Use of Core Texts

Recommended books for whole class reading

At Riverview, we follow Little Wandle for our SSP. Little Wandle suggests many of our recommended texts. These include our wordless books and stories for the Foundations for Phonics.

We also use Pie Corbett’s spine lists as the foundation for our texts to ensure they are age appropriate. On occasion, we would teach texts outside of these year groups, if it fits with a topic the children are learning.

To foster a love of reading, we have compiled a list of core books for each year group.  Our aim is that all children read these books during their time at Riverview.

NURSERY

Book

Title

Author(s)

Where it’s recommended from

Where’s Spot?

Eric Hill

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Dear Zoo

Rod Campbell

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

You Choose

Pippa Goodhart and Nick Sharratt

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

We’re going on a Bear Hunt

Michael Rosen

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

Bill Martin and Eric Carle

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Jasper’s Beanstalk

Nick Butterworth and Mick Inkpen

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Eric Carle

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy

Lynley Dodd

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Each Peach Pear Plum

Allan and Janet Ahlberg

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Hug Jez Alborough Pie Corbett's Reading Spine
The Train Ride June Crebbin Pie Corbett's Reading Spine
Come on, Daisy Jane Simmons Pie Corbett's Reading Spine
Kindness makes us strong Sophie Beer Little Wandle - Foundation for Phonics
Monster Clothes Daisy Hirst Little Wandle - Foundation for Phonics 
Where's Lenny? Ken Wilson-Max Little Wandle - Foundation for Phonics

RECEPTION

Book

Title

Author(s)

Where it’s recommended from

Owl Babies

Martin Waddell

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

The Gruffalo

Julia Donaldson

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Handa’s Surprise

Eileen Browne

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Mr Grumpy’s Outing

John Burningham

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Rosie’s Walk

Pat Hutchins

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Six Dinner Sid

Inga Moore

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Mrs Armitage on Wheels

Quentin Blake

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Whatever Next!

Jill Murphy

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

On the Way Home

Jill Murphy

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Farmer Duck

Martin Waddell

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Goodnight Moon

Margaret Wise Brown

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Shhh!

Sally Grindley

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Before After

Anne-Margot Ramstein and Matthias Aregui

 

Owl Bat Bat Owl

Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick

 

YEAR 1

Book

 

Title

Author(s)

Where it’s recommended from

Peace at Last

Jill Murphy

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Can’t you sleep little bear?

Martin Waddell

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Where the Wild Things Are

Maurice Sendak

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

The Elephant and the Bad Baby

Elfrida Vipont and Raymond Briggs

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Avocado Baby

John Burningham

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

The Tiger Who Came to Tea

Judith Kerr

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Lost and Found

Oliver Jeffers

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Knuffle Bunny

Mo Willems

 

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Beegu

Alexis Deacon

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Dogger

Shirley Hughes

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Cops and Robbers

Alan and Janet Ahlberg

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Elmer

David McKee

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Professional Crocodile

Giovanna Zoboli

Matthew Courtney on Little Wandle

YEAR 2

Book

Title

Author(s)

Where it’s recommended from

Traction Man is Here

Mini Grey

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Meerkat Mail

Emily Gravett

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Amazing Grace

Mary Hoffman

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Pumpkin Soup

Helen Cooper

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Book?

Lauren Child

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Dr Xargle’s Book of Earthlets

Tony Ross

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Not Now Bernard

David McKee

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Tuesday

David Wiesner

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

The Flower

John Light

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Gorilla

Anthony Browne

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Emily Brown and The Thing

Cressida Cowell

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Frog and Toad Together

Arnold Lobel

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark

Jill Tomlinson

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

The Giraffe, the Pelly and Me

Roald Dahl

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Fantastic Mr Fox

Roald Dahl

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

The Hodgeheg

Dick King- Smith

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Flat Stanley

Jeff Brown

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Willa and Old Miss Annie

Berlie Doherty

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Island

Mark Janssen

Matthew Courtney on Little Wandle

YEAR 3

Book

Title

Author(s)

Where it’s recommended from

The Iron Man

Ted Hughes

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Cat Tales: Ice Cat

Linda Newberry

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

The Sheep-Pig

Dick King-Smith

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

The Abominables

Dick King-Smith

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

C.S. Lewis

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

The Battle of Bubble and Squeak

Philippa Pearce

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Hansel and Gretel

Anthony Browne

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Museum Trip

Barbara Lehman

Matthew Courtney on Little Wandle

Hike

Pete Oswald

Matthew Courtney on Little Wandle

YEAR 4

Book

Title

Author(s)

Where it’s recommended from

Bill’s New Frock

Anne Fine

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Charlotte’s Web

E.B. White

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Why the Whales Came

Michael Morpurgo

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

The Firework-Maker’s Daughter

Phillip Pullman

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

The Snow Walker’s Son

Catherine Fisher

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Perry Angel’s Suitcase

Glenda Millard

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Voices in the Park

Anthony Browne

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Mirror

Jeannie Baker

Matthew Courtney on Little Wandle

YEAR 5

Book

Title

Author(s)

Where it’s recommended from

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase

Joan Aiken

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Varjak Paw

S.F. Said

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Wolf Brother

Michelle Paver

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Street child

Berlie Doherty

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

The Midnight Fox

Betsy Byars

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Tom’s Midnight Garden

Philippa Pearce

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

FArTHER

Grahame Baker-Smith

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Migrants

Issa Watanabe

Matthew Courtney on Little Wandle

YEAR 6

Book

Title

Author(s)

Where it’s recommended from

Holes

Louis Sachar

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Clockwork

Phillip Pullman

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

The Hobbit

J.R.R. Tolkein

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Skellig

David Almond

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Fireweed

Jill Paton Walsh

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

River Boy

Time Bowler

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

The Arrival

Shaun Tan

Pie Corbett’s Reading Spine

Matthew Courtney on Little Wandle