Autumn is the perfect time of year to get cosy with a book, but with so many new releases every month, it can be hard to know where to start. At One Education, our team loves to read and talk about books, so we’ve collated some of our favourites here to inspire you.
Without further ado, here are our recommended reads for Autumn 2024:
Hank Goes Honk! is a hilarious picture book by Maudie Powell-Tuck, illustrated by Duncan Beedie. Telling the tale of Hank, who can’t help honking at the most inappropriate of times, the story follows his journey to become an ‘in-PECK-able’ goose who is mindful and kind to others.
Be Back Soon tells the beautiful story of Bibi and Mo, two brothers who love to watch the swallows together in the summertime. Bibi has to leave home to work in a faraway place, but uses the story of the swallows arriving every summer to explain and reassure his little brother that he will come home again.
We’re big fans of Every Cherry books here, and their newest ‘Stories for Your Senses’ title A Day at the Beach is no exception. Taking children on a sensory journey through a trip to the beach, the story immerses readers in the landscape, and includes an audiobook and soundscape to add to the experience. The series has been designed specifically to support children with SEND, but is a really accessible text for all.
Clothilde Perrin has just published the latest in her large format picture books, The Remarkables: The Most Incredible Children I’ve Met – So Far! Fans of her earlier work such as Inside the Villains, will love this take on the remarkable ‘types’ of children you meet in the world. Exploring themes such as ‘the invisible child’ and ‘the speedy child’, with glorious illustrations and lift the flap fun, Perrin takes a humorous look at childhood through each child’s superpower. Perfect for sparking discussions about what makes us ‘us’.
For children in UKS2, the brilliant Shadow Creatures by Chris Vick is well worth reading. Although there are plenty of middle grade novels set during WW2, this tale is something special. Set in occupied Norway, the story recounts the childhood experiences of Tove and Liva and the impact the Nazi occupation has on their lives and those around them. A really interesting take on the genre, and one which many children will find thrilling.
Did you know that our One Education Reading Award subscribers gain access to hundreds of resources, including book lists that share our most up to date recommendations on a variety of topics? If you’re developing your school’s reading curriculum offer, get in touch with our Reading Award Lead at Catherine.delaney@oneeducation.co.uk to find out more about becoming a Reading Award school and the benefits this can bring to your provision.
Turning to readers in secondary school and beyond, Matt Goodfellow’s latest collection of poems Tomorrow We Begin is a poetic journey through 11+. Designed for students to find and see themselves in, the poems are on wide ranging themes, from starting school to messing around with their mates, almost providing a guide to this tricky time of life.
For readers aged 13+, the latest offering from Frances Hardinge, The Forest of a Thousand Eyes charts Feather’s perilous journey along the Wall skirting the Forest to return her community’s precious spyglass to its rightful place. But in Feather’s world, the Forest is not a place of refuge, but a place of terror intent on destroying all humans. A beautiful story of perseverance and resilience, Feather’s journey and the people she meets along the way are beautifully illustrated throughout by Emily Gravett.
For Young Adult readers, we’re loving Somehow, Somehow by Nyanda Foday. When the COVID-19 lockdown was announced, Nyanda chose to stay in her student accommodation, miles away from her family in Birmingham. This collection of poems charts the 79 days she spent alone, and the impact of the pandemic on her and the outside world.
Love caused this war. At least, that’s what the stories will say.
Bea Fitzgerald’s second reimagining of Ancient Greek myth, The End Crowns All, is another great new story for older readers. This time focusing on Cassandra and Helen of The Illiad, the story takes all the best elements of the original and adds to them, weaving the most wonderful love story as it does so.
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading and our recommended reads inspire you to read one of these texts this Autumn. One Education customers can receive 30% off books from our partners Peters. Just visit www.peters.co.uk/oneeducation to find out more and to purchase using our money off code.
Our specialists can support you to review your existing book stock, ensuring the texts your pupils and students have access to are up to date and truly representative of them and the wider world. For more information about how we can support you and your reading offer, please contact our Literacy Team Leader, Laura Buczko at laura.buczko@oneeducation.co.uk.
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