Read Write Count with the First Minister: P3 Books

Through Read Write Count with the First Minister, every child in Primary 2–3 receives a free bag with books, educational games and writing materials that change on a yearly basis. This book list contains some of the titles we have previously gifted to Primary 3.

If you’re a learning professional, it’s worth exploring if any copies of these books are in your school or setting, as they have been specifically selected to support and encourage reading for pleasure. All of them also offer excellent opportunities to explore literacy, numeracy, health and wellbeing and further learning across the curriculum. Otherwise, if you’re looking for a great read at home – these books are perfect for cosying up together!

As with all our resources, we advise that you read the book before using it with your class and use your judgement about whether it is appropriate for the children you work with.

Duncan Beedie Heavy Metal Badger

This bold and bright picture book from our 2025 P3 bag is filled to the brim with music puns and noise! Badger loves music, but no one suits his signature style. Badger doesn’t just want to play music – he wants to rock! A great read not just for the excellent musical jokes, but also for celebrating that everyone has somewhere that they can belong.

Nik Henderson Timothy Knapman The Book of Blast Off

Travel through time and space with this exploration through fifteen real-life space missions told through rhyme. Learn about the space race, the Perseverance’s trip to Mars and the first all-female spacewalk. Included in our 2025 P3 bag, we love how this book blends fascinating facts with fast-paced storytelling.

Ross Collins Tom Nicoll There’s Nothing Faster than a Cheetah

What’s faster than a cheetah? Nothing! With a series of increasingly silly animal and vehicle combinations joining in the race, this bright picture book from our 2024 P3 bag is excellent for exploring alliteration.

Leigh Hodgkinson Martha Maps It Out

Meet Martha – this is her town, her family, her home, her bedroom and her special space monkey. Martha shows us her world through something she loves: maps! Jam-packed with lots of details, this unique picture book was included in our 2023 P3 bag and will keep you noticing new things each time you read it.

Alexandra Page Stef Murphy The Worry Tiger

Rory is anxious about show-and-tell tomorrow. Just when everything feels like too much, a jungle blooms in his bedroom, allowing him to meet the Worry Tiger. Together they explore ways to help Rory feel calm, from breathing to stretching. Included in our 2023 P3 bag, this book is excellent for starting conversations about emotions and mindfulness.

Sophy Henn All Kinds of Friends

This celebration of friendship introduces readers to the real-life relationships between different animals. Did you know that humpback whales and dolphins love to play together? Or that oxpecker birds eat ticks and parasites – both getting a tasty meal and keeping hippos nice and clean? Exploring both facts about animals and ecosystems, and the magic of friendship, this joyful book was part of our 2023 P3 bag.

Graham Carter The Story Thief

This book from our 2022 P3 bag is a lovely celebration of the power of reading. Olive is shy and loves retreating into her favourite stories. However, when all the books in her town start going missing, she decides to find out who is responsible and teach them an important lesson: that stories are best when shared!

Kate Hindley Pamela Butchart Jeremy Worried About the Wind

Jeremy worries about everything – spotty bananas, the zip on his coat and, of course, the wind! His best friend Maggie, however, isn’t worried about anything. When they decide to play outside in the wind, Jeremy must face his fears. This funny book from our 2022 P3 bag offers an approachable and fun way to explore the idea of worries.

Peter Bently Steven Lenton Octopus Shocktopus!

When a giant octopus lands on the roof of a house, all the neighbourhood children are delighted! The octopus is excellent at football, can find lost toys with his tentacles, and even clear snow in the winter. However, the adults aren’t so convinced and might need to be persuaded… From our 2021 P3 bag, this clever story is fully of funny rhymes that are a joy to read aloud.

Mini Grey The Last Wolf

In this reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood, Little Red goes out to catch a wolf. What she discovers instead is nothing like the picture book baddies she imagined. This moving picture book from our 2021 P3 bag contains a great message about caring for our wild spaces and their inhabitants.

Dapo Adeola Nathan Bryon Look Up!

Inspired by Black female astronauts of the past, Rocket dreams of travelling into outer space. But despite her excitement about an upcoming meteor shower, she can’t quite connect with her older brother. Exploring ideas of space, our dreams, family and togetherness, this inspirational picture book was part of our 2020 P3 bag.

Emma Dods Jacqueline McCann Marc Aspinall Wow! Animals

This is a book of extraordinary facts about animals! Did you know a gorilla can catch a human cold? Or that an ostrich has the largest eyes of any animal on land? For those who love animals, or the experience of learning a new fun fact, this book from our 2020 P3 bag is a delight to dip in and out of.

Kes Gray Nikki Dyson You're Called What?

Included in our 2019 P3 bag, this hilarious picture book is a very fun read (and reread!). The monkeyface prickleback, the blue footed boobie and all the other animals with silly names have come to the Ministry of Silly Animal Names to complain. From there unfolds a hilarious tongue-twisty story filled with real life animals (and their silly names!).

Kate Hindley Lucy Rowland The Knight Who Said No

Ned the knight is always well-behaved and always says “yes” any time he’s asked to do something for someone else. However, one day he doesn’t quite feel like saying “yes” anymore. What he doesn’t realise is that the world “no” will bring something new into his life, in the shape of a big scary dragon! Included in our 2019 P3 bag, this is a fun and charming story about the power of the word “no”.