Summer Reading
Tales by Mail |Reading Recommendations
Summer is finally here – and there’s not long to go before the summer holidays! We know that many young bookworms will be participating in summer reading challenges, or needing to pack books of their holidays, so here are eleven brilliant summery books to read this in the sunshine!
1 | THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS BY RASHMI SIRDESHPANDE:
Kenneth Grahame’s 1908 children’s book is undoubtedly a classic – and now Rashmi Sirdeshpande has adapted this delightful tale for younger readers. Now, children ages 5+ can enjoy the adventures of Moley, Ratty, Badger and Toad of Toad Hall alongside beautiful illustrations by Jojo Clinch.
2 | WHO MAKES A FOREST? BY SALLY NICHOLS:
An insight into how forests are made told through the story of two children walking through the woodland with their Grandpa. Grandpa tells the tale of how the forest came to be, with the help of some stunning illustrations by Carolina Rabei. Plus, readers can enjoy an educational section about the importance of forests and why we must protect them.
3 | THE ANIMAL LIGHTHOUSE BY ANTHONY BURT :
Since the day that baby Jim arrived on a Caribbean island in a washed up barrel, he's spent his life amongst the island animals - helping them to run the lighthouse that keeps their island a secret! So when the bulb filaments of the lighthouse are stolen, the island and its occupants are in grave danger – especially with the pirate ship looming on the horizon…
4 | REX: DINOSAUR IN DISGUISE BY ELYS DOLAN :
The first book in a new series by award-winning author Elys Dolan! Rex the dinosaur wakes up in the modern world after being frozen in a glacier for millions of years and finds himself in trouble. Dinosaurs are supposed to be extinct and in order to avoid a life in captivity Rex must go undercover! With the help of a cunningly disguised bigfoot, a devious dodo and a lifeguard Loch Ness monster, Rex learns how to blend in… beginning with getting a job!
5 | ME, MY BROTHER AND THE MONSTER MELTDOWN BY ROB LLOYED JONES:
The world is turned upside down after various unusual looking monsters begin wreaking havoc in supermarkets across the nation. None of the grown-ups know what to do – even the Prime Minister has gone into hiding – but nine-year-old Otis knows the truth: the monsters were drawn into creation by his little brother Jago. When the adults don’t believe him, Otis must save the country from Jago’s monsters himself!
6 | HEDGEWITCH BY SKYE MCKENNA:
After seven years at a miserable boarding school, Cassie Morgan runs away with the hope of finding her missing mother. In the village of Hedgely, she meets the Hedgewitch, who oversees where England and the Faerie world meet. The Hedqewitch teaches Cassie witchcraft, but will that be enough to protect them from the sinister world of Faerie – and the evil Erl King?
7 | ALEX NEPTUNE, DRAGON THIEF BY DAVID OWEN:
In an abandoned aquarium, Alex Neptune discovers a captured water dragon in dire need of assistance. But how is a boy who is terrified of the sea supposed to save a ginormous serpent? Against the odds, with the help of his friends Zoey and Amil, , as well as various sea creatures with bizarre but useful skills, he embarks on a quest to free the dragon…
8 | THE WONDROUS PRUNE BY ELLIE CLEMENTS:
Eleven-year-old Prune Robinson has a lot of deal with – she has a new town to adapt to and faces bullying at school. Plus, with her mother working so hard, Prune doesn't want to burden her with more worries. Then, she develops the ability to draw things into existence and she realises she must come to term with her powers (and her changing world) in order to save her family.
9 | THE INSIDERS BY CATH HOWE:
After an attempt at a practical joke ends in disaster, best friends Callie, Zara and Nico become estranged from the fourth member of their group, Ted. Then they unearth a mystery at their school: a stranger has secretly been living in the building. Can they solve the mystery? Even if it means doing so without Ted…
10 | ZO AND THE FOREST OF SECRETS BY ALAKE PILGRIM:
When Zo runs away from home and takes refuge in the forest that she has known all her life, she's sure she's found a safe place. But as she journeys deeper into the woods she discovers that there are many secrets hiding among the trees. Can she escape the monsters on her heels, solve the puzzle of a lost boy and uncover the truth behind an abandoned facility? Or, will she be trapped in the forest forever?
11 | SEED BY CARYL LEWIS:
It's Marty’s birthday and that means birthday presents! While Marty’s mum keeps everything, eve, it it’s broken or full of holes, Marty doesn’t have many presents himself, so it’s extra-exciting when Grandad gives him a magical seed as a birthday gift. The seed won’t stop growing, and before long Marty, Grandad and his best friend Gracie are whisked away on a fantastical adventure!
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