Summer Reading Challenge
Summer reading challenge – A good reading challenge will not only promote reading and encourage reading for pleasure, but it will encourage a reading culture to spread like a virus throughout your school. Updated for 2026.
Alex Milway author page
Alex Milway biography
Alex Milway is a children’s author, illustrator, and screenwriter. He writes and illustrates books for children and also writes for children’s television.
His children’s book series includes The Mousehunter, The Mythical 9th Division, Pigsticks and Harold, Hotel Flamingo, and Big Sky Mountain.
Pigsticks and Harold is published by Walker Books. The Hotel Flamingo and Big Sky Mountain series are published by Piccadilly Press.
Milway founded This Book Is Funny!, a children’s book scheme working with schools and libraries. In 2026, his official website listed Little Shop of Magic and Hotel Flamingo Frosty Fiesta among his books.
Biography writer: Joanna Nance-Phillips
Children’s literature expert and primary school teacher with 30+ years of experience running a primary school library, teaching literacy and tutoring in the UK and abroad. Articles and reviews by Joanna Nance-Phillips 
Adventure Stories for Children and Teens
Adventure stories for children and teens, including modern and classic titles by Maz Evans, Cressida Cowell, Dom Conlon, Lucy Brandt, Sufiya Ahmed, Varsha Shah, A.F. Steadman, Wilbur Smith, Robert Muchamore, Robert Louis Stevenson and more.
July 2026 book club picks
July 2026’s book club includes titles by Angie Morgan, David Litchfield, Alex Milway, Andy Shepherd, Valerie Bloom, Pamela Butchart, Radhika Sanghani, Christopher Edge, Melinda Salisbury, E. Kennedy, and Amber Hamilton.
First chapter books
First chapter books for children aged 5-8 with titles by Michael Rosen, Ross Montgomery, Alex Milway, Katie Jennings, Phil Earle, Francesca Simon, Cornelia Funke, Julie Sykes, Alex T. Smith, and Harriet Muncaster.
Year 2 reading list for children aged 6-7
A selection of reading books for Year 2 to challenge and interest children aged 6-7 in KS1 classes in UK primary schools. Authors include Eoin Colfer, Clotilde Perrin, Michael Rosen and Enid Blyton.
Captain Sunshine by Alex Milway
Captain Sunshine (Book 01) is a fun cruise ship story for newly confident readers, with Bella taking charge of animal passengers, short chapters, plenty of illustrations and book club discussion points.
Our picks of the best children’s books coming out in Summer 2026
Here’s our selection of top new titles coming out in Summer 2026. These reading recommendations include picture books, poetry, early and middle-grade fiction; young adult novels and non-fiction.
Book series for children to encourage reading for pleasure
Book series for children and teens to encourage reading for pleasure, including titles by Dominic Sandbrook, Liz Pichon, Harriet Muncaster, Kevin & Katie Tsang, Marie Lu Robert Muchamore and Jason Reynolds.
Our picks of the best children’s books coming out in Summer 2023
Here’s our selection of top new titles coming out in Summer 2023. These reading recommendations include picture books, early and middle-grade fiction; young adult novels and non-fiction.
Our picks of the best children’s books coming out in spring 2022
Here’s our selection of top new titles coming out in Spring 2022. These reading recommendations include picture books, early and middle-grade fiction; young adult novels and non-fiction.
Big Sky Mountain by Alex Milway
Big Sky Mountain by Alex Milway. The importance of peaceful co-existence with nature is delivered with humour and fun. The maps and illustrations add greatly to the overall reading experience in this great read-aloud for year 2.
Our picks of the best children’s books coming out in Spring 2019
Here’s our selection of top new titles coming out in Spring 2019. These reading recommendations include picture books, early and middle-grade fiction; young adult novels and non-fiction.
Bestselling books by Alex Milway
Browse Alex Milway books on UK.Bookshop.orgBrowse Alex Milway books on Waterstones.com
Disclosure: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops, or Waterstones.com.
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Our latest reading national curriculum year group recommended reading lists:
- Books for EYFS | Books for Reception
- Books for KS1 | Books for Year 1 | Books for Year 2
- Books for KS2 | Books for Year 3 | Books for Year 4 | Books for Year 5 | Books for Year 6
- Books for KS3 | Books for Year 7 | Books for Year 8 | Books for Year 9
- Books for KS4 | Books for Year 10 | Books for Year 11
- Books for 6th Form
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