, James Davies, Dominic Sandbrook, Maz Evans, Saviour Pirotta, Caroline Lawrence, Marcia Williams and more.
Children’s, young adult and teen books about Halloween, trick or treating, ghosts, unexplained events, and dark spooky nights. With books by Oliver Jeffers, Julia Donaldson, Eric Carle, Harriet Muncaster, Roald Dahl, Susan Hill, Neil Gaiman, Rainbow Rowell and more.
Maps, mapping and atlases for children and teens, including nonfiction titles by Vivian French, Collins Maps, Emily Hawkins, Thiago de Moraes, Lonely Planet, Joshua Foer, Tim Marshall and Dorling Kindersley.
Children’s books about minibeasts, including titles by Britta Teckentrup, David McKee, Sharon King-Chai, Eric Carle, Libby Walden, Steve Jenkins, Giles Andreae, M.G. Leonard, Lynne Reid Banks and Isabel Thomas.
Art topic books for 4-16-year-olds – our recommendations. This list includes how to art guides and real-life stories about children and adults inspired by art. Writers include Julia Donaldson, Allan Ahlberg, Andrea Beaty, Kari Herbert, David Hockney, Akwaeke Emezi and Tracy Chevalier.
Books for bored children! This list of unusually interesting books for children and teens aged 5-14 includes titles by Andy Seed, Robert Muchamore, Colin Furze, Liz Pichon, Jo Simmons and Enid Blyton.
Children’s books about families and adoption for children aged 2-11 in EYFS, KS1 & KS2 – including stories by Samuel Langley-Swain, Jamie Lee-Curtis, Todd Parr, Phoebe Koehler, Frank Cottrell Boyce and Justin Richardson.
Banned books week suggestions with middle-grade fiction, teen novels, nonfiction and picture books by writers including Roald Dahl, Judy Blume, Jason Reynolds, Raina Telgemeier, David Levithan and Sherman Alexie.
Romans topic books for children aged 7-11 in KS2. This list includes nonfiction books and stories by Tony Bradman, Christina Balit, Andy Stanton, Theresa Breslin, Gary Northfield, and Marcia Williams.
Remembrance and war topic books for children in KS1 and KS2 suitable for literacy, research, and cross-curricular topics. Including titles by Michael Rosen, Lois Lowry, Tom Palmer, Kate Saunders, Martin Impey, Bali Rai, and Judith Loske.
All about me topic books for EYFS including picture books by Mem Fox, The School of Life, Esther Pia Cordova, Lupita Nyong’o, Hervé Tullet, Sophy Henn, David McKee, and more.
Autumn books for children in EYFS, KS1, and KS2 suitable for cross-curricular topics. Including titles by Sam Usher, Lois Ehlert, Ruth Symons, Hazel Maskell, Dianna Aston, Jessica Courtney-Tickle, and Emily Gravett.
Our YA summer reads for 2020 list includes a healthy mix of thrillers, prescient CLI-FI, atmospheric coming of age stories, empathy novels, adventures, teen romances, and fantasy for 12-16 years olds – and maybe parents as well.
Activity books for children – this list of books to keep children and teens aged 3-13 occupied includes titles by Fiona Watt, Dawn Isaac, Julia Donaldson, Thomas Pavitte and Miro Tartan.
Children’s books about resilience, perseverance, and grit, including titles suitable for KS1 and KS2 by David Long, Cece Bell, Matthew Syed, Julie Murphy, Esther Pia Cordova, and Barney Salzberg.
Our list of books to encourage children’s critical and creative thinking skills through reading. Featuring specifically selected fiction and nonfiction texts by authors including Oliver Jeffers, Alice James, Alex Frith, Petr Horáček, Hannah Peck, John Condon, Leo Timmers and The School of Life.
Gardening topic books – our list includes nonfiction practical guides, picture books, garden-related stories and illustrated reference books with titles by authors including Melanie Brown, Lizzy Stewart, Abigail Wheatley, A.M. Howell, Gilles Clement and Émilie Vast.
Easter topic books with fiction and nonfiction suitable for children in EYFS, KS1 & KS2 including titles by Roger Hargreaves, Fiona Watt, Charlotte Zolotow, Emily Gravett, Brian Wildsmith and Kes Gray.
Food and cookery topic books including picture books by Gianna Pollero, Jasbinder Bilan, Winsome Bingham, Ewa Jozefkowicz, Chris Callaghan, A.F. Harrold, Morag Hood, Laura Gladwin and more.
Children’s books to read over the weekend including picture books by Sophy Henn, Josh Lacey, Maz Evans, Ben Miller, Zillah Bethell, Emily Critchley, Eliza Berkowitz, Phil Earle and more.
Human body books for children in EYFS, KS1, and KS2 suitable for cross-curricular topics. Including titles by Charlotte Markey, Robert Winston, Adam Kay, Yumi Stynes, Emma Quay, Nick Fisher, and Elizabeth Verdick.
20 pirate books for children interested in life on the high seas and primary schools looking for pirate books for cross curricular topics. Authors include James Davies, Celia Rees, Neil Gaiman, Lindsay Eagar, Derek Keilty, Cornelia Funke, and Philip Ardagh.
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