Topic: English, Growing up
Age Range: 3-6
Book Creator: Nick East, Sue Hendra, Paul Linnet
Cristopher Pumpkin tells the tale of a Halloween pumpkin who doesn’t want to be scary! A funny rhyming story from the authors of Supertato and the creators of Simon Sock.
Themes: Halloween | Comedy | Blazing your own trail | Rhyming | Reading aloud
Topic: English, PSHE & Citizenship, Race & identity
Related Book: The Star Outside My Window
Book Creator: Onjali Q. Raúf
The Stars Outside My Window, told through the innocent voice of a child, this is a story that explores the subtle faces and endless impacts of domestic violence, and celebrates the power of hope and resilience, from Onjali Rauf, the award-winning author of The Boy At The Back of the Class.
Themes: Healthy Relationships | Fostering and Adoption | Coping with Loss | Hope
Topic: English, PSHE & Citizenship, Race & identity
Related Book: The Star Outside My Window
Book Creator: Onjali Q. Raúf
The Stars Outside My Window, told through the innocent voice of a child, this is a story that explores the subtle faces and endless impacts of domestic violence, and celebrates the power of hope and resilience, from Onjali Rauf, the award-winning author of The Boy At The Back of the Class.
Themes: Healthy Relationships | Fostering and Adoption | Coping with Loss | Hope
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: Empathy, English, Growing up, LGBTQ+, PSHE & Citizenship, Race & identity
Age Range: 3-6
Related Book: I Am NOT a Prince
Book Creator: Rachael Davis, Beatrix Hatcher
I Am NOT A Prince is a fairy tale for the 21st century that challenges gender stereotypes and encourages children to be proud of who they are and express themselves.
Themes: Identity | Kindness | Bravery | Hope | Acceptance | Friendship | Being proud
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: Art, Growing up, Life changes, PSHE & Citizenship, Race & identity
Age Range: 3-6
Related Book: A Superpower Like Mine
Book Creator: Liam Darcy, Dr. Ranj Singh
The superpower picture books by bestselling author and TV Doctor, Dr Ranj, will teach nursery and KS1 children to celebrate all the little and important things that make us all unique.
Themes: Superpowers | Celebrating Different Skills | Exploring Identity
Age Range: 7-11
Related Book: Indigo Wilde and the Creatures at Jellybean Crescent
Book Creator: Pippa Curnick
Discovered in the Unknown Wilderness when she was just a baby, Indigo Wilde was adopted by a pair of World-Famous Explorers. Now she inhabits the colourful world of 47 Jellybean Crescent, a house full of magical creatures and wild adventures.
Packed with glorious full-colour illustrations by Pippa Curnick.
Subjects covered in resources: Comprehension and inference | Writing | Art, Design and Technology
Activity sheet, story prompts and quiz also available.
Topic: Climate change, Geography, Non-Fiction
Related Book: Eco Explorers: A World Full of Wildlife
Book Creator: Neal Layton
Award-winning author-illustrator Neal Layton is here to introduce the concept of biodiversity to younger readers, explaining what it is, why it’s so important, and children can make a difference.
Themes: Environment | Biodiversity | Nature and Animal Kingdom | Eco
Topic: English, PSHE & Citizenship, Science
Age Range: 7-11
Related Book: The Exploding Life of Scarlett Fife
Book Creator: Maz Evans, Chris Jevons
From the best-selling Maz Evans comes a new series about Scarlett Fife: logical, mathematical – but when it comes to her feelings, completely out of control! A sparkling, heart-warming series with laugh-out-loud action for every child who has ever experienced Big Feelings.
Themes: Emotional literacy | Managing big feelings | Anger | Worry | Different-shaped families | Friendship | Mindfulness
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: English
Age Range: 7-11
Related Book: The Wizard In My Shed
Book Creator: Simon Farnaby, Claire Powell
Meet Merdyn the Wild (the world’s most badly-behaved wizard), Rose (the world’s most ordinary girl) and Bubbles (the world’s best guinea pig) on a hilarious adventure that might just end in an epic wizard battle in the garden – if you’re lucky.
Download these fun activity sheets, including colouring in and a wordsearch.
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, Geography
Related Book: The Adventure Club: Red Panda Rescue
Book Creator: Kirsti Beautyman, Jess Butterworth
A brand new illustrated series for younger readers about animals and adventure from much-loved author Jess Butterworth – writer of classic adventure stories in vibrantly described settings.
Fun in-class activities following The Adventure Club series.
Themes: Adventure | Environment | Animals | Family