12 great books for 6-year-olds

Kitty and the Moonlight Rescue

Our pick of 12 great modern books for six year olds.

  • Iced Out

    Iced Out

    Author: C K Smouha Illustrator: Isabella Bunnell
    Publisher: Cicada Books
    Interest age: 6-8
    Reading age: 6+

    Wilfred the Narwhal and Neville the Walrus are the odd ones out at Miss Blubber's School for Arctic Mammals... but will things change when Betty the Beluga joins the class? A stunning, empowering must-read for all children.

  • Lots

    Lots

    Author: Marc Martin
    Publisher: Bonnier Publishing
    Interest age: 3-6
    Reading age: 5+

    This beautiful book celebrates the world we live in: there are LOTS of people, places, landscapes and cultures to see. Marc Martin's illustrations capture the spirit of every place and culture, igniting the travelling bug for young explorers.

  • Hilo: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth

    Hilo: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth

    Author: Judd Winick
    Publisher: Puffin
    Interest age: 6+
    Reading age: 6-10

    Colourful, action-filled and laugh-out-loud funny, with plenty of burps, farts and catchphrases, HILO is the first in a bestselling US graphic novel series for younger readers. It's also a genuinely well-told, gripping sci-fi story.

  • The Cat and the King

    The Cat and the King

    Author: Nick Sharratt
    Publisher: Scholastic
    Interest age: 6-7
    Reading age: 8-9

    When the royal castle is destroyed in an Unfortunate Incident involving a fire-breathing dragon, the King and his best friend, the cat, are forced to find an alternative home.

  • Dave Pigeon

    Dave Pigeon

    Author: Swapna Haddow Illustrator: Sheena Dempsey
    Publisher: Faber & Faber
    Interest age: 6-7
    Reading age: 6-7

    Dave Pigeon, the brilliant pigeon mastermind, is determined to find and eat all of your biscuits. The expressive illustrations complete a perfect funny book for younger readers.

  • Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea

    Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea!

    Author: Ben Clanton
    Publisher: Farshore
    Interest age: 6-8
    Reading age: 6+

    Narwhal is a happy-go-lucky sea creature whose amazing horn-like tooth on his forehead earns him the nickname "unicorn of the sea". When he meets a jellyfish, they become firm friends. A quirky chapter book with a mixture of fun facts and nonsense stories.

  • Future Prez

    Sofia Valdez, Future Prez

    Author: Andrea Beaty Illustrator: David Roberts
    Publisher: Abrams
    Interest age: 6-11
    Reading age: 6+

    Sofia Valdez isn’t just a do-gooder: she’s a do-better, visiting people in her community who can’t get out much, or just stopping for a chat. Andrea Beaty’s brilliant rhyming text tells Sofia’s story flawlessly, and David Roberts' characters and imagery are stunning.

  • Ten Fat Sausages

    Ten Fat Sausages

    Author: Michelle Robinson Illustrator: Tor Freeman
    Publisher: Andersen Press
    Interest age: 4-7
    Reading age: 5+

    Everything in this sausagey counting book works perfectly: from the big, bold illustration to the satisfying rhyme that works well for preschoolers. It will also entertain adults and older children, who will really get the silly humour.

  • Look Up

    Look Up!

    Author: Nathan Bryon Illustrator: Dapo Adeola
    Publisher: Puffin
    Interest age: 4-7
    Reading age: 6+

    Nathan Bryon and Dapo Adeola’s charming picture book gifts us with a gorgeous character in Rocket, a girl whose passion for all things space is as inspiring to the reader as her heroine Mae Jemison is to her. 

  • Kitty and the Moonlight Rescue

    Kitty and the Moonlight Rescue

    Author: Paula Harrison Illustrator: Jenny Lovlie
    Publisher: Oxford
    Interest age: 4-8
    Reading age: 6+

    Kitty’s mum is a superhero with cat powers, and Kitty wants to be just like her. Kitty's night-time adventures feature a cast of lovely cat characters and there's a gentle theme of friendship, bravery and being yourself. 

  • Superbat

    Superbat

    Author: Matt Carr
    Publisher: Scholastic

    Pat the bat is bored. Everyone else is asleep, but Pat doesn’t want to be like everyone else, he wants to stand out. He dreams of being as special as the superheroes in his favourite comics. He dreams of being… Superbat!

  • How to be Extraordinary

    How to be Extraordinary

    Author: Rashmi Sirdeshpande Illustrator: Annabel Tempest
    Publisher: Puffin
    Interest age: 6-8
    Reading age: 5+

    This inspirational non-fiction picture book introduces children to extraordinary people from across the world and throughout history. Selected from a range of disciplines, the 15 featured individuals are united by common themes of hard work and perseverance.