Schools across the country have now broken up for the summer holidays and if you are looking for ways to encourage children to enjoy books and stories I hope that some of the books and links I am sharing below will be helpful to you.
The theme for the 2025 Summer Reading Challenge is Story Garden – Adventures in Nature and the Great Outdoors and it is hoped that this will inspire children to tap into a world of imagination through reading, exploring the magical connection between storytelling and nature. This challenge launched on Saturday 21 June 2025 in Scotland and online and on 5th July, in England and Wales. The website includes suggested titles, activities, news, games and quizzes so there is lots available to motivate children to read over the summer.
Books for Topics’ Summer Reading Bingo is an activity that keeps the focus on reading for pleasure experiences rather than specific texts, with activities like make a den and read inside, read in the dark using a torch and read to a pet or a soft toy. Children can choose what they read for the challenges, although the Books for Topics team have included some Summer 2025 recommended children’s books for those looking for new ideas.
The Story Museum Launching The Story Arcade – just in time for the school holidays this award winning museum is launched a new exhibition to the public on Saturday 19th July. The Story Arcade is a new permanent interactive gallery, celebrating the evolution of storytelling through video games. Visitors will discover — and play — landmark games representing milestones in the evolution of one of the world’s most participated-in story forms from early plot-driven classics like Space Invaders to the vast, open-world adventures of modern games such as Never Alone. There will be custom built arcade machines accessible to all.
The John Burningham Estate have just launched a wonderful art competition based on John’s beautiful picture book ‘Seasons‘. https://johnburningham.co.uk/competition/ Children have the chance to win a bundle of picture books and art supplies for their school by designing their own summer meadow collage based on John’s work and can be inspired by three gorgeous films featuring author illustrator, Petr Horáček. This is a lovely idea and is something that may inspire children to be creative this summer. Petr Horáček and Helen Oxenbury will choose the winning designs and the closing date is 8th September.
In addition to this competition the estate are also displaying John Burningham’s original illustrations for Ian Fleming’s classic tale Chitty Chitty Band Bang at a brand new National Trust Mottisfont’s exhibition. This is the first time ever that all the original illustrations are on show together. If you live in the area or are visiting on holiday you may like to find out more on the website here.
And now on to some entertaining books that I hope will make young readers smile this summer…
A brand new series gets off to a enthusiastic start with this jolly interactive detective adventure. The accompanying press release says that Thief at Sea was inspired by the author’s childhood growing up on a cruise ship. Having never cruised in my life I am now wondering what I’ve missed! Told in a diary design format with quizzes and doodle like illustrations by Katie Saunders combined with Emma Swan’s chatty narrative style this should have high appeal for a wide range despite being over 300 pages in length. It would be a good recommendation for children who have enjoyed the Tom Gates series.
Ten year old Silver is the daughter of the deputy cruise ship director and consequently is rather left to her own devices once the ship and its passengers have left port. As these passengers are in the main adults, and frequently older adults, Silver has never had a best friend of her own. This means that she finds it difficult to interact with any children she does meet and is much more at ease with ‘The Gang’ of over eighty year olds who are guests on the ship. As the story unfolds Silver not only decides to try and solve the mystery of some missing watches but also make a best friend resulting in much drama, humour and personal discovery.
Told from Silver’s point of view young readers will no doubt relate to Silver’s predicament and the handling of her attempts to forge friendships raises some interesting points about whether it is wise to change in order to fit in. There are some genuinely funny moments and some of the older characters are wonderfully entertaining however it is the likable Silver who is at the heart of this and I think children will be coming back to find out more in the second of the series. Published by Usborne Books on 3rd July and I should like to thank Fritha Lindqvist for my proof copy.
Pitched at readers aged 7 upwards the Grimwood series is quite frankly enjoyable for anyone of any age who enjoys a giggle. Nadia Shireen turns her focus on the world of politics in this latest instalment of the tales of the Grimwood gang of friends but, fear not, the campaign trail for the new mayor, despite some dastardly doings, is just as jolly as past readers would expect.
Titus has grown weary of his duties as Mayor of Grimwood. The daily grind of caring for all his friends has taken a toll and he wants to follow a long held dream of his own. This is the cue for many of the other characters to put their own names forward as his successor. Which one will do best in the debate? Can any of them cope with the intensive questioning on the podcast? Who will win the popular vote? And most important of all who is the new arrival who says they want to be Mayor? So many questions and Rock the Vote! will answer them all!
There is much to like about this happy story and adults who are keen to encourage children to enjoy books will, I think, enjoy reading Rock the Vote! aloud too. All the regulars appear including the soft hearted fox Ted, the irrepressible Willow the rabbit and of course Sharon the party loving crow. The brilliant illustrations are great fun and add to the humour with many of the plot details conveyed well. With regular asides from Eric the Woodlouse, a ‘completely useless map‘ and pen portraits of each of the characters provided this is an appealing package. The fabulous cover gives potential readers a clue as to what to expect! Published by Simon and Schuster on 31st July. Thank you to Kirsten Grant for my review copy.
Jon Agee’s distinctive illustrative style and deadpan humour is just perfect for this amusing look at friendship and the need for some time and space apart. George the bear and Lenny the rabbit are inseparable best friends and they love it that way. They are never alone and do everything together. Then one day Lenny decides that he needs some quiet time alone. George is utterly mystified by this as an idea. He warns Lenny that he will be lonely and that doing things together is much more fun. However Lenny persists and goes off to ‘be alone’ and George bids him a reluctant goodbye. Lenny enjoys lots of his favourite activities; reading, building with bricks, blowing bubbles and drawing. Then some quiet thinking. His thoughts then wander to his friend George. He wonders how George is coping alone. Luckily he doesn’t have to look far to find out!
This is such a clever portrayal of friendship which will appeal to quite a wide age range. Almost everyone appreciates some time apart from even their closest friends and this book allows children to consider this concept in an age appropriate manner. The expressive illustrations are superb at conveying the changing moods of the two friends and help young children to appreciate the emotions of Lenny and George more easily. The cover showing the two friends mirroring each other’s actions exactly is difficult to resist. Agee has a gift for using his illustrations to tell the story and Lenny’s resolute stance as he stands on the foot of the slide confronting George is wonderful. I wonder how many children will spot George’s hiding place before the reveal too! George and Lenny Are Always Together is a delight of a picture book and highly recommended for children of about 4 upwards. Published by Scallywag Press on 3rd July and I should like to thank Laura Smythe for my review copy. You may enjoy the video below of Jon Agee drawing the two stars of the story.
Two lovely new board books from Priddy Books arrived this month and they are perfect first books for our tiniest readers to enjoy and explore. These chunky little books are perfect for small hands to hold and explore with cut outs, curved edges, tiny patterned ribbon tags for little fingers to latch on to and a mirror to help catch baby’s attention. The bright, striking and bold illustrations depict familiar objects or animals and there are different patterns in contrasting colours to stimulate and encourage interaction.
Small enough to be transportable yet sturdy and able to withstand enthusiastic use these board books are cleverly designed with striking, bold patterns and splashes of colour that babies will love to look at. Research has shown that black and white are the easiest colours for babies to perceive, along with strong blue and red, and that clearly defined graphics improve early recognition. All of these elements are incorporated into these appealing books. The Hello Baby series of books would be perfect presents for a new baby and a lovely way to stimulate babies and encourage interactivity and a familiarity with books from the earliest age.
if you missed my final Reading Matters round up of the school year you may like to catch up with it here as it contains many more book suggestions and helpful links.
The theme for the 2025 Summer Reading Challenge is Story Garden – Adventures in Nature and the Great Outdoors and it is hoped that this will inspire children to tap into a world of imagination through reading, exploring the magical connection between storytelling and nature. This challenge launched on Saturday 21 June 2025 in Scotland and online and on 5th July, in England and Wales. The website includes suggested titles, activities, news, games and quizzes so there is lots available to motivate children to read over the summer.
Books for Topics’ Summer Reading Bingo is an activity that keeps the focus on reading for pleasure experiences rather than specific texts, with activities like make a den and read inside, read in the dark using a torch and read to a pet or a soft toy. Children can choose what they read for the challenges, although the Books for Topics team have included some Summer 2025 recommended children’s books for those looking for new ideas.
The Story Museum Launching The Story Arcade – just in time for the school holidays this award winning museum is launched a new exhibition to the public on Saturday 19th July. The Story Arcade is a new permanent interactive gallery, celebrating the evolution of storytelling through video games. Visitors will discover — and play — landmark games representing milestones in the evolution of one of the world’s most participated-in story forms from early plot-driven classics like Space Invaders to the vast, open-world adventures of modern games such as Never Alone. There will be custom built arcade machines accessible to all.
The John Burningham Estate have just launched a wonderful art competition based on John’s beautiful picture book ‘Seasons‘. https://johnburningham.co.uk/competition/ Children have the chance to win a bundle of picture books and art supplies for their school by designing their own summer meadow collage based on John’s work and can be inspired by three gorgeous films featuring author illustrator, Petr Horáček. This is a lovely idea and is something that may inspire children to be creative this summer. Petr Horáček and Helen Oxenbury will choose the winning designs and the closing date is 8th September.
In addition to this competition the estate are also displaying John Burningham’s original illustrations for Ian Fleming’s classic tale Chitty Chitty Band Bang at a brand new National Trust Mottisfont’s exhibition. This is the first time ever that all the original illustrations are on show together. If you live in the area or are visiting on holiday you may like to find out more on the website here.
And now on to some entertaining books that I hope will make young readers smile this summer…
Cruise Ship Kid: Thief at Sea! by Emma Swan illustrated by Katie Saunders
A brand new series gets off to a enthusiastic start with this jolly interactive detective adventure. The accompanying press release says that Thief at Sea was inspired by the author’s childhood growing up on a cruise ship. Having never cruised in my life I am now wondering what I’ve missed! Told in a diary design format with quizzes and doodle like illustrations by Katie Saunders combined with Emma Swan’s chatty narrative style this should have high appeal for a wide range despite being over 300 pages in length. It would be a good recommendation for children who have enjoyed the Tom Gates series.
Ten year old Silver is the daughter of the deputy cruise ship director and consequently is rather left to her own devices once the ship and its passengers have left port. As these passengers are in the main adults, and frequently older adults, Silver has never had a best friend of her own. This means that she finds it difficult to interact with any children she does meet and is much more at ease with ‘The Gang’ of over eighty year olds who are guests on the ship. As the story unfolds Silver not only decides to try and solve the mystery of some missing watches but also make a best friend resulting in much drama, humour and personal discovery.
Told from Silver’s point of view young readers will no doubt relate to Silver’s predicament and the handling of her attempts to forge friendships raises some interesting points about whether it is wise to change in order to fit in. There are some genuinely funny moments and some of the older characters are wonderfully entertaining however it is the likable Silver who is at the heart of this and I think children will be coming back to find out more in the second of the series. Published by Usborne Books on 3rd July and I should like to thank Fritha Lindqvist for my proof copy.
Grimwood: Rock the Vote! by Nadia Shireen
Pitched at readers aged 7 upwards the Grimwood series is quite frankly enjoyable for anyone of any age who enjoys a giggle. Nadia Shireen turns her focus on the world of politics in this latest instalment of the tales of the Grimwood gang of friends but, fear not, the campaign trail for the new mayor, despite some dastardly doings, is just as jolly as past readers would expect.
Titus has grown weary of his duties as Mayor of Grimwood. The daily grind of caring for all his friends has taken a toll and he wants to follow a long held dream of his own. This is the cue for many of the other characters to put their own names forward as his successor. Which one will do best in the debate? Can any of them cope with the intensive questioning on the podcast? Who will win the popular vote? And most important of all who is the new arrival who says they want to be Mayor? So many questions and Rock the Vote! will answer them all!
There is much to like about this happy story and adults who are keen to encourage children to enjoy books will, I think, enjoy reading Rock the Vote! aloud too. All the regulars appear including the soft hearted fox Ted, the irrepressible Willow the rabbit and of course Sharon the party loving crow. The brilliant illustrations are great fun and add to the humour with many of the plot details conveyed well. With regular asides from Eric the Woodlouse, a ‘completely useless map‘ and pen portraits of each of the characters provided this is an appealing package. The fabulous cover gives potential readers a clue as to what to expect! Published by Simon and Schuster on 31st July. Thank you to Kirsten Grant for my review copy.
George and Lenny Are Always Together by Jon Agee
Jon Agee’s distinctive illustrative style and deadpan humour is just perfect for this amusing look at friendship and the need for some time and space apart. George the bear and Lenny the rabbit are inseparable best friends and they love it that way. They are never alone and do everything together. Then one day Lenny decides that he needs some quiet time alone. George is utterly mystified by this as an idea. He warns Lenny that he will be lonely and that doing things together is much more fun. However Lenny persists and goes off to ‘be alone’ and George bids him a reluctant goodbye. Lenny enjoys lots of his favourite activities; reading, building with bricks, blowing bubbles and drawing. Then some quiet thinking. His thoughts then wander to his friend George. He wonders how George is coping alone. Luckily he doesn’t have to look far to find out!
This is such a clever portrayal of friendship which will appeal to quite a wide age range. Almost everyone appreciates some time apart from even their closest friends and this book allows children to consider this concept in an age appropriate manner. The expressive illustrations are superb at conveying the changing moods of the two friends and help young children to appreciate the emotions of Lenny and George more easily. The cover showing the two friends mirroring each other’s actions exactly is difficult to resist. Agee has a gift for using his illustrations to tell the story and Lenny’s resolute stance as he stands on the foot of the slide confronting George is wonderful. I wonder how many children will spot George’s hiding place before the reveal too! George and Lenny Are Always Together is a delight of a picture book and highly recommended for children of about 4 upwards. Published by Scallywag Press on 3rd July and I should like to thank Laura Smythe for my review copy. You may enjoy the video below of Jon Agee drawing the two stars of the story.
Hello Baby: Animals and Hello Baby: Look at Me
Two lovely new board books from Priddy Books arrived this month and they are perfect first books for our tiniest readers to enjoy and explore. These chunky little books are perfect for small hands to hold and explore with cut outs, curved edges, tiny patterned ribbon tags for little fingers to latch on to and a mirror to help catch baby’s attention. The bright, striking and bold illustrations depict familiar objects or animals and there are different patterns in contrasting colours to stimulate and encourage interaction.
Small enough to be transportable yet sturdy and able to withstand enthusiastic use these board books are cleverly designed with striking, bold patterns and splashes of colour that babies will love to look at. Research has shown that black and white are the easiest colours for babies to perceive, along with strong blue and red, and that clearly defined graphics improve early recognition. All of these elements are incorporated into these appealing books. The Hello Baby series of books would be perfect presents for a new baby and a lovely way to stimulate babies and encourage interactivity and a familiarity with books from the earliest age.
if you missed my final Reading Matters round up of the school year you may like to catch up with it here as it contains many more book suggestions and helpful links.