School Reading List

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 45

For transcripts, resources & show notes: https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-45/

Part 1
Book post

• Bang!: Join the adventures of a boy and his grandad! by Sam Usher
• I Saw a Tree by Kes Gray, illustrated by Jim Field
• How to Scare Blue Monster by Petr Horáček
• The Search for Our Cosmic Neighbours by Chloe Savage
• Who Said Boo? by Jeanne Willis, illustrated by Brian Fitzgerald
• A Smile by Raoul Follereau, illustrated by Hoda Hadadi
• Frankenkitty by Maudie Powell-Tuck, illustrated by Mini Grey
• Rapunzel is a Lettuce: Poems to Grow With by Joseph Coelho, illustrated by Shirley Hottier
• Behind the Scenes by Hannah Cockayne, illustrated by Åsa Gilland
• Ghost and Toast: Slice to Meet You! by Phil Corbett
• Grimwood: The Fast and the Furriest by Nadia Shireen
• Olivia Shivers: Spooky Special Agent by Derek Keilty, illustrated by Louis Ghibault
• Earth Ever After by Elin Manon
• How to Do (Almost) Everything by Becky Baines, illustrated by Laurie Avon
• Dead Yard: Deep Trouble by P.J. Killburn, illustrated by Markia Jenai
• When the Birds Wake Up by Jessica Ellis, illustrated by Sophie Burrows
• Cleopatra’s Amulet by Lindsay Galvin
• The Wildcat and the Gathering Storm by Lui Sit, illustrated by David Dean
• The Courage to Be Yourself by Fumitake Koga
• Hawk & Sparrow by Ayana Gray
• A Witch’s Guide to Love and Deception by Aamna Qureshi
• Are You Still Watching by Kelechi Okafor
• Anger Is Only a Shadow by Elizabeth Acevedo

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

• How to Understand and Apply AI by Sam Hutchinson, illustrated by Ste Johnson
• Mirabelle and the Potions Fair by Harriet Muncaster
• Moth the Veggie Vampire by Dotty Sutton
• The Notted Island by Katherine Child
• Game of Pets by Aaron Blabey
• Girl with a Sabretooth Tiger by Jasbinder Bilan
• The Sky We Share by Laura Knowles, illustrated by Mariana Ruiz Johnson
• Poop Stars by Emer Stamp, illustrated by Monika Filipina
• Dawn Horse by Grahame Baker-Smith
• The Moonlight Dragon by Liz Flanagan
• The Raven's Gift by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, illustrated by Tom de Freston
• Filthy by Lucy Cuthew
• The Age of Fury by John Stephens
• Swim, Little Otter by Tom McCaughren and Erika McGann
• The Soulmate Bakery by Safa Ahmed
• Building 903 by Lois Lowry
• The Grand Bug Hotel by Ziggy Hanaor, illustrated by Ollie Silvester
• Dungeon Runners: Forest Frenzy by Kieran Larwood
• I Wonder If I'm Growing by Raffi, illustrated by Jon Klassen
• Aberfan: A Family Story by Jack Lewis
• Hometown by Shaun Tan
• The Christmas Book by Katherine Woodfine, illustrated by Lizzy Stewart
• SPYGLASS: Coldfinger by David Solomons
• Fear Files: A Trick of the Light by Christopher Edge
• A Scrap of Moss and Magick by Helen Parry
• Big Thoughts: Catch and Release Your Worries by Laura Dockrill
• Where Snow Angels Go by Maggie O'Farrell
• The Paper Girl by Caryl Lewis
• Yearning Difficulties by Elle McNicoll
• One Last Scare by Bill Wood
• Follow Me Moon by Colleen Larmour

September 2026 books of the month

• Fiction: Yearning Difficulties by Elle McNicoll
• Nonfiction: Mountain, Boulder, Pebble, Sand by Rebecca Van Slyke
• Picture book: Desert Flowers by Jairo Buitrago

Part 2

K-Pop books for children and teens

New book pitches: Reading Laughing Learning series by Thomas Heinrichs, Leo and the Dragon of Sound by Stephanie Thomas & Bibble Bobble Wibble Wobble by Terence Begnor

Part 3
Should Every School Be Legally Required to Have a Library?

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

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 44

For transcripts, resources & show notes: https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-44/

Part 1
Book post

• The First Works of Shakespeare by Adam Thompson
• Beacons of Light by Gemma Koomen
• Hell to Pay by Lora Beth Johnson
• Ziggy the Caterpillar's Zigzag Adventure by Beatrice Simpkiss
• Small Stanley's Big List of Scary Stuff by Angie Morgan
• The Sound of a Smile by Louise Greig and David Litchfield
• Duck Delivers . . . Cake! by Tom Tinn-Disbury
• Captain Sunshine by Alex Milway
• Cats! Cats! Cats! by Susan Martineau, illustrated by Vicky Barker
• The Wood Where Stories Sing by Andy Shepherd, illustrated by Ellie Snowdon
• They Sent a Cat to Saturn by Valerie Bloom, illustrated by Ken Wilson-Max
• Weather, Camera, Action! by Liam Dutton and Giordano Poloni
• Diary of a Number One Superfan by Pamela Butchart, illustrated by Gemma Correll
• The Summer My Wishes Came True by Radhika Sanghani
• The Silver Dwarf by Victor Kloss
• The Horse Dreamer by Holly Surplice
• How to Steal the Future by Christopher Edge
• Elfie’s Spellbook by Christophe Arleston and Audrey Alwett, illustrated by Mini Ludvin, translated by Anam Zafar
• Evie in Venice by Bruna De Luca
• Augusta Pine Does Not Exist by Emily Lloyd-Jones
• Local Gods by Melinda Salisbury
• Blood of Gods and Girls by Katja Kaine
• Where Lost Girls Go by Kody Keplinger
• Heledd's Song by Fiona Collins
• Thornbird by E. Kennedy 

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

• A House Made of Books by Frankie Gritton
• The Handbook of Forgotten Skills... Outdoors by Iron Tazz
• Myths of Japan by Masako Carey
• Body by DK
• I Am Going To Jump This Log by Stephanie Stansbie
• Elementals: Peo Saves the Trees by Love Ssega
• We Became Wild by H. D. Carver
• Thorn by A.F. Harrold
• War by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin
• Aviarium by Dominic Couzens, illustrated by Teagan White
• Then We’ll Be Happy by Alan Carrigan
• The Waking Wood by Alexi Francis
• Princess (Apparently) by Siren Knight
• My Bayeux Tapestry by Olivier Latyk
• Neverlast by Sue H. Cunningham
• The Flying Machine of Dreams by Kate Wakeling
• Bison Rule, OK! by Sarah Ziman
• The Green Child by Hollie Hughes
• The Sign of the Raven by Pippa Dunn
• A History of the City by Leo Hollis
• No Tune Ned by Oliver Lendon
• The Weirdest Thing of All by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Ed Vere
• The Neverfear by Katherine Rundell
• Cut Him Out in Little Stars by Lucy Strange
• Jamaal Target: PHANTOM Agent by Isaac Hamilton-McKenzie
• Traitors’ Nest by Frances Hardinge
• All the Queens’ Curses by Alyssa Hollingsworth
• Natural Selection by Clare Edge
• Revolution! by Dr Joan Lennon
• Into the Dark: Adventures of Night-time Animals by Saskia Gwinn
• Spindlewood by Freddie Kölsch

August 2026 books of the month

• Fiction: Traitors' Nest by Frances Hardinge
• Nonfiction: Aviarium by Teagan White and Dominic Couzens
• Picture book: The Waking Wood by Alexi Francis

Part 2

Books to read during school detentions

New book pitches: Reading Laughing Learning series by Thomas Heinrichs, Leo and the Dragon of Sound by Stephanie Thomas & Bibble Bobble Wibble Wobble by Terence Begnor

Part 3
Reading for Pleasure should be reading without surveillance, monitoring, or comparison

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

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 43

For transcripts, resources & show notes: https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-43/

Part 1
Book post

• Lily Tripp: Diary of an Accidental Time Traveller by Amelia Tait
• Pop-Up Dinosaurium by Chris Wormell
• Bart is Different by Barroux
• Biguana: And His Best Friend Pinto by Michael Parkin
• Again! said Rabbit by Marjoke Henrichs
• Max and the Haircut by Samareh Azardi
• The Blue Tomato by Amber Aü
• Are You Looking At Me? by Philip Ardagh, illustrated by Enrico Lorenzi
• The Old Man and the Penguin by Julie Abery and Pierre Pratt
• Superheroes in the Park by Ian Eagleton and Hayley Wells
• Food For All by Mary Hoffman and Ros Asquith
• The Fawn Who Chased The Sun by Joanna McInerney, Phung Nguyen Quang and Huynh Thi Kim Lien
• G.O.A.T.: The Greatest of All Time! by Karelle Tobias, illustrated by Harry Briggs
• Tales of the Cobb Street Commandos by Tony Bradman
• Wildheart by Bec Manser
• The Othernauts by Clare Pollard
• Wishbound by Clemency Brown
• Honey, I Ate the Kids by Kerry Hyndman and Mike Hills
• Transcendent: Forgotten Earth by Patrick Gallagher
• Bone Head: Guardian of the Underworld by Jamie Gregory
• Strike by Mitch Johnson
• The Curator's Collection: An A to Z of Fungi by Ester Gaya, illustrated by Katie Scott
• Six Weeks by Matt Goodfellow
• A Flood of Memories by Nadia Mikail
• Winners and Liars by Aleema Omotoni
• Libertad by Cassandra James
• The Heirs by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
• Shadow Reaper by Lynette Noni
• Fake Out Make Out by Kate Williams

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

• The First Works of Shakespeare by Adam Thompson
• The Summer My Wishes Came True by Radhika Sanghani 
• How to Lose Yourself Completely by Peter Bognanni 
• Othello by William Shakespeare 
• How to Steal the Future by Christopher Edge 
• Captain Sunshine by Alex Milway 
• Evie in Venice by Bruna De Luca 
• Blood of Gods and Girls by Katja Kaine 
• Beacons of Light by Gemma Koomen 
• Thornbird by E. Kennedy 
• Ziggy the Caterpillar’s Zigzag Adventure by Beatrice Simpkiss 
• They Sent a Cat to Saturn by Valerie Bloom 
• Ray by Marianna Coppo 
• Where Lost Girls Go by Kody Keplinger 
• Us and Them by James Carter 
• Eternally Yours by Anika Hussain 
• The Sound of a Smile by Louise Greig 
• When I Was a Wolf by Liz Flanagan 
• Outlaws by E. L. Norry 
• And Now We Run by Nicola Penfold 
• Elfie's Spellbook by Christophe Arleston & Audrey Alwett 
• Heledd's Song by Fiona Collins 
• Mysterious Things by Andy J. Pizza & Sophie Miller 
• A Day Off School by Oliver Jeffers 
• Murder at the Mansion by Paul Westmoreland 
• Step Inside Homes Through History by Goldie Hawk 
• Zero Override by Steve Blackman
• Hell to Pay by Lora Beth Johnson 
• My Big Fat Smelly Poo Diary 5: The Phantom Pooper by Jim Smith 
• Diary of a Number One Superfan by Pamela Butchart 
• Weather, Camera, Action! by Liam Dutton

July 2026 books of the month

• Fiction: Hell to Pay by Lora Beth Johnson
• Nonfiction: Beacons of Light by Gemma Koomen
• Picture book: The First Works of Shakespeare by Adam Thompson

Part 2
Books for teenage boys who don’t like reading

New book pitches: Reading Laughing Learning series by Thomas Heinrichs, Leo and the Dragon of Sound by Stephanie Thomas & Bibble Bobble Wibble Wobble by Terence Begnor

Part 3
What happens when children spend the book budget?

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

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 42

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

Part 1
Book post

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

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

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

June 2026 books of the month

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

Part 2
Books to support International Transgender Day of Visibility

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

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

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

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 41

For transcripts, resources & show notes: https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-41/

Part 1
Book post

• Dead Straight Line by Malcolm Duffy
• How to Question Everything by Susan Martineau and Vicky Barker
• The Dream by Gideon Sterer and Nik Henderson
• Camping in the Wild by Nicholas Oldland
• We Can Be Mermaids by Lanisha Butterfield
• Moon’s Lullaby by Júlia Moscardó
• Nico the Donkey’s New Home by Elena Mannion and Erin Brown
• Glam & Beardy by Ruby Clyde and Rachel WD
• SPYGLASS by David Solomons
• The House with Chicken Legs Runs Away by Sophie Anderson
• Peregrine Quinn and the Battle for Olympus by Ash Bond
• The Protectors by Victor Kloss
• A Million Tiny Missiles All At Once by Lucas Maxwell
• The Last Death Poet by Stephen Daly
• The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss

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

• Astrophysics for Supervillains by Matthew Bothwell 
• The Hospital for Mythological Creatures by Cathy Evans & Ed Brown
• Dragonflare by Jamie Hammond 
• This Boy I Hardly Know by Lisa Heathfield 
• The Ice Cream Crocodile by Mariesa Dulak 
• Koroba: The Case of the Missing Kolo by Alaba Onajin 
• Marcie and Giraffe by Kim Gregory 
• Princess Pete by Zoey Allen 
• Max and Ella, Stuck Together by Kristina Rahim 
• SuperQuesters Mission: Desert Danger by Paul Ian Cross 
• Aardvark Day by Victoria Gatehouse & Kate Lucy Foster 
• Buzz by Richard Jones 
• Reach In! by Hervé Tullet 
• Rise of the Goblin Queen by Francesco Bedini & Stefano Tambellini 
• In the Theatre by Tove Jansson 
• Stormbringer by Tig Wallace 
• The Little Cook's Handbook by Lizzie Mabbott
• A Sister Like You by Sarah Hagger-Holt 
• Like A Brother by Nathanael Lessore 
• Lies We Told This Summer by Emily Barr 
• All in the Mind by Gill Arbuthnott 
• Goldenborn by Ama Ofosua Lieb 
• Tadpole Summer by Catherine Bruton 
• If the Invader Comes by Tom Palmer 
• Your Murder Next by Ravena Guron 
• Where the Tide Lines Lead by Sophie Cameron 
• Lily Tripp by Amelia Tait
• What If?: Grow Your Imagination by Tom Schamp 
• Broken by X. Fang 
• I Want by Ziggy Hanaor 
• The Ministry of Manners by David Solomons

May 2025 books of the month

• Fiction: A Sister Like You by Sarah Hagger-Holt
• Nonfiction: Nature is the Answer by Chris Packham
• Picture book: Koroba: The Case of the Missing Kolo by Àlàbá Ònájìn

Part 2
Piper at the Gates of Dusk by Patrick Ness

New book pitches: A Poem A Day by Tara Ali, Dyrne Hill by Chris Dewar & Sally the Spider’s new shoes by Clodagh Ryan

Part 3
Will the government's new reading assessments undermine the National Year of Reading?

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

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 40

For transcripts, resources & show notes: https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-40/

Part 1
Book post

•  I Am Ray's Imaginary Friend by Brian Moses
• Locked in the Museum by Leisa Stewart-Sharpe
• Mo's Stick by Fiona Lumbers
• Tick Tock Around the Clock by Ruth Brown
• Sea Safari by Julie Sykes and Emily Jones
• Marty Moose: The Great Stamp-ede by Claire Powell
• The Elementals: Wanzu Sets Sail by Love Ssega and Erika Meza
• Cruise Ship Kid: Kidnap at Sea! by Emma Swan
• On the Streets of New York by Sarah Kay and Ryan Johnson
• The Cheat Book (Vol.3) by Ramzee
• Always Angel by Kimberly Whittam
• Made for Each Other by Georgina Taylor
• Dragonborn by Struan Murray
• War & Peas by Robert Muchamore
• Burn the Water by Billy Ray
• All the Cursed Creatures by Amie Jordan
• When I Was Death by Alexis Henderson 

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

• The Last Death Poet by Stephen Daly
• What Stephen Lawrence Has Taught Us by Benjamin Zephaniah
• How to Question Everything by Susan Martineau & Vicky Barker
• Nico the Donkey's New Home by Elena Mannion
• Camping in the Wild by Nicholas Oldland
• SPYGLASS: Mastermind of Mayhem by David Solomons
• Piper at the Gates of Dusk by Patrick Ness
• Two is a Crowd by Cath Howe
• Wide Eye by Jennifer Liss
• Dead Straight Line by Malcolm Duffy
• A Million Tiny Missiles All at Once by Lucas Maxwell
• Kamizen: Fortress of Lost Memories by William Dobson
• Guinea Pig Rescue by Pamela Butchart
• Saving Species by Jess French
• Wild Footprints by Judy Wise
• Once Upon a Time in the Woods by Anthony Browne
• Whale Song by Nicola Davies
• Once Upon a Planet by Pierrick Graviou
• How to Build a Chocolate Bridge by Roma Agrawal
• Izzy Dobson is Definitely Different by Abigail Balfe
• Survival Show by Juno Dawson
• My Art Book of Peace by Shana Gozansky
• Song I Wrote for Charlotte by Caitlin Devlin
• The Seriously Epic Holiday of Lottie Brooks by Katie Kirby
• Lost by Tom Adams, Daniela Martin Del Campo
• The Whisperwicks: The Vanished Key by Jordan Lees
• Hercules vs the Minotaur by Tom Vaughan
• The House with Chicken Legs Runs Away by Sophie Anderson
• The World's Last Mammoth and Other Missing Marvels by Mike Barfield & Franziska Hollbacher
• Woodlore by Kevin Parr

April 2026 books of the month

• Fiction: Dead Straight Line by Malcolm Duffy
• Nonfiction: How to Question Everything by Susan Martineau & Vicky Barker
• Picture book: The Dream by Gideon Sterer & Nik Henderson

Part 2
Cricket books

New book pitches: Little Poets: A Poem A Day by Tara Ali, Ask To Learn Booklets by Anjennis Walrond & Sally the Spider’s new shoes by Clodagh Ryan

Part 3
How to spot which books will appeal to 14-16+ year olds based on social media trends

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

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 39

For transcripts, resources & show notes: https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-39/

Part 1
Book post

• Carnival Fantástico by Angela Montoya
• Insectarium Junior Edition by Emily Carter and Dave Goulson
• When Tad Kicked Vlad by Julian Gough and Ross Collins
• Don't Do It, Doug by Maudie Powell-Tuck
• I Am Strong Just Being Me by Laura Dockrill and Kip Alizadeh
• Happy Hills: Cheesy Bob Strikes! by Sophy Henn
• The Great Glacier Hotel Heist by Meg McLaren
• Detective Stanley and the Green Thumbed Thief by Hannah Tunnicliffe
• The Galaxy World Cup by Alan Joyce
• How to Speak and Be Heard by Sam Hutchinson and Vicky Barker
• Stitch Head by Guy Bass
• The Last Wolf by Rob Biddulph
• Mixed by Emma Slade Edmondson
• Boy vs Reality by James Fox
• Escape! by Sophie McKenzie
• Day of Now by Miranda Reason
• Control Alter Delete by K. L. Kettle
• Red Star Rebels by Amie Kaufman

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

• Tick Tock Around the Clock by Ruth Brown
• Her Hidden Fire by Clíodhna O’Sullivan
• I Am Ray's Imaginary Friend by Brian Moses, illustrated by Bethan Welby
• The STEM Encyclopedia of Wildlife Words by Jenny Jacoby
• Mr Norton’s New Truck by Huw Lewis Jones
• The Elementals: Wanzu Sets Sail by Love Ssega
• The Whale That Sings in the Deep by Yuval Zommer
• Big Brilliant World by Matt Ralphs
• On The Streets of New York by Sarah Kay & Ryan Johnson
• When I Was Death by Alexis Henderson
• War and Peas by Robert Muchamore
• All the Cursed Creatures by Amie Jordan
• Death by Chocolate by Anna Brooke
• The Future Book by Mac Barnett
• Big Words by Luke Palmer
• Keeping Possession by Eve Ainsworth
• The Aztecs by DK
• Lost Robot by Joe Todd-Stanton
• The Big Book of Pi by Jean-Baptiste Aubin & Anita Lehmann
• The Story of Art Without Men by Katy Hessel
• The Mubbles by Liz Pichon
• A Degree in a Book: Physics by Sidney Perkowitz
• Kidnap at Sea! by Emma Swan
• Fang Attack by Kieran Larwood & Joe Todd-Stanton
• Rise of the Badbots! by Jack Noel
• Monkeypig by Huw Aaron
• The Overthinkers’ Club by Nat Luurtsema
• Burn the Water by Billy Ray
• These Shattered Spires by Cassidy Ellis Salter
• A Soul Full of Shadows by Derek Landy
• Dave Vs Dave! by Swapna Haddow

March 2026 books of the month

• Fiction: I am Ray's Imaginary Friend by Brian Moses, illustrated by Bethan Welby
• Nonfiction: Locked in the Museum by Leisa Stewart-Sharpe
• Picture book: Mo's Stick by Fiona Lumbers

Part 2
Survival and bushcraft books

New book pitches: Little Poets: A Poem A Day by Tara Ali, Ask To Learn Booklets by Anjennis Walrond & Sally the Spider’s new shoes by Clodagh Ryan

Part 3
“Only 10% of boys aged 14-16 read daily for pleasure”. What can we as teachers do about it?

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

Support the show

School Reading List podcast hosted by Tom Tolkien

Season 1: Episode 38

For transcripts, resources & show notes: https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/podcasts/series-1-episode-38/

Part 1
Book post

• Small Poems for Big Imaginations by Neal Zetter, illustrated by Will Hughes
• How to Survive an Apocalypse by Coby Coonradt and Cameron Hardy, illustrated by Victoria Stebleva
• Tree Thing by Piers Torday, illustrated by Matthew Taylor 
• Tyrannosaurus Veg by Smriti Halls and Katherina Manolessou
• The Map of Me by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Olga Shtonda
• Goldilocs by Ella McLeod and Rochelle Falconer
• The Spectacular Space Loop by Javi De Castro
• From AI to WI-FI by Craig Steele, illustrated by Terri Po
• Magpie Girl by Rowan Foxwood
• Escape from the Child Snatchers by Sufiya Ahmed
• The Monsters at the End of the World by Rebecca Orwin
• The Not-So Great Escape by Emma Green
• Quill and the Last Generation by C. M. Lewis
• New You Forever by Steve Cole, illustrated by Chris King
• Sweet and Sour by Monique Turner
• Beth Is Dead by Katie Bernet
• Catch by Sarah Brill
• Arcana - The Lost Heirs by Sam Prentice-Jones

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

• Tiny Hercules by Jon Lock
• Bridge of Storms by Philip Reeve
• The Impossible Gladiator by M. G. Leonard
• Hari Kumar, Ultimate Superstar by Rashmi Sirdeshpande
• The Day My Brother Got Famous by Jen Carney
• When the World Ends by Joanna Nadin
• At the End of Everything by Marieke Nijkamp
• Tomorrow I'm in Charge! by Jörg Mϋhle
• Advice from a 12-Year-Old Nobody by Helen Rutter
• Red Star Rebels by Amie Kaufman
• There Is Not Usually a Hole by Daisy Hirst
• Kill Me Now by Helen Price
• Escape! by Sophie McKenzie
• Day of Now by Miranda Reason
• They Call Her Regret by Channelle Desamours
• Write Your Own Family History by Jane Bingham
• The Fabric of Us by Aditi Anand
• YOU VS The Poison Plot by Josh Hicks
• Raindrops by Robin Boyden
• Alan, King of the Universe by Tom McLaughlin
• Murder at the Ivy Hotel by Emily Hourican
• Chicken Hill by Beccy Blake
• The Moonhaven Chronicles: The Last Wolf by Rob Biddulph
• The Blitz Sisters by Judith Eagle
• Kid Potato by Neil Coslett
• Cheesy Bob Strikes! by Sophy Henn
• The Beasts We Raise by D. L. Taylor
• Always Angel by Kimberly Whittam

February 2026 books of the month

• Fiction:  Carnival Fantástico by Angela Montoya
• Nonfiction:  Insectarium Junior Edition by Emily Carter and Dave Goulson
• Picture book:  When Tad Kicked Vlad by Julian Gough and Ross Collins

Part 2
Dead Straight Line by Malcolm Duffy

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
How Book Censorship Creeps into UK Schools and How to Respond

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

Support the show

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 2026 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