“There is no such thing as a child who hates to read; there are only children who have not found the right book.”

The following list of classic and modern stories are guaranteed to entertain, enthral, delight, distract, satisfy, engross, amuse and gladden anyone who chooses to open their front cover and dive in!

They all fall into the 7-8 age range so are perfect for Year 3 - Happy reading.

How many of these (or others) will you read?

Book Cover

Title Author A Brief Guide…

The Abominables Eva Ibbotson A funny take on the abominable snowman legend. A boy and a girl hatch a plan to save a

family of yetis from hunters, by hiding them in a bridal suite and a giant freezer lorry.

Ice Palace Robert Swindells

An extremely fast-paced adventure which won’t leave the reader bored for a second. Ivan lives in a land where the winter is dark and fearful. Starjik, King of Winter, steals Ivan's

little brother and Ivan braves the bitter cold to find him.

Voices in the Park Anthony Browne

Four people go to the park, and through their eyes we see four different stories about what took place there. There's the bossy woman, the sad man, the lonely boy and the

young girl whose warmth touches them all. As the story moves from one voice to another, their perspectives are reflected in the shifting landscapes and seasons.

The World According to Humphrey

Betty G. Birney

You can learn a lot about life by observing another species. That's what Humphrey was told when he was bought as a classroom pet for Room 26. And it's definitely true! In

addition to his classroom escapades, each weekend he gets to sleep over with a different student like Stop-Giggling-Gail and Repeat-That-Please-Richie. Humphrey learns to read,

write, shoot rubber bands and much more. With adventures galore, Humphrey's life would be absolutely perfect if only the teacher, Mrs Brisbane, wasn't out to get him . . .

Kid Normal Greg James

& Chris Smith

Murph Cooper has a problem. His new school is top secret, and super weird. His classmates can all fly or control the

weather or conjure tiny horses from thin air. And what's Murph's extraordinary skill? Um, oh yeah - he hasn't got one.

Just as well there are no revolting supervillains lurking nearby, their minds abuzz with evil plans. There are!? Right. Ok, then...

Harry the Poisonous Centipede

Lynne Reid Banks

“It’s a Hoo-Min!” crackled George. “Walking on its hairy-biter feet!” But now it was Harry who felt brave. “Come on! Let’s peep at it!” They crawled the rest of the way up the tunnel towards the light.

Harry is a poisonous centipede but he’s not very brave. Still, he is the star of this seriously squirmy story. Harry likes to eat things that wriggle and crackle, and things that are juicy

and munchy! But there are some things that a poisonous centipede must never try to eat – dangerous things like flying swoopers, belly wrigglers, furry biters and the most dangerous

of all… Hoo-Mins! Harry and George’s adventures up to the world of Hoo-Mins sparkle with fun and will be a

delightfully squirmy experience for all young readers

Dilly the Dinosaur Tony Bradman

Dilly the Dinosaur gets up to all sorts of mischief. When he decides he doesn’t want to wash any more, Dilly ends up becoming a very smelly

dinosaur indeed! And when he’s told he can’t have his birthday every day he gets very grumpy. And you know what happens when Dilly gets grumpy… cover your ears, here

comes the ultra-special, 150-mph SUPER SCREAM!

The Invisible Boy Trudy Ludwig

A simple act of kindness can transform an invisible boy into a friend... Meet Brian, the invisible boy. Nobody ever seems to notice him or think to include him in

their group, game, or birthday party . . . until, that is, a new kid comes to class. When Justin, the new boy, arrives, Brian is the first to make him feel welcome. And when Brian and Justin team up to work on a class project together, Brian finds a way to shine.

The Flat Stanley Collection

Jeff Brown

A perfectly normal boy, Stanley Lambchop was flattened by his noticeboard – it left him happy and healthy, but only one-a-half inches thick, opening the door to a new life of adventures! He is soon sliding under doors, flying like a kite in the sky and even being

posted through the mail!

The Secret World of Polly Flint

Helen Cresswell

As soon as she arrives in Wellow, Polly Flint knows there is magic in the place. And she should know, because she is an unusual girl who can see things others can't. She seems to

be able to call up a village that had disappeared from the face of the earth - and the people who lived in it, as they slip in and out of time.

Fantastic Mr Fox Roald Dahl

Boggis is an enormously fat chicken farmer who only eats boiled chickens smothered in fat. Bunce is a duck-and-goose farmer whose dinner gives him a beastly temper.

Bean is a turkey-and-apple farmer who only drinks gallons of strong cider. Mr Fox is so clever that every evening he creeps down into the valley and helps himself to

food from the farms. Now the farmers have hatched a plan to BANG-BANG-BANG shoot Mr Fox dead. But, just

when they think Mr Fox can't possibly escape, he makes a fantastic plan of his own . .

Wilf The Mighty Worrier Saves the

World

Georgia Pritchett

Meet Wilf. He worries about everything. He is a Mighty Worrier. And now the most evil man in the world has moved in next door...

When Alan, a self-styled Evil Lunatic, moves in next door with his grumpy robot sidekick and his silent right-hand-dog, Kevin Phillips, Wilf knows he will have to find a way to

overcome his fears. And soon he realises: only he can stop Alan's ridiculous yet still Quite Evil plan to destroy the world...

The Magic Finger Roald Dahl

Every Saturday morning the Greg family goes off to shoot animals and birds. But the girl who lives next door hates hunting.

Now it's made her so angry she's PUT THE MAGIC FINGER ON THEM ALL. And very strange things have begun to happen . . .

The Diary of a Killer Cat

Anne Fine

Poor Ellie is horrified when Tuffy drags a dead bird into the house. Then a mouse. But Tuffy can't understand what all the fuss is about.

Who on earth will be the next victim to arrive through the cat-flap? Can soft-hearted Ellie manage to get her beloved pet to change his wild, wild ways before he ends up in even

deeper trouble? The hilarious antics of Tuffy and his family as told by the killer cat himself.

Picasso Perkins Adele Geras

Life becomes very difficult for Perkins when Lexie decides she's going to do a picture of him for a 'Paint Your Pet' competition. He is very fond of his young owner, but really! All he

asks for in life is a bit of peace and quiet...

However, to his surprise, Perkins finds that he too can be creative...

The Reluctant Dragon Kenneth Grahame

‘Now, dragon,’ said the Boy imploringly. ‘You’ve got to fight him some time of other you know, ’cos he’s St George and you’re the dragon. Better get it over, and then we can go on

with the sonnets.’ Everyone knows St George has to do battle with the dragon, but what happens when the dragon simply won’t fight St George?

All Because of Jackson Dick King Smith

Jackson is a very unusual rabbit - a rabbit with a dream. He spends his days watching the tall sailing-ships coming and going. He LONGS to go to sea too. So one day - with his

girlfriend, Bunny - Jackson stows away on the Atalanta and sails off in search of a new life . . .

Winnie-The-Pooh: The complete

collection

A.A. Milne Winnie-the-Pooh may be a bear of very little brain, but thanks to his friends Piglet, Eeyore

and, of course, Christopher Robin, he’s never far from an adventure.

Mrs Cockle’s Cat Phillipa Pearce

Mrs Cockle's cat, Peter, is cross and miserable from staying indoors. Even worse, there is no fresh fish to eat. The weather is so bad that the fisherman can't take their boats out to

sea. Finally, Peter can stand it no longer and goes in search of fish, leaving poor Mrs Cockle all alone.

Unusual Day Sandi Toksvig

This is an illustrated tale with a twist at the end. Jessica brings her granny to school because she can spin plates. Told to send her home as family day is next week, Jessica's granny leaves - only to surprise everyone by returning later as a firefighter and rescuing

the old lady next door.

Pippi Longstocking Astrid Lindgren

Pippi lives in Villa Villekulla with a horse, a monkey, and a big suitcase full of gold coins. The grown-ups in her village try to make Pippi behave in ways that they think a little girl should, but Pippi has other ideas. She would much rather spend her days arranging wild,

exciting adventures to enjoy with her neighbours, Tommy and Annika, or entertaining everyone she meets with her outrageous stories. Pippi thinks nothing of wrestling a circus

strongman, dancing a polka with burglars, or tugging a bull's tail.

The Cat in the Hat Dr Seuss When Sally and her brother are left alone, they think they're in for a dull day – until the Cat in the Hat steps in on the mat, bringing with him mayhem and madness! This is the classic

book that every child should have the joy of reading.

Who’s In The Loo? Jeanne Willis

'Who's in the loo? There's a very long queue. Is it an elephant having a poo?'

If your house has many occupants, then this witty rhyme from the irreverent and observant pen of Jeanne Willis will resonate profoundly. Adrian Reynolds's exuberant

illustrations highlight the fun!

The True Story of The 3 Little Pigs

Jon Scieszka As for that huffing and puffing stuff? A big lie. A Wolf was just trying to borrow a cup of

sugar to make his poor old granny a birthday cake. Who should you believe, the pigs or the wolf? You read. You decide.

It was a dark and stormy night

Janet Ahlberg

A small boy who has been kidnapped by brigands, passes a dark and stormy night in their cave weaving for them incredible stories of their own exploits. Through the stories he

solves his own problem and manages to escape.

Where The Wild Things Are

Maurice Sendak

One night Max puts on his wolf suit and makes mischief of one kind and another, so his mother calls him 'Wild Thing' and sends him to bed without his supper. That night a forest begins to grow in Max's room and an ocean rushes by with a boat to take Max to the place where the wild things are. Max tames the wild things and crowns himself as their king, and then the wild rumpus begins. But when Max has sent the monsters to bed, and everything

is quiet, he starts to feel lonely and realises it is time to sail home to the place where someone loves him best of all.

The Hodgeheg Dick King Smith

Max is a hedgehog who lives with his family in a nice little home, but it's on the wrong side of the road from the Park where there's a beautiful lily pond and plenty of juicy slugs,

worms and snails! The busy road is dangerous but Max is determined to make his way across. If humans can

do it, why can't hedgehogs?

The Worst Witch Jill Murphy Mildred Hubble is a trainee at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches, but she's making an awful mess of it. She keeps getting her spells wrong and crashing her broomstick. And

when she turns Ethel, the teacher's pet into her worst enemy, chaos ensues...

Alex Sparrow and the Really Big Stink

Jennifer Killick

Alex Sparrow is a super-agent in training. He is also a human lie-detector. Working with Jess - who can communicate with animals - they must find out why their friends, and

enemies, are all changing into polite and well behaved pupils. And exactly who is behind it all. This is a humorous tale full of smells, jokes and superhero references. Oh, and a rather clever goldfish called Bob. In a world where kids' flaws and peculiarities are being erased out of existence, Alex and Jess must rely on what makes them different to save the day.

Leon and The Place Between

Graham Baker-Smith

Wanting to prove to his brothers and sister that magic really exists, Leon volunteers to be in Abdul Kazam's magic show and gets transported to a mysterious world. Filled with

rabbits, doves, playing cards and magician's assistants - among other things - if a magician can make it disappear, it will end up in the Place Between! When Leon returns, not only do

his brothers and sister believe, but we do too.

How To Live Forever Colin Thompson

Peter and his family live among the Quinces in the cookery section of a mystical library, and at night, when the library comes to life, Peter ventures out of his home to find a

missing volume: How To Live Forever.

The Wonder Faye Hanson

This is a story about a boy whose head is always full of wonder. We follow him on an average-seeming school day, where his daydreams transform the world around him.

Unfortunately lots of other people - the park keeper, the bus driver, the lollipop lady - all tell him to get his head out of the clouds. It is only in art class that he realises he can bring

the wonder out of his head for the whole world to enjoy.

Farther Graham Baker Smith

A young boy, bewitched by his fathers unrelenting passion to fly; a desperate craving that absorbs his every waking minute, finds himself entranced by the dream. When his father

goes to war and does not return it seems the spell is broken . . Much later, the boy, now a young man finds himself drawn once more to his fathers drawings and failed experiments. Finally able to make his fathers dream a reality he flies. Will his own son be visited by this

unrelenting passion?

Varmints Helen Ward

Once, the only sounds to be heard were the buzzing of bees in the grass, the murmuring of moles in the earth, and the song of birds in the sky. These warmed the hearts of those who

cared to listen - until the others came to fill the sky with a cacophony of noise. With dramatically lit artwork and a spare, intriguing text, Varmints tells of a pastoral world in

need of protection and of the souls who love it enough to ensure its regeneration.

The Wolves In The Walls

Neil Gaiman

When Lucy hears noises from behind the wall she tries to warn her parents that there are wolves banging about. But her parents don't listen. When the wolves finally take over the

house and Lucy and her family are evicted to live in the garden, her parents realise perhaps they should have listened. But Lucy is no shrinking violet and pretty soon she has

the wolves out and the family back in the house. So what was that noise Lucy heard coming from behind the wall?

Oliver and the Seawigs

Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre

Along with his new friends, a grumpy old albatross, a short-sighted mermaid, and a friendly island called Cliff, Oliver goes off in search of his missing parents. But before he

can put his rescue plan into action there's the evil Stacey de Lacey and an army of greasy, green sea monkeys to contend with . . .

Arthur and the Golden Rope

Joe Todd Stanton

Imagine a vault so cavernous that it could contain all the world's greatest treasures and relics, from mummified remains of ancient monarchs to glistening swords brandished by

legendary warriors. Who could be in charge of such a vault and how did he come into possession of such a unique collection? Who is...Professor Brownstone?

Hilda and the Troll Luke Pearson

Hilda can never sit still for long without setting off on another adventure. She can't resist exploring her enchanting world - a place where trolls walk, crows speak, and mountains

move. The magic and folklore of the wild, windswept North come alive in this book about an adventurous little girl and her habit of befriending anything, no matter how curious it might seem. While on an expedition to illustrate the magical creatures of the mountains

around her home, Hilda spots a mountain troll. As the blue-haired explorer sits and sketches, she slowly starts to nod off. By the time she wakes up, the troll has totally disappeared and, even worse, Hilda is lost in a snowstorm. On her way home, Hilda

befriends a lonely wooden man, and narrowly avoids getting squashed by a lost giant.

The Song From Somewhere Else

A.F. Harold

Frank doesn't know how to feel when Nick Underbridge rescues her from bullies one afternoon. No one likes Nick. He's big, he's weird and he smells - or so everyone in Frank's

class thinks. And yet, there's something nice about Nick's house. There's strange music playing there,

and it feels light and good and makes Frank feel happy for the first time in forever. But there's more to Nick, and to his house, than meets the eye, and soon Frank realises

she isn't the only one keeping secrets. Or the only one who needs help .

The Imaginary A.F. Harold

Rudger is Amanda's best friend. He doesn't exist, but nobody's perfect. Only Amanda can see her imaginary friend - until the sinister Mr Bunting arrives at

Amanda's door. Mr Bunting hunts imaginaries. Rumour says that he eats them. And he's sniffed out Rudger. Soon Rudger is alone, and running for his imaginary life. But can a boy

who isn't there survive without a friend to dream him up?