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
A CALDECOTT HONOR BOOK * OVER 8 MILLION COPIES SOLD! The cherished childhood classic starring a fearless little girl and her eleven lovable housemates. One of The Atlantic's 65 Essential Children's Books "Perhaps the best bedtime book ever written."--The New...
Flat Stanley
Brown, Jeff
Paper Book
In this 50th anniversary edition, join Flat Stanley and the rest of the Lambchop family on the adventure that started it all!  Kids love Flat Stanley--even reluctant readers. And for parents and teachers, each Flat Stanley book delivers multicultural adventure, plot and character...
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
Polly has set up a pets' holiday home for the summer and with a house full of greedy guinea pigs, pesky parrots and slithering snakes, mum is getting more fed up by the day Especially when Doris the snake goes missing. Can Polly find Doris before the snake finds the guinea pigs?
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 live in a treehouse. But it's not just any old treehouse, it's the most amazing treehouse in the world! This treehouse has thirteen stories, a bowling alley, a see-through swimming pool, a secret underground laboratory, and a marshmallow machine that follows you around...
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
National treasure Alexander McCall Smith joins up-and-coming illustrator Zoe Persico in this utterly adorable story of family, acceptance and difference. Part of Barrington Stoke's picture book range for all the family, with easy-read font. Jane has always been just a little...
The worst witch
Murphy, Jill.
Paper Book
Catch up on Mildred Hubble's magical adventures at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches with these reissued editions featuring energetic new covers. Mildred Hubble is starting her first year at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches -- and making a mess of it! She can't ride her...
Big Nate : in a class by himself
Peirce, Lincoln.
Ottoline and the yellow cat
Riddell, Chris
Paper Book
Meet Ottoline Brown and her best friend, Mr. Munroe. No puzzle is ever too tricky for the two of them to solve.
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 these...
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
Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 to 5 Horrid Henry is the very first collection of stories about the master of mischief (and the funniest kid in the universe) including: Horrid Henry is dragged to dance class. Horrid Henry competes with Moody Margaret to make the...
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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