Pyjamarama: fun books to read with children in Key Stage 2
Reading books to children has lots of amazing benefits, even when they can read themselves. Sharing a story or a fascinating information book is still a great way to bond at this age, and it improves their overall wellbeing. But, most importantly, it's fun! We hope you enjoy reading these brilliant books together.
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Marv and the Dino Attack
Author: Alex Falase-Koya Illustrator: Paula Bowles
Publisher: Oxford
Interest age: 6-8
Reading age: 6+Marvin, a secret superhero with a robot sidekick named Pixel, is super excited because he’s going on a school trip to the Natural History Museum to see some REAL dinosaur bones. But he'll need all his superhero skills when the bones come to life!
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Indigo Wilde and the Creatures at Jellybean Crescent
Author: Pippa Curnick
Publisher: Hodder
Interest age: 6-9
Reading age: 7+This hilarious gem from Pippa Curnick is her debut as both author and illustrator, and it’s completely brilliant, immersing the reader in magic and a lovely brother-sister relationship.
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Pablo and Splash
Author: Sheena Dempsey
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Interest age: 6-8
Reading age: 7+Pablo and Splash are two penguins who've accidentally time-travelled to the Cretaceous period! Can they get home to the icy Antarctic before they’re eaten by dinosaurs? A funny colour graphic novel for newly confident readers.
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Murray and Bun: Murray the Viking
Author: Adam Stower
Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books
Interest age: 6-8
Reading age: 7+Best friends Murray the cat and Bun the rabbit are magically transported back to Viking times, where they become troll hunters. This hilarious comic caper, which is generously illustrated throughout, is the first instalment in an exciting new series for independent young readers.
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The Wild Life of Animals
Author: Mike Barfield Illustrator: Paula Bossio
Publisher: Buster Books
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 8+Brilliantly entertaining and informative, this guide to wild animals is a must-read for all nature fans. Told in comic style, with dialogue from the animals themselves, it’s great fun.
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Meet the Maliks, Twin Detectives: The Cookie Culprit
Author: Zanib Mian Illustrator: Kyan Cheng
Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books
Interest age: 6-7
Reading age: 7+Can Maysa and Musa solve the mystery of who destroyed the competition cookies? Relatable and funny, this is a story about everyday family life, with a gentle mystery and a BIG lie at the heart of it.
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Bunny vs Monkey and the League of Doom!
Author: Jamie Smart
Publisher: David Fickling Books
Interest age: 7-11
Reading age: 8+Presented as a series of short comic strip stories, with themes as diverse as filling Bunny’s house with custard and distorting the fabric of time and space, the Bunny vs Monkey universe is wildly imaginative and packed with anarchic humour and plentiful fart and poo jokes.
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Am I Made of Stardust? Dr Maggie Answers the Big Questions for Young Scientists
Author: Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock Illustrator: Chelen Ecija
Publisher: Buster Books
Interest age: 8-10
Reading age: 8+Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock is a real-life space scientist (you may have seen her on the TV) with a passion for sharing the wonders of space and science. This excellent book presents Dr Maggie’s answers to some brilliant questions asked by children, from “Did a person drive a car on the moon?” to “What do aliens look like?” and “Does it really rain diamonds on J…
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My Name is Sunshine Simpson
Author: G. M. Linton
Publisher: Usborne
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 8+What is special about Sunshine Simpson? She needs to find something to say about herself for a school assembly – but what? A delight of a book, exploring grief, friendship dynamics and finding your voice in a friendly, relatable manner.
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Deadlock
Author: Simon Fox
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 9+Archie Blake can pick locks. And when a diamond necklace goes missing and his dad is arrested, it’s down to Archie and his unusual skills to prove his dad’s innocence. An action-packed thriller with many knife-edge moments, this is a real page turner.
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Pirates of Darksea
Author: Catherine Doyle
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 9+When Max answers the call to join Captain O’Malley’s pirate ship instead of his brother, who’s ill, it’s the start of a rip-roaring fantastical adventure. A page-turner that will have children gripped and moved.
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High-Rise Mystery
Author: Sharna Jackson
Publisher: Knights Of
Interest age: 9-11
Reading age: 9+High-Rise Mystery is the perfect ‘whodunnit’. As the two girls sift through red herrings and reveal a series of tower block secrets, short snappy sentences and sparkling dialogue will keep readers turning the pages. A mystery as hot as the summer heatwave in which it’s set!
