Children’s Literature News June 2025
Children’s book news for June 2025: award winners, new releases, book sales trends, and key updates for UK teachers and parents. Find highlights from poetry and fiction to inclusive books and literacy campaigns.
Recommended reading books for primary & secondary aged children in the UK
Andy Shepherd is a British author known for her children’s books. She gained recognition with her debut series, The Boy Who Grew Dragons, which was first published by Piccadilly Press in 2018. The series follows the adventures of a young boy who discovers a dragon fruit tree in his garden, leading to unexpected and magical events.
The series includes several titles, such as The Boy Who Grew Dragons, The Boy Who Lived with Dragons, The Boy Who Flew with Dragons, The Boy Who Dreamed of Dragons, and The Boy Who Sang with Dragons. These books have been well-received for their imaginative storytelling and engaging characters.
Andy’s work has been translated into multiple languages, reaching a wide audience of young readers around the world. Her books have been praised for their creativity and ability to capture the imagination of children.
In addition to her writing, Andy Shepherd is involved in various literary events and school visits, where she shares her passion for storytelling and encourages children to explore their own creativity.
Children’s book news for June 2025: award winners, new releases, book sales trends, and key updates for UK teachers and parents. Find highlights from poetry and fiction to inclusive books and literacy campaigns.
Here’s our selection of top new titles coming out in Summer 2025. These reading recommendations include picture books, poetry, early and middle-grade fiction; young adult novels and non-fiction.
Suggested reading books for Year 3 children, aged 7-8. A diverse and interesting range of exciting titles aimed at children of all abilities in lower KS2 including books by Roald Dahl, Jacqueline Wilson, Zanib Mian and Tony Bradman.
Storybooks online – here’s our curated collection of video online stories read by authors including Cressida Cowell, Aisha Bushby, Alex Wheatle, Catherine Bruton, David Walliams, Malorie Blackman, Michael Rosen and more.
The Wood Where Magic Grows is a brilliant story that uses the trees alongside the newly forming relationships within Iggy’s family as metaphors for the changes we all face as we navigate our ever-evolving daily lives.
October 2022’s set of book club recommendations features a range of thought-provoking titles by Marie G. Rohde, Jairo Buitrago, Ole Könnecke, Andy Shepherd & Sara Ogilvie, Stephen Mulhern, Benjamin Read & Laura Trinder, Tom Knight, and Scott Lauder & David Ross.
The Boy Who Dreamed of Dragons – the latest in the series of dragon books by Andy Shepherd – is a real winner. A believable story, set in a familiar and homely world where young readers will feel assured.
Here’s our selection of top new titles coming out in Summer 2020. These reading recommendations include picture books, early and middle-grade fiction; young adult novels and non-fiction.
Each month, the School Reading List compiles a list of recommended books and on this page, we feature an archive of recommendations for picture books, fiction, and nonfiction from previous years.
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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