Are you stuck in a reading rut? It’s easy to resort to the same children’s books every night, but variety really is the spice of life. Stock up on some new titles.
Lisa Feely of Love Kids Books recommends 5 fun reads for kids of all ages…
1 How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers
Age group: 2 – 5
How to Catch a Star is the first time effort of new children’s author Oliver Jeffers. This is a charming tale of a young boy who is so in love with the twinkling stars that he wants to get one for his very own. This is a fun whimsical tale with a good moral for children: that things may not always be what we expect, but that reaching for the stars (our dreams) is always a good idea.
2 Gangsta Granny by David Walliams and illustrated by Tony Ross
Age group: 8+
Ben is an eleven-year-old boy who has to stay with his granny every Friday night as his parents are big fans of ballroom dancing. Ben finds this really boring and would rather be home, Granny eats lots of cabbage and wants to play Scrabble all the time. After mistakenly finding a selection of hidden jewellery however, Ben discovers Granny is an international jewel thief. Another Walliams book with great humour for children and adults to enjoy.
3 The Long Haul by Jeff Kinney
Age group: 7+
The latest in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, this one is sure to entertain. A family road trip is supposed to be a lot of fun . . . unless, of course, you’re the Heffleys. The journey starts off full of promise, then quickly takes several wrong turns. Gas station bathrooms, crazed seagulls, a fender bender, and a runaway pig—not exactly Greg Heffley’s idea of a good time. But even the worst road trip can turn into an adventure—and this is one the Heffleys won’t soon forget.
4 A Squash and a Squeeze by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler
Age group: 2 – 5
Another great story by the writer of The Gruffalo, this story is about a lady who feels her house is too small. A wise old man advises the lady to bring in all her animals one by one and each time the house becomes more and more of a “squash and a squeeze!” In the end the wise old man tells her to take out all the animals, after which she realises her house was perfect all along. The moral? She didn’t realise what she had to begin with.
5 The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Age group: 8/10+
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince, one of our must-read children’s books with philosophy for grown-ups, is among the most poetic and hopeful reflections on human existence ever penned. Lyrical, charmingly written and beautifully illustrated, it sweeps you into a whirlwind of childhood imagination to peel away at the deepest truths about the world and our place in it.
