Episode 42 - How to ensure reading can be unlocked by things children and teens already love

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 42

For transcripts, resources & show notes: https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-42/

Part 1
Book post

• A Sister Like You by Sarah Hagger-Holt
• Nature is the Answer by Chris Packham
• Koroba: The Case of the Missing Kolo by Àlàbá Ònájìn
• A Holiday for Bear by Duncan Beedie
• Ug Want Hug by Nancy Leschnikoff
• Seahorse Is Furious by Morag Hood
• Marcie and Giraffe by Kim Gregory
• I'm going to make a friend by Darren Chetty and Sandhya Prabhat
• The Ice-Cream Crocodile by Mariesa Dulak and Rebecca Cobb
• Go Go Dodo! by Huw Lewis Jones, illustrated by Fred Blunt
• Princess Pete by Zoey Allen and Frenci Sanna
• King School by Alexis Deacon
• Mirabelle and the Enchanted Sea Globe by Harriet Muncaster
• Superquesters Mission: Desert Danger by Paul Ian Cross, illustrated by Katarina Gasko
• All in the Mind by Gill Arbuthnott and Lauren Humphrey
• World of Sport by Lawrence Alexander and Violeta Noy
• Ben Nuttall's Footy Factory by Ben Nuttall
• Rise of the Goblin Queen by Francesco Bedini, illustrated by Stefano Tambellini
• Dragonflare by Jamie Hammond
• The Genie Game by Jordan Ifueko
• The Ministry of Manners by David Solomons
• Dragonborn 2: The Twilight Child by Struan Murray
• Max and Ella, Stuck Together by Kristina Rahim
• Like a Brother by Nathanael Lessore
• Your Murder Next by Ravena Guron
• The Faraway Inn by Sarah Beth Durst
• Storm Bringer by Tig Wallace
• Seyoon and Dean, Unscripted by Sujin Witherspoon

Rundown - top 30 children's and YA books in June 2026

• The Children of Wolf Rock by Natasha Farrant 
• Wildheart by Bec Manser 
• Six Weeks by Matt Goodfellow 
• Strike by Mitch Johnson 
• Shadow Reaper by Lynette Noni 
• Bone Head: Guardian of the Underworld by Jamie Gregory 
• The Game Changers by Helen Rutter 
• How To Train Your Dragon School: Fight of the Flamestrike by Cressida Cowell 
• Transcendent: Forgotten Earth by Patrick Gallagher 
• Dave, Don't Give Up! by Olaf Falafel 
• The Othernauts: A Laugh-Out-Loud Ancient Greek Adventure for Kids! by Clare Pollard 
• A Flood of Memories by Nadia Mikail 
• The Blue Tomato by Amber Au 
• Marvolution by Claire Asher 
• She's a Knockout by Britney Brouwer 
• Coterie of Liars by Kate Weston 
• Winners and Liars by Aleema Omotoni 
• Tales of the Cobb Street Commandos by Tony Bradman 
• I Knew You Were Trouble by J L Simmonds 
• Libertad by Cassandra James 
• Again! said Rabbit by Marjoke Henrichs 
• A Holiday for Bear by Duncan Beedie 
• What a Night! by Guilherme Karsten 
• Survive in Time: The Roman Empire by Dave Rear 
• Death Before Detention by Alison Weatherby 
• Just Another Dead Boy by Kelly McCaughrain 
• I, Rock by Eoin McLaughlin 
• The Silver Kingdom by Radiya Hafiza 
• The Boy, the Father, and the Bear by Per Gustavsson 
• The Old Man and the Penguin by Julie Abery

June 2026 books of the month

• Fiction: Lily Tripp: Diary of an Accidental Time Traveller by Amelia Tait
• Nonfiction: Pop-Up Dinosaurium by Chris Wormell
• Picture book: Bart is Different by Barroux

Part 2
Books to support International Transgender Day of Visibility

New book pitches: A Poem A Day by Tara Ali, Dyrne Hill by Chris Dewar & Bibble Bobble Wibble Wobble by Terence Begnor

Part 3
How to ensure reading can be unlocked by things children and teens already love

Credits & licensing
Sounds are licensed. Audit: https://bit.ly/3TFkwsl