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 choose of the very best children’ 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 massive difficulty isn’t discovering nice youngsters’s books about London, it’s which of them to select.
The record beneath 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 few household metropolis break in London, some important studying to pack in hand baggage and extra inspiration for planning your journey.
You could find extra concepts of children’ books about London in my Amazon lists as nicely
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 may 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 consists of 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 may 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 collection when she was youthful, and We Utterly Should Go to London is good for followers.
The e book sees Charlie and his little sister visiting London on a college journey, passing essentially the most well-known sights, so little ones can comply with alongside throughout their very own journey – there’s even an ‘extraordinarily good London map’ as nicely.
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 footage and little ones can’t resist becoming a member of in with the ‘Honk Honk’ of noisy London horns as she spots Huge Ben, Piccadilly Circus, Buckingham Palace and different sights. A stunning introduction for toddlers following in Maisy’s pawprints.
The Queen’s Hat
Generally 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 obtained the recipe for an journey by means of London.
With a string of London landmarks, from London Zoo to Tower Bridge and Huge 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 comply with 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 vivid 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 a listing of children books about London, followers of the basic tales can even comply with her adventures this facet of the Channel.
After Pepito, who lived subsequent to Madeline and her associates in France, strikes to London, all of them resolve to pay him a go to. Madeline in London is good for age 4-7.
Children’ books about London
The stunning tales are all set in London, together with a number of the metropolis’s main landmarks – excellent as a memento or to get children enthusiastic about their go to.
Harry Potter followers may even love monitoring down the areas from the books (and the films) throughout a go to to London: so lots of them that I’ve compiled a complete set of Harry Potter areas in London
Usborne Look Inside London
I misplaced rely 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 isn’t 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 pink telephone 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 taking a look at.
The Tower Bridge Cat
Set in one among 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 avoid wasting 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.
The Royal Rabbits
The primary in a collection of tales about Shylo and his Royal Rabbit associates, 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 comply with alongside because the Royal Rabbits journey to London. The Royal Rabbits is really useful for ages 7+. You can too purchase the three-book assortment.
The Hyde Park Squirrels
One other candy and vibrant collection of books, the Hyde Park Squirrels is about in Victorian occasions, beginning with Luke goes to London, as Lucas Bushtail units off for the town to search 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 e book from Usborne, it is 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 (reasonably than geography), displaying London all through its historical past from Roman occasions to the Center Ages, the Black Demise and through the Blitz within the Second World Warfare.
That is London
This basic e book was first printed in 1959 and whilst you may not discover bowler-hatted bankers on their solution to the town lately, That is London continues to be a beautiful one to personal.
With Miroslav Sasek’s elegant illustrations bringing London to life, you’ll discover most of the historic buildings and landmarks, in addition to black cabs, the underground, the Horse Guards and different conventional sights as tempting in the present day.
Advisable for age 7+, we got a duplicate when my daughter was born and skim it together 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 another choice for preschoolers), their surprising time out takes them to Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, Huge Ben and the London Eye, so Katie in London is good 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 e book 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 pink 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 solution to plan a time out and your personal Stroll in London
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 sooner or later, she meets a speaking bus and it looks as if her goals have was 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 Huge 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 e book has a map to assist children study extra of the world’s geography, as they comply with Grant, his sister and their two new associates as they attempt to clear up the Thriller at Huge Ben, taking them from the London Eye alongside the Thames and right into a dungeon. Aimed toward age 8+.
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 e book within the collection – Grotesque Guides: London – with all of the fascinating and foul, ugly, gory and downright bizarre information you’d anticipate.
There’s loads of horribly hilarious moments in London’s historical past to take pleasure in too as you cowl every little thing from plague and pestilence to fireplace: uncover what triggered the Nice Stink, peer into spooky St Paul’s and courageous the terrifying Tower alongside the way in which.
The London Eye Thriller
An unusual 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 totally 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. Preferrred for September 11-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 anticipate; The Ruby within the Smoke is assured to maintain older tweens and youthful teenagers enthralled.
My title is Victoria
Written by Lucy Worsley, chief curator at Historic Royal Palaces (which incorporates Kensington Palace, childhood house 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 turn out to be the companion to Princess Victoria at Kensington Palace, she is torn between her loyalty to him and the principles he has devised for the younger roytal, and her new friendship with the princess, locked away from the world by these very guidelines. My Title is Victoria is good for age 9+.
Rivers of London
Think about Harry Potter grew up and joined the police… That’s the intriguing start line for Rivers of London, a novel following probationary constable Peter Grant, the primary of a collection set in London that’s supreme for teenagers.
After attempting to take a witness assertion from a ghost, he finds himself aiding DCI Thomas Nightingale to analyze crimes involving magic or the uncanny – which suggests 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 jot down 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 lady, 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 would possibly he return to his former life within the London Above.
London guidebooks for youths
There are London guides galore, however if you happen to’re in search of kid-friendly choices, these London guidebooks for kids 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 house 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 collection from Lonely Planet Children are one among my favorite guidebooks for kids – 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 possibly can 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 study lots! Aimed toward ages 8+
Lonely Planet Children Pop-up London
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 search 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 simple wins – together with black taxis and doubledecker buses – for youthful children to search out as nicely.
Take a look at Issues to Spot in London sticker e book as one other different
Mission London: A scavenger hunt journey
A mixture of guidebook and journey problem, Mission London ensures your children shall be maintaining their eyes open all through the journey as they attempt to earn sufficient factors to turn out to be a particular agent.
There are challenges which is able to apply to ever go to, from attempting conventional meals to recognizing key landmarks, in addition to others which you’ll be able to tailor to your personal journey, if you happen to’re visiting explicit museums or testing websites like Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London.
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