Books that rival screens and social media | Series 1, Episode 34
Season 1, Episode 34 of the School Reading List podcast. New book post, 30 great books for September 2025 and Books vs social media and screens.
Recommended reading books for primary & secondary aged children in the UK
Gary Panton is a British writer and editor known for his work in children’s publishing. He has contributed to a range of children’s magazines, including The Beano, where he has written comic strips and features. Panton has also worked as an editor for various publications aimed at young readers.
He is the author of Britain’s Funniest Jokes, published by Scholastic in 2019. The book compiles jokes and humorous content suitable for children, and is part of Scholastic’s non-fiction range for young readers.
Panton’s writing credits include contributions to other children’s titles and activity books, often focusing on humour and interactive content. His work has appeared in publications from major UK publishers, including Scholastic and DC Thomson.
In addition to his writing, Panton has experience in editing and developing content for children’s media. His published works are available through mainstream UK book retailers and libraries.
Season 1, Episode 34 of the School Reading List podcast. New book post, 30 great books for September 2025 and Books vs social media and screens.
Children’s book news for August 2025: classroom reading picks, prize winners, nature writing, humour awards, YA headlines, festivals, and policy moves shaping libraries and school resources.
August 2025’s book club includes titles by Forest Xiao, Ted Hughes, Joaquin Camp, Enomwoyi Damali, Ruthine Burton, Julie Sykes, Rebecca Lewis-Oakes, Anastasiya Kanavaliuk, Gary Panton, Radhika Sanghani, Anna Ciddor, Brían Dungan, Sally Gales, and E. V. Woods.
Season 1, Episode 28 of the School Reading List podcast. New book post, 30 great books for March 2025 and Should We Still Dress Up on World Book Day?
The Notwitches is a fun read, with imaginative characters, interesting backstories, and two main protagonists you can easily root for. It’s a book that focuses on what you can achieve with an extremely positive, though not overly so, message.
February 2025’s set of book club recommendations features titles by Karl Newson & Duncan Beedie, Gordon D’Arcy & Paul Howard, Hannah Tunnicliffe & Erica Harrison, Gary Panton, Robin Greenfield & Antonia Banyard, Jenny Pearson, Erica Gomez, Gabriel Dylan, Sophie Jo, & Ravena Guron.
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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