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 Tickle Test by Kathryn White
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
- Fly By Night by Frances Hardinge
- Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett
YA readers
- White Rabbit, Red Wolf by Tom Pollock
- Moonrise by Sarah Crossan
- Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
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
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
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
Lovereading is just a convenient way to find new books and hear others opinions on them.
Sarah Murray – age 15
I think Lovereading4kids is an amazing company because of the friendly staff and the fabulous chance to read great books before publication.
Adam Graham
Love “Lovereading4kids” as my son gets to hear about & read new books before his mates which keeps him interested in reading=a very happy Mum
Liz Evans
It’s really exciting to read and review new books, thrilling to see my reviews online and I love finding the final published copies on sale.
Sam Harper – age 10
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
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…
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…
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…
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…
Under the Love Umbrella
Davina Bell
Illustrated by Allison Colpoys
This brightly illustrated picture book is a celebration of the
enduring love that surrounds your children, wherever they are in
the world. The…
King of the Sky
Nicola Davies
Illustrated by Laura Carlin
Shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2018 | In a story
full of hope against adversity, King of the Sky tells how flying a
homing…
This month's 'featured books':
Reviewed by Children
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…
Alan's Big, Scary Teeth
Jarvis
Glorious illustrations tell this story that is both nicely scary
and neatly resolved. Everyone knows that alligators are scary!
Right? Alan comes…
I Stop Somewhere
T. E. Carter
May 2018 Debut of the Month | In a Nutshell: Intense exposé
of extreme misogyny and male privilege An unflinching novel
about…
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…
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,…
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…
This month's 'featured books':
Books of the Year
I Funny: School of Laughs
James Patterson
Illustrated by Jomike Tejido
One of our Books of the Year 2018 | June 2017 Book of the Month |
In a nutshell: more fast, funny, heavily illustrated adventures
with…
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…
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
|…
Where the World Ends
Geraldine McCaughrean
One of our Books of the Year 2017 | Shortlisted for the UKLA 2018
Book Award May 2017 Book of the Month | In a nutshell: beautifully
written,…
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…
Lucky Button
Michael Morpurgo
Illustrated by Michael Foreman
A moving historical story inspired by the Foundling Museum, written
by acclaimed children's author Michael Morpurgo and illustrated by
Michael…
This month's 'featured books':
Fascinating Facts
This is Not Another Maths Book
Anna Weltman
Illustrated by Charlotte Milner
This book sets out to prove that maths has more in common with art
than many might think, and that it can be truly beautiful; it
achieves its aim. A…
Exploring Space
Martin Jenkins
Illustrated by Stephen Biesty
How amazing that less than 100 years after the invention of the
motor car, humans have built and launched vehicles that can leave
the solar system.…
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…
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…
Fantastically Great Women Who Made History
Kate Pankhurst
It's impossible not to be inspired by this picture book and the
great women featured in it: their stories are told across bright
spreads, which…
50 Ways to Feel Happy
Vanessa King, Val Payne & Peter Harper
Illustrated by Celeste Aires
We all want our children to be happy and resilient, but may not
realise that they can be taught skills to make them happier people.
Written by a…
This month's 'featured books':
UKLA 2018
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:…
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…
Fish Boy
Chloe Daykin
Illustrated by Richard Jones
Shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award 2018 | Longlisted for the
UKLA 2018 Book Award March 2017 Debut of the Month In…
Encounters
Jason Wallace
April 2018 Book of the Month | Shortlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book
Award | In a Nutshell: Alleged alien encounter inspired by true
events…
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…
Wolf Hollow
Lauren Wolk
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award | Shortlisted for the CILIP
Carnegie Medal 2017 | A young girl's kindness,…
This month's 'featured books':
Books for Boys
Dylan's Amazing Dinosaurs - The Stegosaurus
E. T. Harper
Illustrated by Dan Taylor
Dylan and his dinosaur friend fly off on amazing dinosaur discovery
missions to the Land of Living Dinosaurs. This time he has to
discover what…
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…
The Night Gardener
Terry Fan, Eric Fan
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award February 2017 Debut of the
Month This beautiful book demands and repays careful
reading.…
Spangles McNasty and the Fish of Gold
Steve Webb
Illustrated by Chris Mould
To the canon of disgusting, disreputable villains loved by children
– the Twits, Mr Gum, Armitage Shanks – can now be added
Spangles…
Collection of Curiosities: Bugs
Vicky Egan
This handsome information/activity book is packed with bug facts,
figures and features. There are lots of beautiful close up images
of insects, some…
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…
This month's 'featured books':
Reluctant Readers
Hamish and the Gravity Burp
Danny Wallace
Illustrated by Jamie Littler
March 2017 Book of the Month | In a nutshell: original, clever,
fast-paced and very, very funny | With no messing about at all,
Danny…
Aliens Love Dinopants
Claire Freedman
Illustrated by Ben Cort
Those pants-mad aliens are back for another bonkers and utterly
irresistible episode of knicker-nicking! Lightning sends the
aliens' spaceship…
There's a Dragon in My Backpack!
Tom Nicoll
Illustrated by Sarah Horne
From the Psammead to the Cat in the Hat, there's a long tradition
in children's books of young protagonists befriending a
magical…
Puppy Academy: Murphy and the Great Surf Rescue
Gill Lewis
Illustrated by Sarah Horne
In a nutshell : daring puppy heroes Gill Lewis's little stories of
the doggy students of the Puppy Academy have much to…
Timmy Failure We Meet Again
Stephan Pastis
Loveable world-class detective Timmy Failure is back for a new
adventure. And his business partner and side-kick Total, a.k.a. the
polar bear is with…
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…
This month's 'featured books':
Super-readable Dyslexia-friendly
Noah Scape Can't Stop Repeating Himself
Guy Bass
Illustrated by Steve May
Interest Age 8-11 Reading Age 8 Guy Bass's hilarious story is a
lesson to be careful what you wish for and why making everything
all…
Clare and her Captain
Michael Morpurgo
Illustrated by Catherine Rayner
One of our Books of the Year 2015 - November 2015 Julia
Eccleshare's Book of the Month Award-winning Michael Morpurgo is
always at his best when…
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…
The Wickford Doom
Chris Priestley
Illustrated by Vladimir Stankovic
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 8 Chris Priestley has a gift for
writing frightening stories, and this short wartime-set novel
for…
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 Queen's Tale
Kaye Umansky
Illustrated by Alexandre Honore
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 8+ Snow White's wickedest stepmother
is one of the darkest characters in fiction and here she is shown
in the…
