Books for 6-8 year olds

Did you know that crows in Japan use cars to crack nuts, or that herons use bread as bait for fishing? Bright Birds takes you and the nature-loving child in your life on a fascinating journey into the clever world of birds. Discover incredible facts about nest-building, problem-solving, and survival skills, all brought to life by Kate Read’s stunning illustrations. With a foreword by BBC presenter Megan McCubbin, this engaging and informative book is perfect for curious minds and budding birdwatchers.

Dive into the enchanting world of A Mermaid's Diary, a fantasy adventure from award-winning author Chris Riddell. When shy mermaid Atalanta discovers a developer’s plan to turn her peaceful Sleepy Cove into a luxury resort, she refuses to let them destroy her home. With the help of her friends, she embarks on a daring quest to save the cove before it's too late. Complete with black-and-white illustrations, this beautifully told story is a celebration of friendship, courage, and the importance of protecting the places we love.

An all singing, all dancing, new full colour graphic novel series of JOY from the creator of Tom Gates, perfect for young readers. Travel to the Isle of Smile and meet the Wibbles of Wobble Mountain, the singing Earworms and the Uncertain Curtain. When the Clouds of Joy bump together to make a wonky rainbow it means one thing: someone or something is coming to VISIT. Who could it be?

When jeweller Mr Peacock receives a once-in-a-lifetime job from the Lion Prince, he’s grateful for the help from his new apprentice, a shy chicken. That is until he discovers a startling robbery and that his apprentice has disappeared! A heartwarming new animal fairy tale from Axel Scheffler, The Jeweller’s Apprentice is a story about forgiveness and learning from your mistakes.

Clare isn’t like other princesses. Every minute she can, she escapes the stuffy palace to explore the great outdoors, climb trees and get as muddy as she can, much to the disgust of her nanny. So when a mysterious creature offers her a chance to have the life she dreams of, with just one catch, Clare has a huge choice to make. A funny new fairytale with a twist from an award-winning writer and illustrator duo, The Ogre Who Wasn’t is sure to be loved by children of all ages.

Jump into the amazing uncrashable adventure car and hurtle off in search of a lucky rabbit’s foot in The Land of Lost Things, the first book in the brand-new Adventures Unlimited series by Andy Griffiths, author of the bestselling Treehouse books. Packed with daring escapades, silly puns, and brilliantly detailed illustrations by Bill Hope, young readers who love the Tom Gates and InvestiGators books will enjoy this new adventure story.

From the creators of What the Ladybird Heard comes this collection of six magical Princess Mirror-Belle stories. When Ellen meets Mirror-belle, a mischievous princess who appears out of mirrors and causes havoc, her life turns into a non-stop adventure! Designed to support young readers in developing their confidence when reading independently, the Princess Mirror-Belle books are packed with magic and mischief.

By day Astrid Atomic is a normal 6-year-old human. But when she goes to bed at night, she doesn’t stay there sleeping soundly. Instead, she jets off on the spaceship Stardust to explore outer space! A brand new series from the author-illustrator of the Claude series, Astrid and the Space Cadets is an illustrated adventure designed especially for newly confident readers to enjoy independently.

Nelson Mandela devoted his life to campaigning for freedom and justice in his native South Africa and around the world. Long Walk to Freedom is his incredible and heroic story. Adapted especially for children by poet Chris van Wyk and illustrated by South African artist Paddy Bouma, this book will introduce children to one of the world’s most exceptional leaders.

Max dreams of becoming a knight, but he’s too small and definitely not brave enough to make the grade. When his Uncle Budrick is kidnapped by the nasty King Gastly, Max seizes the chance to prove he’s got what it takes to save the realm of Byjovia from peril! Fans of adventure stories will love Max and the Midknights, a hilarious illustrated chapter book from Lincoln Perice, creator of the Big Nate series.

Ginger is back! After escaping from Tweedy’s farm and setting up home with Rocky, their daughter Molly and the rest of the gang, she’s settling into free-range life. But when word reaches her that chicken-kind is facing a new threat, Ginger decides she has to head back to the mainland and rescue her feathered friends. With full-colour illustrations and fantastic facts about the new film, Chicken Run Dawn of the Nugget, this is the ultimate book for fans of the Aardman adventure.

From a little girl born a princess to her seventy-year reign, the late Queen Elizabeth II devoted her life to service. Now, Waterstones Children's Book Prize-winning Julia Golding and illustrator Kate Hindley celebrate her reign through the story of her colourful clothes and beautiful jewellery. This stunning illustrated account of the life of Queen Elizabeth II is a special gift that will be treasured for years to come.

The British Royal family has a connection with animals which goes back almost a thousand years, and this beautiful new illustrated history charts it with fantastic facts and beautiful full-colour illustrations. As they discover the real reason why there are lions on the British crest, and read true animal stories of royal elephants, ravens, parrots, and of course corgis, this beautiful and fascinating royal history will delight any young animal lover. 

An anthology of poems and stories which celebrate the majesty of trees, My Heart Was a Tree makes a beautiful gift for young nature lovers. Curated by Sir Michael Morpurgo, who was inspired by the need to protect our woodlands, this collection brings together stories from Greek mythology, poems from all over the world, and contemporary accounts that celebrate our connection to nature. With stunning illustrations by Yuval Zommer on every page, this is a book to be cherished.