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
- Owl Babies by Martin Waddell
- Samson the Mighty Flea by Angela Mcallister
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 Diary of a Killer Cat by Anne Fine
- The Ice Bear by Jackie Morris
7+ readers
- My Mum's Going To Explode! by Jeremy Strong
- The Snow Leopard by Jackie Morris
- 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
- The Island at the End of Everything by Kiran Millwood-Hargrave
- Cogheart by Peter Bunzl
13+ readers
- The Wrong Train by Jeremy De Quidt
- Holes by Louis Sachar
- Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl. by Anne Frank
YA readers
- A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
- Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett
- ...And a Happy New Year? by Holly Bourne
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 get an opportunity to put my opinion forward and to try new books
Elosie Clarkson – age 11
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
I am so pleased to have signed my kids up as they are reading a much wider range of books and even choosing books out of their comfort zone.
Angela East
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
We love Lovereading as my 5 year old loves to read new books before anyone else has a chance, she says it makes reading exciting!
Tracey Chorley
Lovereading4kids is great, we get books really early never late. We love to read and review, and think you would like it too. The excitement
Jasmine Harris-Hart, age 12
Lovereading is just a convenient way to find new books and hear others opinions on them.
Sarah Murray – age 15
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
This month's 'featured books':
Bedtime Reading
King of the Sky
Nicola Davies
Illustrated by Laura Carlin
May 2017 Picture Book of the Month | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the
Month May 2017 | In a story full of hope against…
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…
Talulla Bear's Bedtime Book
Heather Roan Robbins
A delightful, gentle story to share with your little ones which
will leave you both feeling restful, warm and cosy. This beautiful
picture book has…
Abigail
Catherine Rayner
Longlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal 2014 Kate Greenaway winner
Catherine Rayner's gorgeous bold animals fill the pages perfectly
in…
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…
Maisy Goes to Bed
Lucy Cousins
Celebrate twenty-five years of Maisy with this classic novelty book
reissue that remains as popular today as it was 25 years ago! Lift
the flaps and…
This month's 'featured books':
Carnegie Greenaway
The Edge of the Cloud
K. M. Peyton
Winner of the 1969 CILIP Carnegie Medal K.M. Peyton won the
Carnegie Medal for this romantic and passionate story set in the
run up to…
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…
Railhead
Philip Reeve
Shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2017 | Shortlisted for the
UKLA 2017 Book Award | August 2016 Book of the Month Set…
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…
One
Sarah Crossan
Winner for the Children's Book Award 2017 - Books for Older Readers
Category | One of our Books of the Year 2016 | Winner of the CILIP
Carnegie Medal…
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…
This month's 'featured books':
Books Reviewed by Children
The 91-Storey Treehouse
Andy Griffiths
Illustrated by Terry Denton
In a nutshell: a fabulous story for every storey Andy Griffiths and
Terry Denton return with another surreal, inventive and comic tale
about their…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
This month's 'featured books':
Bookshelf Essentials
The Snowman
Raymond Briggs
This is one of the all time favourites of any nursery and certainly
a book to turn back to time and time again whether you're a child
or an…
The Granny Project
Anne Fine
When Granny begins to need more looking after, Mum and Dad decide
she'd be better off in a home. But Ivan, Tanya, Nicholas and Sophie
have…
Stig Of The Dump
Clive King
Published in the early 1960s and yet as relevant today as it was
then, this is a book that will captivate the imagination of a 7 or
8 year old…
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit
Judith Kerr
This unforgettable story of a Jewish family fleeing Germany before
the Second World War, is now available in a special hardback
edition to celebrate…
My Dad's a Birdman
David Almond
Illustrated by Polly Dunbar
Join a father and daughter as they find their wings together and
take to the skies in this funny, tender tale from the master of
contemporary…
Dogger
Shirley Hughes
Winner of the Greenaway of Greenaways in 2007 and Greenaway winner
in 1977. Filled with humour and Shirley Hughes' deft touch, this is
a book for…
This month's 'featured books':
Classics
The Kingdom by the Sea
Robert Westall
Guardian award-winning novel about courage, friendship and war.
Reissued into the Essential Modern Classic list. Lovereading Review
to follow...
Across the Barricades A Kevin and Sadie Story
Joan Lingard
Across the Barricades is part of Joan Lingard's ground-breaking
Kevin and Sadie series, the sequel to The Twelfth Day of July. Both
books are part of…
The Wave
Morton Rhue
In a nutshell: Iconic | Outspoken | Big Issues | Difficult Truths
The Wave is based on a nightmarish true episode in a Californian
high school, when…
The Cay
Theodore Taylor
Illustrated by Kenny McKendry
Beautifully written, this novel won every award imaginable in the
USA when it was published. It is a tense, dramatic and compulsive
survival…
The Usborne Illustrated Odyssey
Sebastien van Homer
Illustrated by Sebastien van Donnick
This lean but effective retelling of one of the greatest stories of
all time is made even more lively thanks to numerous full colour
illustrations.…
The Odyssey
Rosemary Sutcliff
Illustrated by Alan Lee
The Odyssey, Homer's second epic adventure, tells the story of
Odysseus as he travels home from the war in Troy. His adventures on
his travels…
