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
- Samson the Mighty Flea by Angela Mcallister
- Owl Babies by Martin Waddell
3+ readers
- Tabby McTat by Julia Donaldson
- The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr
- Goodnight Everyone by Chris Haughton
5+ readers
- Clare and her Captain by Michael Morpurgo
- The Ice Bear by Jackie Morris
- The Diary of a Killer Cat by Anne Fine
7+ readers
- The Snow Leopard by Jackie Morris
- My Mum's Going To Explode! by Jeremy Strong
- Mango & Bambang: Tiny Tapir Trouble by Polly Faber
9+ readers
- Eye of the Wolf by Daniel Pennac
- Dragon's Green Worldquake Book One by Scarlett Thomas
- Pax by Sara Pennypacker
11+ readers
- Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo
- Cogheart by Peter Bunzl
- The Island at the End of Everything by Kiran Millwood-Hargrave
13+ readers
- The Wrong Train by Jeremy De Quidt
- Holes by Louis Sachar
- The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon
YA readers
- A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
- Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett
- 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!
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
This month's 'featured books':
Bedtime Reading
Spot Loves Bedtime
Eric Hill
A favourite with children now for generations, Spot never loses his
charm. It's bedtime, but Spot can't settle down until he finds
Teddy,…
Five Minutes' Peace
Jill Murphy
Celebrate thirty years of the Large family in this stunning
anniversary edition of a modern picture book classic. There can't
be a mum in the…
Where the Wild Things are
Maurice Sendak
Jacqueline Wilson, February 2012 Guest Editor: "The text is very
minimal but perfect - and the illustrations are glorious. This
isn't a scary…
Count with Maisy, Cheep, Cheep, Cheep!
Lucy Cousins
Smiling, cheerful, independent, no wonder toddlers everywhere love
Maisy, and she makes all early learning experiences fun and
exciting. This story…
I Love You, Too!
Michael Foreman
Award-winning picture book creator, Michael Foreman celebrates the
love between a father and child in this endearing bedtime story
from this twice…
Maisy Goes to Bed
Lucy Cousins
Celebrate twenty-five years of Maisy with this classic novelty book
reissue that remains as popular today as it was 25 years ago! Lift
the flaps and…
This month's 'featured books':
Carnegie Greenaway
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…
Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth
Frank Cottrell Boyce
Illustrated by Steve Lenton
Shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2017 | Longlisted for the
UKLA 2017 Book Award | With all the invention, originality and
insight that is…
One
Sarah Crossan
Winner for the Children's Book Award 2017 - Books for Older Readers
Category | One of our Books of the Year 2016 | Winner of the CILIP
Carnegie Medal…
The Stars at Oktober Bend
Glenda Millard
Shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2017 | Longlisted for the
UKLA 2017 Book Award | August 2016 Book of the Month | In a…
Junk
Melvin Burgess
Winner of the 1996 CILIP Carnegie Medal When it was published in
1996 it created a Storm of Protest - especially from those who
didn't bother…
Tidy
Emily Gravett
Shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2017 | Julia
Eccleshare's Pick of the Month, April 2017 | Award-winning Emily
Gravett's…
This month's 'featured books':
Books Reviewed by Children
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…
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…
Pax
Sara Pennypacker
Illustrated by Jon Klassen
Touching and thought-provoking this is a lyrically-told story
perfectly presented in a beautiful book. Peter's life falls apart
after his…
William Bee's Wonderful World of Trains, Boats and Planes
William Bee
If you love vehicles, then this is the book for you! William Bee
shows off a multitude of amazing vehicles, starting with the steam
engine, then…
The 91-Storey Treehouse
Andy Griffiths
Illustrated by Terry Denton
In a nutshell: a fabulous story for every storey Andy Griffiths and
Terry Denton return with another surreal, inventive and comic tale
about their…
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…
This month's 'featured books':
Bookshelf Essentials
Tabby McTat
Julia Donaldson
Illustrated by Axel Scheffler
Best-selling author and illustrator Julia Donaldson and Axel
Scheffler have teamed up again to create a heart-warming story
about loyalty and…
Stig Of The Dump
Clive King
Published in the early 1960s and yet as relevant today as it was
then, this is a book that will captivate the imagination of a 7 or
8 year old…
Jumping Mouse
Brian Patten
Illustrated by Mary Moore
Brian Patten is one of Britain's best-loved poets. This is his
retelling of the touching story of Jumping Mouse, a remarkable
Native American fol…
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase
Joan Aiken
A wonderful adventure as two children flee from the yranny of their
wicked guardian and bravely set out on the road to London. Miss
Slighcarp is as…
Aristotle
Dick King-Smith
Illustrated by Bob Graham
The best-selling author of The Sheep Pig tells a charming and witty
story about a bold young kitten who is always getting into
mischief! Aristotle…
Lady Lollipop
Dick King-Smith
Illustrated by Jill Barton
Award-winning author Dick King-Smith is best known for 'Babe', the
story of the Sheep-Pig. A lover of all animals and a master teller
of stories…
This month's 'featured books':
Classics
Peacock Pie A Book of Rhymes
Walter de la Mare
Illustrated by Edward Ardizzone
The poems that make up this collection were first published in 1913
but it was not until 1946 that it was published, as it is in this
new edition,…
The Odyssey
Homer, Geraldine McCaughrean
Illustrated by Victor Ambrus
This is Homer's classic tale of Odysseus' 10-year voyage back home
to his wife Penelope in Ithaca after the Trojan war. It tells of
his encounters…
The Odyssey
Rosemary Sutcliff
Illustrated by Alan Lee
The Odyssey, Homer's second epic adventure, tells the story of
Odysseus as he travels home from the war in Troy. His adventures on
his travels…
The Secret Garden (with an Introduction by Sophie Dahl)
Frances Hodgson Burnett
This is a book that fires the imagination with its bewitching and
magical qualities and one that every young girl will absolutely
love. …
The Wave
Morton Rhue
In a nutshell: Iconic | Outspoken | Big Issues | Difficult Truths
The Wave is based on a nightmarish true episode in a Californian
high school, when…
Tales of the Greek Heroes
Roger Lancelyn Green
Chosen by April 2012 Guest Editor, Charlie Higson: "I've always
loved myths and legends. Greek, Roman, Norse (not so interested in
the…
