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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Wellington City Libraries Children's team at Wellington City Libraries
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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.

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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 : his original adventure
Brown, Jeff 1926-2003
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...
Super sub
Gibbons, Alan 1953-
Paper Book
New boy Smithy can't understand why everyone is so excited about a player on the football team called "Bengo." Bengo's been absent for the first few games of the season and starts the next game on the bench, so surely he can't be that special? But when Smithy finally...
The 13-story treehouse
Griffiths, Andy 1961-
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...
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.
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
Meet Ottoline Brown and her best friend, Mr. Munroe. No puzzle is ever too tricky for the two of them to solve.
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 1970-
A super-readable and accessible mystery in this 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 won't eat--it's like...
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