Farming books for primary school library

33 replies

babybythesea · 27/09/2026 09:06

Advice please!
I work in a small rural primary school and work hard to promote a love of reading.

One of our children (aged 9) asked if we could get the Jeremy Clarkson Diddly Squat books. I haven’t read them (not my scene!) but a quick google suggests absolutely not in a primary school.
So I’m wondering what alternatives there are. Most of our kids live on farms, this is a world they are comfortable in. We’ve got fiction like Dick King Smith but given the choice they would rather pick up tractor magazines.
A quick hunt suggest Matt Baker (A Year on the Farm) would be suitable.

Does anyone have any other ideas? Non-fiction ideally but anything would do! This is really not my area of interest but I don’t want him to think I didn’t listen, and he’s usually a child who tells me reading is boring and pointless so if he’s asking I want to encourage! We’ve got plenty of picture books for the younger ones. It’s the Y4/5/6 that we are struggling for.

OP posts:

Seagulldancing · 27/09/2026 09:57

How about books set on farms? Charlotte's Web, all those 80s pony novels? They could prompt discussions on changes in farm life.

Original poster

babybythesea · 27/09/2026 09:54

frenchnoodle · 27/09/2026 09:48

It's not a book but "The young stock" is a fantastic magazine for young readers, absolutely worth subscribing if you have a lot of farming kids in the class.

I’d not heard of that. We’ll have a look.

OP posts:

Original poster

babybythesea · 27/09/2026 09:53

user293948849167 · 27/09/2026 09:46

Can you not get in a selection of farming magazines? For year 5/6 at least should be appropriate and if they’re more likely to read them why not

Yes, absolutely. We have a few but we need a refresh.
Definitely not something we’re against though.

OP posts:

frenchnoodle · 27/09/2026 09:48

It's not a book but "The young stock" is a fantastic magazine for young readers, absolutely worth subscribing if you have a lot of farming kids in the class.

RandomMess · 27/09/2026 09:47

I wonder if you can reach out to the publisher and enquire about a charitable donation if back copies?

user293948849167 · 27/09/2026 09:46

Can you not get in a selection of farming magazines? For year 5/6 at least should be appropriate and if they’re more likely to read them why not

Original poster

babybythesea · 27/09/2026 09:39

Ha! We’ve had a similar comment. Straw in the manger for the nativity. Two kids messing about. We thought we’d give them something to do so say “You’re shepherds- pretend to feed this to your sheep.”
Horrified looks “We can’t do that. That’s straw. They don’t EAT that. That’s bedding. They eat hay. We haven’t got hay. Can’t feed sheep that.” We only had toy sheep so in the grand scheme of things it probably didn’t matter but it was critical to them!

We have a few farming mags which are well loved!

OP posts:

Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 27/09/2026 09:26

Did you ever hear the joke about the NQT who was placed in a rural infant school. She was showing flash cards with pictures of farm animals on them. She held up a sheep, and there was silence. “Come on, now, children. You must know what this is?” One child put their hand up and said, “I don’t know if it’s a Suffolk or a Romney.”

Kids from farms know their stuff. Honestly, they’d probably love it if you get in farming magazines (put out a call in the school newsletter).

Unflip

1 2