Best Books for Kids
recommended by librarians, teachers, authors and kids
Last updated: November 25, 2025
-
1
Kay’s Anatomy: A Complete (and Completely Disgusting) Guide to the Human Body
by Adam Kay & Henry Paker (Illustrator) -
2
Look inside Your Body
by Louie Stowell, Kate Leake (Illustrator) -
3
Body
by Stephanie Babin, Ilaria Falorsi (Illustrator) -
4
Pirate Pete's Potty
by Andrea Pinnington & Melanie Williamson (Illustrator) -
5
Anatomy for Babies
by Jonathan Litton & Thomas Elliott (Illustrator)
Best Human Body Books for Kids, recommended by Sonia Joseph
Best Human Body Books for Kids, recommended by Sonia Joseph
An understanding of the human body can help children nurture both physical and mental health, as well as build knowledge and vocabulary about this fascinating topic. Paediatrician Sonia Joseph talks us through her pick of five books about the human body for kids, with something for every age from baby board books to middle grade non-fiction.
-
1
Winning Chess Strategy (for Kids)
Jeff Coakley, Antoine Duff (illustrator) -
2
Steps Method chess workbooks
by Rob Brunia and Cor van Wijgerden -
3
Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess
Bobby Fischer, Stuart Margulies, Donn Mosenfelder -
4
Chess for Tigers
Simon Webb, Edward McLachlan (illustrator) -
5
The Chess Player's Bible
James Eade, Al Lawrence, Carol & John Woodcock (illustrators)
Best Chess Books for Beginners, recommended by Andrew Green
Best Chess Books for Beginners, recommended by Andrew Green
Chess is one of the most enduringly popular games in the world. It transcends language barriers and offers players a hobby for life. Chess teacher and master Andrew Green recommends chess books for beginners of all ages to learn the game.
The Best Baby Books, recommended by Barbara Band
Barbara Band, librarian and former President of the UK’s Library and Information Association, explains why reading aloud for babies is not only a great bonding experience but also an important part of early childhood development. She shares some tips on reading with babies and introduces her top baby book recommendations.
Award-Winning Audiobooks for Kids
Whether you have a long journey with kids coming up or simply enjoy listening to stories together on the sofa, award-winning audiobooks for kids are a good bet for a quality listening experience.
The Best Science-based Novels for Children, recommended by Alom Shaha
There are umpteen science textbooks out there to help kids with their science homework. But what about the broader picture, the creativity, the advantages of becoming a scientifically literate individual? Alom Shaha, teacher, filmmaker and science communicator, recommends five great novels to inspire your kids with the wonder of science.
-
1
Philosophy: A Visual Encyclopedia
-
2
Children's Book of Philosophy: An Introduction to the World's Great Thinkers and Their Big Ideas
Sarah Tomley & Marcus Weeks -
3
Big Thinkers and Big Ideas: An Introduction to Eastern and Western Philosophy for Kids
by Sharon Kaye & Tara Sunil Thomas (illustrator) -
4
Big Ideas for Young Thinkers: 20 Questions about Life and the Universe
Jamia Wilson & Andrea Pippins (illustrator) -
5
Think about It! Philosophy for Kids: Key Ideas Clearly Explained
Alex Woolf, Daniel O'Brien, Olivia Daisy Coles (illustrator)
The Best Philosophy Books for 8-13 Year Olds, recommended by Zara
The Best Philosophy Books for 8-13 Year Olds, recommended by Zara
Zara, age 12, is an avid reader of philosophy books. Here she shares her favourite picks, and gives adults some tips on selecting the best books to get kids interested in philosophy.
-
1
The Murderer's Ape
Jakob Wegelius, translated by Peter Graves -
2
Maresi
Maria Turtschaninoff, translated by Annie Prime -
3
The Cat Who Came in off the Roof
Annie M.G. Schmidt, translated by David Colmer -
4
Reckless: The Petrified Flesh
Cornelia Funke, translated by Oliver Latsch -
5
The Letter for the King
Tonke Dragt, translated by Laura Watkinson -
6
The Beast Player
Nahoko Uehashi, translated by by Cathy Hirano
The Best Kids’ Books in Translation, recommended by Adam Freudenheim
The Best Kids’ Books in Translation, recommended by Adam Freudenheim
There is no shortage of great kids’ books written in English, but reading books in translation can open up whole new worlds and surprising perspectives. Adam Freudenheim, managing director of Pushkin Press, talks us through some of his favourites among the many books he’s published for kids, translated from other languages.
-
1
A Seed Is Sleepy
by Dianna Aston & Sylvia Long (illustrator) -
2
How Colour Works
by Catherine Barr & Yuliya Gwilym (illustrator) -
3
Bright in the Night
by Lena Sjöberg -
4
The Big Book of Bugs
by Yuval Zommer -
5
Creatures of the Deep: The Pop-Up Book
by Ernst Haeckel & Maike Biederstädt (paper engineer)
Beautiful Science Books for 4-8 Year Olds, recommended by Our Children's Editor
Beautiful Science Books for 4-8 Year Olds, recommended by Our Children's Editor
Scientific picture books provide an enjoyable way for kids to explore different fields of science without realising how much they are learning. Our Children’s Editor picks science books for kids age 4-8 that are informative but also a pleasure to look at, both for children and for the adults that are reading with them.
Books Like Percy Jackson, recommended by Our Children's Editor
It is hard for books to compete with TikTok and YouTube for children’s attention, but a few popular series do manage. If you have children in your life who loved Percy Jackson, here are some suggestions to help you pick the next book series to enthral them, based on myths from around the world.
-
1
The Way Things Work
by David Macaulay -
2
How Was That Built? The Stories Behind Awesome Structures
Roma Agrawal, Katie Hickey (illustrator) -
3
Under Earth, Under Water
by Aleksandra Mizielińska and Daniel Mizieliński & translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones -
4
Sky High! A Soaring History of Aviation
by Jacek Ambrożewski & translated by Zosia Krasodomska-Jones -
5
Inventors: Incredible Stories of the World's Most Ingenious Inventions
by Robert Winston & Jessamy Hawke (illustrator)
How Things Work: Great STEM Books for 8-12 Year Olds, recommended by Our Children's Editor
How Things Work: Great STEM Books for 8-12 Year Olds, recommended by Our Children's Editor
In addition to being fun fields to explore, engineering and technology can help children build their problem solving skills and make them think logically about design. Here, our Children’s Editor recommends engaging and attractive STEM books for 8-12 year olds on how things in the world around us work.
