Expert help
Encouraging reading
Nikki Gamble's booklists and advice on encouraging reading
Nikki has been a teacher and worked with teachers for over 25 years. She is now a writer and education consultant with a particular interest in encouraging children to read for pleasure.
Racing Ahead
Once children become fluent and independent, they may start racing ahead if they have found the books that hook them into reading. It's important at this stage that you continue to read aloud with your child too. When you read aloud, you can share books that offer a challenge in language and content to keep them excited and hungry for more. Choose older classic fiction with literary language as well as contemporary fiction written in a modern style. Choose books with interesting language and rich vocabulary. Short novels that can be serialised and read a chapter or two each night are perfect. Include the literary fairy tales by Hans Christian Andersen or Oscar Wilde.
- Michael Bond The Tales of Olga da Polga (Oxford University Press)
Frank Cottrell Boyce Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again (Macmillan)
- Roald Dahl The BFG (Puffin)
- Berlie Doherty Fairy Tales (Walker Books)
- A F Harrold Fizzlebert Stump: The Boy Who Ran Away From the Circus (Bloomsbury)
- Tove Jansson Tales from Moominvalley (Puffin)
- Edward Lear The Complete Nonsense of Edward Lear (Faber and Faber) (poetry)
Astrid Lindgren Pippi Longstocking (Oxford University Press)
- David Lucas The Lying Carpet (Andersen Press)
- Angela McAllister Leon and The Place Between (Templar) (picture book)
- Mick Manning & Brita Granström Roman Fort and other books in the Fly on the Wall series (Frances Lincoln) (non-fiction)
- James Mayhew Katie and the Sunflowers and other books in the Katie series (Orchard Books) (non-fiction)
- Jill Murphy The Worst Witch (Puffin)
- Brian Patten Thawing Frozen Frogs (Frances Lincoln) (poetry)
- Francesca Simon The Sleeping Army (Profile Books)
- David J. Smith If the World Were a Village (A & C Black) (non-fiction)
- Dodie Smith The Hundred and One Dalmatians (Egmont)
- E B White Charlotte's Web (Puffin)
- Oscar Wilde The Happy Prince and Other Stories (Penguin)
- Ursula Moray Williams Adventures of the Little Wooden Horse (Macmillan)
Picking up Steam
Early readers who are starting to read fluently will enjoy longer fiction read in instalments. Continue to include books with illustrations. These may be black and white line drawings rather than full colour. Picture books continue to be important and help to develop visual literacy. Choose more complex picture books with lots of hidden or multi-layered meanings that provide lots of opportunities for discussion with your child. Continue with great series to develop confidence and familiarity. Humour is important for most children. Puns, even bad ones, help to refine children's understanding of the different meanings that can be created with language. Include classic authors as well as more recently published writers to provide a rich and varied reading experience. Not all books read aloud well, so choose those that allow you to use a fun or lively storytelling voice and where characters' speech is distinctive. Your children will be developing individual preferences, so chat with them about the books that you share.
- Allan Ahlberg It Was a Dark and Stormy Night (Puffin)
- Laurence Anholt Cinderboy and other books in the Seriously Silly Stories series (Orchard Books)
- Dominic Barker How to Catch a Criminal and other books in the Max and Molly's Guide to Trouble series (Orchard Books)
- Emily Bearn Tumtum and Nutmeg series (Egmont)
- Steven Butler The Wrong Pong (Puffin)
- Lauren Child Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Book? (Orchard Books)
- Roald Dahl The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me (Puffin)
- Sally Gardner The Boy with the Lightning Feet and other stories from the Magical Children series (Orion)
John Grant Littlenose the Hunter (Simon & Schuster)
- Emily Gravett Meerkat Mail (Macmillan)
- Dick King-Smith Lady Lollipop (Walker Books)
- Astrid Lindgren Lotta Makes a Mess! (Oxford University Press)
- Karen McCombie You, Me and Thing series (Faber and Faber)
- Roger McGough Dotty Inventions (Frances Lincoln) (non-fiction)
- Laura Owen Winnie the Twit (Oxford University Press)
- Alf Prøysen The Amazing Mrs Pepperpot (Random House)
Michael Rosen Quick, Let's Get Out of Here (Puffin) (poetry)
- Jeremy Strong The Hundred-Mile-an-Hour Dog (Puffin)
- Jill Tomlinson The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark (Egmont)
- Geoff Waring Oscar and the Frog: A Book about Growing and other books in the Oscar series (Walker Books)
Off to a Good Start
Early readers will enjoy having longer stories read to them. Episodic stories, where each chapter tells a different story in a longer book with an overarching story, are particularly suitable. Series are good as they allow children to develop familiarity with a cast of characters. Add more complex fairy tales to children's repertoire of well-known stories. You know your child best but most children will respond to stories with strong emotional themes. Continue to include plenty of rhyming stories and some poetry. Rhymes may be longer and more involved than books introduced when your child was younger.
- Allan Ahlberg Mrs Plug the Plumber and other stories in the Happy Families series (Puffin)
- Allan Ahlberg The Children Who Smelled A Rat and other Gaskitt Stories (Walker Books)
- Michael Bond A Bear Called Paddington (HarperCollins)
- Jeff Brown Flat Stanley (Egmont)
- Nicola Davies Big Blue Whale (Walker Books) (non-fiction)
- Berlie Doherty Aladdin and other books in the Illustrated Classics series (Walker Books)
- John Foster Pet Poems (Oxford University Press) (poetry)
Sally Gardner Snow White (Orion)
- Shirley Hughes Dogger (Random House)
- Simon James Baby Brains (Walker Books)
- Ursula Jones The Princess Who Had No Kingdom (Orchard Books)
- Edward Lear The Owl and the Pussy-Cat with illustrations by Ian Beck (Random House) (poetry)
- Arnold Lobel Frog and Toad are Friends (HarperCollins)
- Margaret Mahy Down the Back of the Chair (Frances Lincoln) (poetry)
- Ifeoma Onyefulu Chidi Only Likes Blue: An African Book of Colours and other photographic picture information books (Frances Lincoln) (non-fiction)
Philip Pullman Puss in Boots (Random House)
- Kristina Stephenson Sir Charlie Stinky Socks series (Egmont)
- Valerie Thomas Winnie the Witch and other picture books in the Winnie the Witch series (Oxford University Press)
- Steve Voake Insect Detective (Walker Books) (non-fiction)
- Brian Wildsmith Favourite Fables (Oxford University Press)
Getting Going
Children who are just beginning the reading journey will benefit from lots of exposure to patterned stories. Rhyming stories help to develop an awareness of the patterns of sounds and syllables in words, which forms the bedrock for good phonics teaching. Look for stories with a clear structure and repetitive language, traditional tales are especially good for developing knowledge of how stories work. Also look for stories which allow you to use a lively storytelling voice, where it sounds as though the writer is speaking to you direct from the page. Sound effects are great for encouraging children to interact with the story and take their part in reading along with you. Repeat reading of the same story, especially when your child asks for the book again and again, will develop familiarity and confidence about how language works.
- Janet and Allan Ahlberg Each Peach Pear Plum (Puffin)
- Jez Alborough Duck in the Truck (HarperCollins)
- Jill Bennett Tasty Poems (Oxford University Press) (poetry)
Quentin Blake Mister Magnolia (Random House)
- June Crebbin Cows in the Kitchen (Walker Books)
- Lynley Dodd Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy (Puffin)
- Julia Donaldson Tiddler or Room on the Broom (Scholastic)
- Suzi Eszterhas Lion and other books in the Eye on the Wild series (Frances Lincoln) (non-fiction)
- Anthony Lewis Dinosaurs Around the World (Kingfisher) (non-fiction)
- John Vernon Lord The Giant Jam Sandwich (Random House)
Layn Marlow Hurry Up and Slow Down (Oxford University Press)
- Ifeoma Onyefulu Clothes and other books in the Look at This series (Frances Lincoln) (non-fiction)
- Jan Ormerod Doing the Animal Bop (Oxford University Press)
- Michael Rosen We're Going on a Bear Hunt (Walker Books)
- Maurice Sendak Where the Wild Things Are (Random House)
Dr Seuss Ten Apples Up on Top! and other Dr Seuss Stories (HarperCollins)
- Nick Sharratt Shark in the Park (Random House)
- Susan Steggall On the Road (Frances Lincoln) (non-fiction)
- Eve Sutton My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes (Puffin)
- Aleksei Tolstoy and Niamh Sharkey The Gigantic Turnip (Barefoot Books)
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Nikki Gamble talks about how to keep juniors reading
Watch the videoKeen and able reader
These suggestions include some longer novels that avid and able readers will appreciate. Along with some recently published books, we have included some classic and modern classic suggestions. Don't forget that picture books can continue to provide a challenge even for the most able reader, as well as introduce children to a wide range of artistic styles, and there are many non-fiction and poetry books that may inspire too.
7-9 year olds
Ian Beck, Tom Trueheart series (Oxford University Press)
- Elizabeth Beresford, The Wombles (Bloomsbury)
- Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, George's Marvellous Medicine and others (Puffin)
- Eleanor Farjeon, The Little Bookroom (Oxford University Press)
- Rupert Kingfisher, Madame Pamplemousse and Her Incredible Edibles (Bloomsbury)
Dick King-Smith, The Sheep-Pig (Penguin)
- Astrid Lindgren, Ronia, the Robber's Daughter (Oxford University Press)
- Roger McGough, Imaginary Menagerie poetry (Frances Lincoln)
- Michael Morpurgo, Kaspar, Prince of Cats (Harper Collins)
- Various authors, The Oxford Tales from… series (Oxford University Press)
9-11 year olds
David Almond, Skellig (Hodder)
- Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden, Oxford Children's Classics (Oxford University Press)
- Susan Cooper, The Dark Is Rising sequence (Random House)
- Kevin Crossley-Holland, Arthur, The Seeing Stone (Orion)
- Geraldine McCaughrean, The Death Defying Pepper Roux (Oxford University Press)
Philippa Pearce, Tom's Midnight Garden (Oxford University Press)
- Philip Pullman, His Dark Materials trilogy (Scholastic)
- Philip Reeve, Mortal Engines series (Scholastic)
- Louis Sachar, Holes (Bloomsbury)
- Shaun Tan, The Arrival (Templar)
Keen but less able reader
Suggestions for this group include some quick, accessible reads, which deal with interesting issues for children to think and talk about. They are mainly plot driven so the stories move along at a good pace. Some series are included here as familiarity can help to build children's confidence. The list also includes some illustrated fiction, which may be more appealing for children who have not yet developed the stamina to read pages of unbroken text. Poetry may also be a good choice for some children as it offers bite-sized chunks that children can dip into, at the same time covering a wide range of subject and tone to suit different tastes. There are also plenty of picture books appropriate to this age group which will help children to develop deeper levels of understanding beyond the literal.
7-9 year olds
- Isaac Asimov, Robot Dreams science fiction series (Berkley US)
- Guy Bass, Gormy Ruckles: Monster Boy series (Scholastic)
- Jeff Brown, Flat Stanley (Egmont)
- Steven Butler, The Wrong Pong (Puffin)
- Lauren Child, Clarice Bean stories and picture books (Orchard Books)
Babette Cole, Prince Cinders (Puffin)
- Sally Gardner, The Princess and the Pea and other stories from the Early Readers (Orion)
- Joanna Nadin, Penny Dreadful is a Magnet for Disaster (Usborne)
- Francesca Simon, Horrid Henry series (Orion)
- Rex Stone, Dinosaur Cove series (Oxford University Press) www.dinosaurcove.co.uk
9-11 year olds
- Steve Barlow and Steve Skidmore, Stone Me! (Barn Owl Books)
- Anthony Browne, Zoo picture book (Red Fox, Random House)
- Cressida Cowell, How to Train Your Dragon (Hachette)
- Roald Dahl, Matilida, The Twits and others (Puffin)
- Morris Gleitzman, Two Weeks with the Queen (Puffin)
Alex Milway, Operation Robot Storm (Walker Books)
- Chris Riddell, Ottoline and the Yellow Cat (Macmillan)
- Michael Rosen, Even My Ears Are Smiling poetry anthology (Bloomsbury)
- Marcus Sedgwick, Flood and Fang and other books in the Raven Mysteries series (Orion)
- Ali Sparkes, Frozen in Time (Oxford University Press)
The mad about...reader
7-9 year olds
Suggestions for moving children on from… to…
Beast Quest series, Adam Blade (Orchard Books) – try Ian Beck, Tom Trueheart series (Oxford University Press)
- Ben 10 – try Shoo Rayner, Axel Storm: Cola Power and other books in the series (Orchard Books) or Elizabeth Singer Hunter, Secret Agent Jack Stalwart: Escape of the Deadly Dinosaur and other books in the series (Random House)
- Daisy books, Kes Gray – try Astrid Lindgren, Pippi Longstocking series (Oxford University Press) or
Megan McDonald, Judy Moody books (Candlewick Press)
- Dr Seuss books – try Spike Milligan, Silly Verse for Kids (Puffin) or Lewis Carroll, Jabberwocky (Miles Kelly Publishing) or Edward Lear, The Quangle Wangle's Hat (Walker Books)
- Horrid Henry series, Francesca Simons (Orion) – try Ali Sparkes, S.W.I.T.C.H series (Oxford University Press) or Sue Mongredien, Oliver Moon series (Usborne)
Not Quite a Mermaid series, Linda Chapman (Puffin) – try Sue Mongredien, Secret Mermaid (Usborne) or Liz Kessler, Emily Windsnap (Orion)
- My Secret Unicorn series, Linda Chapman (Puffin) – try Pippa Funnell, Tilly's Pony Tales (Orion) or Monica Dickens, Follyfoot (Andersen Press) or Ann Sewell, Black Beauty (Oxford University Press)
- Poppy Love stories, Natasha May – try other dance and performing arts books Darcey Bussell, Magic Ballerina (Harper Collins) or Lynda Waterhouse,
The Sand Dancers (Piccadilly Press)
- The Rainbow Fairies – try longer fairy books such as Gwyneth Rees, Fairy Dust series (Macmillan) or Amy Tree, Charmseekers (Orion)
- The Worst Witch stories, Jill Murphy (Puffin) – try other witch stories such as Kaye Umansky, Pongwiffy (Bloomsbury) or Helen Creswell, Lizzie Dripping (Oxford University Press)
9-11 year olds
Alex Rider series, Anthony Horowitz (Walker Books) – try John Grisham, Theodore Boone (Hodder) or Andrew Lane, Young Sherlock Holmes series (Macmillan)
- Animal Ark series, Lucy Owen – try other animal series such as Linda Newbery, Barney the Boat Dog (Usborne)or Inbali Iserles, Cat Tales for example The Tygrine Cat (Walker Books) or Gill Lewis, Sky Hawk (Oxford University Press)
The Chronicles of Avantia, Adam Blade (Scholastic) – try other series such as Julia Golding, Companions Quartet (Oxford University Press) or Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Puffin Books)
- Captain Underpants series, Dav Pilkey (Scholastic) – try Roald Dahl, Jiggy McCue (Michael Lawrence Books) or Richmal Crompton, Just William (Macmillan Children's Books)
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, Jeff Kinney (Puffin) – try other books in a diary format such as the My Story... series, various authors (Scholastic) which introduces different historical periods and events written in fictionalised diary format. Also try Pete Johnson, The Vampire Blog (Corgi, Random House) and Marcia Williams, Archie's War and My Secret War Diary (Walker Books)
- Enid Blyton adventures – try other series such as Lauren St John, The White Giraffe (Orion) or Helen Moss, The Mystery of the Whistling Caves (Orion) or Eva Ibbotson, Journey to the River Sea (Macmillan)
- Foul Play series, Tom Palmer (Puffin) – try Rob Childs, Black or White (Frances Lincoln)
Horrible Histories (Scholastic) – try My Story series (Scholastic) or Rosemary Sutcliff, The Eagle of the Ninth Chronicles (Oxford University Press)
- Jacqueline Wilson books – try books by Cathy Cassidy for example Scarlett and Indigo Blue (Puffin) or Jean Ure, Skinny Melon and Fortune Cookie (Harper Collins)
- Roald Dahl books – try Andy Stanton, Mr Gum series (Egmont) or David Walliams, The Boy in the Dress (HarperCollins)
The can but can't be bothered or 'I hate reading' reader
The books on this list have tried-and-tested popular appeal. Some titles link closely to recent films and television series, which can be a motivating factor for some readers. Bear in mind that trends change frequently. Tapping into your child’s interests, whether it be football, cricket or dance is a great way in to get them reading. This section also includes some graphic novels and plenty of humour, but don’t forget non-fiction too.
7-9 year olds
Laurence Anholt, Cinderboy and other books from the Seriously Silly Stories series (Orchard Books)
- Nikalas Catlow, Tim Wesson, Robots v Gorillas in the Desert and other titles in the Mega Mash-Up series (Nosy Crow)
- Road Dahl, Dirty Beasts poetry collection (Puffin)
- John Foster, School's Out poetry (Oxford University Press)
- Arthur John L'Hommedieu, Bats a fold-out information book
(Child's Play International Limited)
- Laura Owen, Winnie the Witch series (Oxford University Press)www.winnie-the-witch.com
- Jeremy Strong, My Brother's Famous Bottom (Puffin)
- Mitchel Symons, Do Igloos have Loos? non-fiction (Random House)
- Ian Whybrow, Little Wolf's Book of Badness (Penguin)
- Titania Woods, Glitterwings Academy series (Bloomsbury)
9-11 year olds
- Steve Cole, Astrosaurs series (Random House)
Anthony Horowitz, The Greek Who Stole Christmas and other books in the Diamond Brothers series (Walker Books) www.anthonyhorowitz.com/work/books_diamond.html
- Cindy Jeffries, Heart Magazine: A Dream Come True www.cindyjefferies.co.uk/books.html
- Jeff Kinney, The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series (Puffin) www.wimpykid.com and watch a trailer for the film: Youtube
- Tom Palmer, Foul Play series (Puffin) Hear Tom Palmer's free online reading of the first chapter of Foul Play: Tom Palmer
- Charlie Small, Gorilla City (David Fickling, Random House) www.charliesmall.co.uk
- Andy Stanton, Mr Gum series (Egmont) www.mrgum.co.uk/index.htm
- Andi Watson, Glister series (Walker Books)
- Jacqueline Wilson, Tracey Beaker series (Random House) www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/shows/the-story-of-tracy-beaker Watch a taster of the TV series: Series 1, Episode 1: Youtube
Can't read/struggling reader
The books on this list are quick reads with minimal text and often more illustration. Try picture books and wordless books as well as comics, graphic novels in cartoon style, and non-fiction. Rhyming stories have memorable language which will help readers develop confidence. Struggling readers may also particularly enjoy reading on-screen and humour is important too.
7-9 year olds
Alan Ahlberg, Happy Families series (Penguin)
- Poly Bernetene, When Night Didn't Come wordless picture book (Meadowside Children's Books)
- Lynley Dodd, Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy (Puffin) and view on screen at Youtube
- Dr Seuss, Green Eggs and Ham (Random House) http://www.seussville.com
- Nikki Gamble et al, Oxford Reading Tree Traditional Tales series, (Oxford University Press)
Pippa Goodhart, Nick Sharratt, You Choose (Corgi)
- Roger Hurn, Mystery Mob series or Jane West, Magic Mates series (Rising Stars)
- Arnold Lobel, Frog and Toad series (Harper Collins)
- Tony Mitton, Tough Trucks and other books in this non-fiction series (Kingfisher)
- Hilary Robinson, Nick Sharratt, The Big Book of Magical Mix-ups (Corgi)
9-11 year olds
- Steve Barlow and Steve Skidmore, Tomb Runner and other books in the I, HERO series (Franklin Watts)
Alan Durant, Game Boy in the 4U2read series (Barrington Stoke)
- Michael Hardcastle, Goal-getter (A & C Black)
- Rod Hunt, Wolf Hill series (Oxford University Press)
- David Orme, Starchasers series (Ransom Publishing)
- Jeremy Strong,Living with Vampires in the 4U2read series(Barrington Stoke)
- John Townsend et al, Dockside series (Rising Stars)
- TreeTops, Graphic Novels series (Oxford University Press)
- Cathy West, Starstruck series (Ransom Publishing)
- Jonny Zucker, Alien Battle in the Rex Jones series (Badger Books)
Infant books for Boys
Allan Ahlberg Funnybones (Penguin)
- Allan Ahlberg Master Track's Train and other titles in the Happy Family series (Penguin)
- Nicholas Allen The Giant's Loo Roll (Random House)
- Jonathon Long The Dog who could Dig (Oxford University Press)
- Giles Andreae, Russell Ayto Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs (Penguin)
- Stan Berenstain Bears in the Night (HarperCollins)
Ann Cameron The Julian Stories (Random House)
- Julia Donaldson, David Roberts Jack and the FlumFlum Tree (Macmillan)
- Jonathan Emmett Aliens: An Owner's Guide (Macmillan)
- Ute Fhur Let's Look Inside the Body and other books in the first Discovery series (Moonlight Publishing)
- John Foster Dinosaur Poems (Oxford University Press)(poetry)
- Mick Manning, Brita Granstrom Woolly Mammoth (Frances Lincoln)
Lydia Monks Aaarrgghh Spider (Egmont)
- Nick Sharratt Don't Put Your Finger in the Jelly Nelly (Scholastic)
- Francesca Simon Early Reader Horrid Henry's Rainy Day and other titles in Horrid Henry Early Reader series (Orion)
- Kristina Stephenson Sir Charlie Stinky Socks and the Really Frightful Night (Egmont)
- Rex Stone Dinosaur Cove series (Oxford University Press)
www.dinosaurcove.co.uk
- Usborne Beginners Dinosaurs and other books in the Usborne Beginners series (Usborne) (non-fiction)
- Julie Sykes Pirate Small in Big Trouble ( Oxford University Press)
- Steve Voake Hooey Higgins and the Tremendous Trousers (Walker Books)
Junior Books for Boys
Steve Backshall Predators (Orion)
- Eoin Colfer Artemis Fowl: the graphic novel (Penguin)
- Paul Collicutt Guide to Robots and graphic novels in the Robot City Series (Templar)
- Kevin Crossley-Holland Short (Oxford University Press)
- John Foster Football Fever (Oxford University Press) (poetry)
- Anthony Horowitz The Falcon’s Malteser and other books in the Diamond Brothers series (Walker Books)
Anthony Horowitz Stormbreaker and other books in the Alex Rider series (Walker Books)
- Paul Howard Bugville (Egmont)
- Derek Landy Skulduggery Pleasant (HarperCollins)
- Jo Nesbo Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder: Time - travel Bath Bomb (Simon & Schuster)
- Roger McGough You Have Been Warned! (Oxford University Press) (poetry)
Michael Morpurgo Shadow (HarperCollins)
- Glenn Murphy Does Farting Makes You Faster (Macmillan)
- Jim Pipe Great Explorers (Oxford University Press) (non-fiction )
- Lincoln Pierce Big Nate and other books in the Big Nate series (HarperCollins)
- Willard Price Amazon Adventure and other books in the Adventure series (Random House)
Ali Sparkes Spider Stampede and other books in the S.W.I.T.C.H. series(Oxford University Press)
- Mitchell Symons How to Avoid a Wombat’s Bum (Random House) (non-fiction)
- Jamie Thompson The Dark Lord: The Teenage Years (Hachette)
- Tracey Turner The Comic Strip History of Space (A & C Black) (non-fiction)
Books for Boys 10-13 years
- Steve Barlow, Steve Skidmore Return to the Lost World (Usborne)
- Simon Basher The Periodic Table: Elements with Style(Kingfisher) (non-fiction)
Dave Cousins Fifteen Days without a Head (Oxford University Press)
- John Grisham Theodore Boone (Hodder)
- Bear Grylls Living Wild (Transworld) (non-fiction)
- Anthony Horowitz Raven's Gate The Graphic Novel (Walker Books)
- Andrew Lane Sherlock Holmes: Death Cloud and other books in the Sherlock Holmes series (Macmillan)
- Caroline Lawrence The Case of the Deadly Desperados: The P. K. Pinkerton Mysteries (Orion)
Jack London Oxford Children's Classics: The Call of the Wild (Oxford University Press)
- Andy Mulligan Ribblestrop (Simon & Schuster)
- Benjamin J Myers The Bad Tuesdays (Orion)
- Kenneth Oppel This Dark Endeavour (Random House)
- Philip Pullman His Dark Materials Trilogy (Scholastic)
- Philip Reeve Mortal Engines and other books in the Cities series (Scholastic)
Simon Scarrow Gladiator (Puffin)
- Robert Louis Stevenson Oxford Children's Classics: Kidnapped (Oxford University Press)
- Bram Stoker Dracula (Puffin)
- Rosemary Sutcliffe The Eagle of the Ninth (Oxford University Press)
- Shaun Tan The Arrival (Hodder)
- Robert Winston Science Experiments (Dorling Kindersley) (non-fiction)
Infant books for Girls
- Janet and Allan Ahlberg Each Peach Pear Plum Puffin (poetry)
- Laurence Anholt Stone Girl, Bone Girl: The Story of Mary Anning of Lyme Regis Frances Lincoln (non-fiction)
- Ros Asquith It’s Not Fairy Frances Lincoln
- Atinuke Anna Hibiscus’ Song Walker Books
- Ann Bonwill Naughty Toes Oxford University Press
- Babette Cole Princess Smartypants Puffin
- Dorothy Edwards My Naughty Little Sister Egmont
- Suzi Eszterhas Eye on the Wild: Cheetah (any other books in the Eye on the Wild series) Frances Lincoln (non-fiction)
- Jan Fearnley Milo Armadillo Walker Books
- Mini Grey The Pea and the Princess Red Fox
- Penelope Harper and Cate James Lollipop and Grandpa’s Back Garden Safari (and other books in the Lollipop series) Phoenix Yard Books
- Leigh Hodgkinson Goldilocks and Just the One Bear Nosy Crow
- Mary Hoffman Princess Grace Frances Lincoln
- Katharine Holabird and Helen Craig (Illus.) Angelina Ballerina (and other books in the Angelina Ballerina series) Puffin
- Neil Irani The Goblin and the Girl Maverick Arts Books
- Satoshi Kitamura Millie’s Marvellous Hat Andersen Press
- Jane Ray The Dolls’ House Fairy Orchard
- Gillian Rogerson and Sarah McIntyre You Can’t Scare a Princess! Scholastic
- Valerie Thomas and Korky Paul (Illus.) Winnie the Witch Oxford University Press
- Steve Voake Daisy Dawson Walker Books
Junior Books for Girls
- Emma Barnes Wolfie Strident Publishing
- Nina Bawden Carrie’s War Puffin
- Ian Beck The Haunting of Charity Delafield Bodley Head
- Jane Bull Made by Me: A Book of Lovely Things to Make Dorling Kindersley (non-fiction)
- Stephanie Burgis A Most Improper Magick Templar
- Cathy Cassidy Shine On, Daizy Star Puffin
- Helen Dunmore Ingo HarperCollins
- Fiona Foden How to be Gorgeous: Smart Ways to Look and Feel Fabulous Scholastic (non-fiction)
- Julia Golding Dragonfly Oxford University Press
- Gill Lewis White Dolphin Oxford University Press
- Mick Manning and Brita Granström Taff in the WAAF Frances Lincoln (non-fiction)
- Hilary McKay Saffy’s Angel Hodder
- Pamela Oldfield Workhouse: A Victorian Girl’s Diary 1871 (and other books in the My Story series) Scholastic
- Helen Peters The Secret Hen House Theatre Nosy Crow
- K M Peyton Flambards Oxford University Press
- Lauren St John Dead Man’s Cove (and other Laura Marlin Mysteries) Orion
- Noel Streatfeild Party Shoes Oxford University Press
- Andi Watson Gum Girl books Walker Books (graphic novel)
- E. B. White Charlotte’s Web Puffin
- Marcia Williams My Secret War Diary, by Flossie Albright Walker Books (fictionalised diary)
Books for Girls 10-13years
- Louisa May Alcott Good Wives Penguin Classics
- Sita Brahmachari Artichoke Hearts Macmillan
- Theresa Breslin Spy for the Queen of Scots Doubleday Childrens’
- Sally Gardner The Red Necklace Orion
- Julia Golding Ringmaster Egmont
- Julia Green Bringing the Summer Bloomsbury
- Philippa Gregory Changeling Simon & Schuster
- Julie Hearn Ivy Oxford University Press
- Marie-Louise Jensen Between Two Seas Oxford University Press
- Jackie Kay Red, Cherry Red Bloomsbury (poetry)
- Mary Hooper Velvet Bloomsbury
- Karen McCombie Six Words and a Wish Scholastic
- Sophie McKenzie Girl, Missing (and other books in the Missing series) Simon & Schuster
- L. M. Montgomery Anne of Avonlea Oxford University Press
- Linda Newbery Set in Stone David Fickling Books
- Annabel Pitcher My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece Indigo
- Laura Powell Burn Mark Bloomsbury
- Dodie Smith I Capture the Castle Vintage Classics
- Tanya Lee Stone Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream Candlewick (non-fiction)
- Catherynne M. Valente The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making Corsair
Key Issues:
- Phonics made easy
- Grammar, Punctuation
and Spelling made easy - Encouraging writing
- Helping struggling readers
- Encouraging reading
- Encouraging boys
- Reading in the holidays
- E-safety, tablets and apps