What are picture books, and why are they useful? | Series 1, Episode 32
Season 1, Episode 32 of the School Reading List podcast. New book post, 30 great books for July 2025 and What are picture books, and why are they useful?
Recommended reading books for primary & secondary aged children in the UK
Alexandra Sheppard is a children’s and young adult author. She has also worked in advertising and social media strategy.
Her debut YA novel, Oh My Gods, was published by Scholastic in 2019. She later collaborated with Ashley and Jordan Banjo on the children’s series Fly High Crew, which began with The Green Glow (Scholastic, 2021).
Sheppard has contributed to Happy Here, an anthology of ten stories from Black British authors and illustrators, published by Knights Of in 2021. Her YA novel Friendship Never Ends was published by Knights Of in 2023.
For younger readers, she wrote the middle-grade novel Alyssa and the Spell Garden, illustrated by Bex Glendining and published by Faber & Faber in 2024.
Season 1, Episode 32 of the School Reading List podcast. New book post, 30 great books for July 2025 and What are picture books, and why are they useful?
Alyssa and the Enchanted Forest is a magical journey exploring friendship, family secrets, and personal growth as Alyssa navigates real struggles alongside enchanting adventures.
June 2025’s book club recommendations feature titles by Zaro Weil, Donette Williams-Harry, Julie Flett, Eirinn McGuiness, Jasbinder Bilan, Pari Thomson, Alexandra Sheppard, Abdi Nazemian, and Rory Power.
Here’s our selection of top new titles coming out in Summer 2024. These reading recommendations include picture books, early and middle-grade fiction; young adult novels and non-fiction.
Alyssa and the Spell Garden is a good book to discuss the importance of community, whether that is where you live, where you go to school, or where you spend your leisure time, and how easily that can change.
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Our latest reading national curriculum year group recommended reading lists:
Picture books for the under 5s | Books for Reception | Books for Year 1 | Books for Year 2 | Books for Year 3 | Books for Year 4 | Books for Year 5 | Books for Year 6 | Books for Year 7 | Books for Year 8 | Books for Year 9 | Books for Year 10 | Books for Year 11