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
- Play by Jez Alborough
- The Lion Book of Fairy Tales by Julia Stone
3+ readers
- Mr Pegg's Post by Elena Topouzoglou
- Wonder Goal! by Michael Foreman
- Baby's First Bank Heist by Jim Whalley
5+ readers
- Norman the Norman and the Very Small Duchess by Philip Ardagh
- The Day War Came by Nicola Davies
- Mariella, Queen of the Skies by Eoin Colfer
7+ readers
- Tyrannosaurus Rex Prehistoric Beasts Uncovered - King of the Dinosaurs by Dougal Dixon
- Junkyard Jack and the Horse That Talked by Adrian Edmondson
- The Twitches Bake a Cake by Hayley Scott
9+ readers
- Boy Underwater by Adam Baron
- Kat Wolfe Investigates by Lauren St.John
- Dog by Andy Mulligan
11+ readers
- Cogheart by Peter Bunzl
- Where the World Ends by Geraldine McCaughrean
- Kick by Mitch Johnson
13+ readers
- My Messed-Up Life by Susin Nielsen
- The Family Tree by Mal Peet
- We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
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!
A great way to introduce kids to great books, authors & genres. Parents can find age-appropriate books to share with their children.
Judi Davies – Aberdare Girls Sch
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 Lovereading4kids because I get an opportunity to put my opinion forward and to try new books
Elosie Clarkson – age 11
I love ‘LoveReading 4 kids’ because they let you read and learn things you’d never dreamed of learning before.
Emily Horncastle – age 11
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
Lovereading is just a convenient way to find new books and hear others opinions on them.
Sarah Murray – age 15
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
It is fantastic, you get to read lots of books and you always find something new and amazing in them.
Erica Motoc, age 7
This month's 'featured books':
Bedtime Reading
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…
Tufty
Michael Foreman
Tufty the little duck grows up in the grounds of Buckingham Palace
(his parents are very fond of the Royal Duck and Duckess (sic) who
give the ducks…
Each Peach Pear Plum
Allan Ahlberg, Janet Ahlberg
Illustrated by Janet Ahlberg, Janet Ahlberg
A delightful board book with simple rhyming text and engaging
interactive pictures. Children will be able to find characters that
are mentioned in…
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,…
Goodnight Moon
Margaret Wise Brown
Illustrated by Clement Hurd
This classic children's book looks wonderful in its new edition and
has lost none of its effectiveness as a book to lull children to
sleep. As…
Here Comes the Sun
Karl Newson
Illustrated by Migy Blanco
With a gentle rhyming text that makes it a particular pleasure to
read this picture book, though it's perfect bedtime reading, ends
as dawn…
This month's 'featured books':
Reviewed by Children
Lou Out of Luck
Nat Luurtsema
In a nutshell: sharp, witty school and family based comedy | Nat
Luurtsema made a splash with her first story about Lou Brown in
Girl Out…
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 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…
The Wild Folk
Sylvia V. Linsteadt
In a nutshell: magical quest adventure story with a strong sense of
the natural world | Perfect for readers who enjoy magical
adventures…
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 Weight of a Thousand Feathers
Brian Conaghan
Heart wrenching, honest, funny and bold, this exceptional novel
about the life, loves and agonies of a young carer, and the love
between a mum and…
This month's 'featured books':
Books of the Year
A Girl Called Owl
Amy Wilson
Longlisted for the Branford Boase Award 2018 | One of Our Books of
the Year 2017 | February 2017 Book of the Month | In a
nutshell:…
Looking for Yesterday
Alison Jay
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | October 2017 Book of the Month
Beautiful illustrations full of interest and wonder accompany
Alison Jay's…
I am Bat
Morag Hood
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | This must be one of the
brightest and best picture books of the year. With minimalist
illustrations –…
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…
Socks for Mr Wolf
Tatyana Feeney
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | October 2017 Book of the Month
Beautifully illustrated throughout, this stunning book by Tatyana
Feeney is an…
Nanette's Baguette
Mo Willems
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | There's a surprise twist at the
end of this tale of little Nanette, entrusted by her mother to get
the…
This month's 'featured books':
Fascinating Facts
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…
The Nature Timeline Wallbook
Christopher Lloyd, Patrick Skipworth
Illustrated by Andy Forshaw
The most innovative approach to non-fiction since Horrible
Histories, the What On Earth Wallbooks present information in a way
guaranteed to inspire…
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…
100 Most Feared Creatures
Anna Claybourne
August 2016 Book of the Month This book is definitely not for those
of a nervous disposition! It features hundreds of different
creatures from…
The Science Timeline Wallbook
Christopher Lloyd, Patrick Skipworth
Illustrated by Andy Forshaw
The story of human invention and engineering began at least 10,000
years ago in the stone age and has continued non-stop ever since
with each…
The Sports Timeline Wallbook
Christopher Lloyd, Patrick Skipworth
Illustrated by Andy Forshaw
Ernest Hemingway might have said there are only three real sports
– motor racing, bull-fighting and mountaineering – but
even he might…
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…
Out of Heart
Irfan Master
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award Donating your heart is the
most precious gift of all. Adam is a teenage boy who lives with his
mum and…
Encounters
Jason Wallace
April 2018 Book of the Month | Shortlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book
Award | In a Nutshell: Alleged alien encounter inspired by true
events…
A Perfect Day
Lane Smith
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award In this follow up to the
beautiful There Is a Tribe of Kids, Lane Smith's bright and fresh
artwork combines…
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…
Odd Dog Out
Rob Biddulph
Shortlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award Odd Dog Out has all the
qualities that made Blown Away and Grrrrr! so popular with critics
and readers!…
This month's 'featured books':
Books for Boys
William Bee's Wonderful World of Trucks
William Bee
A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month March 2017 Irresistible for
anyone mad about trucks! There's so much to learn about the…
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 52-Storey Treehouse
Andy Griffiths
Illustrated by Terry Denton
For absurd, anarchic, keep-them-reading comedy adventures, kids
can't do better than climb into Andy and Terry's world. If
you…
My Stinky New School
Rebecca Elliott
Toby's little brother Benjamin goes to nursery and loves it. His
big sister Clemmie goes to special school, and she loves it too.
But Toby is…
Would You Rather: Dine with a Dung Beetle or Lunch with a Maggot?
Camilla de le Bedoyere
Illustrated by Mel Howells
Would you rather dine with a dung beetle, drink with a mosquito,
have supper with a spider or lunch with a maggot? Pick your answer
and learn about…
The Long Haul
Jeff Kinney
February 2016 Book of the Month The best-selling Wimpy Kid is off
on a family holiday. Mum is full of good ideas about the trip.
Especially…
This month's 'featured books':
Reluctant Readers
Timmy Failure We Meet Again
Stephan Pastis
Loveable world-class detective Timmy Failure is back for a new
adventure. And his business partner and side-kick Total, a.k.a. the
polar bear is with…
Little Red Reading Hood
Lucy Rowland
Illustrated by Ben Mantle
The story of Little Red Riding Hood gets an inventive, original
reworking in this lively picture book. Little Red Reading Hood is
never happier than…
Isadora Moon Goes to the Fair
Harriet Muncaster
In a nutshell: half vampire, half fairy, all fun Harriet
Muncaster's stories of little Isadora Moon have deservedly won a
huge and…
Danny Dingle's Fantastic Finds: The Super-Sonic Submarine
Angie Lake
Illustrated by Shanith MM
In a nutshell: fart-powered non-stop adventure, part book part
comic-strip | Fresh from their triumph in the Science Club Soap Box
Derby…
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…
Jacky Ha-Ha: My Life is a Joke
James Patterson
Spending time with the eponymous Jacky (Ha-Ha because she's both
funny and a stammerer) is always great fun and, as ever, there's
lots to…
This month's 'featured books':
Super-readable Dyslexia-friendly
The Moonshine Dragon
Cornelia Funke
Illustrated by Monica Armino
Interest Age 5-8 When a tiny dragon escapes from the pages of the
story he has been reading, Patrick can hardly believe his eyes. But
when a White…
Clare and her Captain
Michael Morpurgo
Illustrated by Catherine Rayner
One of our Books of the Year 2015 - November 2015 Julia
Eccleshare's Book of the Month Award-winning Michael Morpurgo is
always at his best when…
Mum Never Did Learn to Knock
Cathy Hopkins
Illustrated by Louise Wright
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 8+ Cathy Hopkins is a truly gifted
author for tweens, with an ability to connect with her readers that
she makes…
Contact
Malorie Blackman
Illustrated by Paul Fisher
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 7+ Malorie Blackman is adept at
writing thought-provoking books as full of ideas as they are of
action and…
The Two Jacks
Tony Bradman
Illustrated by Ross Collins
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 8 A case of mistaken identity means
everything changes in this sweet story…
Stars Shall be Bright
Catherine MacPhail
Illustrated by Ollie Cuthbertson
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 8+ There are all sorts of stories
being told about World War One, this one, based on the true story
of the…
