Reading - A Bear Called Paddington

A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond

Nearly fifty years ago, a small bear from Darkest Peru set out on an adventure of a lifetime. With nothing but a suitcase, several jars of marmalade, and a label around his neck that read, "Please Look After This Bear," he stowed away on a ship headed for faraway England. When the little bear arrived at London's busy Paddington Station, he was discovered by Mr. and Mrs. Brown. As luck would have it, the Browns were just the sort of people to welcome a lost bear into their family. Since then their lives have never been quite the same .... for ordinary things when a bear called Paddington is involved.

Reading - The Alfie Treasury

The Alfie Treasury by Shirley Hughes

The adventures begin when Alfie locks his mum out of the house, racing to get home first! Then explore the world of new welly boots, perfect for splashing in puddles and learning about left and right. There are birthday parties and birthday surprises to be found in these pages, as well as babysitters and big boys, burst pipes, beloved pets and brilliant prizes. Alfie solves the important mysteries of pre-schoolers' lives as he takes on shyness, sisters and the brave new world of Big School. It is a wonderful collection of classic stories to be treasured.

Reading - Nicholas and the Gang

Nicholas and the Gang by Goscinny & Sempe

Nicholas and the Gang contains 16 stories about Nicholas, the French schoolboy, and his friends, many of whom are familiar from the other books in the series: there's Alec, who's always eating; Cuthbert, who's always top of the class; Matthew, who's always bottom of the class; and Mary Jane, the little girl with blonde pigtails who lives next door. As usual, the children get into all kinds of trouble, even though they have the very best intentions. In this book, they try to make friends with the owner of a new bookshop near their school, take part in a chaotic radio interview, and play an unusually messy game of chess.

Reading - The Lost Boys' Appreciation Society

The Lost Boys' Appreciation Society by Alan Gibbons

Gary, John, and Dad are lost without Mom. Gary is only 14 and goes seriously off the rails, getting involved with local thugs and teetering on the brink of being on the wrong side of the law. John is wrestling with the GCSEs and his first romance—the gorgeous Olivia Bellman. But he's carrying the burden of trying to cope with Gary and Dad at the same time. And they're all living with the memories of someone they can never replace.

Reading - Magical Kids

Magical Kids: The Invisible Boy and The Strongest Girl in the World by Sally Gardner

This book contains 2 stories : 1. The Strongest Girl in the World Josie Jenkins, aged eight and three-quarters, is good at tricks. She can balance a pencil on the end of her finger and pick her nose without anyone seeing. But she amazes everyone—even herself—with her best trick yet: Josie can lift a table, a car, and even a double-decker bus with no effort at all! Hold on, though. Could this would-be blessing turn out to be an even greater curse? 2. The Invisible Boy There’s Sam—poor Sam! When his parents take off for a trip to the moon, Sam is imprisoned by the wicked Hilda Hardbottom. He must find a way to escape, but how? Could his salvation come in the form of a small, splotchy alien? Maybe—if that alien has the power of invisibility, and the inclination to share!

Reading - Nicholas

Nicholas by Goscinny & Sempe

Meet Micholas, the energetic French schoolboy who is forever in some kind of trouble. His adventures and exploits are brought to life by Rene Goscinny and world-renowned illustrator Jean-Jacques Sempe. Whether at home or at school, Nicholas and his friends are caught up in a series of hilarious escapades that always result in confusion, especially for their parents and teachers.

Reading - Mini Shopaholic

Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

The follow-up to Kinsella’s Shopaholic & Baby (2007) finds Becky and Luke Brandon’s daughter, Minnie, hitting the terrible twos. More than a handful for Becky, Minnie is already picking up on some of her mother’s bad habits, particularly when it comes to shopping. With frequent cries of “Miiiiine!” Minnie is the embodiment of the voice in Becky’s head that won’t let her say no to bargain buys and designer clothes. Becky’s far more financially conscious husband, Luke, wants Becky to cut back on her shopping, forcing the fashionista to become a recessionista and actually wear the many clothes in her closet more than once. Not to be deterred, Becky channels her energy into planning a huge surprise birthday bash for Luke, which quickly gets out of hand. She is also determined to convince him that, despite their difficulties with Minnie, they should have another child.