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Best books for Year 3

The books that keep Year 3 reading (ages 7–8): funny series and graphic novels, first short novels, and picture books worth discussing.

13 booksAges 5–12Last reviewed June 2026

Year 3 is a turning point. Many children are reading on their own now, but the spread in a class is wide, and the books that keep them going are not always the longest ones. This list leans into that.

There are graphic novels and funny series for the ones building stamina, short novels and myths for the ones ready to stretch, and richer picture books that still earn their place in Lower Key Stage 2 for inference, discussion and writing. We have kept to one book per series, so there is range to browse, and balanced the laugh-out-loud reads with a few that reward talking and thinking.

The aim is simple: books a seven or eight year old will actually choose, that also pull their weight in class.

  1. Hilo: Rise of the Cat

    by Judd Winick · Graphic Novels · ages 7–11

    A Polly-focused magical school spin within the main Hilo sequence, starring Hilo's warrior-cat friend at Wombatton Academy of Better Magic. Great for readers who like Hilo's humour but want a more fantasy-school flavour.

  2. Dog Man

    by Dav Pilkey · Graphic Novels · ages 6–10

    Dog Man is a half-dog, half-police-officer superhero created by accident, and one of the best-selling children's series in history. Brilliantly designed for reluctant readers: fast, funny, full of interactive flip-o-rama pages, and so packed with action that even the least bookish child will demand the next one.

  3. Bunny vs Monkey and the Human Invasion

    by Jamie Smart · Graphic Novels · ages 6–10

    A second helping of forest mayhem, with humans, helliphants and rocket-powered nonsense added to the Bunny vs Monkey formula. It is ideal for readers who want the jokes to come fast and the panels to stay busy.

  4. Bird & Squirrel On Fire

    by James Burks · Graphic Novels · ages 6–9

    Home is on fire, literally. On Fire is the most community-focused entry in the series: coming back means protecting something, and that means everyone pulling together. The cosiness score is the highest in the run, which sounds strange for a book about a wildfire, but the warmth of the homecoming earns it.

  5. The First Cat in Space and the Wrath of the Paperclip

    by Mac Barnett · Graphic Novels · ages 7–10

    A very funny third adventure that escalates the series with an evil paperclip, space dinosaurs and more knowingly ridiculous sci-fi stakes. It is a strong continuation for readers already invested in First Cat's oddball crew.

  6. Agents of S.U.I.T.

    by John Patrick Green · Graphic Novels · ages 7–10

    A very funny InvestiGators spin-off that opens up the wider S.U.I.T. agency beyond Mango and Brash. It is perfect for readers who want puns, animal agents, visual gags and fast-moving comic mysteries.

  7. Fantastic Mr Fox

    by Roald Dahl · Illustrated Chapter Books · ages 6–9

    A near-perfect first class novel: short, funny and fast, with just enough to talk about (cleverness, fairness, three nasty farmers) before anyone loses the thread.

  8. Leo and the Gorgon's Curse

    by Joe Todd-Stanton · Picture Books · ages 6–10

    A gorgeous gateway into Greek myth for the Ancient Greece topic, with a clear quest to retell.

  9. The Lost Words

    by Robert Macfarlane · Non-Fiction · ages 6–12

    A book of spells to summon back the nature words quietly removed from the Oxford Junior Dictionary, otter, acorn, bluebell, newt. Robert Macfarlane's incantatory language and Jackie Morris's breathtaking watercolours make this as much a work of art as a children's book.

  10. Varmints

    by Helen Ward · Picture Books · ages 6–10

    A sombre, visually striking environmental fable about a peaceful natural world overwhelmed by noise, industry and loss. Best for older picture-book readers and classrooms exploring conservation, industrialisation and hope after damage.

  11. Milo Imagines the World

    by Matt de la Pena · Picture Books · ages 5–9

    A thoughtful, emotionally sophisticated picture book about a boy drawing stories about strangers on the subway while travelling to visit his incarcerated mother. Powerful, empathetic and best for supported reading.

  12. The Wolf's Secret

    by Myriam Dahman · Picture Books · ages 5–9

    A haunting, tender modern fairy tale about a grieving wolf and the girl who slowly understands him. Beautiful and atmospheric, but best for children ready for loss and sadness handled gently.

  13. The Lone Husky

    by Hannah Gold · Chapter Books · ages 8–11

    A return to April Wood's Arctic world, this time built around a lonely husky, a dog-sled race and trust earned under pressure. Strong for readers who loved The Last Bear and want a faster, race-shaped adventure.

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