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There's no such thing as a child who doesn't like reading - only a child who hasn't met the right book yet. The trick with a reluctant reader is to lower the effort and raise the fun: short chapters, big laughs, brilliant illustrations and a story that hooks them on page one. Get that combination right and "I'm bored" turns into "just one more chapter".
The short answer
- The one to start with
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney — cartoons, short bursts, instant laughs
- Best comic-style
- Dog Man by Dav Pilkey — half comic, half novel, all silly
- Best for a laugh
- The World's Worst Children by David Walliams — ten short, horrible, hilarious stories
What helps a reluctant reader?
Three things make the biggest difference. Humour - funny books are read again and again. Pictures - illustrations and comic-strip panels carry the story and make a thick book feel friendly. And short, punchy chapters that deliver a win every few pages. Never worry that a book is "too easy": confidence is built by finishing, and a child who finishes a book they loved will reach for the next one.
Our pick of the best books for reluctant readers
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Cartoons on every page and laugh-out-loud diary entries - a gateway book for millions.“The 1st in the brilliant Wimpy Kid series that has taken the US, and now the UK by storm”Our review, by the LoveReading4Kids team
Reviewed by the LoveReading4Kids teamDog Man by Dav Pilkey
Half-dog, half-cop, all action; a graphic-novel series that turns non-readers into fans.The Brilliant World of Tom Gates by Liz Pichon
Doodles, lists and mischief - packed with visual fun that makes a fat book feel easy.The World's Worst Children by David Walliams
Short, gross, gleefully funny stories - perfect for dipping in and out.“Ten wickedly funny and wonderfully surreal stories of truly terrible children show best-selling David Walliams’s amazing gift for spinning entertaining stories”Our review, by the LoveReading4Kids team
Reviewed by the LoveReading4Kids teamMy Brother Is a Superhero by David Solomons
A fast, funny superhero adventure with a hero you instantly root for.“Multi- award winning debut of a real comic talent. Writing that is genuinely funny with the depiction of a relatable warm family relationship”Our review, by Andrea Reece
Reviewed by Andrea ReeceBaby Aliens Got My Teacher! by Pamela Butchart
Wildly silly, fast-moving and brilliantly illustrated; ideal read-aloud chaos.Pugs of the Frozen North by Philip Reeve & Sarah McIntyre
A big-hearted, heavily illustrated adventure - 66 pugs and a race to the top of the world.“These genius collaborative novels from Reeves and McIntyre are not just funny, they are exciting,absorbing adventures with a great cast of characters. This is a favourite, but you will want them all in your classroom”Our review, by Andrea Reece
Reviewed by Andrea ReeceBunny vs Monkey by Jamie Smart
Anarchic comic-strip mayhem in the woods; pure visual comedy that pulls in even the most reluctant reader.“This addition to the Bunny vs. Monkey universe is a chaotic romp through outer space that will keep kids and adults laughing for ages”Our review, by Lucas Maxwell BEM
Reviewed by Lucas Maxwell BEM
Chosen by children's book experts, not an algorithm
Every title here is chosen by people who know children's books inside out. LoveReading4Kids has recommended books on merit since 2005, and through our Schools Reading Programme we put books into the hands of real children every day - so we see what actually gets a reluctant reader turning pages. When you buy through us, up to 25% of the cover price can be donated to a school of your choice, helping fund the very books that create new readers.
Each is named, with a photograph and full biography, on our editorial experts page.
Members of the panel include:
Lucas Maxwell BEMAward-winning librarian, author and UK Reading for Pleasure Champion
Amy McKayFormer UK School Librarian of the Year and Yoto Carnegies National Coordinator
Tricia AdamsFormer Director of the School Library Association and Carnegie & Kate Greenaway judging Chair
Joy CourtLeading children’s literature expert and former Chair of the CILIP Carnegie & Kate Greenaway Medals
A note for parents and teachers
Read alongside them, let them choose, and count comics, audiobooks and joke books as real reading - because they are. The goal isn't a particular book; it's the moment a child decides, for themselves, that reading is for them.
Your questions answered
What makes a book good for a reluctant reader?
Low effort and high reward: humour, plenty of illustrations or comic panels, short chapters and a fast hook. Funny, visual books feel achievable and get reread - and finishing a book they loved is what builds the confidence to pick up the next one.
My child only wants funny or illustrated books. Is that a problem?
Not at all. Comics, illustrated fiction, joke books and audiobooks are all real reading. The aim is to build the habit and the love first; range and length grow naturally once a child sees themselves as a reader. Let them choose what appeals.
Are these books chosen by an algorithm?
No. They're chosen by LoveReading4Kids' children's-book specialists and informed by our work in real schools through the Schools Reading Programme, so we see first-hand which books actually get reluctant readers reading. It's expert judgement, not a sales chart.
Will these help with school reading?
Yes - building reading for pleasure is the single biggest boost to reading at school. And when you buy through LoveReading4Kids, up to 25% of the cover price can go to a school of your choice, helping fund books for the classroom too.