Recommended reading books for primary & secondary aged children in the UK
Nicola Baker is a children’s author published by Simon & Schuster Children’s UK. After an earlier career as a physiotherapist, she turned to writing and created the middle-grade sequence A Whistledown Farm Adventure, stories inspired by country life and animals for readers aged 7–11.
The series opened with Finding Hope, illustrated by Rachael Dean and first published in 2024. It was followed by Rescuing Ruby in 2024 and Meeting Meg in 2025, with Saving Snowflake completing the initial quartet. The books feature seasonal farm settings, practical detail about animal care, and gentle mysteries that encourage empathy and respect for the countryside.
Baker’s work has been positioned for readers who enjoy classic farm adventures, with publisher copy drawing comparisons to Dick King-Smith and Michael Morpurgo. The series is associated with her appearances on the television programme Our Farm in the Dales.
Meeting Meg was published by Simon & Schuster Children’s UK on 8 May 2025.
Farming themed books for children with titles by Michael Morpurgo, Mary Hoffman, Elwyn Brooks White, Stella Gibbons, John Lewis-Stempel, James Rebanks, Sarah Crossan, Sita Brahmachari, Linda Newbery, and Adam Henson.
Here’s our selection of top new titles coming out in Spring 2024. These reading recommendations include picture books, early and middle-grade fiction; young adult novels and non-fiction.
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