‘If children are to become readers for life, they must first love stories.’
Michael Morpurgo (Children’s Laureate 2003-5)
A love of books is the most important thing we can give to any child and we at Roxeth Mead aim to promote the joy of reading as the foundation stone of all our other activities. The attached book list has been produced by Roxeth Mead to promote reading and a love of literature.
All lists can be contentious as there is always a certain degree of subjectivity involved, and I am sure that there will be favourite books that you have read with your child, or as a child yourself that have been omitted. If this is so please let me know, and I can include your recommendations in future lists.
The stories are diverse in nature ranging from the simplest for the very young right through to the more sophisticated that could be read by more able readers, and more importantly, by you to your child.
Reading together, discussing the story and characters is invaluable. On a practical level it will help to improve your child’s vocabulary and comprehension skills, but ultimately it should lay the foundations for a life-long interest in books.
A good story read in a warm and comforting environment will motivate a child to read. A child can be taught the mechanics of reading, but without instilling a desire to read by connecting with a story that inspires the imagination the skills become futile. Michael Morpurgo believes this passionately having worked closely with children, садзейнічанне гэтага жадання чытаць і атрымліваць асалоду ад літаратурай, і ён сцвярджае кропку бясспрэчна у сваім артыкуле, апублікаванай у The Royal Society агляду літаратуры (лютага. 2008)
«Мы атрымліваем сябе ўсю гарачую і турбавалі пра выкладанне сінтэтычнай акустыкі і да т.п., і мы забываем, што ні адзін з іх не шмат карысці, калі дзіця не хоча чытаць у першую чаргу ......….Мы ўсе ведаем, што калі дзіця не матываваны, каб даведацца, то будзе апатыя або супраціў у працэсе навучання. Яны значна больш верагодна, хочуць мець справу з цяжкасцямі навучання чытанню, калі яны ведаюць, што гэтыя словы, якія даюць ім доступ да ўсіх гэтых дзіўным гісторыям.
У Roxeth Мід мы стараемся выконваць парады Майкла Морпурго ў, and I hope that the attached list will encourage you and your child to enjoy together as many books as possible.
Happy Reading!
Elmer Stories
by David McKee
Andersen Press
The Gruffalo,
Tiddler,
Monkey Puzzle
Room on the Broom
by Julia Donaldson,
illustrated by Axel Scheffler
Scholastic
Burglar Bill,
by Janet and Allan Ahlberg
Puffin
Each Peach Pear Plum
by Allan Ahlberg
Puffin
The Tiger Who Came To Tea,
by Judith Kerr
Harper Collins
Where the Wild Things Are,
by Maurice Sendak
Red Fox
The Tale of Samuel Whiskers,
by Beatrix Potter
Frederick Warne
Yertle the Turtle,
The Cat in the Hat,
by Dr. Seuss
Colins
The Story of the Little Mole Who Knew
It Was None Of His Business,
by Holzwarth and Wolf Erlbruch
Chrysalis
The Very Hungry Caterpillar,
by Eric Carle
Puffin
Whatever Next
The Large Family Series
by Jill Murphy
Walker Books Ltd.
Dear Zoo
Oh Dear
by Rod Campbell
Campbell Books Ltd.
Owl Babies
Farmer Duck
Can’t You Sleep Little Bear
by Jez Alborough
Harper Collins
Daisy Stories
by Jane Simmons
Orchard Books
Skip Across the Ocean
by Floella Benjamin
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
The Big Wide Mouth Frog
by Anna M Larranaga
Candlewick
Pass the Jam Jim
by Kaye Umansky and Margaret Chamberlain
Red Fox
Dog’s Colourful Day
by Emma Dodd
Puffin
George and the Dragon
by Chris Wormell
Red Fox
Fergus stories
by Tony Maddox
Piccadilly Press
Number Rhymes to Say and Play
by Opal Dunn
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
I Forgot to Say I Love You
by Miriam Moss
Orchard Books
Handa’s Surprise
Handa’s Hen
By Eileen Brown
Walker Books
The Big Hungry Bear
By Don and Audrey Wood
Child’s Play
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt
by Michael Rosen
Walker Books
The Twits,
Danny, the Champion of the World,
George’s Marvellous Medicine
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,
The BFG
Mathilda
Revolting Rhymes,
by Roald Dahl
Puffin
Charlotte’s Webb,
by EB White
Puffin
The Story of Babar,
by Jean de Brunhoff
Egmont
Winnie-the-Pooh,
by AA Milne, illustrated by EH Shepherd
Egmont
Stig of the Dump,
by Clive King
Puffin
Ballet Shoes,
by Noel Streatfield
Puffin
Howl’s Moving Castle,
by Dianna Wynne Jones
Harper Collins
Just So Stories,
by Rudyard Kipling
Walker
The Borrowers,
by Mary Norton
Puffin
The Magic Faraway Tree,
by Enid Blyton
Egmont
Underwater Adventure,
by Willard Price
Red Fox
Tintin in Tibet,
by Herge
Mammoth
The Complete Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales
Chronicle
Erik the Viking,
by Terry Jones,
illustrated by Michael Foreman
Puffin
Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats,
by TS Eliot
Faber & Faber
The Iron Man,
by Ted Hughes
Faber & Faber
The Owl and the Pussycat,
by Edward Lear
Corgi
The Wind in the Willows,
by Kenneth Graham
Egmont
The Worst Witch Collection
by Jill Murphy
Puffin
Peter Pan,
by JM Barrie
Puffin
Mr Majeika,
by Humphrey Carpenter
Puffin
The Water Babies,
by Charles Kingsley
Wordsworth
A Little Princess,
The Secret Garden,
by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Wordsworth
Pippi Longstocking,
by Astrid Lindgren
Oxford
Bambert’s Book of Missing Stories
by Rheinhardt Jung
Egmont
The Firework-maker’s Daughter,
The Scarecrow and his Servant
by Philip Pullman
Random House
Tom’s Midnight Garden,
by Philippa Pearce
Oxford
The Sword in the Stone,
by TH White
HarperCollins
The Chronicles of Narnia,
by CS Lewis
Collins
Clarice Bean, Don’t Look Now,
by Lauren Child
Orchard Books
The Railway Children,
by E Nesbit
Oxford
The Selfish Giant,
by Oscar Wilde
Puffin
Black Beauty,
by Anna Sewell
Puffin Classics
Just William,
by Richmal Crompton
Macmillan
Jennings Goes to School
by Anthony Buckeridge
House of Stratus
Comet in Moominland,
by Tove Jansson
Puffin
The Bad Beginning,
By Lemony Snicket
Egmont
Alice in Wonderland and
Through the Looking Glass,
by Lewis Carroll
Penguin Classics