Champion reads – books for children

We think you'll enjoy these exciting books for boys aged 7 to 11, which will also appeal to girls. Just click on the titles to get these books.

'My brother's ghost' by Allan Ahlberg

Frances' brother Tom is knocked down in a street accident and dies. As Frances and her other brother Harry grow up, the ghost of Tom appears to them on many occasions.

'Eco-wolf and the three pigs' by Laurence Anholt

Eco-Wolf knows it's important to give Mother Nature respect unlike the three big bad pigs and their pesky polluting plans. One of the Seriously Silly Stories series

'Terrible times' by Philip Ardagh

Eddie Dickens is on route for North America aboard the Pompous Pig along with a cargo of left shoes, the world famous Bone Diamond and a collection of disreputable travelling companions. Third of the Eddie Dickens Trilogy.

'Mad Myths: A touch of wind!' by Steve Barlow and Steve Skidmore

On an outward bound experience, Perce and Andy discover Odysseus washed up on the beach. They urge him to go home, but he is captivated by the 20th Century.

'Artemis Fowl: The Arctic incident' by Eoin Colfer

In this exciting sequel, Artemis and old enemy Holly Short join forces to fight the threat to the Lower Elements from the goblin B'wa Kell triad and try to rescue Artemis's father.

'Russell Troy, Monster Boy' by Bruce Colville

Russell buys a magic ring from Mr Elives' Magic Shop and finds that being able to change into a terrifying monster and back again is very useful. Book 1 in the Magic Shop series.

'How to cross the road and not turn into a pizza' by Anne Fine

An entertaining school story with a serious message about learning to cross the road.

'Loudmouth Louis' by Anne Fine

Loudmouth Louis can't stay quiet for a minute, so no one believes that he is going to do a sponsored silence to raise money for the new school library. Will he manage it?

'Revenge of the toffee monster' by Susan Gates

Lenny finds the frozen, broken remains of a 112 year-old toffee monster in the Toffee Museum. After the pieces have thawed out, they join together to form Clum, a huge, sticky and angry toffee monster that has to be dealt with.

'Boy overboard' by Morris Gleitzman

This is a moving and gripping book about a fictional family fleeing Afghanistan, based on real events. Will Jamal and his family survive an incredible journey to get to Australia?

'Toad rage' by Morris Gleitzman

Limpy, the Australian cane toad, is worried that all humans hate him and his family and deliberately run them over. He sets off on a journey to try to become loved, unaware that humans are frightened of cane toads' poison.

'The Devil and his boy' by Anthony Horowitz

Orphan Tom slaves for an innkeeper until a rich stranger takes him off to London. New dangers lie in wait but the strangest of all appears at the theatre when the fate of Queen Elizabeth I and Tudor England is in his hands.

'Eagle strike' by Anthony Horowitz

In this fourth story about MI6 agent Alex Rider, the reluctant hero is on holiday in the south of France when he is suddenly plunged into another mysterious adventure.

'Rescuing Dad' by Pete Johnson

When his parents separate, Joe sets out to reform his dad's habits in the hope of bringing them back together again.

'The knight and the squire' by Terry Jones

In this adventure story set in the 14th Century, the central character, Tom, runs away from home to discover what the noble life of a knight is really like. His adventures take him to France to fight for King Edward III.

'Titus rules OK' by Dick King-Smith

Titus, a corgi pup growing up in Windsor Castle, has much to learn. Soon he becomes a favourite of the Queen, and it is due to Titus that the Queen does something very surprising.

'The secrets of Vesuvius' by Caroline Lawrence

In the summer of AD 79, Flavia Gemina and three friends go to Pompeii to stay with her uncle. Vesuvius erupts when they are trying to solve a murder mystery and they have to flee for their lives.

'Billy the kid' by Michael Morpurgo

Billy looks back on his life as Chelsea's champion striker before the outbreak of war in 1939 and his life since.

'Kensuke's kingdom' by Michael Morpurgo

Michael is washed overboard with his football and dog when sailing around the world in a yacht with his parents. Struggling to survive on a Pacific island, he realises that he is not alone.

'Silverwing' by Kenneth Oppel

Shade, a young Silverwing bat and the runt of his colony, is determined to prove himself on the long and perilous winter migration. But who can he trust and where will his story end? Book 1 in the Silverwing Saga.

'Captain Underpants and the wrath of the Wicked Wedgie Woman' by Dav Pilkey

George and Harold have created Wedgie Woman, a monster, faster, smarter and more evil than the earth has ever seen. The Captain Underpants series contains comic strips and flip pages and the books' subversive humour is particularly appealing to boys.

'Pirate diary: the journal of Jake Carpenter' by Richard Platt

In this picture book for older readers, nine year old Jake Carpenter embarks on a new life on the wrong side of the law when his ship is captured by pirates. A swashbuckling adventure story packed with accurate historical detail.

'The Amazing Maurice and his educated rodents' by Terry Pratchett

Maurice, a streetwise tomcat, has the perfect money-making scam, involving a kid who plays a pipe and a pack of educated rats. It all goes wrong when they reach the town of Bad Blintz and find that something awful is waiting in the cellars.

'I was a rat…or the scarlet slippers' by Philip Pullman

Roger insists he was a rat. Is he a terrifying monster rampaging in the sewers or just an ordinary boy? Only one person knows who Roger really is.

'Mortal engines' by Philip Reeve

Here is a future where settlements are traction cities moving across the plains of the world seeking to capture one another for power and fuel.

'Horrid Henry's haunted house' by Francesca Simon

Four stories about Horrid Henry that include an epic fight with his brother over the comfy chair for watching TV in and getting revenge over Stuck-up-Steve while staying in his haunted room.

'Astrid, the au pair from outer space' by Emily Smith

Harry isn't sure he wants an au pair, but Astrid is different. She has a very strange suitcase and has to have everyday things explained to her. When she gives him a geography lesson he realises she is from a planet 500 light years away.

'The carnivorous carnival' by Lemony Snicket

In this ninth book in the Series of Unfortunate Events, the Baudelaire orphans find themselves trapped in the Caligari Carnival and, as suspected murderers, have to masquerade as freaks in order to hide from the evil Count Olaf.

'The curse of the Gloamglozer' by Paul Stewart

In this fourth book of the Edge Chronicles, Quint, the son of a sky pirate and new apprentice to Linius Pallitax, is plunged into a terrifying adventure when he unwittingly invokes an ancient curse.

'The beak speaks' by Jeremy Strong

Mark advertises for a girlfriend for his single, under pressure dad, but the beautiful, evil, Divine turns up and Dinah, the Mynah bird, tries to warn the family of her sinister intentions.

'Blitzed' by Robert Swindells

George is fascinated by World War Two and anything to do with it. He visits a museum and travels back in time to relive the war.

'Night of the red devil' by Theresa Tomlinson

Sam makes two amazing discoveries on a boring holiday in Whitby which draw him into an incredible adventure in the past with the jet engravers.

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