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

Books for Babies and Toddlers

1		WOW Said the Owl Tim Hopgood Shortlisted for the Best Pre-School Award, Early Year Awards 2009 Owl decides to wake up during the day and sleep at night.  A very odd thing for an owl to do.  But he discovers the world of colour and he’s in … Download free opening extract
2		Archie Domenica More Gordon June 2012 Debut of the Month. From an important and exciting new author/illustrator – a hugely original new talent – comes a riot of canine fun, bound to attract appreciative tail-wagging from dog fans! Featuring a royal guest star at the end it’s … Download free opening extract
3		Zog (Paperback and CD-Audio) Julia Donaldson Winner of the Galaxy Children’s Book Award 2010. Book and CD edition. The creators of the best-selling Gruffalo have invented a delightful new character – Zog the little dragon who always wants to do best at school. Zog’s determination to win … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 3+ readers

1		Keith the Cat with the Magic Hat Sue Hendra July 2012 Book of the Month. Best-selling Sue Hendra tells how Keith the cat creates some magic of his own in this entertaining story about Keith who is suddenly able to do some clever tricks after an ice cream cone … Download free opening extract
2		My Granny is a Pirate Val McDermid Hugely successful, internationally bestselling and multi award-winning author Val McDermid writes her first picture book for children.  This wonderfully cuddly granny started life as a cabin girl and now sails the seven seas as a redoubtable pirate seeing off her … Download free opening extract
3		I Want to Win! Tony Ross The best-selling Little Princess always manages to get her own way largely because she knows exactly what she wants! This time, she wants to win! The Little Princess is used to winning everything in the Palace because she can change … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 5+ readers

1		The Great Dog Disaster Katie Davies June 2012 Book of the Month. If you’re looking for entertainment and a wildly funny adventure then any one of the Katie Davies stories is perfect.  It’s told from the perspective of 9 year old Anna, a young girl with … Download free opening extract
2		The BFG 30th Anniversary Edition Roald Dahl This is a delightful, funny and exciting story about a special friendship between two people from different worlds – a giant and a child. As the story develops it shows how trust and love develops between them. It also shows … Download free opening extract
3		Paddington Goes for Gold Michael Bond Everyone’s favourite Bear joins in summer sporting fever! There are races for everything – even knitting – at the local sports club. Paddington and the Brown family are sure they will win something! Paddington tries hard but can he secure … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 7+ readers

1		Little Manfred Michael Morpurgo June 2012 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
2		Olympic Poems – 100% Unofficial! Brian Moses, Roger Stevens Age 7 + poetry. All the excitement of the big games – and smaller ones too – is captured in this anthology of poems devoted to different aspects of sport and sporting events. There’s boasting and imagination in I am … Download free opening extract
3		Sam Silver, Undercover Pirate 1 : Skeleton Island Jan Burchett, Sara Vogler, Leo Hartas June 2012 Book of the Month. This is the first in a fantastic new series that we guarantee will get even the most reluctant reader reading! It combines everything that boys and girls aged 7+ will love including time-travelling, treasure hunting … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 9+ readers

1		BFFs 1 : Sink or Swim! Holly Robbins July 2012 Book of the Month. All the hopes and fears for Ellie as she moves up to secondary school are brilliantly captured in this fun to read story which shows how important friends are when you are facing a … Download free opening extract
2		Elf Girl and Raven Boy : Fright Forest Marcus Sedgwick July 2012 Book of the Month.  Humour, magic and the altogether unexpected are woven together engagingly to create a delightfully original adventure. Elf Girl and Raven Boy meet by chance and soon become firm friends after Raven Boy crashes out … Download free opening extract
3		Willard Price: Leopard Adventure Anthony McGowan July 2012 Book of the Month. The classic animal tales of Willard Price are given a power conservation theme and a new look in this thrilling modern adventure. Twelve year Amazon and her cousin Frazer are recruited by TRACKS, an … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 11+ readers

1		The Case of the Deadly Desperados Caroline Lawrence July 2012 Book of the Month. Fast, furious and funny, meet 12 year old P K Pinkerton who believes he can be a Wild West Private Eye and a good one too.  With the help of his newly found friends … Download free opening extract
2		Next Keith Gray June 2012 Book of the Month. Brilliantly written, each of the stories in this thought-provoking and surprisingly entertaining collection asks what happens next? Award winning authors including Malorie Blackman, Frank Cottrell Boyce, Philip Ardagh and Keith Grey explore the question, what … Download free opening extract
3		The Night Sky in My Head Sarah Hammond July 2012 Debut of the Month. This is a stunning debut, perfect for fans of Skellig and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. Mikey Baxter isn’t like other 14 year old boys. Since an accident he’s had … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 14+ readers

1		Sister, Missing Sophie Mckenzie Bestselling Sophie Mackenzie follows up Girl, Missing with a nail-bitingly tense and action-packed thriller as Lauren, still reeling from her own kidnapping, loses her little sister Madison in the blink of an eye on a crowded beach. Surely this can’t … Download free opening extract
2		The Apothecary Maile Meloy July 2012 Debut of the Month. Spies, secrets and spells lie at the heart of this thrilling mystery adventure set in the 1950s. Newly arrived in England after her parents’ hurried flight from Los Angeles, Janie finds it hard to adjust. … Download free opening extract
3		Anna Dressed in Blood Kendare Blake July 2012 Debut of the Month. A best-selling young adult novel from the US, this is a story that will spook the faint hearted! Cas looks and behaves like an average teenager but he has a very unusual mission to complete. … Download free opening extract

Books for Babies and Toddlers

1		WOW Said the Owl Tim Hopgood Shortlisted for the Best Pre-School Award, Early Year Awards 2009 Owl decides to wake up during the day and sleep at night.  A very odd thing for an owl to do.  But he discovers the world of colour and he’s in … Download free opening extract
2		Not Me! Nicola Killen This is an utterly delightful picture book from a bright new talent found by a publisher who seeks out new talent from the MA Illustration course in Cambridge. The clever interaction of the illustrations with some very simple text make … Download free opening extract
3		Ernest Catherine Rayner A brilliant joke lies at the heart of prize-winning illustrator Catherine Rayner’s Ernest. Ernest is a LARGE Moose. So large that, even though he tries squashing and squeezing, he just can’t fit all of himself into a book. Luckily he … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 3+ readers

1		Usborne Very First Reading 1: Pirate Pat Mairi Mackinnon Pirate Pat allows the very beginner reader to take part in a lively and exciting story, using short sentences and simple words made up of only the letters s a t p i n m d.  Parent or carer reads … Download free opening extract
2		Usborne Very First Reading 2: The Dressing Up Box Mairi Mackinnon This the second in Usborne’s Very First Reading series introduces the letters g o c k ck e u r.  The sentences are a little longer than in book 1 and your child reads more words overall.  The repetition of … Download free opening extract
3		Usborne Very First Reading 4: Dog Diary Mairi Mackinnon Dog Diary introduces the letters j qu v w x y z zz.  Your child will now be familiar with all the letters of the alphabet in their most regularly-pronounced forms, making it possible to read over 300 everyday words.  … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 5+ readers

1		Marvin Redpost 1: Kidnapped at Birth Louis Sachar The first of 8 great adventures about an ordinary boy with a big heart and a strong desire to work things out even when they’re complicated. Meet Marvin Redpost. He has red hair and blue eyes. And he is left … Download free opening extract
2		Horrid Henry and the Football Fiend: Early Reader Francesca Simon A brilliant story with football as the backdrop to the story about Horrid Henry, his little brother, Perfect Pete and of course not forgetting Moody Margaret. Henry is as determined as ever to get his own way and will stop … Download free opening extract
3		Titch and Mitch 1: Shipwrecked! Garth Edwards Titch and Mitch are two delightful pixies who survive being shipwrecked and end up on an island that’s full of extraordinary animal characters.  As they meet more and more friends they go off on some wonderful but sometimes frightening adventures … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 7+ readers

1		Magical Mischief Anna Dale A bookshop stuffed full of unexpected and witty magic is a delight for Arthur when he first befriends Mr Hardbattle, the shop’s owner. But, as Mr Hardbattle soon explains, magic doesn’t help when you are trying to run a shop … Download free opening extract
2		Not Bad for a Bad Lad Michael Morpurgo This wonderful story was inspired by a conversation that Michael Morpurgo and Michael Foreman had about a prison at Hollesley Bay in Suffolk that Michael Foreman remembered from growing up nearby. Into this Michael Morpurgo weaves his story of … Download free opening extract
3		Super Soccer Boy and the Snot Monsters Judy Brown Super soccer boy Harry Gribble uses his fantastic football skills to solve a mystery.  It’s a fun, wacky story packed with lots of pictures throughout and a perfect combination of football and superheroes that will absorb even the most reluctant … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 9+ readers

1		Takeshita Demons Cristy Burne Winner of the inaugural Frances Lincoln Diverse Voices Award 2009 A thrilling contemporary adventure wittily shot through with the powerful fantasy stories of the old demons from the Japanese past. Miku knows about the demons from growing up in Japan where … Download free opening extract
2		The Death-defying Pepper Roux Geraldine Mccaughrean Prize-winning Geraldine McCaughrean has turned her deft hand to a brilliantly witty and fast moving story about a boy who wants to defy his destiny. Pepper is an unusual name and Pepper Roux is an unusual child especially since, according … Download free opening extract
3		Goodnight Mister Tom Michelle Magorian Chosen as the Puffin Modern Classic 1980 – 1989 A wonderful debut novel from an author who is now widely acknowledged as one of the great children’s novelists of our time. A storyline that will pull on the heartstrings more than … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 11+ readers

1		Young Sherlock Holmes: Death Cloud Andrew Lane MEGA BOOK OF THE MONTH – JUNE 2010.  Two dead bodies. One unforgettable hero.  The beginning of a legend.  Followers of the young James Bond and junior spy Alex Rider will enjoy the adventures of school boy Sherlock Holmes who … Download free opening extract
2		The Battle of the Sun Jeanette Winterson A rollercoaster of a seventeenth century adventure begins with Jack’s dramatic kidnapping on his twelfth birthday. Jack’s been selected as the Radiant Boy and the evil Magus needs to get his hands on him so that he can turn London into a city … Download free opening extract
3		Tall Story Candy Gourlay This is a debut novel packed with warmth, humour and quirkiness that will have you in fits of laughter one minute and in tears the next as the author explores a touching sibling relationship and the clash of two very … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 14+ readers

1		The Sky is Everywhere Jandy Nelson This is a debut novel that once read will never be forgotten.  It’s a vibrant, deeply romantic novel that will bring tears to your eyes but it will also bring laughter through the tears!  It’s also funny, sexy and deeply meaningful.  … Download free opening extract
2		The Cardturner Louis Sachar The worldwide bestselling author of Holes takes readers on a journey right into the extraordinary and obsessive world of bridge.  Don’t be put off by this central theme before having a read of the extract on Lovereading4kids.  Alton Richards is … Download free opening extract
3		White Crow Marcus Sedgwick Described as a modern gothic thriller, complete with angels and devils, it’s a tale of two girls and their friendship in a long, hot, tense summer, but it is also interwoven with a 17th century tale of bizarre experiments into … Download free opening extract

Books for Babies and Toddlers

1		WOW Said the Owl Tim Hopgood Shortlisted for the Best Pre-School Award, Early Year Awards 2009 Owl decides to wake up during the day and sleep at night.  A very odd thing for an owl to do.  But he discovers the world of colour and he’s in … Download free opening extract
2		Not Me! Nicola Killen This is an utterly delightful picture book from a bright new talent found by a publisher who seeks out new talent from the MA Illustration course in Cambridge. The clever interaction of the illustrations with some very simple text make … Download free opening extract
3		Ernest Catherine Rayner A brilliant joke lies at the heart of prize-winning illustrator Catherine Rayner’s Ernest. Ernest is a LARGE Moose. So large that, even though he tries squashing and squeezing, he just can’t fit all of himself into a book. Luckily he … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 3+ readers

1		Usborne Very First Reading 1: Pirate Pat Mairi Mackinnon Pirate Pat allows the very beginner reader to take part in a lively and exciting story, using short sentences and simple words made up of only the letters s a t p i n m d.  Parent or carer reads … Download free opening extract
2		The Night Iceberg Helen Stephens A touching story of a magical night time adventure as a little girl jumps aboard an iceberg. Grumpy at having to share everything with her new sister, Tofta wants the iceberg to be just for her. But the penguin who … Download free opening extract
3		Crocodiles are the Best Animals of All Sean Taylor Shortlisted for Roald Dahl’s Funny Prize 2009. This is a real romp of a read with bright humorous illustrations accompanying a rich, rhyming text that children will enjoy reading alone and with their parents, time and time again.  Crocodile demonstrates … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 5+ readers

1		Titch and Mitch 1: Shipwrecked! Garth Edwards Titch and Mitch are two delightful pixies who survive being shipwrecked and end up on an island that’s full of extraordinary animal characters.  As they meet more and more friends they go off on some wonderful but sometimes frightening adventures … Download free opening extract
2		Marvin Redpost 1: Kidnapped at Birth Louis Sachar The first of 8 great adventures about an ordinary boy with a big heart and a strong desire to work things out even when they’re complicated. Meet Marvin Redpost. He has red hair and blue eyes. And he is left … Download free opening extract
3		Horrid Henry and the Football Fiend: Early Reader Francesca Simon A brilliant story with football as the backdrop to the story about Horrid Henry, his little brother, Perfect Pete and of course not forgetting Moody Margaret. Henry is as determined as ever to get his own way and will stop … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 7+ readers

1		Magical Mischief Anna Dale A bookshop stuffed full of unexpected and witty magic is a delight for Arthur when he first befriends Mr Hardbattle, the shop’s owner. But, as Mr Hardbattle soon explains, magic doesn’t help when you are trying to run a shop … Download free opening extract
2		Not Bad for a Bad Lad Michael Morpurgo This wonderful story was inspired by a conversation that Michael Morpurgo and Michael Foreman had about a prison at Hollesley Bay in Suffolk that Michael Foreman remembered from growing up nearby. Into this Michael Morpurgo weaves his story of … Download free opening extract
3		Super Soccer Boy and the Snot Monsters Judy Brown Super soccer boy Harry Gribble uses his fantastic football skills to solve a mystery.  It’s a fun, wacky story packed with lots of pictures throughout and a perfect combination of football and superheroes that will absorb even the most reluctant … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 9+ readers

1		Goodnight Mister Tom Michelle Magorian Chosen as the Puffin Modern Classic 1980 – 1989 A wonderful debut novel from an author who is now widely acknowledged as one of the great children’s novelists of our time. A storyline that will pull on the heartstrings more than … Download free opening extract
2		The Babysitters’ Club: The Summer Before Ann M. Martin The bestselling ‘Babysitters Club’ is given a prequel in this brand new title capturing the hopes and fears and above all the friendship of Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia and Stacey. Each has their own family and personal issues; all are … Download free opening extract
3		The Death-defying Pepper Roux Geraldine Mccaughrean Prize-winning Geraldine McCaughrean has turned her deft hand to a brilliantly witty and fast moving story about a boy who wants to defy his destiny. Pepper is an unusual name and Pepper Roux is an unusual child especially since, according … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 11+ readers

1		Young Sherlock Holmes: Death Cloud Andrew Lane MEGA BOOK OF THE MONTH – JUNE 2010.  Two dead bodies. One unforgettable hero.  The beginning of a legend.  Followers of the young James Bond and junior spy Alex Rider will enjoy the adventures of school boy Sherlock Holmes who … Download free opening extract
2		Tall Story Candy Gourlay This is a debut novel packed with warmth, humour and quirkiness that will have you in fits of laughter one minute and in tears the next as the author explores a touching sibling relationship and the clash of two very … Download free opening extract
3		The Moonstone Legacy Diana De Gunzburg, Tony Wild Beginning where Wilkie Collins’ classic left off, it’s hard to believe The Moonstone Legacy is a debut  for the quality of the writing is exceptional and has a real timeless quality about it.  The story itself is a terrific mix … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 14+ readers

1		The Cardturner Louis Sachar The worldwide bestselling author of Holes takes readers on a journey right into the extraordinary and obsessive world of bridge.  Don’t be put off by this central theme before having a read of the extract on Lovereading4kids.  Alton Richards is … Download free opening extract
2		The Sky is Everywhere Jandy Nelson This is a debut novel that once read will never be forgotten.  It’s a vibrant, deeply romantic novel that will bring tears to your eyes but it will also bring laughter through the tears!  It’s also funny, sexy and deeply meaningful.  … Download free opening extract
3		What I Saw and How I Lied Judy Blundell Winner of the prestigious American National Book Award – Utterly gripping and beautifully told, this is a stunning rite of passage novel, set just after WW2, full of powerful and conflicting emotions, which captures the dramatic shift from child to … Download free opening extract

Books for Babies and Toddlers

1		WOW Said the Owl Tim Hopgood Shortlisted for the Best Pre-School Award, Early Year Awards 2009 Owl decides to wake up during the day and sleep at night.  A very odd thing for an owl to do.  But he discovers the world of colour and he’s in … Download free opening extract
2		Not Me! Nicola Killen This is an utterly delightful picture book from a bright new talent found by a publisher who seeks out new talent from the MA Illustration course in Cambridge. The clever interaction of the illustrations with some very simple text make … Download free opening extract
3		Ernest Catherine Rayner A brilliant joke lies at the heart of prize-winning illustrator Catherine Rayner’s Ernest. Ernest is a LARGE Moose. So large that, even though he tries squashing and squeezing, he just can’t fit all of himself into a book. Luckily he … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 3+ readers

1		Crocodiles are the Best Animals of All Sean Taylor Shortlisted for Roald Dahl’s Funny Prize 2009. This is a real romp of a read with bright humorous illustrations accompanying a rich, rhyming text that children will enjoy reading alone and with their parents, time and time again.  Crocodile demonstrates … Download free opening extract
2		Usborne Very First Reading 1: Pirate Pat Mairi Mackinnon Pirate Pat allows the very beginner reader to take part in a lively and exciting story, using short sentences and simple words made up of only the letters s a t p i n m d.  Parent or carer reads … Download free opening extract
3		The Night Iceberg Helen Stephens A touching story of a magical night time adventure as a little girl jumps aboard an iceberg. Grumpy at having to share everything with her new sister, Tofta wants the iceberg to be just for her. But the penguin who … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 5+ readers

1		Titch and Mitch 1: Shipwrecked! Garth Edwards Titch and Mitch are two delightful pixies who survive being shipwrecked and end up on an island that’s full of extraordinary animal characters.  As they meet more and more friends they go off on some wonderful but sometimes frightening adventures … Download free opening extract
2		Ms Wiz RULES OK! Terence Blacker The classroom will never be the same again for those who love the stories about Ms Wiz, a teacher with a difference. Her unusual ways of running her class are hilarious, chaotic, unlikely and very, very funny. … Download free opening extract
3		Leon and the Place Between Angela Mcallister Shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2010. When Leon goes to the magic show, he is the only one who believes. His brothers and sisters are in for a big surprise however: this is no ordinary show and Abdul Kazam … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 7+ readers

1		Magical Mischief Anna Dale A bookshop stuffed full of unexpected and witty magic is a delight for Arthur when he first befriends Mr Hardbattle, the shop’s owner. But, as Mr Hardbattle soon explains, magic doesn’t help when you are trying to run a shop … Download free opening extract
2		Not Bad for a Bad Lad Michael Morpurgo This wonderful story was inspired by a conversation that Michael Morpurgo and Michael Foreman had about a prison at Hollesley Bay in Suffolk that Michael Foreman remembered from growing up nearby. Into this Michael Morpurgo weaves his story of … Download free opening extract
3		The Boy who climbed into the moon David Almond Author of the classic Skellig, and winner of the incredibly prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award, David Almond is a wholly original writer of magical and unusual stories that make anything and everything seem possible. Packed full of wonder and magic, … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 9+ readers

1		Tall Story Candy Gourlay This is a debut novel packed with warmth, humour and quirkiness that will have you in fits of laughter one minute and in tears the next as the author explores a touching sibling relationship and the clash of two very … Download free opening extract
2		The Kane Chronicles: The Red Pyramid Rick Riordan Best-selling author Rick Riordan who created Percy Jackson has once again created some non-stop thrilling action in this headlong adventure as the Egyptian past comes alive and threatens two present day children. Carter and Sadie, the children of world famous Egyptologist … Download free opening extract
3		The Hidden World: The Remarkable Adventures of Tom Scatterhorn Henry Chancellor An exciting new adventure (the second) with an amazing and exotic setting for Tom after he goes back in the Scatterhorn Museum hoping for a good summer holiday. What Tom hadn’t banked on was the arrival of Pearl Smoot who … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 11+ readers

1		Unhooking the Moon Gregory Hughes One absolutely, indisputably MEGA story! This highly recommended title is a beautifully written, utterly original, funny and bittersweet tale about two newly orphaned kids who embark on an epic road trip to New York to find their long lost uncle. … Download free opening extract
2		Young Sherlock Holmes: Death Cloud Andrew Lane MEGA BOOK OF THE MONTH – JUNE 2010.  Two dead bodies. One unforgettable hero.  The beginning of a legend.  Followers of the young James Bond and junior spy Alex Rider will enjoy the adventures of school boy Sherlock Holmes who … Download free opening extract
3		The Battle of the Sun Jeanette Winterson A rollercoaster of a seventeenth century adventure begins with Jack’s dramatic kidnapping on his twelfth birthday. Jack’s been selected as the Radiant Boy and the evil Magus needs to get his hands on him so that he can turn London into a city … Download free opening extract

Featured Books for 14+ readers

1		The Cardturner Louis Sachar The worldwide bestselling author of Holes takes readers on a journey right into the extraordinary and obsessive world of bridge.  Don’t be put off by this central theme before having a read of the extract on Lovereading4kids.  Alton Richards is … Download free opening extract
2		The Sky is Everywhere Jandy Nelson This is a debut novel that once read will never be forgotten.  It’s a vibrant, deeply romantic novel that will bring tears to your eyes but it will also bring laughter through the tears!  It’s also funny, sexy and deeply meaningful.  … Download free opening extract
3		What I Saw and How I Lied Judy Blundell Winner of the prestigious American National Book Award – Utterly gripping and beautifully told, this is a stunning rite of passage novel, set just after WW2, full of powerful and conflicting emotions, which captures the dramatic shift from child to … Download free opening extrac

Hi again from Lovereading4kids! Two great authors, both brilliant in very different ways, were born this month around 80 years ago – Maurice Sendak (of Where the Wild Things Are fame) in 1928, and Anne Frank, whose posthumously published diaries captured the world’s heart, in 1929. But here’s some more recent incredible books that you may not have heard so much about but we think you’ll love…

A bumper batch of Books of the Month

Young Sherlock Holmes is our MEGA Book of the Month, the first in a new series of stories by Andrew Lane, a self-confessed super fan of the original Conan Doyle books. The first introduces us to the brilliant but troubled teenager who will one day grow into the sleuth we know and love! This series has the potential to get well and truly under the skin of 11+ year olds rather in the way Charlie Higson’s Young Bond series has done. We think it will be huge.

There are also a blindingly brilliant range of other Books of the Month for June – pick a couple and you and your children are bound to be bowled over by the quality of writing.

Author of the Month – the amazing Louis Sachar

Louis Sachar is the award-winning mega-popular author who took the world by storm with Holes. He started writing in 1976 but didn’t become a full time author until 1989 (that’s perseverance for you). His latest compelling story is The Cardturner, a fantastically imaginative and romantic story about Alton and his blind, ageing uncle. Young readers are immediately attracted to Louis Sachar’s novels for his great and unusual stories and for his exceptional understanding of some of the challenges of growing up. Discover more of his superb books today…

Get to know the brilliant Tim Hopgood our Illustrator of the Month

Tim had been talking about creating kids’ picture books for years before he finally locked himself in a room and got round to making it happen. His stories are wonderfully imaginative, and his illustrations are a delightful mixture of different media and full of bold colours. Check out Tim’s latest, Wow! Said the Owl and Tip Tap went the Crab.

A Former Children’s Laureate is this month’s Guest Editor

This month’s Guest Editor is the former children’s Laureate and storytelling genius Michael Morpurgo. His books inspire a love of reading in children and they have been turned in to films and West End stage shows so it seems fitting that Michael has chosen a list of books that have inspired him.

Find out more about his own books – two new ones published this month – and the ones that have inspired him…

First-time fantastic – our Debuts of the Month

Tall Story Candy Gourlay A sweet and funny book about a girl who meets her brother for the first time, and he’s taller than she expected – eight feet tall! Download Extract Buy £8.24 Saving £2.75 (25%)	The Sky is Everywhere Jandy Nelson This is a very thoughtful story about a girl trying to deal with grief and romantic confusion after her sister dies suddenly. Our pick so far this year for Debut of the Year. Download Extract Buy £5.99 Saving £2.00 (25%)
Kisses for Lula Samantha Mackintosh Poor old Lula is almost sweet 16 and never been kissed – this is a great book about teenage crushes, creeps, and cringe-worthy catastrophes. Download Extract Buy £4.49 Saving £1.50 (25%)	The Moonstone Legacy Diana De Gunzburg, Tony Wild A mysterious and intriguing story about a young girl who sets out to discover the truth about her mother’s tragic death and the ‘sequel’ to Wilkie Collins’ Moonstone. Download Extract Buy £6.74 Saving £2.25 (25%)
The Last Summer of the Death Warriors Francisco X. Stork A buddy novel of the highest – two mismatched friends help each other to become all they can be. Utterly compelling. Download Extract Buy £8.24 Saving £2.75 (25%)

The Alex Rider stories – still thrilling after 10 years!

Anthony Horowitz’s reluctant teen superspy has been entertaining young readers for a decade, so to coincide with the paperback of Crocodile Tears perhaps now’s the time for a new generation of book lovers to discover him as well as his existing ones. All the books have cool new jackets to celebrate the birthday and are as fresh and exciting as they were when they were first published – so why not get your children hooked on reading, with Alex Rider now!

Series of the Month – magic and mayhem with Charlie Bone

Charlie Bone and the Red Knight, the eighth tantalising episode of the series, is out now. So get ready for the finale and greatest adventure yet featuring the Welsh children with magical powers.

Find out more about the Red Knight series in our special section today…

Very first reads for the readers of the future

Usborne have released 15 new titles for children just starting their reading journeys. Each book in the series builds on the last taking early readers on an adventure to independent reading. With fantastic imaginative rhymes and pictures, and clever story formats so parents and kids can read together, these books may just get some children to really love reading. Try them now so your child is hooked on reading as they start their life at school in September.

A book for deserving dads – our Father’s Day selection

If dad has been good this year – taking the kids to the park, doing his share of cleaning, and putting up shelves when he’s been asked to – then why not reward him on Father’s Day with a book!

Our top tip is Daddy Lost his Head, a fabulously surreal tale with illustrations by Quentin Blake.

Out and About – have some summer adventures via Lovereading4kids

We are pleased to present a new crop of books dedicated to outdoor adventures and city walks. Among them are Make it Wild, a book that shows how to use natural, renewable materials to make all kinds of cool stuff, and Adventure Walks for Families – both of them perfect as inspiration for leisure activities for all the family over half term and through the summer holidays.

Puffin – story experts for the last 70 years…

As part of Puffin’s 70th birthday celebrations we’re featuring some of their Puffin Modern Classics, one representing each of the seven decades.

These are timeless stories that have inspired generations of young readers, and will delight your children too! Why not cast your vote for your favourite Puffin Book – find out more in our Puffin Modern Classics section on Lovereading4kids.

New for 3+ readers, the delightful Picture Kelpies

Scottish publisher Floris Books are passionate about creating beautiful books for 3+ readers. We have a selection of 3 this month. Find out more…

That should be plenty for you to be getting on with. With teenage crushes, supersleuths, knights and angels, there’s scope for boundless summer adventures. Just visit Lovereading4kids and download some free Opening Extracts to see which your kids will love.

P.S Finally, there’s just time to tell you that the Hay Literary Festival is on at the moment. There’s a cracking line-up of authors as well as our very own Lovereading4kids editorial expert, Julia Eccleshare on 5 June. Click here to find out more about the event.

P.P.S – don’t forget to check out the competition page – there’s lots to win and a reminder too that with the Football World Cup in South Africa just about to start why not inspire the children over half term with some great football themed stories – there’s something for every age.