Summer Reading Challenge
Summer reading challenge – A good reading challenge will not only promote reading and encourage reading for pleasure, but it will encourage a reading culture to spread like a virus throughout your school. Updated for 2026.
Josh Silver author page
Josh Silver biography
Josh Silver is a British author known for his debut young adult novel, HappyHead, published by Rock the Boat, an imprint of Oneworld Publications, in 2023. HappyHead explores themes of mental health and individuality within a dystopian setting. The novel was longlisted for the 2023 Branford Boase Award, which recognises outstanding debut novels for children. Silver’s work has been noted for its engagement with contemporary issues relevant to young readers. HappyHead is his first published book.
Biography writer: Joanna Nance-Phillips
Children’s literature expert and primary school teacher with 30+ years of experience running a primary school library, teaching literacy and tutoring in the UK and abroad. Articles and reviews by Joanna Nance-Phillips 
Books for teenage boys who don’t like reading
Books for teenage boys who don’t like reading with titles by Marcus Rashford, Randall Munroe, Marjane Satrapi, Caitlin Doughty, Juno Dawson, Tom Palmer, Deborah Meaden, Dean Atta, Rashmi Sirdeshpande, Malcolm Duffy, Nathanael Lessore.
Year 11 recommended reading list for teens aged 15-16
A selection of reading books to challenge and interest Year 11 pupils – aged 15-16 – in KS4 secondary schools. Authors include Ray Bradbury and John Steinbeck.
Year 10 recommended reading list for teens aged 14-15
A selection of reading books to challenge and interest Year 10 pupils – aged 14-15 – in KS4 secondary schools. Authors include Jeanette Winterson and JRR Tolkien.
Children’s Literature News February 2026
Children’s book news for February 2026: CLiPPA opens, Carnegies longlists land, BBC screens Lord of the Flies, plus Information Book Award and ALCS Education Writers’ shortlist updates.
Best Children’s Books of 2025
Children’s books of the year 2025 – our team has picked a shortlist of great children’s and teen titles published in the last 12 months, with fiction, non-fiction and picture books for 3-18 years and a diverse range of prose, poetry and graphic novels. Vote now!
Our picks of the best children’s books coming out in Summer 2025
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.
Traumaland by Josh Silver
Traumaland is a dark psychological thriller that blends horror culture references with a coming-of-age story, set in a modern, dystopian future. It will appeal to fans of The Housemaid and Netflix’s Black Mirror.
Our picks of the best children’s books coming out in Summer 2024
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.
Our picks of the best children’s books coming out in Spring 2023
Here’s our selection of top new titles coming out in Spring 2023. These reading recommendations include picture books, early and middle-grade fiction; young adult novels and non-fiction.
Bestselling books by Josh Silver
Browse Josh Silver books on UK.Bookshop.orgBrowse Josh Silver books on Waterstones.com
Disclosure: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops, or Waterstones.com.
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Our latest reading national curriculum year group recommended reading lists:
- Books for EYFS | Books for Reception
- Books for KS1 | Books for Year 1 | Books for Year 2
- Books for KS2 | Books for Year 3 | Books for Year 4 | Books for Year 5 | Books for Year 6
- Books for KS3 | Books for Year 7 | Books for Year 8 | Books for Year 9
- Books for KS4 | Books for Year 10 | Books for Year 11
- Books for 6th Form
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