20 of the best new books for your school library collection for years 3 and 4.
The books on the Takeoff! list are selected annually by librarians from the Schools Library Service and primary schools, and is a list of recommended fiction to buy for your school library.
For fiction for upper KS2, take a look at our latest Must Read booklist.
The list represents a selection of the best new fiction first published in paperback within the last year, and aims to cover as diverse a range of subjects, genres, authors and interests as possible.
Posters and bookmarks will be sent to subscribing primary schools.
Please contact the library for more information on the Takeoff! list or to request additional posters or bookmarks (subject to availability)
Adepitan, Ade
Ade’s amazing Ade-ventures
When you are in a wheelchair, it’s hard to fit in with the other kids, but Ade finds the Parsons Road Gang are completely different….
Agard, John
Shona, word detective
Don’t be bamboozled or bumbazed – just because lots of words are mysteriously going extinct, doesn’t mean that Shona can’t track them down and save them…
Barker, Claire
Picklewitch and Jack
Picklewitch is, quite literally, out of her tree. She has a nose for naughtiness, a taste for trouble and a weakness for cake. And unluckily for brainbox Jack – winner of the ‘Most Sensible Boy in School’ for the third year running – she’s about to choose him as her new best friend…
Blackman, Malorie
A dangerous game
Also Ellie and the Cat / Grandpa Bert and the Ghost Snatchers
Butler, Steven
The Nothing to See Here Hotel
Welcome to The Nothing to See Here Hotel! A hotel for magical creatures, where weird is normal for Frankie Banister and his parents who run it.
Colfer, Eoin
Mariella Queen of the skies
Mariella loves nothing more than inventing but bedtime keeps getting in the way of all her brilliant ideas! So when Mum and Dad won’t take no for an answer there’s only one thing for it… Mariella has to build a rocket-powered flying suit to zap her round the world faster than the setting sun!
Corderoy, Tracey
Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam: The Aliens are Coming!
Things are HOTTING UP! Someone is CHEATING in the SANDCASTLE competition! There’s something FISHY about the new CAFE! But it’s the ALIEN INVASION that REALLY makes Shifty and Sam lose their COOL! Anyone for an ICED bun?!
De Saulles, Tony
Bee Boy: Attack of the zombees
A strange sickness bug is causing havoc at school. Mel and his bees think they know why when they discover a factory in the woods – with beekeepers in metal suits and… zombees!
Fine, Anne
Back on Weird Street
Asim, Laila and Tom like nothing more than spooking each other with tales of the unexpected. This summer they’re back with three more stories to chill you to the bone. Can your dreams really grant you fortunes and riches? What lurks in the shadows of Number 17? And is Grandma’s house really haunted, or is it all just a fun imaginary game?
French, Vivian; Paul, Korky
The fiendish revenge of Leroy Jones
Leroy Jones is a very ordinary boy blessed with a truly ridiculous name – one that he is determined to keep hidden from everyone. But when he is paired with the bossy Amy Strundle for a project, she’s set to be a thorn in his side and wants everyone to know his secret. Can Leroy find a way to get his revenge and is it really a dish best served cold?
Hemming, Alice
Arlo, Mrs Ogg and the dinosaur zoo
Things aren’t looking good for 4X. With another teacher running away screaming (literally), Arlo wonders how long the new supply teacher will survive. When Mrs Ogg takes 4X to the zoo, Arlo realises it’s down to him to keep everyone in line, but what she fails to mention is that this is no ordinary zoo…
Kent, Gabrielle
Knights and bikes
Welcome to the sleepy island of Penfurzy, where nothing exciting ever really happens. OR DOES IT? Adventure awaits Demelza and her new best friend in the whole world, Nessa, as they explore the island and uncover the mysteries of the Penfurzy Knights.
Lawrence, Patrice
Toad Attack
Toads are everywhere – munching through gardens, causing chaos in the city – where did they come from? Leo and Rosa are determined to find out!
McCall Smith, Alexander
Hari and his electric feet
Hari spends most of his time earning money with his sister, making sweets, delivering lunches, but what he really loves to do is dance.. . Is there a way to do what he loves and earn money as well?
Love, Jessica
Julian is a Mermaid
Julian is dazzled by the women he sees on the train home dressed as mermaids and all he can think about is making his own fabulous mermaid costume.
Milway, Alex
Hotel Flamingo
Anna has her work cut out to get hotel Flamingo back to its former glory, and make it welcoming to all animals, great and small.
Pitzorno, Bianca
Lavinia and the magic ring
What would you wish for is a fairy stepped out of a taxi and gave you a magic ring? As you know, and as Lavinia finds out, having your wishes come true can lead to mayhem!
Strong, Jeremy
Big trouble for Nellie Choc-Ice
Another story about Nellie, the great penguin explorer. Nellie has to save the day when the submarine she is travelling in is hi-jacked in New York!
Todd Taylor, Sarah
Max the theatre cat: the disappearing diva
Madame Emerald, the famous singer, is behaving strangely – hiding in her dressing room and refusing to sing in public. Max, who is a curious cat, tries to figure out why….
Cross, Gillian
Jason Banks and the Pumpkin of Doom
Jason Banks is a bully. No one likes him and even the teachers are scared of him! It’s time that someone taught Jason a lesson and he might just have met his match in the strange pumpkin that keeps appearing on his doorstep. Will Jason ever learn the error of his ways?
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