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
- An Alphabet by Oliver Jeffers
- Roald Dahl's Opposites by Roald Dahl
- Play by Jez Alborough
3+ readers
- Mr Pegg's Post by Elena Topouzoglou
- If All the World Were... by Joseph Coelho
- Wonder Goal! by Michael Foreman
5+ readers
- The Day War Came by Nicola Davies
- Seashore Watcher by Maya Plass
- Norman the Norman and the Very Small Duchess by Philip Ardagh
7+ readers
- Tyrannosaurs Rex Prehistoric Beasts Uncovered - King of the Dinosaurs by Dougal Dixon
- 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
- The Wild Folk by Sylvia V. Linsteadt
11+ readers
- The Adventures of John Blake Mystery of the Ghost Ship by Philip Pullman
- Cogheart by Peter Bunzl
- The House with Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson
13+ readers
- The Family Tree by Mal Peet
- The Tiger on His Back by Bernard Ashley
- My Messed-Up Life by Susin Nielsen
YA readers
- The Weight of a Thousand Feathers by Brian Conaghan
- All of This Is True by Lygia Day Penaflor
- After the Fire by Will Hill
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 a community united by a passion for books and promoting the best there is in children’s literature.
Sam Bateman and family
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 company is amazing; not only is it is a great opportunity to get books and review them but everyone is so friendly and supportive!
Jemma Rubens, age 10
It is fantastic, you get to read lots of books and you always find something new and amazing in them.
Erica Motoc, age 7
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
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
At @HHSHaringey we love @lovereading4kids because our pupils can practice reviewing & get free upcoming books before anyone else!
Helen Swinyard – Heartlands High
This month's 'featured books':
Bedtime Reading
There's a Snake in My School!
David Walliams
Illustrated by Tony Ross
David Walliams has his finger firmly on the funny bone of the
nation's youth, and little children will love this story of school
turned…
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…
Mr Underbed
Chris Riddell
STOP PRESS: You have probably seen the Christmas TV ad for Moz the
Monster. It looks to us as though the inspiration for it may well
have…
With My Mummy
James Brown
Illustrated by Cally Johnson-Isaacs
One of our special picks for Mothering Sunday The ahhh-factor is at
its highest setting in this sweet but sturdy little board book. On
each page a…
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…
We Are Family
Patricia Hegarty
Illustrated by Ryan Wheatcroft
‘Money doesn't matter, nor colour, creed, nor name - /In each
and every family, the love we feel's the same': these are
the…
This month's 'featured books':
Reviewed by Children
The Extinction Trials: Exile
S.M. Wilson
In a Nutshell: Dystopian dangers, deadly dinosaurs = Jurassic Park
meets The Hunger Games | Pounding hot on the clawed heels
of…
The Wild Folk
Sylvia V. Linsteadt
In a nutshell: magical quest adventure story with a strong sense of
the natural world | Perfect for readers who enjoy magical
adventures…
The Weight of a Thousand Feathers
Brian Conaghan
Heart wrenching, honest, funny and bold, this exceptional novel
about the life, loves and agonies of a young carer, and the love
between a mum and…
My Box-Shaped Heart
Rachael Lucas
In a Nutshell: Fractured families | First love | Fresh starts |
16-year-old Holly feels like an outsider, except when she's…
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…
This month's 'featured books':
Books of the Year
The Dollmaker of Krakow
R. M. Romero
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | October 2017 Debut of the Month
In a Nutshell: An enchantingly heartrending conjuration that
weaves…
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…
Katinka's Tail
Judith Kerr
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the
Month November 2017 Fans of the adventures of Judith Kerr's Mog
will…
Looking for Yesterday
Alison Jay
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | October 2017 Book of the Month
Beautiful illustrations full of interest and wonder accompany
Alison Jay's…
A Girl Called Owl
Amy Wilson
Longlisted for the Branford Boase Award 2018 | One of Our Books of
the Year 2017 | February 2017 Book of the Month | In a
nutshell:…
The One Memory of Flora Banks
Emily Barr
Shortlisted for the YA Book Prize 2018 | Longlisted for the
Branford Boase Award 2018 | One of Our Books of the Year 2017
|…
This month's 'featured books':
Fascinating Facts
Magnificent Birds
Narisa Togo
It isn't often that a non-fiction picture book has been so admired
here in the Lovereading office. The stunning, stylish lino-cut
prints capture the…
100 Most: Unexplained Mysteries on the Planet
Anna Claybourne
Think 21st century humans have explained pretty much everything
there is to explain? Think again! As this book demonstrates,
there's still a…
Above and Below
Patricia Hegarty
Illustrated by Hanako Clulow
Children are invited to explore eight different habitats in this
appealing and very attractive information book, clever split page
design allows them…
The Wonder Garden
Jenny Broom
Illustrated by Kristjana S Williams
Winner of the English Association 4-11 Picture Book Awards 2016 -
Non-Fiction 7-11 category | Longlisted for the inaugural Klaus
Flugge Prize, an…
Women in Science
Rachel Ignotofsky
March 2017 Non Fiction Book of the Month | In a nutshell: an
inspiring introduction to 50 pioneering women scientists | …
101 Brilliant Things for Kids to Do with Science
Dawn Isaac
Doing exactly what it says on the tin, this book is indeed packed
with things for kids to do with science and the great news is that
all 101 of them…
This month's 'featured books':
UKLA 2018
Aubrey and the Terrible Ladybirds
Horatio Clare
Illustrated by Jane Matthews
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award June 2017 Book of the Month
| A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month June 2017 A sequel
to…
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…
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:…
Oi Dog! Board Book
Kes Gray, Claire Gray
Illustrated by Jim Field
Shortlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award | Winner of the Children's
Book Award 2017 - Books for Younger Children Category All fans of
rhymes will…
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We Come Apart
Sarah Crossan, Brian Conaghan
January 2018 Book of the Month | Shortlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book
Award In a nutshell: unputdownable story, beautifully told |
…
The Goldfish Boy
Lisa Thompson
Longlisted for the Branford Boase Award 2018 | Longlisted for the
UKLA 2018 Book Award A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month
January…
This month's 'featured books':
Books for Boys
The 52-Storey Treehouse
Andy Griffiths
Illustrated by Terry Denton
For absurd, anarchic, keep-them-reading comedy adventures, kids
can't do better than climb into Andy and Terry's world. If
you…
Timmy Failure Sanitized for Your Protection
Stephan Pastis
‘To the best of my knowledge', announces Timmy Failure at the
start of this book, in a chapter called Let's Do the Timmy
Warp…
Jim's Lion
Russell Hoban
Illustrated by Alexis Deacon
Russell Hoban's moving, unflinching tale of a boy who finds bravery
during illness is dramatically reimagined in graphic-novel format
with new art by…
The Day the Crayons Came Home
Drew Daywalt
Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers
Longlisted for the UKLA 2017 Book Award | Shortlisted for the
Children's category of the Books are My Bag Readers Awards 2016
Those…
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…
Jack's Mega Machines: Mighty Monster Truck
Alison Ritchie
Illustrated by Mike Byrne
An exciting new title in the popular series about Jack, a boy with
a gift for repairingbig machines. Jack's just fixed up a monster
truck and…
This month's 'featured books':
Reluctant Readers
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…
There's a Dragon in My Dinner
Tom Nicoll
Illustrated by Sarah Horne
February 2016 Debut of the Month Dragons come in all shapes and
sizes in children's stories, but the one that Eric finds in a
box…
The Outlaw Varjak Paw
S F Said
Winner of the Blue Peter Book of the Year 2007 and winner of Blue
Peter Prize 2007 'The Book I Couldn't Put Down.'Varjak Paw is a cat
with attitude…
The Secret Railway
Wendy Meddour
Illustrated by Sam Usher
In three words: secret worlds - adventure – magic There are
echoes of Narnia in this exciting adventure which begins with
two…
Jellicle Cats
T. S. Eliot
Illustrated by Arthur Robins
A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month March 2017 T.S Eliot's
best-loved verses, originally published in an anthology, work
brilliantly…
Diary of a Trainee Rock God
Jonathan Meres
Illustrated by Jake McDonald
Interest Age 9+ Reading Age 9 | In a nutshell: it's only a
rock'n'roll story but we like it! …
This month's 'featured books':
Super-readable Dyslexia-friendly
War Games
Terry Deary
Illustrated by Stefano Tambellini
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 8 Best-known for his Horrible
Histories, Terry Deary has an exceptional ability to bring the past
to…
Contact
Malorie Blackman
Illustrated by Paul Fisher
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 7+ Malorie Blackman is adept at
writing thought-provoking books as full of ideas as they are of
action and…
Mad Iris and the Bad School Report
Jeremy Strong
Illustrated by Scoular Anderson
One of our Dyslexia Friendly Books of the Year 2015 - Interest Age
8-12 Reading Age 8Firm favourite Mad Iris returns for a third
madcap…
The Beast
Michaela Morgan
Illustrated by Chris Mould
Interest Age 7-12 Reading Age 7 Clever telling keeps this story
spooky and surprising. Chapter one and Robbie and Gareth are
local…
A Perfectly Ordinary School
Jeremy Strong
Illustrated by Scoular Anderson
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 8+ Bestselling Jeremy Strong wittily
dreams up the perfect way for Frankie to see off the school
bullies.…
Killing Ground
Tom Palmer
Illustrated by David Shephard
In a nutshell: exciting mix of football, ghosts and heroics Seth's
not like other boys, he can see people from the past
wherever…
