Never Take A Bear to School
By Mark Sperring and Britta Teckentrup
This funny story about the adventures of a boy on...
This funny story about the adventures of a boy on his first day of school or nursery is bound to settle any anxieties your little one may have....
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The Everywhere Bear
By Julia Donaldson and Rebecca Cobb
If your little ones loved The Paper Dolls by Julia...
If your little ones loved The Paper Dolls by Julia Donaldson and Rebecca Cobb, then they will love this story. Their latest collaboration, The Everywhere Bear, offers another heart-warming read, this time about the adventures of a classroom bear who finds himself washed out to sea and loaded onto a...
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The Astounding Broccoli Boy
By Frank Cottrell Boyce and Steven Lenton
A brilliant new offering from Frank Cottrell Boyce the award-winning, bestselling author of Millions and Cosmic—The Astounding Broccoli Boy is another hilarious, heart-breaking, and completely...
A brilliant new offering from Frank Cottrell Boyce the award-winning, bestselling author of Millions and Cosmic—The Astounding Broccoli Boy is another hilarious, heart-breaking, and completely original novel. Rory Rooney likes to be prepared for anything. Don’t be scared, his favourite book says, be prepared. And Rory aims to be. What’s...
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Triangle
By Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen
From the award-winning team behind Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, and illustrated by Jon Klassen, the Kate Greenaway-winning creator of This Is Not My...
From the award-winning team behind Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, and illustrated by Jon Klassen, the Kate Greenaway-winning creator of This Is Not My Hat and I Want My Hat Back, comes the first tale in an exciting new trilogy. Meet Triangle. He is going to play a sneaky...
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Crocopotamus
By Mary Murphy
This bright and colourful split page board book is perfect for encouraging little ones to mix and match. Young children will love to mix up...
This bright and colourful split page board book is perfect for encouraging little ones to mix and match. Young children will love to mix up the heads and tails of different animals to invent hilarious new ones, whilst developing their matching skills as they work out how the animals should...
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The Boy Who Climbed into the Moon
By David Almond and Polly Dunbar
This is a fabulously life-affirming read, bursting with adventure, courage and joy. We follow Stanley Potts, an ordinary young boy with a huge adventure ahead...
This is a fabulously life-affirming read, bursting with adventure, courage and joy. We follow Stanley Potts, an ordinary young boy with a huge adventure ahead of him, as he faces all sorts bizarre challenges – will he be bold enough to dive into his own destiny and turn his life...
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The Boy Who Swam with Piranhas
By David Almond and Oliver Jeffers
This is a fabulously life-affirming read, bursting with adventure, courage and joy. We follow Stanley Potts, an ordinary young boy with a huge adventure ahead...
This is a fabulously life-affirming read, bursting with adventure, courage and joy. We follow Stanley Potts, an ordinary young boy with a huge adventure ahead of him, as he faces all sorts bizarre challenges – will he be bold enough to dive into his own destiny and turn his life...
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A Child of Books
By Oliver Jeffers
A newly established firm favourite here at The Reader! This...
A newly established firm favourite here at The Reader! This poignant and exceptional picture book explores worlds within stories and the imagination, and reminds all of us of the power of stories to shape and change us. Familiar threads of well-loved tales from long ago weave through the book in...
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The Promise
By Nicola Davies and Laura Carlin
This poignant and deceptively simple story conjures up an image of a world in which humans and nature can live in harmony. Laura Carlin’s powerful...
This poignant and deceptively simple story conjures up an image of a world in which humans and nature can live in harmony. Laura Carlin’s powerful imagery combines with Nicola Davies’ text to create a clear and strong message about the power and value of nature. A moving and thought provoking...
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The Extraordinary Mr Qwerty
By Karla Strambini
This beautifully illustrated tale of self belief explores the necessity of being true to our sense of creative conviction, and celebrates individuality, the power of...
This beautifully illustrated tale of self belief explores the necessity of being true to our sense of creative conviction, and celebrates individuality, the power of big ideas and perseverance. Ideal for children whose imaginations are brimming with ideas, but who may need just a little encouragement to let them spill...
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The White Book
By Elisabetta Pica and Lorenzo Clerici
Combine an inquisitive little boy, some brightly coloured paint and plenty of imagination, and who knows what will unfold? This fresh and unusual picture book...
Combine an inquisitive little boy, some brightly coloured paint and plenty of imagination, and who knows what will unfold? This fresh and unusual picture book manages to delight and amuse without using a single word. Strong visual storytelling combines with plenty of humour and bold artwork to create a unique...
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The Matchbox Diary
By Paul Fleischman and Bagram Ibatoulline
This warm and detailed story offers a stunning insight into the past, and explores the ever-relevant concept of immigration. Exquisitely illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline, this...
This warm and detailed story offers a stunning insight into the past, and explores the ever-relevant concept of immigration. Exquisitely illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline, this sensitive tale will appeal across generations and is the ideal story to share with older children....
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Seen and not Heard
By Katie May Green
This magically atmospheric story, full of mischief and joy, is...
This magically atmospheric story, full of mischief and joy, is ideal for free-spirited children with huge imaginations. We meet a spooky gaggle of children who live in picture frames on the walls of an old house, causing mayhem and hilarity when they escape from their frames during the night while...
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The Big Princess
By Taro Miura
A fresh, witty fairytale from Japan, this story features a Princess who keeps on growing due to a magical spell which she has fallen under....
A fresh, witty fairytale from Japan, this story features a Princess who keeps on growing due to a magical spell which she has fallen under. Can the King figure out how to break the spell and save his beloved princess? A magical tale with fold out pages and fabulously contemporary...
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What Happens Next?
By Tull Suwannakit
Join Ellie and her Grandma on a curious adventure as they hear about the Little Bear and Grandma Bear who travel on a bus, go...
Join Ellie and her Grandma on a curious adventure as they hear about the Little Bear and Grandma Bear who travel on a bus, go to the fairground, play hide and seek and meet many friends along the way before drifting off to sleep, tucked up in bed. Children will...
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Melissa’s Octopus and other Unsuitable Pets
By Charlotte Voake
Step into the wonderfully imaginative world of Melissa and her...
Step into the wonderfully imaginative world of Melissa and her friends along with their unusual and ‘unsuitable’ pets. A colourful and creative adventure that will engage children’s imaginations and make them smile. Suitable for children aged between 4 and 7 years old....
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King Baby
By Kate Beaton
This hilarious book featuring plenty of witty illustrations offers a brilliantly fresh take on the blessings and demands of having a new baby in the...
This hilarious book featuring plenty of witty illustrations offers a brilliantly fresh take on the blessings and demands of having a new baby in the family. King Baby certainly is the King, conquering many challenges including the arrival of ‘Queen Baby…’. Ideal for children aged between 4-8....
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Let’s Go to Nursery
By Caryl Hart and Lauren Tobia
Join friends Billy and Bee in the first instalment of a brand-new “First Experiences” series set in the urban city centre. Today let’s go to...
Join friends Billy and Bee in the first instalment of a brand-new “First Experiences” series set in the urban city centre. Today let’s go to … nursery. A reassuring introduction to nursery, this delightfully rhythmical read-aloud text for the very youngest of readers is paired with gorgeously fresh artwork by...
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The Most Wonderful Things in the World
By Vivian French and Angela Barrett
When a king and a queen promise to marry their...
When a king and a queen promise to marry their daughter Lucia to the man who can show them the most wonderful thing in the world, suitors descend on the palace bearing gifts – but nothing feels quite right. A shy young man helps them to realise exactly what the...
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Du Iz Tak?
By Carson Ellis
A wonderful exploration into the natural world and the drama that unfolds in even the humblest back garden! The beautifully detailed illustrations and playful language...
A wonderful exploration into the natural world and the drama that unfolds in even the humblest back garden! The beautifully detailed illustrations and playful language will enchant children, and we soon find ourselves speaking “Bug” … Du iz tak? What is that?...
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Frog and Beaver
By Simon James
Frog and his friends live happily on the river until...
Frog and his friends live happily on the river until Beaver comes along and is adamant that he will build the biggest and best dam that anyone has ever seen. When the dam stops the water, how will Frog help beaver to understand the impact of his actions? A lovely...
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Alphonse That is Not Ok to Do
By Daisy Hirst
Daisy Hirst’s playful depiction of the joys and trials of getting a younger sibling is both sensitive and emotive. The unique illustrations, full of colour...
Daisy Hirst’s playful depiction of the joys and trials of getting a younger sibling is both sensitive and emotive. The unique illustrations, full of colour bring a sense of humour as we relate to little Natalie’s struggles with the troublesome, but wonderful Alphonse....
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Trees
By Lemniscates
A beautiful portrayal of the simplicity and necessity of trees captured in way that every child will be able relate to. Truly a breath of...
A beautiful portrayal of the simplicity and necessity of trees captured in way that every child will be able relate to. Truly a breath of fresh air....
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Albert’s Tree
By Jenni Desmond
Follow the lovable Albert’s quest as the small bear goes...
Follow the lovable Albert’s quest as the small bear goes on a mission to cheer up his best friend… a tree! Jenni Desmond creates a memorable bear of a character with a heart of gold....
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Home
By Carson Ellis
Where is your Home? Where are you? Home might be in a house in the country. Or a flat in the city. Or even in...
Where is your Home? Where are you? Home might be in a house in the country. Or a flat in the city. Or even in a shoe! So many possibilities… all called home. Embark on this beautifully illustrated journey of discovery to explore the meaning of ‘home.’...
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Once Upon a Northern Night
By Jean E. Pendiziwol and Isabelle Arsenault
This soothing wintery tale is as good as a lullaby. Enjoy the soft poetry with your child, as the world outside your bedroom window paints...
This soothing wintery tale is as good as a lullaby. Enjoy the soft poetry with your child, as the world outside your bedroom window paints you a snowy picture to share. Beautifully written and imaginatively captured in its illustrations, this story is a perfect bedtime read for any child age...
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Black Cat, White Cat
By Silvia Borando
Enjoy a tale of understanding as daytime-loving Black Cat and nighttime-loving White Cat share their worlds with each other. This simple and cleverly illustrated story...
Enjoy a tale of understanding as daytime-loving Black Cat and nighttime-loving White Cat share their worlds with each other. This simple and cleverly illustrated story is excellent for 2-5 year olds and for developing tolerance through learning that other people live differently....
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Isaac and his Amazing Asperger Superpowers
By Melanie Walsh
This brilliantly positive book will help any child understand Asperger Syndrome. Whether your child is just starting at nursery or primary school, this book will...
This brilliantly positive book will help any child understand Asperger Syndrome. Whether your child is just starting at nursery or primary school, this book will give any child a great foundation for understanding children in their groups who think and act a bit differently to them. Great for children aged...
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Uncle Shawn and Bill and the Almost Entirely Unplanned Adventure
By A. L. Kennedy and Gemma Correll
Follow the weird and wonderful adventure of Badger Bill as...
Follow the weird and wonderful adventure of Badger Bill as he (and his stubby but shapely legs) endure kidnap and danger. Can Uncle Shawn overcome all the odds with a sort-of-plan involving dancing, Mother Mole and an electric fence? And what will become of the four very depressed llamas doomed...
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Before After
By Anne-Margot Ramstein and Matthias Aregui
Acorn – Oak. Caterpillar – Butterfly. Ice cube – Puddle....
Acorn – Oak. Caterpillar – Butterfly. Ice cube – Puddle. This book of paired illustrations is excellent for Early Years children, learning about how things grow, move, fade, and change....
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No Place Like Home
By Jonathan Emmett
Join Mole in his search for a better home than...
Join Mole in his search for a better home than his hole. This quaint tale for 3-7 year olds provides lots of scope for fun with animal voices, as well as opportunities to chat about whether or not. A lovely reminder that, sometimes, there really is just no place like...
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Bringing Down the Moon
By Jonathan Emmett and Vanessa Cabban
Join Mole on his nighttime adventure to grab hold of the moon. The problem is, “It’s not as near as it looks!” A soothing tale,...
Join Mole on his nighttime adventure to grab hold of the moon. The problem is, “It’s not as near as it looks!” A soothing tale, with plentiful opportunities for having fun with animal voices – a perfect bedtime read for 3-7 year olds....
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Lots
By Nicola Davies and Emily Sutton
This exquisitely illustrated non-fiction book explores the vast array of...
This exquisitely illustrated non-fiction book explores the vast array of creatures which call our planet ‘home’. This is a brilliant introduction to the concept of biodiversity for children aged 5 and over, and is guaranteed to enchant both children and adults alike....
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Lighter Than Air
By Matthew Clark Smith and Matt Tavares
Telling the inspiring true story of the world’s first female...
Telling the inspiring true story of the world’s first female pilot, this book will fascinate slightly older children who are hungry for new facts. Suitable for children aged 6-11, this book will show adults and children that the sky truly is the limit!...
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Also an Octopus
By Maggie Tokuda-Hall and Benji Davies
How is a story built? Often through a series of ‘What Ifs’… ‘Also an Octopus’ is a lovely walk through the process of building stories....
How is a story built? Often through a series of ‘What Ifs’… ‘Also an Octopus’ is a lovely walk through the process of building stories. We meet an octopus who is desperate to go to space in a rocket ship, but who encounters many obstacles, as well as many helpers,...
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Goodnight Everyone
By Chris Haughton
Little Bear can’t sleep. Join him on a late night trip through the forest, looking for a playmate. Perhaps the walk will do him good?...
Little Bear can’t sleep. Join him on a late night trip through the forest, looking for a playmate. Perhaps the walk will do him good? The book beautifully explores constellations, helping little ones to recognise star patterns in the night sky! Suitable for children age 3-7....
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The Black Book of Colours
By Menena Cottin and Rosana Faria
This sensory book will allow your hands to do the...
This sensory book will allow your hands to do the imagining as you see the world through your fingertips. Descriptions and pictures of the flowers, leaves and raindrops – also presented in braille – will help you see the world in a way you never have before. Suitable for all...
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Return
By Aaron Becker
In the final part of the Journey trilogy, the grey...
In the final part of the Journey trilogy, the grey army has designed a weapon to destroy all crayon-made objects. Will our heroine be able to finally destroy the grey army once and for all? Or will her father’s shock appearance put spanner in the works?...
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Quest
By Aaron Becker
A wordlessly captivating adventure book for children from 5-10. In...
A wordlessly captivating adventure book for children from 5-10. In Part Two of the Journey trilogy, our heroine teams up with a boy who owns another magical crayon. Can they together collect all 6 magical crayons hidden around the kingdom before the grey army destroys them forever?...
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Journey
By Aaron Becker
A wordlessly captivating adventure book for children from 5-10. A...
A wordlessly captivating adventure book for children from 5-10. A regular girl finds that her favourite crayon brings what she draws to life! After finding a portal to another world, she fights to escape the clutches of an army who will stop at nothing to halt this crayon of creativity....
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The Wolves of Willoughby Chase
By Joan Aiken
A much loved classic. This is the kind of book that had me reading with a torch under the covers: it may have a dark...
A much loved classic. This is the kind of book that had me reading with a torch under the covers: it may have a dark aspect to it but it was certainly one I could not put down. Despite the Wolves outside, the real danger is Miss Slighcarp who takes...
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The Savage
By David Almond
A boy learns to deal with the death of his...
A boy learns to deal with the death of his father and the bullying that has followed by writing his own story about a Savage living in the nearby woods. Initially this is a secret, but when one night his baby sister is heard crying, he decides to share part...
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The Animals of Farthing Wood
By Colin Dann
The underlying message of Dann’s 1979 novel – the importance...
The underlying message of Dann’s 1979 novel – the importance of protecting our wildlife, and of working together – is timeless and of particular prevalence today. When their woodland home is threatened, due to planning for new human homes, a group of animals must work together to find another place...
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Captain Underpants
By Dav Pilkey
The Adventures of Captain Underpants, a hugely successful series, centres...
The Adventures of Captain Underpants, a hugely successful series, centres around two fourth graders (Year 6s in UK), George and Harold, and Captain Underpants, an unlikely superhero, whom the two boys have created in a comic strip. But when the two boys hypnotise their megalomaniac headmaster, Mr Krupp, Captain Underpants...
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The Silver Sword
By Ian Serraillier
Set in Poland during the 1940s Nazi invasion, The Silver...
Set in Poland during the 1940s Nazi invasion, The Silver Sword, based on true historical events, begins with Joseph, a Polish headmaster, arrested by the Gestapo and taken to a prison camp, from which he later escapes. But upon returning to Warsaw, Joseph finds his family gone (his wife has...
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Fortunately, the Milk
By Neil Gaiman
Anyone familiar with Gaiman’s penchant for the bizarre and unusual...
Anyone familiar with Gaiman’s penchant for the bizarre and unusual in Doctor Who or Coraline, will love Fortunately, the Milk. A truly absurd story, spun by the father of two children awaiting his return from the corner shop with milk for their cereal, Gaiman carries the reader through a labyrinth...
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The Iron Man
By Ted Hughes
The Iron Man came to the top of the cliff....
The Iron Man came to the top of the cliff. How far had he walked? Nobody knows. Where did he come from? Nobody knows. How was he made? Nobody knows.’ A great classic modern fairytale, The Iron Man opens as an enormous, mysterious being arrives in a small, unnamed town...
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Tom’s Midnight Garden
By Phillippa Pearce
One of the best children’s books ever written and...
One of the best children’s books ever written and worth reading no matter how old you are – Tom’s Midnight Garden is full of magic, mystery and adventure and keeps you guessing until the very end. Tom is sent away for the summer to stay at his aunt’s and...
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The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
By C. S. Lewis
A truly magical book which children will never forget –...
A truly magical book which children will never forget – a gift they will take with them into adulthood. Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy are sent to stay at a big old house with an eccentric professor and accidentally stumble into Narnia through the back of a wardrobe – a...
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Billionaire Boy
By David Walliams
Joe Spud, at twelve, is pretty much sorted with everything...
Joe Spud, at twelve, is pretty much sorted with everything you could want in life. A grand-prix racetrack in the back garden (tick), A robot dog from Japan (tick)… Every computer game in the world (tick)… A crocodile (tick)… Another crocodile (tick)… ‘ The list goes on! But friends? A...
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Cloud Busting
By Malorie Blackman
Write a poem / About / Someone near to you,...
Write a poem / About / Someone near to you, / Dear to you.’ Mr Mackie’s homework assignment has the class groaning in despair: everyone, that is, except Sam. So begins a beautiful novel written entirely in verse Sam’s poem and tribute to his friend Dave, now absent. A...
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Artemis Fowl
By Eoin Colfer
I remember discovering Artemis Fowl soon after it was published...
I remember discovering Artemis Fowl soon after it was published (I was twelve), then later surreptitiously reading the eighth and final book of this sci-fi fantasy series in a shop (I was, er, twenty-three). Twelve-year-old criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl may inhabit a sprawling mansion on the outskirts of Dublin, but...
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Flour Babies
By Anne Fine
It’s time for the boys in Room 8 the...
It’s time for the boys in Room 8 the class of difficult cases and underachievers to learn what their teacher Mr Cartright has in store for their science project. There isn’t a maggot farm or exploding custard tin in sight; more’s the pity. But what’s this a...
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Gangsta Granny
By David Walliams
Could it be? Does Ben’s Grandma really want to steal...
Could it be? Does Ben’s Grandma really want to steal the Crown Jewels? Find out in this hilarious and moving tale fit for young and old alike. Take a ride on another classic Walliams rollercoaster, and discover the keys to this book’s success, amongst its funny lists and silly words....
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The BFG
By Roald Dahl
Don’t be fooled by his size! When Sophie is carried...
Don’t be fooled by his size! When Sophie is carried from her room in the middle of the night and taken to Giantland, she believes her cards are marked. However, more mousey than murderous, Sophie is in the good hands of her midnight captor, the BFG. His fellow giants, on...
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The Invention of Hugo Cabret
By Brian Selznick
Young Hugo lives unnoticed within the walls of a Parisian...
Young Hugo lives unnoticed within the walls of a Parisian train station – until a series of encounters with a strange and bitter old man places Hugo at the centre of the discovery of the magical new art of cinema. Its blend of visual and written stories lends this book...
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The Twits
By Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl is one of the best children’s writers there...
Roald Dahl is one of the best children’s writers there is. His immensely imaginative worlds are only matched by the despicableness of his characters, and none more so than The Twits. These two especially unscrupulous characters are dirty and smelly, and spend their days thinking of ways to be horrible...
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The Worst Witch
By Jilly Murphy
Mildred Hubble tries her best but never has much luck...
Mildred Hubble tries her best but never has much luck when it comes to her school work. Unfortunately she attends Miss Cackle’s Academy for Witches, and her trouble with the broom and disastrous potions lesson seems to make her officially the worst witch! Yet something is brewing and Mildred may...
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The Crowstarver
By Dick King Smith
From the writer of The Sheep-Pig, the original inspiration for...
From the writer of The Sheep-Pig, the original inspiration for the feature film Babe, this is a moving story which, in Dick King Smith’s characteristically simple and engaging style, will take young readers on a magical journey. Spider, mysteriously found in a sheep pen, has been raised by a farmer...
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Kit’s Wilderness
By David Almond
A deep and multi layered book, Kit’s Wilderness touches on...
A deep and multi layered book, Kit’s Wilderness touches on a host of powerful emotions. Kit has recently moved to Stoneygate, an old mining town with a tragic past. His grandfather, ill with Alzheimer’s, tells him stories of bygone days in the mine and the children he once played with....
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Zog
By Julia Donaldson
Accompany Zog, the hapless young dragon, as he makes his...
Accompany Zog, the hapless young dragon, as he makes his way through dragon school. Zog is helped out by a mysterious young girl; though she turns out to be a princess, this is not your usual fairytale princess but a strong little person who knows what she wants. There’s a...
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The London Eye Mystery
By Siobhan Dowd
A mystery novel, The London Eye tells of Ted, a boy with Asperger syndrome, as he investigates how his cousin, Salim, could seemingly have vanished...
A mystery novel, The London Eye tells of Ted, a boy with Asperger syndrome, as he investigates how his cousin, Salim, could seemingly have vanished from inside a sealed capsule on the London Eye. Rich in emotion and filled with twists and turns, this is the ideal story for young...
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There’s a Boy in the Girl’s Bathroom
By Louis Sachar
Bradley Chalkers sits at the back of the classroom, all...
Bradley Chalkers sits at the back of the classroom, all alone: everyone ignores him and he ignores everyone else, including his teachers. In this powerful novel, the reader gets to explore how new friendships and the magical world of books enable Bradley to take on some of the challenges he...
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The Selfish Giant
By Oscar Wilde (retold by Fiona Waters)
A beautiful retelling of an important 1888 classic. Away for...
A beautiful retelling of an important 1888 classic. Away for some years, our giant returns to find his garden full of happy children, delighting in its beauty. Unhappy with this development, he quickly erects a sign: Trespassers will be prosecuted’. The giant however becomes even sadder than the children themselves...
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Meerkat Mail
By Emily Gravett
Get out a large suitcase from the spare room, fill...
Get out a large suitcase from the spare room, fill it with cushions, and sit your little one right in the middle of it before reading aloud from the beautifully illustrated Meerkat Mail by Emily Gravett. Sunny the meerkat is a young adventurer with a great love of eating beetles...
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Unreal!
By Paul Jennings
Lucky lipsticks that have you kissing animals; ice cream that...
Lucky lipsticks that have you kissing animals; ice cream that can help rid you of spots; even cow dung custard – all of the above are present in Paul Jenning’s wonderful cornucopia of quirky short tales. Be warned, some stories have a ghostly edge… .I distinctly recall at least one...
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Mr Big
By Ed Vere
A true friend can come in any shape or size.’...
A true friend can come in any shape or size.’ A wonderful, touching story reminding us not to judge by appearance. Mr Big feels all alone in the world – being a big’ gorilla is a byword for scary to all the other animals. Yet on discovering a piano in...
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Quest
By Aaron Becker
Enter into the magical world of the quest, where each...
Enter into the magical world of the quest, where each new crayon is ready to take you on the next amazing adventure. Map in hand, you must overcome the soldiers in the castle whilst avoiding being seen. You have only one another to rely upon. With not a word to...
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Tin Forest
By Helen Ward
This beautifully illustrated picture book tells the story of an old man, who dreams of exchanging the bleak grey place in which he lives for...
This beautifully illustrated picture book tells the story of an old man, who dreams of exchanging the bleak grey place in which he lives for a colourful universe, home to the most wonderful creatures. The old man spends his days making the very best of his situation, until one day,...
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Flotsam
By David Wiesner
An amazing, colour-filled book, this will change the way you...
An amazing, colour-filled book, this will change the way you walk on a beach for ever! A great gift for anyone who can’t go to the beach without making for home with pockets stuffed full of little sea-borne objects. Imagine finding an old camera, the film still unused, and being...
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A Bear Called Paddington
By Michael Bond
Enigmatic yet oh so loveable, read about the adventures of...
Enigmatic yet oh so loveable, read about the adventures of one of the nation’s favourite bears: as Paddington, all the way from Darkest Peru, enters into his new life living in London with his adoptive family the Brown’s. He might be a bear but Paddington manages to capture the innocence...
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Sam and Dave Dig a Hole
By Mac Barnett
One Monday, Sam and Dave decide to dig a hole,...
One Monday, Sam and Dave decide to dig a hole, planning not to stop until they find something spectacular! They dig this way and that, stopping only for chocolate milk and animal biscuits, but the spectacular something seems somehow to evade them. Perhaps they should ask their clever but silent...
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Little Mouse’s Big Book of Fears
By Emily Gravett
This multi-layered treat of a book will entrance young readers,...
This multi-layered treat of a book will entrance young readers, with more and more to discover at the turn of every page. There are some big words in here as the mouse tries to document his very own litany of fears, offering lots of opportunities for little ones to identify...
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Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion
By Alex T. Smith
Full of energy, you’ll be reminded with this book of...
Full of energy, you’ll be reminded with this book of the fairy tale classic, Little Red Riding Hood, though Alex Smith’s twist places Little Red in an African safari landscape, this time keen to avoid being eaten by a lion. Colourful and delightfully fun, you’ll find there’s a whole array...
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Peace at Last
By Jill Murphy
The hour is late and it is definitely time to sleep. Slowly, very tiredly, you make your way up the stairs and get into bed,...
The hour is late and it is definitely time to sleep. Slowly, very tiredly, you make your way up the stairs and get into bed, ready to fall asleep. But why can’t Mr Bear fall asleep? Mrs Bear is going SNORE, SNORE. Baby Bear is playing aeroplanes: NYAAOW. Will Mr...
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Up and Down
By Oliver Jeffers
Picking up the story from Lost and Found of the...
Picking up the story from Lost and Found of the newfound friendship shared by a boy and a penguin, the lovely illustrations in Oliver Jeffers’ sequel, Up and Down, help to tell of the latest journey our penguin is keen to embark upon: now it is all about learning to...
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Aliens Love Underpants
By Claire Freedman
One that never fails to get children giggling, this is...
One that never fails to get children giggling, this is a book about what happens in and around the washing line when you’re not looking, giving an oddly brilliant answer to the perhaps familiar problem of those missing underpants. The story will no doubt add to the fun and fascination...
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The Great Dog Bottom Swap
By Peter Bently
Hilarious, inventive, and wonderfully fun to share with a child,...
Hilarious, inventive, and wonderfully fun to share with a child, or indeed with anyone you can find, this book attempts – you might say ambitiously – to answer the age-old problem of why dogs sniff each other’s bottoms. It is the night of the summer ball, and all the dogs...
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My Dog is a Carrot
By John Hegley
A brilliant collection of really funny poetry that proves particularly...
A brilliant collection of really funny poetry that proves particularly popular with boys, the contents of this book are extremely creative and unusual, with one poem describing the trials and tribulations of living with a pet dog with a serious wind problem… Not for the faint hearted, the book’s subject...
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Revolting Rhymes and Dirty Beasts
By Roald Dahl
Told through a fantastical and gruesome lens, these memorable rhymes...
Told through a fantastical and gruesome lens, these memorable rhymes give a fantastic way for children to explore some classic fairytales and fables in a completely unorthodox way. Dahl reimagines Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Snow White, Goldilocks, Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs, providing in this...
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The Little Prince
By Antoine de Saint Exupéry
One of the most beautiful and thought-provoking children’s books available,...
One of the most beautiful and thought-provoking children’s books available, The Little Prince’s perfect blend of writing and illustration makes it just as enjoyable to read as an adult, as for a child. The story begins with its author, an aviator, crashing his aeroplane in the Sahara desert. Whilst attempting...
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The Enchanted Horse
By Magdalene Nabb
A magical story of a shy, lonely girl who, seeing...
A magical story of a shy, lonely girl who, seeing a small, old and worn horse in the window of a junk shop, simply must take it home. What Irina doesn’t yet know is that this is an enchanted horse; after she takes extra special care of it, at night...
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Goodnight Mister Tom
By Michelle Magorian
A story which tells the tale of the Second World...
A story which tells the tale of the Second World War experienced through the eyes of those children who were evacuated to the countryside. One of the most touching and powerful children’s books ever written, it tells the story of Grumpy Tom Oakley who takes in young Willie only to...
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Fantastic Mr. Fox
By Roald Dahl
A brilliant example of Roald Dahl’s ability to produce a...
A brilliant example of Roald Dahl’s ability to produce a magical animal world. The story follows Fantastic Mr. Fox whose sticky fingers find their way into three nasty farmers’ larders, much to their displeasure. Thus commences an epic chase as the farmers seek to catch the fox and his family....
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Matilda
By Roald Dahl
Published in 1988, Matilda is one of Roald Dahl’s best...
Published in 1988, Matilda is one of Roald Dahl’s best loved stories. Life isn’t always fair for children, but for one little girl it’s time to take matters into her own hands. A genius surrounded by stupid parents and a bullying headmaster, her magical powers give her the chance to...
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The Snowman
By Raymond Briggs
This children’s picture book contains no words but has long...
This children’s picture book contains no words but has long captured the imagination of children and adults everywhere. The iconic pictures tell the story of a boy’s Christmas adventure as his snowman comes to life, and takes him to explore the wonders of a white Christmas on their way to...
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Funnybones
By Allan Ahlberg
A book which will never grow old, this is a story of what happens at night when we’ve all gone to bed, telling the adventures...
A book which will never grow old, this is a story of what happens at night when we’ve all gone to bed, telling the adventures of a big skeleton, a little skeleton and their skeleton dog as they come out to play. A must read for any young children just...
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The Cat in the Hat
By Dr. Seuss
A funny book that teaches children how to have lots...
A funny book that teaches children how to have lots of good fun! Written and illustrated by Dr Seuss, this is a story of two children’s adventures with their pessimistic goldfish and The Cat In The Hat, a man sized cat with a red and white striped hat. Join them...
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The Animal Boogie
By Debbie Harter
This brilliant rhyming story is great for getting children singing...
This brilliant rhyming story is great for getting children singing and dancing, learning through music and movement, and having a chance to burn some of their exuberant energy (hopefully reminding you of yours!) Deep in the Indian jungle, children from all over the world have come together to jump, hop,...
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This Little Chick
By John Lawrence
It’s the little chick’s first day playing on the farm....
It’s the little chick’s first day playing on the farm. His brothers and sisters all want to stay nestled up with mum but he’s out for adventure. Join him as he learns to imitate the sounds of animals of all shapes and sizes in fantastic rhyming verse. Hop along with...
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Michael Rosen’s A to Z of Nonsense
By Michael Rosen.
Two wonderful poetry collections by the ever-popular Michael Rosen, recent Children’s Laureate. In A-Z, Rosen brings together the best children’s poets from Agard to Zephaniah,...
Two wonderful poetry collections by the ever-popular Michael Rosen, recent Children’s Laureate. In A-Z, Rosen brings together the best children’s poets from Agard to Zephaniah, and all in between. This is a great introduction to poetry for children of any age. The Book of Nonsense on the other hand is...
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Wonder
By R. J. Palacio
August Auggie Pullman is a ten year old boy with...
August Auggie Pullman is a ten year old boy with a facial disfigurement. After being home-schooled for most of his life, his parents are keen to enrol him in a regular school, to Auggie’s utter trepidation. Each chapter of the book is narrated by a different character (though Auggie’s voice...
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The Daydreamer
By Ian McEwan
A bizarre and often forgotten book, McEwan’s novel is split...
A bizarre and often forgotten book, McEwan’s novel is split into seven short stories about ten-year-old Peter Fortune. Peter is a daydreamer, and slips into a fantasy world regularly. But the line between reality and his imagination becomes more and more blurred, as he fantasises about wiping out his entire...
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Kensuke’s Kingdom
By Michael Morpurgo
When Michael’s parents both lose their jobs, they opt for...
When Michael’s parents both lose their jobs, they opt for a more hopeful mode of escape and set off on an adventure sailing around the world on their yacht, Peggy Sue. One night, Michael is on lookout with his sheepdog Stella Artois, but he falls into the water … eventually...
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Millions
By Frank Cottrell Boyce
A true modern classic; set in a fictional time as...
A true modern classic; set in a fictional time as England is about to change from pound sterling to the Euro, two brothers discover millions of pounds in cash, with seventeen days left to spend the money. Damian, the younger brother, believes the money has come from God and should...
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Cosmic
By Frank Cottrell Boyce
Twelve year old Liam is very tall for his age....
Twelve year old Liam is very tall for his age. So tall that he constantly gets mistaken for an adult, which Liam finally realises the benefits of when he wins the chance to go to Infinity Park, the best theme park in the world. However Liam has entered the competition...
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The Dark
By Lemony Snickett
Laszlo is afraid of the dark. The dark lives in...
Laszlo is afraid of the dark. The dark lives in the basement, and doesn’t visit Laszlo in his room. Until one night… it does. Follow Laszlo as he journeys into the dark … to face and conquer his fear. The tension of Snicket’s words are perfectly paired with Klassen’s deceptively...
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Play Time
By Julia Donaldson
Playtime (or even bedtime) will soon be bursting with creativity,...
Playtime (or even bedtime) will soon be bursting with creativity, as this book helps transform tales, old and new, into short plays for children to enjoy reading and acting out loud. Featuring old favourites such as The Billy Goat’s Gruff’ as well as more contemporary writing, there’s guaranteed to be...
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