Years R–9Reading

Reading at home: book ideas for every age

Written by A Dagdelen · Reviewed 17 October 2026

You do not need a long list or a strict routine. Fifteen minutes a day with a book your child actually likes does more than a shelf of recommended titles. Here are ideas by age, including books Oak's English lessons use, so a lesson and a bedtime story can lead to each other.

Photo: Wesley Tingey on Unsplash

15 minutesa day is a good habit to aim for, not a target to fail
Any formataudiobooks, comics and e-books all count
Freeyour local library lends books at no cost
OakEnglish units are built around real books, from Year 1 to Year 9

Books to try, by age

Reception to Year 2 (ages 4 to 7). The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak Elmer by David McKee Dogger by Shirley Hughes The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark by Jill Tomlinson, which is also an Oak Year 2 unit.
Years 3 and 4 (ages 7 to 9). Fantastic Mr Fox and The BFG by Roald Dahl, with The BFG an Oak Year 3 unit The Iron Man by Ted Hughes Charlotte's Web by E. B. White The Borrowers by Mary Norton, an Oak Year 4 unit El Deafo by Cece Bell, an Oak Year 4 book club.
Years 5 and 6 (ages 9 to 11). Holes by Louis Sachar Wonder by R. J. Palacio How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell, an Oak Year 5 unit The Unforgotten Coat by Frank Cottrell-Boyce, an Oak Year 5 book club Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian Girl of Ink and Stars by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, an Oak Year 6 book club Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, an Oak Year 6 unit.
Years 7 to 9 (ages 11 to 14). The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo Noughts & Crosses by Malorie Blackman, which deals with serious themes Lord of the Flies by William Golding, an Oak Year 9 unit. Oak also teaches The Tempest in Year 7 and A Midsummer Night's Dream in Year 8: seeing or listening to a performance first makes the language much easier.

Making reading a habit

Read to them for longer than you think

Children enjoy being read to well into secondary school. Audiobooks in the car count too.

Let them choose

Comics, football books, series and non-fiction all build the habit. Finishing a book they chose beats starting a book you chose.

Use the library

Join together and ask the librarian for suggestions. It is free, and borrowing removes the pressure to like a book you bought.

Talk about it, then watch the lesson

Ask what they would change, then look at the matching Oak unit on Quizo School so the book and the lesson reinforce each other.

Practise and explore on Quizo School

Reading Guide: a list for every year group Well-loved books, prize winners and the books Oak's units follow.
Year 3: 'The BFG' Reading and narrative writing, twelve lessons.
Year 4: 'The Borrowers' Narrative writing and reading, eleven lessons.
Year 5: 'How To Train Your Dragon' A five-lesson reading unit.
Year 6: 'Sherlock Holmes' Descriptive and letter writing, sixteen lessons.
Year 9: 'Lord of the Flies' A 24-lesson novel unit.
English as an additional language Keeping the home language strong while learning English.

Questions parents ask

My child says reading is boring.

Try a different format: an audiobook, a graphic novel or short chapters. Pick a topic they already love and look for a book about it. Reading together for a few minutes often restarts the habit.

How do I know a book is suitable?

Read the blurb and a review, and ask the librarian. Some older fiction deals with serious themes, so read the first chapters yourself if you are unsure.

Should reading at home be in English?

Reading in your home language matters too. It keeps the language strong and supports learning English. Our English as an additional language guide has more.

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