Lovereading4kids Weekly Staff Picks
Reading is fundamental to the development of children and countless research shows the links between good reading skills from an early age and future success in life. However, finding books children want to read or authors that excite them, can be difficult; the choice is daunting and guidance rather thin on the ground.
So, Lovereading4kids was created to be the best recommendation site for Children’s Book from toddlers to teens. It has been created using the experience we have as parents and book lovers, who want our children to read great books. Secondly, it has been created from what we have learned from setting up our first book site lovereading.co.uk
Books for all ages! Top downloads
Baby and Toddler
- Tabby McTat Picturebook and CD by Julia Donaldson
- Samson the Mighty Flea by Angela Mcallister
- Owl Babies by Martin Waddell
3+ readers
- Tabby McTat by Julia Donaldson
- The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr
- Goodnight Everyone by Chris Haughton
5+ readers
- Clare and her Captain by Michael Morpurgo
- The Ice Bear by Jackie Morris
- The Diary of a Killer Cat by Anne Fine
7+ readers
- The Snow Leopard by Jackie Morris
- My Mum's Going To Explode! by Jeremy Strong
- Mango & Bambang: Tiny Tapir Trouble by Polly Faber
9+ readers
- Eye of the Wolf by Daniel Pennac
- Dragon's Green Worldquake Book One by Scarlett Thomas
- Pax by Sara Pennypacker
11+ readers
- Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo
- Cogheart by Peter Bunzl
- The Island at the End of Everything by Kiran Millwood-Hargrave
13+ readers
- The Wrong Train by Jeremy De Quidt
- Holes by Louis Sachar
- The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon
YA readers
- A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
- Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett
- Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
Register now – FREE for a unique range of services specifically created to help parents and anyone who likes to buy books for children choose the best books for boys and girls of all ages.
- Download and print off the Opening Extract of every ‘featured book’ on our site, even the picture books.
- Discover new writers through our unique children’s author ‘like-for-like’ recommendation service.
- Read our exclusive online book reviews by Julia Eccleshare, author and children’s books editor at the Guardian.
- Enjoy regular emails to keep you up to date on the latest and best in your chosen age ranges. (Please be reassured that your e-mail address will remain confidential to Lovereading and not sold to any of those horrible spam people).
Register now and try it out. We know choosing books for children will become a joy!
It’s really exciting to read and review new books, thrilling to see my reviews online and I love finding the final published copies on sale.
Sam Harper – age 10
You give me age appropriate ideas of books I can read and buy for the children and find out what other children their age think of them too.
Katie Lonsdale
We love Lovereading4kids because they put books in front of us we wouldn’t otherwise have read. They make us more adventurous readers!
Emily Jacques
I have told all my friends, family & teachers to see for themselves just how great the site is. Without fail, they are hugely impressed.
Alexander Boxall – age 11
We love Lovereading4kids because it promotes reading choices, new authors and a sense of community for children of all ages!
Rachel Bridgeman
I love Lovereading because I often never know what to read and this helps you find a good book. I have recommended this to many people.
Shannon-Louise Masters – age 15
At @HHSHaringey we love @lovereading4kids because our pupils can practice reviewing & get free upcoming books before anyone else!
Helen Swinyard – Heartlands High
I think Lovereading4kids is an amazing company because of the friendly staff and the fabulous chance to read great books before publication.
Adam Graham
This month's 'featured books':
Bedtime Reading
Ruby and the Naughty Cats
Jane Hissey
Ruby the cheery little mouse and her soft toy friends are back, and
they're having trouble with the Naughty Cats! The Naughty Cats eat
their picnic…
Old Bear
Jane Hissey
Old Bear was first published in 1986 and became one of the
bestselling picture books ever with spin off merchandise that
ensured he became a…
This is Not A Bedtime Story
Will Mabbitt
Illustrated by Fred Blunt
Clever, funny and heart-racingly exciting, this is a book to
inspire and delight every little girl and boy. And one thing's for
sure. Perfect for…
There's a Snake in My School!
David Walliams
Illustrated by Tony Ross
One of our Books of the Year 2016 | October 2016 Book of the Month
David Walliams has his finger firmly on the funny bone of
the…
Tales for Little Children
Various Authors
There are fairy tales from all over the world gathered together in
this very attractive collection some of which, such as Dick
Whittington and…
The Lion Book of Nursery Rhymes
Julia Stone
Illustrated by Cally Johnson-Isaacs
November 2014 Book of the Month Every child needs a collection of
nursery rhymes and this collection of favourites with their clear
and unfussy…
This month's 'featured books':
Carnegie Greenaway
Shackleton's Journey
William Grill
Winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal 2015 Debut author and
illustrator, William Grill, 25, has become the youngest winner of
the Kate…
Tidy
Emily Gravett
Shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2017 | Julia
Eccleshare's Pick of the Month, April 2017 | Award-winning Emily
Gravett's…
The Smell of Other People's Houses
Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock
Shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2017 | Shortlisted for the
UKLA 2017 Book Award | Longlisted for the Guardian Children's
Fiction Prize 2016…
This is Not My Hat
Jon Klassen
Winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal 2014 - Winner of the UKLA Book
Awards 3-6yrs 2014 - Winner of the 2013 Caldecott Medal. One of
Julia…
Beck
Meg Rosoff, Mal Peet
*** Suitable for ages 16+ Shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal
2017 | In turns brutal and passionate, Beck is an utterly
compelling story of…
The Wolves of Currumpaw
William Grill
Shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2017 | Longlisted
for the UKLA 2017 Book Award | A beautiful and moving re-telling of
the first…
This month's 'featured books':
Books Reviewed by Children
Little Adventurers: What Bear? Where?
Philip Ardagh
Illustrated by Elissa Elwick
With an activity idea and an information page with every story in
the series, the Little Adventurers four will encourage hours of
immersive play, and…
Raymie Nightingale
Kate DiCamillo
Some momentous things happen in the course of this book: a father
leaves, buildings are burgled, a cat is lost and found, hearts are
broken, good…
Goodnight Everyone
Chris Haughton
Perfect for the end of every day, award-winning Chris Haughton
captures the soothing time as the sun goes down and all the animals
begin to fall into…
Pax
Sara Pennypacker
Illustrated by Jon Klassen
Touching and thought-provoking this is a lyrically-told story
perfectly presented in a beautiful book. Peter's life falls apart
after his…
The Detective Dog
Julia Donaldson
Illustrated by Sarah Ogilvie
A celebration of dogs and books alike, Julia Donaldson employs
typically sparkling rhyme to tell the story of Peter – a very
nice child though…
Bathroom Boogie
Clare Foges
Illustrated by Al Murphy
How do you follow a roaring success like Kitchen Disco? Why, with a
Bathroom Boogie of course. Who knew that when we're out our
bathrooms…
This month's 'featured books':
Bookshelf Essentials
Tim All Alone
Edward Ardizzone
Tim returns from a long sea voyage to find that his home is boarded
up, a ‘To Let' sign in the window, and his parents gone. He
cries a…
Hue Boy
Rita Phillips Mitchell
Illustrated by Caroline Binch
Selected by a distinguished independent panel of experts including
our editorial expert, Julia Eccleshare, for Diverse Voices - 50 of
the best…
Michael
Tony Bradman
A wonderful celebration of a boy who is thought to be bad but is
just... different! At school, Michael's teachers despair of him. He
is late,…
The Heron and the Crane
John Yeoman
Illustrated by Quentin Blake
Prize-winning illustrator Quentin Blake's stunning illustrations
bring great pathos to this touching story of how two lonely birds
make a hash…
I Want My Hat Back
Jon Klassen
Shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2013 A simply told
story with a delicious and irresistible mischievous twist in its
ending.…
Bears In The Night
Stan Berenstain, Jan Berenstain
One of our 'Must Reads'. Lively pictures, charming characters and
the fact that the story only uses 24 words, but to beautiful
effect, make this a…
This month's 'featured books':
Classics
Tarka the Otter
Henry Williamson
Illustrated by Annabel Large
This is the classic story of an otter living in the Devonshire
countryside which captures the feel of life in the wild as seen
through the otter's…
Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
Robert C. O'Brien
A wonderful fable which makes readers reconsider any prejudices
they may have about rats! Mrs Frisby needs to move home quickly
when the farmer…
Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats
T. S. Eliot
Illustrated by Axel Scheffler
The world-famous rhymes starring cats such as Macavity the Mystery
Cat and Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat are beautifully presented in
this edition…
The it Doesn't Matter Suit and Other Stories
Sylvia Plath
Deliciously funny and touching, Sylvia Plath's three wonderfully
fresh and original stories were originally written for her own
children but…
Postcards from No Man's Land
Aidan Chambers
In a nutshell: Iconic | Outspoken | Big Issues | Difficult Truths
This winner of the 2003 Michael Printz Award and the Carnegie
Medal, told in dual…
Annie
Thomas Meehan
A timeless tale that despite its 1933 setting resonates so
brilliantly with kids reading it today. Not only beautifully
written but the…
