100 Best Books 6-8

Mr Gum is an extremely nasty man who hates everyone and lives in a disgusting tip of a house.

George wants his cardboard house all to himself. But when he goes to the loo, his friends fill his house to bursting point.

The Great Big Book of Families is about the diversity of families. The simple message is that every family is unique and special and that there is no such thing as ​‘normal’ or ​‘abnormal’. Books simply don’t get much more inclusive than this.

Moomintroll is cheerful and chubby and lives in the magical Moominvalley with his mother, Moominmamma, his father, Moominpappa and all of their friends.

Blue-haired explorer Hilda has an uncanny ability to find weird and wonderful adventures and befriend peculiar creatures.

Griffiths and Denton create a triumph to engage even the most determined hater of books, which includes hilarious cartoon drawings.

This is the tale of how a little girl named Fern – with the help of a friendly talking spider called Charlotte – saved her pig, Wilbur, from the usual fate of nice fat little pigs.

This joyful collection of more than 50 poems superbly conjures the sights, sounds and rhythms of the Caribbean. 

Follow Pippi Longstocking on her amazing adventures as she moves into Villa Villekulla with a horse, a monkey, and a big suitcase of gold coins.

When Farmer Hogget wins a piglet at the fair, he is amazed that Fly, his sheep-dog, welcomes him as one of her own pups.

Paddington, the brown bear from darkest Peru, is found by the Brown family on Paddington Station with his hat, duffel coat and marmalade sandwiches.

Judy and Peter are bored and alone – until they discover a mysterious board game, Jumanji, that comes to life as soon as they start to play

The BFG stands for Big Friendly Giant, who unexpectedly spirits a little girl named Sophie out of bed, and into the land of the child-eating giants.

Life with a very naughty little sister is both funny and excruciating in the six complete stories that make up this classic chapter book for newly independent readers.

Dog Man, created by Captain Underpants’ Dav Pilkey, is a comic masterclass, perfect for the surreal sense of humour of the average six- to nine-year-old.

A perfect book for young children interested in their cultural heritage or for those with a passion for travel and geography, this would also make a gorgeous gift for anyone interested in Africa.

Princess Smartypants is rebellious, independent, and very happy being single – but her parents want her to get married and settle down! This hilarious picture book has a subversive protagonist and a strong message about choosing your own destiny.

Coelho follows in a noble tradition headed by Agard, Ahlberg, McGough and Rosen, who turn everyday life into memorable poetic miniatures.

When Joe, Beth and Frannie move to a new home, an Enchanted Wood is on their doorstep. And when they discover the Faraway Tree, it proves to be the beginning of many magical adventures! Join them and their friends Moonface, Saucepan Man and Silky the fairy as they discover which new land is at the top of the Faraway Tree.

What is it like to leave everything behind and travel somewhere strange? This incredibly poignant story introduces the concept of refugees with straightforward language, tackling this difficult subject with truth, clarity and strikingly beautiful illustrations.

In this unusual book, we follow a young man as he packs his bags and leaves his family to go and start a new life in another country

A funny, thought-provoking collection of poems for older children from Britain’s best-loved rap poet, Benjamin Zephaniah, which cover a diverse and sometimes difficult range of topics but are full of fun and imagination. 

The Borrowers are tiny people who live in the secret places of old houses – behind the mantlepiece, inside the harpsichord, under the kitchen clock.

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III was an incredible sword-fighter, dragon-whisperer and the greatest Viking hero who ever lived.