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
- Tabby McTat Picturebook and CD by Julia Donaldson
- Owl Babies by Martin Waddell
- A Busy Day for Birds by Lucy Cousins
3+ readers
- The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr
- Tabby McTat by Julia Donaldson
- Goodnight Everyone by Chris Haughton
5+ readers
- The Diary of a Killer Cat by Anne Fine
- Grandad's Secret Giant by David Litchfield
- Clare and her Captain by Michael Morpurgo
7+ readers
- My Mum's Going To Explode! by Jeremy Strong
- Mango & Bambang: Tiny Tapir Trouble by Polly Faber
- Danny Dingle's Fantastic Finds The Jet of Justice by Angie Lake
9+ readers
- Eye of the Wolf by Daniel Pennac
- Dragon's Green Worldquake Book One by Scarlett Thomas
- Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo
11+ readers
- Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo
- The Island at the End of Everything by Kiran Millwood-Hargrave
- Cogheart by Peter Bunzl
13+ readers
- Holes by Louis Sachar
- The Wrong Train by Jeremy De Quidt
- The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon
YA readers
- A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
- A Monster Calls: Special Collector's Edition by Patrick Ness
- ...And a Happy New Year? by Holly Bourne
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 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
I love Lovereading4kids because I get an opportunity to put my opinion forward and to try new books
Elosie Clarkson – age 11
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
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 4 kids’ because they let you read and learn things you’d never dreamed of learning before.
Emily Horncastle – age 11
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
This month's 'featured books':
Bedtime Reading
Silver
Walter de la Mare
Illustrated by Carolina Rabei
A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month April 2017 | “Slowly,
silently now the moon/ Walks the night/ in her silver…
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…
The Lion Book of Nursery Rhymes
Julia Stone
Illustrated by Cally Johnson-Isaacs
November 2014 Book of the Month Every child needs a collection of
nursery rhymes and this collection of favourites with their clear
and unfussy…
Before I Wake Up...
Britta Teckentrup
April 2016 Book of the Month A little girl's dreams take her and a
friendly lion on a magical journey. Together they fly over meadows,
swim…
We're Going on a Bear Hunt
Michael Rosen
Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury
This is the 25th anniversary board book edition of this bestselling
title which well-deserves its classic status. It has become the
staple of…
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…
This month's 'featured books':
Carnegie Greenaway
Northern Lights
Philip Pullman
Winner of the 1995 CILIP Carnegie Medal Part one of Philip
Pullman's magnificent trilogy. His ‘Dark Materials', is the
story…
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (illustrated by Helen Oxenbury)
Lewis Carroll
Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury
Winner of the 1999 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal Full of the most
wondrous wit and humour, wonderful magic and believable nonsense,
this…
A Great Big Cuddle
Michael Rosen
Illustrated by Chris Riddell
Shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2017 | Joint Winner
of the CLiPPA 2016 (CLPE Children's Poetry Award). …
The Wolves of Currumpaw
William Grill
Shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2017 | Longlisted
for the UKLA 2017 Book Award | A beautiful and moving re-telling of
the first…
Beck
Meg Rosoff, Mal Peet
*** Suitable for ages 16+ Shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal
2017 | In turns brutal and passionate, Beck is an utterly
compelling story of…
The Ghost of Thomas Kempe
Penelope Lively
Winner of the 1973 CILIP Carnegie Medal The Ghost of Thomas Kempe
is a timeless and haunting story, critically acclaimed, this
Carnegie award…
This month's 'featured books':
Books Reviewed by Children
The Wrong Train
Jeremy De Quidt
In a Nutshell: Sinister short stories Sublimely spine-tingling,
this evokes all the dread of an ominous tap-tap-tapping on your
door in the dead of…
Isadora Moon Goes on a School Trip
Harriet Muncaster
In a nutshell: half-vampire, half-fairy, Isadora makes a new friend
Lively, told in short chapters and filled with illustrations
this…
Little Adventurers: What Bear? Where?
Philip Ardagh
Illustrated by Elissa Elwick
With an activity idea and an information page with every story in
the series, the Little Adventurers four will encourage hours of
immersive play, and…
Raymie Nightingale
Kate DiCamillo
Some momentous things happen in the course of this book: a father
leaves, buildings are burgled, a cat is lost and found, hearts are
broken, good…
Bathroom Boogie
Clare Foges
Illustrated by Al Murphy
How do you follow a roaring success like Kitchen Disco? Why, with a
Bathroom Boogie of course. Who knew that when we're out our
bathrooms…
Goodnight Everyone
Chris Haughton
Perfect for the end of every day, award-winning Chris Haughton
captures the soothing time as the sun goes down and all the animals
begin to fall into…
This month's 'featured books':
Bookshelf Essentials
Dogger
Shirley Hughes
Winner of the Greenaway of Greenaways in 2007 and Greenaway winner
in 1977. Filled with humour and Shirley Hughes' deft touch, this is
a book for…
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Roald Dahl
Illustrated by Quentin Blake
A book that requires no introduction as it is probably Dahl's
best-known and most read creation and deservedly so. The secretive
and magical…
Rosie's Walk (book and audio CD)
Pat Hutchins
A simple and utterly delightful joke lies at the heart of this
classic picture book now celebrating its 40th anniversary. Rosie
the hen sets out for…
You're Only Young Twice
Quentin Blake
A joyous celebration through Quentin's uniquely original
illustrations of the art of ageing. A delightful little picture
book to share with any…
The Big Green Book
Robert Graves
An enchanting, strange and sometimes chilling tale, masterfully
illustrated by Maurice Sendak.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Eric Carle
This is a much-loved classic but as relevant today as it was when
first published in 1969! The vivid and colourful illustrations and
cut back and…
This month's 'featured books':
Classics
Charlotte's Web
E. B. White
Illustrated by Garth Williams
How a wise spider saves a young pig from slaughter is the most
touching of animal stories. Fern saves Wilbur, the runty little
piglet of the litter…
Kidnapped
Robert Louis Stevenson
Illustrated by Fran Parreno
Kidnapped is less widely read than Stevenson's other children's
classic Treasure Island but is just as thrilling and exciting a
story.…
The Kingdom by the Sea
Robert Westall
Guardian award-winning novel about courage, friendship and war.
Reissued into the Essential Modern Classic list. Lovereading Review
to follow...
The Trumpet of the Swan
E. B. White
Louis the cygnet may be unable to utter a sound unlike her siblings
and his parents but Louis is determined to overcome this impediment
by learning…
The Faber Book of Nursery Stories
Illustrated by Shirley Hughes
A welcome return for a collection of all kinds of stories which
will make perfect bedtime reading. Originally published in the
1960s, the collection…
Island of Adventure
Enid Blyton
Illustrated by Stuart Tresilian
A surprise holiday at Craggy-Tops for Philip, Dinah, Lucy-Ann, Jack
and Kiki the parrot should have been perfect! With the sea breaking
below them at…
