Recommended reading books for primary & secondary aged children in the UK
Children’s book reviews: below are our latest reviews of recent children’s and young adult fiction, poetry and non-fiction releases. We listen to recommendations from our readers, teachers, librarians, parents, grandparents, children and authors to decide which new books to review and recommend.
Our team of experienced educators, parents and librarians looks at new picture books for toddlers, early chapter books, first independent readers, middle-grade stories, poetry, teen & young adult, non-fiction and much, much more.
With over two million visitors each year since 2011, the School Reading List is one of the most read and established sources of UK reading recommendations for children’s and YA literature.
We’re committed to being a subscription-free resource for parents, schools, teachers and librarians and we hope that our reviews help to engender and embed a reading-for-pleasure ethos in classrooms and homes all over the country.
We also feature regular round-ups of new books – both fiction and non-fiction – to help support the start of autumn, spring and summer terms in schools; and a monthly ‘book of the month‘ covering new fiction, nonfiction and picture books.
Each review contains a five-word summary, the genre, the ISBN, further information about the author, illustrator and publisher; the publication date; the recommended reading age for the text, and some pointers to indicate which children we think will really enjoy the book.
For each book reviewed there’s also a useful ‘if you liked this book you might also like‘ section, to help teachers and librarians develop each child’s reading interests. Readers can also have a look at each author’s profile page, which includes information about each author, reviews of books by that author, links to teaching resources and contact details for author visits.
Many thanks to the children’s and YA book publishers, publicists and authors for sending review copies.
Reading this brilliant book I found myself underlining whole passages, ticking repeatedly in the margins and inwardly cheering. Every school library should buy a copy. Every concerned parent should make sure their children have access to it.
Xanthe & the Ruby Crown is a touching family-focused story with a strong thread of magical realism. Real-life issues of family illness, friendship struggles and anxiety over starting a new school are dealt with sensitively.
In Scattered Showers, LGBTQ+ relationships are portrayed in a strong, positive light and five of the stories are set at Christmas time, giving a festive spin on the collection. A beautifully presented book.
Set in the Big Freeze of 1963, Wildoak tells of an unlikely friendship between a young girl and a snow leopard, two outcasts trying to find their place in an often unfriendly world.
The Accidental Stowaway is an intricately woven and skilfully paced story which I’m sure will keep readers aged ten to twelve gripped to the end. Being set in 1910 it also provides many starting points for discussion.
This Book Kills would appeal to fans of Gossip Girl and Holly Jackson’s A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, and without spoiling the reveal, the denouement is satisfying and does justice to the plot.
With evocative descriptions of the countryside, The Rescue of Ravenwood will reinforce the idea that all nature is valuable This novel will appeal to budding eco-warriors aged 9-12 and fans of Eva Ibbotson and Lauren St John.
Curse Breaker is a fast-paced and involving read. The interactive elements make it suitable for reading in pairs and it is likely to be of particular interest to gaming fans who will appreciate the play elements of the book.
The Boy Lost in the Maze is a clever and original tale that makes for an impressive start to Coelho’s tenure as Children’s Laureate. The poetic nature of the text makes it a quick and accessible read which is likely to appeal to reluctant readers, particularly boys given the male-dominated storylines.
No place for monsters is a perfect Halloween read for children who are not entirely convinced that monsters under the bed are all in their imagination. But beware – you may want to steer clear of ice cream vans after reading this…
The Silver Chain by Jion Sheibani is highly recommended for teens aged 14+. This lovely book will, I’m sure, delight and reassure anyone going through this difficult time in her or his life. It will also solve at least one Christmas-list problem for parents, aunts and uncles!
With a rich weaving of myths and folk tales ranging from Hades and the underworld to legends of the Green Man and Samhain, Stone is a rewarding read that is likely to appeal to fans of Sally Nicholls’ Season of Secrets and Patrick Ness’ A Monster Calls.
Free Kid to Good Home is easily accessible for newly-independent readers or for younger children to read with support and will appeal to young readers who have secretly (or not so secretly) resented the arrival of a potato-faced baby to the family.
Ready for Spaghetti by Michael Rosen and Polly Dunbar visits every corner of the small child’s sensory-world – the bathroom, the swings in the park, boiled eggs for breakfast, clouds, sucking up spaghetti & hugging teddy.
Pops by Gavin Bishop is a very stimulating, very special book which will appeal to children aged between two and four, with illustrations that are bold, direct and strangely primitive, simple and at the same time holding within them a lot to point at and talk about.
Unraveller will appeal to readers of Patrick Ness and Amanda Hocking. Weaving in strands from the darker side of fairy tales – including human to animal transformation and unhealthy family relationships – it is a powerful and immersive tale.
The Cartoons that Saved the World is a light, fast paced story that is perfect for comic book fans who are looking for a more substantial read. The inventive characters and made up words add humor to the madcap story and encourage reading aloud.
Once Upon a Fever is an absorbing read with well-developed strong female characters, an immersive fantasy setting and a fast-paced plot. It is highly recommended for fans of intelligent dystopian fiction who like to be challenged in their expectations and assumptions.
Alte Zachen: Old Things by Ziggy Hanaor is a witty, moving and illuminating story which has much to say about the big events of the last hundred years, and about how different generations can absorb lessons from each other’s viewpoints.
I’m More Than A Sheep by Bethany Christou is a busy, dramatic tale, illustrated with boldly colourful pictures. It carries an important sub-text about individuality, friendship and the need sometimes to rely on others.
More urgently than ever now, we need the coming generation to hear the warnings hammering on the door. Hayley Wells has produced a brilliant book that is bound to spark serious questions in the minds of any youngster who reads it.
And are you looking for the perfect book to read with children and encourage them in their new enthusiasm? When Creature Met Creature by John Agard is a portal into a deeper understanding of the child’s everyday world, and the crucial role played in it by language.
Alexander the Great By Dominic Sandbrook is a beautifully produced book. With its marvellous illustrations by Edward Bettison, it’s full of fascinating facts and valuable life lessons and, perhaps most important, it is hugely enjoyable to read.
The Butterfly Lion by Michael Morpurgo – this edition will enchant a watching class as the teacher reads and shares; and at home, the story itself will be a gift to treasure.
Minecraft Official Workbooks – 12 exciting new Minecraft themes workbooks for English and Maths, ideal for children in years 1-6 and covering all aspects of National Curriculum strands in KS1 and KS2.
By Rowan and Yew by Melissa Harrison – the parallels with our disappearing environment are powerfully obvious and the reader is never in doubt that we have to work together to save the world that we share with nature.
Old Toffer’s Book of Consequential Dogs by Christopher Reid is a captivating and inventive creation that can hardly fail to excite and enchant readers of any age from seven upwards.
The Bear Who Sailed the Ocean on an Iceberg by Emily Critchley – the witty and playful use of language delivered mainly through Monty, and the humour that runs throughout the book will appeal to both young and adult readers.
The Little Thing by Nick Cave features vibrant and ultra-high colour contrast illustrations that will intrigue children aged 3+. The hardback format with large print and each character’s dialogue on facing pages lends itself to shared reading or possibly as a thought-provoking bedtime story.
Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats – the lively, dramatic versions of Eliot’s cat-worlds will capture and sustain the interest of new readers and, for those already familiar with its charms, help confirm its status as a classic.
Rita Wong and the Jade Mask by Mark Jones has a dreamlike, almost hypnotic quality that works brilliantly and the cover and illustrations by Seamus Jennings capture the shadowy mystery and warm humour beautifully. I read the book in two sittings.
The Week at World’s End is rich in period detail and all the characters are vivid and entirely believable. We care about what happens to them, and to the world they live in. I would recommend it for pupils in Years 6, 7 or 8.
The Sister Who Ate Her Brothers by Jen Campbell is a deliciously dark selection of peculiarly modern and relevant traditional tales. This collection will appeal to years children in years five and six who like short stories with danger, excitement and mystery.
National Geographic Kids Everything KS2 history books – four superb new non-fiction texts suitable for children in KS2, covering the Stone Age to the Iron Age period, Romans in Britain, the Anglo Saxons, and World War II.
When Shadows Fall by Sita Brahmachari does much more than just describe people and locations; it examines deep human impulses. The failures of a systems-driven society that so often neglects and then ignores young people are laid bare.
Book of Numbers – this enchanting book teems with pictures and ideas which cannot fail to engage a curious child aged between three and seven. This is an ideal book to read and share and discuss with nursery aged children.
Our Beautiful Game by Lou Kuenzler is about learning from and being inspired by others. It’s a gripping read full of fascinating facts and valuable life lessons. A hugely enjoyable book.
The Ash House by Angharad Walker is a great work of imagination that grips the reader from the first page. It is not an ‘easy read’ but it is refreshingly original and vividly powerful.
Antigua de Fortune of the High Seas by Anna Rainbow and Oli Hyatt explores themes of good and evil and love and hate and examines issues of gender and class expectations and family relationships and reconciliation. But most important of all the book is a great adventure story.
Song of the Far Isles by Nicholas Bowling is a marvellous book with a beautifully calm and satisfying conclusion to the story. Highly recommended for late Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 independent readers.
Rita’s Rabbit – Rita is desperate to be given a rabbit for her birthday. Instead, her grandpa gets her Spike, a bearded dragon. This is a cheering, enjoyable story, made more so by Hannah Peck’s detailed and funny illustrations.
Sports Legends by Rick Broadbent. This great book is all about hearts, stomachs and feelings, drama, passion and joy. It is about learning from, and being inspired by others and invites you to confront your own doubts and prejudices.
Musical Truth – this accessible, lively and informative book is ideal for KS3 and KS4 aged pupils who want to explore British history through music. It’s also an ideal starting point for personal writing projects in KS4.
The Young Cyclist’s Companion is an excellent addition to KS2 libraries. This comprehensive hardback guide to owning and riding a bicycle will appeal to a wide range of children in KS2.
Big Sky Mountain by Alex Milway. The importance of peaceful co-existence with nature is delivered with humour and fun. The maps and illustrations add greatly to the overall reading experience in this great read-aloud for year 2.
Ten Little Dogs by Ruth Brown is a perfect book for sitting down with a two- or three-year-old; each stage involves learning numbers and sequence and there’s a solid narrative to follow that encourages plenty of talking.
Zoom Adventure by Susan Hayes. The ZOOM books are written with energy and humour. They provide plenty of scope for imaginative talk, jokes, enlargement of the stories and incidents and discussion about the creatures and plants which inhabit them.
Panda at the Door by Sarah Horne is a winning combination of traditional furry bear cosiness and smart technology and Cal’s childhood anxiety will strike a chord with many young readers.
Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town – direct and spare, it examines deep human impulses: love, acceptance and security; and isolation, anger and instability. Accessible and easy to read, this is an ideal short story collection for Year 10 and 11.
The Magician’s Map – a recipe for magical mayhem that is genuinely thought-provoking and wonderfully imaginative. Highly ecommended for independent readers in upper KS2 and lower KS3.
A tribute to Chen Jiatong’s great skill, White Fox in the Forest is a powerful story in which the animals achieve wisdom through their seeking and celebration of faith, kindness, love and courage.
Alone! will prompt young readers to examine their own needs and to resist the normalisation of conventions that simply might not suit them. And the illustrations are absolutely stunning!
Brilliant Brainz is a vibrant and interesting magazine for children aged 7-11, and one which is ideal for classroom and school libraries. With a wide variety of topics each month, including art, philosophy, music, food, science, sport and tech – there’s something to grab every primary aged child.
NO! said Rabbit – the register of the writing, the journey through the familiar events of the day and the chunky crayoned illustrations are perfectly attuned to the sensibilities of a two-to-three-year-old.
Picklewitch & Jack reminds me what a magical place the seaside is, and how much I miss it. The plot storms along at a great pace with magic, great fun, an original storyline and playful use of language.
Think Harry Potter meets Artemis Fowl meets Indiana Jones with thrills and spills told at a spin-dryer top speed with more fizz than an energy drink. This Gangster School story is a middle-grade roller coaster, rammed with jokes, razor-sharp language, unusual observations and … killer sheep.
Thunderbolt is a cleverly woven piece of page-turning adventure that will excite its KS2 and KS3 readers but also, hopefully, make them think critically about the world in which they are growing up.
My Sneezes Are Perfect. When the tide of Covid finally recedes, how much silt will it leave in its wake? Rakhshan Rizwan, calmly and with humour and wisdom, offers her son hope and assurance.
By Ash, Oak and Thorn. Approach this book with your disbelief suspended and your imagination receptive and you will be welcomed, as I was, into the Wild World. Ideal for 9-12 year olds.
Can You Whistle, Johanna? ‘A profound and moving meditation on the things that remain constant and permanent throughout our lives.’ An astounding story.
Lori and Max and the Book Thieves is subtly and fluently revealed, in a world which is recognisable and entirely believable. The carefully-woven interplay of narrative, response and stagecraft, had me on the verge of tears and almost gasping with admiration.
A Case of Grave Danger. A gripping first person mystery with a strong female protagonist and high quality writing. Violet Veil is a character with the potential for many more adventures in this world and the next.
Happy Healthy Minds is an engrossing and affecting read for children aged 10-16 and a must-have resource for home educators and KS2 and KS3 teachers of PSHE. Highly recommended.
Robin Hood – Piracy, Paintballs and Zebras. Robert Muchamore is a master at keeping the action moving at a breakneck pace and describes incidents that will resonate with 10-13 year-olds.
The Extraordinary Elements is perfect for children who like to accumulate a lot of facts and information. Written in a catchy and accessible style, the nature of each element is explained concisely and clearly to appeal to children and encourage them to find out more.
Daydreams and Jellybeans is a fun and imaginative collection of thirty-five poems that are ideal to read aloud to children aged seven to eleven and useful for teachers in KS2 to help develop performance poetry and model writing ideas.
This is another exciting time-travel outing for Nadia, Jess, Tomma and Ash, this time finding themselves in their school back in the winter of 1947 and saving Nadia’s grandfather from an uncertain fate. A pacy and gripping story.
The Awesome Power of Sleep is full of fascinating facts, hugely enjoyable to read and the science is presented in an entertaining way. A great resource for teenagers, secondary PSHE teachers and parents overseeing KS3, KS4 and KS5 home learning.
101 Awesome Women Who Transformed Science. Reading this book has altered my angle of vision. If it had been available to me when I was twelve it would have transformed it entirely.
Darwin’s Dragons is a marvellous tale that plunges the reader into Charles Darwin’s HMS Beagle voyage and adds a young boy’s wonder, imagination and bravery into the historical mix. This is a fantasy firmly grounded in historical fact and geographical realism.
The true hero is the tiger, the huge mysterious presence in the story and the mainspring of its action. The author treats it with reverence and describes it in impressively stately language:
The Marvellous Land of Snergs – This is a delightful fantasy, interwoven with values of courage, loyalty and the strength and love of true friendships. Highly recommended for children in years 3-6 who want to become lost in an imaginative and transformative fairy tale.
Another Twist in the Tale – here is a superbly constructed story which moves along at a cracking pace. Characters from the original interact with the vivid, glowing beings from Catherine Bruton’s imagination.
The World’s Most Magnificent Machines is ideal for KS2 aged children and with accessible, well-written, and interesting content. Each machine is presented as a short and detailed story – perfect for capturing the imagination of a reluctant reader.
On the Move Poems about Migration – the soil here is rich with stories, suggestions, half-remembered distant relatives and half-understood absences. Dig deep enough and we find the horror.
Our job, as parents or teachers, is to help children build a solid foundation of confidence and empathy with others. The Little Big Feelings series reminds us, and assures them, that the future does indeed depend on how seriously we take our responsibilities with regard to this awesome task.
Blue Sandford’s startling book shows us a different way. In Challenge Everything, she not only spells out how all this has happened but also provides the would-be activist with practical advice on how to engage the media and make the biggest impact.
In Adventure in Athens, everyday sights, sounds and smells, the casual brutality, the strange conventions and the convincing sense that people in history always regard themselves as advanced, are all skilfully presented and interwoven with a gripping suspense story.
Hello, Universe has pace, energy and interest on every page. The characters are accurately drawn and capture all the hope, creativity and dread which are usually in store every day when you’re eleven.
‘A Trip to the Future’ will challenge pupils to think, imagine, be creative, and look for solutions – all of which can be expressed in creative writing, oracy – in the form of debates or short films for home-learning, and deeper philosophical argument in persuasive writing.
The Boy Who Dreamed of Dragons – the latest in the series of dragon books by Andy Shepherd – is a real winner. A believable story, set in a familiar and homely world where young readers will feel assured.
Earth Shattering Events is concise with clear explanations. It’s a solid reference book, ideal for home learning, extended projects, and independent study. We’d also recommend it for school and classroom libraries in primary schools.
It’s not easy being a child – even the happiest and most secure people have had to cope with days, weeks and months of uncertainty, unease and confusion. C K Smouha has produced two challenging and entertaining books for youngsters who may be facing these things.
I Ate Sunshine For Breakfast is perfect for children aged 9-14 interested in ecology, green issues and DIY style activities and experiments. The wealth of detail and glorious illustrations make this book ideal for home learning outside or inside.
The bold, direct drawings, the jokes and observations (all dogs look like their owners, and vice versa) promise a nourishing and hilarious twenty minutes shared with your four-year-old.
I enjoyed this book tremendously. There is adventure, action and tension on every page. The outcome of their quest is supremely satisfying, reflecting both the sadness of a world shattered by tragedy and the firm hope for a better future.
Everything a football-mad youngster might want is here: bold, dramatic art-work, factual information in clear and direct prose and page after page of biography and statistics charting Cristiano Ronaldo’s stellar career.
There is plenty of ‘nourishment’ here to satisfy a Year 7 group: action, mystery, humour, everyday detail and even a hint of romance. Two chapters provide more than enough to chew over in a half-hour lesson.
The phrase ‘a rollicking good yarn’ appears to have dropped out of fashion in recent years, but if any book warrants its re-introduction, it’s this one. The Pear Affair is an ideal class reader for years 5&6 in KS2.
The Big Green Activity book is bursting with ideas. It’s an ideal resource for wet playtimes, or extension classwork or homework; and it offers teachers ideas for short, fun informal AFL style tests on green and eco-related cross-curricular topics. It’s perfect for classrooms and school libraries.
Traces of Wallace Stevens, T S Eliot, Ted Hughes and William Blake in this fresh, clear, startling & spot-on new poetry collection by Karmelo C. Iribarren. Ideal for independent readers in KS2.
The Missing is an accessible, engaging and poignant account that will appeal to children aged 9-12. It provides an invaluable human link to events that must never be forgotten. It’s a book about the Holocaust, it’s a book about the present and it’s a warning for all our futures.
This middle-grade novel is an interesting entwinement of realism and fantasy with a pacey mystery plot and a quest to find the truth – a story which will appeal to children who are just starting to consider and question their position in the world.
Classroom activities and maths topics in KS2 will benefit from this eye-catching children’s non-fiction book. Sven Völker’s clever presentation and sharp graphics will pose questions for enquiring minds to solve and consider in greater depth.
A cleverly presented and engaging personal tour of the solar system, Dr Maggie’s Grand Tour runs Saturn-sized rings around other children’s space books. As well as a history of space and current scientific knowledge, this book is always trying to make children think and look to the future.
Emily Windsnap and the Pirate Prince is ideal for children in years 5&6 who like to rip through book after book of adventure based thrills and spills. The unique combination of fantasy-tinged seafaring thrills combined with contemporary characters will appeal to a wide demographic of children.
When It Rains is perfect for reading aloud and in small groups with EYFS and KS1 children and great for discussing different points of view and ways of looking at problems in circle time.
The Girl Who Learned All the Languages of the World is highly recommended for children aged 8-11 who are interested in languages and discovering new words. It would be a great left-field choice for a class reader or book club text and is well-suited for reading aloud.
This startling debut novel is bound to appeal to older teen readers who want something slightly different to read in one or two sittings. It would be perfect for Year 9, 10 and 11 book groups and reluctant readers in KS4 who want a book with bite.
This fun new anthology of poems about the kings and queens of Britain & Ireland is an ideal class reader for Year 5 & 6 history topics or creative writing.
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