April 30, 2025
Whether or not we judge a book by its cover (and let’s be honest – we often do), as educators we absolutely do judge books by their quality, knowing more than most how quality texts impact children’s reading journeys. Not all texts are equal when it comes to quality, and at BooksForTopics we make it our mission to highlight the best for our booklists.
Quality texts engage readers through well-crafted narratives, new perspectives, rich language choices and – where relevant – compelling illustrations. This combination engages readers cognitively for longer, with connections being made by the interplay between the reader, text and illustrations.
Quality texts also serve as powerful tools for learning by expanding vocabulary, enhancing comprehension and building background knowledge. At BooksForTopics, our curriculum booklistsleverage the power of quality texts to help schools enhance key topic learning. Additionally, quality literature broadens children’s horizons, exposing them to diverse perspectives, promoting empathy and a deeper understanding of the world.
NEW AR booklists by year group
With quality in mind, we’ve put together a new set of booklists categorised by age, featuring the best Accelerated Reader books for each primary year group.
In selecting the best quality AR-compatible books for these new Accelerated Reader Year Group Booklists, we have focused on quality titles that are not only within the correct reading level, but also appealing books that will enrich children’s reading experiences. The selected books have passed our quality screening processes and have been handpicked to help the cream of AR books rise to the top.
Quality Text Examples
Here are examples from each primary year group list:
EYFS: Augustus and His Smile by Catherine Rayner – A beautifully illustrated picturebook about a tiger searching for his lost smile, with images that capture the emotions of the story.
Y1: Ernest the Elephant by Anthony Browne – A bright picturebook with clever patterns and hidden motifs that inject a layer of intrigue and fun surprise into this lost-and-found story.
Y2: The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad, S.K Ali & Hatem Aly – A thought-provoking book from former Olympic medallist Ibtihaj Muhammad that explores themes of heritage, diversity, acceptance and new beginnings.
Y3: The Boy Who Stole the Pharaoh’s Lunch by Karen McCombie & Anneli Bray – A short, interesting chapter book about Ancient Egypt from dyslexia-friendly publisher Barrington Stoke introduces readers to time-slip as a narrative device.
Y4:The Wonder Brothers by Frank Cottrell Boyce & Steven Lenton – A fast-paced and engaging chapter book, with characters who will leave even the most sceptical reader wondering just how their tricks are done.
Y5: Arctic Star by Tom Palmer – A well-researched and highly readable historical fiction offering an exciting classroom resource for the teaching of the WW2 topic, besides being a book many children will choose for the sheer enjoyment of reading.
Y6: Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun by Tolá Okogwu – A multi-layered adventure about hair with psychokinetic powers, in a Superhero coming-of-age novel with a twist of magical realism and a thread of Nigerian culture.
Find the new AR Year Group booklists here: https://www.booksfortopics.com/booklists/topics/literacy-reading/accelerated-reader-year-6/
About:
Alison Leach is the founder and director of BooksForTopics, an award-winning booklisting website that helps schools discover recommended booklists to enrich the curriculum and promote reading for pleasure.