When parents ask us “please help my child read” they are often at their wits end. This is understandable when you consider that promoting good reading is crucial to helping your child achieve the highest grades academically. That’s why we have produced a book list for KS2, Upper Primary and 11+.

If your child is an avid reader and is curled up in bed reading some of these books already why not show them this list and see if there is anything else that would spark interest. Each book has a link to purchase it online and all the books can be found in good retailers or as e-readers.

If your child is less likely to pick up a book or maybe even complains – what can you do to encourage reading? Here are three easy steps to help:

1) Shop till you drop!

What child doesn’t like gifts or outings? Visiting your local library or book shop is a good place to start. Before leaving have an idea of the type of books you think your child would like and let him look through the books in the children’s section. Guide her towards books that you think will interest her and let her choose – even if you know it is too hard! Try to let him take away as many books as he wants!

2) Read to your child

Are you still reading to your child or did you stop when she was able to read? I am currently reading Mortal Engines to my 9 and 11 year olds who are both avid readers. By reading to your child you can bring the story to life and share your love of reading. Try to choose a book that will be liked and you will enjoy reading.

Failing that you can always buy an audio book. The choice is extensive and is something you can share with your children on the school run or on journeys to clubs, friends and relatives.

3) Prepare somewhere for your child to read

It’s best to read in a calm and quiet environment with distractions out of mind. That’s why many people read before bedtime. Make sure that your child has a shelf to put his books on in his bedroom and a bedside table with a light to read by.

4) Model Reading

Read in front of your children to reinforce the importance of reading. If you have a boy – get dad or granddad to read with him. This is especially important for boys who may only see women read.

5) Use Your Child’s Role Models

In the unlikely event that this fails then there is still hope. I am sure that there’re other adults that your child thinks are ‘cool’ – adults that command respect and your child is perhaps always talking about. Why not ask those adults what they read as a child.

If all fails – Success is around the corner

As a primary school teacher – I often came across children who just wouldn’t read. I remember a mum who said that everyone who had tried had failed but that she was desperate to help her child read. There was one last thing that I would try and it always worked. I got them to read the sports pages in the Sun with their Mum or Dad. The Sun is great for this as the text is written in a way that children find easy to read. I never heard that mum say “help my child read” again.

The following book list contains just some of the great texts that you can introduce your children too. If you think that there’s anything that deserves to be added then please respond to my blog. Perhaps your child is more able – then check out our reading list for 11+ and KS2.

Here’re Some Books I have used to Help My Child Read

Authors A-F

• Alan Gibbons – Caught in the Crossfire
• Alex Shearer – The Invisible Man’s socks
• Angie Sage – Septimus Heap series
• Anne Fine – A Pack of Liars
• Anne Holm – I Am David
• Anthony Horowitz – Stormbreaker
• Arthur Ransome – Swallows and Amazons series
• Barbara Leonie Picard (translator) – The Odyssey
• Barbara Sleigh – Carbonel series 1 and 2
• Brian Jacques – Redwall series
• C.S. Lewis – The Chronicles of Narnia – Box Set
• Caroline Lawrence – Roman Mysteries series
  1. The Thieves of Ostia
  2. The Secrets of Vesuvius
  3. The Pirates of Pompeii”
• Carolyn Keene – Nancy Drew mysteries: The Mystery at Lilac Inn
• Cathy Cassidy – Scarlett
• Charles Ashton – Dragon’s Fire
• Charles Kingsley – The Water Babies
• Charmian Hussey – The Valley of Secrets
• Chris d’Lacey – Fire series:
  1. The Fire Within
  2. Icefire
  3. Firestar
  4. The Fire Eternal
  5. Dark Fire”
• Christopher Paolini – Eldest series
• Cliff McNish – Doomspell trilogy
  1. Doomspell
  2. The Scent Magic
  3. The Wizards promise”
• Clive King – Stig of the Dump
• Cornelia Funke
  1. Inkheart Trilogy
  2. Thief Lord
• Daniel Defoe – Robinson Crusoe
• Darren Shan – Demonata series
• Debbi Gliori – Pure Dead Magic
• Derek Landy – Skulduggery Pleasant series
• E. Nesbit – The Phoenix and the Carpet & others
• E.L. Konigsburg – From the Mixed up Files of Mrs Basil E. Frankweiler
• Elise Broach – Shakespeare’s Secret
• Elizabeth Kay – The Divide series
• Enid Blyton – The Secret Island
• Eoin Colfer – Artemis Fowl
• Erin Hunter – Warrior series:Shadow of The Clans
• Eva Ibbotson – The Dragonfly Pool

Authors F-L

• Frances Hardinge – Fly by Night
• Frank Cottrell Boyce – Cosmic
• Gail Carson Levine – Fairest
• Garth Nix The Seventh Tower Series
• Geraldine McCaughrean – The Death Defying Pepper Roux
• Graham Marks – Snatched
• Hans Christian Andersen – The Complete Fairy Tales
• Holly Black – Beyond The Spiderwick Chronicles: A Giant Problem
• Holly Black – The Spiderwick Chronicles
• J.K. Rowling – Harry Potter series
• J.R.R. Tolkien – The Hobbit & Lord of the Rings series
• Jacob Grimm – Complete Grimms Fairy Tales
• Jacqueline Wilson Series
• Jenny Nimmo – Charlie Bone series
• Joan Aiken – Wolves of Willoughby Chase series
• Jonathan Stroud – The Bartimaeus Trilogy
• Julia Golding – The Glass Swallow
• Julie Lee – The Mysterious Misadventures of Clemency Wrigglesworth
• Karen McCombie – Marshmallow Magic and the Wild Rose Rouge
• Laura Ingalls Wilder – Little House on the Prairie series
• Lemony Snicket – A Series of Unfortunate Events
• Louis Sachar – Holes
• Lucy Daniels – Animal Ark series
• Lucy Montgomery – Anne of Green Gables
• Lynne Reid Banks – The Indian in the Cupboard trilogy

Authors M-Z

• Malorie Blackman – Noughts and Crosses Trilogy
• Mark Twain – Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn
• Michael Carroll – New Heroes series
• Michael Morpurgo – The Butterfly Lion
• Michelle Paver – Chronicles of Ancient Darkness Series
• Nina Bawden – Carrie’s War
• Norman Hunter – The Incredible adventures of Professor Branestawm
• Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell – The Edge Chronicles series
• Pullman – Dark Materials Trilogy
• Philip Reeve – Mortal Engines Quartet
• Philip Ridley – Scribbleboy
• Richmal Crompton – Just William Collection
• Rick Riordan – Percy Jackson series
• Roald Dahl – The Witches
• Roald Dahl – Boy
• Silvana De Mari – The Last Elf
• Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – The Lost World
• Susan Coolidge – What Katy Did series
• T.H. White – The Once and Future King
• Terry Pratchett Series
• William Golding – Lord of the Flies
• William Nicholson – Wind on Fire Trilogy

Perhaps you thought that you had tried everything. You might have heard yourself say “can you help my child read”. If this is the case then try these tips. Alternatively you can contact us for a free trial to find out how we can help your child read effectively.