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
- Oi Dog! Board Book by Kes Gray, Claire Gray
- Where Is Little Fish? by Lucy Cousins
- Count with Little Fish by Lucy Cousins
3+ readers
- No, Nancy, No! by Alice Tait
- The Darkest Dark by Chris Hadfield
- Forever or a Day by Sarah Jacoby
5+ readers
- The Great Big Book of Friends by Mary Hoffman
- King of the Sky by Nicola Davies
- The Great Big Book of Feelings by Mary Hoffman
7+ readers
- The Book Case by Dave Shelton
- Max Champion and the Great Race Car Robbery by Alexander Mccall Smith
- The Chocolate Factory Ghost by David O'Connell
9+ readers
- The Infinite Lives of Maisie Day by Christopher Edge
- To the Edge of the World by Julia Green
- You Are Awesome by Matthew Syed
11+ readers
- The City of Secret Rivers by Jacob Sager Weinstein
- Twelve Nights by Andrew Zurcher
- The Goose Road by Rowena House
13+ readers
- Truly, Wildly, Deeply by Jenny McLachlan
- Rebound by Kwame Alexander
- Holes by Louis Sachar
YA readers
- I Have Lost My Way by Gayle Forman
- Encounters by Jason Wallace
- I Stop Somewhere by T. E. Carter
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 Lovereading as it provides an honest opinion and showcases a range of fiction. Suited to both parents & kids alike, it’s a must-use.
Georgie Rowe – age 16
I think Lovereading4kids is an amazing company because of the friendly staff and the fabulous chance to read great books before publication.
Adam Graham
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
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
I love ‘LoveReading 4 kids’ because they let you read and learn things you’d never dreamed of learning before.
Emily Horncastle – age 11
It’s so easy to find the right book for your child. Such an easy-to-use, yet in-depth website. 100% reliable.
Pippa, Jack, Liam & Matthew Wils
We love Lovereading4kids because it promotes reading choices, new authors and a sense of community for children of all ages!
Rachel Bridgeman
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
This month's 'featured books':
Bedtime Reading
Goodnight Tiptoe
Polly Dunbar
A dreamy, goodnight story. Bedtime comes and every one is sleepy
– except Tiptoe! One after another, Tilly settles her friends
down for the…
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…
Beep Beep Beep Time for Sleep!
Claire Freedman
Illustrated by Richard Smythe
This book will be heaven for digger devotees, and a dream come true
for their parents too. A busy day on the motorway is drawing to a
close: the…
Tufty
Michael Foreman
Tufty the little duck grows up in the grounds of Buckingham Palace
(his parents are very fond of the Royal Duck and Duckess (sic) who
give the ducks…
The Star Tree
Catherine Hyde
When a little girl's nightlight goes out, she takes a magical
midnight journey to the Star Tree in this beautiful bedtime read
from fine artist…
The Mumsnet Book of Bedtime Stories Ten Prize-Winning Stories from Mumsnet and Gransnet
Mumsnet and Gransnet hosted a bedtime story-writing competition
among their users. Former Children's Laureate Michael Rosen
selected the ten…
This month's 'featured books':
Reviewed by Children
You Are Awesome
Matthew Syed
A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month April 2018 This positive and
empowering guide, by bestselling mindset author Matthew Syed, will
help children…
The Edge of Everything
Jeff Giles
In a nutshell: girl loves boy/supernatural bounty hunter | When
star-crossed lovers Zoe and the boy she nicknames X meet
the…
The Goose Road
Rowena House
April 2018 Debut of the Month | In a Nutshell: Inspiring WW1
against-the-odds adventure | It's 1916 and…
Judy Moody Saves the World!
Megan McDonald
Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
Another day. Another mood. Meet Judy Moody at her moodiest best, in
this laugh-a-minute third adventure in the international
bestselling series.
Baby Bird
Andrew Gibbs
Illustrated by Zosienka
April 2018 Debut of the Month Beautifully illustrated by talented
newcomer Zosienka, this is an uplifting story about a little bird
who finds a way…
To the Edge of the World
Julia Green
April 2018 Book of the Month | In a nutshell: gripping and moving
adventure story set in a wild seascape Jamie lives on an island in
the…
This month's 'featured books':
Books of the Year
Illegal
Eoin Colfer, Andrew Donkin
Illustrated by Giovanni Rigano
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the
Month October 2017 Twelve-year-old Ebo's terrifying story
of…
Running on the Roof of the World
Jess Butterworth
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | June 2017 Debut of the Month In
a Nutshell: Spirit of survival abounds on an epic Himalayan…
Nanette's Baguette
Mo Willems
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | There's a surprise twist at the
end of this tale of little Nanette, entrusted by her mother to get
the…
One Silver Summer
Rachel Hickman
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | June 2017 Debut of the Month A
heady romance for two adolescences each of whom is coping with a
family…
Letters from the Lighthouse
Emma Carroll
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | July 2017 Book of the Month
Lovereading4kids are big fans of Emma's books. Her stories…
The Hate u Give
Angie Thomas
Shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2018 | One of Our Books of
the Year 2017 | Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award | April
2017 Debut of the…
This month's 'featured books':
Fascinating Facts
Day of the Dinosaurs
Steve Brusatte
Illustrated by Daniel Chester
Visually alive, original and information rich, this handsome book
will fascinate budding young palaeontologists. It speaks directly
to the reader,…
How Does a Lighthouse Work?
Roman Belyaev
Join a group of school children on this voyage of discovery and
discover the answers to lots of questions as well as fascinating
facts…
Ella Queen of Jazz
Helen Hancocks
Stylishly illustrated this is a piece of non-fiction, the inspiring
story of a special friendship, and a bit of a mystery story too. It
introduces…
Coding for Beginners: Using Python
Louie Stowell
This extremely user-friendly and accessible guide book will teach
children the basics of Python, enabling them to create their own
games and simple…
Many Moons
Remi Courgeon
A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month March 2017 Beautifully
produced to make the most of its clever design, this is a book
whose charm…
Life on Earth: Human Body
Heather Alexander
Illustrated by Andres M. Lozano
This is a typically informative and cleverly designed book from
Wide Eyed Editions, one of our leading new publishers of
non-fiction. Over 16…
This month's 'featured books':
UKLA 2018
Bottle of Happiness, A
Pippa Goodhart
Illustrated by Ehsan Abdollahi
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award A new fable that goes full
circle as it explores the value of possessions against values of
friendship and…
The Street Beneath My Feet
Charlotte Gullian
Illustrated by Yuval Zommer
Shortlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award Detailed, ingenious and
graphically beautiful this information book opens, as the best do,
with an…
A Story Like the Wind
Gill Lewis
Illustrated by Jo Weaver
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | Longlisted for the UKLA 2018
Book Award A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month May 2017
Gill…
The Darkest Dark
Chris Hadfield
Illustrated by The Fan Brothers
Shortlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award Astronaut Chris Hadfield
describes the special moment in his childhood that sparked his
fascination with…
Frogkisser!
Garth Nix
Shortlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award A brilliantly funny take
on fairytales and quests. Lovereading comment to follow. Garth Nix
said:…
The Song from Somewhere Else
A. F. Harrold
Illustrated by Levi Pinfold
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award A Julia Eccleshare Book of
the Month November 2016 Award-winning A.F. Harrold blends reality
and…
This month's 'featured books':
Books for Boys
The Adventures of Alfie Onion
Vivian French
Illustrated by Marta Kissi
If you love fairytales – and who couldn't? – you'll
love this brand new adventure written by one of our most inventive
and…
Jake Atlas and the Tomb of the Emerald Snake
Rob Lloyd Jones
Illustrated by Petur Antonsson
In a nutshell: two kids on a death-defying treasure hunt through
Egypt's ancient monuments. Adventure stories don't come
more…
Thimble Monkey Superstar
Jon Blake
Illustrated by Martin Chatterton
Jams Cogan's life changes when his next door neighbours arrive at
his family bungalow – or Castle as his dad, a not-terribly
successful…
Digger Disaster
Rose Impey
Illustrated by Chris Chatterton
The combination of dinosaurs and diggers will make this completely
irresistible to many young children, but there's lots for all
readers to…
Danny McGee Drinks the Sea
Andy Stanton
Illustrated by Neal Layton
Andy Stanton, that maestro of absurdity, teams up with Neal Layton,
an illustrator who also has a direct line to preposterousness, to
create a…
Hamish and the Neverpeople
Danny Wallace
Illustrated by Jamie Littler
One of our Books of the Year 2016 | February 2016 Book of the Month
Hamish and the Worldstoppers was one of my favourite kids' books of
2015,…
This month's 'featured books':
Reluctant Readers
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…
Memoirs of a Neurotic Zombie Escape from Camp
Jeff Norton
Life's not easy for Adam Meltzer, or rather death isn't. You see,
he's a zombie – bad enough for anyone let alone someone
who…
Jacky Ha-Ha: My Life is a Joke
James Patterson
Spending time with the eponymous Jacky (Ha-Ha because she's both
funny and a stammerer) is always great fun and, as ever, there's
lots to…
The Forever Man
Eoin Colfer
The heroes of Eoin Colfer's wonderful time-travelling W.A.R.P.
series, Victorian orphan Riley and Shawnee FBI juvenile consultant
Chevie are…
The Misadventures of Max Crumbly 2 Middle School Mayhem
Rachel Renee Russell
In a nutshell: wacky humour, thrilling action, nail-biting suspense
and cool raps From the creator of the hugely…
Robot's Revenge
Clive Gifford
A thrilling adventure in which you the reader decide the route of
the adventure, using your knowledge and learning more from the book
about robotics…
This month's 'featured books':
Super-readable Dyslexia-friendly
The Haunting of Uncle Ron
Anne Fine
Illustrated by Vicki Gausden
Interest Age 7-12 Reading Age 7+ Award-winning Anne Fine always
writes brilliantly about annoying family members. Ian's Uncle Ron
has a…
Boing Boing
Alexander Mccall Smith
Illustrated by Zoe Persico
A Dyslexia Friendly Picture Book for Parent and Child The story of
a little girl who literally has a spring in her step (in her knees
to…
The Two Jacks
Tony Bradman
Illustrated by Ross Collins
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 8 A case of mistaken identity means
everything changes in this sweet story…
Football Crazy
Tony Bradman
Illustrated by Michael Broad
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 8+ Light-hearted, fun football story.
Danny, Jamil and Lewis are delighted when a football legend agrees
to coach…
Pitt Street Pirates
Terry Deary
Illustrated by Stefano Tambellini
Interest Age 7+ Reading Age 7+. The Pitt Street Pirates want to
find the treasure and they want to find it quickly. Led by Captain
Roger Redbeard…
The 13th Fairy
Kaye Umansky
Illustrated by Stefano Tambellini
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 8+ Poor Sleeping Beauty! Everyone
knows she was cursed by the wicked fairy out of spite because
she…
