September 2024’s set of recommendations for book clubs features animal habitats and journeys, illustrated vampire magic, mysterious goings on at school, thought-provoking short stories, family drama, historical action, personal strife and dark fantasy thrills. Perfect for the start of term! September 2024’s picks include titles by Huw Lewis Jones and Ben Sanders, Derek Keilty and Magda Brol, Lizzie Daly, Sarah Bowie, Lilija Berzinska, Rob Harrell, Annelise Gray, Abdi Nazemian, Rima Orie, and Catherine Doyle.
September 2024 book club recommendations
Clive Penguin by Huw Lewis Jones and Ben Sanders
Clive Penguin tells the funny and quirky story of a penguin who, tired of the cold, embarks on a journey to find warmth. Suitable for children aged 3-6, the book offers opportunities to discuss the difference between wants and needs, and to explore topics related to polar habitats and animal characteristics. The simple, engaging narrative and bold illustrations make it ideal for early years classrooms.
3-6 year-olds | Author’s website
Ivy Newt and the Vampixies by Derek Keilty and Magda Brol
Ivy, Tom, and Griselda the Sand Witch search for vital spell ingredients on a distant island volcano. But along the way, they discover the nasty Vampixies want to drain all magic from Miracula. Can the team save Miracula and its magic from the winged baddies before it’s too late? This highly readable and fast-paced short-chapter series is perfect for less confident readers in LKS2. It’s also a winner for reading with intervention groups.
5-7 year-olds | Author’s website
Life in the Wild by Lizzie Daly
Life in the Wild follows the extraordinary journeys of 10 animals, from sharks and seabirds to big cats and wolves. Lizzie Daly, a wildlife biologist and presenter, blends science and storytelling to explore migration, survival, and unique animal behaviours. Aimed at 7+ year olds, this large-format hardback is filled with real-life wildlife adventures, high-quality non-fiction text, and thought-provoking ecological insights. The blend of conservation themes, zoological explanations, and real-world facts is a highlight. We highly recommend it to primary school libraries.
7-9 year-olds | Author’s website
Nina Peanut: Mega Mystery Solver by Sarah Bowie
Nina Peanut, detective and ghost hunter, investigates a mysterious haunted shoe while running for class captain against the nasty Megan Dunne. What could possibly go wrong? Blending laugh-out-loud fun—we loved Mr Hairyson—with themes of friendship and politics, it will appeal to less confident readers who enjoy school-based stories and mysteries. Teachers of less able writers will find Nina Peanut invaluable for modelling story sequencing. If your KS2 children like Dog Man, Tom Gates, or Lottie Brooks, they’ll love this. Expect this heavyweight full-colour graphic novel romp to regularly disappear from your bookshelf.
8-12 year-olds | Author’s website
The Skeleton in the Cupboard and Other Stories by Lilija Berzinska, translated by Zanete Vevere Pasqualini and Sara Smith
Award-winning Lilija Berzinska presents nine fairytales inspired by and set on the Livonian coast in northern Latvia. Exploring the lives and challenges of various mysterious creatures, the clever sequence of stories will make children empathise, consider the worries of others, and think about their own experiences. The writing sparkles, and each short tale is a window into an imaginative yet strangely familiar fairytale world. There’s much to discuss, from philosophical themes to creative writing ideas – and The Skeleton in the Cupboard is ideal for reading in KS2 book clubs and creative writing sessions. Highly recommended.
9+ year-olds | Author’s website
Popcorn by Rob Harrell
In Popcorn, Rob Harrell presents a poignant story about Andrew, who grapples with anxiety exacerbated by various mishaps, including a school bully and an exploding science experiment. The situation worsens when he learns that his grandmother, who has Alzheimer’s, is missing. Illustrated with black-and-white doodles and panels, the book offers insights into anxiety and OCD while providing practical coping strategies. Aimed at readers aged 9+, it blends humour with meaningful themes, making it a useful text for discussing mental health and support systems with UKS2 and KS3 readers. Highly recommended.
9+ year-olds | Author’s website
Circus Maximus: Return of the Champion by Annelise Gray
Set in Ancient Rome, Return of the Champion concludes the exhilarating Circus Maximus series with Dido and Damon striving for racing glory. Dido hopes her horse’s foal will complete her team, while Damon, a rival’s runaway son, dreams of being a charioteer. Ideal for ages 10-14, this book offers historical insight and themes of perseverance and teamwork. It’s perfect for children who love historical adventures. Read our full review.
9+ year-olds | Author’s website
Desert Echoes by Abdi Nazemian
Desert Echoes follows devastated 15-year-old Kam as he deals with his boyfriend Ash’s mysterious disappearance during a camping trip. Two years later, Kam returns to Joshua Tree to seek closure but faces unexpected danger. Will whatever happened to Ash happen to him too? This electric and complicated LGBT young adult novel explores themes of loss, love, and personal growth. It will move every 14-18 year old who reads it. Highly recommended.
13+ year-olds | Author’s website
Within the Heart of Wicked Creatures by Rima Orie
Born with the power to manipulate souls, Priya finds herself in an elite military academy in a war-torn country. This unusually gripping story explores visceral themes of survival and self-discovery. Suitable for fiery children aged 12 and up, it will appeal to those interested in dark fantasy and complex characters.
14+ year-olds | Author’s website
The Dagger and the Flame by Catherine Doyle
Shade-magic, gangs and dark secrets fuel this thrilling romantasy between rival assassins in the spellbinding kingdom of Fantome. Perfect for 14+ year-old fans of Sarah J. Maas and Leigh Bardugo, this enemies-to-lovers blockbuster blends vividly described cityscapes with catacombs, delicious revenge, and forbidden love. Highly recommended. You might need a shelf of them to satisfy your KS4 readers.
14+ year-olds | Author’s website
Themed day / social media opportunities for September 2024
These hashtag days might provide ideas for primary and secondary teachers and current and relevant talking points for secondary-aged pupils aged 13+ in KS3, KS4 and KS5, especially when linked to related literature.
- September is #BackToSchoolMonth – the perfect opportunity for parents and classroom teachers to stock up on children’s books for the year ahead. Our most popular recommended book guides at the start of the school year are our lists of year 1 books, year 6 books and year 7 books.
- #WorldLetterWritingDay is held on September 1st and there are lots of ideas and sources of inspiration on the World Letter Writing Day website.
- September 13th is Roald Dahl Story Day, held on the author’s birthday each year. The day is “an annual global celebration of Roald Dahl’s marvellous stories, characters and worlds from Matilda to Charlie and The Chocolate Factory.” There are details explaining how to get involved and activity ideas on the website.
- September 15th is #OnlineLearningDay. We have a comprehensive online learning resource page with ideas and websites to support online learning.
- The Diverse Books Awards shortlist is announced. The award aims to “highlight the best of the diverse voices published in the UK & Ireland”.
- September 6th is #ReadABookDay and September 8th is UNESCO’s #InternationalLiteracyDay – both great opportunities to revitalise whole-school reading, set up a reading challenge or take part in a writing competition.
- Avast ye! Get your pirate books out and put on your best cod Cornish accents! It’s Talk Like a Pirate Day on September 19th. Perhaps arrange a teacher-sponsored talk like a pirate for the entire school day!
- September is World Kid Lit Month – “the time to discover international literature for children and young adults”. Their website contains useful resources for primary and secondary-aged students.
- September 24th is World Gorilla Day. The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund has lots of ideas to generate interest or involvement, or you might decide to opt for a sponsored ‘come to school hairy‘ day, or read aloud and dress up as the characters from Anthony Browne’s books.
- International Podcast Day is held on September 30th. Listen to our children’s literature podcast which features new book reviews and previews, ‘blast from the past’ author features, current themes in literacy and English teaching and much more.
- And finally, September is #NationalSewingMonth – ideal for kick-starting an extracurricular needlework club and reading The Spell Tailors by James Nicol with your KS2 class.
Extension activities:
- Have a look at our writing competitions for September 2024.
Other recently released titles to have a look at:
- Our latest September 2024 books of the month.
- Our rundown of the best books released this autumn 2024.
- Our September 2024 books of the day on Twitter. 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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