Indies GO ALL IN: Children’s Books celebrating being back to School

This September, we're all about finding your feet as children settle back into school. This month's booklist for our indies project for the National Year of Reading, we've gathered stories about returning to school: navigating new and old friendships, finding yourself along the way, and appreciating the adults who help make it all a little easier.

From daydreamers to pragmatists to feisty go-getters, there's a wide range of characters for children to read about. This month, we're joined by Otter Barry Books, Old Barn Books and Book Island.

All the recommended titles are available for purchase here or through the links below. Stay tuned for next month’s booklist!

Written by: Jane De Suza

Illustrated by: Richa Bhembre

Published by: Lantana Publishing

Buy this book: Flyaway Boy

Reading age: 9-12

In a quiet hill town full of order and straight lines, Kabir struggles to fit in. At school, he’s too different. At home, he’s misunderstood. And one day, he disappears, leaving his family and the adults around him scrambling to find him and, perhaps for the first time, truly see him. 

Told with a lot of energy, humour, and deep empathy, Flyaway Boy is a celebration of imagination, individuality, and the courage it takes to be yourself even when the world doesn’t listen. 

Written by: Matt Goodfellow 

Illustrated by: Joe Todd-Stanton                

Published by: Otter-Barry Books

Buy this book: The First Year

Reading age: 9-12

Starting at Secondary School is a challenge for Nate and his friends, on both sides of the school gates. There are new friends, including a girl, and old enemies – lots of stuff to cope with. And a sudden, dramatic new appearance in his life threatens to throw him completely off course. And there's always the old anger – "I feel the Beast stirrin somewhere in my guts, and my fists clench" – realities of school, street and home life are powerfully reflected. Nate's continuing story will strike a chord with many thousands of young readers.

Written by: Marianne Dubuc

Illustrated by: Sarah Ardizzione 

Published by: Book Island

Buy this book: Ready, Steady, School!

Reading age: 2-5

READY, STEADY, SCHOOL! is a large search-and-find book for young readers by award-winning author and illustrator Marianne Dubuc. 

Follow Pom on a fascinating adventure around different animal schools – see rabbits learning how to read, frogs creating beautiful artwork and foxes playing sports! But where will Pom decide to go to school next year? Could Pom’s school be a mix of all of that?Marianne Dubuc, the creator of this book, has hidden lots of details in the illustrations. 

Written by: Anne Fine 

Illustrated by: Keaton Henson

Published by: Old Barn Books

Buy this book: On the Wall

Reading age: 9-11

Longlisted for the Carnegie Medal for Writing 2026

Shortlisted for the Warwickshire Book Awards

Is it possible to be happy anywhere at all? Even in your first days at a new school?

Finley's not worried about his first day at Windfields School. He tells his new teacher, Mr Goodhew, that he's happy "absolutely everywhere. And all the time."  At breaktime, Finley sits alone on the old wall at the edge of the playground. At lunchtime, he does the same. So it goes on, for days and weeks. Finley's not lonely, though, and little by little the rest of the first year – and even their teachers – come to appreciate just what it is that Finley finds up there and how it can help them too.

But what if the wall should fall? Can you really find happiness anywhere at all?

Written by: Yashika Mody

Illustrated by: Adriena Fong

Published by: Lantana Publishing

Buy this book: Funcles

Reading age: 2-5

When a classroom assignment asks for a family tree, one child knows he’ll need more than just one sheet as he has a gazillion uncles! There’s bus Uncle, supermarket Uncle, taxi Uncle, and even food hall Uncle. Everywhere he goes, there’s someone looking out for him.

But when Ma and Pa see his growing tree, they gently explain that none of his uncles are “real” relatives. In their culture, calling someone "Uncle" is a sign of respect, a way of recognising community, care, and connection.

Embarrassed at first, the boy quickly realises something even better: these aren’t fake uncles… They're FUNcles! And they mean the world to him.