Recommended reading books for primary & secondary aged children in the UK
Simon James Green is a British author and screenwriter, acclaimed for his contributions to children’s and young adult literature, particularly within the LGBTQ+ genre. Born in Nottingham and raised in Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, he pursued a degree in Law at Queens’ College, Cambridge. Transitioning from law, Green embarked on a career in the arts, working as a trainee director at the King’s Head Theatre in Islington and later directing various West End productions and UK tours, including The Rocky Horror Show and West Side Story. He also directed episodes of the television series Hollyoaks and co-wrote the BBC2 romantic comedy Rules of Love.
Green’s debut young adult novel, Noah Can’t Even (2017), garnered attention for its humorous portrayal of a gay teenager navigating adolescence. The novel was longlisted for the Branford Boase Award and recognised by WHSmith as one of the most important LGBT books of the last 50 years. Its sequel, Noah Could Never, followed in 2018. Subsequent YA novels include Alex in Wonderland (2019), nominated for the Carnegie Medal and featured in The Guardian’s Top 100 Holiday Reads; Heartbreak Boys (2020); You’re the One That I Want (2021), which won the Bristol Teen Book Award; Gay Club! (2022), nominated for the Yoto Carnegie Medal; and Boy Like Me (2023), also longlisted for the Carnegie Medal.
Expanding into middle-grade fiction, Green authored Life of Riley: Beginner’s Luck (2020), shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Award; Sleepover Takeover (2022), winner of the InspiRead Award; and Finn Jones Was Here (2023), longlisted for the UK Literacy Association Book Awards. In 2024, he collaborated with Olympic diver Tom Daley on the middle-grade novel Jack Splash.
Green has also written picture books, including Llama Glamarama (2020) and Fabulous Frankie (2021), both illustrated by Garry Parsons. His works are celebrated for their humour, inclusivity, and exploration of identity, resonating with readers across various age groups.
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.
Books for detentions with titles by Kate DiCamillo, David Baddiel, Liz Pichon, Jeff Kinney, Michael Rosen, Roald Dahl, Enid Blyton, Ravena Guron, Holly Jackson, and Karen M. McManus.
Summer reading challenge – A good reading challenge will not only promote reading and encourage reading for pleasure, but it will encourage a reading culture to spread like a virus throughout your school. Updated for 2026.
Books for Year 9 – a selection of reading books to challenge and interest pupils aged 13-14 in KS3 secondary schools. Authors include Gary Paulsen and Judy Blume.
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.
Edgy stories for 11-14 year olds with titles by Kwame Alexander, Malorie Blackman, Hilary McKay, Jason Rohan, Ele Fountain, Christopher Edge, Catherine Bruton, Derek Landy, Simon James Green, Robert Muchamore, Anne Cassidy & more.
Books for year 7 – our reading recommendation for 11 year olds at the start of secondary school in Year 7, including titles by A.M Dassu, Mitch Johnson, Lisa Thompson, Gillian Cross, Malorie Blackman, R.J. Palacio, Philip Pullman, Catherine Johnson & Michael Rosen.
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.
Keep your teen reading over the summer holidays with books by Abiola Bello, Simon James Green, Cynthia Murphy, Oskar Kroon, Meredith Adamo, E Lockhart, Angeline Boulley, Tess Sharpe, John Schu and more.
Here’s our selection of top new titles coming out in Summer 2024. These reading recommendations include picture books, early and middle-grade fiction; young adult novels and non-fiction.
Here’s our selection of top new titles coming out in Spring 2024. These reading recommendations include picture books, early and middle-grade fiction; young adult novels and non-fiction.
Season 1, Episode 8 of the School Reading List podcast. New book post, 30 great books for March 2023, a look at our poetry for 7-11-year-olds list and how the cost of living crisis is impacting children’s reading.
Here’s our selection of top new titles coming out in Spring 2023. These reading recommendations include picture books, early and middle-grade fiction; young adult novels and non-fiction.
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