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
- Goodnight Everyone by Chris Haughton
- An Alphabet by Oliver Jeffers
- Roald Dahl's Opposites by Roald Dahl
3+ readers
- Mr Pegg's Post by Elena Topouzoglou
- Baby's First Bank Heist by Jim (De Montfort University, UK) Whalley
- Wonder Goal! by Michael Foreman
5+ readers
- The Day War Came by Nicola Davies
- Norman the Norman and the Very Small Duchess by Philip Ardagh
- Mariella, Queen of the Skies by Eoin Colfer
7+ readers
- The Twitches Bake a Cake by Hayley Scott
- Tyrannosaurus Rex Prehistoric Beasts Uncovered - King of the Dinosaurs by Dougal Dixon
- 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
- Kick by Mitch Johnson
13+ readers
- The Family Tree by Mal Peet
- The Tiger on His Back by Bernard Ashley
- The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge
YA readers
- The Weight of a Thousand Feathers by Brian Conaghan
- After the Fire by Will Hill
- All of This Is True by Lygia Day Penaflor
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
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 it promotes reading choices, new authors and a sense of community for children of all ages!
Rachel Bridgeman
It is THE website to use for narrowing down your search for any book. Definitely knocks the socks off any other book review website.
Nickey and Tomasz Hawryszczuk
Lovereading4kids is great, we get books really early never late. We love to read and review, and think you would like it too. The excitement
Jasmine Harris-Hart, age 12
I have told all my friends, family & teachers to see for themselves just how great the site is. Without fail, they are hugely impressed.
Alexander Boxall – age 11
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
This month's 'featured books':
Bedtime Reading
I'm Big Now
Anthea Simmons
Illustrated by Georgie Birkett
This lively, cheerful picture book takes a positive look at one of
the changes the arrival of a new baby can bring. ‘There's a
new baby…
The Everywhere Bear
Julia Donaldson
Illustrated by Rebecca Cobb
Best-selling duo Julia Donaldson and Rebecca Cobb reunite in a
lovely story that begins in a Year One classroom before taking us
on an exciting,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
This month's 'featured books':
Reviewed by Children
After the Fire
Will Hill
Winner of the YA Book Prize 2018 | Shortlisted for the CILIP
Carnegie Medal 2018 | In a nutshell: tense, super-suspenseful novel
based on…
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…
Midnight
Derek Landy
In a Nutshell: Can a coldblooded killer be curtailed as time ticks
down? Following hot on the heels of Resurrection, this eleventh
instalment of…
The Funny Life of Pets
James Campbell
Illustrated by Rob Jones
You'd expect a book by top comic-for-kids James Campbell to make
them laugh a lot, and this certainly will. Over 240 illustrated
pages he…
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…
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…
This month's 'featured books':
Books of the Year
Hilary Mckay's Fairy Tales
Hilary Mckay
Illustrated by Sarah Gibb
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | This is an absolutely stunning
book. Not only is it an absolute treat visually but it's also a
feast for…
The Lost Words
Robert Macfarlane, Jackie Morris
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 A book to make you think and
feel, this is an important, beautiful, spellbinding treasure. Words
from…
Indigo Donut
Patrice Lawrence
Shortlisted for the YA Book Prize 2018 | One of Our Books of the
Year 2017 | In a Nutshell: Soaring soundtrack to resilience
and…
The Journey
Francesca Sanna
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | Winner for the 2017 Klaus
Flugge Prize | Winner of the UKLA 2017 Book Award | Shortlisted for
the CILIP Kate…
Countless
Karen Gregory
Longlisted for the Branford Boase Award 2018 | One of Our Books of
the Year 2017 | In a Nutshell: Compelling and compassionate account
of…
Old Hat!
Emily Gravett
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | Longlisted for the UKLA 2018
Book Award June 2017 Book of the Month | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of
the…
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…
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…
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…
What are Stars?
Katie Daynes
Illustrated by Marta Alvarez Miguens
What are Stars? is an excellent book for children who love to ask
questions. Over a series of six attractive and inviting double
pages, featuring…
Bird House
Libby Walden
Illustrated by Clover Robin
A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month March 2018 This chunky book
imitates a bird house in shape and makes a great format for an
attractive…
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…
This month's 'featured books':
UKLA 2018
Pigeon P.I.
Meg McLaren
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award Murray McMurray is a
private eye in the Philip Marlowe tradition – laconic, cool,
sharp. I'd say…
Football School Season 1: Where Football Explains the World
Alex Bellos, Ben Lyttleton
Illustrated by Spike Gerrell
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award Shortlisted for the Blue
Peter Book Award 2017 - Best Books with Facts The authors of this
very…
Optimists Die First
Susin Nielsen
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award March 2017 Book of the
Month | In a Nutshell: how to hope for the best even when you've
been through…
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…
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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 |
…
Bottle of Happiness, A
Pippa Goodhart
Illustrated by Ehsan Abdollahi
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award A new fable that goes full
circle as it explores the value of possessions against values of
friendship and…
This month's 'featured books':
Books for Boys
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…
Digger Disaster
Rose Impey
Illustrated by Chris Chatterton
The combination of dinosaurs and diggers will make this completely
irresistible to many young children, but there's lots for all
readers to…
Jamal's Journey
Michael Foreman
Michael Foreman was inspired to create his new picture book on a
visit to the Dubai Book Fair, and Jamal the little camel's journey
ends in the…
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…
Danny Dingle's Fantastic Finds: The Metal-Mobile
Angie Lake
Illustrated by Suruchi Sati & Shanith MM
In a nutshell: fart-powered non-stop adventure, part book part
comic-strip | Danny Dingle and his best friend Percy Mcduff are
just…
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…
This month's 'featured books':
Reluctant Readers
Danny the Champion of the World
Roald Dahl
Illustrated by Quentin Blake
A classic Roald Dahl title, a most touching story of a boy and his
very special father. Danny and his father live in a caravan parked
right next to…
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…
Robot's Revenge
Clive Gifford
A thrilling adventure in which you the reader decide the route of
the adventure, using your knowledge and learning more from the book
about robotics…
Imagination According to Humphrey
Betty G. Birney
Illustrated by Jason Chapman
Children's favourite Humphrey the hamster is back for another
adventure, his twelfth no less. The good news is that he's just
as…
Laugh Out Loud
James Patterson
October 2017 Book of the Month In a nutshell: lively, comic story
celebrating kids' reading and determination James Patterson creates
books…
Journey to the River Sea
Eva Ibbotson
A special 15th anniversary edition of this award-winning classic
adventure from Eva Ibbotson in which orphaned Maia travels from
England to the…
This month's 'featured books':
Super-readable Dyslexia-friendly
My Dog Daisy
Jean Ure
Illustrated by Charlie Alder
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 8+ This new story from Jean Ure,
though seemingly simple and straightforward, is typically full of
insight into…
Fame Thing
Jonathan Meres
Illustrated by Jake McDonald
One of our Super Readable Books of the Year 2016 | Interest Age
8-12 Reading Age 8 | In a nutshell: funny story of football,
fandom…
Free Lance and the Dragon's Hoard
Paul Stewart, Chris Riddell
Illustrated by Chris Riddell
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 8 | In a nutshell: cleverly written,
brilliantly illustrated, thoroughly accessible…
Annie's Choice
Catherine MacPhail
Illustrated by Vladimir Stankovic
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 8+ Catherine McPhail gives a spine
tingling and ghostly edge to a hard-hitting story about a school
bully.…
Rugby Academy: Combat Zone
Tom Palmer
Illustrated by Dave Shephard
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 8+ Tom Palmer is brilliant at
capturing the passion of sport and the drama it creates. Woody is
an…
The Story of Matthew Buzzington
Andy Stanton
Illustrated by Ross Collins
Interest Age 9+ Reading Age 8+. Creator of the best-selling Mr Gum
series, Andy Stanton delights again is this story of the importance
of…
