
School Reading List
The School Reading List Podcast - presented by Tom Tolkien. In each episode, we recommend new and classic children's and young adult books.
School Reading List
Episode 30 - Why Investing in Your School Library Can Boost Your School Inspection Grade
School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien
Season 1: Episode 30
For transcripts, resources, show notes and contact details, see https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-30/
Part 1
Book post
- Under a Fire-Red Sky by Geraldine McCaughrean
- Our Tree by Jessica Meserve
- We are All Animals by Ben Hoare and Christopher Lloyd, illustrated by Mark Ruffle
- Real-life Mysteries: Tales of Scary Beasts by Susan Martineau, illustrated by Vicky Barker
- How Not to Share a Pizza by Tracy Curren, illustrated by Lauren Beard
- I Am Strong Just Being Me by Laura Dockrill and Kip Alizadeh
- Hank Goes Honk by Maudie Powell-Tuck and Duncan Beedie
- Blue, Barry and Pancakes 2 by Dan Abdo & Jason Patterson
- Jack-Jack and the Return of the Chickens by Ben Garrod
- The Boy with Big Decisions by Helen Rutter
- The First Year by Matt Goodfellow
- Clem Fatale Has Been Betrayed by Eve Wersocki Morris
- Dreamslinger by Graci Kim
- Not That Kind Of Hero by Alexia Casale
- Solo by Grainne O'Brien
- Where Shadows Meet by Patrice Caldwell
Rundown - top 30 children's and YA books to buy in May 2025
- Land of the Last Wildcat by Lui Sit
- A Flash of Neon by Sophie Cameron
- I'm Going to Make a Friend by Darren Chetty & Sandhya Prabhat
- So Devin Wore a Skirt by Shireen Lalji & Lucy Fleming
- Traumaland by Josh Silver
- Valley of the Vikings by Liz Kessler
- Evie and Maryam's Family Tree by Janeen Hayat
- Shrapnel Boys by Jenny Pearson
- Piet Cools Off by Peter & Carina Wohlleben
- The Boy in the Tree by Lisa Thompson
- The Thrashers by Julie Soto
- Breakthrough by Omar Sharif
- Epic Cities by Sam Sedgman & Daniel Long
- The Other Girl by Emily Barr
- Get Dressed! By Katy Canales
- Epic FACTopia! By Rose Davidson
- The Glass Heart by Sally Gardner
- Letters to a Dog by Piers Torday
- SuperQuesters Mission: River Crest Rescue by Paul Ian Cross
- Out There in the Wild by James Carter, Dom Conlon & Nicola Davies
- A Killing at the Box Office by Paul Westmoreland
- The World of Maxime by Lucile de Pesloan
- Stitch Head: The Pirate's Eye by Guy Bass & Pete Williamson
- The Squid Squad by Aoife Dooley
- Little Lim and the Golden Treasure by Frann Preston-Gannon
- The Blockbusters! By Frank Cottrell-Boyce
- The Battle of Farrowfell by Ravena Guron
- The Man Who Loved Libraries by Andrew Larsen & Katty Maure
- I Dare You by Tamsin Winter
- Aliya and the Shop of Second Chances by Laila Rifaat
- All the Lost Souls by Amie Jordan
May 2025 books of the month
- Fiction: A Flash of Neon by Sophie Cameron
- Nonfiction: Volcano by Claire Saxby & Jess Racklyeft
- Picture book: I'm going to make a friend by Darren Chetty & Sandhya Prabhat
Part 2
Our recommended books for preschool
New book pitches: The Fighting Spirit by Rob Keeley, Zee Zee The Humble Bee by Michael Obiora. Molly the Moo by Paul Simpson
Part 3
Investing in Your School Library Can Boost Your School Inspection Grade!
Credits and licensing
3rd party sounds are licensed. Audit: https://bit.ly/3TFkwsl