The team at ISEB have rounded up a range of excellent books suitable for children across KS2 and KS3, we also produced a list of our favourites for younger children, it’s never too early to develop a love for reading. 

ISEB Product Executive, Tamra, summarises a selection of her favourites.

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, by the indomitable Judith Kerr, a thrilling tale made all the more poignant when discovering that it’s autobiographical.

His Dark Materials series, by Philip Pullman. Expertly transformed into the recent BBC series. A book covering monumental subject matter: ultimately, it’s a quest for the meaning of life. Without Philip Pullman leading the way in authoring attention-grabbing novels for children, no one would have heard of Harry Potter! I love the grand themes, the believable characters and, of course, the talking polar bear king.

Noughts and Crosses, by former Children’s Laureate: the amazing Malorie Backman. A book that looks at life differently, it’s a great one for starting debates and should be an essential read for any teenager. Thought-provoking, fast-paced and emotional; what more do you need from a book?

Titles recommended by the team also included:

Holes by Louis Sachar

The Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz

Tin by Padraig Kenny

The Last Wild Trilogy by Piers Torday

The Story of the Blue Planet by Andri Magnason

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series by Douglas Adams

The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings by J R R Tolkien

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (suitable for older readers)

Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson

On the Beach by Nevil Shute

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken

Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo

Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan

The team at ISEB also curated some suggested reading suitable for young children through to 11-13 years old, explore the collection!

– It’s never too early to develop a love for reading

– Building reading habits

– Book recommendations for 9-11 year olds

– Book recommendations for 11-13 year olds