Oracy books for children and teens
Oracy books for children and teens with titles by Joseph Coelho, Elizabeth Acevedo, Angie Thomas, Dean Atta, Manjeet Mann, Helen Rutter, Laurie Halse Anderson, Matt Goodfellow, Ben Brooks, and Jennifer Mathieu.
Recommended reading books for primary and secondary aged children in the UK
Angie Thomas is an American author known for her impactful contributions to young adult literature. She gained widespread recognition with her debut novel, The Hate U Give, published in 2017 by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins. The novel addresses themes of race, identity, and social justice, inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement. It became a New York Times bestseller and was adapted into a feature film in 2018.
Thomas followed her debut with On the Come Up, released in 2019. This novel also achieved bestseller status and explores themes of ambition and resilience in the face of adversity. In 2021, she published Concrete Rose, a prequel to The Hate U Give, which delves into the backstory of a key character from her first novel.
Her work has been recognised with numerous awards, including the William C. Morris Award and the Michael L. Printz Honor. Thomas’s novels have been translated into multiple languages, reaching a global audience. Her writing continues to resonate with readers, addressing contemporary issues with authenticity and depth.

Oracy books for children and teens with titles by Joseph Coelho, Elizabeth Acevedo, Angie Thomas, Dean Atta, Manjeet Mann, Helen Rutter, Laurie Halse Anderson, Matt Goodfellow, Ben Brooks, and Jennifer Mathieu.
Contemporary fiction for children and teens with titles by Jacqueline Wilson, Alice Oseman, Angie Thomas, R. J. Palacio, Onjali Q. Raúf, Elizabeth Acevedo, Patrice Lawrence, Juno Dawson, Benjamin Dean, and Dean Atta.
Children’s books to combat hatred including titles by Michael Rosen, Malorie Blackman, Benjamin Zephaniah, Angie Thomas, Jason Reynolds, David Olusoga, R. J. Palacio, Lois Lowry, Elle McNicoll, and Nicola Davies.
Books for 16-year-olds – favourites chosen by teens including titles by Nicola Yoon, Julie Murphy, Sarah J. Maas, Jenny Han, S. F. Williamson, Laura Nowlin, Bill Wood, and Angie Thomas.
Here’s our selection of top new titles coming out in Summer 2026. These reading recommendations include picture books, poetry, early and middle-grade fiction; young adult novels and non-fiction.
Here’s our selection of top new titles coming out in Autumn 2025. These reading recommendations include picture books, poetry, early and middle-grade fiction; young adult novels and non-fiction.
Season 1, Episode 9 of the School Reading List podcast. New book post, 30 great books for April 2023, a look at our summer term children’s book picks and how Chat GPT could affect English teaching.
Shortlists for the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2020 and Kate Greenaway award 2020 – recommended for children and young adults in primary and secondary schools.
A selection of great value or free eBooks for children and young adults in lockdown. Authors include Angie Thomas, Akemi Dawn Bowman, Adam Blade, Kevin Tsang, Darren Shan and Fiona Danks.
Here’s our selection of top new titles coming out in Spring 2019. These reading recommendations include picture books, early and middle-grade fiction; young adult novels and non-fiction.
The 2018 shortlist of books for the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2017 – recommended for children aged 9-16 and young adults in primary and secondary schools.
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