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!
We love Lovereading as my 5 year old loves to read new books before anyone else has a chance, she says it makes reading exciting!
Tracey Chorley
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 Lovereading4kids because I get an opportunity to put my opinion forward and to try new books
Elosie Clarkson – age 11
This company is amazing; not only is it is a great opportunity to get books and review them but everyone is so friendly and supportive!
Jemma Rubens, age 10
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
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
It’s a community united by a passion for books and promoting the best there is in children’s literature.
Sam Bateman and family
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
The Wardrobe Monster
Bryony Thomson
A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month April 2018 A charming story of
bedtime fears with a neat twist to it. Dora and all her toys wake
up grouchy and…
Let's Join in
Shirley Hughes
A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month July 2017 Four simple bedtime
stories capture the precious yet everyday moments in pre-school
and…
Richard Scarry's Best Treasury Ever
Richard Scarry
A stunning hardback treasury of five of Richard Scarry's best-loved
stories - the perfect gift for Scarry fans, young and old!
Richard…
There's a Walrus in My Bed!
Ciara Flood
Children and adults will take very different things from this
clever picture book but both will enjoy it enormously. Flynn is
excited, he's got…
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…
There's a Snake in My School!
David Walliams
Illustrated by Tony Ross
David Walliams has his finger firmly on the funny bone of the
nation's youth, and little children will love this story of school
turned…
This month's 'featured books':
Reviewed by Children
William Wenton and the Secret Portal
Bobbie Peers
In a nutshell: code-breaking child genius versus villainous robots
| William Wenton is something of a bionic boy; half of his body is
a…
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…
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…
Alan's Big, Scary Teeth
Jarvis
Glorious illustrations tell this story that is both nicely scary
and neatly resolved. Everyone knows that alligators are scary!
Right? Alan comes…
The Faceless Ones
Derek Landy
Prize winning Skulduggery Pleasant is back for a third thrilling
adventure. Along with his side-kick Stephanie, Skulduggery, the
skeleton detective,…
Spirit
Sally Christie
May 2018 Book of the Month | In a nutshell: old magic in the real
world of today A game of Truth or Dare in the humdrum setting of a
school trip…
This month's 'featured books':
Books of the Year
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…
William Bee's Wonderful World of Trains, Boats and Planes
William Bee
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | If you love vehicles, then this
is the book for you! William Bee shows off a multitude of amazing
vehicles,…
Hilary Mckay's Fairy Tales
Hilary Mckay
Illustrated by Sarah Gibb
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | This is an absolutely stunning
book. Not only is it an absolute treat visually but it's also a
feast for…
Hats of Faith
Medeia Cohan-Petrolino
Illustrated by Sarah Walsh
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | There should be more books like
this: in bright, appealing illustrations it tells children how
people of…
Black Moon
L. A. Weatherly
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | March 2017 Book of the Month A
fitting and truly fabulous end to the breathtaking Broken Trilogy.
It's…
The Bad Mood and the Stick
Lemony Snicket
Illustrated by Matthew Forsythe
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | November 2017 Book of the Month
Lemony Snicket's simply told story offers a refreshing, thoughtful,
and…
This month's 'featured books':
Fascinating Facts
The Spot the Mistake: Lands of Long Ago
Mike Jolley, A. J. Wood
Illustrated by Frances Castle
For an information book, Lands of Long Ago takes a highly unusual
approach, filling its pages with errors. Young readers are
challenged to find…
The Big History Timeline Wallbook
Christopher Lloyd
Illustrated by Andy Forshaw
If you want to know what was happening on Earth any time in the
last four billion years, then you couldn't do better than opening
out the Big…
Day of the Dinosaurs
Steve Brusatte
Illustrated by Daniel Chester
Visually alive, original and information rich, this handsome book
will fascinate budding young palaeontologists. It speaks directly
to the reader,…
Look Inside How Computers Work
Alex Frith
Illustrated by Colin King
With flaps to lift on every page and friendly little robots
providing the explanations and information, this book will help
anyone understand how…
Survivors
David Long
Illustrated by Kerry Hyndman
Winner of the Blue Peter Book Award 2017 - Best Books with Facts In
a nutshell: jaw-dropping true stories; survival against the odds
…
50 Things You Should Know About Space
Raman Prinja
The Universe is huge – it stretches further than we could
ever imagine or explore, and contains everything in space, from
super stars to…
This month's 'featured books':
UKLA 2018
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…
Passing for White
Tanya Landman
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award Interest Age Teen Reading
Age 8 | In a nutshell: brilliantly told story inspired by
real…
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…
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…
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We Come Apart
Sarah Crossan, Brian Conaghan
January 2018 Book of the Month | Shortlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book
Award In a nutshell: unputdownable story, beautifully told |
…
This month's 'featured books':
Books for Boys
Terry Perkins and His Upside Down Frown
Felix Massie
Terry Perkins is a normal, happy little boy, until he starts to
speak, and his words come out upside down. A doctor has the answer
– stand…
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…
Spangles McNasty and the Fish of Gold
Steve Webb
Illustrated by Chris Mould
To the canon of disgusting, disreputable villains loved by children
– the Twits, Mr Gum, Armitage Shanks – can now be added
Spangles…
William Bee's Wonderful World of Tractors and Farm Machines
William Bee
There are no better books for young vehicle fans, and William Bee's
new big, lively, information-packed book tells them
everything…
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,…
There's a Dragon in My Dinner
Tom Nicoll
Illustrated by Sarah Horne
February 2016 Debut of the Month Dragons come in all shapes and
sizes in children's stories, but the one that Eric finds in a
box…
This month's 'featured books':
Reluctant Readers
Basil the Bear Cub
Janey Louise Jones
Illustrated by Jennie Poh
Superfairies is a sweet new series about four little fairies, in
which the emphasis is very much on kindness and helping others. In
this springtime…
Steve & Frandan Take on the World
Ron Butlin
In a Nutshell: Fleeing bullies leads to a fight (and flight) of a
lifetime | Action-packed adventure in which three friends bite off
a whole lot…
The Leaky Battery Sets Sail
Gareth P. Jones
The crew of the Leaky Battery are a rum bunch alright:
steam-powered metal robots of different shapes and sizes.
Originally designed to be servants,…
Shouldn't You be in School?
Lemony Snicket
Madcap fun and mystery in this somewhat eccentric yet addictive
series from the huge bestselling author of A Series of Unfortunate
Events. This…
Aidan Abet, Teacher's Pet
Guy Bass
Illustrated by Steve May
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 8 | In a nutshell: shocking levels of
sucking-up in super-readable school story…
The Jewelled Jaguar
Sharon Tregenza
In a nutshell: myth, mystery and adventure Sharon Tregenza's
exciting mystery story opens in very dramatic fashion when a huge
sinkhole…
This month's 'featured books':
Super-readable Dyslexia-friendly
Robot Girl
Malorie Blackman
Illustrated by Matthew Griffin
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 8+ When it comes to writing
involving, thought-provoking page-turners, Malorie Blackman is
unbeatable. In this…
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…
Itch Scritch Scratch
Eleanor Updale
Illustrated by Sarah Horne
One of our Dyslexia Friendly Books of the Year 2014 - A Dyslexia
Friendly Picture Book for Parent and Child With wit and brio
this…
Ninja: Assassin
Chris Bradford
Illustrated by Sonia Leong
Interest Age 8-11 Reading Age 8+ Action-packed and with no holds
barred, this is a taut adventure story capturing the themes of
revenge and…
The 13th Fairy
Kaye Umansky
Illustrated by Stefano Tambellini
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 8+ Poor Sleeping Beauty! Everyone
knows she was cursed by the wicked fairy out of spite because
she…
Henry Pond the Poet
Dick King-Smith
Illustrated by Victor Ambrus
Interest Age 5-8 Dick King-Smith had a wonderful gift for creating
seemingly simple children's stories filled with humour and drama.
Henry Pond…
