School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 36

For transcripts, resources & show notes, see https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-36/

Part 1
Book post

• Letters from the Upside by Katya Balen
• All About Antarctica by Marc Martin
• To Activate Space Portal Lift Here by Antoinette Portis
• The Bear Who Wanted to Dance by Stephanie Stansbie
• Squirrel and Bird by Laura Baker and Stacey Thomas
• Pizza Pete and the Peculiar Professor by Carrie Sellon
• The Diary of Whiska Wildflower by Harriet Muncaster
• Time Travel Is NOT My Superpower by Nathanael Lessore
• Coach by Jason Reynolds
• Scarlet Morning by N. D. Stevenson
• Space Tour by Collins Kids
• Kofi and the Brand New Vibe by Jeffrey Boakye
• The Lion Cub’s Secret by Lauren St John
• Owl King by Bex Hogan
• Be Right Back by Bill Wood
• We Three Witches by Rosie Talbot
• The Transition by Logan-Ashley Kisner

Rundown - top 30 children's and YA books to buy in November 2025

• Silent Night by Emma Read
• Ask Me Anything by Bethany Rutter
• Rune: The Tale of the Obsidian Maze by Carlos Sanchez
• Coach by Jason Reynolds & Selom Sunu
• Wild Journey by A. M. Dassu & Joe Lillington
• Spin a Story by Catherine Brereton & Susie Brooks
• Ghost by Finbar Hawkins
• The Gland Factory by Rachel Poliquin & Clayton Hanmer
• A Field Guide to Winter by Gabby Dawnay & Dorien Brouwers
• Hot Food: Nice! by Michael Rosen & Neal Layton
• The House Saphir by Marissa Meyer
• The Snow Girl by Sophie Anderson & Melissa Castrillon
• Dinosaur Friends by Miles Kelly
• Anya's Quest by Jasbinder Bilan & Jane Ray
• Snow by Meera Trehan
• Bluey: The Sign by Bluey
• Hilda and Twig: Wake the Ice Man by Luke Pearson
• My Small World: Frozen by Caryl Hart & Harry Woodgate
• House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig
• Mullets by Nick Sharratt
• X-Mas Marks the Spot by Paul Westmoreland
• My Big Fat Christmas Poo Diary by Jim Smith
• We Fell Apart by E. Lockhart
• Dog Man 14: Big Jim Believes by Dav Pilkey
• What If… Every Volcano Erupted at Once? by Emma Young & Super Freak
• Planet Earth by Shoshana Weider
• Girls Like Me by Rebel Girls
• Things Scientists Don't Know Yet by Peter Gallivan & Daniela Gamba
• Robotics by Kate Peridot
• The Secret History of Christmas by Catherine Saunders

November 2025 books of the month

• Fiction: Wild Journey by A. M. Dassu
• Nonfiction: Flush It Down by Rob Flowers
• Picture book: Mullets by Nick Sharratt

Part 2
Careers books for children and teens

New book pitches: The Collaborator by TG Trouper, Sally the Spider’s new shoes by Clodagh Ryan, Anna Denton & The Water of Life by Vaughan Hawthorne-Nelson

Part 3
Using AI to help students with difficult GCSE set books

Credits & licensing
3rd party sounds are licensed. Audit: https://bit.ly/3TFkwsl

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 35

For transcripts, resources & show notes, see https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-35/

Part 1
Book post

• Everything Amplified by Sarah Lippett and Ziggy Hanaor
• The Incredible Pop-up Frog by Ben Hoare
• Oh Dear, Look What I Got! by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury
• The Cave Downwind of the Café by Mikey Please
• I See a Star by Saskia Gwinn
• Hank Meets Frank by Maudie Powell-Tuck and Duncan Beedie
• Brown Girl in the Snow by Yolanda T. Marshall
• This Book is Too Quiet! by Cristina Cubells
• Harriet Tubman, Force of Nature by Caroline Brewer
• More Tales from Shakespeare by Michael Morpurgo
• Tales of Ghosts and Hauntings by Susan Martineau
• Bigg School: Selfie Queen by Lisa Williamson
• The Fate of Podkin One-Ear by Kieran Larwood
• Keep Your Friends Close by Cynthia Murphy
• Sad Girl Hours by Anna Zoe Quirke
• A Match Made in Hell by Charlotte Ingham

Rundown - top 30 children's and YA books to buy in October 2025

• Wyrdwood by Curtis Jobling
• Squirrel and Bird by Laura Baker & Stacey Thomas
• The Street Where Santa Lives by Harriet Howe
• Roar by Manjeet Mann
• Avalanche by Simon Fox
• The Notted Island by Katherine Child
• The Forever Bear by Lu Fraser
• Classic Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen
• The Bear Who Wanted to Dance by Stephanie Stansbie
• The Boy Who Grew Dragons: A Christmas Delivery by Andy Shepherd & Sarah Warburton
• The Ocean at Night by Isabelle Simler
• My Friend, Billy Whiskers by David Litchfield
• The Butterfly House by Harry Woodgate
• The Story of Gold by Meel Tamphanon
• The Fantastical Safari by Kristjana S Williams
• Atlas of Mythical Journeys by Iryna Dobrovetska
• Be Right Back by Bill Wood
• You've Found Oliver by Dustin Thao
• Ice Dancer by Alex Cotter
• Soup Time Around the World by Denyse Waissbluth
• The House with the Little Red Door by Grace Easton
• The Hidden Wisdom of Animals by Kate Siber
• Forest of Hearts by M.A. Kuzniar
• Step Inside a Fairy Tale by Helen Mortimer
• Exploring the Universe by Isabel Thomas
• Coach by Jason Reynolds
• Time for a Bath, Animals by Ben Lerwill
• Vote Wolf by Davide Cali & Magali Clavelet
• Witchlore by Emma Hinds
• Moth Dark by Kika Hatzopoulou
• The Last Day of October by Phil Hickes

October 2025 books of the month

• Fiction: Letters from the Upside by Katya Balen
• Nonfiction: All About Antarctica by Marc Martin
• Picture book: To Activate Space Portal Lift Here by Antoinette Portis

Part 2
Myths for children

New book pitches: The Collaborator by TG Trouper, Sally the Spider’s new shoes by Clodagh Ryan, Anna Denton & The Water of Life by Vaughan Hawthorne-Nelson

Part 3
A library in every primary: what £10m means

Credits & licensing
3rd party sounds are licensed. Audit: https://bit.ly/3TFkwsl

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 34

For transcripts & show notes see https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-34/

Part 1
Book post

• Gloam by Jack Mackay
• There Are Amphibians Everywhere by Britta Teckentrup
• The Museum of Shapes by Sven Volker
• How to Catch an Idea by Forest Xiao
• The Coming of the Iron Man by Ted Hughes
• My Brother Is a Tiger by Joaquin Camp
• Luna Grace: Girl from Outer Space by Julie Sykes
• Map to Starlight Hollow by Rebecca Lewis-Oakes
• The Notwitches: Prison Break by Gary Panton
• How to Get Magically Popular by Radhika Sanghani
• Moonboy by Anna Ciddor
• Wintour's Fate by Brían Dungan
• iNSiDE by Sally Gales
• Girls of Dark Divine by E. V. Woods

Rundown - top 30 children's and YA books to buy in September 2025

• Old Oak and Little Acorn by Elena Mannion & Erin Brown
• The Guardians of Dreamdark: Windwitch by Laini Taylor
• Britannica All New Children’s Encyclopedia by Christopher Lloyd
• History's Most Epic Fails by Athena Kugblenu
• Hank Meets Frank by Maudie Powell-Tuck
• What Feelings Do at Night by Tina Oziewicz
• Everybody Has a Fear by Koleka Putuma & Amanda Mijangos
• The Cave Downwind of the Café by Mikey Please
• The Search for Our Cosmic Neighbours by Chloe Savage
• Whoosh!: Adventures with Grandad by Sam Usher
• Dance of Resistance by Catherine Johnson
• The Rebel and the Rose by Catherine Doyle
• Thirst by Darren Simpson
• The Wizard's Guide to Magical Experiments by Amanda Wood
• Role Model by Elle McNicoll
• Dead Yard: Seeds of Doom by P. J. Killburn
• Fold-Out + Play: Doll's House by Ingela P Arrhenius
• Where the Dead Live by Sam Fern and Romolo D’Hipolito
• The Fear by Tom Palmer
• Talk Like an Aztec by Tegen Evans & Nina Chakrabarti
• A Tree is a Time Machine by Rob Sears & Tom Sears
• No Escape by M.A. Bennett
• By sea and sky by Lela Nargi & Xuan Le
• The Incredible Pop-up Frog by Ben Hoare
• Fright Club: Let's Boo This! by Sibeal Pounder
• Letters from the Upside by Katya Balen
• BUST OR TRUST by Small Wardour & Sam Peet
• Mythical Tales by Laura Sampson & Lilla Bolecz
• Champions of the Galaxy by Tola Okogwu
• Make Me a Monster by Kalynn Bayron

September 2025 books of the month

• Fiction: Everything Amplified by Sarah Lippett & Ziggy Hanaor
• Nonfiction: The Incredible Pop-up Frog by Ben Hoare & Jasmine Floyd
• Picture book: Oh Dear, Look What I Got! by Michael Rosen & Helen Oxenbury

Part 2
Our rundown of new children's and YA books for Autumn 2025.

New book pitches: The Collaborator by TG Trouper, Sally the Spider’s new shoes by Clodagh Ryan, Anna Denton & The Water of Life by Vaughan Hawthorne-Nelson

Part 3
Books that rival screens and social media 

Credits & licensing
3rd party sounds are licensed. Audit: https://bit.ly/3TFkwsl

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 33

For transcripts, resources, show notes and contact details, see https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-33/

Part 1
Book post

• Super Goat Girl by Tracey Baptiste, illustrated by Dapo Adeola
• Domain by Rohan Gavin
• Dinosaur Desert: A Prehistoric Journey of Discovery by Dr Nick Crumpton
• Go Go Dodo! by Huw Lewis Jones, illustrated by Fred Blunt
• Every Botty Burps by Becky Wilson, illustrated by Alex Patrick
• George and Lenny Are Always Together by Jon Agee
• Farah's Nose by Humera Malik
• My Big Fat Smelly Poo Diary 3 by Jim Smith
• The Poetry World of John Agard by John Agard
• Cruise Ship Kid by Emma Swan
• Mission: Monster Mind by Philip Kavvadias
• Rayleigh Mann and the Quest of Misfits by Ciannon Smart
• Things I Learned While I Was Dead by Kathryn Clark
• Poison Tides by Jay McGuiness
• Den of Liars by Jessica S. Olson

Rundown - top 30 children's and YA books to buy in August 2025

• The Moonlighters by Lee Newbery
• Maisie vs the Himalayas by Jack Jackman
• Shoes!: A footwear fashion frolic by Anna Davies and Daisy Wynter
• The Museum of Shapes by Sven Volker
• Bear by Kiri Lightfoot
• Let's Be Earthlings by Mary Murphy
• All Together Now: Collected Poems by Michaela Morgan
• Gloam by Jack Mackay
• The Coming of the Iron Man by Ted Hughes and Mini Grey
• Love on Sight by Asli Jensen
• The Notwitches: Prison Break by Gary Panton
• A First Book of Bugs by Simon Mole and Adam Ming
• There Are Amphibians Everywhere by Britta Teckentrup
• How to Catch an Idea by Forest Xiao
• Enter the Endgame by Triona Campbell
• Pooems by Kes Gray
• The Forest of Dreams by Merve Atilgan
• Sometimes You Find a Dragon by Viviane Schwarz
• Dungeon Runners: Ocean Chase by Kieran Larwood and Joe Todd Stanton
• iNSiDE by S.A. Gales
• You and Me and the Peanut-Butter Beast by Andy Griffiths
• Girls of Dark Divine by E.V. Woods
• Buffalo Fluffalo by Bess Kalb and Erin Kraan
• Oxford Blood by Rachael Davis-Featherstone
• A Totally Big Umbrella by Sarah Crossan and Rebecca Cobb
• Colin’s Grandma by Holly Swain
• The Game I Will Never Forget by Onjali Q. Rauf
• Not Going To Plan by Tia Fisher
• Little Snail Goes House-Hunting by Bia Melo
• Fox and the Mystery Letter by Alex G Griffiths
• Geomancer: The Ship of Strays by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

August 2025 books of the month

• Fiction: Gloam by Jack Mackay
• Nonfiction: There Are Amphibians Everywhere by Britta Teckentrup
• Picture book: The Museum of Shapes by Sven Volker

Part 2
Audiobooks for Teens

New book pitches: A Book of Baby Birds by I. S. Thomas, Sally the Spider’s new shoes by Clodagh Ryan, Anna Denton & The Water of Life by Vaughan Hawthorne-Nelson

Part 3
The National Year of Reading 2026 

Credits & licensing
3rd party sounds are licensed. Audit: https://bit.ly/3TFkwsl

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 32

For transcripts, resources, show notes and contact details, see https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-32/

Part 1
Book post

• Skipshock by Caroline O’Donoghue
• The Great Pollination Investigation by Deborah Hocking
• Snarky Sharky by Bethan Clarke, illustrated by Nikolas Ilic
• I Hear the Trees by Zaro Weil
• Carnival Queen by Donette Williams-Harry, illustrated by Amelie-Anne Calmo
• My Friend May by Julie Flett
• Noah’s New Home by Zeshan Akhter, illustrated by Nabila Adani
• You Decide Your Adventure by Bear Grylls
• Words Can Fly by Donna Ashworth and Eirinn McGuiness
• Naeli and the Secret Song by Jasbinder Bilan
• Greenwild: The Forest in the Sky by Pari Thomson
• Alyssa and the Enchanted Forest by Alexandra Sheppard
• Run Away with Me by J. L. Simmonds
• Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian
• Kill Creatures by Rory Power

Rundown - top 30 children's and YA books to buy in July 2025

• Go Go Dodo! by Huw Lewis Jones & Fred Blunt
• Every Botty Burps by Becky Wilson and Alex Patrick
• Domain by Rohan Gavin
• Mission: Monster Mind by Philip Kavvadias
• Rayleigh Mann and the Quest of Misfits by Ciannon Smart
• Poison Tides by Jay McGuiness
• George and Lenny Are Always Together by Jon Agee
• Blue, Barry & Pancakes 3: Mount Choco Meltdown by Jason Patterson & Dan Abdo
• When The Storm Comes by Polly Ho-Yen
• Duck Delivers by Tom Tinn-Disbury
• Cosmo Park by Madeleine Finlay & Tom Dearie
• The Poetry World of John Agard by John Agard
• Running My Own Race by Abena Eyeson
• Runaways by E.L. Norry
• Insectarium Activity Book by Dave Goulson
• My Big Fat Smelly Poo Diary 3 by Jim Smith
• Super Goat Girl by Tracey Baptiste & Dapo Adeola
• The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly
• The Starlight Rebel by Lisette Auton
• The Last Pebble by Alex Horne
• The Goldens by Lauren Wilson
• Pablo and Splash: Roman Holiday by Sheena Dempsey
• How To Save Your Granny From a Runaway Train by Swapna Haddow & Jess Bradley
• My Soul, A Shining Tree by Jamila Gavin
• Home Has No Borders by Sona Charaipotra & Samira Ahmed
• The Magic in You by Mat Ricardo
• The Museum of Lost Umbrellas by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick
• The Secret Life of Clouds by Moira Butterfield & Vivian Mineker
• Dinosaur Desert by Dr Nick Crumpton
• Farah's Nose by Humera Malik
• Grimwood: Rock the Vote! by Nadia Shireen

July 2025 books of the month

• Fiction:  Domain by Rohan Gavin
• Nonfiction:  Dinosaur Desert by Dr Nick Crumpton and Ola Plocinska
• Picture book:  Super Goat Girl by Tracey Baptiste, illustrated by Dapo Adeola

Part 2
Our Children’s books for school prize giving awards

New book pitches: • The Fighting Spirit by Rob Keeley, Sally the Spider’s new shoes by Clodagh Ryan, Anna Denton & The Water of Life by Vaughan Hawthorne-Nelson

Part 3
What are picture books, and why are they useful?

Credits & licensing
3rd party sounds are licensed. Audit: https://bit.ly/3TFkwsl

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 31

For transcripts, resources, show notes and contact details, see https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-31/

Part 1
Book post

• A Flash of Neon by Sophie Cameron
• Volcano by Claire Saxby & Jess Racklyeft
• I’m going to make a friend by Darren Chetty & Sandhya Prabhat
• The Man Who Loved Libraries by Andrew Larsen & Katty Maurey
• The Glass Heart by Sally Gardner
• Mummy Mayhem by Cat Weldon & Nene Lonergan
• The Squid Squad by Aoife Doole
• River Crest Rescue by Paul Ian Cross
• Tales of Scary Beasts by Susan Martineau
• Vivi Conway and the Lost Hero by Lizzie Huxley-Jones
• The Blockbusters! by Frank Cottrell-Boyce
• The Battle of Farrowfell by Ravena Guron
• I Dare You by Tamsin Winter
• All the Lost Souls by Amie Jordan

Rundown - top 30 children's and YA books to buy in June 2025

• Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian
• Carnival Queen by Donette Williams-Harry & Amelie-Anne Calmo
• Snarky Sharky by Bethan Clarke & Nikolas Ilic
• Choose Your Own Evolution by Jules Howard & Gordy Wright
• Words Can Fly by Donna Ashworth
• Greenwild: The Forest in the Sky by Pari Thomson
• The Shell Keepers by Truly Johnston
• Naeli and the Secret Song by Jasbinder Bilan
• Best of All Worlds by Kenneth Oppel
• Don't Let Me Go by Kevin Christopher Snipes
• Rock Band: Music and Misfits by Leah Osakwe
• Inside Your Brain by Lucy Ann Unwin
• Nautical by Matt Ralphs & Dieter Braun
• A Field Guide to Summer by Gabby Dawnay & Dorien Brouwers
• The Lost Book of Undersea Adventure by Teddy Keen
• Augmented by Kenechi Udogu
• Space by Gaby Morgan
• Alyssa and the Enchanted Forest by Alexandra Sheppard
• I Hear The Trees by Zaro Weil
• Escape Room: Game Zero by Christopher Edge
• Nate Yu's Blast from the Past by Maisie Chan
• Kerfuffle Bird by Helen Docherty & Gwen Millward
• The Dawn of Adonis by Phil Earle
• Letters from Wonderland by Josie George
• Yelp! Yeti! Chaos in Kathmandu by Sneha Prahan
• My Enemy, My Friend by Elizabeth Laird
• Run Away With Me by J. L. Simmonds
• Wish You Were Her by Elle McNicoll
• A Box Full of Murders by Janice Hallett
• Netta Becker and the Timeline Crime by Jennifer Claessen

June 2025 books of the month

• Fiction: Skipshock by Caroline O'Donoghue
• Nonfiction: The Great Pollination Investigation by Deborah Hocking
• Picture book: Snarky Sharky by Bethan Clarke, illustrated by Nikolas Ilic

Part 2
Our football-themed books for children

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
How reading between the ages of 11 and 16 can help teens get better jobs

Credits & licensing
3rd party sounds are licensed. Audit: https://bit.ly/3TFkwsl

Support the show

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

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 29

For transcripts, resources, show notes and contact details, see https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-29/

Part 1
Book post

• Mr Norton's New Hat by Huw Lewis Jones and Corey Egbert
• Into the Ice: Reflections on Antarctica by Alison Lester & Coral Tulloch
• Please Don't Read the Footnotes Please by Rob Walton, illustrated by Reena Makwana
• Meet Amber Class by Enomwoyi Damali, illustrated by Ruthine Burton
• Bad Panda: For Sale by Swapna Haddow
• Grumpfort by Jamie Hammond
• Solving Crimes Is NOT My Superpower by Nathanael Lessore, illustrated by Simran Diamond Singh
• The Magnificent Book of Trees by Tony Russell, illustrated by Val Walerczuk & Simon Treadwell
• Rebel Heart by Ally Sherrick
• School of Doom by Sarah Harrison
• Beastlands: Legend of the Crystal Caves by Jess French
• Fury, Fire and Frost by Robert Muchamore
• Missing Link by Anthony Kessel
• Normal Women Making History for 900 Years by Philippa Gregory
• Nightweaver by R. M. Gray

Rundown - top 30 children's and YA books to buy in April 2025

• Run Away With Me by Brian Selznick
• The Line They Drew Through Us by Hiba Noor Khan
• Clem Fatale Has Been Betrayed by Eve Wersocki Morris
• Peregrine Quinn and the Mask of Chaos by Ash Bond
• The Boy with Big Decisions by Helen Rutter
• Under a Fire-Red Sky by Geraldine McCaughrean
• Not That Kind Of Hero by Alexia Casale
• The First Year by Matt Goodfellow
• The Last House in the Row by Lesley Parr
• Odd Girl Out by Tasneem Abdur-Rashid
• Fishfolk by Steven Quincey-Jones
• I Am Raven by Alastair Chisholm
• Snails of the Unexpected by Terrie Chilvers
• Light by Jess Wade & Ana Sanfelippo
• Michael Rosen's Pocket Shakespeare by Michael Rosen & Chris Riddell
• Life (As We Know It) by Ziggy Hanaor & Cristobal Schmal
• Weird Philosophy by Brandon Robshaw
• Becoming Grace by Hilary McKay
• The Misadventures of Mina Mahmood by Farhana Islam
• Hercules: Hero to Zero? By Tom Vaughan
• Matched Up by Jenny Ireland
• The Girl with the Red Boots by Alex Wheatle
• What Happens Online by Nathanael Lessore
• Botticelli's Apprentice by Ursula Murray Husted
• The Mirror World by Femi Fadugba
• Rainforest by DK
• Starminster: The Month of Birthdays by Megan Hopkins
• Food for All by Mary Hoffman & Ros Asquith
• Quiet Riot by Nadia Finer
• Our Tree by Jessica Meserve

April 2025 books of the month

• Fiction: Under a Fire-Red Sky by Geraldine McCaughrean
• Nonfiction: We are All Animals by Ben Hoare and Christopher Lloyd, illustrated by Mark Ruffle
• Picture book: Our Tree by Jessica Meserve

Part 2
Our recommended books for reception classrooms

New book pitches: Oakley the Superhero by Roxanne Constantine; The Tilly and Harry Adventures by Ashton Moon; Danny the Ducky and Gilly the Goose by Dushka Petkovich

Part 3
Do Children Read More Than We Think?

Credits and licensing
3rd party sounds are licensed. Audit: https://bit.ly/3TFkwsl

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 28

For transcripts, resources, show notes and contact details, see https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-28/

Part 1
Book post

• Diary Of A Future Billionaire by Pamela Butchart, illustrated by Wotto
• Surviving Vesuvius by Christopher Harrisson, illustrated by Beth Waters
• Paloma Flies Away by María J. Guarda
• I Really Really Love My Noisy Bum by Karl Newson and Duncan Beedie
• Let’s Play Rugby by Gordon D’Arcy and Paul Howard
• Detective Stanley and the Mystery at the Museum by Hannah Tunnicliffe and Erica Harrison
• The Notwitches by Gary Panton, illustrated by Dotty Sutton
• Be the Change by Robin Greenfield and Antonia Banyard
• Speedwheels 3000: The Race Against Crime by Jenny Pearson, illustrated by Katie Kear and Nick East
• School for Fireflies by Erica Gomez
• Shiver Point: Beneath the Ghostly Graves by Gabriel Dylan
• Red Flags by Sophie Jo
• Mondays are Murder by Ravena Guron

Rundown - top 30 children's and YA books to buy in March 2025

• The Magnificent Book of Trees by Tony Russell
• Mr Norton's New Hat by Huw Lewis Jones & Corey Egbert
• The Bookshop Dog by Harriet Evans
• Mary Fowler: Football Legends by Kit Cross
• Noura's Crescent Moon by Zainab Khan
• Wolf in the City by Rachel Tilda Wolf
• Nightweaver by R.M. Gray
• Songs for Ghosts by Clara Kumagai
• The Deadly Fates by Dhonielle Clayton
• Meet the Mubbles by Liz Pichon
• Vanya and the Wild Hunt by Sangu Mandanna
• Wild Magic: Legend of the Black Lion by Abiola Bello
• Dadbot by Jack Noel
• Stealing Happy by Brian Conaghan
• When the Bones Sing by Ginny Myers Sain
• A Home Is A Nest by Emma Carlisle
• While We’re Young by K.L Walther
• The Greatest Stuff on Earth by Steve Tomecek
• The Appletree Animal Agency by Katya Balen
• Please Don't Read The Footnotes Please by Rob Walton
• After by Padraig Kenny
• Puloma and the Bear by Jasbinder Bilan
• See Inside AI by Alex Frith & Victoria Williams
• Encyclopedia of Birds by Jules Howard
• Away by Megan E. Freeman
• Keep Smashing It by Jodie Ounsley
• Bronte Tempestra and the Weather Witch by Bex Hogan
• Hidden Treasure by Jessie Burton
• The Beck by Anthony McGowan
• Bigg School: Scaredy Cat by Lisa Williamson
• Serial Chillers: The Witch in the Woods by Jennifer Killick

March 2025 books of the month

• Fiction: Please Don't Read the Footnotes Please by Rob Walton, illustrated by Reena Makwana
• Nonfiction: Into the Ice: Reflections on Antarctica by Alison Lester and Coral Tulloch
• Picture book: Mr Norton's New Hat by Huw Lewis Jones and Corey Egbert

Part 2
Our recommended books for year 1 classrooms

New book pitches:• Oakley the Superhero by Roxanne Constantine; The Tilly and Harry Adventures by Ashton Moon; Danny the Ducky and Gilly the Goose by Dushka Petkovich

Part 3
Is it time to rethink dressing up for World Book Day?

Credits and licensing
3rd party sounds are licensed. Audit: https://bit.ly/3TFkwsl

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 27

For transcripts, resources, show notes and contact details, see https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-27/

Part 1
Book post

• Loverboy by Ben Tomlinson
• One Day: A True Story of Courage and Survival in the Holocaust by Michael Rosen and Benjamin Phillip
• The Really Beautiful Thing by Frances Tosdevin
• Guardians of the New Moon: The Year of the Rat by Eric Huang, illustrated by Phung Nguyen Quang
• Sammy and the Stolen Paintings by Charlie P. Brooks
• Mission: Manta Ray by Philip Kavvadis
• Alex Neptune, Dragon Champion by David Owen, illustrated by George Ermos
• People Like Stars by Patrice Lawrence
• Murder for Two (A Tariq Twins Mystery) by Niyla Farook
• The Zombie Project by Alice Nuttall
• After Life by Gayle Forman
• Bingsu For Two by Sujin Witherspoon
• The Wilderness of Girls by Madeline Claire Franklin

Rundown - top 30 children's and YA books to buy in February 2025

• Paloma Flies Away by Maria J. Guarda
• All Better Now by Neal Shusterman
• Diary of a Future Billionaire by Pamela Butchart
• Let's Play Rugby! By Gordon D'Arcy and Paul Howard
• Red Flags by Sophie Jo
• I Really, Really Love My Noisy Bum by Karl Newson & Duncan Beedie
• Shiver Point: Beneath the Ghostly Graves by Gabriel Dylan
• Black Star by Kwame Alexander
• Mondays Are Murder by Ravena Guron
• Island of Influencers by Monique Turner
• Alan, King of the Universe by Tom McLaughlin
• Dragon Riders of Roar by Jenny McLachlan & Alla Khatkevich
• The Notwitches by Gary Panton & Dotty Sutton
• Speedwheels 3000: The Race Against Crime by Jenny Pearson & Katie Kear
• Boobies by Nancy Vo
• My Big Fat Smelly Poo Diary 2 by Jim Smith
• The Full Stop That Got Away by Laura Baker & Nathan Reed
• The Boy at the Window by Lucy Strange & Rohan Eason
• Wink, Murder: a Bletchley Park Mystery by Rhian Tracey
• Surviving Vesuvius by Christopher Harrisson & Beth Waters
• Destiny Ink: Birthday Secret by Adeola Sokunbi
• Cloud Nine by Sue H. Cunningham
• Wiggling Words by Kate Rolfe
• The Found Things by Petr Horacek
• Normal Women: Making History for 900 Years by Philippa Gregory
• Pieces of Us by Stewart Foster
• How To Roller-Skate with One Leg by Ella Dove
• My Mum and Other Poems by Laura Dockrill

February 2025 books of the month

• Fiction: Diary of a Future Billionaire by Pamela Butchart
• Nonfiction: Surviving Vesuvius by Christopher Harrisson & Beth Waters
• Picture book: Paloma Flies Away by Maria J. Guarda

Part 2
Our recommended books for year 2 classrooms

New book pitches:•Oakley the Superhero by Roxanne Constantine; Efua's Magic Stew by Angela Ackah-McIntyre; Danny the Ducky and Gilly the Goose by Dushka Petkovich

Part 3
Why teaching discrete subjects and avoiding topic teaching encourages reading for pleasure.

Credits and licensing
3rd party sounds are licensed. Audit: https://bit.ly/3TFkwsl

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 26

For transcripts, resources, show notes and contact details, see https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-26/

Part 1
Book post

• A Symphony of Stories by James Mayhew
• 2025 Children's Almanac by Collins Kids
• Traitors in Space: A Pick-Your-Own-Path Adventure by Tim Collins
• My Name is a Gift by Zeshan Akhter
• My First Ocean Atlas by Catherine Ard and Paul Daviz
• Where to Hide a Star by Oliver Jeffers
• A Beginners Guide to Choosing the Perfect Pet by Ali Rutstein
• Jakub's Otter by Coral Rumble
• Phantom Hearts by Rosie Talbot
• How to Know a Crow by Candace Savage
• Hi From Outer Space by Fiona Katauskas
• So Over This by David Fenne

Rundown - top 30 children's and YA books to buy in January 2025

• Alex Neptune, Dragon Champion by David Owen
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid: No Brainer by Jeff Kinney
• The Restaurant at the Edge of the World by Oliver Gerlach
• Myths, Mummies and Magic in Ancient Egypt by Stephen Davies
• Manifest for Kids: FOUR STEPS TO BEING THE BEST YOU by Roxie Nafousi
• The Boy Who Didn't Want to Die: A Graphic Memoir by Peter Lantos
• Mismatched by Anne Camlin
• The End of the Story by Melissa de la Cruz
• Guardians of the New Moon: Year of the Rat by Eric Huang
• The Party by Natasha Preston
• After Life by Gayle Forman
• Squeak! Squawk! Roar!: Amazing Animal Poems by Kate Williams
• The Last Bookstore on Earth by Lily Braun-Arnold
• Bingsu for Two by Sujin Witherspoon
• The Vulpine by Polly Crosby
• The Legendary Scarlett and Browne by Jonathan Stroud
• Dear Black Boy by Martellus Bennett
• One Day by Michael Rosen & Benjamin Phillips
• Let the Light In by Jenny Downham by Louis Hill
• The Zombie Project by Alice Nuttall
• Murder for Two by Niyla Farook
• Sahara by Christina Webb
• The Boy I Love by William Hussey 
• Girl, Ultra-Processed by Amara Sage
• Honeysuckle and Bone by Trisha Tobias
• Til Death by Busayo Matuluko
• People Like Stars by Patrice Lawrence
• Buzz Club by Xena Knox
• Hunt for the Golden Scarab by M. G. Leonard
• Pinch Perkins and the Nightmare Tree by Cathy FitzGerald
• Ice Apprentices by Jacob North

January 2025 books of the month

• Fiction: Loverboy by Ben Tomlinson
• Nonfiction: One Day by Michael Rosen and Benjamin Phillips
• Picture book: The Really Beautiful Thing by Frances Tosdevin

Part 2
Our recommended books for year 3 classrooms

New book pitches: Smart Fiona by Mike Hollin; Efua's Magic Stew by Angela Ackah-McIntyre; Are We There Yet? by Melissa Abraham

Part 3
Why Discount Book Packs are a Bad Deal for Schools

Credits and licensing
3rd party sounds are licensed. Audit: https://bit.ly/3TFkwsl

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 25

For transcripts, resources, show notes and contact details, see https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-25/

Part 1
Book post

• The Snowman Code by Simon Stephenson
• Can We Live on Mars? by Giles Sparrow
• Family by Patricia Hegarty, illustrated by Britta Teckentrup
• Milo's Hat Trick by Jon Agee
• We Can! by Alexandra Strick
• You Only Spy Twice by Ben Sanders
• Super Ocean Weekend by Gaëlle Alméras
• Cobweb by Michael Morpurgo, illustrated by Michael Foreman
• Presto! Magical Recovery Co. by Rutendo Dione
• We Do Not Welcome Our Ten-Year-Old Overlord by Garth Nix
• Damien Ike and the Fallen House of Draven by Dee Benson and David Arlo
• Handle With Care by Louisa Reid
• I Shall Never Fall in Love by Hari Conner

Rundown - top 30 children's and YA books to buy in November 2024

• Beanie the Bansheenie by Eoin Colfer &  Steve McCarthy
• The Circular Square by Simon Philip & Neil Clark
• Shyla's Wood Wide Web by Ewa Jozefkowicz & Gillian Flint
• Amazing Jellyfish by Michael Stavaric
• The Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier & Brian Churilla
• For She is Wrath by Emily Varga
• When It's Your Turn For Midnight by Blessing Musariri
• The Muttcracker by Anna Kemp & Sara Ogilvie
• How to Be a Revolutionary by Lucy Ann Unwin
• The 39-Storey Treehouse: Colour Edition! by Andy Griffiths & Terry Denton
• The Search for Carmella by Chloe Savage
• Yetis Don't Exist! by Kate Thompson &  Loretta Schauer
• The Murder Hypothesis by Sarah Wishart
• Blue, Barry & Pancakes by Dan Abdo & Jason Patterson
• Mission to Mars: Can You Survive in Space? by DK
• Silver by Olivia Levez
• Girls by Annet Schaap
• Yes, Boys Can! by Jonathan Juravich &  Richard V. Reeves
• Choosing the Perfect Pet by Ali Rutstein & Tommy Doyle
• When the Stammer Came to Stay by Maggie O'Farrell & Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini
• The ADHD Teen Survival Guide by Soli Lazarus
• In Praise of Mystery by Ada Limon & Peter Sis
• So Over This by David Fenne
• Heist Royale by Kayvion Lewis.
• Rani Choudhury Must Die by Adiba Jaigirdar
• Drawn Onward by Daniel Nayeri & Matt Rockefeller
• How to Sing a Song by Kwame Alexander & Randy Preston
• Shakespeare's Othello by Steve Barlow & Steve Skidmore
• Rise and Fall by Peter Allen
• Wisdom of the Woods by Rachel Piercey & Freya Hartas

November 2024 books of the month

• Fiction: When It's Your Turn For Midnight by Blessing Musariri
• Nonfiction: Rise and Fall by Peter Allen
• Picture book: The Search for Carmella by Chloe Savage

Part 2
Our recommended books for year 4 classrooms

New book pitches: Smart Fiona by Mike Hollin; There Was an Old Woman Who Followed a Spy! by Tommy Furmato; Are We There Yet? by Melissa Abraham

Part 3
What Are We Reading For? A spectrum of reading cultures in schools. 

Credits and licensing
3rd party sounds are licensed. Audit: https://bit.ly/3TFkwsl

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 24

For transcripts, resources, show notes and contact details, see https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-24/

Part 1
Book post

• The Boy in the Suit by James Fox
• First Big Book of How by Sally Symes
• Serena and Laloolee Fly Away by Rosemary Clunie
• Clive Penguin by Huw Lewis Jones and Ben Sanders
• Ivy Newt and the Vampixies by Derek Keilty and Magda Brol
• Life in the Wild by Lizzie Daly
• Nina Peanut: Mega Mystery Solver by Sarah Bowie
• The Skeleton in the Cupboard by Lilija Berzinska
• Popcorn by Rob Harrell
• Circus Maximus: Return of the Champion by Annelise Gray
• Desert Echoes by Abdi Nazemian
• Within the Heart of Wicked Creatures by Rima Orie
• The Dagger and the Flame by Catherine Doyle

Rundown - top 30 children's and YA books to buy in October 2024

• Ditching Saskia by  John Moore and Neetols
• Family by Patricia Hegarty and Britta Teckentrup
• Bunny's Most Fabulous Holiday Ever! By Brian Fitzgerald
• One Wise Sheep: An Untraditional Christmas Story by Ulrich Hub
• Milo's Hat Trick by Jon Agee
• Bear's Lost Glasses by Leo Timmers
• Feather by Manon Steffan Ros
• That Day by Pierre-Emmanuel Lyet
• The Flickering Fires by Grahame Baker-Smith
• Damien Ike and the Fallen House of Draven by Dee Benson
• Circus of Shadows by Lidia Brankovic
• Nettle by Bex Hogan
• Twenty-Four Seconds From Now: A Regular Love Story by  Jason Reynolds
• Some Like it Cold by Elle McNicoll
• Museum in a Book by Herve Tullet
• The Little Prince: Pop Up Book by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
• Shadow Creatures by Chris Vick
• Birdie by J.P Rose
• The Arctic Fox by Holly Webb
• We Can!: Make a Difference by Alexandra Strick and Steve Antony
• Skandar and the Skeleton Curse by A.F. Steadman
• The Colour of Revenge by Cornelia Funke
• The Snowman Code by Simon Stephenson
• The River Thief by Hannah Peck
• Our Galaxy: A First Adventure in Space by Sue Lowell Gallion
• Gold Rush by Flora Delargy
• Flow with the Snow by Robert Tregoning
• The Lost Dogs by Patrica Forde
• Handle With Care by  Louisa Reid
• A Lot of Silly: A Book of Rhymes and Nonsense by Joy Cowley
• Chris Mould's War of the Worlds: A Graphic Novel by H.G Wells

October 2024 books of the month

• Fiction: The Snowman Code by Simon Stephenson
• Nonfiction: Can We Live on Mars? by Giles Sparrow
• Picture book: Family by Patricia Hegarty, illustrated by Britta Teckentrup

Part 2
Our recommended books for year 5 classrooms

New book pitches: There Was an Old Woman Who Followed a Spy! by Tommy Furmato; Luna and Helio The Eclipse by Gina Keulemans; Insects, Bugs and Rock and Roll by Alex Brooks; Are We There Yet? by Melissa Abraham

Part 3
Why DuckDuckGo is better than Google for book searches

Credits and licensing
3rd party sounds are licensed. Audit: https://bit.ly/3TFkwsl

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 23

For transcripts, resources, show notes and contact details, see https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-23/

Part 1
Book post

• Sisters of the Moon by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick
• A Celebration of Evolution by William Spring
• Gina Kaminski Rescues the Giant by Craig Barr-Green, illustrated by Francis Martin
• Countdown to Bedtime Sleepy Dragon by Candy Bee
• One Up by Ben Sanders
• Peng and Spanners: When Pigs Go Bad! by Steve Webb
• Secret FACTopia! by Paige Towler, illustrated by Andy Smith
• Mia and the Secrets of Lunis by Janelle McCurdy, illustrated by Ana Latese
• The Reluctant Vampire Queen Finds Her Fangs by Jo Simmons
• The Dark Within Us by Jess Popplewell
• I Will Never Leave You by Kara A. Kennedy
• Death At Morning House by Maureen Johnson

Rundown - top 30 children's and YA books to buy in September 2024

• Ghostlines by Katya Balen
• The Great Phoenix of London by Lindsay Galvin
• Popcorn by Rob Harrell
• The Tantrum by Louie Stowell
• Life in the Wild by Lizzie Daly
• The Land of Lost Things by Andy Griffiths
• Here To Slay by Radhika Sanghani
• The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers
• The Incredible Pop-up Bug by Ben Hoare
• The Boy in the Suit by James Fox
• The Salt Thief by Neal Bascomb
• Cobweb by Michael Morpurgo
• Lord of the Flies: The Graphic Novel by William Golding
• Escape Castle Dracula by Sam Fern
• The Skeleton in the Cupboard by Lilija Berzinska
• Oh What a Knight! by Maz Evans
• Unholy Terrors by Lyndall Clipstone
• Blue Heart by Nicola Davies
• The Forest of a Thousand Eyes by Frances Hardinge
• The Dinosaur Next Door by David Litchfield
• Loki: A Bad God's Guide to Making Enemies by Louie Stowell
• The Seamaiden's Odyssey by Berlie Doherty
• Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness
• Death on the Tracks by Paul Westmoreland
• Turtle Moon by Hannah Gold
• The Dagger and the Flame by Catherine Doyle
• A Little Sailing Lesson by Sara Stefanini
• Who Ate the Little Bug? By Hector Dexet
• The Remarkables by Clotilde Perrin
• The Golden Linnet by Alexander Armstrong

September 2024 books of the month

• Fiction: The Boy in the Suit by James Fox
• Nonfiction: First Big Book of How by Sally Symes
• Picture book: Serena and Laloolee Fly Away by Rosemary Clunie

Part 2
Our recommended books for year 6 classrooms

New book pitches: There Was an Old Woman Who Followed a Spy! by Tommy Furmato; Luna and Helio The Eclipse by Gina Keulemans; Insects, Bugs and Rock and Roll by Alex Brooks; Are We There Yet? by Melissa Abraham

Part 3
Should mobile phones be banned in schools?

Credits and licensing
3rd party sounds are licensed. Audit: https://bit.ly/3TFkwsl .

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 22

For transcripts, resources, show notes and contact details, see https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-22/

Part 1
Book post

• The Virtue Season by L.M. Nathan
• Move, Mr Mountain! by Francesca Sanna
• Lifesize Ocean Animals by Sophy Henn
• Doggy Dance Off by Steve Smallman
• Becoming Brave by Jennie Cashman Wilson
• Watts & Whiskerton by Meg McLaren
• Grimwood Party Animals by Nadia Shireen
• Sherlock Bones and the Mischief in Manhattan by Tim Collins
• 100 Things to Know About Sport by Jerome Martin, Alice James, Tom Mumbray and Micaela Tapsell
• Delta and the Lost City by Anna Fargher
• Terra Electrica: The Guardians of the North by Antonia Maxwell
• The Last Thing You'll Hear by Jan Dunning

Rundown - top 30 children's and YA books to buy in August 2024

• Griselda Snook’s Spectacular Books by Barry Timms
• Gina Kaminski Rescues the Giant by Craig Barr-Green
• Sisters of the Moon by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick
• The Dark Within Us by Jess Popplewell
• Such Charming Liars by Karen M. McManus
• Let Sleeping Gods Lie by Thiago de Moraes
• Peng and Spanners: When Pigs Go Bad! by Steve Webb
• Rosa By Starlight by Hilary McKay
• Autumn Feast: Nature's Harvest by Sean Taylor & Alex Morss
• One Up by Ben Sanders
• Beautiful: A Celebration of Evolution by William Spring
• Star of the Show by Jacqueline Wilson
• Mia and the Secrets of Lunis by Janelle McCurdy
• Almost Nothing Happened by Meg Rosoff
• Death at Morning House by Maureen Johnson
• Herd by Stephen Hogtun
• What the Crow Saw Below by Robert Tregoning
• Auntie Medusa and Me by Marie Basting
• The Boy Who Cried Ghost by Ian Eagleton
• Bronte Tempestra and the Ice Warriors by Bex Hogan
• The Life Changing Magic of Drumming by Nandi Bushell
• Snakehead: The Graphic Novel by Anthony Horowitz
• The Beanstalk Murder by P.G. Bell
• The Girl with Wings by Jaco Jacobs
• Colin’s Castle by Holly Swain
• We Are Hunted by Tomi Oyemakinde
• Geomancer: The Storm and the Sea Hawk by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
• Out Of This World: Poems to Make You Laugh, Smile and Think by Michael Rosen
• Spooky Celebrations Around the World by Matt Ralphs
• Our World in Numbers Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Life by DK
• Last Seen Online by Lauren James

August 2024 books of the month

• Fiction:  Sisters of the Moon by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick
• Nonfiction:  Beautiful: A Celebration of Evolution by William Spring
• Picture book:  Gina Kaminski Rescues the Giant by Craig Barr-Green, illustrated by Francis Martin

Part 2
Teens reads for the summer holiday - our rundown

New book pitches: There Was an Old Woman Who Followed a Spy! by Tommy Furmato; Luna and Helio The Eclipse by Gina Keulemans; Insects, Bugs and Rock and Roll by Alex Brooks; Are We There Yet? by Melissa Abraham

Part 3
Non-Traditional Reading Forms to Engage Children Over the Summer

Credits and licensing
3rd party sounds are licensed. Audit: https://bit.ly/3TFkwsl .

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 21

For transcripts, resources, show notes and contact details, see https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-21/

Part 1
Book post

• Dungeon Runners: Hero Trial by Kieran Larwood
• Galápagos Islands by Karen Romano Young, illustrated by Amy Grimes
• You Got This! by Rachael Davis
• Natterjack Toad Can't Believe It! by Sean Taylor
• The Big Day by Rachel Plummer and Forrest Burdett
• Bertha and Blink: Rumble in the Jungle by Nicola Colton
• How to be a Genius Kid by Jim Smith
• The Last Dragon by Polly Ho-Yen
• Nora and the Map of Mayhem by Joseph Elliott
• Sar Wylda and the Legendary Goldbreaker by Jake R. Wilson
• Kofi and the Secret Radio Station by Jeffrey Boakye
• We Have Everything We Need to Start Again by Koleka Putuma

Rundown - top 30 children's and YA books to buy in July 2024

• The Dog Who Danced on the Moon by John Boyne
• Delta and the Lost City by Anna Fargher
• The Whisperling Twins by Hayley Hoskins
• The Love Dare by Abiola Bello
• The Seal on the Beach by Mara Bergman
• Back of the Net by Eve Ainsworth
• Lifesize Ocean Animals by Sophy Henn
• Three Cheers for the River School by Sabine Adeyinka
• The Boy and the Octopus by Caryl Lewis
• Wigglesbottom Primary: The Pirate Cat by Pamela Butchart
• Secret FACTopia! by Paige Towler
• Myths of China by Xiaobing Wang
• The Others by Sarah Merrett
• The Virtue Season by L.M. Nathan
• The Boy Who Painted The World by Tom McLaughlin
• The Darkness Within Us by  Tricia Levenseller
• Break to You by Neal Shusterman
• Hike It by Iron Tazz
• Fallout by Lesley Parr
• The Wild Life of Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Animals by Mike Barfield
• Warriors Graphic Novel by Erin Hunter
• The Dinosaur that Pooped a Superhero by Tom Fletcher
• Bea's Bad Day by Tom Percival
• Roman Boy by Tony Bradman
• The Fun We Had by Charissa Coulthard
• A Wild Walk to School by Rebecca Cobb
• Chemistry for Beginners by Kristie Pickersgill
• Taylor Blake Is a Legend by Laura Jane Williams
• Little Guides to Nature: Hello Fossils and Shells by Nina Chakrabarti
• It Came from the Trees by Ally Russell
• In Time by Marina Ruiz

July 2024 books of the month

• Fiction:  The Virtue Season by L.M. Nathan
• Nonfiction:  Lifesize Ocean Animals by Sophy Henn
• Picture book:  Move, Mr Mountain! by Francesca Sanna

Part 2
Politics and election books for children and teens - our rundown

New book pitches: There Was an Old Woman Who Followed a Spy! by Tommy Furmato; Luna and Helio The Eclipse by Gina Keulemans; Insects, Bugs and Rock and Roll by Alex Brooks; I Can Be An Astronaut by Dr Katy Chisenga-Phillipps

Part 3
2024 election and literacy: what are the main parties promising?

Credits and licensing
3rd party sounds are licensed. Audit: https://bit.ly/3TFkwsl .

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 20

For transcripts, resources, show notes and contact details, see https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-20/

Part 1
Book post

• Beti and the Little Round House by Atinuke
• The Teenage Guide to Digital Wellbeing by Tanya Goodin
• Old Oak and the Wild Flowers by Elena Mannion and Erin Brown
• Where’s Mog? by Judith Kerr
• Supersaurus: Total Tricera-Flop! by Angela Woolfe and Mark Chambers
• Holey Moley by Bethan Clarke
• Bad United: Just for Kicks by Louise Forshaw
• Max Magic 3 by Stephen Mulhern and Tom Easton
• The Beast of Farrowfell by Ravena Guron
• Knowing the Score by Ros Roberts
• Your Time Is Up by Sarah Naughton
• Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley

Rundown - top 30 children's and YA books to buy in June 2024

• The Last Dragon by  Polly Ho-Yen
• Bobby Bains Plays a Blinder by  Bali Rai
• The Big Day by Rachel Plummer
• The River Spirit by  Lucy Strange
• The Mercury In Me by Rachael Fernandes
• Kofi and the Secret Radio Station by Jeffrey Boakye
• Apocalypse Cow by O.R. Sorrel
• The Big Ask by  Simon James Green
• Everybody Travels by Kristin Roskifte
• Time Runs Like A River by Emma Carlisle
• The Boy, the Troll and the Chalk by Anne Booth
• Nora and the Map of Mayhem by Joseph Elliott
• Ajay and the Treasure of Thar by Varsha Shah
• A Work in Progress by Jarrett Lerner
• A Ship in the Dark by Yarrow Townsend
• Welcome to AI by Matthieu Dugal
• Flower Block by Lanisha Butterfield
• Cosima Unfortunate Foils a Fraud by Laura Noakes
• The Double Life of Ted Amos by Simon James Green
• We Have Everything We Need To Start Again by Koleka Putuma
• Four Eids and a Funeral by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
• Transcendent by Patrick Gallagher
• Mayowa and the Sea of Words by Chibundu Onuzo
• Sleep Like Death by  Kalynn Bayron
• Children of Anguish and Anarchy by Tomi Adeyemi
• A Case of High Stakes by  Sophie Cleverly
• Human Body by Isabel Thomas
• The Nine Night Mystery by Sharna Jackson
• The Tall Man by Mary Cathleen Brown
• Make Art or Die Trying by Stuart Semple

June 2024 books of the month

• Fiction:  Dungeon Runners: Hero Trial by Kieran Larwood
• Nonfiction:  Galápagos Islands by Karen Romano Young, illustrated by Amy Grimes
• Picture book:  You Got This! by Rachael Davis

Part 2
Crime fiction for teens - our rundown

New book pitches: There Was an Old Woman Who Followed a Spy! by Tommy Furmato; Luna and Helio The Eclipse by Gina Keulemans; Insects, Bugs and Rock and Roll by Alex Brooks; I Can Be An Astronaut by Dr Katy Chisenga-Phillipps

Part 3
Drop Everything And Read (DEAR). Ideas and strategies for schools. 

Credits and licensing
3rd party sounds are licensed. Audit: https://bit.ly/3TFkwsl .

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 19

For transcripts, resources, show notes and contact details, see https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-19/

Part 1
Book post

• Serena and the Little Blue Dog by Rosemary Clunie
• Moving Up: How to Ace Secondary School by Christian Foley
• Champ by Payam Ebrahimi and Reza Dalvand
• Pink Trucks by Sam Clarke
• Heavy Metal Badger by Duncan Beedie
• It Takes Guts: How Your Body Turns Food Into Fuel (and Poop) by Jennifer Gardy
• Podkin and the Singing Spear by Kieran Larwood
• Nature's Fascinating Friendships by Kerry Hyndman and Mike Hills
• Bigg School: Double Drama by Lisa Williamson
• When the Wild Calls by Nicola Penfold
• Robin Hood: Ballots, Blasts & Betrayal by Robert Muchamore
• The Luis Ortega Survival Club by Sonora Reyes

Rundown - top 30 children's and YA books to buy in May 2024

• Ferris by Kate DiCamillo
• Dead Happy by Josh Silver
• The Beast of Farrowfell by Ravena Guron
• Bird Boy by Catherine Bruton
• Knowing the Score by Ros Roberts
• Desi Girl Speaking by A. S. Hussain
• Tom Gates: Book of Everything by Liz Pichon
• Angel of Grasmere by Tom Palmer
• Fly by David Lindo and Sara Boccaccini Meadows
• Adnan by Mark Arrigo, Steven Chatterton and Diala Brisly
• The Truth About Shaming by Beth Ashley
• Good Night, Good Beach by Joy Cowley and Hilary Jean Tapper
• Colossal Words for Kids by Colette Hiller and Tor Freeman
• Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond and Lwillys Tafur. So good, so good, so good
• Old Oak and the Wild Flowers by Elena Mannion and Erin Brown
• Nature Is an Artist by Jennifer Lavallee
• We Are Family by Oliver Sykes
• He, She, They, Us: Queer Poems by Charlie Castelletti
• All the Hidden Monsters by Amie Jordan
• Glasgow Boys by Margaret McDonald
• Grey by Laura Dockrill and Lauren Child
• The Wrong Shoes by Tom Percival
• On Poetry Street by Brian Moses and Mark Elvins
• The Grimmelings by Rachael King
• Finding Alfie  by Michael Morpurgo and Michael Foreman
• Ember Spark and the Thunder of Dragons by Abi Elphinstone
• If My Words Had Wings by Danielle Jawando
• 365 things to make and do by Fiona Watt
• Big Gorilla: A Book of Opposites by Anthony Browne
• North and the Only One by Vashti Hardy
• Wild East by Ashley Hickson-Lovence

May 2024 books of the month

• Fiction:  Beti and the Little Round House by Atinuke
• Nonfiction:  The Teenage Guide to Digital Wellbeing by Tanya Goodin
• Picture book:  Old Oak and the Wild Flowers by Elena Mannion and Erin Brown

Part 2
KS2 SATs revision books - our rundown

New book pitches: There was an Old Woman who Followed a Spy! by Tommy Furmato; Luna and Helio The Eclipse by Gina Keulemans; Insects, Bugs and Rock and Roll by Alex Brooks; I Can Be An Astronaut by Dr Katy Chisenga-Phillipps

Part 3
Advice for adults looking for great children's books

Credits and licensing
3rd party sounds are licensed. Audit: https://bit.ly/3TFkwsl .

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 18

For transcripts, resources, show notes and contact details, see https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-18/

Part 1
Book post

• Gigantosaurus – I Love Giganto by Cyber Group Studios
• I Really, Really Need a Poo by Karl Newson and Duncan Beedie
• Sammy and the Extra-Hot Chilli Powder by Charlie P. Brooks
• Bronte Tempestra and the Lightning Steeds by Bex Hogan
• Frank the Unicorn Alpaca by Gavin Puckett, illustrated by India Joseph
• Blue’s Planet: Australia by Lucy McRobert
• The Bad Ones by Melissa Albert
• ASAP by Axie Oh
• A Cure Ever After by Angharad Walker
• Measuring Me by Nicola Kent
• The Crayons Love Our Planet by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers
• Credo by Luke Staton

Rundown - top 30 children's and YA books to buy in March 2024

• The Girl Who Dreamed in Magic by Maria Kuzniar
• The Magician Next Door by Rachel Chivers Khoo
• Bad Panda: Mites, Camera, Action! By Swapna Haddow
• A Drop of Golden Sun by Kate Saunders
• Future Hopes by Lauren James
• The Secret Life of Bugs by Moira Butterfield
• The Magnificent Book of Butterflies and Moths by Barbara Taylor
•  The Prisoner of Bhopal by Tim Walker
• Wilding: How to Bring Wildlife Back by Isabella Tree
• The Girl Who Wasn't There by Jacqueline Wilson
• The Secret of the Moonshard by Struan Murray
• Uprising by Jennifer Nielsen
• Big Ideas from Literature by The School of Life
• East Asian Folktales, Myths and Legends by Eva Wong Nava
• I Do Not Eat Children by Marcus Cutler
• Ancient Myths Collection Jean Menzies and Matt Ralphs
• Thank You by Jarvis
• Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Abike-Iyimide
• Ancient Greeks by Clive Gifford
• Aya and the Star Chaser by Radiya Hafiza
• The Untameables by Clare Pollard
• A Poetic A-Z of Awesome Animals! By Emilie Lauren Jones
• How to Teach Grown-Ups About Climate Change by Patricia Daniels
• Extreme Weather for Kids by Matthew Cappucci
• Poetry Comics by Grant Snider
• The Whisperwicks by Jordan Lees
• Smile by Lauren Child
• We Are the Wibbly! By Sarah Tagholm
• The Vanquishers: Secret of the Reaping by Kalynn Bayron
• A Mind Full of Murder by Derek Landy
• Fireborn: Starling and the Cavern of Light by Aisling Fowler

March 2024 books of the month

• Fiction:  Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Abike-Iyimide
• Nonfiction:  How to Teach Grown-Ups About Climate Change by Patricia Daniels
• Picture book:  Elki is Not My Dog by Elena Arevalo Melville

Part 2
STEM and science fiction books for children. 

New book pitches: There was an Old Woman who Followed a Spy! by Tommy Furmato; Luna and Helio The Eclipse by Gina Keulemans; Insects, Bugs and Rock and Roll by Alex Brooks; I Can Be An Astronaut by Dr Katy Chisenga-Phillipps

Part 3
BookTok - a blessing or a curse?

Credits and licensing
3rd party sounds are licensed. Audit: https://bit.ly/3TFkwsl .

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 17

For transcripts, resources, show notes and contact details, see https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-17/

Part 1
Book post

• Meet the Wildlings by Gwen Millward
• The Best You by Nima Patel
• I Love You to the Moon and Back: All Year Long by Amelia Hepworth
• Nikhil and Jay by Chitra Soundar
• The Shape of Rainbows by Neal Zetter
• Diamond Jack: Your Magic Or Your Life by Anna Rainbow
• The Floating Witch Mystery by Nicki Thornton
• Winner Takes Gold by Eloise Smith
• Beastlands: Race to Frostfall Mountain by Jess French
• How Do Meerkats Order Pizza by Brooke Barker
• Love is in the Little Things by Stella J Jones and Jane Massey
• Signed Sealed Dead by Cynthia Murphy

Rundown - top 30 children's and YA books to buy in February 2024

• Bronte Tempestra and the Lightning Steeds by Bex Hogan
• Habitats by Hannah Pang and Isobel Lundie
• Peng and Spanners by Steve Webb
• Red Sky at Night; Poet's Delight by Alex Wharton
• The Time Travellers: Adventure Calling by Sufiya Ahmed
• Feather by M. G. Leonard
• The Glorious Race of Magical Beasts by Alex Bell
• Mo's Best Friend: A Stone-Age Story by Bridget Marzo
• On Silver Tides by Sylvia Bishop
• It's Time to Hush and Say Good Night by Chitra Soundar
• Paper Dragons by Siobhan McDermott
• Yomi and the Power of the Yumboes by Davina Tijani
• A Cure Ever After by Angharad Walker
• Queerbook by Malcolm MacKenzie
• Blue's Planet: Australia by Lucy McRobert
• Most Haunted Theatres by Yvette Fielding
• Goddess Crown by Shade Lapite
• Soren's Seventh Song by Dave Eggers
• Measuring Me by Nicola Kent
• Dim Sum Palace by X Fang
• The Crayons Love our Planet by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers
• The Bad Ones by Melissa Albert
• Little Chick by Petr Horacek
• Marnie Midnight and the Moon Mystery by Laura Ellen Anderson
• National Trust: Blossom Origami by Nick Robinson
• Where the Dark Stands Still by A.B. Poranek
• Miss Cat by Jean-Luc Fromental and Joelle Jolivet
• Supertato: Eviltato vs Superpea by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet
• Finding Hope by Nicola Baker

February 2024 books of the month

• Fiction:  A Cure Ever After by Angharad Walker
• Nonfiction:  Measuring Me by Nicola Kent
• Picture book:  The Crayons Love Our Planet by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers

Part 2
LGBT books for children (https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/books-for-topics/lgbtqia-themed-books-for-primary-school-aged-children/)and LGBT books for teens (https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/books-for-topics/lgbtqia-fiction-for-secondary-aged-children-and-teens-aged-11/)

New book pitches: There was an Old Woman who Followed a Spy! by Tommy Furmato; Cable Goes Camping by Lorna Chantelle Scott

Part 3
Why school libraries are so important to children's learning. 

Credits and licensing
3rd party sounds are licensed. Audit: https://bit.ly/3TFkwsl .

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 16

For transcripts, resources, show notes and contact details, see https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-16/.

Part 1
Book post

• Glassborn by Peter Bunzl
• Amazing Octopus by Michael Stavaric and Michele Ganser
• Do You Remember? by Sydney Smith
• Fate of the Argosi by Sebastien de Castell
• Rise Up and Sing! by Andrea Warner and Louise Reimer
• The Undying of Obedience Wellrest by Nicholas Bowling
• The Girl Who Became a Fish by Polly Ho-Yen
• Growing Up Powerful Journal by Nona Willis Aronowitz
• My Nature Trail! by Rachel Lawston and Paul Lawston
• Evolution by Sarah Darwin & Eva Maria Sadowski
• Not So Little Red Riding Hood by Michael Rosen
• Sala, Mountain Warrior by Wakanyi Hoffman and Onyinye Iwu

Rundown - top 30 children's and YA books to buy in January 2024

• Winner Takes Gold by Eloise Smith
• Signed Sealed Dead by Cynthia Murphy
• Meet the Wildlings by Gwen Millward
• Rainbowsaurus by Steve Antony
• Stitch by Padraig Kenny
• My Brother Plato by George Myerson
• That Self-Same Metal by Brittany N. Williams
• Find Peace in a Poem by Little Tiger
• Roman Soldiers by Tegen Evans
• Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang & LeUyen Pham
• The Shape of Rainbows by Neal Zetter and Will Hughes
• Time Travelling with a Tortoise by Ross Welford
• Northern Soul by Phil Earle
• Little Bang by Kelly McCaughrain
• The Code of Life by Flying Eye Books
• A Cruel Twist of Fate by H. F. Askwith
• The War of the Heavenly Horses by Roland Chambers
• The Troublemakers by Tamzin Merchant
• The Girl Who Sang by Estelle Nadel and Sammy Savos
• The Floating Witch Mystery by Nicki Thornton
• Diamond Jack: Your Magic or Your Life by Anna Rainbow
• Dictionary of Dinosaurs by Dieter Braun
• Destroy the Day by Brigid Kemmerer
• How Do Meerkats Order Pizza? By Brooke Barker
• The Minute Minders by Mary Murphy
• The Best You by Nima Patel & Cally Johnson-Isaacs
• The O.D.D. Squad by Stuart Heritage & Vincent Batignole
• A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft
• Beastlands: Race to Frostfall Mountain by Jess French
• The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland
• Love Is by Sarah Maycock

January 2024 books of the month

• Fiction: Beastlands: Race to Frostfall Mountain by Jess French
• Nonfiction: How Do Meerkats Order Pizza by Brooke Barker
• Picture book: Love is in the Little Things by Stella J Jones and Jane Massey

Part 2
Children's books and books for children - a growing disconnect. 

New book pitches: There was an Old Woman who Followed a Spy! by Tommy Furmato; Luna and Helio The Eclipse by Gina Keulemans; Insects, Bugs and Rock and Roll by Alex Brooks; I Can Be An Astronaut by Dr Katy Chisenga-Phillipps

Part 3
Great gift books - https://bit.ly/4aCoc46 .

Credits and licensing
3rd party sounds are licensed. Audit: https://bit.ly/3TFkwsl .

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 15

For transcripts, resources, show notes and contact details, see https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-15 

Part 1
Book post

•  Britannica's Encyclopedia Infographica
• I Loved You In Another Life by David Arnold
• The Star Whale by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Petr Horáček
• Ancient Love Stories by Emily Hauser, illustrated by Sander Berg
• Storm Dragon by Dianne Hofmeyr and Carol Thompson
• Scarygirl: The Origin Story by Nathan Jurevicius
• Bigg School: Best Friends Forever by Lisa Williamson, illustrated by Jess Bradley
• The Memory Thieves by Dhonielle Clayton
• The Taming of the Cat by Helen Cooper
• Imagine a Garden: Stories of Courage Changing the World by Rina Singh and Hoda Hadadi
• The Wolf Twins by Ewa Jozefkowicz
• The Most Famous Rhinoceros by Dianne Hofmeyr and Simona Mulazzani

Rundown - top 30 children's and YA books to buy in October 2023

• The Observologist by Giselle Clarkson
• Treacle Town by Brian Conaghan.
• Legendary Creatures by Adam Auerbach
• Welcome to the Mysteryverse by Clive Gifford
• How to Chat Chicken by Dr Nick Crumpton
• The Wild by Yuval Zommer
• The Dress in the Window by Robert Tregoning
• A Happy Place by Britta Teckentrup
• Green by Alex Gino
• I Loved You In Another Life by David Arnold
• Where Magic Grows by Onjali Q. Rauf
• The Earthshot Prize by Colin Butfield and Jonnie Hughes
• SCRAP by Guy Bass
• Man-Man and the Tree of Memories by Yaba Badoe
• The Ogre Who Wasn't by Michael Morpurgo
• Begin Again by Oliver Jeffers
• The Nutcracker: And the Mouse King's Christmas Shenanigans by Alex T. Smith
• Beneath by Cori Doerrfeld
• The Great Storm Whale by Benji Davies
• Red is Home by Emma Bettridge
• Bigg School: Best Friends Forever by Lisa Williamson
• Super Space Weekend by Gaelle Almeras
• The Big Dreaming by Michael Rosen
• Bad Hair Day by John Phillips
• Up and Down by Tracey Turner and Jane Burnard
• If You'll Have Me by Eunnie
• Juniper's Christmas by Eoin Colfer
• Brave Little Bear by Steve Small
• Oscar's Lion by Adam Baron
• Rise Up and Sing! by Andrea Warner
• The Panda's Child Jackie Morris and Cathy Fisher

October 2023 books of the month

• Fiction:  | I Loved You In Another Life by David Arnold
• Nonfiction:  | Britannica’s Encyclopedia Infographica
• Picture book:  | The Star Whale by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Petr Horáček

Part 2
How to use Lego to encourage reading skills

New book pitches: Phone Me When You're Home! by Wendy Garvey; Luna and Helio The Eclipse by Gina Keulemans; Insects, Bugs and Rock and Roll by Alex Brooks, illustrated by Hannah Worsley; I Can Be An Astronaut by Dr Katy Chisenga-Phillipps

Part 3
Christmas-themed books - our Christmas topic book list

Credits and licensing
3rd party sounds are licensed. Audit: https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/category/podcasts/#podcast-credits

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 14

For transcripts, resources, show notes and contact details, see https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-14

Part 1
Book post

•  The Final Year by Matt Goodfellow and Joe Todd-Stanton
• All Bodies Are Wonderful by Beth Cox, illustrated by Samantha Meredith
• Butterfly Wings: A Hopeful Story About Climate Anxiety by Samuel Larochelle and Eve Patenaude
• A Bird Day by Eva Lindstroem
• Bing: Sparkle Magic
• The Odd One Out by Britta Teckentrup
• Mrs Owl's Forest School by Seb Braun
• Fodo Dodo Goes Fishing by Edouard Manceau
• River Rescue: A Peanut, Butter & Crackers Story by Paige Braddock
• Monster Stink by Anna Brooke, illustrated by Owen Lindsay
• Her Majesty's League of Remarkable Young Ladies by Alison D. Stegert
• Prey Zone: The Serpent's Lair by Wilbur Smith and Keith Chapman

Rundown - top 30 children's and YA books to buy in September 2023

• More Peas Please! By Tom McLaughlin
• All Bodies Are Wonderful by Beth Cox
• Finding Wonder by Lauren St John
• The Final Year by Matt Goodfellow
• By the Sea: Life Along the Coast by Judith Homoki
• The Shade Tree by Suzy Lee
• Nikhil and Jay: Off to India by Chitra Soundar
• Ivy Newt and the Time Thief by Derek Keilty and Magda Brol
• I Want a Dog by Jon Agee
• Where Can We Go?: A Tale of Four Bears by Dai Yun
• Channel Fear by Lisa Richardson
• The 169-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton
• Prey Zone: The Serpent's Lair by Wilbur Smith
• Five Little Ghosts by Lily Murray
• Ben Rothery's Weird and Wonderful Animals by Ben Rothery
• Who Let the Words Out? by Joshua Seigal
• The Changing Man by Tomi Oyemakinde
• Nightshade Revenge by Anthony Horowitz
• Evolution by Sarah Darwin
• An Atlas of Afterlives by Emily Hawkins
• Bompa's Insect Expedition by David Suzuki
• You Could Be So Pretty by Holly Bourne
• Butterfly Wings by Samuel Larochelle
• Michael Morpurgo's Tales from Shakespeare by Michael Morpurgo
• Oh Maya Gods! By Maz Evans
• Thieves' Gambit by Kayvion Lewis
• Adia Kelbara and the Circle of Shamans by Isi Hendrix
• Imagine a Garden by Rina Singh
• Foxlight by Katya Balen
• Skrimsli by Nicola Davies

September 2023 books of the month

• Fiction:  | The Final Year by Matt Goodfellow and Joe Todd-Stanton
• Nonfiction:  | All Bodies Are Wonderful by Beth Cox, illustrated by Samantha Meredith
• Picture book:  | Butterfly Wings: A Hopeful Story About Climate Anxiety by Samuel Larochelle and Eve Patenaude

Part 2
How to organise an effective quiet reading time

New book pitches: Phone Me When You're Home! by Wendy Garvey, On My Back Paws by Anna Skoyles, Luna and Helio The Eclipse by Gina Keulemans, Why, Oh Why, Am I a Crocodile? by Alex Brooks

Part 3
Halloween - our Halloween book list for children and teens

Credits and licensing
3rd party sounds are licensed. Audit: https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/category/podcasts/#podcast-credits

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 13

For transcripts, resources, show notes and contact details, see https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-13 

Part 1
Book post

•  The Last Tiger by Petr Horáček
• Against the Odds: The Incredible Struggles of 20 Great Adventurers by Alastair Humphreys, illustrated by Pola Mai
• Nowhere Island by Tania Unsworth
• Superquesters: The Case of the Great Energy Robbery by Lisa Moss and Dr Thomas Bernard
• Bob vs the Trousers of Doom by Andy Jones
• Undercover Alien by N.S. Blackman
• Mia and the Traitor of Nubis by Janelle McCurdy
• The Reluctant Vampire Queen Bites Back by Jo Simmons
• The Stolen Songbird by Judith Eagle
• Carnival of the Spider by Kieran Larwood
• There are Reptiles Everywhere by Camilla De la Bedoyere and  Britta Teckentrup
• Secret Sister by Sophie McKenzie

Rundown - top 30 children's and YA books to buy in August 2023

• British Museum: The Plot Against the Emperor by Andy Seed
• Shine by Sarah Asuquo
• Finding Phoebe by Gavin Extence
• The Escape by Ximo Abadia
• The Parade: A Counting Story from 1 to 100! By Joanna McInerney
• Nowhere Island by Tania Unsworth
• The Stolen Songbird by Judith Eagle
• The After School Crime Club by Hayley Webster
• Worrybot by Simon Packham
• A Dinosaur's Day by Elizabeth Gilbert Bedia
• Ghost Orchid by Fiona Lumbers
• Monster Stink by Anna Brooke
• Koku Akanbi and the Heart of Midnight by Maria Motunrayo Adebisi
• Calvin and the Sugar-Apples by Ines F. Oliveira
• Ten-Word Tiny Tales by Joseph Coelho
• The Spectacular Science of Space by Rob Colson
• Rock-a-Bye Rumpus by Julia Donaldson
• How To Say No by Michelle Elman
• Mysteries at Sea: Peril on the Atlantic by A.M. Howell
• The Magic of Forests by Vicky Woodgate
• Why Don't Things Fall Up? by Alom Shaha
• Curious Words for Clever Kids by Sarah Craiggs
• Leif the Unlucky Viking: Saga of the Shooting Star by Gary Northfield
• Mia and the Traitor of Nubis by Janelle McCurdy
• The Vanquishers by Kalynn Bayron
• Norah's Ark by Victoria Williamson
• The Book of Time by Clive Gifford
• Geomancer by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
• Be You! By Karl Newson
• Read, Scream, Repeat by Jennifer Killick
• What's the Big Idea? By Tracey Turner

August 2023 books of the month

• Fiction:  | Nowhere Island by Tania Unsworth
• Nonfiction:  | Against the Odds by Alastair Humphreys, illustrated by Pola Mai
• Picture book:  | The Last Tiger by Petr Horáček
  
  

Part 2
Our thoughts on the DfE's reading framework updates

New book pitches: Katy on Broadway by Ella English, Phone Me When You're Home! by Wendy Garvey, On My Back Paws by Anna Skoyles

Part 3
Transitioning to KS2 - our year 3 book choices. 

Credits and licensing
3rd party sounds are licensed. Audit: https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/category/podcasts/#podcast-credits

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 12

For transcripts, resources, show notes and contact details, see https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-12 

Part 1
Book post

•  Our Rights edited by Jake Hope
• Afterward, Everything was Different by Jairo Buitrago, illustrated by Rafael Yockteng
• What Are You Feeling? by The School of Life
• Stuckie Duckie Balloon by HarperCollins Children's Books
• What's That, Jack? by Cédric Ramadier, illustrated by Vincent Bourgeau
• How the Weather Works by Christiane Dorion and Beverley Young
• Dave Pigeon (Kittens!) by Swapna Haddow, illustrated by Sheena Dempsey
• A Head Full of Magic by Sarah Morrell
• Sing If You Can't Dance by Alexia Casale
• Overemotional by David Fenne
• The Girl Who Grew Wings by Anna Waterworth
• What Will I Discover? By Tanya Lloyd Ky, illustrated by Rachel Qiuqi

Rundown - top 30 children's and YA books to buy in July 2023

• The Teen Witches' Guide to Tarot
• Calling the Whales by Jasbinder Bilan
• I Am Wriggly by Michael Rosen
• Busy Little Fingers: Art by Eva Wong Nava
• The First to Die at the End by Adam Silvera
• Crow by Nicola Skinner
• Dave Pigeon (Kittens!) by Swapna Haddow
• Murder on a School Night by Kate Weston
• One Chance Dance by Efua Traore
• Henri and the Machine by Isabelle Marinov
• Sweet Skies by Robin Scott-Elliot
• Animal Homes: Rainforest by Natasha Durley
• Robin Hood 7: Prisons, Parties & Powerboats by Robert Muchamore
• The Housetrap by Emma Read
• Against the Odds by Alastair Humphreys
• The Wonder Brothers by Frank Cottrell Boyce
• The Exiled by Sarah Daniels
• Animal Homes: Ocean by Natasha Durley
• The Bedtime Boat by Sital Gorasia Chapman
• Lil' Muffin Drops the Mic by Romesh Ranganathan
• Up in the Canopy by James Aldred
• All That's Left to Say by Emery Lord
• Balam and Lluvia's House by Julio Serrano Echeverria
• The Bomb by Didier Alcante
• Bath Time! By Sandra Boynton
• The Skull: A Tyrolean Folktale by Jon Klassen
• One of Us is Back by Karen M. McManus
• League of Thieves by Sarah Crofton
• Alex Neptune, Monster Avenger: Book 3
• A Little Book of the Orchestra by Mary Auld
• Bum or Face by Kari Lavelle

July 2023 books of the month

• Fiction:  | Our Rights! edited by Jake Hope
• Nonfiction:  | What Are You Feeling? by The School of Life
• Picture book:  | Afterward, Everything was Different by Jairo Buitrago & Rafael Yockteng

Part 2
How children's book series can kickstart reading for pleasure.
See our review of How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell.

New book pitches: Katy on Broadway by Ella English, Movie Night with the Wizziwigs by Saxon North-Cornell, On My Back Paws by Anna Skoyles

Part 3
A dive into our list of book series for children and teens

Credits and licensing
3rd party sounds are licensed. Audit: https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/category/podcasts/#podcast-credits

Support the show