School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 37

For transcripts, resources & show notes: https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-37/

Part 1
Book post

• Hot Food Nice! by Michael Rosen
• What If Every Volcano Erupted at Once? by Emma Young
• Snow by Meera Trehan
• The Turtle Who Turned the Tide by Rachel Bright and Jim Field
• Harmony House by Monika Singh Gangotra
• You Think You Know Everything About Space? by Sam Hutchinson
• Flora Stormer and the Wishing Stone by Isabella Harcourt
• The Snow Girl by Sophie Anderson
• Ella Jones vs the Battle Noise by Lucy Edwards
• A Sequence of Cosmic Accidents by S. A Reyhani
• No One Keeps a Secret by Denise Brown
• Searching for the Remarkable in Things by Natalie Lucy
• How NOT to Kiss a Prince by B Wheeler
• The Obsession by Natasha Preston

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

• The Night I Borrowed Time by Iqbal Hussain
• Magpie Girl by Rowan Foxwood
• At the End of Everything by Marieke Nijkamp
• The Big Green by Ken Wilson-Max
• The Spectacular Space Loop by Javi De Castro
• Small Poems for Big Imaginations by Neal Zetter
• The Amazing Generation by Catherine Price
• Tyrannosaurus Veg by Smriti Halls
• Nadia Islam, on the Record by Adiba Jaigirdar
• School Inspectors! by Farhana Islam
• The Golden Boy's Guide to Bipolar by Sonora Reyes
• From AI to Wi‑Fi by Craig Steele & Terri Po
• Tickets for Murder by Niyla Farook
• Tree Thing by Piers Torday & Matthew Taylor Wilson
• Beth Is Dead by Katie Bernet
• Scarlet Saves the Multiverse by James Davis
• The Golden Monkey Mystery by Piu DasGupta
• Sadie Jones and the Ball by Sally Nicholls & Ashley King
• Everything You Know About Birds Is Wrong! by Dr Nick Crumpton
• Clem Fatale Has Been Upstaged by Eve Wersocki Morris
• The Year of the Tiger by Eric Huang
• Goldilocs by Ella McLeod
• Shirley vs the Huge Beast by Tor Freeman
• The Terrible Trio by Swapna Haddow
• How the Other Half Kill by P.C Roscoe
• The Dad Trap by Ian Eagleton
• Escape from the Child Snatchers by Sufiya Ahmed
• The Lost Dragon of Roar by Jenny McLachlan
• Quill and the Last Generation by C.M Lewis
• The Monsters at the End of the World by Rebecca Orwin
• New You For Ever by Steve Cole

January 2025 books of the month

• Fiction: Small Poems for Big Imaginations by Neal Zetter
• Nonfiction: How to Survive an Apocalypse by Coby Coonradt
• Picture book: Tree Thing by Piers Torday & Matthew Taylor Wilson

Part 2
New children's and YA books in spring 2026

New book pitches: The Collaborator by TG Trouper, Grandpa’s Magical Shop by Heather Nicholls, Mandy Is Still a Banana by Zoe Arena

Part 3
How author visits can make a big impact in schools

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

Support the show

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?

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