Latest Book Reviews

  • You're My Little Sunshine

    You're My Little Sunshine is a book to enjoy together with the little rays of light in your life. It is the newest addition to the best-s...

  • We Are Love

    We Are Love is another creatively put together book by Patricia Hegarty. This book uses animals and their offspring to celebrate the stro...

  • I Really, Really Love You So

    I Really Really Love You So is brought to us by the best-selling and multi-award winning author of I Am a Tiger, I Am NOT An Elephant and...

  • Where's Mrs Panda?

    If you're looking for another interactive baby book to add to your collection, look no further! Where's Mrs Panda? is a hide-and-seek boo...

  • The Kiss

    Have you children ever said, 'Just one more hug, just one more kiss...' This beautiful picture book tell the story of two animals looking for a goodnight...

  • National Trust: Big Outdoors for Little Explorers: Woods

    Is your little animal lover ready to discover the big outdoors as they explore their first woodland? Big Outdoors for Little Explorers: Woods</str...

  • In or Out: a tale of cat versus dog

    This book is SO clever! In or Out tells the tale of Dog and Cat and Cat's indecisiveness. Dog wants in but Cat want in, then out...and it...

  • In or Out: a tale of cat versus dog

    Before I even had time to read In or Out, my six year old had picked it up and was giggling away. 'Whats so funny?' I asked. 'The dog is...

  • Much Too Busy

    How many times as adult have we said, 'Sorry, I'm much too busy.' I know I have and am sure you have, too. Much Too Busy is a reminder to...

  • Mums Are Magnificent

    I loved reading this book. I am a mum to a six-year-old and one-year-old. I. Hope they can see me in some of the Mums described. I could certainly see my...

  • Don't Be Silly

    Don't Be Silly is a joyful book filled with being silly, and fun - reminding us that children delight in those things - and that sometime...

  • Don't Be Silly

    Don't be Silly is a story about how parents want their children to be sensible. The children try and be sensible by dressing as grown ups...

  • Courage Out Loud: 25 Poems of Power: Volume 3

    Using a wide range of poetic forms and structures, Courage Out Loud is a wonderful collection of poems which explores many ways of being...

  • Adventuremice: Otter Chaos

    Any adult will tell you that the best way to get a child to do something is to tell them not to do it. This is exactly what happens to Pedro! Looking for...

  • Much Too Busy

    Much Too Busy is about the chance meeting of Pigeon and Mouse. Pigeon is busy, very, very busy indeed. He is rushing here and there and n...

  • The Story Shop: Dino Danger!

    The Story Shop sells adventures that you can BE in. With real characters that you'll actually meet! So what are you waiting for? Step inside - if you're B...

  • All the Wonderful Ways to Read

    Books take us on journeys that we can all share, and give us the power to go anywhere! In this beautiful story Laura and Sandra have managed to encapsulat...

  • Call the Puffins

    'I promise to be unflappable, to bravely cross the sea and sky, to rescue eggs and also birds, It may not work, but I will always try.' Muffin wants nothi...

  • Courage Out Loud: 25 Poems of Power: Volume 3

    Written by the Children's Laureate for 2022-2024, Courage Out Loud is a collection of 25 poems that are all about bravery and courage in...

  • The No-Dig Children's Gardening Book

    Gardening - whether window box, allotment or vast estates - is proven to have many benefits. It provides exercise and fresh air, promotes team work and we...

  • Kyan Green and the Infinity Racers

    Kyan Green and the Infinity Racers is an adventure that combines humour, heart and the puzzling phenomenon of Quantum String Theory. It h...

  • The No-Dig Children's Gardening Book

    When we first looked at the No-Dig Children's Gardening Book, we wondered how we could garden without digging? However, a quick read of t...

  • The Wishkeeper's Apprentice

    I have to say, I am so incredibly sad to have finished this book. The Wishkeeper's Apprentice is beautiful, heartwarming and a book that...

  • The Wishkeeper's Apprentice

    I thoroughly enjoyed this warm hearted, charming and delightfully illustrated magical story for younger readers. The wonderfully named Rupus Beewinkle is...

  • Flock Horror (Dread Wood, Book 3)

    Anyone who has read my previous reviews of the Dread Wood series knows by now that I am a walking contradiction: I'm a self-confessed wim...

  • Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind

    Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind is full of excitement, adventure and terrifying thrills! Living with her mum (who has health i...

  • Flock Horror (Dread Wood, Book 3)

    When Angelo is woken in the middle of the night and hears something hammering at his bedroom window, along with a strange tune being whistled, it's the st...

  • The Nowhere Thief

    This is an exciting, colourful sci-fi adventure that whisks the reader into parallel multi-universes (called Spheres), through an incredible kaleidoscopic...

  • Moonflight

    Moonflight is a story of adventure and bravery, a quest, a cursed diamond and two little rat siblings called Tilbury and Nimble-Quick. Ti...

  • The Nowhere Thief

    Elsbeth lives in the quiet seaside town of Lewesby with her mother. Their antique shop is failing and, with the landlord demanding rent money which they d...

  • Stateless

    An air race across Europe, with the continent's finest young aviators, is the brain child of Lady Frith - an attempt at unity and peace at a time of simme...

  • Swimming on the Moon

    Anna remembers happy holidays with her family in the past and dreams about more in the future. But, right now, there is the much more awkward present to n...

  • Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind

    At the start of Momo Arashima Steals The Sword of the Wind, we meet Momo who lives with, and cares for, her mother in California. She is...

  • The Door of No Return

    The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander is a powerful and stunning verse novel set in the heart of the Ashanti Kingdom in Africa in 1860...

  • What the World Doesn't See

    This poignant, sensitive read is a story of familial love tested to its limits. Maudie and Jake have been left devastated by their father's recent death;...

  • Glow Up, Lara Bloom: the secret diary of a teenage catastrophe!

    Lara Bloom is a teenager that shares her innermost secrets with her diary, that is until her older brother gets a good read of it and threatens to air her...

  • HappyHead

    HappyHead is a fantastic YA dystopian debut fiction book from Josh Silver about a group of unhappy teenagers who are selected to attend a...

  • Stateless

    It is 1937, and Europe is on the brink of war. In an effort to promote peace in Europe, a youth air race has been arranged. Stella North is the only femal...

  • Influential

    Influential is a fantastically on-trend story featuring @thereal_almondbrown, a teenage girl who lives out her apparently perfect life in...

  • You Think You Know Me

    This book is a real page turner and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it; You Think You know Me is a stunning debut novel. Hanan, the m...

  • City of Nightmares

    City of Nightmares is set on an island where the inhabitants don't want to dream. Why? because dreams can lead to nightmares, and people can turn into the...

  • Game Over Girl

    A story about a girl, Dolores, and her twin sister Alex, who were raised by an uncaring mother in two different ways. One girl, the eldest, was treated we...

ReadingZone Authors of the Month

  • Laura Baker

    Laura Baker

    Laura Baker is the author of all sorts of books for children. She has written about feelings, farm...

  • Thomas Flintham

    Thomas Flintham

    Thomas Flintham has always loved to draw and tell stories, and now that is his job! He grew up in Lincoln, England, and stud...

  • Robert Tregoning

    Robert Tregoning

    Writer and performer Robert Tregoning's debut picture book, Out of the Blue, celebrates di...

  • Sarah Coyle

    Sarah Coyle

    Sarah Coyle is the author of The Biggest Story, illustrated by Dan Taylor, and Once You're asleep, illustrated by Carolina R...

  • Chris Naylor-Ballesteros

    Chris Naylor-Ballesteros

    Chris Naylor-Ballesteros's new picture book series, Frank and Bert, takes a warm and funny look at fr...

  • Ross Collins

    Ross Collins

    Ross Collins's primary teacher told his parents that he should go to art school. 13 years went by until he was finally 'old...

  • Jon Agee

    Jon Agee

    Award-winning author Jon Agee's latest picture book, Little Santa, tells us how Santa Claus came to be. His...

  • Helen Mortimer

    Helen Mortimer

    Helen Mortimer works as a freelance children's books editor and author. After many years working for major...

  • Mini Grey

    Mini Grey

    Award-winning author and illustrator Mini Grey has had many careers including working in theatre design, teaching and even a...

  • Hoang Giang

    Hoang Giang

    Giang has been working as a children’s book illustrator for more than 10 years. She works in a studio with her partner and t...

  • Ada Grey

    Ada Grey

    Ada spent several years working for design companies before deciding that she preferred doodling. She lives in Brighton with...

  • Molly Potter

    Molly Potter

    What Makes Me Do the Things I Do? is the latest in a series of books by Molly Potter addressing young child...

  • Polly Faber and Melissa Crowton

    Polly Faber and Melissa Crowton

    Polly Faber's grandfather set up the publishing house Faber &amp; Faber so she grew up reading, and read mo...

  • Barry Timms & Ged Adamson

    Barry Timms & Ged Adamson

    Barry Timms and Ged Adamson share their new picture book, This is Not a Dinosaur, which fo...

  • Steve Small

    Steve Small

    Animator Steve Small's latest picture book, Wellington's Big Day Out, follows a young elephant on a special...

  • Mariajo Ilustrajo

    Mariajo Ilustrajo

    Flooded is Mariajo Ilustrajo's first picture book, about a city of animals that must work together to solve the problem of f...

  • Olivia Hope

    Olivia Hope

    Olivia Hope is an Irish writer with a special love for children’s fiction. A former record-breaking athlete...

  • Patrice Lawrence

    Patrice Lawrence

    Award-winning author Patrice Lawrence introduces her first picture book, Granny Came Here on the Empire Windrush. Pat...

  • Frances Stickley and Eamonn O'Neill

    Frances Stickley and Eamonn O'Neill

    Frances Stickley's new picture book Not a Cat in Sight plays with the idea of what the pictures show, compa...

  • Lauren Ace

    Lauren Ace

    Lauren Ace is from south Wales, studied Drama at the University of Exeter, and now lives in London, where she has worked in...

  • Caryl Hart & Anastasia Suvorova

    Caryl Hart & Anastasia Suvorova

    Discover how a real life story helped inspire this picture book, The Girl Who Planted Trees, about a young...

  • Claire Winslow

    Claire Winslow

    Claire Winslow's We Are the Rainbow is a gorgeous introduction for young children to the colours of Pride. Claire is a write...

  • Caryl Hart & Emily Hamilton

    Caryl Hart & Emily Hamilton

    Thank you for the Little Things, the new picture book by Caryl Hart and Emily Ham...

  • Stephanie Stansbie

    Stephanie Stansbie

    Stephanie Stansbie's new picture book, This Girl Can Do Anything, is a bold and funny look...

  • Casper Salmon

    Casper Salmon

    How to Count to One is the surprising and hilarious picture book by Casper Salmon, illustrated by Matt Hunt...

  • Lu Fraser

    Lu Fraser

    One Camel Called Doug is a brilliant story about the joys of sometimes being alone, with some great countin...

  • Karen Swann

    Karen Swann

    Karen Swann and Padmacandra's new picture book, The Tale of the Whale, takes us on a journ...

  • Joseph Coelho

    Joseph Coelho

    Joseph Coelho is a performance poet, children's author, and the Waterstones Children's Laureate for 2022-2024.  He grew up i...

  • David Owen

    David Owen

    Having worked as a freelance games journalist and taught on a BA Creative Writing course for three years, David Owen's debut...

  • Philip Reeve has been writing stories since he was five years old but Mortal Engines was the first to be pu...

  • Charles Dowding

    Charles Dowding

    Charles Dowding is an innovator of no dig, organic growing since 1983, who has built up a large and dedicat...

  • Alice M Ross

    Alice M Ross

    Alice M Ross has spent most of her career as a journalist at the Financial Times, where she was most recently Deputy News Ed...

  • Ruth Lauren

    Ruth Lauren

    Ruth Lauren has been a teacher and worked in lots of different offices, but she likes writing best, as well as walking in th...

  • Hannah Foley

    Hannah Foley

    Hannah Foley's latest novel, The Tiger Who Sleeps Under My Chair, is a du...

  • Natasha Farrant

    Natasha Farrant

    Natasha Farrant has worked in children's publishing for almost 20 years, running her own literary scouting agency for the pa...

  • Iszi Lawrence

    Iszi Lawrence

    Iszi Lawrence is a comedian, podcaster and history presenter and she also writes children's books, including Blackbe...

  • Misa Sugiura

    Misa Sugiura

    Misa Sugiura's ancestors include a poet, a priestess, a samurai, and a stowaway. She writes contemporary young adult and mid...

  • Gill Lewis

    Gill Lewis

    After realising her childhood dream of becoming a vet, Gill worked in the UK and overseas, everywhere from Africa to the Arc...

  • Jarvis

    Jarvis

    Bear and Bird: The Picnic and Other Stories is author and illustrator Jarvis's first chapter book. His picture books include...

  • Tracey Corderoy

    Tracey Corderoy

    Tracey Corderoy's new Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam adventure, The Stolen Sleigh, has just been published...

  • Cath Howe - Call the Puffins

    Cath Howe - Call the Puffins

    Cath Howe is well known for exploring the everyday lives of children and her new book, Insiders, follows fo...

  • Rachel Chivers Khoo

    Rachel Chivers Khoo

    Rachel Chivers Khoo was born in Belfast and spent most of her childhood sheltering in her local library fro...

  • Alasdair Beckett-King

    Alasdair Beckett-King

    Comedian and writer Alasdair Beckett-King's first book for children is the hilarious murder-mystery Montgom...

  • Clare Weze

    Clare Weze

    Clare Weze was raised in London and Yorkshire and has British and Nigerian heritage. She writes for adults and children and...

  • Ross Welford

    Ross Welford

    Ross Welford worked as a business journalist before becoming a freelance writer and television producer, working on shows su...

  • Colm Field

    Colm Field

    Colm Field gets called 'Colin' a lot. He lives in London with his three kids and his partner. Colm is happi...

  • Brian Conaghan

    Brian Conaghan

    Brian Conaghan lives and works in the Scottish town of Coatbridge. He was a teacher for many years and taught in Scotland, I...

  • Thomas Flintham

    Thomas Flintham

    Thomas Flintham has always loved to draw and tell stories, and now that is his job! He grew up in Lincoln, England, and stud...

  • Sinéad O'Hart

    Sinéad O'Hart

    Sinéad O'Hart was raised in a small house full of books in the south-east of Ireland. She has a degree in Medieval English a...

  • Pamela Butchart

    Pamela Butchart

    As a child, Pamela was lucky enough to grow up in a house full of pets and go to a primary school where lots of spooky and w...

  • Leah Mohammed

    Leah Mohammed

    Leah Mohammed's debut book for younger readers follows Luma who discovers a young dragon in her garden. </p...

  • Catherine Jacob

    Catherine Jacob

    The adventures in Catherine Jacob's new series, Puppy Club, were inspired by her family's new puppy. Catherine is a w...

  • Fleur Hitchcock

    Fleur Hitchcock

    Fleur Hitchcock's latest murder mystery novel, Murder at Snowfall, is now available and is her most sinister yet.... Fleur b...

  • Sarah Ann Juckes

    Sarah Ann Juckes

    Sarah Ann Juckes writes books for young people.  The Hunt for the Nightingale was her first novel for children, followed by...

  • Skye McKenna

    Skye McKenna

    Look out for witches, goblins and a village with secrets in Hedgewitch (Welbeck), Skye McKenna's magical de...

  • Kirsty Applebaum

    Kirsty Applebaum

    Kirsty Applebaum talks to ReadingZone about her new series of books for younger readers, which begins with Princess...

  • Katya Balen

    Katya Balen

    Katya Balen's The Light in Everything follows two children who must learn to live together in their new, blended family - bu...

  • Jason Rohan

    Jason Rohan

    Jason Rohan's new book S.T.E.A.L.T.H.: Access Denied (Nosy Crow Books) is the first in an action-packed, ga...

  • Isabel Thomas

    Isabel Thomas

    Isabel Thomas is a science writer and the author of a galaxy of books for young audiences, including Moth:...

  • Nicola Morgan

    Nicola Morgan

    Nicola Morgan, aka The Teenage Brain Woman, is an award-winning author and speaker on many areas of well-being and learning....

  • Jessica Scott-Whyte

    Jessica Scott-Whyte

    The Asparagus Bunch is  Jessica Scott-Whyte's debut novel. Jessica was born and raised in Dublin. She studied French and His...

  • Elys Dolan

    Elys Dolan

    Rex Dinosaur in Disguise is the brilliantly funny novel for younger readers from E...

  • Alice M Ross

    Alice M Ross

    Alice M Ross has spent most of her career as a journalist at the Financial Times, where she was most recently Deputy News Ed...

  • Elizabeth Wein

    Elizabeth Wein

    Elizabeth Wein was born in New York and grew up in England, Jamaica and Pennsylvania. She holds American and British citizen...

  • Mel Darbon

    Mel Darbon

    Mel spent a large part of her childhood inventing stories to keep her autistic brother happy on car journeys. Having worked...

  • Ruth Lauren

    Ruth Lauren

    Ruth Lauren has been a teacher and worked in lots of different offices, but she likes writing best, as well as walking in th...

  • Hannah Foley

    Hannah Foley

    Hannah Foley's latest novel, The Tiger Who Sleeps Under My Chair, is a du...

  • Natasha Farrant

    Natasha Farrant

    Natasha Farrant has worked in children's publishing for almost 20 years, running her own literary scouting agency for the pa...

  • Iszi Lawrence

    Iszi Lawrence

    Iszi Lawrence is a comedian, podcaster and history presenter and she also writes children's books, including Blackbe...

  • Misa Sugiura

    Misa Sugiura

    Misa Sugiura's ancestors include a poet, a priestess, a samurai, and a stowaway. She writes contemporary young adult and mid...

  • Jeremy Dronfield

    Jeremy Dronfield

    Jeremy Dronfield has written many books about the lives and adventures of amazing people from history. Most...

  • Clare Weze

    Clare Weze

    Clare Weze was raised in London and Yorkshire and has British and Nigerian heritage. She writes for adults and children and...

  • Ross Welford

    Ross Welford

    Ross Welford worked as a business journalist before becoming a freelance writer and television producer, working on shows su...

  • Brian Conaghan

    Brian Conaghan

    Brian Conaghan lives and works in the Scottish town of Coatbridge. He was a teacher for many years and taught in Scotland, I...

  • Sinéad O'Hart

    Sinéad O'Hart

    Sinéad O'Hart was raised in a small house full of books in the south-east of Ireland. She has a degree in Medieval English a...

  • Malcolm Duffy

    Malcolm Duffy

    Malcolm Duffy, Geordie born and bred, is a former creative director of Comic Relief who now writes contemporary novels for 1...

  • Fleur Hitchcock

    Fleur Hitchcock

    Fleur Hitchcock's latest murder mystery novel, Murder at Snowfall, is now available and is her most sinister yet.... Fleur b...

  • Sarah Ann Juckes

    Sarah Ann Juckes

    Sarah Ann Juckes writes books for young people.  The Hunt for the Nightingale was her first novel for children, followed by...

  • Katya Balen

    Katya Balen

    Katya Balen's The Light in Everything follows two children who must learn to live together in their new, blended family - bu...

  • Jason Rohan

    Jason Rohan

    Jason Rohan's new book S.T.E.A.L.T.H.: Access Denied (Nosy Crow Books) is the first in an action-packed, ga...

  • Michelle Paver

    Michelle Paver

    Wolfbane, the ninth book in the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series, brings to a close the internationally bestselling ser...

  • Finbar Hawkins

    Finbar Hawkins

    Finbar Hawkins's new novel Stone weaves ancient tales into a contemporary story. His debut novel, Witch, was shortlisted for...

  • Matt Goodfellow

    Matt Goodfellow

    Matt Goodfellow is from Manchester. He spends his time writing and touring the UK and beyond - visiting schools, libraries a...

  • Chris Vick

    Chris Vick

    In between writing and teaching, Chris Vick works for a whale and dolphin conservation charity which has helped inspire The...

  • Nicola Morgan

    Nicola Morgan

    Nicola Morgan, aka The Teenage Brain Woman, is an award-winning author and speaker on many areas of well-being and learning....

  • Simon Fox

    Simon Fox

    Running out of Time is Simon Fox's first novel after 20 years trapped in the dungeon of accountancy.  He is determined to ne...

  • A.F. Harrold

    A.F. Harrold

    A.F. Harrold is an English poet and children's author, whose books include The Worlds We Leave Behind, The Song from Somewhe...

  • Jo Simmons

    Jo Simmons

    Jo Simmons is an author of funny fiction and her latest book, The Reluctant Vampire Queen, sees her writing funny books for...

  • Jessica Scott-Whyte

    Jessica Scott-Whyte

    The Asparagus Bunch is  Jessica Scott-Whyte's debut novel. Jessica was born and raised in Dublin. She studied French and His...

  • Elizabeth Wein

    Elizabeth Wein

    Elizabeth Wein was born in New York and grew up in England, Jamaica and Pennsylvania. She holds American and British citizen...

  • Mel Darbon

    Mel Darbon

    Mel spent a large part of her childhood inventing stories to keep her autistic brother happy on car journeys. Having worked...

  • Rachel Burge

    Rachel Burge

    YA author Rachel Burge's new novel, Waking the Witch, follows her earlier YA books The Twisted Tre...

  • Jesse Q Sutanto

    Jesse Q Sutanto

    Jesse writes books for children and adults, and her first YA romcom, Well, That Was Unexpected, is now available. Jes...

  • Malcolm Duffy

    Malcolm Duffy

    Malcolm Duffy, Geordie born and bred, is a former creative director of Comic Relief who now writes contemporary novels for 1...

  • JP Rose

    JP Rose

    Author JP Rose's first YA novel, The Haunting of Tyrese Walker, is a gripping psychological horror story. JP Rose was born i...

  • Darren Charlton

    Darren Charlton

    Darren Charlton's lifetime obsessions with the National Parks of America, horror, film music and 80s kids movies have all wo...

  • Finbar Hawkins

    Finbar Hawkins

    Finbar Hawkins's new novel Stone weaves ancient tales into a contemporary story. His debut novel, Witch, was shortlisted for...

  • Chris Vick

    Chris Vick

    In between writing and teaching, Chris Vick works for a whale and dolphin conservation charity which has helped inspire The...

  • Simon Fox

    Simon Fox

    Running out of Time is Simon Fox's first novel after 20 years trapped in the dungeon of accountancy.  He is determined to ne...

  • Katharine and Elizabeth Corr

    Katharine and Elizabeth Corr

    Katharine and Elizabeth Corr revisit the Orpheus and Eurydice myth in their new Daughter of Darkne...

  • Catherine Barter

    Catherine Barter

    Catherine Barter's We Played with Fire has won the Young Quill's Award for historical fiction for her novel...

  • Jo Simmons

    Jo Simmons

    Jo Simmons is an author of funny fiction and her latest book, The Reluctant Vampire Queen, sees her writing funny books for...

  • Tracy Darnton

    Tracy Darnton

    Tracy Darnton's new tense YA page-turner, Ready or Not, follows a group of teenagers meeti...

  • Sue Divin

    Sue Divin

    Sue Divin is a Derry-based writer and peace worker, originally from Armagh in the North of Ireland. With a...

  • Sita Brahmachari

    Sita Brahmachari

    Sita Brahmachari's powerful new book, When Shadows Fall, weaves together themes of mental health, friendship and the e...

  • Charles Dowding

    Charles Dowding

    Charles Dowding is an innovator of no dig, organic growing since 1983, who has built up a large and dedicat...

  • Alice M Ross

    Alice M Ross

    Alice M Ross has spent most of her career as a journalist at the Financial Times, where she was most recently Deputy News Ed...

  • Rachel Chivers Khoo

    Rachel Chivers Khoo

    Rachel Chivers Khoo was born in Belfast and spent most of her childhood sheltering in her local library fro...

  • Alasdair Beckett-King

    Alasdair Beckett-King

    Comedian and writer Alasdair Beckett-King's first book for children is the hilarious murder-mystery Montgom...

  • Colm Field

    Colm Field

    Colm Field gets called 'Colin' a lot. He lives in London with his three kids and his partner. Colm is happi...

  • Robert Tregoning

    Robert Tregoning

    Writer and performer Robert Tregoning's debut picture book, Out of the Blue, celebrates di...

  • Skye McKenna

    Skye McKenna

    Look out for witches, goblins and a village with secrets in Hedgewitch (Welbeck), Skye McKenna's magical de...

  • Jessica Scott-Whyte

    Jessica Scott-Whyte

    The Asparagus Bunch is  Jessica Scott-Whyte's debut novel. Jessica was born and raised in Dublin. She studied French and His...

  • Joseph Coelho

    Joseph Coelho

    Joseph Coelho is a performance poet, children's author, and the Waterstones Children's Laureate for 2022-2024.  He grew up i...

  • David Owen

    David Owen

    Having worked as a freelance games journalist and taught on a BA Creative Writing course for three years, David Owen's debut...

  • Philip Reeve has been writing stories since he was five years old but Mortal Engines was the first to be pu...

  • Charles Dowding

    Charles Dowding

    Charles Dowding is an innovator of no dig, organic growing since 1983, who has built up a large and dedicat...

  • Alice M Ross

    Alice M Ross

    Alice M Ross has spent most of her career as a journalist at the Financial Times, where she was most recently Deputy News Ed...

  • Elizabeth Wein

    Elizabeth Wein

    Elizabeth Wein was born in New York and grew up in England, Jamaica and Pennsylvania. She holds American and British citizen...

  • Mel Darbon

    Mel Darbon

    Mel spent a large part of her childhood inventing stories to keep her autistic brother happy on car journeys. Having worked...

  • Ruth Lauren

    Ruth Lauren

    Ruth Lauren has been a teacher and worked in lots of different offices, but she likes writing best, as well as walking in th...

  • Rachel Burge

    Rachel Burge

    YA author Rachel Burge's new novel, Waking the Witch, follows her earlier YA books The Twisted Tre...

  • Laura Baker

    Laura Baker

    Laura Baker is the author of all sorts of books for children. She has written about feelings, farm...

  • Hannah Foley

    Hannah Foley

    Hannah Foley's latest novel, The Tiger Who Sleeps Under My Chair, is a du...

  • Natasha Farrant

    Natasha Farrant

    Natasha Farrant has worked in children's publishing for almost 20 years, running her own literary scouting agency for the pa...

  • Iszi Lawrence

    Iszi Lawrence

    Iszi Lawrence is a comedian, podcaster and history presenter and she also writes children's books, including Blackbe...

  • Misa Sugiura

    Misa Sugiura

    Misa Sugiura's ancestors include a poet, a priestess, a samurai, and a stowaway. She writes contemporary young adult and mid...

  • Gill Lewis

    Gill Lewis

    After realising her childhood dream of becoming a vet, Gill worked in the UK and overseas, everywhere from Africa to the Arc...

  • Jarvis

    Jarvis

    Bear and Bird: The Picnic and Other Stories is author and illustrator Jarvis's first chapter book. His picture books include...

  • Tracey Corderoy

    Tracey Corderoy

    Tracey Corderoy's new Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam adventure, The Stolen Sleigh, has just been published...

  • Cath Howe - Call the Puffins

    Cath Howe - Call the Puffins

    Cath Howe is well known for exploring the everyday lives of children and her new book, Insiders, follows fo...

  • Rachel Chivers Khoo

    Rachel Chivers Khoo

    Rachel Chivers Khoo was born in Belfast and spent most of her childhood sheltering in her local library fro...

  • Alasdair Beckett-King

    Alasdair Beckett-King

    Comedian and writer Alasdair Beckett-King's first book for children is the hilarious murder-mystery Montgom...

  • Clare Weze

    Clare Weze

    Clare Weze was raised in London and Yorkshire and has British and Nigerian heritage. She writes for adults and children and...

  • Ross Welford

    Ross Welford

    Ross Welford worked as a business journalist before becoming a freelance writer and television producer, working on shows su...

  • Jesse Q Sutanto

    Jesse Q Sutanto

    Jesse writes books for children and adults, and her first YA romcom, Well, That Was Unexpected, is now available. Jes...

  • Colm Field

    Colm Field

    Colm Field gets called 'Colin' a lot. He lives in London with his three kids and his partner. Colm is happi...

  • Brian Conaghan

    Brian Conaghan

    Brian Conaghan lives and works in the Scottish town of Coatbridge. He was a teacher for many years and taught in Scotland, I...

  • Thomas Flintham

    Thomas Flintham

    Thomas Flintham has always loved to draw and tell stories, and now that is his job! He grew up in Lincoln, England, and stud...

  • Sinéad O'Hart

    Sinéad O'Hart

    Sinéad O'Hart was raised in a small house full of books in the south-east of Ireland. She has a degree in Medieval English a...

  • Pamela Butchart

    Pamela Butchart

    As a child, Pamela was lucky enough to grow up in a house full of pets and go to a primary school where lots of spooky and w...

  • Leah Mohammed

    Leah Mohammed

    Leah Mohammed's debut book for younger readers follows Luma who discovers a young dragon in her garden. </p...

  • Malcolm Duffy

    Malcolm Duffy

    Malcolm Duffy, Geordie born and bred, is a former creative director of Comic Relief who now writes contemporary novels for 1...

  • Robert Tregoning

    Robert Tregoning

    Writer and performer Robert Tregoning's debut picture book, Out of the Blue, celebrates di...

  • Catherine Jacob

    Catherine Jacob

    The adventures in Catherine Jacob's new series, Puppy Club, were inspired by her family's new puppy. Catherine is a w...

  • Fleur Hitchcock

    Fleur Hitchcock

    Fleur Hitchcock's latest murder mystery novel, Murder at Snowfall, is now available and is her most sinister yet.... Fleur b...

  • Sarah Ann Juckes

    Sarah Ann Juckes

    Sarah Ann Juckes writes books for young people.  The Hunt for the Nightingale was her first novel for children, followed by...

  • Skye McKenna

    Skye McKenna

    Look out for witches, goblins and a village with secrets in Hedgewitch (Welbeck), Skye McKenna's magical de...

  • Kirsty Applebaum

    Kirsty Applebaum

    Kirsty Applebaum talks to ReadingZone about her new series of books for younger readers, which begins with Princess...

  • Katya Balen

    Katya Balen

    Katya Balen's The Light in Everything follows two children who must learn to live together in their new, blended family - bu...

  • Sarah Coyle

    Sarah Coyle

    Sarah Coyle is the author of The Biggest Story, illustrated by Dan Taylor, and Once You're asleep, illustrated by Carolina R...

  • Chris Naylor-Ballesteros

    Chris Naylor-Ballesteros

    Chris Naylor-Ballesteros's new picture book series, Frank and Bert, takes a warm and funny look at fr...

  • Ross Collins

    Ross Collins

    Ross Collins's primary teacher told his parents that he should go to art school. 13 years went by until he was finally 'old...

  • Jon Agee

    Jon Agee

    Award-winning author Jon Agee's latest picture book, Little Santa, tells us how Santa Claus came to be. His...

  • Marcus Sedgwick

    Marcus Sedgwick

    Marcus Sedgwick was a full time author who died unexpectedly in November 2022. He was 54.  He grew up in Kent and had been l...

  • Jason Rohan

    Jason Rohan

    Jason Rohan's new book S.T.E.A.L.T.H.: Access Denied (Nosy Crow Books) is the first in an action-packed, ga...

  • Michelle Paver

    Michelle Paver

    Wolfbane, the ninth book in the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series, brings to a close the internationally bestselling ser...

  • Helen Mortimer

    Helen Mortimer

    Helen Mortimer works as a freelance children's books editor and author. After many years working for major...

  • Mini Grey

    Mini Grey

    Award-winning author and illustrator Mini Grey has had many careers including working in theatre design, teaching and even a...

  • Isabel Thomas

    Isabel Thomas

    Isabel Thomas is a science writer and the author of a galaxy of books for young audiences, including Moth:...

  • Hoang Giang

    Hoang Giang

    Giang has been working as a children’s book illustrator for more than 10 years. She works in a studio with her partner and t...

  • JP Rose

    JP Rose

    Author JP Rose's first YA novel, The Haunting of Tyrese Walker, is a gripping psychological horror story. JP Rose was born i...

  • Darren Charlton

    Darren Charlton

    Darren Charlton's lifetime obsessions with the National Parks of America, horror, film music and 80s kids movies have all wo...

  • Finbar Hawkins

    Finbar Hawkins

    Finbar Hawkins's new novel Stone weaves ancient tales into a contemporary story. His debut novel, Witch, was shortlisted for...

  • Matt Goodfellow

    Matt Goodfellow

    Matt Goodfellow is from Manchester. He spends his time writing and touring the UK and beyond - visiting schools, libraries a...

  • Ada Grey

    Ada Grey

    Ada spent several years working for design companies before deciding that she preferred doodling. She lives in Brighton with...

  • Chris Vick

    Chris Vick

    In between writing and teaching, Chris Vick works for a whale and dolphin conservation charity which has helped inspire The...

  • Nicola Morgan

    Nicola Morgan

    Nicola Morgan, aka The Teenage Brain Woman, is an award-winning author and speaker on many areas of well-being and learning....

  • Simon Fox

    Simon Fox

    Running out of Time is Simon Fox's first novel after 20 years trapped in the dungeon of accountancy.  He is determined to ne...

  • Molly Potter

    Molly Potter

    What Makes Me Do the Things I Do? is the latest in a series of books by Molly Potter addressing young child...

  • Katharine and Elizabeth Corr

    Katharine and Elizabeth Corr

    Katharine and Elizabeth Corr revisit the Orpheus and Eurydice myth in their new Daughter of Darkne...

  • Polly Faber and Melissa Crowton

    Polly Faber and Melissa Crowton

    Polly Faber's grandfather set up the publishing house Faber &amp; Faber so she grew up reading, and read mo...

  • A.F. Harrold

    A.F. Harrold

    A.F. Harrold is an English poet and children's author, whose books include The Worlds We Leave Behind, The Song from Somewhe...

  • Catherine Barter

    Catherine Barter

    Catherine Barter's We Played with Fire has won the Young Quill's Award for historical fiction for her novel...

  • Jo Simmons

    Jo Simmons

    Jo Simmons is an author of funny fiction and her latest book, The Reluctant Vampire Queen, sees her writing funny books for...

  • Jessica Scott-Whyte

    Jessica Scott-Whyte

    The Asparagus Bunch is  Jessica Scott-Whyte's debut novel. Jessica was born and raised in Dublin. She studied French and His...

  • Elys Dolan

    Elys Dolan

    Rex Dinosaur in Disguise is the brilliantly funny novel for younger readers from E...

  • Barry Timms & Ged Adamson

    Barry Timms & Ged Adamson

    Barry Timms and Ged Adamson share their new picture book, This is Not a Dinosaur, which fo...

  • Steve Small

    Steve Small

    Animator Steve Small's latest picture book, Wellington's Big Day Out, follows a young elephant on a special...

  • Mariajo Ilustrajo

    Mariajo Ilustrajo

    Flooded is Mariajo Ilustrajo's first picture book, about a city of animals that must work together to solve the problem of f...

  • Olivia Hope

    Olivia Hope

    Olivia Hope is an Irish writer with a special love for children’s fiction. A former record-breaking athlete...

  • Patrice Lawrence

    Patrice Lawrence

    Award-winning author Patrice Lawrence introduces her first picture book, Granny Came Here on the Empire Windrush. Pat...

  • Frances Stickley and Eamonn O'Neill

    Frances Stickley and Eamonn O'Neill

    Frances Stickley's new picture book Not a Cat in Sight plays with the idea of what the pictures show, compa...

  • Lauren Ace

    Lauren Ace

    Lauren Ace is from south Wales, studied Drama at the University of Exeter, and now lives in London, where she has worked in...

  • Sue Divin

    Sue Divin

    Sue Divin is a Derry-based writer and peace worker, originally from Armagh in the North of Ireland. With a...

  • Caryl Hart & Anastasia Suvorova

    Caryl Hart & Anastasia Suvorova

    Discover how a real life story helped inspire this picture book, The Girl Who Planted Trees, about a young...

  • Claire Winslow

    Claire Winslow

    Claire Winslow's We Are the Rainbow is a gorgeous introduction for young children to the colours of Pride. Claire is a write...

  • Caryl Hart & Emily Hamilton

    Caryl Hart & Emily Hamilton

    Thank you for the Little Things, the new picture book by Caryl Hart and Emily Ham...

  • Stephanie Stansbie

    Stephanie Stansbie

    Stephanie Stansbie's new picture book, This Girl Can Do Anything, is a bold and funny look...

  • Casper Salmon

    Casper Salmon

    How to Count to One is the surprising and hilarious picture book by Casper Salmon, illustrated by Matt Hunt...

  • Lu Fraser

    Lu Fraser

    One Camel Called Doug is a brilliant story about the joys of sometimes being alone, with some great countin...

  • Karen Swann

    Karen Swann

    Karen Swann and Padmacandra's new picture book, The Tale of the Whale, takes us on a journ...

  • Sita Brahmachari

    Sita Brahmachari

    Sita Brahmachari's powerful new book, When Shadows Fall, weaves together themes of mental health, friendship and the e...

  • William Hussey

    William Hussey

    William Hussey's The Outrage, set in a future England that has become a fascist state, is published this mo...

  • Pippa Curnick

    Pippa Curnick

    Pippa Curnick has always written her own stories and loves illustrating, so it's no surprise that she has now written and il...

  • Jessie James & Tamara Anegon

    Jessie James & Tamara Anegon

    Tamara Anegon attained a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2008. Following this, she studied for a masters d...

  • William Goldsmith

    William Goldsmith

    William Goldsmith is a British writer and illustrator. Published by Jonathan Cape, his gra...

  • Tom Nicoll

    Tom Nicoll

    Tom Nicoll has been writing since school, where he enjoyed penning essays that were as silly as possible. Tom lives near Edi...

Competitions See all

The No-Dig Children's Gardening Book giveaway

The No-Dig Children's Gardening Book giveaway

Inspire green fingers this spring with the No-Dig Children's Gardening Book by Charles Dowding (Welbeck)! Discover fun ways to garden - w

Get Creative See all

Tell Us a Story: the Henrietta Branford Writing Competition 2023

Tell Us a Story: the Henrietta Branford Writing Competition 2023

The competition aims to find and encourage writers of the future, something author Henrietta Branford was always keen to do. Anyone under

This month’s highlights

  • Picture Book

    Create a Picture Book Competition 2023

    Create a Picture Book Competition 2023

    ReadingZone Picture Book Competition 2023 ReadingZone is challenging those aged four to 18 years to make a picture book for the ReadingZone Picture Book Competition 2023,...

  • Book Trailers

    Make a Book Trailer

    Make a Book Trailer

    Create a Book Trailer Create a book trailer of your favourite book or your latest bookclub read for ReadingZone, and encourage others to read the book!  Or you can use it...

  • Podcasts

    Create your own Podcast

    Create your own Podcast

    Bex, a presenter for Fun Kids, has put together a simple guide for us about creating podcasts and gives us some top tips for starting your own podcast.

  • Videos & Vlogs

    Creating a Book Vlog

    Creating a Book Vlog

    Ever wanted to create your own vlog, but don't know how to get started? In these videos, author and book vlogger Lucy Powrie (lucythereader) gives her tips on getting started, what to inc...

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