Find fantastic free resources and discover new books from award-winning authors

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Bringing pupils, teachers and librarians closer to award-winning and groundbreaking books from Hachette Children’s Group.

 Discover free curriculum-linked resources

  Uncover new and well-loved books

  Contact authors for events at your school

Our extensive list of books ranges from fantastic non-fiction to well-loved authors, including Cressida Cowell, Kes Gray, David Almond, Patrice Lawrence and Matthew Syed.

two girls reading Skellig - gold book with illustrated page

How to Train Your Dragon School Classroom Resources
How to Train Your Dragon School Classroom Resources

How to Train Your Dragon School – Teaching Notes

Age range: 7-11

Topic: Art, English, History, Maths, Modern Classic, PSHE & Citizenship

Genre: Fiction

How to Train Your Dragon School is a new spin-off series from no.1 bestseller Cressida Cowell, starring Hiccup, Toothless and friends as they embark on their training at the Isle of Berk’s Training School for Vikings and Dragons. These books feature standalone, action-packed, comedic adventures with low word count and a high level of illustration, designed to be accessible to developing readers.

This pack, based on the content of book 1, Doom of the Darkwing, contains a variety of engaging activities suitable for classroom or library sessions. Children will imagine that they are Viking warriors attending the training school. They will complete crosscurricular challenges such as making their own Viking ship, designing their own dragon and creating a comic strip adventure story. The activities are designed for lower key stage two but can easily be adapted for younger or older students and differentiated to suit the needs of your class.

Themes: Dragons | Fantasy worlds | The Vikings | Heroes | Adventure Stories

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Enid Blyton – Teaching Resources

Age range: 3-6, 7-11

Topic: English

Genre: Fiction

This pack includes teaching resources inspired by four of Enid Blyton’s most well-known series: The Famous Five, The Secret Seven: The Magic Faraway Tree and Malory Towers. This pack can be used in lessons to explore one or all of these series, and include themes of comprehension, creative writing and writing skills.

Themes: Creative Writing | English | Reading Comprehension | Writing Skills

You can download the individual resource packs for each series here: The Magic Faraway Tree, The Famous Five, The Secret Seven and Malory Towers.

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The Cheat Book schools image
The Cheat Book schools image

The Cheat Book – Teaching Notes

Age range: 7-11

Topic: Empathy, English, Race & identity

Genre: Fiction

When you’re a refugee and have started three new schools in as many years, fading into the background becomes a superpower. But when Kamal discovers a mysterious cheat book in the school library, he’s about to go from invisible to invincible!

The first in a hilarious new series from Marvel comic book writer Ramzee, supported by classroom activity sheets.

Themes: Empathy | Resilience | Hope | Refugee | Friendship

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Crookhaven Teaching Notes & Resources
Crookhaven Teaching Notes & Resources

Crookhaven – Teaching Notes

Age range: 11-14, 7-11

Topic: English

Genre: Fiction

Download these fun activity sheets for Crookhaven: The School for Thieves – the first book in an irresistible new series about chosen family, high stakes thievery, and what it really means to do good. These activity sheets contain: discussion questions; problem-solving tasks; writing tasks; drawing tasks.

Watch the trailer here.

Watch J.J. Arcanjo talk about his inspiration and set your class a creative challenge here.

Download Resource
be awesome go big
be awesome go big

Be Awesome Go Big Transition Pack

Age range: 11-14, 7-11

Topic: Growing up, Life changes, Mental Health, Non-Fiction, PSHE & Citizenship

Genre: Non-Fiction

Be Awesome, Go Big is a package to help Year 6 students transition into Year 7. It can be used by students and parents at home or in school with teachers in class. It is designed to be motivational, helpful and reassuring and to help young people feel valued, loved, encouraged and equipped for the journey ahead.

A project from PiXL Club and Hachette Children’s Group.

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Paper Dragons – Teaching Notes

Age range: 7-11

Topic: English, Geography, Life changes

Genre: Fiction

An extraordinary fantasy series for readers aged 9+, featuring an underwater school, fierce dragons, magical jellyfish and age-shifting immortals! Watch the epic trailer here!

Themes: Fantasy & Adventure | Chinese Mythology | World Building | Descriptive Writing

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The Boy at the Back of the Class – Teaching Notes

Age range: 7-11

Topic: Empathy, English, Growing up, Life changes, Modern Classic, Race & identity

Genre: Fiction

The Boy at the Back of the Class: Told with heart and humour, The Boy at the Back of the Class is a child’s perspective on the refugee crisis, highlighting the importance of friendship and kindness in a world that doesn’t always make sense. Winner of the 2019 Waterstones Children’s Book Prize and Blue Peter Book Award.

Themes: Refugees and Asylum Seekers | Conflict and War | Migration | Family | Friendship

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How to Train Your Dragon – Activity Sheets

Age range: 7-11

Topic: English, Life changes, Modern Classic

Genre: Fiction

A comprehensive activity pack for the beloved, best-selling How to Train Your Dragon series.

Contents

Creative activities:

  • Design a dragon
  • Make your own crown
  • Dragon colouring in
  • Design your own Viking Shield
  • How to draw a Viking

Viking training:

  • Write like a Viking
  • Can you speak Dragonese?
  • Gruesome Viking facts

Party/event inspiration:

  • Party games
  • Costume ideas

Themes: Creativity | Imagination | Empathy

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A Better Day packshot and activity sheets
A Better Day packshot and activity sheets

A Better Day – Teaching Notes

Age range: 7-11

Topic: Empathy, Growing up, Life changes, Mental Health, Non-Fiction, PSHE & Citizenship

Genre: Non-Fiction

A Better Day: The bestselling positive, accessible and practical toolkit guiding young readers in how they can care for their mental health with confidence.

Themes: Mental Health | Confidence | Peer pressure | Exam Stress | Anxiety | Switching Mindsets | Wellbeing

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Heartstopper – Teaching Notes

Age range: 11-14, 14+

Topic: Empathy, English, LGBTQ+, PSHE & Citizenship

Genre: Fiction

Heartstopper is the multi-million-copy bestselling series by Alice Oseman.

These resources are based on Volumes One, Two and Three of Heartstopper and have been created by SHAPES for Schools.

Themes: LGBTQ+ | Diversity & Representation | Mental Health | Relationships

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How to Train Your Dragon – Teaching Notes

Age range: 7-11

Topic: English, Growing up, Modern Classic

Genre: Fiction

Cressida Cowell has a passion for developing the creative intelligence of children and she believes that reading allows the reader to grow three superpowers: creativity, empathy and intelligence.

These classroom ideas are based around Cressida’s beloved 12-book How to Train Your Dragon series and are designed to inspire these superpowers by exploring children’s imagination and allowing their creativity to come to the fore.

Themes: Courage | Family | Creativity | Imagination | Empathy

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Skellig resources image
Skellig resources image

Skellig – Discussion Questions

Age range: 11-14, 7-11

Topic: English, Life changes, Modern Classic

Genre: Fiction

David Almond’s timeless classic Skellig about love, loss and hope, now available in a stunning 25th anniversary edition featuring illustrations by Tom de Freston. These discussion questions also contain links to other available teaching resources.

Themes: Family | Grief | New beginning | Friendship | Siblings

Display poster also available.

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There are such a diverse range of books available for children which really helps us try to engage the children.
I also like the way Hachette works closely with The Reading Agency to provide additional innovative resources for our children.

Librarian

"All your ready made resources are invaluable for me as a librarian in a ridiculously busy school library at the heart of The Carlton Academy! Not to mention your fabulous books too of course ❤️"

Librarian

"I love the fact that the range of books cover so many subject areas and tick all those boxes re gender equality, race etc . The comprehensive resources which accompany each book are just the icing on the cake with an added cherry as they are so easy to adapt and tweak for different audiences etc. Thank you ."

Teacher

"Easy to use and great variety. Always happy with the quality of resources and and reassured when I buy something from Hachette it will be great!"

Librarian

Great choice of diverse books.

Teacher