Children’s Literature News October 2025
Children’s book news for October 2025: Libraries, lists and a LEGO leap have made this a busy month for children’s reading. Year 8 tests, awards, AI in classrooms, Poetry By Heart, events, market shifts.
Recommended reading books for primary & secondary aged children in the UK
Catherine Cawthorne is a British children’s author known for her work on early readers and picture books. She has written titles for established series such as Reading Ladder and Oxford Reading Tree. Her books include My Best Friend Is a Goldfish, published by Egmont, and Spells and Surprises, part of the Reading Ladder series published by Egmont in 2016. Cawthorne has also contributed to the Oxford Reading Tree Story Sparks series, including the title The Lazy Giant, published by Oxford University Press.
Her work is aimed at supporting early literacy and reading development, with stories designed for young readers. Cawthorne’s books are published by major UK publishers, including Egmont and Oxford University Press. She has collaborated with illustrators such as Sarah Horne and Ellie O’Shea. In addition to fiction, she has written non-fiction titles for children, including My First Joke Book, published by Egmont.
Catherine Cawthorne’s books are used in schools and libraries across the UK. Her title Spells and Surprises was published in 2016 as part of the Reading Ladder series.
Children’s book news for October 2025: Libraries, lists and a LEGO leap have made this a busy month for children’s reading. Year 8 tests, awards, AI in classrooms, Poetry By Heart, events, market shifts.
Oh No, Flo!: A funny farmyard fiasco! is aimed at preschool children and it’s a book they’re sure to want to read again and again. The ludicrous antics will have readers in fits of laughter as they try to recall what Flo should be doing.
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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