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

With the half term fast approaching read on for lots of recommendations for greats reads for children of every age, a book to help decipher your teenager’s behaviour and do something about it and even a few suggestions for Father’s Day.

June Pre-Publication Exclusives!

Just two pre-publication exclusives this month but two crackers both for 11+ readers. Chasing the Dark by Sam Hepburn is an excellent page-turning adventure that one of our reader review panel members Safiyah Afghan said of it ‘a thrilling, un-put-down-able book about undying love and friendship.

And Blood Tracks by Paula Rawsthorne is a cleverly plotted psychological thriller, packed with mystery. We loved Paula’s debut novel, The Truth About Celia Frost, and are delighted to see her second novel is equally explosive. One of our teen reading panel, Rachel Bourne said, ‘Blood Tracks is probably the best book I’ve read this year so far!’

Daddy Cool… Father’s Day 16 June

With only a month to go before Father’s Day, why not get ahead of the game and get him a great book to share with the kids… He’ll love it and you’ll have time to put your feet up and have a glass of wine! Three favourites’ of ours are…

The first, Made by Dad, is a cornucopia of amazing things fathers and their kids can make together with remarkably few gadgets and some imagination – which the author has boundless amounts of. It’s the perfect guide for every father who’s ready to tackle more than a game of catch in the garden. The other two titles are for a younger audience – I love My Daddy by Giles Andreae – From the creator of Purple Ronnie, a heart-warming look at the special bond between father and child and My Dad by Steve Smallman celebrating the love between father and child no matter how silly they are!

Who ARE You? – The Teenage Brain Explained

I’m sure we weren’t like that, were we? Teenage kids can seem like unfathomable aliens sometimes. But help is at hand, with a fascinating, award-winning updated edition of a book by Nicola Morgan which reveals the inner workings of the teenage brain.

It’s not their fault apparently! Blame My Brain: The Teenage Brain Revealed is a must for teenagers AND their parents. Glasnost!

Don’t just take our word for it

Hopefully you will have seen, and have read some of the reviews from our Children’s Reader Review panel? Just look out for the ‘glasses’ icon and you can see, straight from the horse’s mouth, what they thought. This month one book, The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey, for 11+ readers, has been getting some rave mentions. Visit the page to see them all but a comment that sums up what they have all been saying comes from Sarah Murray ‘I had extremely high hopes and I was not disappointed… This dystopian book is utterly fabulous’.

If you have any children aged over 7 who would like to become a reviewer for Lovereading4kids then just drop us an email at customer_service@lovereading.co.uk with your child’s name and age.

Carn-eagerlie Awaited!

We know we mentioned this last month when the shortlist was announced, but the CILIP Carnegie Greenaway Awards shortlist is a kit-bag full of must-reads for children… all in one place! We’re featuring all the contenders in a special section dedicated to the literary world’s most prestigious recognition of great writing for children. If you go nowhere else on Lovereading4kids today, go here. Winners will be announced 19 June 2013.

Book Goodies to be Won

This month our Free Prize Draws category is bursting with exclusive book goodies just waiting to be won. Visit the Prize Draws category to enter…

We’ve 5 fabulous SIGNED copies of the 30th Anniversary edition of Terry Jones’s much-loved Eric the Viking Saga to give away. And we’re giving out SIGNED dyslexia friendly books. Choose the age-range that suits you and win!

We also have signed copies of the wonderful WW2 Animal Adventures from Megan Rix’s up for grabs and last but definitely not least we have 5 goody bags stuffed full of colourful Walker Picture Books to celebrate their 2013 Picture Book Party. Just visit the Free Prize Draws category to enter – what are you waiting for?…

Fresh Verse

‘Spring is Sprung, The Grass is ris, I wonder where the birdies is?’ – a seasonal nonsense poem seems a good way to let you know our Poetry category has had a spring clean and is now even better. It is split by age range, as you would expect and this month we especially like, for 5+ readers Here Come the Creatures! by Wes Magee and The Monster Sale by Brian Moses.

A Barrowman double act

John Barrowman is well known on stage and screen but did you know he has teamed up with his sister, journalist Carole, to pen a fantasy adventure series for 9+ readers called Hollow Earth that has been picking up some ‘out of this world’ reviews? Twins, Matt and Emily Calder, have extraordinary powers – they are Animare which means they can bring art to life – but this unique skill puts them in mortal danger. These page-turning supernatural thrillers also have an educational side featuring real paintings by famous artists represented in galleries across the UK. Discover more about the first two books in the series today.

NEW ‘Find Your Local Bookshop’ feature

It’s all about books and book-lovers at Lovereading (the clue is in the name) and we are always looking to provide the best ways for you to access great reads. Local bookstores need our support and we thought that as well as guiding you to fabulous books, we could also show you where to get them – if you don’t want to use Lovereading’s mouse to doormat service. Neat, huh? To find your local bookshop just click the button shown, that you will find on every page.

And that is what’s new in May at Lovereading4Kids. We hope we’ve guided you and your children to some fantastic new books and look forward to seeing you in June with even more great ideas!

Hey-hey, welcome to May! We have loads of great books for your kids to dive into this summer and loads to help you inspire them too! You could start by telling them that J.M. Barrie, creator of the ever-young Peter Pan, was a May baby. Born in 1860, a lonely child (the 9th of 10 siblings!), Barrie created the fantasy world that has captured the hearts of kids and adults ever since. And here are our heart-catchers for you and your family this month…

May-vellous Books of the Month

An alfresco bundle of brilliant books adorns our shelf once again this month. Look out for the GLASSES ICON which tells you that a book has been reviewed by our independent Children’s Reader Review Panel in addition to our Lovereading experts.

COMPETITION Alert! – Win Big

What’s better than suggesting great books for your kids to read? – Being able to give them away, of course! Here’s what’s up for grabs this month.
Just visit the Prize Draws category to enter…

The Saga of Eric the Viking (7+) – we’ve 5 fabulous SIGNED copies of the 30^th Anniversary (blimey that went fast!) edition of Terry Jones’s much-loved Eric the Viking Saga to give away.

A Treat for Dyslexic Readers – We’re giving out SIGNED books from the Barrington Stoke dyslexia section. Choose the age-range that suits you and win! There will be 3 winners for each age range.

Megan Rix’s WW2 Animal Adventures - featured last month, these are amazing tales of courage under fire from the unique perspective of plucky animals. We have signed copies as prizes.

Walker Picture Books – From our colourful Picture Book Party Section a chance to win a goody bag packed with great fun Picture Books for your little ones.

Darling Buds of May! – May’s Debuts

As the blossom fills the trees, May is just the month to bring you the brand new work from the blossoming minds of some great first-time writers. Look out for the GLASSES ICON which tells you that a book has been reviewed by our independent Children’s Reader Review Panel in addition to our Lovereading experts. The office favourites are Wendy Quill is a Crocodile’s Bottom for 7+ and The Extincts for 9+ but, rest assured, every one of them is a cracking read.

This is IT! – Four Children & It… out in paperback

We are so excited about the paperback release of this bestseller from Tracy Beaker creator, Jacqueline Wilson.

This funny, heart-warming story of four children, who discover a way to make wishes come true, echoes the classic E. Nesbit novel, Five Children and It. It’s a brilliant read not just for those who loved the original, but for a whole new generation of eager fans!

Discover the best new Children’s Fiction

The Branford Boase Award is given annually to the author of an outstanding debut novel for children. Uniquely, it also honours the editor of the winning title. This year’s shortlist has just been announced.

Our very own Julia Eccleshare is one of the judges and she said ‘The 62 submissions came from 19 different publishers. This is proof that children’s books in the UK are in a very healthy state, with publishers keener than ever to discover and nurture new talent.’

As discovering and nurturing new talent is one of our key objectives at Lovereading4kids we love sharing news of this award with you.

Make sure you visit our Branford Boase category to see all the shortlisted titles – the winner is announced early July.

We Know Why!! – ‘There Was An Old Lady’ … is 40!

The fly-swallowing lady of legend who has had us all singing from the nursery to parenthood turns 40 this month! Pam Adams’ timeless classic is one of the ingenious Books With Holes, whose bouncy illustrations and clever die-cut holes make them a must for every child. Click here to have a peep … Please don’t try to swallow a horse at home.

Read on for the hand-picked selections in the age ranges you have let us know you want to kept up to date with. Click here to update your age range preferences.

Welcome to our mid-month round-up of what is new, exciting or noteworthy on Lovereading4kids this April. Your children can start reading books before they are published, join our reader review panel or just browse the site for dozens of hand-picked great reads…

Pre-Publication Exclusives!

Your chance to hear about some great books for your kids before they hit the shelves – some of which have already been reviewed by our Reader Review panel – just look out for the reader spectacles icon. If you want your child to be involved see below.

Out of the Mouths of Babes… Reader Review Panel

To complement our expert reviewers, such as Julia Eccleshare of the Guardian, we have amassed a glorious gaggle of kids and teenagers to give their independent and real views on the books that they put themselves forward to read and review.

This is the best way to get honest, topical views from kids at the ‘coalface’ and we hope a brilliant tool, along with our own expert opinion, for helping you choose new titles with your children. If you have a child who’s keen to join our Lovereading4kids reader review panel then get in touch giving the name, age and gender of your child along with an address to post the review copy to.

Medals of Honour! – The Carnegie Greenaway Awards shortlist

Voted for by children’s librarians the Carnegie and Greenaway Medals are the UK’s oldest and arguably most prestigious awards for writing and illustration for young people. Last year A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness set a precedent by winning BOTH medals! We are delighted to feature all of 2013′s shortlisted books.

And while we’re on the red carpet watch out for …

The Little Rebel Children’s Book Award. With a shortlist of just four announced this month, these awards honour ‘radical’ fiction aimed at 0-12 year olds.

Our favourites are a picture book called Wild Child by Jeanne Willis and a novel for 8+ readers, The Terrible Thing That Happened to Barnaby Brocket by John Boyne (author of the The Boy in Striped Pyjamas).

Before Arthur was King

The legend of King Arthur continues to fascinate both young and old and in Young Knights of the Round Table, Julia Golding tells a fast-paced, time-travelling fantasy adventure based on the legends of King Arthur that is cleverly relevant to contemporary life too.

We love it and some 9-11 year olds from our independent reader review panel loved it too.

This Party’s a Picnic! – A Picture Book Party

New name same great, much-loved books for younger kids!

Our popular Picture Book Picnic section is now, for 2013, a celebratory ‘Picture Book Party‘ and it’s teeming with beautiful and engaging picture-books for you and your little ones to enjoy!

See some of our favourites on the shelves below…

WW2 through animals’ eyes

Every now and then a writer comes along with a unique way of storytelling and when that happens we like to let you know about it. Meet Megan Rix, author of historical novels for kids, where events in history are given a unique perspective through animals. Based on true facts about the plight of them in London during the war, her novels are deeply moving and will strike a chord with animal lovers.

Her latest: Victory Dogs is out now, but don’t miss her debut novel The Great Escape a gripping World War II tale of the survival of animals left behind in the Blitz.

A Fresh view on Dyslexia

Our Dyslexia-Friendly category has had a boost this month in celebration of the number one publisher of books for dyslexic readers, Barrington Stoke, who is 15 years old this year. The Interest age and the Reading age for each title is provided in order to make the perfect read that much easier to find. See the bookshelves below for some examples with lots more on the website.

Two supernatural series’ not to miss

Have your teens heard of Cassandra Clare, author of two passionate and powerful supernatural series’ full of vampires, werewolves and shape-shifters? The first in The Mortal Instruments series, set in modern day New York, City of Bones has been made into a film due out in May – and there are 5 books in that series to get your teeth into (bad vampire joke). She has also penned a prequel trilogy, set in Victorian London called The Infernal Devices – and the final, Clockwork Princess, is out in paperback this month. See the book shelf below …

Join Mariella in solving mysteries

Finally news of a brand new series for 7+ girls from award winning author illustrator Kate Pankhurst. Called the Mariella Mysteries the first two, The Ghostly Guinea Pig and A Cupcake Conundrum are out now.

Wittily told in words and pictures the Mariella Mystery’s heroine is a totally amazing nine year old detective who sets about solving mysteries by following clues in entertaining and action packed adventures.

No mystery is too complex for Mariella. Find out more about this brilliant new series today.

Help an Author Make Better Social Introductions

At Lovereading4kids we love authors most of all, as they create the brilliant children’s books that we get to tell you all about. So, to help them share more of their thoughts with their readers we have built a uniquely useful new system that shows their latest Facebook posts and Tweets on their Lovereading4kids author and book pages.

But, we can only show the posts and tweets if we have the correct information. So, why not help any children’s authors you know, or follow, by checking their author page on Lovereading4kids to see whether the Facebook posts and Tweets are appearing. If they are there are handy buttons to let the author know what is missing and what you can do about it – simples. N.B. All links are verified before being uploaded to the author pages.

At Lovereading4kids we love authors most of all, as they create the brilliant books that we get to tell all of you parents about. So, to help them share more of their thoughts with their readers we have built a uniquely useful new system to link directly to their Facebook pages and Twitter feeds.

But we can only show the posts and tweets if we have the correct information – So, why not help any authors you know, or follow, by checking their author page on Lovereading4kids  to see whether the Facebook posts and Tweets are appearing. If they are there are handy buttons to let the author know what is missing and what you can do about it – simples.

Welcome to our mid March Children’s book update. Read on for news of the best books being published – next month with exclusive extracts to read now. Find out about the Blue Peter Book Award winners and much more. Finally, parents with toddlers shouldn’t miss Very Hungry Caterpillar Day on 20 March and our very special prize draw to win a bag full of Very Hungry Caterpillar goodies!…

Be the First to Read … March Pre-publication exclusives

As always, we are delighted to be able to bring you a few really special titles before they hit the shelves, all with free downloadable extracts so your kids can try them before you buy them! A real treat this month is a collaboration between bestselling author Lemony Snicket and award winning illustrator Jon Klassen called The Dark. It is an original, delightful and empowering take on the familiar theme of being scared of the dark. It is perfect for 3+ readers.

Get out of here! – Out and About 2013

With warmer weather on the way, we think anything that can get kids outdoors and having fun is just the ticket. Our Out and About category has some great new titles for 2013. And … just in case the weather man says it’s rain … we even have great suggestions for not so sunny days!

The Wild Weather Book by Fiona Danks and Jo Schofield – It’s raining … let’s get out and play! – 72 imaginative suggestions to do on wet and snowy days (we particularly love ‘Watermelon Rugby’!)

And for toddlers all the fun of outdoors, indoors with Maisy Grows a Garden by Lucy Cousins(3+) – a fabulously colourful book – vegetables and flowers springing to life as you turn pages and pull the tabs!

Uplifting Downloads! – eBooks of the Month

With the digital form growing ever popular, Lovereading4kids is the only place where you can download eBooks in ALL the popular formats. Yes, the only one. Here’s a tiny selection of what’s available for your digi-savvy kids this month:

‘Gone’ by Michael Grant

The countdown has begun. On 28 March the finale to this epic series, that began with Gone, Light is published. Described as ‘Lord of The Flies for the X-Men generation’, this cracklingly thrilling series is a complex survival tale loved by reader reviewers and especially our own intrepid reporter Hugh (see his interview with the author from 2009!). See the whole series in the bookshelf below.

They don’t exist but they save your life every day

The Department 19 series by Will Hill is a well crafted pulse-pounding all action paranormal for teens. Department 19 is a government secret agency. One of our reading panel said ‘A book that I didn’t want to put down. I love the characters within the story and their relationships between each other’. Visit Will Hill’s author page to see all the books in the series to date.

What do the Zombies think?

Zom-B is a radical new series about a zombie apocalypse, told in the first person by one of its victims, from the master of Young Adult horror Darren Shan.

Combining classic Shan action with a fiendishly twisting plot and hard-hitting and thought-provoking moral questions it is pretty addictive stuff. See the series to date by visiting Darren Shan’s author page on Lovereading4kids.

Blue Peter Award Winners

200 school children voted for and Blue Peter announced recently the two winning books of the Blue Peter 2013 Book Awards. Best Story went to Tom Gates: Genius Ideas (mostly) by Liz Pichon 4th in the hilarious ups and downs of Tom Gate’s life.

Best Book with Facts went to the disgustingly brilliant Horrible Science: House of Horrors by Nick Arnold and Tony De Saulles. You can see the winners and all the shortlist in our special section.

Art for Art’s Sake

With the Easter holidays soon upon us, why not plan a trip to a local art gallery for your children to see and appreciate some art as they’re never too young to start. It’s a great way to fire their imagination for painting and drawing. To help,do have a look at our special category.

Three new titles this month are I Am An Artist, The Interactive Art Book and The Museum. We also have two prize draws to win a copy of the The Art Book for Children from Phaidon and family tickets to the Lichtenstein exhibition at the Tate Modern.

Books to make the most of Easter

Easter is more than just chocolate eggs so to help young children get much more out of this special time have a look at the books in our special Easter Bookshelf below.

Leeds-ing the Way – The Leeds Book Award

Dodgy puns aside, the Leeds Book Awards honour the work of great children’s writers in every age group from 9 upwards and there are some stunning titles on the shortlist. In the 9+ category our favourites are Gods and Warriors by Michelle Paver and Marcus Sedgwick’s Fright Forest; in the 11+ category it’s definitely the aptly names Socks are Not Enough and in 14+ it’s Slated by Teri Terry. Why not grab a couple and choose your own winners?

Finally don’t miss the 6!! free to enter prize draws we have on the site this month where we have armfuls of book goodies to be won.

…and Happy March, from all of us at Lovereading4Kids. See you in April with yet more great suggestions to keep them reading!

Books for Babies and Toddlers

1		Ant and Bee Angela Banner I remember the original Ant and Bee books.  Mine had a cloth cover, smelt musty and the pages were falling out!  Here, the books have been beautifully revamped and revitalised with colourful new pictures by Angela Banner whilst maintaining the … Download free opening extract
2		More Ant and Bee Angela Banner The much-loved Ant and Bee are back! More Ant and Bee is another alphabetical story in which the dynamic duo fly off to Asia, introducing children to longer words along the way. … Download free opening extract
3		Kangaroos Hop Ros Moriarty Kangaroos Hop is full of bold and colourful pictures of our favourite Australian animals, set in a backdrop of the Australian landscape together with very simple repeating text throughout this delightful picture book. … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 3+ readers

1		Hooray for Bread Allan Ahlberg February 2013 Book of the Month  Allan Ahlberg at his masterful best with words that just slip off the tongue complemented by some delightful illustrations by Bruce Ingman.  The two of them have come together a number of times now … Download free opening extract
2		Pancake Pandemonium Anita Pouroulis You might say pancakes are little Polly’s favourite treat. Or you might say she’s a little obsessed. Either way when mum’s too busy to rustle up her favourite snack Polly decides to take the initiative. Though she ends up wishing … Download free opening extract
3		The Wind in the Wallows Jeanne Willis A side-splitting look at a topic every child knows and giggles about – noisy bottoms! – cheeky, quirky and outrageous humour from this bestselling team. Boys in particular will love this but beware parents they may decide to wallow around … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 5+ readers

1		Sam Who Went to Sea Phyllis Root Written in lyrical prose by Phyllis Root and illustrated in bright bold colours by Axel Sheffler, the illustrator of The Gruffalo, this book is the story of a river rat who follows his heart and realises his dreams when he … Download free opening extract
2		Monster and Chips David O’Connell Meet the amazing monster customers and sample the foul-food served up daily at Fuzzby’s diner – the brilliant setting for this innovative series from debut author and illustrator, David O’Connell. Boys aged 6 or 7 upwards will love the series … Download free opening extract
3		Attack of the Lizard King Rex Stone Exciting adventures in this easy to read series about two boys and the dangerous dinosaurs they encounter – especially the deadly Tyrannosaurus Rex. Jamie’s dad is opening a dinosaur museum in Dinosaur Cove. Jamie expects to find some fossils but … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 7+ readers

1		Stick Dog Tom Watson January 2013 Debut of the Month Originally self-published as an e-book, Stick Dog has been a bestseller in the US throughout 2011 and is now published in the UK. With hilarious illustrations and pitch-perfect humour which appeals to both child and … Download free opening extract
2		Little Manfred Michael Morpurgo January 2013 Book of the Month Award-winning author and illustrator duo Michael Morpurgo and Michael Foreman have created a touching story about the way lives become entangled during conflict and how, unexpectedly, those ties can lead to enduring friendship. When Alex … Download free opening extract
3		The Three Pickled Herrings (wings & Co 2) Sally Gardner February 2013 Book of the Month Award-winning Sally Gardner has written a deliciously topsy-turvy story as Wings & Co, a rather special fairy detective agency, gets on the case. When Sir Walter Cross, a man of remarkably regular habits, does … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 9+ readers

1		The Boy Who Swam with Piranhas David Almond Shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Awards 2013 – Best Story  Award-winning David Almond tells a deliciously funny and refreshingly original story of Stanley, a boy who takes off on a journey of enlightenment and discovery after his uncle, whom … Download free opening extract
2		Dear Scarlett Fleur Hitchcock February 2013 Book of the Month  This refreshingly original story unravels an intriguing mystery surrounding a girl’s father. When she turns eleven, Scarlett receives a box of ‘tools’ – the kind used for picking locks  – from her dead father, … Download free opening extract
3		Penny Dreadful is a Record Breaker Joanna Nadin February 2013 Book of the Month Three lively stories for newly- confident readers matched by eye-catching illustrations are gathered up in this one volume.  Of course, Dreadful is not Penny’s real name but it fits her well, as these stories about … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 11+ readers

1		Hero on a Bicycle Shirley Hughes Shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Awards 2013 – Best Story   Best-selling illustrator Shirley Hughes writes beautifully in this gripping story set during World War Two. Living in Italy during the occupation by the Germans, Paolo and his sister Constanza … Download free opening extract
2		OMG! is This Actually My Life? Hattie Moore’s Unbelievable Year! Rae Earl February 2013 Debut of the Month Hattie Moore’s diary will delight all those who already revel in the life of Louise Rennison’s Georgia Nicholson. Hattie’s life is a hilarious catalogue of typical teenage earth-shattering catastrophes most of which relate to Hattie’s … Download free opening extract
3		East of the Sun, West of the Moon Jackie Morris A treat of a tale, this makes a rich full-length story out of a classic folk tale from the snowy northern lands.  Living in poverty after has family has been forced to leave their home, a young girl is visited … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 14+ readers

1		Seeking Crystal Joss Stirling February 2013 eBook of the Month   A captivating story from the much-admired pen of Joss Stirling, creator of Finding Sky and Stealing Phoenix.  Crystal Brook seems doomed to play second fiddle to her more successful, more popular sister Diamond.  However, … Download free opening extract
2		Million Dollar Gift Ian Somers February 2013 Debut of the Month  Ross Bentley has the gift of telekinesis but has always kept it hidden, even from those closest to him. But when he learns of The Million Dollar Gift, a contest to find people with … Download free opening extract
3		Hidden Among Us Katy Moran A sophisticated and complex novel told in different voices, this interweaves a contemporary family story with a haunting story of another world – the place where the elven folk live. As a newly formed family gather in an old family … Download free opening extract

Welcome to our February mid-month update. Full of special features about books in a huge range of categories … Art, Poetry, Great Reads for Boys and Blue Peter to name a few. Read to find out more..Pre-Publication titles to start reading now

As always, we have an exciting selection of Pre-Publication exclusives to bring you this month, so you can read what’s hot before it’s released! And guess what? They feature handy reviews from our brilliant new Reader Review Panel to help you choose. Smashing!

One for 11+ readers not to miss is the pulse pounding sequel to Million Dollar Gift from Ian Somers, The Hidden Gift. Ross Bentley, a teenager with telekinetic powers discovers a whole new world of people with ‘super powers’ but not all of them use their skills for ‘good’.

Art of The Matter! – Get into Art

With the Easter holidays looming sunnily on the horizon, why not plan some time for art and artists and include a trip to a local art gallery perhaps? It’s a great way to fire their imagination for painting and drawing. To help them get the most out of it we have some great ‘How to’ books for a variety of ages, and other lovely books that will ‘help the whole family get into art’ …

Two not to miss are How to talk to Children about Art and How to Talk to Children about Modern Art. They are books for grown-ups to share with their children and help to explain what to look for in a painting; with cleverly colour-coded text for three age ranges 5-7, 8-10 and 11+. They’re so good an Art History student has just seen the books and wished her parents had used them with her when she was younger!

And don’t miss our competition to win a copy of The Art Book for Children from Phaidon. We have 3 up for grabs.

Oh to be a leaf on the Poet Tree

From funny to poignant, poetry can really speak to us … at any age. Our section dedicated to verse for children has had a revamp this month and is teeming with great poetry books.

New this month (among others) are the hilarious collections: What do you Call a One-Eyed Dinosaur and What Happens When the Queen Burps.

Lovereading helps kids to…Well, love reading

We like to think that kids get inspired at very young ages to love books, so we wanted to share a few gems we have recently come across that we think can do just that.

First published in 1950 Ant and Bee are back! These delightful and much-loved characters are instantly recognisable to many parents and grandparents today. Ant and Bee teach children to read via word recognition and encourage story sharing
with siblings and parents – Anthony Horowitz admits that these classics were the books that taught him how to read and we think it’s high time they were re-discovered by a new generation of readers.

Also Rhyming picture stories are great for getting kids hooked into reading. Two favourites of ours this month are Tabitha Posy Was Ever So Nosy and Mrs MacCready Was Ever So Greedy both by by Julie Fulton.

Doing it ‘Boy’ the Book … Great Books for Boys

In spite of the terrible pun, we are really proud of our section dedicated to age categorised great reads for young boys! Fresh for 2013, this category, packed with tales of derring do and stuff that boys love to read about, has had a revamp and features some cracking new titles. Click here to find out more…

Favourite February eBooks

What ever eReader you have we can get you the eBook format to match with a single click on Lovereading4kids. Go to any book page and just look at the ‘Other Formats’ box in the top right hand corner. See the shelf below for a few of our favourites and there are many, many more on the website.

Time to stop Horsing About!

If you have child who lives and breathes horses and ponies then you simply can’t miss our special category dedicated to stories inspired by our equine friends. We have lots of great stories and our favourite this month is The One Dollar Horse, out in paperback and eBook now, from Blue Peter prize-winner Lauren St John. It’s a thrilling rags-to-riches story of one girl and her dream.

Bring WW2 to life for 7+ readers

Award winning Mick Manning has created two books, based on the real stories told to him, by his parents of their experiences in World War Two, that really bring the period to life for 7+ readers. Tail-End Charlie and Taff in the Waff are wonderfully innovative books full of illustrations of artifacts and documents of the time. A wonderfully dramatic and engaging introduction to its subject.

World Book Day 7 March 2013

7 March 2013 will be a global celebration of children’s books and among other things, it’s a great opportunity to spend the £1 vouchers your kids will be given between now and then by their school to support your local book shops! There are eight titles from big name authors such as Tony Robinson, Shirley Hughes and Francesca Simon. Look out for the voucher and Click here to find your local book shop.

Blue Peter Book Award

Linked to World Book Day is the Blue Peter Book Award – extra special as the winners are chosen by the TV shows viewers. The six books shortlisted will now be judged by more than 200 young Blue Peter viewers drawn from 10 schools across the UK. See all six books in our special category.

The winners will be announced on a special edition of Blue Peter dedicated to children’s books on World Book Day Thursday 7 March 2013.

Mum’s The Word! – Mother’s Day (10 March)

Mother’s Day is just around the corner and the youngsters in your life will be racking their brains thinking of what to get you! Why not help them by suggesting one of these great gifts that you can share with them or check out the Mother’s Day category on Lovereading and suggest something from there they can spoil you with!

So that wraps up February at Lovereading4Kids. Here’s hoping for better weather round the corner and we’ll see you in March with yet more great reads for children.

Books for Babies and Toddlers

1		Monkey Nut Simon Rickerty Bold images brilliantly convey this witty story about how much trouble one monkey nut can cause! One nut; two friends. The friends find a monkey nut can be a bench, a drum or a boat – in fact, there seems … Download free opening extract
2		A Bit Lost Chris Haughton When Little Owl falls out of the nest he needs help to find his way home again. Luckily squirrel is keen to help but how does he know what Little Owl’s mummy will look like? Young readers will enjoy the … Download free opening extract
3		Kangaroos Hop Ros Moriarty Kangaroos Hop is full of bold and colourful pictures of our favourite Australian animals, set in a backdrop of the Australian landscape together with very simple repeating text throughout this delightful picture book. … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 3+ readers

1		Hooray for Bread Allan Ahlberg February 2013 Book of the Month  Allan Ahlberg at his masterful best with words that just slip off the tongue complemented by some delightful illustrations by Bruce Ingman.  The two of them have come together a number of times now … Download free opening extract
2		Pancake Pandemonium Anita Pouroulis You might say pancakes are little Polly’s favourite treat. Or you might say she’s a little obsessed. Either way when mum’s too busy to rustle up her favourite snack Polly decides to take the initiative. Though she ends up wishing … Download free opening extract
3		Friends Michael Foreman Award-winning Michael Foreman puts an unlikely friendship at the heart of this captivating story of a cat and a fish who become such firm friends that the fish chooses friendship over freedom. Together the friends tour the world – especially … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 5+ readers

1		Attack of the Lizard King Rex Stone Exciting adventures in this easy to read series about two boys and the dangerous dinosaurs they encounter – especially the deadly Tyrannosaurus Rex. Jamie’s dad is opening a dinosaur museum in Dinosaur Cove. Jamie expects to find some fossils but … Download free opening extract
2		Sam Who Went to Sea Phyllis Root Written in lyrical prose by Phyllis Root and illustrated in bright bold colours by Axel Sheffler, the illustrator of The Gruffalo, this book is the story of a river rat who follows his heart and realises his dreams when he … Download free opening extract
3		Fluff the Farting Fish Michael Rosen Perfect for every child who’s just beginning to read alone, this hilarious tale is a roller coaster ride of fame and fortune and the possible resulting disasters. Elvie longs for a dog but gets a goldfish instead! Undeterred from following … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 7+ readers

1		Stick Dog Tom Watson January 2013 Debut of the Month Originally self-published as an e-book, Stick Dog has been a bestseller in the US throughout 2011 and is now published in the UK. With hilarious illustrations and pitch-perfect humour which appeals to both child and … Download free opening extract
2		The Three Pickled Herrings (wings & Co 2) Sally Gardner February 2013 Book of the Month Award-winning Sally Gardner has written a deliciously topsy-turvy story as Wings & Co, a rather special fairy detective agency, gets on the case. When Sir Walter Cross, a man of remarkably regular habits, does … Download free opening extract
3		Little Manfred Michael Morpurgo January 2013 Book of the Month Award-winning author and illustrator duo Michael Morpurgo and Michael Foreman have created a touching story about the way lives become entangled during conflict and how, unexpectedly, those ties can lead to enduring friendship. When Alex … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 9+ readers

1		The Boy Who Swam with Piranhas David Almond Shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Awards 2013 – Best Story  Award-winning David Almond tells a deliciously funny and refreshingly original story of Stanley, a boy who takes off on a journey of enlightenment and discovery after his uncle, whom … Download free opening extract
2		Penny Dreadful is a Record Breaker Joanna Nadin February 2013 Book of the Month Three lively stories for newly- confident readers matched by eye-catching illustrations are gathered up in this one volume.  Of course, Dreadful is not Penny’s real name but it fits her well, as these stories about … Download free opening extract
3		Dear Scarlett Fleur Hitchcock February 2013 Book of the Month  This refreshingly original story unravels an intriguing mystery surrounding a girl’s father. When she turns eleven, Scarlett receives a box of ‘tools’ – the kind used for picking locks  – from her dead father, … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 11+ readers

1		East of the Sun, West of the Moon Jackie Morris A treat of a tale, this makes a rich full-length story out of a classic folk tale from the snowy northern lands.  Living in poverty after has family has been forced to leave their home, a young girl is visited … Download free opening extract
2		OMG! is This Actually My Life? Hattie Moore’s Unbelievable Year! Rae Earl February 2013 Debut of the Month Hattie Moore’s diary will delight all those who already revel in the life of Louise Rennison’s Georgia Nicholson. Hattie’s life is a hilarious catalogue of typical teenage earth-shattering catastrophes most of which relate to Hattie’s … Download free opening extract
3		Hero on a Bicycle Shirley Hughes Shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Awards 2013 – Best Story   Best-selling illustrator Shirley Hughes writes beautifully in this gripping story set during World War Two. Living in Italy during the occupation by the Germans, Paolo and his sister Constanza … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 14+ readers

1		Seeking Crystal Joss Stirling February 2013 eBook of the Month   A captivating story from the much-admired pen of Joss Stirling, creator of Finding Sky and Stealing Phoenix.  Crystal Brook seems doomed to play second fiddle to her more successful, more popular sister Diamond.  However, … Download free opening extract
2		Million Dollar Gift Ian Somers February 2013 Debut of the Month  Ross Bentley has the gift of telekinesis but has always kept it hidden, even from those closest to him. But when he learns of The Million Dollar Gift, a contest to find people with … Download free opening extract
3		Dead Romantic C.J. Skuse February 2013 Book of the Month  Very funny and touching, this is a refreshingly original teen novel which stirs traditional themes into a thought provoking mix of science and more. Newly into sixth form college, Camille – unfortunately named after … Download free opening extract

Did you know that children who read over and above the reading they do at school, perform better at school? So why not take a few minutes to browse Lovereading4kids and choose some great books? We have dozens of hand-picked age ranged crackers including a special category for reluctant readers; read on to find out more.Not (yet) Off The Press! Pre-Publication Extracts

As always, we have a few sneak peeks at brand new titles for you to try before they even go to press. And for a lot of the titles we already have reviews from our Kids Reader Panel, to complement the experts’ views – click on a cover to see what they thought.

Appy New Year – from Digital Leaf

With the profusion of tablet computers and smart phones we wanted to feature the publisher Digital Leaf who are creating stories, both as books and apps, that bring whole families together promoting the ideas of health, happiness and love. See the shelf below for some of their multi-format titles.

Special focus on Reluctant Readers

If you have a child who could be described as a ‘reluctant reader’ then we have a great section of books, handily split into age-ranges, perfect to get them hooked on books. These books will inspire, encourage and enthrall your reluctant kids to get into reading and enjoy years and years of engrossing stories. Click here to find out more …

A book that started an award winning partnership

20 years ago Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler worked on their first book called A Squash and Squeeze, a laugh-out-loud story based on a song from BBC Children’s Television. This beautiful limited print run 20th anniversary edition, complete with early drawings from Axel’s sketchbook and a specially written foreword from Julia herself is a joy to own and read to a new generation of children.

Not – lost in translation

The Marsh Award for Children’s Literature in Translation has recently announced its shortlist.

Our favourites are In the Sea there are Crocodiles by Fabio Geda, a harrowing story of a young boy travelling from his home in Afghanistan to Italy and The Midnight Palace by Carlos Ruiz Zafron, a fast moving tale of mystery and adventure set in 1930s Calcutta. The winner is announced on 23 January 2013.

And finally … if you love writing as much as reading

If you have children aged 7 – 11 who love writing then read on as they can get involved with an exciting project to help write a book! It’s being organised by publisher Hotkey and runs from 21 January to 13 May 2013. Take a look at Shrunk by Fleur Hitchcock – you can read an exclusive extract right here – and if it sounds the sort of book you’d like to help the author write the sequel, then visit the secure website www.thestoryadventure.ning.com to register and get involved.

And teachers take note, as there will also be an opportunity to win a school visit from the author for the most active school!

also

Another thing for your budding writers (under 13) … TV’s Chris Evans is back with the 500 WORDS short story competition. Superstar judges will choose six winning stories to be broadcast live to millions on BBC Radio 2. Find out how to enter here and good luck!

So, Happy New Year from all of us at Lovereading4kids! Here’s to a fun-filled, page-turning 2013. See you in February with more ideas to keep them inspired.

Books for Babies and Toddlers

1		Cuddle Bear Claire Freedman Meet Cuddle Bear – the unforgettable hero with hugs for everyone! A perfect book for parent and child to share time and time again. Click here to visit the author page for Claire Freedman, where you can read a Q&A including how … Download free opening extract
2		A Squash and a Squeeze Julia Donaldson Celebrating twenty years of a classic picture book pairing! Julia Donaldson writes…Although the book you have in your hands is officially a 20th birthday edition, A Squash and a Squeeze is actually nearer forty! It started its life as a song … Download free opening extract
3		One Gorilla A Counting Book Anthony Browne Award-winning former Children’s Laureate Anthony Browne takes readers on a counting journey from 1 Gorilla through other monkeys such as chimpanzees, mandrills and baboons before reaching 10 Lemurs. From them, he leaps to himself and all humans showing how all … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 3+ readers

1		The Shape of My Heart Mark Sperring January 2013 Picture Book of the Month Bright images offer loads to look at for young readers to think about the shape of all the things around them in the world. Birds have a shape and so does food. But what … Download free opening extract
2		My Monster Mayhem Anita Pouroulis A little girl keeps getting into trouble with her Mum, but it’s not her that leaves the lights on in every room or clothes all over the floor.  She’s doing battle with a mob of monsters who just want to … Download free opening extract
3		Mum’s Cronky Car Anita Pouroulis Unloved and unappreciated, Mum’s Cronky Car is on the verge of being scrapped and abandoned.Then one morning, on the school-run, the Cronk is living up to his name being overtaken by a disability scooter! Then out of nowhere he does … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 5+ readers

1		Fluff the Farting Fish Michael Rosen Perfect for every child who’s just beginning to read alone, this hilarious tale is a roller coaster ride of fame and fortune and the possible resulting disasters. Elvie longs for a dog but gets a goldfish instead! Undeterred from following … Download free opening extract
2		Oh Dear, Geoffrey! Gemma O’Neill January 2013 Debut of the Month This beautifully written and wonderfully illustrated book is a tale about a rather tall and clumsy giraffe who struggles to make friends but eventually he finds he has plenty because he can show them something … Download free opening extract
3		Horrid Henry’s Fearsome Four Francesca Simon Four best-selling Horrid Henry stories, each richly illustrated by Tony Ross, are gathered up in this bumper volume making a perfect gift book. The chaos of Horrid Henry’s birthday party; the shock of Horrid Henry’s underpants – as supplied by … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 7+ readers

1		Stick Dog Tom Watson January 2013 Debut of the Month Originally self-published as an e-book, Stick Dog has been a bestseller in the US throughout 2011 and is now published in the UK. With hilarious illustrations and pitch-perfect humour which appeals to both child and … Download free opening extract
2		Little Manfred Michael Morpurgo January 2013 Book of the Month Award-winning author and illustrator duo Michael Morpurgo and Michael Foreman have created a touching story about the way lives become entangled during conflict and how, unexpectedly, those ties can lead to enduring friendship. When Alex … Download free opening extract
3		Fox Friend Michael Morpurgo Interest Age 7-12 Reading Age 7+  From the multi award-winning and bestselling author, a beautifully re-packaged, 4u2read version, of this moving story of a girl and an injured fox cub. … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 9+ readers

1		The Spin Rebecca Lisle January 2013 Book of the Month   A magical and action packed adventure in a cleverly created other world packed full of delightful characters. Orphaned Stormy works at the lowest level in the castle kitchens but he has dreams and aspirations … Download free opening extract
2		Granny Samurai, the Monkey King and I John Chambers January 2013 Debut of the Month There are loads of great laughs in this wild story of a granny with a difference. Samuel Johnson who ‘scribes’ this story has the misfortune to turn up at a new school and find himself … Download free opening extract
3		Billionaire Boy David Walliams Hugely entertaining, this captivating story is also thought provoking about the perils of having way too much money. Joe Spud is the richest twelve-year-old in the world; he has everything his heart desires – except happiness. As one disaster follows … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 11+ readers

1		Far Rockaway Charlie Fletcher January 2013 Book of the Month   Best-selling Charlie Fletcher cleverly intertwines stories within stories in this dramatic and ambitious adventure. When Cat is slammed into by a fire truck crossing a road in central Manhattan, the blow to her … Download free opening extract
2		Shiverton Hall Emerald Fennell January 2013 Debut of the Month A boarding school story with a difference. With its imposing entrance and spooky appearance Shiverton Hall more than lives up to its chilling name. When Arthur Bannister arrives on a scholarship he finds himself dealing … Download free opening extract
3		Unleashed Mind Over Matter Ali Sparkes January 2013 Book of the Month Prize winning Ali Sparkes has created a fresh new action-packed series about a group of children with special powers. This is the second in the series. Each novel is brimming with adventure and danger; the … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 14+ readers

1		Ketchup Clouds Annabel Pitcher January 2013 Book of the Month Award-winning author Annabel Pitcher’s new teen novel is a taut and dramatic adventure with a deep yearning at its heart. Ketchup Clouds vividly captures the terrifying roller coaster of emotion that envelopes Zoe when she … Download free opening extract
2		Burning Bright Sophie Mckenzie January 2013 Book of the Month In this high-octane sequel to Falling Fast, River, still passionately in love with Flynn,  finds herself more and more confused and anxious by his violent behaviour. Time and again she forgives him knowing some of … Download free opening extract
3		The Fault in Our Stars John Green January 2013 Book of the Month    Deservedly No 1 on the New York Times best seller list, this heart-catching novel is fuelled by the rawest emotions deftly handled but never falsely diluted. The role a book plays in their lives … Download free opening extract