Recommended reading books for primary & secondary aged children in the UK
Catherine O’Flynn is a British writer whose work includes novels for adults and fiction for younger readers. Before her first novel was published, she worked in several jobs, including postwoman, teacher, web editor, mystery shopper, and deputy manager of a record shop.
Her debut novel, What Was Lost, was published in 2007. It won the Costa First Novel Award and the Jelf Group First Novel Award, and it was shortlisted for the Guardian First Book Award. In 2008, she was named Newcomer of the Year at the Galaxy British Book Awards.
O’Flynn later published the novels The News Where You Are in 2010 and Mr. Lynch’s Holiday in 2013.
For younger readers, she wrote Lori and Max, published by Firefly Press on September 5, 2019, and Lori and Max and the Book Thieves, published by Firefly Press on October 8, 2020.
Lori and Max and the Book Thieves is subtly and fluently revealed, in a world which is recognisable and entirely believable. The carefully-woven interplay of narrative, response and stagecraft, had me on the verge of tears and almost gasping with admiration.
Here’s our selection of top new titles coming out in autumn 2020. These children’s reading recommendations include picture books, early and middle-grade fiction; young adult novels and non-fiction.
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