March 2026’s set of recommendations for book clubs features classic picture books, first chapter book fun, immersive travel, gripping mysteries, contemporary relationships and dark terror. March 2026’s picks include titles by Ruth Brown, Jill Murphy, Julie Sykes, Emily Jones, Claire Powell, Love Ssega, Erika Meza, Jenny Jacoby, Emma Swan, Sarah Kay, Ryan Johnson, Alice Primmer, Jennifer Bell, Ramzee, Kimberly Whittam, Georgina Taylor, Struan Murray, Robert Muchamore, Billy Ray, Amie Jordan, and Alexis Henderson.
March 2026 book club recommendations
Tick Tock Around the Clock by Ruth Brown
Spend a day with Tick Tock the cat as he prowls through the garden, chases squirrels and stalks mice, before heading back indoors for tea and a familiar lap in this beautifully realised picture book for preschool and EYFS children. Ruth Brown follows his routine from morning stretch to evening rest, using onomatopoeia and timeless scenes. The wonderful illustrations highlight every detail in the house and garden, giving 3+ year olds plenty to spot and talk about as Tick Tock goes about his day. There’s also a useful downloadable set of resources for teachers.
3+ year-olds | Author’s website
Five Minutes’ Peace by Jill Murphy
Mrs Large wants nothing more than five minutes to herself after a boisterous family breakfast. She carries a tray, a newspaper and high hopes into the bathroom, only to be followed by Laura with a recorder, Lester with a story and the baby with bath toys. One by one, they invade her peace and quiet until they all end up in the tub! Set at home, the story captures family noise, routine and a mother’s quest for an elusive moment of peace. A classic picture book for 3–7 year olds. Highly recommended.
3-7 year-olds | Author’s website
Luna Grace Girl from Outer Space: Sea Safari by Julie Sykes and Emily Jones
Luna and her family travel to Puffin Island with Twizzle the moon cat in this instalment of the lively first chapter book series for 5+ year olds. While her parents study wildlife such as dolphins, gulls, wildflowers and puffins, Luna spends the day looking for a mermaid. The fast-paced, fun story follows their seaside trip, the family’s routines, and what Luna spots along the way. Colour illustrations sit alongside short chunks of text, and it’s ideal for newly independent readers.
5+ year-olds | Author’s website
Marty Moose: The Great Stamp-ede by Claire Powell
It is the day of Little Ditch’s Fastest Feathers race, but Marty has a job to finish before anyone crosses the line. A golden egg must be delivered to the finish ahead of the competitors, and that proves harder than it sounds. With Nibbles at his side, Marty dodges ferret bandits and outsmarts two rule-bending ducks. Claire Powell builds this highly engaging story for 6+ year olds through brisk set pieces, chase scenes and neatly introduced contestants, keeping the pace fast. Lots of engaging illustrations make this an ideal first chapter book series for newly independent readers in Year 2 and above. Highly recommended.
6+ year-olds | Author’s website
The Elementals: Wanzu Sets Sail by Love Ssega and Erika Meza
Wanzu lives on Sealand, where every child is linked to an element: air, water, earth or fire. His friends have found their powers, but Wanzu has not. When storms bring the threat of flooding, he leads a perilous rescue mission beyond the island in this distinctive fantasy adventure for 6-9 year olds. Travelling by sea to magical places, the group works together to solve problems and find a way to stop the water from rising, while Wanzu continues searching for his own element. An unforgettable, magical first chapter book for KS1 and LKS2 children.
6-9 year-olds | Author’s website
The STEM Encyclopedia of Wildlife Words by Jenny Jacoby, illustrated by Vicky Barker
This highly engaging A to Z reference covers 100 animal-related terms. Each entry has its own page with a definition, a concise explanation and extra facts, supported by punchy illustrations that complement the text. A contents list and a full index support quick look-up and cross-referencing. It’s perfect for 7+ year olds and KS2 libraries. Highly recommended.
7+ year-olds | Author’s website
Cruise Ship Kid: Kidnap at Sea! by Emma Swan, illustrated by Katie Saunders
Ten-year-old Silver lives on a cruise ship where her mum works as the Cruise Director. When they transfer to a larger liner for a transatlantic trip from Barbados to Southampton, the voyage takes a turn after an influencer called “Kindness Kay” mysteriously disappears. Silver teams up with her friends and a group of older passengers to gather clues and draw up a suspect list, all while managing life at sea. The second in this addictively fun mystery series for 7+ year olds uses a diary-style format with doodles, reader questions and space for notes.
7+ year-olds | Author’s website
On the Streets of New York by Sarah Kay and Ryan Johnson
Poetry and illustration combine spectacularly to capture New York through the eyes of an inquisitive 7+ year old child. Crowded streets, Central Park, bagel stands and the Statue of Liberty are all evoked through warm artwork and lyrical verse, alongside slice-of-life vignettes. Sarah Kay’s magical text, paired with Ryan Johnston’s illustrations, brings a strong sense of the city’s history, energy and everyday life. A non-fiction section adds punchy bursts of facts about New York’s geography and past. Ideal for primary school libraries, it also works well as an inspiring text for exploring poetry about place in literacy lessons. Highly recommended.
7+ year-olds | Author’s website
The World’s Worst Alien Fight Back by Alice Primmer, illustrated by Fred Blunt
Peace-loving alien Sky is back on Earth, once again passing as an eleven-year-old at Oak Lane Primary. Her last visit ended with a failed school project, so this time she arrives with a clearer mission and a plan that ties into stopping conflict altogether. When a cricket match and a message scrawled on the school fence spark trouble with a rival school, Sky and her friends are pulled into the fallout. Alice Primmer gives playground politics an intergalactic twist in this hilarious series for 9+ year olds, while Fred Blunt’s accessible and anarchic illustrations help to sharpen the comedy.
9+ year-olds | Author’s website
Magicalia Storm of Chaos by Jennifer Bell
Bitsy and Kosh race to round up escaped magicores after a sabotaged invention releases magical creatures across the world. Their chase spans far-flung places from the Galápagos to Borneo, mixing science, invention and fantasy as they track each runaway. Along the way, they try to uncover who caused the disaster and stop Riddlejax before things spiral further. It’s a fast-paced quest packed with unusual creatures and building towards the finale in this epic fantasy series for 9+ year olds.
9+ year-olds | Author’s website
The Cheat Book (Vol.3) by Ramzee
Kamal and his friends are the first pupils at a new Smart School, complete with robot teachers, talking scooters and endless snack machines. At first, it feels like a dream, until the tech starts malfunctioning and everything starts to go wrong. With his Cheat Book in hand, Kamal tries to stay one step ahead of the chaos. Packed with jokes and black and white illustrations, this third instalment is fast paced, fun and ideal for less confident 9+ year old readers.
9+ year-olds | Author’s website
Always Angel by Kimberly Whittam
Angel is a Year 8 pupil who finds school hard and is often in trouble. With her mum unwell and unable to care for her properly, Angel’s life feels unstable and she struggles to fit in. She wants to do better, make friends and enter the school baking contest, but expectations based on her past behaviour are stacked against her. This powerful and ultimately uplifting contemporary story for UKS2 and KS3 students explores friendship, foster care, second chances and learning how to change your life for the better. It’s ideal for book club discussion.
9+ year-olds | Author’s website
Made for Each Other by Georgina Taylor
This beautifully illustrated and typeset large format nonfiction nature book, now in paperback, studies the symbiotic relationships between interdependent species. Including the co-existences between Hawaiian Bobtail Squids and Vibrio Fisceri, Three-Toed Sloth and Algae, and Ruby Throated Hummingbirds and Cardinal Flowers; this book shows the reader that harmony and restraint are key to sustainability in the natural world. With considerable detail, this point – prescient more now than ever – transcends science and will help show children the values of working together, compromise and tolerance to aid survival. It’s ideal for 9-11 year olds and KS2 libraries.
9-11 year-olds | Author’s website
Dragonborn by Struan Murray
Alex Evans is dealing with grief, anger and an overprotective mother when something impossible happens – she breathes fire. Taken to the island of Skralla by Oliphos, Alex discovers she is a dragon and begins training with others like her. As tensions rise and Drak Midna moves towards war with humans, Alex has to learn control, loyalty and where she belongs in a world she never knew existed, in this spectacular and epic fantasy novel for 9–14 year olds.
9-14 year-olds | Author’s website
Robin Hood: War & Peas by Robert Muchamore
Robin is in exile in the Netherlands while fighting continues in Sherwood Forest between the rebels and President Marjorie Kovacevic’s forces. Civilians are confined in open-air prison camps and the war has reached a stalemate. Smuggled home by sea, Robin rejoins his group with a plan to sabotage a weapons factory. The dangerous mission grows into an attempt to spark a wider uprising and free prisoners, culminating in a dramatic final confrontation for Sherwood Forest. A stunning finale to the popular crime adventure series for 11+ year olds.
11+ year-olds | Author’s website
Burn the Water by Billy Ray
Billy Ray’s Romeo and Juliet-inspired YA novel dives into a waterlogged London in 2425, where the Crowns and the Rogues have been locked in battle for generations. Rafe, a Rogue captain, and Jule, a Crown soldier, are supposed to hate each other, yet their dangerous romance sparks in the midst of war. With shifting loyalties and foreign powers closing in, their story blends survival, conflict and forbidden love in a vividly dystopian world. It is a heady mix of climate science fiction and a reimagined world, threaded around an enemies to lovers plot that will captivate 12+ year old readers in KS3. Highly recommended. Read our full review.
12+ year-olds | Author’s website
All the Cursed Creatures by Amie Jordan
Sage is summoned to Stone City, a hidden supernatural capital, to investigate a string of vampire murders and secure her position as a detective. But after an argument with Oren, she takes the case on alone while trying to keep a personal secret from being exposed. As the investigation deepens, corruption in the city and rivalries between supernatural groups come into focus. Oren and P race to reach Sage before the case and her secret collide. A gripping, page-turning finale to the blockbuster All the Hidden Monsters series for 14+ year olds. Highly recommended.
14+ year-olds | Author’s website
When I Was Death by Alexis Henderson
Roslyn Volk joins a travelling group of girls connected to her sister’s death because she wants answers. Each girl was saved from an early death by Death, and in exchange, they now collect souls on his behalf. When Roslyn learns the truth about her sister, she must decide whether she will accept the same bargain. This dark and twisty horror novel for 14+ year olds examines grief, mortality and responsibility, and what people are prepared to accept in exchange for survival. It’s a fascinating and discussion-worthy read for KS4 book clubs.
14+ year-olds | Author’s website
Themed day / social media opportunities for March 2026
These hashtag days might provide current and relevant talking points for secondary-aged pupils aged 13+ in KS3, KS4 and KS5, especially when linked to related literature.
- March is Women’s History Month. BBC Teach has a great range of free resources for schools including videos and activities.
- The third Thursday in March is World Book Day. The World Book Day website has lots of ideas for teachers and schools, and we have a page with lots of World Book Day costumes and activities.
- British Science Week is a 10-day celebration of science and STEM that takes place in the middle of March. There are lots of free downloadable activity packs for both primary and secondary educators on the organisation’s website.
- March 13th is Young Carers Action Day – the Care Trust has a range of toolkits for schools and educators.
- Empathy Week is an annual festival dedicated to helping students aged 5-18 build essential empathy skills through engaging events, powerful storytelling, and dynamic film-based resources.
- March 21st is World Poetry Day. Unesco has more information about this international celebration.
- The third week of March is Neurodiversity Celebration Week. Here’s a comprehensive and diverse range of resources for teachers.
- March 20th is World Storytelling Day. OUP has published a useful set of free resources for primary schools on their blog.
- Shakespeare Week takes place during the third week of March. There are lots of ideas and resources on this website from the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
- March 31st is Transgender Day of Visibility #TDOV. There’s more information and printable resources on the Trans day visibility resource.
- March 28th is Wear a Hat Day. To highlight brain tumour research, schools are encouraged to fundraise by wearing a hat at school.
- March 25th is Tolkien Reading Day. #TolkienReadingDay Combine it with World Hat Day and dress up as Gandalf. The Tolkien Society has lots of ideas.
- March 27th is World Theatre Day. Break a … no don’t – call everyone ‘luvvie’ instead – much better for health and safety.
- March 23rd is Earth Hour Day #EarthHour. Find out how to take part.
- March 30th is National Bellybutton Appreciation Day which encourages everyone to stop for a moment, clear their minds of all worries and anxieties and consider their navel(s).
Extension activities:
- Have a look at our writing competitions for March 2026.
Other recently released titles to have a look at:
- Our latest March 2026 books of the month.
- Our rundown of the best books released this spring 2026.
- Our March 2026 books of the day on X. These can also be viewed on uk.Bookshop.org.
- Our guide on how to run a school book club covers both primary school book clubs and secondary school book clubs.
Click one of the buttons below to buy all this month’s recommended book club titles, or class sets of any of these books, from Bookshop.org UK or Amazon.co.uk. As an Amazon Associate, schoolreadinglist.co.uk earns from qualifying purchases.
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