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
- Goodnight Everyone by Chris Haughton
- A Big Day for Migs by Jo Hodgkinson
- A Bear-y Tale by Anthony Browne
3+ readers
- Mr Pegg's Post by Elena Topouzoglou
- Baby's First Bank Heist by Jim Whalley
- I Want My Dad! by Tony Ross
5+ readers
- Norman the Norman and the Very Small Duchess by Philip Ardagh
- Town Is by the Sea by Joanne Schwartz
- The Day War Came by Nicola Davies
7+ readers
- Junkyard Jack and the Horse That Talked by Adrian Edmondson
- The Twitches Bake a Cake by Hayley Scott
- Dog Diaries by Steven Butler & James Patterson
9+ readers
- Boy Underwater by Adam Baron
- Kat Wolfe Investigates by Lauren St.John
- Mirror Magic by Claire Fayers
11+ readers
- Cogheart by Peter Bunzl
- Where the World Ends by Geraldine McCaughrean
- Midnight by Derek Landy
13+ readers
- My Messed-Up Life by Susin Nielsen
- The Family Tree by Mal Peet
- The Tiger on His Back by Bernard Ashley
YA readers
- The Weight of a Thousand Feathers by Brian Conaghan
- After the Fire by Will Hill
- Before I Die by Jenny Downham
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 gives me a chance to read types of books that I would not normally try, and it motivates me to read every night to finish it!
Alice Horncastle, age 14
Writing reviews help the children with their literacy skills and we always read the books together which gives us good quality family time!
Cat Bisland (on behalf of the Bi
It’s a community united by a passion for books and promoting the best there is in children’s literature.
Sam Bateman and family
LoveReading4Kids is a modern and creative way of emphasising the value and importance of books in this digital age #booksforlife
Amrit Bunet – Teen
A great way to introduce kids to great books, authors & genres. Parents can find age-appropriate books to share with their children.
Judi Davies – Aberdare Girls Sch
At @HHSHaringey we love @lovereading4kids because our pupils can practice reviewing & get free upcoming books before anyone else!
Helen Swinyard – Heartlands High
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
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
This month's 'featured books':
Bedtime Reading
No More Kissing!
Emma Chichester Clark
A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month February 2018 A must-have for
all who hate being kissed! Momo the little monkey hates…
The Everywhere Bear
Julia Donaldson
Illustrated by Rebecca Cobb
Best-selling duo Julia Donaldson and Rebecca Cobb reunite in a
lovely story that begins in a Year One classroom before taking us
on an exciting,…
Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy
Lynley Dodd
First published in 1983 and still as good today. Written by Lynley
Dodd, who is a New Zealander, this is the first in a series of
books about the…
King of the Sky
Nicola Davies
Illustrated by Laura Carlin
Shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2018 | In a story
full of hope against adversity, King of the Sky tells how flying a
homing…
We're Going on a Bear Hunt
Michael Rosen
Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury
This is the 25th anniversary board book edition of this bestselling
title which well-deserves its classic status. It has become the
staple of…
Goodnight Everyone
Chris Haughton
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award Perfect for the end of
every day, award-winning Chris Haughton captures the soothing time
as the sun goes…
This month's 'featured books':
Reviewed by Children
5 Wild Numbers
Bella Gomez
Wow! Bright pages depicting animals in gorgeous jungle
illustrations house die-cut numbers from one to five. Each number
has a sliding disc…
The Funny Life of Pets
James Campbell
Illustrated by Rob Jones
You'd expect a book by top comic-for-kids James Campbell to make
them laugh a lot, and this certainly will. Over 240 illustrated
pages he…
Ash Princess
Laura Sebastian
June 2018 Debut of the Month | In a Nutshell: Rebellion, romance
and an imprisoned princess set on revenge This ambitiously
epic…
The Twitches Bake a Cake
Hayley Scott
Illustrated by Pippa Curnick
June 2018 Book of the Month | More delightful small-scale fun and
big adventure in this new story starring toy rabbit family the
Twitches…
Dog Diaries
Steven Butler & James Patterson
Illustrated by Richard Watson
June 2018 Book of the Month | In a nutshell: It's a (very funny,
very readable) dog's life Narrated at breathless speed by
super-excited…
After the Fire
Will Hill
Winner of the YA Book Prize 2018 | Shortlisted for the CILIP
Carnegie Medal 2018 | In a nutshell: tense, super-suspenseful novel
based on…
This month's 'featured books':
Books of the Year
The Giant Jumperee
Julia Donaldson
Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | April 2017 MEGA Book of the
Month | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month April 2017 | Julia
Donaldson and…
The Loneliest Girl in the Universe
Lauren James
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | September 2017 Book of the
Month | In a Nutshell: Stellar story of survival in outer space A
uniquely…
Orbiting Jupiter
Gary D. Schmidt
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | Shortlisted for the UKLA 2017
Book Award Before meeting his new foster brother, Jack understands
what he…
The Bad Mood and the Stick
Lemony Snicket
Illustrated by Matthew Forsythe
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | November 2017 Book of the Month
Lemony Snicket's simply told story offers a refreshing, thoughtful,
and…
The Wizards of Once
Cressida Cowell
Winner of the 2018 Blue Peter Awards - Best Story | One of Our
Books of the Year 2017 | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month
October…
The Night Spinner
Abi Elphinstone
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | With this action packed third
and final instalment to the series, Abi Elphinstone has secured her
place in the…
This month's 'featured books':
Fascinating Facts
What If a... Could a Monkey Waterski?
Camilla de la Bedoyere
Illustrated by Aleksei Bitskoff
Discover some amazing and unusual facts about monkeys in this
imaginative book full of humorous scenarios that children can
relate to. Using everyday…
Life on Earth: Farm
Heather Alexander
Illustrated by Andres M. Lozano
March 2017 Book of the Month Unless they are regular visitors to
the countryside it can be hard for children to connect the milk in
the…
Cool Kids Cook
Jenny Chandler
The hot (cool) new cook book for 7 - 14 year old children who love
food and want to understand more about where it comes from and how
to create…
The Science Timeline Wallbook
Christopher Lloyd, Patrick Skipworth
Illustrated by Andy Forshaw
The story of human invention and engineering began at least 10,000
years ago in the stone age and has continued non-stop ever since
with each…
Peep Inside The Sea
Anna Milbourne
Illustrated by Simona Dimitri
There's so much for very young children to discover when they peep
inside the sea in the pages of this excellent board book. Each
page…
Big Picture Thesaurus
Rosie Hore
Illustrated by Rachael Saunders
February 2017 Fascinating Facts Book of the Month Children will
find this book useful, effective and helpful, as well as fun,
entertaining and…
This month's 'featured books':
UKLA 2018
You Must Bring a Hat
Simon Philip
Illustrated by Kate Hindley
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award A party invitation is at
the centre of this highly entertaining and amusing story. It states
that guests…
Fish Boy
Chloe Daykin
Illustrated by Richard Jones
Shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award 2018 | Longlisted for the
UKLA 2018 Book Award March 2017 Debut of the Month In…
Saint Death
Marcus Sedgwick
Shortlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award In a Nutshell: Gangs dice
with death under the gaze of Mexican folk saint. A…
Mind the Gap
Phil Earle
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | Longlisted for the UKLA 2018
Book Award A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month | February 2017
Book…
Odd Dog Out
Rob Biddulph
Shortlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award Odd Dog Out has all the
qualities that made Blown Away and Grrrrr! so popular with critics
and readers!…
Wolf Hollow
Lauren Wolk
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award | Shortlisted for the CILIP
Carnegie Medal 2017 | A young girl's kindness,…
This month's 'featured books':
Books for Boys
Monster Slayer
Brian Patten
Illustrated by Chris Riddell
One of our Books of the Year 2016 | Interest Age 7-10 Brian Patten
tells the story of the hero Beowulf in vivid, accessible prose; in
Barrington…
Storyworlds: Nature
Thomas Hegbrook
Opening with an exhortation to readers to ‘discover, inquire
and wonder', this is another example of the exciting trend in
non-fiction…
Dream Team
Alan Gibbons
Illustrated by Chris Chalik
With the World Cup coming up, football stories are even more
appealing than usual, and Alan Gibbons knows just how to win and
hold young…
Song of the Dolphin Boy
Elizabeth Laird
A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month March 2018 Award-winning
Elizabeth Laird's touching story about Finn, a misfit boy who
is…
Compton Valance Super F.A.R.T.s versus the Master of Time
Matt Brown
Illustrated by Lizzie Finlay
Compton Valance and his best friend Bryan Nylon are unlikely
heroes, but they managed to create a time machine out of a mouldy
cheese sandwich and…
The Prince and the Pee
Greg Gormley
Illustrated by Chris Mould
The title says it all! Set in a gloriously depicted fairy-tale
landscape this clever picture book has lots of fun with a situation
that all parents…
This month's 'featured books':
Reluctant Readers
Llama United
Scott Allen
Illustrated by Sarah Horne
May 2017 Debut of the Month | In a nutshell: daft and thoroughly
entertaining football adventure with llamas | There aren't enough
good…
Mind Writer
Steve Cole
Illustrated by Nelson Evergreen
One of our Super Readable Books of the Year 2016 | Interest Age
8-12 Reading Age 8 | In a Nutshell : accessible | edgy |…
The Ostrich of Pudding Lane
Jeremy Strong
Illustrated by Sarah Horne
Jeremy Strong knows just how to pitch a story to junior readers and
the three different adventures in this collection have all his
hallmarks:…
Danger is Still Everywhere: Beware of the Dog
David O'Doherty
Illustrated by Chris Judge
Shortlisted for the Laugh-Out-Loud Book Awards 2016, 9-13 years
Category Dr Noel Zone is without doubt the world's greatest…
The Beautiful Game
Alan Gibbons
Illustrated by Chris Chalik
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 8 | In a nutshell: the highs and lows
of our national obsession | Football has the power to…
Basil the Bear Cub
Janey Louise Jones
Illustrated by Jennie Poh
Superfairies is a sweet new series about four little fairies, in
which the emphasis is very much on kindness and helping others. In
this springtime…
This month's 'featured books':
Super-readable Dyslexia-friendly
My Dog Daisy
Jean Ure
Illustrated by Charlie Alder
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 8+ This new story from Jean Ure,
though seemingly simple and straightforward, is typically full of
insight into…
Aidan Abet, Teacher's Pet
Guy Bass
Illustrated by Steve May
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 8 | In a nutshell: shocking levels of
sucking-up in super-readable school story…
Mad in the Back
Michael Rosen
Illustrated by Richard Watson
A Dyslexia Friendly Picture Book for Parent and Child It's hard to
know who will laugh more at this new picture book, children or
their…
Wartman 4u2read
Michael Morpurgo
Illustrated by Joanna Carey
Interest Age 7-12 Reading Age 7 A brand new 4u2read edition
celebrating the 20th anniversary of this touching tale by Michael
Morpurgo.…
Mr Birdsnest and the House Next Door
Julia Donaldson, Catriona Black
Illustrated by Hannah Shaw
Interest Age 5-8 Former Children's Laureate Julia Donaldson's story
is a touching adventure told in easy to read chapters. Elmo
and…
Ninja: Death Touch
Chris Bradford
Illustrated by Sonia Leong
One of our Dyslexia Friendly Books of the Year 2013 - Interest Age
8-12 Reading Age 8 A dramatic new story in the popular Ninja series
and…
