The sprawling summer holidays are a great time for the kids to catch up on some reading! Here are the best kids books for all ages this summer.
For the Little Ones
How to Go to Big School by Sarah Ayoub, illustrated by Mimi Purnell
Sarah Ayoub’s new gently reassuring story follows on from the success of How to Be a Friend and captures heartwarming and practical details about what you need to know for starting school.
Big school is a place where all children go
when it’s time to learn new things and grow.
It’s a big change that’s worth the wait —
one that those you love will celebrate!
Learn all about going to big school! Find out how to get ready in the morning, what to bring, the teachers and friends you’ll meet, and where you’ll play and learn together.
A gentle and reassuring story to help children prepare for school from the creators of The Love That Grew and How to Be a Friend.
Learn More Here.
My Dream Holiday by Ash Barty Jasmin McGaughey, illustrated by Jade Goodwin
Spend time with Ash Barty on her dream holiday! From the bestselling creators of the Little Ash series, Ash Barty, Jasmin McGaughey and Jade Goodwin.
Every sizzling summer, my family travels to Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island) for our dream holiday.
Spend time with Ash Barty on her dream family holiday! There’s fishing, whale spotting and paddleboarding at the beach, plus games, exploring and animals to see in the bush. At night, there’s a campfire, stargazing and thrilling stories until everyone falls asleep in their tents … to be ready for another fun-filled day!
Visit the sun and the sand and the sea with the bestselling creators of the Little Ash series, Ash Barty, Jasmin McGaughey and Jade Goodwin.
Cricket Champs (Howzat Pat, #4) by Pat Cummins, Dave Hartley, illustrated by Serena Geddes
An illustrated adventure series created by Australian Cricket Captain Pat Cummins, Dave Hartley and Serena Geddes!
I’m Pat Cummins and I love playing cricket. I love it so much that I sleep with my bat!
Prav, Beth and I are on track to be selected for the state cricket team! It’s our DREAM come true! But first, can we survive things like …
- Being on the SAME team as the school bully?
- Prav LOSING his favourite shoes? (It’s no joke!)
- Rescuing a teammate from CERTAIN DEATH?!
If you want to know the answers to these questions, READ THIS BOOK!
Frances Bloom by Katrina Nannestad, illustrated by Marina Zlatanova
Relish in mischief, adventure and the most unusual family ever, with the bestselling and multi-award-winning Katrina Nannestad.
Frances Bloom lives all alone in a cottage by the sea. She’s having a marvellous time until her nasty teacher, Ms Thistle, learns there is no-one looking after her. Frances needs to find a family, quick smart, or she’ll be sent away to Bleak Island Home for Unwanted Children and Dogs.
As hard as Frances looks, nobody meets her high standards … until she stumbles across a large, honey-coloured bear raiding the rubbish bins … and a garden gnome fishing in the flowerbed. Welcome, Grandma Maude and Grandpa Harold!
Together, this strange trio creates a new family, writing their own rules with each misadventure!
Delight in the cheeky antics of eight-year-old Frances Bloom with multi-award-winning Australian author Katrina Nannestad.
Funny Kid Seriously Soccer by Matt Stanton
Dribble and laugh your head off with the super-popular Funny Kid series!
Every kid wants to laugh, but Max is the boy who can make it happen.
When Max discovers that everyone is more interested in watching soccer than his stand-up routine, he needs to come up with a plan fast. How can he compete with the world’s favourite game?
Max is the funny kid, but can he score his comedy goal?
Half-time shows, terrible coaches and little kids who pee on the goal posts are just some of the things in store for Max and his friends in this brand-new Funny Kid adventure.
FUNNY KID is the mega-bestselling series from author-illustrator Matt Stanton that has everyone laughing!
Hop on Board! (Jet Set Pets, #2) by Maddy Mara, illustrated by Kyla May
Three stories in one book! The second book in this hilarious illustrated fiction series from the author of bestselling series Dragon Girls and illustrator of Diary of a Pug!
Violet Voom has three pets, one jet and an itch to travel.
Wherever Violet goes in her fabulous purple jet, her fabulous (but not purple) pets go too. The pets – a sleek cat, a goofy poodle and a parrot with a terrible case of beak leak – are called the Jet Set Pets. And the jet? It’s called the Pet Jet. Of course.
Fly stunt planes in Japan!
Find the egg thief in France!
Sail the seas with your besties on a friend-SHIP!
Strap in for this ridiculously fun series by bestselling author Maddy Mara (of DRAGON GIRLS fame) and beloved illustrator Kyla May (DIARY OF A PUG).
Three stories in one book!
For Teens
Grumpy Darling by Alexandra Moody
The deeply romantic sequel to the bestselling Rival Darling – perfect for fans of Lynn Painter, The Summer I Turned Pretty and Powerless.
SHE’S NEVER BEEN KISSED. HE’S NEVER FELT THIS WAY ABOUT ANYONE.
Paige has ticked off everything on her senior year bucket list except one tiny thing — she’s never kissed anyone. And her best friend, Grayson Darling, is to blame.
Grayson is the school hockey team’s notorious enforcer, and he’s been scaring away any eligible bachelors that so much as look in Paige’s direction. With time running out, she demands that Grayson stop defending her honour. Instead, he’ll become her dating coach, training her to win the guy of her dreams.
But Grayson has plans of his own. He’s been in love with Paige since they were kids, and his clock is running, too. Coaching Paige might be his last chance to show her how good they’d be together. After all, practice makes perfect.
Alexandra Moody’s BookTok sensation continues with Darling Devils #2: Grumpy Darling — perfect for fans of Hannah Grace, clean and wholesome low spice romance, and slow-burn fire on the ice!
Learn more here.
A War of Wyverns by S. F. Williamson
REBELLION HAPPENS IN THE SHADOWS
Vivien Featherswallow has uncovered the secret language of dragons. Now can she use it to end a war?
The extraordinary sequel to the instant #1 Sunday Times Bestseller, A Language of Dragons
Vivien Featherswallow has translated a secret language of dragons – sparking an all-out civil war, with dragons and humans fighting on both sides, in the process.
And after defeating Prime Minister Wyvernmire and escaping Bletchley Park, Vivien has become the reluctant face of the rebellion – and been labelled the most wanted criminal in Britain. But what good is a rebel who must remain in hiding, powerless to help her friends?
Unsure of her purpose, and torn with doubt about the life she thought she was meant to lead, Vivien travels to the remote Scottish Isles to find a mysterious, long-forgotten species of dragon – one which might hold the key to ending the war… forever.
An epic, sweeping, unputdownable fantasy, A War of Wyverns is the unmissable sequel to the instant #1 Sunday Times Bestseller, A Language of Dragons.
S. F. Williamson’s book ‘A Language of Dragons’ was a No.1 Sunday Times bestseller w/c 2025-01-06.