Lovereading 4 Kids Updates from the world of children’s books

Featured Books Age 0 – 5 Years

1		Michael Rosen’s Book of Nonsense Michael Rosen In the best tradition of nonsense verse, here are poems, rhymes, wordplay and limericks to make everyone smile and laugh out loud.  Children will delight in unravelling the meanings of the words and in creating their own nonsense verse. … Download free opening extract
2		Stick Man Julia Donaldson Creators of The Gruffalo, best selling author/ illustrator Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler are back with another bestseller on their hands. “Stick Man lives in the family tree/ with Stick Lady love/ And his children three”. But one day Stick … Download free opening extract
3		The Story Blanket Ferida Wolff, Harriet May Savitz A beautifully heart-warming story about generosity rewarded with stunning illustrations by the award-winning illustrator Elena Odriozola. … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 5+ readers

1		Her Mother’s Face Roddy Doyle The first picture book from award winner Roddy Doyle is a heart-warming and gently reassuring tale about moving on and growing up.  The writing is quite sublime and the luscious illustrations by Freya Blackwood compliment the words beautifully. … Download free opening extract
2		Lost Happy Endings Carol Ann Duffy Shortlisted for the prestigious 2008 Greenway. A wonderfully lyrical story about the search for the happy endings that are needed to make the perfect story. Beautiful illustrations bring the story to life. … Download free opening extract
3		The Dragon Tamer’s Castle Ben Cort This amazing book contains everything you need to create your own dragon tamer’s castle, plus there’s an exciting storybook to read again and again.  So read the book, build the castle and let the adventure begin. … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 7+ readers

1		Cosmo and the Secret Spell Gwyneth Rees Brilliant spooky fun with plenty of giggles for both parent and child to enjoy as well as a fair dose of frightening goings on.  What more do you need at halloween? … Download free opening extract
2		Kaspar Michael Morpurgo A wonderfully emotional but heart-warming tale from the pen of one of the foremost writers for children.  Brilliantly interwoven in historical fact at the time of the sinking of the Titanic is the story of Kaspar the Savoy cat, who … Download free opening extract
3		Storlax: The Power of the Deep Robert Jackson, Bubbi Morthens This is an epic children’s story, told with great humour, optimism and warmth.  It will grip the reader not just because of the loveable fishy characters and exciting adventures but almost more so because it subtly shows us the impact … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 9+ readers

1		The 39 Clues 1: The Maze Of Bones Rick Riordan Want to get your kids reading, well here’s a spellbinding adventure that we think kids of 8 upwards will really pick up on for it’s something more than a book as it integrates books, games, a website, cards and prizes … Download free opening extract
2		Magic Thief Sarah Prineas This is an absolutely captivating debut fantasy adventure. Full of magic and trickery, this is the story of a wizard and his new apprentice trying to discover why the magic in their city is fading and how they must … Download free opening extract
3		Tamburlaine’s Elephants Geraldine Mccaughrean Geraldine McCaughrean is a genius in her ability to draw the reader in to a part of history that might not immediately spring to mind as being of interest and yet she makes you hungry for more.  Here, she draws upon a violent … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 11+ readers

1		Uncle Montague’s Tales Of Terror Chris Priestley Chris Priestley in his first book with Bloomsbury has written a book that is impossible to put down. Be warned however! The content is scary, no doubt about it. The book contains a series of short fast-paced horror stories, climaxing … Download free opening extract
2		A Perfect Ten Chris Higgins Chris Higgins’ writing rivals the likes of Cathy Cassidy and Jacqueline Wilson.  She’s an author truly in tune with the teen psyche.  This is her fourth novel and she gets better and better with each new storyline.  The characterisation is … Download free opening extract
3		The Knife of Never Letting Go Patrick Ness Winner of the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize 2008. The electrifying and unflinching young adult debut novel about the impossible choices of growing up by award-winning fiction writer Patrick Ness. This title is part of Walker Books’ ‘New Voices’ campaign which throughout … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 14+ readers

1		Eclipse Stephenie Meyer The much-anticipated 3rd novel in the captivating saga of vampire romance that began with Twilight, continued with New Moon. Friendships are stretched beyond breaking point and love choices must be made that are a matter of life and death and … Download free opening extract
2		Before I Die Jenny Downham Winner of the Branford Boase Award 2008. This is a haunting yet truly amazing read but don’t read it too young. Definitely not for someone less than 14 years old. If you knew you were going to die what would … Download free opening extract
3		Exposure Mal Peet A dramatic, topical novel inspired by Shakespeare’s Othello which will appeal to both boys and girls with its themes of football and celebrity culture.  Award winning Mal Peet’s Exposure is the third in the gripping trilogy which began with Keeper, … Download free opening extract

Sometimes you have to be jealous of young readers. It’s not often you see a novel for adults about a stick running away from a dog; and there’s not usually time to wile away an hour with a comic. The beauty of Lovereading4kids is that parents can share in the fun – just read our free Opening Extracts with your kids and help them choose some outrageously imaginative books.

Frightful books for Halloween!

Wh-wh-wh-wh-what was that? Someone wailing in the other room? Maybe it’s just our imagination… Of course at Lovereading4kids we don’t believe in ghosts and ghouls. But we know what good stories they make, so we’ve got some spooky titles for Halloween, which put the ‘BOO!’ in ‘book’.

Cosmo And The Secret Spell Gwyneth Rees Brilliant spooky fun with plenty of giggles for both parent and child to enjoy as well as a fair dose of frightening goings on.  What more do you need at halloween? Download Extract    Buy £3.74 Saving £1.25 (25%)		The Haunted House Kazuno Kohara Dare you enter the Haunted House? In a big old house at the edge of town there’s a spooky surprise in store . . . But who’s afraid of a few ghosts? Certainly not the heroine of the story who is an engaging and inventive little girl with real girl power.  Available in both hardback  and this paperback. Download Extract    Buy £8.24 Saving £2.75 (25%)
Oliver Moon And The Spider Spell Sue Mongredien More magical mayhem from the junior wizard who is always getting himself into big trouble. Here it is no exception for when he tries a Grow-bigger spell on the cauldron he finds himself in very BIG trouble indeed. Download Extract    Buy £2.99 Saving £1.00 (25%)		Araminta Spook: Ghostsitters Angie Sage Home alone with two ghosts and her cousin is not something Araminta Spook had in mind when her aunt and uncle headed off just before her birthday. Download Extract    Buy £5.24 Saving £1.75 (25%)

Author of the Month – Mal Peet

Mal Peet fell in love with books while growing up on a council estate in Norfolk. His new novel, Exposure, is the third in his trilogy about top sports journalist, Paul Faustino. Soccer star Otello is wrongly implicated in a scandal, and Faustino begins an unforgettable commentary on the power of the press to make or break reputations.

Books of the Month

		Inkdeath Cornelia Funke    The breathtaking finale in the Inkworld trilogy. Don’t miss out on this truly original story for a 9+ audience.
Tamburlaine’s Elephants   Geraldine McCaughrean Beautifully written and tells the story of a young boy’s unlikely friendship with an elephant during a violent period of Indian history will be enjoyed by both boys and girls of 9 upwards.		A Perfect Ten Chris Higgins    A girl has to deal with a dark secret when her perfect life starts to unravel completely. 11+ girls will devour it in a sitting.
Kasper   Michael Morpurgo A delightful novella about a kitten that follows his owner aboard the maiden voyage of a grand new ship…the Titanic will be devoured by animal lovers of any age or kids of 7+.		Stick Man   Julia Donaldson A delightful picture book for 0 – 5′s about a stick on a troublesome journey back to his family, facing dogs, nest-building swans, and even fire!
The 39 Clues Book One    A new interactive reading phenomenon!. The powerful Cahill Family have hidden 39 clues around the world and it’s up to YOU to find them. With 10 books coming out this will be the start of something huge.		The Great Paper Caper   Oliver Jeffers The new picture book, about a forest-full of creatures who want to know who is to blame when the forest mysteriously starts disappearing.

Walker Books New Voices

Continuing our Walker Books New Voices promotion we have Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons by Ann Rinaldi. This is a beautifully written, atmospheric novel about the first female African American poet, and a perfect introduction to the emotive subject of slavery.

Cheltenham Children’s Book Festival

Finally if you are around the Cheltenham area between 10 – 19 October then why not pop into Book It!. It is part of the Cheltenham Literature Festival and Book It! is a programme of highly acclaimed and hugely popular events designed specifically for children and teenagers from 3 to 17. As well as a huge number of big name authors there’s a family event called The Big Picture where three of the UK’s top children’s book illustrators will give a unique insight into the world of picture books whilst the ‘Breaking the Rules’ strand targeted toward teenagers will see Meg Rosoff, Mal Peet and Louise Rennison discuss topics such as celebrity culture, friendship and betrayal.

For the more hands on book lovers there are ‘Write on’ workshops throughout the festival. For further details visit the special section on Lovereading4kids.

So enjoy some free Opening Extracts of this month’s books with your children, and find them some books that you would have given anything to read when you were a kid.

From Potential Prize Winners to Exclusive Pre Publication extracts along with a smattering of competitions we have enough new books to keep all your children absorbed, excited and entertained for the coming Autumn. Read on for more …..

New Features for September

2 exclusive competitions

This month there are 2 big children’s books. Naturally we are featuring them both and we have exclusive, free to enter prize draws with both of them. The first

 is the 3rd of the epic Inheritance Cycle series by Christopher Paolini. The final book is called Brisingr and we have a signed copy to give away with the other 2 in the series. Also September sees the next in the heart stopping ‘Young Bond’’ series by Charlie Higson. By Royal Command finds the young bond on the run in Austria trying to stop a deadly plot. We have signed copies to give away. Find out more on the website.

Pre-Publication stories to discover before the hordes:

Inkdeath   by Cornelia Funke For 9+ readers. The final book in the series and watch out for the film later this year.		Exposure    by Mal Peet For 14+ readers. Mystery and intrigue as someone tries to plot the scandalous downfall of a big soccer star.
The Story Blanket   by Elena Odriozola For 0-5 Readers. A beautiful illustrated story about ‘Babba Zarrah’, who makes new clothes for everyone in her village.		Mothstorm   by Philip Reeve   For 9+ readers. The third thrilling story of interplanetary peril in the Larklight series..
Tales of Terror from the Black Ship   by Chris Priestley Terrifyingly entertaining follow up with more dark stories for 14+ readers.		Waterslain Angels   by Kevin Crossley-Holland An atmospheric detective story set in 1950s Norfolk.
Comic Strip History   by Sally Kniberg For 7+ readers. Everything important that’s happened in the world – in pictures, brilliant!

Potential Prize winners

Finally in September we have the shortlists for two prestigious children’s book awards. You can read a free Opening Extract of them all on our website and decide which books you rate. The first is Guardian children’s fiction prize, which will be announced on September 24. Next the Booktrust teenage fiction prize where the winner will be announced on 18 November.

Happy reading and coming soon book selections for Halloween and Christmas!