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
- Square by Mac Barnett
- The Wildest Cowboy by Garth Jennings
- Wonder Goal! by Michael Foreman
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
- You Are Awesome by Matthew Syed
- How to Bee by Bren MacDibble
- Spirit by Sally Christie
11+ readers
- The House with Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson
- A Skinful of Shadows by Frances Hardinge
- Girls for the Vote by Linda Newbery
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
- Things a Bright Girl Can Do by Sally Nicholls
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!
Lovereading is just a convenient way to find new books and hear others opinions on them.
Sarah Murray – age 15
We love Lovereading4kids because it promotes reading choices, new authors and a sense of community for children of all ages!
Rachel Bridgeman
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
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
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
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
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
This month's 'featured books':
Bedtime Reading
Snow Penguin
Tony Mitton
Illustrated by Alison Brown
A wonderful adventure for a bold little penguin is beautifully told
in Tony Mitton's elegant and witty rhyming text. Determined to
explore the…
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…
Mr Underbed
Chris Riddell
STOP PRESS: You have probably seen the Christmas TV ad for Moz the
Monster. It looks to us as though the inspiration for it may well
have…
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…
I See the Moon
Rosalind Beardshaw
This collection contains a bundle of favourite nursery rhymes and
lullabies, together with one or two classic nightime-themed poems
and is a…
Peace at Last
Jill Murphy
A new board book edition of the picture book classic, in a size
that's perfect for little paws! A timeless storybook classic full
of bright…
This month's 'featured books':
Reviewed by Children
McTavish Goes Wild
Meg Rosoff
Illustrated by Grace Easton
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 8 | Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book
Award | A new story for that best of all dogs, McTavish, and
another…
The Magical Mix-Up
Zach King
Illustrated by Beverly Arce
May 2018 Book of the Month | In a nutshell: fast-moving mix of
magic, first crushes and knockabout humour | Zach King's family
have…
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…
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…
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
|…
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…
This month's 'featured books':
Books of the Year
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…
A Berlin Love Song
Sarah Matthias
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | In a nutshell: an unusual and
unforgettable wartime love story | Lili Petalo is a…
Cream Buns and Crime
Robin Stevens
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | April 2017 Book of the Month |
In a nutshell: a tasty treat for would-be sleuths and fans
of…
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…
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…
A Story Like the Wind
Gill Lewis
Illustrated by Jo Weaver
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | Longlisted for the UKLA 2018
Book Award A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month May 2017
Gill…
This month's 'featured books':
Fascinating Facts
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…
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…
Super Skills: How to Create Animation in 10 Easy Lessons
William Bishop-Stephens
September 2016 Fascinating Facts Book of the Month Anything you can
imagine, you can animate says this stimulating book, and it
explains clearly and…
Coder Academy
Sean McManus
Illustrated by Rosan Magar
October 2017 Non-Fiction Book of the Month This well-designed,
interactive workbook provides a really good introduction to coding
for children. It…
Lift-the-flap Questions and Answers about Long Ago
Katie Daynes
Illustrated by Peter Donnelly
Facts and flaps are an irresistible combination in this
illuminating information book. Divided into sections Where, Who,
Why, What, How, When…
Big Picture Thesaurus
Rosie Hore
Illustrated by Rachael Saunders
February 2017 Fascinating Facts Book of the Month Children will
find this book useful, effective and helpful, as well as fun,
entertaining and…
This month's 'featured books':
UKLA 2018
The Tale of Angelino Brown
David Almond
Illustrated by Alex T. Smith
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award May 2017 Book of the Month
| A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month May 2017 Award-winning
David…
Counting with Tiny Cat
Viviane Schwarz
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award Quirky and inventive as
ever, Viviane Schwarz brings her playful genius to the counting
book. Tiny Cat goes…
Peter in Peril Courage and Hope in World War Two
Helen Bate
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award Peter is just an ordinary
boy, who loves playing football with his friends and eating cake -
until war comes…
The Pest in the Nest Book 2
Julian Gough
Illustrated by Jim Field
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award Gorgeously illustrated and
with a classic feel, this is a brilliantly funny story of a rabbit
and a bear who…
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…
A Child of Books
Oliver Jeffers, Sam Winston
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award Julia Eccleshare's Book of
the Month September 2016 Award-winning storyteller and artist
Oliver…
This month's 'featured books':
Books for Boys
They Didn't Teach This in Worm School!
Simone Lia
August 2016 Debut of the Month This story of an unusual friendship
is exactly the sort of barmy, surreal comedy adventure that…
Just Call Me Spaghetti-Hoop Boy
Lara Williamson
March 2017 Book of the Month A touching and amusing story about
belonging and the search for an heroic identity. Adam has always
known that he was…
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…
George Pearce and His Huge Massive Ears
Felix Massie
George Pearce has unusually large ears – in fact they're
massive! It's not the size of his ears that causes him problems
though,…
Alfie Outdoors
Shirley Hughes
Standing in his pyjamas in the garden in the morning sunshine,
Alfie is an unmistakeable little figure. Shirley Hughes has an
extraordinary…
Monster Slayer
Brian Patten
Illustrated by Chris Riddell
One of our Books of the Year 2016 | Interest Age 7-10 Brian Patten
tells the story of the hero Beowulf in vivid, accessible prose; in
Barrington…
This month's 'featured books':
Reluctant Readers
Danger is Still Everywhere: Beware of the Dog
David O'Doherty
Illustrated by Chris Judge
Shortlisted for the Laugh-Out-Loud Book Awards 2016, 9-13 years
Category Dr Noel Zone is without doubt the world's greatest…
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…
The Uncracked Code
Tamara Macfarlane
Illustrated by Eugene Mapondera
In a nutshell: comic-book inspired crime story | The action in this
exciting crime story is set in a comic shop, and come-strip
sensibilities…
National Trust: The Secret Diary of John Drawbridge, a Medieval Knight in Training
Philip Ardagh
Illustrated by Jamie Littler
In a nutshell: historical adventures full of facts and fun Not
since Horrible Histories has the past been brought to life for
young readers so…
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…
The Forever Man
Eoin Colfer
The heroes of Eoin Colfer's wonderful time-travelling W.A.R.P.
series, Victorian orphan Riley and Shawnee FBI juvenile consultant
Chevie are…
This month's 'featured books':
Super-readable Dyslexia-friendly
Scrum!
Tom Palmer
Illustrated by Dylan Gibson
Interest Age 9+ Reading Age 8+. A passion for rugby and a dilemma
about it too lies at the heart of this touching story of a boy with
a big…
Gawain Greytail and the Terrible Tab
Cornelia Funke
Illustrated by Monica Armino
A Dyslexia Friendly Picture Book for Parent and Child There's a
definite air of chivalry to this new picture book from the…
The Wickedest Witch in the World
Kaye Umansky
Illustrated by Gerald Kelley
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 8+ This wonderfully witchy story from
best-selling author Kaye Umansky gives a new gloss to the story of
Hansel…
Ted Rules the World
Frank Cottrell Boyce
Illustrated by Cate James
Interest Age 5-8 Frank Cottrell Boyce is one of our funniest, most
inventive writers for children and his readers should always be
ready…
Secret of the Stones
Tony Bradman
In a nutshell: vivid, thrilling Bronze Age adventure This gripping
historical adventure opens in dramatic fashion at Stone Henge:
young Maglos…
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…
