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
- My First Elmer by David McKee
- Meltdown! by Jill Murphy
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Sound Book by Eric Carle
3+ readers
- The Wildest Cowboy by Garth Jennings
- Square by Mac Barnett
- Alan's Big, Scary Teeth by Jarvis
5+ readers
- The Great Telephone Mix-Up (Little Gem) by Sally Nicholls
- The Bad Mood and the Stick by Lemony Snicket
- Plantopedia by Adrienne Barman
7+ readers
- Hoakes Island by Ian Friel
- The Uncracked Code by Tamara Macfarlane
- A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold
9+ readers
- How to Bee by Bren MacDibble
- You Are Awesome by Matthew Syed
- Spirit by Sally Christie
11+ readers
- The House with Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson
- A Skinful of Shadows by Frances Hardinge
- The Island at the End of Everything by Kiran Millwood-Hargrave
13+ readers
- Holes by Louis Sachar
- Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett
- The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge
YA readers
- White Rabbit, Red Wolf by Tom Pollock
- 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 love Lovereading4kids because I get an opportunity to put my opinion forward and to try new books
Elosie Clarkson – age 11
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
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
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
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
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
It is fantastic, you get to read lots of books and you always find something new and amazing in them.
Erica Motoc, age 7
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
Elmer and the Lost Teddy Board Book
David McKee
The Elmer books are stunning to look at, with their jewel-like
colours and fabulous jungle scenes, but they teach children about
kindness, acceptance…
The Wardrobe Monster
Bryony Thomson
A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month April 2018 A charming story of
bedtime fears with a neat twist to it. Dora and all her toys wake
up grouchy and…
Here Comes the Sun
Karl Newson
Illustrated by Migy Blanco
With a gentle rhyming text that makes it a particular pleasure to
read this picture book, though it's perfect bedtime reading, ends
as dawn…
No More Kissing!
Emma Chichester Clark
A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month February 2018 A must-have for
all who hate being kissed! Momo the little monkey hates…
Are You Sitting Comfortably?
Leigh Hodgkinson
March 2016 Book of the Month Leigh Hodgkinson's picture book is a
stylish investigation into how and where to read a book.…
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…
This month's 'featured books':
Reviewed by Children
The House with Chicken Legs
Sophie Anderson
May 2018 Debut of the Month | This sparkling debut weaves the
captivating folklore of Baba Yaga with the thrills of a
classic…
Dog Diaries
James Patterson
Illustrated by Richard Watson
In a nutshell: It's a (very funny, very readable) dog's life
Narrated at breathless speed by super-excited puppy Junior, this
new series…
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,…
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…
You Are Awesome
Matthew Syed
May 2018 Book of the Month | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month
April & May 2018 Table tennis champion Matthew Syed offers his
very best…
The Lie Tree
Frances Hardinge
Award-winning Frances Hardinge is spellbinding is this hugely
entertaining and dramatic Victorian thriller. When Faith's father
dies suddenly…
This month's 'featured books':
Books of the Year
Here We Are
Oliver Jeffers
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the
Month November 2017 Inspired by the birth of his son, award-winning
Oliver…
The Loneliest Girl in the Universe
Lauren James
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | September 2017 Book of the
Month | In a Nutshell: Stellar story of survival in outer space A
uniquely…
Moonrise
Sarah Crossan
Shortlisted for the YA Book Prize 2018 | Shortlisted for the Centre
for Literacy in Primary Poetry Award 2018 | One of Our Books
of…
Lockwood & Co: The Empty Grave
Jonathan Stroud
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | In a nutshell: dicing with the
dead has never been so thrilling Jonathan Stroud's Lockwood &
Co series…
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…
A Tragic Kind of Wonderful
Eric Lindstrom
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | May 2017 Book of the Month | In
a Nutshell: Coping with bipolar disorder | Finding the courage
to…
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,…
The School of Music
Meurig Bowen, Rachel Bowen
Illustrated by Daniel Frost
This excellent book is an inspiring and all-encompassing guide to
the world of music for young people. By inviting them to imagine
they are attending…
The Colours of History
Clive Gifford
Illustrated by Marc-Etienne Peintre
A fascinating information book, The Colours of History takes
readers to different places at different times to show how humans
have used colour in…
The British History Timeline Wallbook
Christopher Lloyd
Illustrated by Andy Forshaw
The British History Timeline showcases milestones in the
extraordinary history of the British Isles from the age of the
Dinosaurs 100 million years…
88 and 1/2 Science Experiments
Nick Arnold
Doing exactly what it says on the tin, Nick Arnold's book presents
children with 88 different scientific challenges spread across
brightly…
Chronologica The Incredible Years That Defined History
Whitaker's Almanack
Written and compiled by the team behind Whitaker's Almanack,
Chronologica provides a eye-opening tour through over 2500 years of
world history,…
This month's 'featured books':
UKLA 2018
It Starts with a Seed
Laura Knowles
Illustrated by Jennie Webber
Shortlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award The life cycle of a tree
is beautifully described in this outstanding book. A narrative
poem…
Colin and Lee, Carrot and Pea
Morag Hood
Shortlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award One of our Books of the
Year 2016 | July 2016 Debut of the Month Simplicity is the charm of
this…
Under the Same Sky
Britta Teckentrup
Shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2018 | Longlisted
for the UKLA 2018 Book Award With its dedication, ‘For a
united world…
Me and Mister P
Maria Farrer
Illustrated by Dave Gray, Daniel Rieley
Shortlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award In a nutshell: an unusual
friend makes things better | Arthur is understandably surprised
when…
The Bone Sparrow
Zana Fraillon
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award | Shortlisted for the CILIP
Carnegie Medal 2017 and awarded the Amnesty CILIP Honour |…
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 for Boys
The Secret Dog
Joe Friedman
Good dog stories are irresistible and this one has everything that
young readers want. Josh is living on a Scottish island with his
crofter uncle…
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…
Rory Branagan (Detective)
Andrew Clover
Illustrated by Ralph Lazar
April 2018 Debut of the Month | In a nutshell: in his own words,
quirky, super-readable saga of a ten-year-old…
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…
My Parents are Driving Me Crazy
Pete Johnson
The ups and downs of would-be comic Louis's life make for highly
amusing reading. Ups include first date with his friend/comedy
agent…
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…
This month's 'featured books':
Reluctant Readers
Storyworlds: Nature
Thomas Hegbrook
Opening with an exhortation to readers to ‘discover, inquire
and wonder', this is another example of the exciting trend in
non-fiction…
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…
Treasure Hunters: Peril at the Top of the World
James Patterson
In 3 words : in it together The Kidd family, stars of some of James
Patterson's liveliest and most boisterous…
There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom
Louis Sachar
In Holes, best-selling author Louis Sachar showed his understanding
and compassion for a group of boys who have got outside the system.
In…
House of Robots: Robot Revolution
James Patterson
In a nutshell: super-readable story | robot rumpus at high school |
Uh-oh, things are not running smoothly in the…
Fortunately, the Milk ...
Neil Gaiman
Illustrated by Chris Riddell
One of our Books of the Year 2014 Award-winning Neil Gaiman
brilliantly weaves a spell-binding story taking readers up and away
on a wild…
This month's 'featured books':
Super-readable Dyslexia-friendly
Ninja: Death Touch
Chris Bradford
Illustrated by Sonia Leong
One of our Dyslexia Friendly Books of the Year 2013 - Interest Age
8-12 Reading Age 8 A dramatic new story in the popular Ninja series
and…
The Girl with the Sunshine Smile
Karen Mccombie
Illustrated by Cathy Brett
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 8+ Best-selling Karen McCrombie
brilliantly captures the whirlwind of emotions that Meg is thrown
into when her…
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…
Nadine Dreams of Home
Bernard Ashley
Illustrated by Ollie Cuthbertson
Shortlisted for the Little Rebels Book Award 2015 Interest Age 7-12
Reading Age 7+ A beautiful story which captures the…
The Lion Roars
Alan Gibbons
Illustrated by Chris Chalik
The story of a young footballer from Africa who achieves his dream
of winning a place at one of the top UK clubs, this short novel is
both a…
Shona, Word Detective (4u2read)
John Agard
Illustrated by Michael Broad
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 7 Shona loves words and discovering
new ones, so she's fascinated by the professor on TV talking about
her…
