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
- Samson the Mighty Flea by Angela Mcallister
- Samson the Mighty Flea by Angela Mcallister
- Owl Babies by Martin Waddell
- Tabby McTat Picturebook and CD by Julia Donaldson
- Owl Babies by Martin Waddell
- Tabby McTat Picturebook and CD by Julia Donaldson
3+ readers
- Tabby McTat by Julia Donaldson
- Tabby McTat by Julia Donaldson
- The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr
- The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr
- Goodnight Everyone by Chris Haughton
- Goodnight Everyone by Chris Haughton
5+ readers
- Clare and her Captain by Michael Morpurgo
- Clare and her Captain by Michael Morpurgo
- The Ice Bear by Jackie Morris
- The Ice Bear by Jackie Morris
- The Diary of a Killer Cat by Anne Fine
- The Diary of a Killer Cat by Anne Fine
7+ readers
- The Snow Leopard by Jackie Morris
- The Snow Leopard by Jackie Morris
- My Mum's Going To Explode! by Jeremy Strong
- My Mum's Going To Explode! by Jeremy Strong
- Mango & Bambang: Tiny Tapir Trouble by Polly Faber
- Mango & Bambang: Tiny Tapir Trouble by Polly Faber
9+ readers
- Pax by Sara Pennypacker
- Pax by Sara Pennypacker
- Dragon's Green Worldquake Book One by Scarlett Thomas
- Dragon's Green Worldquake Book One by Scarlett Thomas
- Eye of the Wolf by Daniel Pennac
- Eye of the Wolf by Daniel Pennac
11+ readers
- Cogheart by Peter Bunzl
- Cogheart by Peter Bunzl
- Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo
- Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo
- The Island at the End of Everything by Kiran Millwood-Hargrave
- The Island at the End of Everything by Kiran Millwood-Hargrave
13+ readers
- The Wrong Train by Jeremy De Quidt
- The Wrong Train by Jeremy De Quidt
- Holes by Louis Sachar
- Holes by Louis Sachar
- Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl. by Anne Frank
- Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl. by Anne Frank
YA readers
- Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett
- Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
- A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
- Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett
- Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
- A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
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 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
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
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
It’s a community united by a passion for books and promoting the best there is in children’s literature.
Sam Bateman and family
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
Writing reviews help the children with their literacy skills and we always read the books together which gives us good quality family time!
Cat Bisland (on behalf of the Bi
This month's 'featured books':
Bedtime Reading
Blown Away
Rob Biddulph
Winner of the 2015 Waterstones Children's Book Prize A brilliant
adventure for a bold Penguin who gets swept up, up and away on a
brand new…
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…
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…
This is Not A Bedtime Story
Will Mabbitt
Illustrated by Fred Blunt
Clever, funny and heart-racingly exciting, this is a book to
inspire and delight every little girl and boy. And one thing's for
sure. Perfect for…
Bing's Bedtime Stories
Ted Dewan
Originally from books by Ted Dewan, Bing now has his own TV show on
Cbeebies and this gorgeous hardback gift collection with a padded
cover…
The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep A New Way of Getting Children to Sleep
Carl-Johan Forssen Ehrlin
Illustrated by Irina Maununen
When Roger can't fall asleep, Mummy Rabbit takes him to see Uncle
Yawn, who knows just what to do. In this volume, children can join
Roger on his…
This month's 'featured books':
Carnegie Greenaway
Buffalo Soldier
Tanya Landman
Winner of the 2015 CILIP Carnegie Medal The Judges comment
“We were particularly impressed with how Buffalo Soldier
explored what it means to…
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…
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). …
Shackleton's Journey
William Grill
Winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal 2015 Debut author and
illustrator, William Grill, 25, has become the youngest winner of
the Kate…
Watership Down
Richard Adams
Illustrated by Aldo Galli
Winner of the 1972 CILIP Carnegie Medal A book that resonates as
vividly today as it did nearly half a century ago, this
keepsake…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
The Detective Dog
Julia Donaldson
Illustrated by Sarah Ogilvie
A celebration of dogs and books alike, Julia Donaldson employs
typically sparkling rhyme to tell the story of Peter – a very
nice child though…
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…
This month's 'featured books':
Bookshelf Essentials
Twinkle Twinkle Chocolate Bar
Age 3+. Here is a collection of more than 80 poems and rhymes from
a glittering galaxy of more than 50 poets. It is a delectable
assortment…
The Saga of Erik the Viking
Terry Jones
Illustrated by Michael Foreman
The fantastically brilliant and amazingly adventurous Saga of Erik
the Viking by Terry Jones returns in this new edition with an
exclusive foreword…
Susan Laughs
Jeanne Willis
Illustrated by Tony Ross
A prize winning title, this introduces Susan who loves to swing,
dance, swim, ride do all the things other children do. In fact,
she's no…
The Puffin Book of Nursery Rhymes
Illustrated by Raymond Briggs
Beautifully illustrated by Raymond Briggs, the much-loved creator
of the Snowman, this revised edition of a famous classic first won
the Kate…
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…
The Whisper
Emma Clayton
Twins Mika and Ellie first appeared in The Roar, a suspenseful
thriller set in a not-too-distant future Britain in which humanity
lives behind a huge…
This month's 'featured books':
Classics
The Usborne Illustrated Odyssey
Sebastien van Homer
Illustrated by Sebastien van Donnick
This lean but effective retelling of one of the greatest stories of
all time is made even more lively thanks to numerous full colour
illustrations.…
Stone Cold
Robert Swindells
In a nutshell: Iconic | Outspoken | Big Issues | Difficult
TruthsStone Cold is a Carnegie Medal-winning thriller by Robert
Swindells. It is one of…
Postcards from No Man's Land
Aidan Chambers
In a nutshell: Iconic | Outspoken | Big Issues | Difficult Truths
This winner of the 2003 Michael Printz Award and the Carnegie
Medal, told in dual…
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…
Alice's Adventures In Wonderland (with an Introduction by Chris Riddell)
Lewis Carroll
A book that's chock full of great conversations between Alice and
some extraordinary animals, ranging from the pipe-smoking
caterpillar and the…
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…
