MENUOur mission is to discover books that inspire Reading for Pleasure.
Top Titles
Each year our schools team read hundreds of books and choose a set of Top Titles with a range of themes and cultural and gender diversity to promote Reading for Pleasure.
Super Readables
We also know some children find reading long books more of a challenge so we have curated a list of Super Readable titles, shorter books which are still a good read.
What makes the cut?
The books on our lists are always...
a really good read
recently published
value for money
We look for varied characters, engaging plots, diverse authors, and a range of settings and story lines.
The Bookery Top Titles for 2024
Our Top Titles have become highly valued resources for schools as core library stock, introducing children (and teachers) to new titles.
The 24-book selection is available as a complete set, or divided into three bundles available to purchase individually:
PICTURE BOOKS (age 4+)
6-book bundle
Food Fight
Grape and Mushroom are best friends, but they are unable to play together because the Fruit and the Vegetables just can’t stop fighting. Their only hope is to visit the Wise Old Cheese on the Top Shelf of the fridge, something no morsel has ever managed before. Children will love the word play and pictures in this deliciously funny story with its message about tolerance and understanding.
Margaret's Unicorn
In this magical story set in Scotland, Margaret's whole world changes when her family moves to a cottage by the sea. One evening she spots a mist over the water …. unicorns are descending onto the shore! They soon vanish but accidentally leave behind a baby, tangled in the weeds. Wonderfully illustrated, with longer text for confident readers. A story about a ‘real Unicorn’ as opposed a sparkly one!
10 Cats
Ten cats discover three cans of paint and blotches, splotches and splats go everywhere! This chaotic, colourful counting book will appeal to younger children who will delight and engage with the adorable kittens on every page and the simple text which is perfect for reading out loud.
The Wide, Wide Sea
A child makes friends with a seal on a trip to the seaside. Together they explore all the wonderful things it has to offer. After a violent storm the beach is covered in litter which makes the seal very sad. Whose fault is it? Are they able to fix it? The blend of imaginary adventure and factual information will appeal to all.
This Rock Is Mine!
Two frogs squabble as they sit on a rock that neither wants to share. When a hungry heron swoops down they realise it’s time to find another rock together! The hilarious illustrations bring the drama to life and the rhyming text will appeal to both children and adults with a message that everyone will identify with.
Mavis The Bravest
Unlike her adventurous friend Marge, Mavis is a chicken who finds EVERYTHING scary. When someone tries to steal her friend Sandra, will she be able to find her bright spark of braveness? This warm-hearted and funny story with its catchy rhymes and great pictures will appeal to children across our age range. Our team of adults enjoyed it too!
SHORT CHAPTER BOOKS (age 7+)
6-book bundle
Above and Below: Sea and Shore
Turn the pages to discover the incredible creatures and plants that lie below the ocean blue. From magnificent mangrove forests and colourful coral reefs to exciting estuaries and the dangerous deep sea, there is so much to explore. Dive into this beautiful split-page book that celebrates ocean habitats. A non-fiction book that will appeal to all primary school aged children.
Lenny Lemmon and the Invincible Rat
Year 5 are dressed up for a day at ‘Olden Days School’ and Lenny has brought along the most olden-days surprise ever. There will be a prize for whichever class does best, and Lenny is determined his class will win it this year. Once everyone sees his olden-times rat, the prize is as good as won. But then Ratty escapes… and the hilarity begins. Lenny and his friends try desperately to catch Ratty and learn something about friendship along the way.
Magnificent Minnie Hero
Minnie belongs to a family of superheroes but doesn’t have any superpowers herself. She’s quite happy being outdoors studying nature, leaving her whacky family to get on with their superhero antics. On her 10th birthday a mysterious package arrives addressed to her and her life changes. Full of humour, this is a lovely story about families, nature and friendship. A perfect first chapter book, with colour illustrations.
Sona Sharma, A Friend Indeed
Sona lives in India, where she learns all about school elections, the ups and downs of best friends, and how to choose what matters most in life. When Miss Rao announces that there's going to be an election for Class Leader, Sona is excited to stand as a candidate – until she finds herself competing against her best friends, Joy and Renu. When the three girls fall out, Sona must decide what matters most…
Adventure Mice: Mermouse Mystery
Pedro is getting used to life with the Adventuremice. One stormy night, he finds something he's only ever dreamed of seeing: a real, live mermouse! The mermouse is lost, and Pedro and the Adventuremice must summon all their bravery and plunge into the ocean to find the mysterious Mermouse City. It’s another exciting, friend-filled adventure for Pedro and the team! Delightful, coloured illustrations throughout.
Fairy vs. Boy: A Stink Adventure
Danny Todd is desperate to fit in at school, so he isn’t happy when he opens a fairy door, and a REAL fairy flies out. Stink turns Danny’s life upside down. She hides in his hair, swims in his cereal, rides his rats and accidentally shrinks his best friend. Danny must get rid of Stink, but she won’t go away until he’s helped her earn gold nuggets. Is he going to be stuck with her forever? A laugh-out-loud cartoon-filled adventure featuring the world’s funniest fairy.
CONFIDENT READER (age 8+)
12-book bundle
Peril On The Atlantic
It's 1936 and Alice is setting sail on the Queen Mary with her father, Captain Townsend. He has ordered her to stay below and do her embroidery whilst he steers the ship in a race to set the fastest time to sail to New York, but Alice has other ideas. Together with her new friends Sonny (a lonely boy in first class), Charlie and Miriam, they uncover sabotage and witness attempted murder. A great adventure story which keeps you guessing until the end.
Grandpa Frank’s Great Big Bucket List
When Frank John Davenport inherits piles of money from a grandma he didn't know he had, things take an unexpected turn... Because the money comes with STRICT instructions...and a NEW grandpa. Frank quickly compiles a list of all the ways he can spend the money and look after his grumpy grandpa. There are balloon rides and a monster truck ride, but everything doesn’t quite go according to plan. Very funny and heart-warming.
The Elephant In The Room
Sila’s mum has been away for ages and she’s really missing her. But things change when she accompanies her father to fix a truck and meets a lonely elderly man who has won the lottery. This leads to the rescue of a circus elephant named Veda, and then to a friendship with Mateo. Sila and Mateo have the most unusual job ever: looking after an elephant. But that’s not all: there is an important quest and many surprises. A really unusual book!
The Monkey Who Fell From The Future
This is a brilliant time-travel adventure story. We meet Ocean Mooney, Duke Smith and Pierre the monkey in 2425. There are very few people, the earth has been reclaimed by nature and all technology has been destroyed. Meanwhile, in 2023, Thomas’s super-smart Australian cousin Kylie claims to have invented a time-tablet. When her experiment goes wrong, they are catapulted forward to 2425, while Ocean and Duke are thrust back to 2023. The children have just 24 hours to get back to their own time...
The Song Walker
When a young girl wakes up in the middle of the desert, she has no idea who she is. She's wearing one shoe, a silky black dress, and she's carrying a strange, heavy case. She’s unlikely to survive the night. But then Tarni appears: a girl who understands the outback and who is on a mysterious quest of her own. Together, the two girls trek across the vast and ever-dangerous Australian Outback. Great story about survival, challenges and friendship.
What's The Difference?: Animals
A beautifully illustrated non-fiction book which will have a wide appeal. It covers over sixty different regularly confused animals and discusses the similarities and differences between each of them. Test your knowledge: How do you tell the difference between a llama and an alpaca?
What really makes a crocodile different from an alligator?
Action Dude
Charlie Munderdrew is nine years old and afraid of spiders. But he is also Action Dude: the bravest boy alive who lives for danger and excitement. When a theme park full of robots goes haywire, it's up to Action Dude to come to the rescue. After all, no one else is crazy enough to just walk in there and save everyone. This is a really funny graphic novel - easy to read - with lots of unexpected twists and turns. It's the first in a series of three.
The Lost Whale
Rio has been sent to live with his grandmother in California, while his mum is in hospital back home. Alone and adrift, he joins his new friend Marina on her dad's whale watching trips. An incredible encounter with White Beak, a gentle giant of the sea, changes everything and when the whale goes missing, Rio sets out on a desperate quest to find it and somehow save his mum. A beautifully written story about the natural world and friendship.
Finding Her Feet
Lily, who has just started at secondary school, often feels an outsider. Her PE teacher spots her talent for football and invites her to join the local girls’ team. Lily starts to make friends and feels she has found a place where she fits in, until there’s an argument which threatens to knock her confidence. Lily’s story is interleaved with a clear and fascinating account of the growth of women’s football in the UK which dates back to 1895.
Next To Alice
Ben doesn’t like it at all when his teacher changes the seating arrangements and he is told to sit next to Alice, who is always telling him off about his table manners, his poor handwriting and squiggly drawing! This funny, entertaining school story charts the ups and downs of classroom life and friendships. In the end Ben discovers that sitting next to Alice is not so bad after all!
Calling The Whales
This is a thrilling adventure story about a girl, Tulsi, and a boy, Satchen, who discover a whale captured in netting near their Scottish seaside home. Over the course of a dangerous rescue mission to save the whale, the two children “connect” with the whale in extraordinary ways. “A powerful story to resonate with all who value the wild world and the need to protect it.” GILL LEWIS
The Terror Of Hilltop House
A gang of three children read a story in the local paper about missing sheep and weird gunk and set out to investigate. They uncover a rather dodgy research farm (biofuels, questionable use of DNA, etc). They set out to publicise what is going on but come up against many challenges.
Complete Top Titles 2024 Bundle (24 books)
We know some students find longer books a challenge...
...so we've drawn together collections of shorter books, all recently published with strong characters, engaging plots and interesting themes.
Perfect for children who have mastered basic reading, but who struggle to read for pleasure on a regular basis, or who are held back by dyslexia or visual stress.
With short chapters, eye-friendly paper, dyslexia-friendly fonts and layout, these sets are discounted to make them affordable to as many schools as possible.
SUPER READABLES
10-book bundle
All About Ella
Ella’s teacher has read the poem, “Monday’s Child is fair of face...” to the class. Ella asks her parents which day she was born on. Her brother Sam is very ill and her parents are too busy and anxious to respond, so Ella feels forgotten and neglected. A beautifully plotted story which explores Ella’s complex feelings of loss, anxiety and jealousy of her sick brother.
Reading Age: 7 // Interest level: Years 4-7
All to Play for
This book tackles the increasing expense of football for working class children. Lewis loves football and he’s thrilled when his talent is spotted by coach. His mother blames the game for a family tragedy, and, in any case, there is no way she can afford the proper kit. So will Lewis be able to fulfil his dreams and overcome his mother’s objections? A moving and engaging story.
Reading Age: 8 // Interest level: Years 4-8
Bruno and Frida
A fascinating and unusual story set just after the Second World War in East Germany in 1945. Bruno and his mother leave their home to escape from the Russian army. Bruno loses his mother and journeys alone to find his grandmother’s house. Towards the end there is an update to 2015 in which Bruno’s experiences are linked to those of Syrian refugees in Germany. This all sounds complicated but the powerful story telling makes it easy to read and children will also find out more about the lives of Germans post war.
Reading Age: 8 // Interest level: Years 5-8
Meg And Merlin: Making Friends
Meg loves riding but her parents cannot afford a pony or riding lessons. On the morning of her tenth birthday, Meg sees a pony in the front garden. This delightful story describes how it becomes possible for Meg to ride and care for the pony.
Reading Age: 7 // Interest level: Years 4-7
Noodle the Doodle Wins the Day
Another book in a series about the dog at Wigley Primary. Sports Day is unusual this year with events such as frisbee tossing and book balancing! Will Noodle the Doodle spoil the fun or will he win the day? Fast moving, funny and engaging.
Reading Age: 8 // Interest level: Years 4-7
Song Of The River
A beautiful book about the natural world and the environment. After the death of her father, Cari and her mother move to the country. When their riverside cottage is flooded, they must rebuild their home and café business. They become involved in a plan to reintroduce beavers into the area, but face local opposition. The story has many layers – overcoming grief, starting a new life and facing conflict. Easy to read! Stunning and pacey.
Reading Age: 8 // Interest level: Years 4-8
Stitched Up
A real page turner about a Vietnamese girl who is abducted to work in a factory producing jeans for export to the West. The horrific real-cost of fast fashion is exposed in this gripping tale of survival. Hanh and others like her are slaves in a cruel and dangerous world and the story is about survival and escape. Probably best for pupils in Years 5 and 6 who have some understanding of child labour. The story is very accessible and pupils will get caught up in its suspense. Will Hanh escape?
Reading Age: 8 // Interest level: Years 5-8
Ted Rules the World
Ever since the new Prime Minister was elected, Ted notices that all his ideas seem to be turning into government policy! Ideas such as an extra day off at the weekend! Easy-to-follow and funny plot which also gets children to think about what they would ask the Prime Minister to do.
Reading Age: 7 // Interest level: Years 4-7
The Horror of Dunwick Farm
Another book in the series about friends Pete, Krish and Nancy whose role it is to solve the mysterious happenings in the town of Crooked Oak. An unidentified plane carrying a strange and terrifying cargo has crashed on the outskirts of the town. When people become ill and animals start to act strangely, it’s time for the team to investigate. An exciting, fast paced adventure story.
Reading Age: 8 // Interest level: Years 4-8
The Raven Riddle
Another book in The Griffin Gate series in which Grace, Ben and their mother teleport around the country to help people in emergencies. Tom Eely is a new recruit to the crime-busting team and his first mission is to help Grace sort out a flock of ravens who are disturbing the lives of people in a small mountain village. The situation turns dangerous and Grace and Tom have to use all their skills and courage to save lives. Fast paced and suspense-filled plot.
Reading Age: 8 // Interest level: Years 4-8
