Brilliant Books for Picky Readers
Ellie in our digital team picks the best books from the current Book Club that are perfect for getting even the most reluctant readers stuck in!
Not everyone comes naturally to reading, and it can be especially difficult watching your child struggle with a book when you so want them to find pleasure in it. However, we know there’s a book out there for everyone, whatever their reading age or preference – you just have to find it.
With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of six books that are perfect for getting a reluctant reader turning the page. There’s quite a range here, so there should be an option to suit everyone!
1. Horrid Henry and the Mega-Mean Time Machine by Francesca Simon This is a really fun read designed especially to help kids start reading on their own. It’s highly illustrated and so funny that they won’t even realise they’re learning as they go. The perfect option if you want to help instil a love of reading from a very young age.
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2. The Dinosaur That Pooped the Bed by Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter We might not like reading about poop, but let’s be honest – kids find it hilarious, especially because they know they shouldn’t. The Mcfly writing pair have written a book here that’s guaranteed to get every child rolling around in a fit of giggles. |
 3. Favourite Poems Poems, we hear you say! They won’t want to read poems! Well, children’s poetry is actually a great place to start for reluctant readers. It’s much more accessible than adult poetry, and can be as short or long as you want it to be. A five-line poem is less daunting than a whole book, and will lend itself well to being read aloud or even acted out. |
 4. Captain Underpants and the Sensational Saga of Sir Stinks-a-Lot by Dav Pilkey If you’ve ever heard your child say that books aren’t as fun as TV, give them this. Fast-paced, exciting and written in a fun, true-to-life way, Captain Underpants is the series for children who struggle to find themselves reflected in the books they read. |
 5. Badly Drawn Beth by Knife & Packer Badly Drawn Beth is a book – but not as you know it. Knife & Packer are cartoonists who made their names featuring in the Guardian and Private Eye, and now they write funny, accessible children’s books. This is Beth’s laugh-out-loud diary – not too wordy, full of hilarious illustrations and perfect for any child who struggles with lots of text. And it made our Lollies shortlist, so we can guarantee you’ll be laughing along with them! |
 6. Horrible Histories: Classic Pack Sometimes, it can be hard to persuade a child to invest in something when they know it’s not real. Perfect for slightly older readers of about 8 and upwards, this Horrible Histories pack is far more gruesome and gory than any story – and every bit of it is true! |
 7. Half Bad by Sally Green If there is any one series that has universal appeal, it’s Harry Potter. There may never be another Harry Potter book but, in the meantime, the only books that have come close for us are Sally Green’s Half Bad series. It’s a darker read than Harry Potter and should be reserved for the 14+, but it’s got everything you want in a book – thrills, characters you can root for, a love triangle and so many twists and turns, they’ll be racing towards the end. |