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
- A Great Big Cuddle by Michael Rosen
- A Hebridean Alphabet by Debi Gliori
3+ readers
- No, Nancy, No! by Alice Tait
- The Darkest Dark by Chris Hadfield
- Forever or a Day by Sarah Jacoby
5+ readers
- King of the Sky by Nicola Davies
- The Great Big Book of Friends by Mary Hoffman
- Bug Hotel by Libby Walden
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
- Tin by Padraig Kenny
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
- Holes by Louis Sachar
- Savage Island by Bryony Pearce
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!
LoveReading4Kids is a modern and creative way of emphasising the value and importance of books in this digital age #booksforlife
Amrit Bunet – Teen
At @HHSHaringey we love @lovereading4kids because our pupils can practice reviewing & get free upcoming books before anyone else!
Helen Swinyard – Heartlands High
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
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
We love Lovereading4kids because it promotes reading choices, new authors and a sense of community for children of all ages!
Rachel Bridgeman
Lovereading is just a convenient way to find new books and hear others opinions on them.
Sarah Murray – age 15
It’s a community united by a passion for books and promoting the best there is in children’s literature.
Sam Bateman and family
I love finding new books to read. My mummy and me look at the new ones coming out. I have written reviews of some of them!
Jessica Cobbin – age 7
This month's 'featured books':
Bedtime Reading
Bedtime with Ted
Sophy Henn
It's bedtime for Ted, but he's just too busy yet – flip the
flaps and you can see why: Ted is in the bath with some penguins,
busy…
Old Bear
Jane Hissey
Old Bear was first published in 1986 and became one of the
bestselling picture books ever with spin off merchandise that
ensured he became a…
The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep A New Way of Getting Children to Sleep
Carl-Johan Forssen Ehrlin
Illustrated by Irina Maununen
When Roger can't fall asleep, Mummy Rabbit takes him to see Uncle
Yawn, who knows just what to do. In this volume, children can join
Roger on his…
Mrs Mole, I'm Home!
Jarvis
April 2017 Picture Book of the Month | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of
the Month April 2017 | Morris Mole can't find his glasses anywhere
at…
Secrets of the Mountain
Libby Walden
Illustrated by Richard Jones
In a nutshell: Dahl-esque story in defence of Unusualness Children
who like their stories filled with larger-than-life characters,
crazy comedy and…
How the Elephant Got His Trunk
Anna Milbourne
Illustrated by John Joven
This retelling of Kipling's Just So story is thoroughly appealing
and effective. It's bright and attractive to look at –
John…
This month's 'featured books':
Reviewed by Children
What the Ladybird Heard on Holiday
Julia Donaldson
Illustrated by Lydia Monks
Award-winning duo Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks have created a
brilliant new adventure for the clever Ladybird, star of What the
Ladybird…
Welcome to Nowhere
Elizabeth Laird
Shortlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award In a nutshell: the lives
of a Syrian family brought vividly and sympathetically to life for
young readers…
The Book Case
Dave Shelton
April 2018 Book of the Month | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month
April 2018 A deliciously exciting story with a great boarding
school…
Iguana Boy Saves the World With a Triple Cheese Pizza
James Bishop
In a nutshell: can one boy and four iguanas save the world? You
betcha There might be a lot of superhero books around at the
moment,…
Out of the Blue
Sophie Cameron
April 2018 Book of the Month | In a Nutshell: Falling Angels |
Rising Hope | Falling in Love Compelling magic realist debut in
which a fallen…
Lesser Spotted Animals
Martin Brown
Shortlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award In a nutshell: not your
average animal book | This is no ordinary animal book, you won't
find…
This month's 'featured books':
Books of the Year
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…
Lucky Button
Michael Morpurgo
Illustrated by Michael Foreman
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the
Month November 2017 Award-winning Michel Morpurgo's warm-hearted
time…
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…
Hats of Faith
Medeia Cohan-Petrolino
Illustrated by Sarah Walsh
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | There should be more books like
this: in bright, appealing illustrations it tells children how
people of…
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 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…
This month's 'featured books':
Fascinating Facts
Lots The Diversity of Life on Earth
Nicola Davies
Illustrated by Emily Sutton
February 2018 Book of the Month | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the
Month February 2018 | A stunning book that is also an
invaluable…
The Big Bird Spot
Matt Sewell
A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month May 2017 Described as
‘the Bansky of the bird world', Matt Sewell has…
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…
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…
How Much Does a Ladybird Weigh?
Alison Limentani
Alison Limentani's extraordinary picture book introduces children
to a fascinating world of wildlife, weight, numbers, and
comparisons in the most…
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…
This month's 'featured books':
UKLA 2018
Counting with Tiny Cat
Viviane Schwarz
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award Quirky and inventive as
ever, Viviane Schwarz brings her playful genius to the counting
book. Tiny Cat goes…
Don't Cross the Line!
Isabel Minhos Martins
Illustrated by Bernardo P. Carvalho
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award In Don't Cross the Line,
The guard always follows the general's orders without question.
This…
Grumpy Frog
Ed Vere
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award Join Grumpy Frog as he
learns about compromise and tolerance, friendship and the power of
saying sorry. A…
A Child of Books
Oliver Jeffers, Sam Winston
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award Julia Eccleshare's Book of
the Month September 2016 Award-winning storyteller and artist
Oliver…
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…
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:…
This month's 'featured books':
Books for Boys
How Harry Riddles Made a Mega-amazing Zombie Movie
Simon Mayle
June 2014 Debut of the Month Harry's an optimistic kid who never
gives in but when Harry's dad loses his job he fears his
mega-amazing…
Dog Town
Luize Pastore
Illustrated by Reinis Pētersons
In a nutshell: quirky and unusual adventure with traces of myth and
magic Riga is the setting for this fairy-tale like adventure, and
the city is…
Mortimer's Picnic
Nick Ward
With clever comic timing this story builds to a surprise ending
rather like The Gruffalo. Mortimer is planning a picnic with his
best friend…
Lionheart
Richard Collingridge
Longlisted for the UKLA 2017 Book Award This book comes with a
warning: it will make you ROAR! And it will – with
excitement, relief and…
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…
The Funniest Dinosaur Joke Book Ever
Joe King
Illustrated by Nigel Baines
If you're in the market for T Rex titters, sea monster sillies, or
Paleo puns (and why wouldn't you be?), then this is the book for
you!…
This month's 'featured books':
Reluctant Readers
Squishy McFluff: The Big Country Fair
Pip Jones
Illustrated by Ella Okstad
In a nutshell: Fluffy invisible friend conquers all at country fair
There's tension at the heart of this new Squishy McFluff story: Ava
and…
The Hundred-Mile-An-Hour Dog: Master of Disguise
Jeremy Strong
In a Nutshell: silliness – disguises - dogs Jeremy Strong
continues to set the standard in comic writing for children and
his…
50 Football Skills
A handy pocket-sized paperback book packed with skills and tricks
to improve technique on the pitch. Covers all areas of playing the
'beautiful…
Dave Pigeon (Nuggets)
Swapna Haddow
Illustrated by Sheena Dempsey
In a nutshell: pigeontastic comedy capers with Dave and Skipper |
Things are not looking good for pigeons Dave and Skipper. The
Human…
Pinocchio
Michael Morpurgo
Illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark
Michael Morpurgo has created a fresh version of the classic story
of Pinocchio, the wooden puppet with a terrible habit of telling
lies who comes…
Help! I'm a Genius
Jo Franklin
Illustrated by Aaron Blecha
In a Nutshell: Guffaws, giggles and gags aplenty By a curious twist
of fate Daniel Kendal - the self-confessed NOT-brainiac - has been
chosen to…
This month's 'featured books':
Super-readable Dyslexia-friendly
Rose's Dress of Dreams (Little Gem)
Katherine Woodfine
Illustrated by Kate Pankhurst
A beautiful tale for dreamers from award-winning author Katherine
Woodfine. Based on the life of Rose Bertin, the woman credited with
creating…
The Number 7 Shirt
Alan Gibbons
Interest Age 9 -14 Reading Age 8+. Perfect for reluctant or
struggling readers. This is an action-packed story involving a boy
who dreams of being a…
Snug
Michael Morpurgo
Illustrated by Faye Hanson
Interest Age 5-8 Former Children's Laureate Michael Morpurgo has a
gift for telling stories about animals and how they touch the lives
of…
Bigger and Better
Kaye Umansky
Illustrated by Ben Whitehouse
Interest Age 8-11 Reading Age 8 Characters don't come bigger or
better than Vi, the star of this fabulously funny new story by
the…
Billy Button, Telegram Boy
Sally Nicholls
Illustrated by Sheena Dempsey
One of our Books of the Year 2016 | July 2016 Book of the Month
Meet the Buttons. Mrs Button runs a shop – the nicest thing
about it, she…
Young Wizards
Michael Lawrence
Illustrated by Chris Mould
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 8+ On the day before their sister's
thirteenth birthday strangely magical things start to…
