The most effective children’ books about London


If you happen to’re planning a visit to London with children, there are some nice books to introduce your youngsters to the town – together with fiction for all ages, youngsters’s information books and extra amongst my decide of the very best children’ books about London.

Concept graphic showing London icons coming out of the turning pages of a book, including bus and houses of Parliament - my top kids books about London
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From image books for toddlers to adventures and mysteries bringing London to life for teenagers, tales revealing a number of the metropolis’s lengthy historical past or enjoyable introductions to the important thing landmarks, the large situation isn’t discovering nice youngsters’s books about London, it’s which of them to select.

The record under isn’t exhaustive (there are SO many books set in London, for starters), however these are some nice methods for youths to get excited a couple of household metropolis break in London, some important studying to pack in hand baggage and extra inspiration for planning your journey.

You will discover extra concepts of youngsters’ books about London in my Amazon lists as effectively

Books about London for toddlers and preschoolers

Even the littlest guests to London can discover some nice books too, together with image books and different preschool favourites. Some choices within the subsequent part can even work to learn to older preschoolers too.

Paddington’s London Story Treasury

Whereas all of the Paddington Bear tales are set in London, this assortment of 4 favorite image books are a stunning introduction to the town for youthful readers.

Paddington’s London Story Treasury contains Paddington on the Zoo, Paddington on the Palace, Paddington and the Marmalade Maze and Paddngton and the Grand Tour, with the standard adventures and heart-warming mishaps of everybody’s favorite bear from Darkest Peru.

Paddington followers can even love in Paddington’s Information to London too

Charlie and Lola: We Utterly Should Go to London

My daughter adored the entire Charlie and Lola sequence when she was youthful, and We Utterly Should Go to London is right for followers.

The ebook sees Charlie and his little sister visiting London on a faculty journey, passing probably the most well-known sights, so little ones can observe alongside throughout their very own journey – there’s even an ‘extraordinarily good London map’ as effectively.

Maisy goes to London

One other agency favorite of my daughter when she was younger, we learn all of the adventures of Maisy mouse, together with her first adventures within the capital.

Maisy goes to London has the standard vibrant photos and little ones can’t resist becoming a member of in with the ‘Honk Honk’ of noisy London horns as she spots Large Ben, Piccadilly Circus, Buckingham Palace and different sights. A beautiful introduction for toddlers following in Maisy’s pawprints.

The Queen’s Hat

Typically all it takes to have an journey is a single gust of wind… Take one very particular hat, one Queen and all of the Queen’s males, and also you’ve bought the recipe for an journey by means of London.

With a string of London landmarks, from London Zoo to Tower Bridge and Large Ben, the query is, the place will the Queen’s hat find yourself? The Queen’s Hat is geared toward ages 3-5.

Pussy cat, pussy cat, the place have you ever been? I’ve been to London to go to the Queen

Updating the basic nursery rhyme, Pussy Cat Pussy Cat The place Have you ever Been does certainly observe pussy cat – this time visiting the modern-day sights of London, together with the Shard and London Eye in addition to the Tower of London, St Paul’s Cathedral and Nelson’s Column.

With its brilliant illustrations and easy rhymes, it’s nice to learn even to the littlest guests to London.

Madeline in London

If you happen to’re questioning what Madeline, the archetypal Parisian storybook heroine, is doing in an inventory of youngsters books about London, followers of the basic tales also can observe her adventures this facet of the Channel.

After Pepito, who lived subsequent to Madeline and her mates in France, strikes to London, all of them determine to pay him a go to. Madeline in London is right for age 4-7.

Children’ books about London

The beautiful tales are all set in London, together with a number of the metropolis’s main landmarks – good as a memento or to get children enthusiastic about their go to.

Harry Potter followers can even love monitoring down the places from the books (and the films) throughout a go to to London: so a lot of them that I’ve compiled an entire set of Harry Potter places in London

Usborne Look Inside London

I misplaced depend of what number of Usborne lift-the-flap books we had over time – and there’s actually nothing to beat these fabulously illustrated youngsters’s books for youthful readers.

Look Inside London is not any exception, paced with details about the town’s key websites – together with Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Sq. and the Tower of London – in addition to London’s different well-known sights, together with purple cellphone bins and double-deckers buses, together with black cabs. Nice for ages 5+, it’s additionally one thing youthful siblings (and fogeys!) can take pleasure in .

The Tower Bridge Cat

Set in certainly one of London’s most iconic landmarks, The Tower Bridge Cat – the primary of a number of – combines a candy story and beautiful illustrations.

Following title character Bella on the Queen’s birthday, it’s all the way down to the bridge-dwelling cat to save lots of the day when she realises there’s a bus coming over the opening bridge – even higher, the story is impressed by the true story of a double-decker bus leaping the bridge.

katie

The Royal Rabbits

The primary in a sequence of tales about Shylo and his Royal Rabbit mates, this story follows the rabbits’ makes an attempt to cease an evil plot to take a photograph of the Queen in her nightwear.

A candy story of how the smallest and shyest rabbit can nonetheless have one thing necessary to say, children can observe alongside because the Royal Rabbits journey to London. The Royal Rabbits is beneficial for ages 7+. It’s also possible to purchase the three-book assortment.

The Hyde Park Squirrels

One other candy and vibrant sequence of books, the Hyde Park Squirrels is ready in Victorian occasions, beginning with Luke goes to London, as Lucas Bushtail units off for the town to seek out the sisterm he by no means knew he had.

However the metropolis has its personal risks, as Luke discovers when he arrives. Though there are two separate books, they’re successfully one story so be ready to purchase the second if you wish to discover out what occurs after the cliffhanger!

See Inside London

One other nice lift-the-flap ebook from Usborne, this can be a nice different – or companion purchase – to Look Inside London.

Additionally geared toward children aged 5-7, the main target of See Inside London is taking a journey by means of time (moderately than geography), exhibiting London all through its historical past from Roman occasions to the Center Ages, the Black Demise and through the Blitz within the Second World Conflict.

That is London

This basic ebook was first revealed in 1959 and when you won’t discover bowler-hatted bankers on their technique to the town as of late, That is London remains to be a stunning one to personal.

With Miroslav Sasek’s elegant illustrations bringing London to life, you’ll discover lots of the historic buildings and landmarks, in addition to black cabs, the underground, the Horse Guards and different conventional sights as tempting as we speak.

Really useful for age 7+, we got a replica when my daughter was born and skim it along with her from a youthful age too.

Katie in London

On this magical journey, one of many Trafalgar Sq. lions involves life and takes Katie and her brother Jack on a tour of the town’s finest sights.

Aimed toward youngsters aged round 3-6 (so additionally works as an alternative choice for preschoolers), their surprising time out takes them to Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, Large Ben and the London Eye, so Katie in London is right to introduce youthful children to a number of the metropolis’s highlights earlier than their first go to.

A Stroll in London

Following a mom and daughter exploring London, this ebook has a particular place in my very own coronary heart as I’ve tried to emulate quite a lot of of their stops with my very own daughter.

From travelling by purple double-decker bus to recognizing the lions in Trafalgar Sq., watching the Altering of the Guard and searching inside a number of the metropolis’s iconic sights, it’s a candy technique to plan a time out and your individual Stroll in London

Mary Poppins

Virtually good in each method, the Mary Poppins books shall be successful with followers of the movie (though the Mary of the tales isn’t fairly the identical because the film) and a enjoyable technique to examine London.

This assortment of tales begins with Mary’s arrival with the Banks household, however contains numerous locations inside the metropolis which youngsters can recognise on their journey. This assortment of Mary Poppins tales incorporates 5 books.

Beatrice and the London Bus

9-year-old Beatrice has a dream of being a bus driver – and turning her mannequin Routemaster bus right into a speaking London Bus, no matter her mum thinks.

Then someday, she meets a speaking bus and it looks as if her goals have become actuality… or is it magic in any case? Candy, humorous and a novel introduction to London, Beatrice and the London Bus is proof that something may occur on this metropolis. Aimed toward age 7+.

The Thriller at Large Ben

A part of the Across the World in 80 Mysteries assortment, which sees Christina and Grant visiting well-known locations in 80 nations, this London-based story packs in a number of the metropolis’s historical past and tradition alongside the story.

Every ebook has a map to assist children be taught extra of the world’s geography, as they observe Grant, his sister and their two new mates as they attempt to clear up the Thriller at Large Ben, taking them from the London Eye alongside the Thames and right into a dungeon. Aimed toward age 8+.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

The tales of London’s most well-known detective will plunge you into Victorian London – and make you wish to add 221B Baker Road to your itinerary.

Whereas not each Sherlock Holmes ebook is ready in London, there are many scenes to whisk you again to the town’s previous as you learn. In addition to The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, you should buy the Full Assortment.

Books about London for teenagers and tweens

As soon as your children are past image books and mild adventures, there are tales galore set in London, together with these nice choices for youthful tweens proper as much as older teenagers (and their dad and mom!)

Grotesque Guides: London

Horrible Histories addicts shall be delighted to find that there’s a London ebook within the sequence – Grotesque Guides: London – with all of the fascinating and foul, ugly, gory and downright bizarre information you’d count on.

There’s loads of horribly hilarious moments in London’s historical past to take pleasure in too as you cowl every part from plague and pestilence to fireplace: uncover what brought on the Nice Stink, peer into spooky St Paul’s and courageous the terrifying Tower alongside the best way.

The London Eye Thriller

An peculiar time out in London turns right into a thriller, after Ted and Kat’s cousin Salim vanishes – having watched him board the London Eye, his pod returns with out him.

With a path of clues throughout London, the pair should put their sibling rivalry apart and mix their completely different approaches to trace Salim down – Ted is on the autism spectrum, and it’s his distinctive method and perspective which actually units The London Eye Thriller aside. Superb for 11th of September-year-olds.

The Ruby within the Smoke

Followers of Philip Pullman will love this story of Sally Lockhart, set partly in Victorian London the place the 16-year-old braves the town’s underworld to trace down her father’s killer.

Travelling by way of India and China, the journey is as filled with element and peril as you’d count on; The Ruby within the Smoke is assured to maintain older tweens and youthful teenagers enthralled.

My identify is Victoria

Written by Lucy Worsley, chief curator at Historic Royal Palaces (which incorporates Kensington Palace, childhood residence of Queen Victoria), this story is ideal for youths who love historical past and tales of royal London.

Following Miss V Conroy, who is distributed by her father to change into the companion to Princess Victoria at Kensington Palace, she is torn between her loyalty to him and the foundations he has devised for the younger roytal, and her new friendship with the princess, locked away from the world by these very guidelines. My Identify is Victoria is right for age 9+.

The Purple Pyramid

You’ll by no means take a look at the British Museum in fairly the identical method once more as after studying this ebook by Rick Riordan, creator of the Percy Jackson tales.

Following Carter and Sadie Kane, whose Egyptologist father by accident unleashes the evil god set when he shatters the Rosetta Stone, their quest takes them to Cairo, Paris and the American South-west alongside the best way. The Purple Pyramid is the primary in a sequence.

Rivers of London

Think about Harry Potter grew up and joined the police… That’s the intriguing place to begin for Rivers of London, a novel following probationary constable Peter Grant, the primary of a sequence set in London that’s very best for teenagers.

After making an attempt to take a witness assertion from a ghost, he finds himself aiding DCI Thomas Nightingale to analyze crimes involving magic or the uncanny – which implies assembly the town’s gods and goddesses, and entering into the world of myths and legends as he does.

Neverwhere

Whereas Neil Gaiman went on to put in writing a string of better-known books, teenagers will love his first novel Neverwhere simply as a lot – with the added bonus that it’s set in London. Or London of kinds.

When a younger businessman stops to assist an injured woman, he discovers one other metropolis of darkness, of monsters – but additionally of angels – in a subterranean labyrinth. And provided that he can assist save this underworld kingdom may he return to his former life within the London Above.

London Belongs to Us

This story of Sunny’s quest for romantic retribution, after receiving a photograph of her boyfriend kissing one other woman, is as a lot a love letter to London.

Whirling throughout the town from Crystal Palace to Camden, Shoreditch, Soho, Kensington, Notting Hill and out to Alexandra Palace, it’s the inhabitants of the town who’re the true coronary heart of London. London Belongs To Us is beneficial for age 13+.

Brick Lane

An incredible possibility for older teenagers on the lookout for a narrative of London past the landmarks, the best-selling Brick Lane follows Nazneen, introduced from Bangladesh for an organized marriage.

Dwelling in Tower Hamlets within the East Finish, the ebook paints a special image of the town from the vacationer coronary heart, bearing on every part from immigration to self-fulfilment.

London guidebooks for youths

There are London guides galore, however should you’re on the lookout for kid-friendly choices, these London guidebooks for youngsters are an effective way to get them concerned in planning.

Take a look at Grotesque Guides: London , See Inside London and Look Inside London for extra entertaining however informational journey guides to London for youths

Paddington’s Information to London

Good for youthful readers, who higher to introduce you to London than the bear who made his residence right here.

From the station the place it began to some key landmarks (with just a few detours), there are many enjoyable tales among the many data in Paddington’s Information to London too.

London Planet: Metropolis Trails London

The Metropolis Trails sequence from Lonely Planet Children are certainly one of my favorite guidebooks for youngsters – we’ve used them in cities together with Rome, and Metropolis Trails London is simply as filled with quirky information and sights.

Venturing away from the basic vacationer path, you’ll be able to uncover the weirdest merchandise ever left on a bus in addition to tales about headline-making parrots, to not point out loads of surprising corners to find throughout your go to to London. Even native Londoners can be taught loads! Aimed toward ages 8+

Lonely Planet Children Pop-up London

Easy however vibrant, the Pop-up London ebook from Lonely Planet Children won’t have the element of another guidebooks however youthful travellers will love the brilliant illustrations and pop-up impact.

With six iconic landmarks together with Buckingham Palace, The Shard, the Tower of London, Trafalgar Sq., St Paul’s Cathedral and the London Underground, it’s pocket-sized, really easy to hold round as you see them in particular person too.

I-spy London

There are greater than 130 London sights to seek out within the pocket-sized i-spy London, with loads of information to find as you learn and discover.

Enjoyable to flick by means of earlier than you journey, it’s an effective way to cease cries of ‘I’m Bored’ as you wander round London, and there are many straightforward wins – together with black taxis and doubledecker buses – for youthful children to seek out as effectively.

Take a look at Issues to Spot in London sticker ebook as one other different

Mission London: A scavenger hunt journey

A mixture of guidebook and journey problem, Mission London ensures your children shall be conserving their eyes open all through the journey as they attempt to earn sufficient factors to change into a particular agent.

There are challenges which is able to apply to ever go to, from making an attempt conventional meals to recognizing key landmarks, in addition to others which you’ll tailor to your individual journey, should you’re visiting specific museums or testing websites like Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London.

Disclosure: This publish incorporates affiliate hyperlinks – any purchases you make are unaffected however I’ll obtain a small fee

Fundamental picture courtesy of Depositphotos

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