Scroll down to see all the Usborne books for which there are detailed resources for teachers to support the UK national curriculum.
Information from Usborne Teachers' resources and include "Lesson plans and activities"
Information from Usborne Teachers' resources and include "Lesson plans and activities"
 |
The Usborne Mental Health and Wellbeing Resource Pack (3+)This resource pack focuses upon recognizing and understanding feelings and can be used with children from EYFS through to KS2. The lessons and activities are based on What Are Feelings?, All About Feelings and The Unworry Book. |
 |
Why do we need bees? (4+)Here's some activities and quizzes based on the Usborne book Why do we need bees? |
 |
Part of The Usborne Mental Health and Wellbeing Resource Pack (3+)The Unworry Book.
|
 |
The Usborne Book of the Moon (4+)For thousands of years, the Moon has been the one thing in the night sky that everyone recognises. Each lesson in this resource pack uses extracts from the book, giving you beautiful text and illustrations to share with children (from KS1 through to KS2, at the teacher’s discretion), and to ignite their sense of wonder.
|
 |
Billy and the Mini Monsters - Monsters in the Dark (6+) Comprehension questions, creative writing and more activities based on this laugh-out book for younger readers. |
     |
Usborne STEM Teachers' Resources (7+)Quizzes and activities based around nine Usborne STEM books, including the 100 Things to Know series, Lift-the-flap Periodic Table, Lift-the-flap Computers and Coding, Lift-the-flap Fractions and Decimals, See Inside Energy and See Inside Space Stations and other Spacecraft.
|
 |
The Great Dodo Comeback (7+)Looking for a brilliant read for KS1 pupils? Ideal for confident readers, or to read as a class, The Great Dodo Comeback is a brilliant new title by debut children's author, Fiona Sandiford. Full of word play and with a strong environmental and conservationist focus, it's a great way to engage younger children in the key issues of our world. Plus, Popcorn the parakeet has got to be one of our all-time favourite animal sidekicks! Comes with accompanying teacher resources.
|
 |
Meet the Twitches (7+) Read the first two chapters together, then answer the comprehension questions, creative writing and other activities.View sample pages from this book. |
 |
The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates (9+)A super resource pack for KS2 teachers and librarians. Lesson plans include: Things I’ve Done That Make Me Proud; Reporting for the Barry Gazette; What Makes a Superhero?; Going on a Journey.
|
 |
The Girl With Space in Her Heart (9+)Lara Williamson's latest novel is a heart-warming and laugh-out-loud story about learning that love is never lost and change doesn’t have to be scary. Teacher's notes include discussion questions and activities around the themes worrying and anxiety; myths; mystery; magic; space and change.
|
 |
The House of One Hundred Clocks (9+)Extracts from the A.M. Howell's critically acclaimed historical mystery, with corresponding discussion questions and activities.
|
 |
Nothing Ever Happens Here (9+)Izzy’s family is under the spotlight when her dad comes out as Danielle, a trans woman. Warm, honest and hopeful, this is a story about the power of family, friendship and being true to yourself. This pack of discussion questions is suitable for book clubs or teachers.
|
 |
A Darkness of Dragons (9+)Three accidental heroes versus one legendary villain... an epic adventure is born in this former Waterstones Children's Book of the Month. Teacher's resources include discussion points, themes and character analysis and creative tasks.
|
 |
The Train to Impossible Places (9+)All aboard for a magical journey... All aboard for a magical journey...
When Suzy hears a strange rattling noise in the middle of the night, she creeps downstairs to find a train roaring through her house.
But this is no ordinary train. This is the magical delivery express for The Union of Impossible Places.
Whisked onboard by a troll boy called Wilmot, Suzy's world is turned upside down when she's given the job of delivering a cursed package to the fearsome sorceress, Lady Crepuscula.
Except when the mysterious package begs not to be delivered, Suzy discovers the fate of the Impossible Places might just be in her hands...The activities for this novel focus in particular on letter writing. They use a series of ‘Top Tips’ from Postmaster and resident letter-writing expert, Wilmot Grunt, to encourage pupils to interrogate the components of a successful letter.
|
 |
The Garden of Lost Secrets (9+)Set during the First World War, The Garden of Lost Secrets by A.M. Howell is a historical mystery. This resource pack has lesson plans and discussion starter points for each chapter in the book.
|
 |
The House With Chicken Legs (9+)The House with Chicken Legs is a reimagining of the Russian folk tale of Baba Yaga from Sophie Anderson. These notes include reading group discussion questions and a creative exercise.
|
 |
The Peculiar Peggs of Riddling Woods (9+)This is the story of a sleepy town called Suds. A place where stories fill the air of children who keep turning grey and disappearing without a trace… Each lesson here uses extracts from this book (which are also read by the author Samuel J. Halpin in the corresponding videos), giving you the full package to share with children and to excite their imaginations.
|
 |
Being Miss Nobody (9+)Rosalind Banks has selective mutism (SM), a condition which makes it impossible for her to say anything in certain situations. This book is about finding your voice and speaking up. Reading notes for teachers and book groups include ideas for discussion and suggestions for further reading.
|
 |
Just Call Me Spaghetti-Hoop Boy (9+)This sensitive and thoughtful story encourages children to develop empathy. These resources, with ideas for discussion and activities, link with key learning points in the national curriculum programme of study for English KS2, supporting the reading, writing and spoken word aims of the curriculum.
|
 |
The Name of this Book is Secret (10+)'Generally speaking, books don’t cause much harm. Except when you read them, that is. Then they cause all kinds of problems.' This hilarious novel is accompanied by lots of discussion and analysis questions, and creative tasks.
|
 |
The Wild Folk (10+)The Wild Folk centres round the idea of the world we live in, and protecting it for the natural beauty it holds. It draws on ideas of environmentalism and what can go wrong when we abuse our natural resources. Teacher's notes include discussion and analysis activities and creative tasks.
|
 |
Mockingbird (10+)Mockingbird deals with major themes of loss, friendship, growing up and coping with life's challenges. Teacher's notes include discussion and analysis activities and creative tasks.
|
 |
Freak the Mighty (10+)This novel explores what it means to be human, as Max and Kevin fight prejudice and disability to form Freak the Mighty. Teacher's notes include discussion and analysis activities and creative tasks.
|
 |
Kick (11+)This thought-provoking novel about a young boy with a huge heart explores the imbalance of a world in which it takes a Western football star a mere one hundred seconds to earn the monthly wage of the child labourers who make his boots. Teacher's resources include an author Q&A, discussion questions and creative activities.
|
 |
Yankee Girl (11+)Yankee Girl is a story of growing up, and of learning to stand up for what you believe in, even if the rest of the world seems to believe in something different. It is about race and prejudice, and about the difficulty of doing the right thing. Teacher's notes include discussion and analysis activities and creative tasks.
|
 |
A brilliantly funny and touching new novel exploring bullying, body confidence and, most importantly, learning how to be happy with who you are. Teacher's notes are structured around the Key Stage 3 English Curriculum with cross-curricular links to science and technology, maths, history, citizenship and PSHE.
|
 |
Scavengers (11+)Landfill has lived his whole life as a scavenger. He's told to never come looking outside and never rise above the wall – but what happens when you break the rules? This resource pack includes discussion questions and activities for each chapter.
|
 |
Where the World Ends (12+)Winner of the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2018, this novel by Geraldine McCaughrean is based on a true story of survival in the most remote part of the British Isles. Teacher's notes include discussion questions, stepping into the shoes of a character and more.
|
 |
The Last Summer of Us (14+)The Last Summer of Us follows the life-changing road trip taken by three close friends, each on the brink of adulthood, each grappling with huge emotional turmoil. Teacher's resources include an author's note, discussion questions and creative activities.
|
 |
The Places I've Cried in Public (14+)Bestselling YA author Holly Bourne's latest novel is a powerful and challenging account of an abusive relationship. Teachers' notes for KS4 RSE include extracts from the book and look at themes of gaslighting, sexual relationships, love and friendship.
|
Usborne English Readers (Find your level for Usborne English Readers)
English Readers con livelli (QCEcR Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) e #QRCODE audio:
|
Very First Reading supports your teachingVery First Reading offers:
|
The Very First Reading framework
The Very First Reading framework was developed with the help of literacy experts Alison Kelly and Anne Washtell at Roehampton University in London.
The framework ensures:
- Systematic learning of phonemes through the first eight books, with the next seven focusing on spelling and pronunciation patterns.
- Carefully graded, manageable progression from one book to the next.
- Increasing stamina and independence of the reader: adult and child share reading in the first seven books, with the child’s share becoming progressively bigger until they are reading the whole text, and with the text gradually increasing in complexity and overall length.
- Systematic introduction of high frequency words at the stage where children can most easily decode them.
The Very First Reading experts
Literacy experts Alison Kelly and Anne Washtell have been involved throughout the Very First Reading development process, from devising the framework through checking the text of each of the 15 titles.
Alison KellyAlison Kelly
Alison worked for many years as a primary school teacher in London, and is currently Principal Lecturer in English Education at Roehampton University. She is the co-author and editor of bestselling textbooks on reading and writing in the primary classroom. She is also the expert adviser on Usborne’s First Reading and Young Reading series, which have sold over 10 million copies worldwide.
Anne WashtellAnne Washtell
Anne has also worked as a primary school teacher and a teaching advisor at the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education in London, and contributed to numerous textbooks and resource books for teachers. She is currently Senior Lecturer in English Education at Roehampton University, with a special interest in teaching phonics.
Book Bands for Usborne Very First Reading, Phonics Readers, First Reading, Young Reading and Beginners: Book Bands combined-book-bands-table.pdf
The Usborne Reading Programme
Very First Reading is designed to bring children up to the level at which they can tackle stories in Usborne First Reading (Level One), which is part of the bestselling Usborne Reading Programme.
The Usborne Reading Programme offers a huge choice of titles and topics for developing readers - fairy tales and folk tales, original fiction and classics, natural history, history and biography, including RE and citizenship - graded into seven levels. You can find out more about the Usborne Reading Programme, or download a full list of Usborne Reading Progamme titles by book band.Teach your Monster to Read
Teach your Monster to Read is a free game which provides a series of fun challenges to help children improve their accuracy in recognising phonemes and graphemes. It uses exactly the same teaching sequence as Very First Reading, and is also compatible with other leading phonics programmes. The game was produced and funded by the Usborne Foundation, a charity set up by Peter Usborne, founder of Usborne Publishing. It has been developed in consultation with reading experts at the University of Roehampton and created by leading UK games designers. Visit the Teach your Monster to Read website to find out more.
