Brilliant Children’s Books to Read this Summer

Children’s Books: Classic reads for children over the summer holidays

Over the summer holidays, whilst the children are having a rest and spending time away or just around the house, one easy way to keep them engaged and not regressing over the holidays is to encourage more reading. A massive benefit of the summer holidays is that children have more time to get lost in a good book. Reading for children has many benefits that include;

• Reading introduces children to fantastic ideas, inventive plots and creative vocabulary. It’s probably the single most effective and inspirational method for improving a child’s writing.
•  Reading helps children to understand how characters think and how they respond emotionally in different situations. Giving different perspectives and examples beyond their own.
• Reading is a fun and entertaining lifelong skill.

But which books to read?

The list below are some of the best known children books and young adult books that have been critically acclaimed the perfect starting point for mums to foster a love for literature. It’s been broken down loosely by year group, but these are more of a rough guide, children of any age can enjoy these titles.

Year 3 

• Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White 

The book tells the story of a Pig’s friendship with other farm animals, especially a spider named Charlotte, who helps him escape in his hour of need..

• The Iron Man, by Ted Hughes 

A young boy discovers a giant metal man devouring farm machinery. A battle ensues with the farmers who try to lure him into a trap.

• Ronald Dahl 

Any one of Ronald Dahl’s stories will be a good read for children, for something a bit different in the collection try the autobiographical Going Solo.

• Michael Morpurgo

Michael’s book are well known for incredible reads for children, a number of his books are stories set in the First and Second World wars, a particularly good read is Kensuke’s Kingdom and War Horse.

• The Complete Adventures of Paddington, by Michael Bond

When his home in the peruvian rainforest is destroyed by an earthquake, a young bear travels to England to start a new life. 

• Olga da Polga, by Michael Bond

A funny trilogy of books about a little guinea pig and the adventures she has with her friends, guaranteed comic relief!

• Winnie-the-Pooh, by A. A. Milne

English classic loved the world over, the adventures of a good-natued bear with a penchant for honey and his friends piglet, Eeyore,Owl and Rabbit.

• The Enchanted Wood and The Magic Faraway Tree, by Enid Blyton

Two sisters and a brother move to a large wood, and they discover an enormous tree whose branches seem to reach into the clouds.

• Usborne Young Reading Range

These books are abridged versions of classics (This means they have been shortened and adapted). They contain great examples of story telling and rich vocabulary. They contain classics such as The Railway Children, Oliver Twist and Journey to the Centre of the Earth.

Year 4

• The Firework-Maker’s Daughter, by Philip Pullman

A challenging read, but worth the effort, a young girl wants to become a firework-maker like her father but he thinks it’s an unsuitable job for a girl.

• The Chronicles of Narnia, by C. S. Lewis

Another classic of english literature, most people know about, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe but there are another six books in the series especially The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

• The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Graham

We follow the adventures of four animals – Mole, Ratty, Toad and Badger and their friends, some editions even come with wonderful illustrations.

• Heidi, by Johanna Spyri

An orphaned girl is sent to live with her grandfather in the swiss alps, definitely a tear jerker with some feel-good moments.

• One Hundred and One Dalmatians, by Dodie Smith

When some puppies go missing, their parents lead a daring rescue mission.

• The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

After crash landing in a desert, the narrator meets a small boy-  the little prince, who tells him about his life on a tiny planet.story.

• Little House on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Laura’s pioneer family leaves the woods of wisconsin to travel west. In this captivating young Laura explores their new home on the prairie.

Year 5

• Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, by C. S. Lewis 

Two incredible adventures set in a strange, magical land with some editions coming with beautiful illustrations.

• Black Beauty, by Anna Sewell 

Narrated by the horse itself, this classic book tells the story of Black Beauty’s life from his carefree days as a colt on an English farm through to his time pulling cabs in London, to a happy retirement in the country. Some sad moments but a good read. 

• Journey to the River Sea, Eva Ibbotson

An orphaned teenenger is sent to live with her spoiled cousins in the Amazon, accompanied by a mysterious governess 

• Tom’s Midnight Garden, by Philippa Pearce

Tom is staying with elderly relatives due to illness and is very bored. One night, he hears the grandfather clock strike thirteen, he sets off to investigate discovers a secret garden where he meets a new friend.

• Goodnight Mr Tom, by Michelle Magorian

During world war II, a young boy is evacuated to the countryside, where he must stay with a grumpy, withdrawn widower. However the two develop a father-son bond and the boy experiences a new life of love and care, which is a strong contrast to the the abusive life that he lived in London.

• The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett

A spoilt child, raised in India, is sent to live at her uncle’s manor in Yorkshire after tragic circumstances, she learns to think more about herself and those around her.

• Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott

The story of four sisters, growing up and finding their place in the world, while their father is away fighting in the war, the story is set in the United States. 

• The Railway Children, by E. Nesbit

After the imprisonment of their father, some children move to a house near the railway, where they watch the trains and befriend those who frequent the station.

• Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickens

An orphaned boy born into poverty is sold into labour, he escapes and travels to London where he meets a gang of young pickpockets 

• The Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkien

A hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, enjoys his peaceful life until it is interrupted by a surprise visit from a wizard named Gandalf who takes him on a perilous quest

• The Lost World, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

A young reporter, Edward Malone, asks for a dangerous assignment to impress the woman he loves. He joins an expedition to a lost world in the Amazon, where he encounters many creatures thought to be extinct.

• When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, by Judith Kerr

A semi-autobiographical work from the author of Mog, this book tells the story of a young girl’s escape from Nazi Germany through different countries.

• Chronicles of Ancient Darkness, by Michelle Paver

A six-book series set in the Stone Age and tells the story of a young boy who can speak to wolves, having been abandoned in a wolf den by his father at birth, and his quest to defeat the Soul Eaters.

Year 6

• The Northern Lights, by Philip Pullman

This challenging book is set in a familiar yet strange world and follows a girl called Lyra on her quest to find a missing friend. This is the first novel in the His Dark Materials trilogy.

• Artemis Fowl, by Eoin Colfer

Artemis dedicates his life to criminal activities and believes he can confirm the existence of fairies. It is a very witty book. Very challenging and a little bit dark, but it is beautifully written.

• Animal Farm, George Orwell

The farmyard animals of Manor Farm live poorly, and so they come together to revolt against their human master. It is a great insight into the inner workings of the human heart, this allegorical story mirrors the rise of the soviet union in the 20th century and is one of the texts that is commonly studied at Gcse.

• The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak

A young orphaned boyy  is taught to read and grows to love books, so much so that she rescues one from a Nazi bonfire.

• The Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank

Anne Frank wrote this diary while hiding from the Nazis during World War II, concealed in a small secret annex in Amsterdam along with seven others, a 20th century classic, it paints a different picture on the impact of war through the eyes of a child.

• The Princess Bride, by William Goldman

An exciting fairy tale of lost love, kidnapping, mistaken identity, murder, revenge and pirates, with lots of plot twists and an eventual happy ending.

Samuel Adu-Gyamfi is the CEO and founder of Sam Tutoring, a tutoring service and consultancy in London he founded a decade ago.

Sam Tutoring provides private one-to-one tuition along with group and online tuition for families in Central London and internationally, as well as tailor-made services for schools.

Working with students from the ages of 7-18 we provide academic support and mentorship.

Email info@samtutoring.london, to book a consultation or visit www.samtutoring.London to see how we can help your child succeed.

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