Topic: Disability, Growing up, Mental Health, Neurodiversity, Non-Fiction, PSHE & Citizenship
Related Book: Break the Mould
Book Creator: Sinéad Burke, Natalie Byrne
Break the Mould is a heartfelt and inspiring guide to celebrating differences and finding your place in the world, for readers aged 8 and up.
Themes: Celebrating differences | Inclusivity | Empathy | Disability
Topic: English, Race & identity
Related Book: Splinters of Sunshine
Book Creator: Patrice Lawrence
Splinters of Sunshine is a YA road-trip mystery. Spey’s friend Dee has disappeared off-grid. He has an idea of where she might be, but is he willing to accept help from his estranged father to track her down?
Note: This book covers some sensitive issues. It is advised that teachers/parents/carers read the book before sharing with students.
Themes: Families | Friendship | Authentic experiences | Unique voices | Mystery
Topic: Climate change, English
Related Book: The Wild Before
Book Creator: Piers Torday
The Wild Before is a captivating animal adventure filled with hope and friendship. With timely themes of climate change and animal conservation, this extraordinary adventure is perfect for introducing young readers to big ideas.
Themes: Climate change | Friendship | Hope
Topic: Climate change, English
Related Book: The Wild Before
Book Creator: Piers Torday
The Wild Before is a captivating animal adventure filled with hope and friendship. With timely themes of climate change and animal conservation, this extraordinary adventure is perfect for introducing young readers to big ideas.
Themes: Climate change | Friendship | Hope
Topic: Disability, Empathy, English
Related Book: Let Down Your Hair
Book Creator: Bryony Gordon
The YA fiction debut from bestselling author Bryony Gordon, Let Down Your Hair is a modern twist on Rapunzel featuring a hair influencer who develops alopecia – and her quest for a different sort of happy ever after.
Themes: Social media | Online safety | Mental Health | Alopecia
Topic: Climate change, Geography, Non-Fiction
Book Creator: Helen Scales
Help KS2 children discover the extraordinary ways nature has survived and thrived in the face of environmental challenges in this beautifully illustrated collection of hopeful stories from around the world, written by marine biologist and broadcaster, Dr Helen Scales. With additional tips about the different habitats that animals and plants around the world call home and how they can help to make positive change.
Download a free chapter extract to share with your classroom.
Themes: Environment | Climate Change | Nature and Animal Kingdom | Eco
Topic: English, History, PSHE & Citizenship, Race & identity
Related Book: Ghost Boys
Book Creator: Jewell Parker Rhodes
A heartbreaking and powerful story about a black boy killed by a white police officer, drawing connections with real-life history, from award-winning author Jewell Parker Rhodes.
Themes: Race & Identity | History | Prejudice
Topic: Climate change, English
Related Book: Pop!
Book Creator: Mitch Johnson
An outrageous theft. A huge reward. Two friends on the run. POP! is an uproariously funny, action-packed new adventure about the power of courage, standing up for what’s right, and fizzy drinks, from the award-winning author of Kick, Mitch Johnson.
Tackling themes of consumerism and the environment, this is a great book for starting discussions and projects with children aged 9+. These resources have been created by Shapes 4 Schools.
Watch a video from the author here.
Topic: English, Growing up
Related Book: Bone Music
Book Creator: David Almond
A timely and original masterpiece that explores the connections between the past and the present, between civilisation and wilderness. From David Almond, the multi award-winning author of Skellig and one of this generation’s finest storytellers.
Topic: English
Related Book: Hollowpox
Book Creator: Jessica Townsend
Discover the magical and mysterious world of NEVERMOOR in this spell-binding series for readers aged 9+ and fans of His Dark Materials. The accompanying resources, linked below, are full of classroom ideas and cross-curricular activities for KS2, ideal for use in literacy lessons or as extra-curricular activities.
Themes: Magic | Family | Literacy
Topic: Climate change, English, Growing up
Related Book: Wilder
Book Creator: Penny Chrimes
These Teaching Notes focus on the opening pages of Wilder by Penny Chimes to introduce the themes and ideas in the story. The notes include book cover prompts, reading questions for pages 1–14 that support children’s reading comprehension, inference and predictive skills, accompanying activities, and a ‘spotlight’ extract from Chapter One.
A beautiful and enthralling adventure about love, belonging, the delicate balance of nature – and the wildness within us all, for fans of The Last Wild and Where the Crawdads Sing, for 9+ readers.
Download an extract here.
Topic: Careers, English, Life changes, Non-Fiction, Science
Related Book: The Superpets (and Me!)
Book Creator: Noel Fitzpatrick
Discover the amazing true stories of the heroic animals saved by the nation’s Supervet, Noel Fitzpatrick!
This inspiring memoir recounts the incredible stories of Noel’s animal patients, celebrating the unbreakable bond between humans and animals. Supported by curriculum-linked activity sheets.
Subjects: English | Science | Art & Design | PSHE (The World of Work)