Kids: Reluctant readers

If your tamariki haven't caught the reading bug yet, the books on this list may pique their interest! Here you'll find books that are funny, large text, pictures, cartoons, and maybe something short and sweet.

Updated July 28, 2025
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Madeline
Bemelmans, Ludwig
Paper Book
"In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines lived twelve little girls in two straight lines the smallest one was Madeline."     Nothing frightens Madeline--not tigers, not even mice. With...
Flat Stanley
Brown, Jeff
Paper Book
The magical and brilliantly funny adventures of everyone's favourite flat boy - Flat Stanley. With wonderful new illustrations by the award-winning author/illustrator and star of Lockdown viral sensation #DrawwithRob, Rob Biddulph . Stanley Lambchop was just an ordinary boy -...
Ted rules the world
Cottrell Boyce, Frank
Paper Book
Hilarious spot-on comedy from the award winning and bestselling Frank Cottrell Boyce.
The snake who came to stay
Donaldson, Julia
Paper Book
Warm and charming Little Gem bestseller, now available with full colour illustrations. A perfectly pitched story for early readers from the former Children's Laureate and master of the market. High quality cream paper and a special easy to read font ensure a smooth read for all. ...
Super sub
Gibbons, Alan; Shephard, David
Paper Book
Bengo is the best player Smithy's ever seen, so why is he always left on the bench? An action-packed football story accompanied by fascinating facts and historical detail about famous substitutes. New boy Smithy can't understand why everyone is so excited about a player on...
The 13 Storey Treehouse: Colour Edition
Griffiths, Andy
Paper Book
Andy and Terry's 13-storey treehouse is the most amazing treehouse in the world! It's got a bowling alley, a see-through swimming pool, a tank full of man-eating sharks, a giant catapult, a secret underground laboratory and a marshmallow machine that follows you around and shoots marshmallows into...
Hercules
Hulme-Cross, Benjamin
Paper Book
Hercules wants to be famous forever and the only way to do that is to complete the tasks the King sets him. The tasks won't be easy; in fact, Hercules will have to face some of the most terrifying and dangerous creatures that live on earth - and in hell! Join Hercules as he wrestles a man-eating...
Don't look now. Book one
Jennings, Paul
Paper Book
Book 1 in the fantastic four-book series about taking risks and flying high. A unique collaboration from children's book legend Paul Jennings and brilliant cartoonist Andrew Weldon.
Boing boing
McCall Smith, Alexander
Paper Book
Jane has always been just a little bit different - she has springs in her knees! Support severely struggling readers with this hi-lo adventure with a spring in its step. Jane has always been just a little bit different - she has springs in her knees! She wins all the high...
The worst witch
Murphy, Jill.
Paper Book
Mildred Hubble is a trainee witch at Miss Cackle's Academy, and she's making an awful mess of it. She's always getting her spells wrong and she can't even ride a broomstick without crashing it. Will she ever make a real witch?
Big Nate : in a class by himself
Peirce, Lincoln.
Paper Book
Now an animated series from Paramount + & Nickelodeon! For fans of the hilarious Diary of a Wimpy Kid series: Get ready to meet Big Nate! In the very first novel in the New York Times bestselling series, Big Nate is in a class by himself! Nate knows he's meant for big...
Ottoline and the yellow cat
Riddell, Chris
Paper Book
Introducing Miss Ottoline Brown, an exceptionally inquisitive Mistress of Disguise, and her partner in crime, Mr Munroe. Ottoline and the Yellow Cat is a quirky mystery-adventure from Chris Riddell, author of the award-winning Goth Girl books. No puzzle is ever too...
Clever cakes
Rosen, Michael
Paper Book
Two super-smart kids triumph in these perfectly packaged tales with a twist from multi-award-winning and bestselling author Michael Rosen It pays to be able to think on your feet, especially if you're about to be eaten alive or cheated out of a valuable prize! And in...
Sideways stories from Wayside School
Sachar, Louis
Paper Book
Bestselling and Newbery Medal-winning author Louis Sachar knows how to make readers laugh. And there are laughs galore in perennial favorite Wayside School Is Falling Down! This is the rack-size paperback. Yum! Miss Mush is dishing out her famous Mushroom Surprise in the Wayside School...
Horrid Henry
Simon, Francesca
Paper Book
Number One for Fiendish Fun! This book contains HIDEOUS behaviour, terrible dancing, disgusting glop and a trip to France! Four utterly hilarious and totally brilliant Horrid Henry stories by Francesca Simon, with illustrations by Tony Ross. An irresistible introduction...
The invasion of Crooked Oak
Smith, Dan; King, Chris
Paper Book
Stranger Things meets Invasion of the Body Snatchers in this thrilling sci-fi adventure with an ecological twist. Something sinister is happening in Crooked Oak ... Ever since the fracking site closed, Nancy's parents have been acting weird. Their eyes are blank, they...
The story of Matthew Buzzington
Stanton, Andy; Collins, Ross
Paper Book
Matthew Buzzington must grapple with an unusual superpower in this riotous, laugh-out-loud adventure from the bestselling author of the Mr Gum series. Matthew Buzzington has a superpower - he can turn into a fly! It's just that it hasn't happened yet, which is pretty...

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