Gladiators booklist

Learn about African-American boxer Muhammad Ali in this accessible picture book biography for young children. This title builds on the inspiring Little People, Big Dreams series, which has expanded to include books about extraordinary men. 

Funny and silly, this is a book that will entertain children for a good amount of time. With over 40 ridiculous challenges!  

Crab boasts that he is the ruler of the rockpool, as he’s so brave and strong, but Prawn insists that there’s more to survival than just being tough. An entertaining picture book with colourful, cartoon-like illustrations and plenty of witty one-liners. 

Tiny Hercules has been banished to the human world – can Jeff help him in his epic quest to defeat a lion? Brilliant, action-packed fun with laugh-out-loud moments. 

The ruler of heaven challenges every animal to a great race, with the fastest 12 immortalised in the Chinese zodiac. Join Ming the fox and Miaow the cat as they fight to win the race!

What a lovely day… to invade planet Earth! Meet the Megalomaniacs, a group of mini monsters who are itching to take over the world. Outrageous fun from Jamie Smart the creator of Bunny vs Monkey.

A celebration of diversity in a robot-themed comic book featuring mega robot battles – and a trip to buy school uniform.

Set in ancient Rome, this is the hilarious tale of Julius, a zebra who is seized from his African watering hole and shipped hundreds of miles away to face the gladiators in combat at the Colosseum.

Presented in large, clear font and with black and white illustrations throughout, this funny, exciting, imaginative adventure story is a great introduction to fantasy fiction for newly independent readers. 

Pedigree cat Varjak Paw lives in a luxurious mansion with his family, but when trouble comes to their door, he’s forced to escape to the streets to enlist the help of a sworn enemy. A modern adventure which considers what it is to be persecuted for coming from a different culture, and, at the same time, find strength in the wisdom passed down from our ancestors.

Sun Wukong, legendary monkey king and warrior, faces an ancient evil which threatens the world. Join him on a wild and comical adventure as he battles the monsters of ancient Greece. 

A normal kid called Alex and the heroic Axel swap worlds and must complete quests to return home in this fast-paced, hilarious fantasy adventure.  

This inspirational non-fiction book celebrates the achievements of eight fantastically great women from the word of sport. 

Jodie Ounsley – Fury on TV show Gladiators, as well as a previous England rugby player – wants to help young people discover their dreams, be comfortable living outside of the box, learn that differences are superpowers, speak up for themselves, and develop resilience.

In this often hilarious, comic-style book, Mike Barfield and Franziska Höllbacher take readers through a huge variety of zany, unusual, and often wacky jobs.

Kofi earns a scholarship to a prestigious private school and must overcome bullying and academic pressures to achieve his dream of becoming a professional athlete. A moving and important story.