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World Book Day is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the joy of reading and inspire young minds with captivating stories. For World Book Day 2025, our Primary Subject Lead Team have carefully selected a list of book recommendations to engage, educate, and entertain children in Reception, KS1 and KS2.
Dive into eQ’s top picks below and let’s make this World Book Day a memorable one…
Reception and KS1 Recommendations:
- Oh No George – Chris Haughton
- A Little Bit Lost – Chris Haughton
- How to Catch a Star- Oliver Jeffers
- Peace at Last – Jill Murphy
- The Everywhere Bear – Julia Donaldson
- Howl – Kat Patrick
- Orion and the Dark – Emma Yarlett
- Bear Don’t Eat Egg Sandwiches – Julie Fulton & Rachel Suzanne
- I am Hungry – Michael Rosen
- Supertato – Sue Hendra & Paul Linnet
- Owl Babies – Martin Waddell
- Avocado Baby – John Burningham
- Not Now Bernard – David McKee
- Mr Wolf Pancakes – Jan FearnleyThe Lion Inside – Rachel Bright
- I Want my Hat Back- Jon Klassen
- The Day the Crayons quit – Oliver Jeffers
- Sulwe – Lupita Nyong’o
- Handa’s Surprise – Eileen Browne
- Julian Is a Mermaid – Jessica Love
- The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family – Ibtihaj Muhammad, S.K. Ali & Hatem Aly
- Last Stop on Market Street – Matt de la Peña
- We’re All Wonders – R.J. Palacio
- Mama Panya’s Pancakes – Mary & Rich Chamberlin
- Look Up! – Nathan Bryon
- Billy and the Beast – Nadia Shireen
- The Girl with the Parrot on Her Head – Daisy Hirst
- My Hair – Hannah Lee & Allen Fatimaharan
- Ellie and the Cat – Malorie Blackman
Key Stage 2 Recommendations:
- Dirty Bertie – Alan Macdonald
- The Hodge Heg – Dick King Smith
- The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
- Goodnight Mr Tom- Michelle Magorian
- Charlottes Web – E.B. White
- Glassborn – Peter Bunzl
- Boy in the Tower – Polly Ho-Yen
- Wonder – R.J. Palacio
- Refugee Boy – Benjamin Zephaniah
- Haroun and the Sea of Stories – Salman Rushdie
- El Deafo – Cece Bell
- The Day You Begin – Jacqueline Woodson
- Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom – Carole Boston Weatherford
- The Jolly Postman – Allan Ahlberg and Janet Ahlberg
- Amina’s Voice – Hena Khan
- The Name Jar – Yangsook Choi
- The Great Paper Caper – Oliver Jeffers
- Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters – John Steptoe
Do you have a World Book Day recommendation you’d like to share with us? If so, feel free to get in touch with our team at teachertraining@e-Qualitas.co.uk
Visit our Primary Teacher Training page, to watch videos with our Primary Subject Leads and learn more about the programme.