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
- Meltdown! by Jill Murphy
- My First Elmer by David McKee
- Over the Hills and Far Away A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes from Around the World by Elizabeth Hammill
3+ readers
- Square by Mac Barnett
- Wonder Goal! by Michael Foreman
- The Match by Russell Ayto
5+ readers
- The Great Telephone Mix-Up (Little Gem) by Sally Nicholls
- The Bad Mood and the Stick by Lemony Snicket
- Town Is by the Sea by Joanne Schwartz
7+ readers
- Hoakes Island by Ian Friel
- The Uncracked Code by Tamara Macfarlane
- A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold
9+ readers
- You Are Awesome by Matthew Syed
- How to Bee by Bren MacDibble
- Spirit by Sally Christie
11+ readers
- The House with Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson
- A Skinful of Shadows by Frances Hardinge
- Girls for the Vote by Linda Newbery
13+ readers
- Holes by Louis Sachar
- Fly By Night by Frances Hardinge
- The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge
YA readers
- Release by Patrick Ness
- Moonrise by Sarah Crossan
- The Girl in the Broken Mirror by Savita Kalhan
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 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
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
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
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
It is fantastic, you get to read lots of books and you always find something new and amazing in them.
Erica Motoc, age 7
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
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
I love all the books they recommend & put up for me to review. I also love the fact that they give new authors the chance to share their boo
Daisy Pennock – age 15
This month's 'featured books':
Bedtime Reading
I Want My Hat Back
Jon Klassen
Shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2013 A simply told
story with a delicious and irresistible mischievous twist in its
ending.…
Spaghetti with the Yeti
Adam Guillain, Charlotte Guillain
Illustrated by Lee Wildish
Shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2013 - September 2013
Book of the Month George is off on an adventure – to
find…
Peepo! 30th Anniversary Edition
Allan Ahlberg
Fabulous illustrations, wonderful rhyming text with not a word out
of place; this is a book that no nursery bookshelf can be without.
This book…
Storytime: Hello Mr Moon
Lorna Gutierrez
Illustrated by Laura Watkins
Hello, Mr Moon is a magical story written in rhyme, featuring a
cast of adorable nocturnal animals that will help young children
understand why the…
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…
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…
This month's 'featured books':
Reviewed by Children
Cuckoo Song
Frances Hardinge
Frances Hardinge creates a brilliant sense of menace in this
chillingly dark fairy story . Something sinister, beyond just
getting wet, happens to…
Spirit
Sally Christie
May 2018 Book of the Month | In a nutshell: old magic in the real
world of today A game of Truth or Dare in the humdrum setting of a
school trip…
Skylarks
Karen Gregory
In a Nutshell: Falling in love, taking a stand, and standing tall
Exploring an unforgettable relationship between two young women
and…
5 Wild Numbers
Bella Gomez
Wow! Bright pages depicting animals in gorgeous jungle
illustrations house die-cut numbers from one to five. Each number
has a sliding disc…
Kat Wolfe Investigates
Lauren St. John
In a nutshell: animals, adventure and an irresistible cast of
characters This new series has everything that marks out the best,
most satisfying and…
The Company of Eight
Harriet Whitehorn
All her life Cass has dreamt of joining the circus to become an
acrobat and travel the islands on the Circus Boat. Once a year the
boat visits…
This month's 'featured books':
Books of the Year
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 Land of Neverendings
Kate Saunders
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | November 2017 Book of the Month
| A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month October 2017
Award-winning…
I am Bat
Morag Hood
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | This must be one of the
brightest and best picture books of the year. With minimalist
illustrations –…
Who Let the Gods Out?
Maz Evans
Longlisted for the Branford Boase Award 2018 | One of Our Books of
the Year 2017 | February 2017 Debut of the Month Oh my goodness,
this…
ABC Pop-Up
Courtney Watson McCarthy
A collectible Alphabet pop-up, for design connoisseurs of all ages.
This beautifully presented pop-up book is a refreshing take on
learning the…
Things a Bright Girl Can Do
Sally Nicholls
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | October 2017 Book of the Month
This inspirational novel about three young Suffragettes from very
different…
This month's 'featured books':
Fascinating Facts
Bugs
Simon Tyler
This handsome, large format information book provides a fascinating
introduction to the world of bugs (meaning the entire class of
insects). Readers…
Super Skills: How to Create Animation in 10 Easy Lessons
William Bishop-Stephens
September 2016 Fascinating Facts Book of the Month Anything you can
imagine, you can animate says this stimulating book, and it
explains clearly and…
National Trust: The Secret Diary of John Drawbridge, a Medieval Knight in Training
Philip Ardagh
Illustrated by Jamie Littler
In a nutshell: historical adventures full of facts and fun Not
since Horrible Histories has the past been brought to life for
young readers so…
Young, Gifted and Black
Jamia Wilson
Illustrated by Andrea Pippins
In a Nutshell: Inspiring celebration of black trailblazers This
inspiring, illuminating, stylishly accessible anthology invites
young readers…
Bug Hotel
Libby Walden
Illustrated by Clover Robin
A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month March 2018 Take a new look at
some of the most common insects and mini-beasts around us
in…
The Spot the Mistake: Lands of Long Ago
Mike Jolley, A. J. Wood
Illustrated by Frances Castle
For an information book, Lands of Long Ago takes a highly unusual
approach, filling its pages with errors. Young readers are
challenged to find…
This month's 'featured books':
UKLA 2018
A Perfect Day
Lane Smith
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award In this follow up to the
beautiful There Is a Tribe of Kids, Lane Smith's bright and fresh
artwork combines…
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:…
There May Be a Castle
Piers Torday
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award In a nutshell: the
unbeatable power of the imagination | Piers Torday's
beautifully…
Odd Dog Out
Rob Biddulph
Shortlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award Odd Dog Out has all the
qualities that made Blown Away and Grrrrr! so popular with critics
and readers!…
The Hypnotist
Laurence Anholt
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award | Winner of the Historical
Association's Young Quills Award 2017 Jack has left his native
Ireland…
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…
This month's 'featured books':
Books for Boys
Spirit of the Jungle
Bear Grylls
Illustrated by Javier Joaquin
In a nutshell: jungle survival in the footsteps of Mowgli | More
than 120 years after publication of The Jungle Book, and following
the…
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…
Fenn Halflin and the Fearzero
Francesca Armour-Chelu
Julia Eccleshare's Pick of the Month, June 2016 Debut author
Francesca Armour-Chelu has created a desperate flooded dystopian
world in this…
Beat the Game
James Floyd Kelly
In Beat the Game readers find themselves trapped inside a computer
game. They must apply their knowledge of programming and algorithms
to make their…
Eddie's Kitchen And How to Make Good Things to Eat
Sarah Garland
One of our Books of the Year 2014 A birthday party needs to be got
ready in a hurry! Mum has forgotten that it is Grandad's…
Monster Slayer
Brian Patten
Illustrated by Chris Riddell
One of our Books of the Year 2016 | Interest Age 7-10 Brian Patten
tells the story of the hero Beowulf in vivid, accessible prose; in
Barrington…
This month's 'featured books':
Reluctant Readers
Laugh Out Loud
James Patterson
In a nutshell: lively, comic story celebrating kids' reading and
determination James Patterson creates books kids love, and his
latest book is…
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…
Rover and the Big Fat Baby
Roddy Doyle
Illustrated by Chris Judge
Rover, star of The Giggler Treatment and others, is back for a new
and equally hilarious dog-poo centred adventure. As ever, Rover
needs to collect…
Hank Zipzer: The Curtain Went Up, My Trousers Fell Down
Henry Winkler, Lin Oliver
Love the new CBBC series? Read the original books! TV tie-in
edition of the New York Times bestselling series about the
hilarious adventures of a…
Isadora Moon Goes to the Fair
Harriet Muncaster
In a nutshell: half vampire, half fairy, all fun Harriet
Muncaster's stories of little Isadora Moon have deservedly won a
huge and…
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…
This month's 'featured books':
Super-readable Dyslexia-friendly
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…
Gunpoint
Jim Eldridge
Illustrated by Dan Chernett
Interest Age 9+ Reading Age 6+ “Put your hands up! If anyone
moves we shoot!” The action starts on page one of this
heart-stopping…
The Black Knight of Gressingham 4u2read
Philip Ardagh
Illustrated by Mike Phillips
Interest Age 7-12 Reading Age 7 Philip Ardagh is one of the
funniest - and cleverest - authors around and his stories of the
Green Men of…
The Mystery of the Man with the Black Beard
Gillian Cross
Illustrated by Peter Cottrill
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 8+ The best-selling author of The
Demon Headmaster tackles mystery and sleuthing in this
exciting…
Who's a Big Bully Then?
Michael Morpurgo
Illustrated by Joanna Carey
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 8+. How do you see off the school
bully? Sick of being picked on and called ‘chicken' the
narrator of this…
School Spelling Dictionary
Christine Maxwell, Julia Rowlandson
Interest Age 7+ Reading Age 8+ Based on a phonic approach to
finding spellings, this schools edition of the best-selling
Dictionary of Perfect…
