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
- Meltdown! by Jill Murphy
- My First Elmer by David McKee
- Over the Hills and Far Away A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes from Around the World by Elizabeth Hammill
3+ readers
- Square by Mac Barnett
- Wonder Goal! by Michael Foreman
- The Match by Russell Ayto
5+ readers
- The Great Telephone Mix-Up (Little Gem) by Sally Nicholls
- The Bad Mood and the Stick by Lemony Snicket
- Town Is by the Sea by Joanne Schwartz
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
- The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge
YA readers
- Release by Patrick Ness
- Moonrise by Sarah Crossan
- The Girl in the Broken Mirror by Savita Kalhan
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 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
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
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
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 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 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
It has introduced my children to books we hadn’t come across before. Real children’s reviews gives a great insight into what others think to
Lorraine Woods
This month's 'featured books':
Bedtime Reading
Dozy Bear and the Secret of Sleep
Katie Blackburn
Illustrated by Richard Smythe
This book is dedicated to tired parents, grandparents and children
and could prove a real godsend to them all. It's designed and
written…
Whatever Next!
Jill Murphy
A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month January 2018 Celebrating
thirty-five best-selling years, Whatever Next! is a classic story
of a child's…
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…
The Lion Storyteller Awesome Book of Stories
Bob Hartman
Illustrated by Krisztina Kallai Nagy
Internationally acclaimed storyteller Bob Hartman brings us a
captivating compilation of his best-loved collections of classic
stories from around…
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…
Mother Goose's Bedtime Rhymes
Traditional Rhymes
Illustrated by Axel Scheffler
With beautiful illustrations by the award-winning Axel Scheffler
comes this beautiful board book featuring Mother Goose and her
playful gosling.…
This month's 'featured books':
Reviewed by Children
5 Wild Numbers
Bella Gomez
Wow! Bright pages depicting animals in gorgeous jungle
illustrations house die-cut numbers from one to five. Each number
has a sliding disc…
Kat Wolfe Investigates
Lauren St. John
In a nutshell: animals, adventure and an irresistible cast of
characters This new series has everything that marks out the best,
most satisfying and…
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…
Release
Patrick Ness
***Recommended for 16+ due to content. Book of the Month for May
2018 | Shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2018 |In a
Nutshell: love, truth…
Football School Season 2: Where Football Explains the World
Spike Gerrell, Alex Bellos
Illustrated by Ben Lyttleton
This clever, hugely entertaining book is further proof, if it were
needed, that football is the best game in the world, and that there
is nothing,…
How to Bee
Bren MacDibble
May 2018 Book of the Month How To Bee is unlike any story I have
ever read. The narrative voice is heartfelt and the author uses a
mild form…
This month's 'featured books':
Books of the Year
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…
Sunk!
Rob Biddulph
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | No child's bookshelf is
complete without one, and preferably more than one of Rob
Biddulph's joyful,…
Playtime with Ted
Sophy Henn
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | Playtime with Ted is one of a
new series of interactive board books from the super-talented Sophy
Henn and like…
I Funny: School of Laughs
James Patterson
Illustrated by Jomike Tejido
One of our Books of the Year 2018 | June 2017 Book of the Month |
In a nutshell: more fast, funny, heavily illustrated adventures
with…
The Hate u Give
Angie Thomas
Shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2018 | One of Our Books of
the Year 2017 | Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award | April
2017 Debut of the…
Indigo Donut
Patrice Lawrence
Shortlisted for the YA Book Prize 2018 | One of Our Books of the
Year 2017 | In a Nutshell: Soaring soundtrack to resilience
and…
This month's 'featured books':
Fascinating Facts
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…
The Shakespeare Timeline Wallbook
Christopher Lloyd, Dr. Nick Walton, Patrick Skipworth
Illustrated by Andy Forshaw
The Shakespeare Timeline Wallbook will give readers (of all ages)
special insight into all the 38 plays, as well as into the man and
his time. A…
Migration
Mike Unwin
Illustrated by Jenni Desmond
Imagine: you're flying high over the Himalayan mountains, on a
journey filled with danger. The temperature is far below freezing,
the air is thin,…
Books! Books! Books!
Mick Manning
Illustrated by Brita Granstrom
April 2017 Book of the Month Who better to take young readers on a
guided tour of the British Library than Mick Manning and
Brita…
Cool Astronomy 50 Fantastic Facts for Kids of All Ages
Malcolm Croft
With Cool Astronomy, you'll discover everything you need to know
about the universe, from asteroids to the zenith point ...and
almost everything in…
The Usborne Official Astronaut's Handbook
Louie Stowell
Illustrated by Roger Simo
One of our Books of the Year 2015 - This book, with a Foreword by
Tim Peake who in December 2015 became the first British astronaut
to go to the…
This month's 'featured books':
UKLA 2018
What Not to Do If You Turn Invisible
Ross Welford
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award January 2017 Book of the
Month | In a nutshell: invisible girl finds herself in the
spotlight…
The Bone Sparrow
Zana Fraillon
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award | Shortlisted for the CILIP
Carnegie Medal 2017 and awarded the Amnesty CILIP Honour |…
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…
Don't Cross the Line!
Isabel Minhos Martins
Illustrated by Bernardo P. Carvalho
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award In Don't Cross the Line,
The guard always follows the general's orders without question.
This…
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…
Football School Season 1: Where Football Explains the World
Alex Bellos, Ben Lyttleton
Illustrated by Spike Gerrell
Longlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award Shortlisted for the Blue
Peter Book Award 2017 - Best Books with Facts The authors of this
very…
This month's 'featured books':
Books for Boys
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…
Collection of Curiosities: Bugs
Vicky Egan
This handsome information/activity book is packed with bug facts,
figures and features. There are lots of beautiful close up images
of insects, some…
My Parents are Driving Me Crazy
Pete Johnson
The ups and downs of would-be comic Louis's life make for highly
amusing reading. Ups include first date with his friend/comedy
agent…
Spies in Disguise: Boy in a Tutu
Kate Scott
A funny, wise-cracking spy story with World Cup memorabilia at its
centre - James Bond never had to dress up as a girl!! - packed full
of gadgets and…
Hector and the Big Bad Knight
Alex T. Smith
March 2014 Debut of the Month A fun-filled new picture book about
the power of good with quirky illustrations from award-winning Alex
T. Smith.…
The Most Powerful Boy in the Universe
Matt Brown
One of our Books of the Year 2014 - June 2014 Debut of the Month
Told at a speed to match the time-travel theme of the story, this
is a…
This month's 'featured books':
Reluctant Readers
Space Ace 4u2read
Eric Brown
Illustrated by Tony Ross
Interest Age 7+ Reading Age 7 | Fact and fiction are cleverly
combined in this space travel adventure story. It's 2075 and
young…
Green Eggs and Ham
Dr. Seuss
Hilarious and with a memorable rhyming text, this is the perfect
advocate for the adage, you don't know if you like something
until…
Stormbreaker Graphic novel
Anthony Horowitz, Antony Johnston
Brilliantly visualised, these graphic novel versions of the
best-selling stories of boy spy Alex Rider add a fantastic new
dimension to the original…
Follow That Car
Lucy Feather
Illustrated by Stephan Lomp
Hey you, Mouse needs help! He has to catch the gorilla in the
bright yellow car, let's go! On Mouse's instructions, readers
follow the…
Food Fright
David O'Connell
Meet the amazing monster customers and try the foul-food at
Fuzzby's diner - the third book in the hilarious 'Monster and
Chips' series from author…
Puppy Academy: Murphy and the Great Surf Rescue
Gill Lewis
Illustrated by Sarah Horne
In a nutshell : daring puppy heroes Gill Lewis's little stories of
the doggy students of the Puppy Academy have much to…
This month's 'featured books':
Super-readable Dyslexia-friendly
Gnomes Gnomes Gnomes!
Anne Fine
Illustrated by Vicki Gausden
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 7 Every time Sam gets his hands on a
piece of clay, he moulds it into a gnome. Hand painted and
varnished by…
A Twist of Tales
Julia Donaldson
Illustrated by Peter Bailey
Interest Age 5-8 No-one knows better than Julia Donaldson how to
tell a story for young readers. There are three fairy tales in this
appealing…
The Girl with the Sunshine Smile
Karen Mccombie
Illustrated by Cathy Brett
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 8+ Best-selling Karen McCrombie
brilliantly captures the whirlwind of emotions that Meg is thrown
into when her…
Harald Hardnut
Tony Bradman
Illustrated by Martin Remphry
Interest Age 8-12 Reading Age 8+ For some thrilling real life
action and adventure, you won't get much better than Tony…
Noah Scape Can't Stop Repeating Himself
Guy Bass
Illustrated by Steve May
Interest Age 8-11 Reading Age 8 Guy Bass's hilarious story is a
lesson to be careful what you wish for and why making everything
all…
Mind Writer
Steve Cole
Illustrated by Nelson Evergreen
One of our Super Readable Books of the Year 2016 | Interest Age
8-12 Reading Age 8 | In a Nutshell : accessible | edgy |…
