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
- Owl Babies by Martin Waddell
- Tabby McTat Picturebook and CD by Julia Donaldson
- A Busy Day for Birds by Lucy Cousins
3+ readers
- The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr
- Tabby McTat by Julia Donaldson
- Goodnight Everyone by Chris Haughton
5+ readers
- The Diary of a Killer Cat by Anne Fine
- Grandad's Secret Giant by David Litchfield
- What's My Name? by Wendy Finney
7+ readers
- My Mum's Going To Explode! by Jeremy Strong
- Mango & Bambang: Tiny Tapir Trouble by Polly Faber
- Danny Dingle's Fantastic Finds The Jet of Justice by Angie Lake
9+ readers
- Eye of the Wolf by Daniel Pennac
- Dragon's Green Worldquake Book One by Scarlett Thomas
- Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo
11+ readers
- Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo
- The Island at the End of Everything by Kiran Millwood-Hargrave
- Cogheart by Peter Bunzl
13+ readers
- Holes by Louis Sachar
- Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl. by Anne Frank
- The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon
YA readers
- ...And a Happy New Year? by Holly Bourne
- A Monster Calls: Special Collector's Edition by Patrick Ness
- A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
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!
I love lovereading4kids because I’ve read amazing books I would never have picked up, and its opened doors to new genre’s I now love.
Harriet Cunningham
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
It is THE website to use for narrowing down your search for any book. Definitely knocks the socks off any other book review website.
Nickey and Tomasz Hawryszczuk
It has introduced my children to books we hadn’t come across before. Real children’s reviews gives a great insight into what others think to
Lorraine Woods
It is fantastic, you get to read lots of books and you always find something new and amazing in them.
Erica Motoc, age 7
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
Love “Lovereading4kids” as my son gets to hear about & read new books before his mates which keeps him interested in reading=a very happy Mum
Liz Evans
This month's 'featured books':
Bedtime Reading
100 Brilliant Poems for Children
Paul Cookson
Paul Cookson's collection does not claim to be the definitive
hundred brilliant poems, but it comes close; providing a fun,
inspiring and…
Blown Away
Rob Biddulph
Winner of the 2015 Waterstones Children's Book Prize A brilliant
adventure for a bold Penguin who gets swept up, up and away on a
brand new…
This is the Kiss
Claire Harcup
Illustrated by Gabriel Alborozo
A big bear and a little bear are getting ready for bedtime –
a process with lots of lovely stages. They wave goodbye to their
snowman, hold…
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…
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…
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…
A Monster Calls
Patrick Ness
Illustrated by Jim Kay
Winner of the 2012 Carnegie Medal AND 2012 Kate Greenaway Medal.
This is the first time, in the Awards 75 year history, that one
book has won both…
The Journey
Francesca Sanna
Winner for the 2017 Klaus Flugge Prize | Winner of the UKLA 2017
Book Award | Shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2017
and awarded the…
The Marvels
Brian Selznick
Shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2017 | Shortlisted
for the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize 2016 | Shortlisted
for…
Salt to the Sea
Ruta Sepetys
Winner of the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2017 | Longlisted for the UKLA
2017 Book Award It's early 1945 and a group of people trek across
Germany,…
Buffalo Soldier
Tanya Landman
Winner of the 2015 CILIP Carnegie Medal The Judges comment
“We were particularly impressed with how Buffalo Soldier
explored what it means to…
This month's 'featured books':
Books Reviewed by Children
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…
Isadora Moon Goes on a School Trip
Harriet Muncaster
In a nutshell: half-vampire, half-fairy, Isadora makes a new friend
Lively, told in short chapters and filled with illustrations
this…
William Bee's Wonderful World of Trains, Boats and Planes
William Bee
If you love vehicles, then this is the book for you! William Bee
shows off a multitude of amazing vehicles, starting with the steam
engine, then…
Mango & Bambang: Tiny Tapir Trouble
Polly Faber
Illustrated by Clara Vulliamy
Polly Faber and Clara Vulliamy's Mango and Bambang stories are
perfect for newly independent readers. There are four funny,
entertaining…
The 91-Storey Treehouse
Andy Griffiths
Illustrated by Terry Denton
Lovereading comment to follow soon. For more irresistible, funny,
highly illustrated reads for the under tens, try the Tom Gates
series by Liz…
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…
This month's 'featured books':
Bookshelf Essentials
The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig
Eugene Trivizas
Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury
This much-loved picture book puts a comic and clever twist on the
familiar fairytale. Three polite young wolves set off to make their
way in the…
Princess Smartypants and the Missing Princes
Babette Cole
After bringing girl power to picture books over 30 years ago,
feisty Princess Smartypants returns to a new audience in the first
of three highly…
Goodnight Mister Tom
Michelle Magorian
A heart breaking and heart warming story of a special friendship
that grows between Willie Beech, evacuated to the country to avoid
the Blitz on…
Wolf Brother: Book 1 Chronicles of Ancient Darkness
Michelle Paver
Rich in detail which brings the past to life and makes the forest
background vivid to all readers, Wolf Brother tells how orphaned
Torak must set out…
The Big Green Book
Robert Graves
An enchanting, strange and sometimes chilling tale, masterfully
illustrated by Maurice Sendak.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Roald Dahl
Illustrated by Quentin Blake
A book that requires no introduction as it is probably Dahl's
best-known and most read creation and deservedly so. The secretive
and magical…
This month's 'featured books':
Classics
Goodnight Mister Tom
Michelle Magorian
A heart breaking and heart warming story of a special friendship
that grows between Willie Beech, evacuated to the country to avoid
the Blitz on…
Through the Looking Glass: Macmillan Classics Edition
Lewis Carroll
Lewis Carroll's follow-up to Alice's Adventures through the Looking
Glass includes the introduction of Tweedledum and Tweedledee
those…
Buddy
Nigel Hinton
In a nutshell: Iconic | Outspoken | Big Issues | Difficult Truths
Buddy is a moving and totally convincing account of a boy's
faltering relationship…
Dear Nobody
Berlie Doherty
In a nutshell: Iconic | Outspoken | Big Issues | Difficult Truths
The moving and very real story of two teenagers and an unplanned
pregnancy. It is…
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…
Gulliver
Jonathan Swift
Illustrated by Lauren O'Neill
‘My name is Gulliver, and I have a tale to tell that will
make your hair stand up and your mouth hang open.' So starts Mary
Webb's…
