It’s almost the summer holidays and the sunshine has finally made an appearance! We have plenty of book recommendations for your children over the holidays, whatever the weather. Do keep an eye on twitter for a chance to win copies of some of the books featured over the next month.
Picture books
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Leap Frog by Jane Clarke and Britta Teckentrup (Nosy Crow)
All the loud, scary noises in the jungle make Felix the tiny tree frog a little bit jumpy. It’s up to the reader to help find him somewhere safe to settle down for the night. With stunning bright artwork, and a focus on sounds, this book is a firm favourite of my two year old.
Tooth Fairy in Training by Michelle Robinson and Briony May Smith (Walker)
Tooth fairy Tate is finally big enough to go out on her first tooth collecting mission with big sister May. But she quickly learns that it’s not just children that loose their teeth, crocodiles, snake sand sharks all need the tooth fairy too! My four year old son really enjoyed this book especially as our puppy has recently started to loose his teeth.
Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown and Rob Biddulph (Egmont)
When a pinboard falls on Stanley by accident, turning him flat, it has surprising consequences. My boys love reading this story about Stanley and his brother Arthur. It features a revised, shortened version of the original text and brand new illustrations by award winning illustrator Rob Biddulph.
5-8 years
Fingerprint Activities Under The Sea by Candice Whatmore (Usborne)
Perfect for the summer holidays, this book comes with a mutli-coloured ink pad for readers to use their own fingerprints to decorate and complete the underwater activities on every page.
Scratch and Learn: Space by Victoria Fernandez (Wide Eyed Editions)
Packed full of facts, and bright artwork, this interactive book comes with a wooden pen designed to scratch off panels hiding even more information about space. It is ideal for budding astronauts and space explorers.
Little Gems: Special Delivery by Jonathan Meres, illustrations by Hannah Coulson (Barrington Stoke)
When Frank starts helping his sister with her paper round, he ends up making an unexpected delivery. There are several other books in this lovely series including Mint Choc Chip at the Market Cafe and Grandpa Was An Astronaut. With easy to read texts and illustrators throughout, it’s perfect for early and struggling readers.
8-12 years
Trailblazers: Neil Armstrong First Man on the Moon by Alex Woolf (Stripes)
Discover the fascinating true story of Neil Armstrong, he built model planes as a child and went on to become the first man to walk on the moon. With black and white illustrations throughout, this book is a perfect way to celebrate the first moon landings which took place 50 years ago this month.
To Night Owl from Dogfish by Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitzer (Egmont)
Bett and Avery start writing to each other when they learn their Dad’s are in a relationship. But when their father’s plans don’t go as expected, they’re forced to rethink what they want. Written entirely in the form of letters and emails, I loved this funny, heartfelt book about friendship and family.
The Lost Tide Warriors by Catherine Doyle (Bloomsbury)
The islanders are worried – the evil sorceress Morrigan is waking up and the new Storm Keeper Fionn’s magic is misbehaving. The battle for Arranmore has begun and it’ll take every ounce of courage Fionn and his friend’s possess if they are to stand a chance of winning. I highly recommend this gripping story and it’s predecessor, the award winning The Storm Keeper’s Island.
Young Adult
Call It What You Want by Brigid Kemmerer (Bloombsury)
Maegen was a typical overachiever until the pressure got too much. Rob used to be the most popular boy in school, but everything changed when his Dad was caught embezzling funds. But when a school projects throws them both together, they discover they have more in common than they think. A perfect summer read.
Jemima Small Versus The Universe by Tamsin Winter (Usborne)
This is a hilarious, thought provoking and uplifting read, perfect for reminding readers that what you look like doesn’t define you. I loved Jemima, the smart, funny heroine who is made to join the school’s ‘special’ healthy eating programme because of her size only to discover more about herself than she bargained for.
The Modern Faerie Tales by Holly Black (Simon & Schuster)
This complete trilogy by New York Times bestselling author Holly Black includes Tithe, Valiant and Ironside. With strong female characters, romance and plenty of danger, this bumper volume is perfect for fans of fantasy looking for a book to get their teeth stuck into over the holidays.
Some books have been gifted by the Publishers but all views are my own.
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A mum of two, Naomi Jones spent eight years working for Children’s Publishers in London and now works as a freelance writer, editor and children’s publishing professional.