Suggested Reading for Children aged 7-9 (Years 3 and 4) It Was a Dark and Stormy Night Janet Ahlberg

A small boy who has been kidnapped by brigands, passes a dark and stormy night in their cave weaving for them incredible stories of their own exploits. Through the stories he solves his own problem and manages to escape. The Railway Cat Phyllis Arkle

There's never a dull moment with Alfie, the railway cat. He's faced burglars and a runaway train, he's even become a media star. Fred, his friend at the station couldn't cope without him. But Alfie's made an enemy of railman Hack. But now Alfie's been kidnapped! How will he find his way home? And what does Hack have to do with it all? Join Alfie in this rollercoaster series of adventures, when he does everything from save a life to becoming a pantomime star - You'll never meet another cat quite like him!

Friendship According to Humphrey Betty G. Birney

Dear Friends, When Og the Frog came to live in Room 26, I felt a little jealous. Still, I tried to be welcoming but I soon discovered that it's HARD-HARD-HARD to make friends with a lumpy, bumpy frog! Then I found out that my fellow students were having problems with their friends, too. A.J. and Garth had to deal with a bully named Mean Martin Bean. Heidi and Gail had a terrible argument, and Miranda-Golden had a new stepsister who wasn't nice at all. Then there was the Poetry Festival, the magic show and the snowstorm! How could one small hamster solve all those problems? Luckily, I wrote the whole story in my notebook so you could share my adventures. Your friend to the end, Humphrey Dilly the Dinosaur Tony Bradman

Introducing Dilly, the world’s naughtiest dinosaur by internationally acclaimed author, Tony Bradman. In his first four stories, Dilly the Dinosaur gets up to all sorts of mischief. First, he decides to hate water and vows never to wash again, until his friend

Dixie objects to the very smelly dinosaur he becomes. Then, Dilly lets loose his ear-splitting super-scream which makes his father have a disaster with his sister's birthday cake, but things get even messier when Dilly tries to make a replacement. Dilly gets very confused one day, waiting for it to rain cats and dogs, and finally makes his own very characteristic contribution to the family's house-painting day! Tony Bradman’s dinosaur stories are the most fun and reader-friendly books for children you’re likely to come across. Flat Stanley Jeff Brown

Stanley Lambchop is an ordinary boy with an extraordinary problem. One night, a giant pin board falls on top of him leaving him completely flat. At first, Stanley enjoys the benefits of his strange predicament - it can be fun going in out of rooms simply by sliding under the door. And it's a hoot being posted to your friends in California for a holiday. But it's not always easy being different, and, once the novelty begins to wear off, Stanley wishes he could be just like everybody else again. But how will he ever fill out? The Secret World of Polly Flint Helen Cresswell

As soon as she arrives in Wellow, Polly Flint knows there is magic in the place. And she should know, because she is an unusual girl who can see things others can't. She seems to be able to call up a village that had disappeared from the face

of the earth - and the people who lived in it, as they slip in and out of time. 'The Secret World of Polly Flint' was runner-up for the Whitbread award and was televised by Central Television. Willa and Old Miss Annie Berlie Doherty

This is the story of a little girl called Willa, who moves with her family to a new home, where she meets Old Miss Annie. At first Willa is afraid of the old woman because of her woolly hair, tiny voice and bumpy, twisted hands. Soon they become the best of friends. One of the things that they have in common is a great love of animals. The book contains three stories, featuring respectively a goat, a pony and a fox. Berlie Doherty has twice won the Carnegie Medal, for "Granny Was a Buffer Girl" and "Dear Nobody". She has also written "Spellhorn" and "White Peak Farm". Kim Lewis was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal for "The Shepherd Boy". Her other picture books are "Emma's Lamb", "Floss", "First Snow" and "The Last Train". My Naughty Little Sister Dorothy Edwards

Dorothy Edwards’ classic story about one naughty but very entertaining little sister. My naughty little sister is stubborn and greedy and full of mischief. She tries to cut off the cat’s tail and eats all the trifle at Harry’s party! How much bother can one little sister be? My Naughty Little Sister has charmed generations of adults and children alike

thanks to Dorothy Edwards’ playful stories and Shirley Hughes’ beautiful illustrations. These best-selling books are perfect for little girls with siblings of their own. Picasso Perkins Adele Geras

Life becomes very difficult for Perkins when Lexie decides she's going to do a picture of him for a 'Paint Your Pet' competition. He is very fond of his young owner, but really! All he asks for in life is a bit of peace and quiet... However, to his surprise, Perkins finds that he too can be creative... The Reluctant Dragon Kenneth Grahame

A classic retelling of St George and the Dragon from the author of The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame. ‘Now, dragon,’ said the Boy imploringly. ‘You’ve got to fight him some time of other you know, ’cos he’s St George and you’re the dragon. Better get it over, and then we can go on with the sonnets.’ Everyone knows St George has to do battle with the dragon, but what happens when the dragon simply won’t fight St George? The Reluctant Dragon is a funny story of bravery, friendship and derring-do.

The Charlie Moon Collection Shirley Hughes

Charlie gets into all sorts of sticky situations when his seaside summer holiday turns into a missing jewellery mystery - and detective Charlie finds himself in the middle of a muddle once again when a gang of bungling burglars threatens to spoil the Big Library Bonanza . . . All Because of Jackson Dick King-Smith

I want to sail the seas,' said Jackson. 'I want to see the world . . ." Jackson is a very unusual rabbit - a rabbit with a dream. He spends his days watching the tall sailing-ships coming and going. He LONGS to go to sea too. So one day - with his girlfriend, Bunny - Jackson stows away on the Atalanta and sails off in search of a new life . . .

The Hodgeheg Dick King-Smith

Max is a hedgehog who lives with his family in a nice little home, but unfortunately on the wrong side of the road from the Park, with its beautiful lily pond, and more importantly its juicy slugs, worms and snails! The busy road is a dangerous barrier but Max notices that humans seem to cross it quite easily. If they can, why can't hedgehogs? So Max sets out on a quest to find a safe way to reach the Park. His first attempt ends in a nasty bump on the head, and Max finds when he tries to speak his words are all mixed up. He is now a Hodgeheg, not a hedgehog, but he is still determined to fulfill his mission. After some careful detective work, Max eventually discovers the best way to cross the road - with the help of the lollipop lady, of course! The Invisible Dog Dick King-Smith

The story of a girl who tries to satisfy her yearning for a dog by introducing an imaginary Great Dane called Henry to the house. Her wish comes true and she is allowed a real Henry - but there's more than a hint that old Mrs Garrow, with her cackling laugh and black cat, may have been involved.

Winnie-the-Pooh Collection A. A. Milne

Winnie-the-Pooh may be a bear of very little brain, but thanks to his friends Piglet, Eeyore and, of course, Christopher Robin, he’s never far from an adventure. Discover what happens when Pooh goes visiting and Piglet meets a Heffalump. Or when Eeyore loses his tail and Pooh finds one. Or when the animals meet Tigger for the first time. The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark Jill Tomlinson

Plop, the Baby Barn Owl, is like every Barn Owl there ever was, except for one thing - he is afraid of the dark. "Dark is nasty" he says and so he won't go hunting with his parents. Mrs Barn Owl sends him down from his nest-hole to ask about the dark and he meets a little boy waiting for the fireworks to begin, an old lady, a scout out camping, a girl who tells him about Father Christmas, a man with a telescope and a black cat who takes him exploring. He realizes that through these encounters that dark is super after all.

The Diary of a Killer Cat Anne Fine

Everyone loves the wickedly dry sense of humour of The Diary of a Killer Cat by Anne Fine. “Okay, Okay. So hang me. I killed the bird. For pity's sake, I'm a cat.” Poor Ellie is horrified when Tuffy drags a dead bird into the house. Then a mouse. But Tuffy can't understand what all the fuss is about. Who on earth will be the next victim to arrive through the cat-flap? Can soft-hearted Ellie manage to get her beloved pet to change his wild, wild ways before he ends up in even deeper trouble? The hilarious antics of Tuffy and his family as told by the killer cat himself. The Peppermint Pig Nina Bawden

Johnnie was only the runt of the litter, a little peppermint pig. He'd cost Mother a shilling, but somehow his great naughtiness and cleverness kept Poll and Theo cheerful, even though it was one of the most difficult years of their lives.

Operation Gadgetman! Malorie Blackman

Beans calls her dad 'Gadgetman' because of the weird and wonderful gadgets he comes up with - everything from exploding biscuits to Spy Kits. But when Gadgetman accidentally invents a device that could be used to steal millions of pounds, the wrong people find out and Gadgetman is kidnapped! With the help of her friends - and her special Gadgetman Spy Kit - Beans is determined to track down the kidnappers and rescue her dad. But can she find Gadgetman before he is forced to hand over the details of his invention...? How to Train Your Dragon Cressida Cowell

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III was an awesome sword-fighter, a dragon-whisperer and the greatest Viking Hero who ever lived. But it wasn't always like that. In fact, in the beginning, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III was the most put upon Viking you'd ever seen. Not loud enough to make himself heard at dinner with his father, Stoick the Vast; not hard enough to beat his chief rival, Snotlout, at Bashyball, the number one school sport and CERTAINLY not stupid enough to go into a cave full of dragons to find a pet... It's time for Hiccup to learn how to be a Hero. How to Train Your Dragon is now a major DreamWorks franchise starring Gerard Butler, Cate Blanchett and Jonah Hill and the TV series, Riders of Berk, can be seen on CBeebies and Cartoon Network.

The Battle of Bubble and Squeak Philippa Pearce

Sid, Peggy and Amy adore the two gerbils, Bubble and Squeak, but their mother detests them. A major family battle results, and it's clear life is never going to be quite the same again. But after a near fatal encounter between Bubble and Ginger the cat, Mrs Sparrow begins to see that life with 2 gerbils might not be so bad after all. The Way to Sattin Shore Philippa Pearce

Kate never knew her dad, but that doesn't stop her missing him. She often secretly visits the gravestone with his name on it. But when the gravestone disappears Kate has a mystery on her hands. She has to find out what has happened and as she delves deeper into her family's past, she realizes that there are many secrets to uncover and that all the clues point to one place. As Kate races to Sattin Shore her mind is a whirl of emotions: what she finds there will change the shape of her life forever.

The Suitcase Kid Jacqueline Wilson

When my parents split up they didn't know what to do with me . . . My family always lived at Mulberry Cottage. Mum, Dad, me - and Radish, my Sylvanian rabbit. But now Mum lives with Bill the Baboon and his three kids. Dad lives with Carrie and her twins. And where do I live? I live out of a suitcase. One week with Mum's new family, one week with Dad's. It's as easy as A B C. That's what everyone says. But all I want is to go home - back to Mulberry Cottage... Cliffhanger Jacqueline Wilson

From climbing and abseiling to canoeing and a Crazy Bucket Race, Tim's adventure holiday promises to be full of action. There's just one problem: he is hopeless at sports of any kind. Can Tim survive the horrors of a week absolutely packed with activity? Can his team - the Tigers - be the overall champions? There are some surprises in store for everyone!

The Wind on the Moon Eric Linklater

When the wind on the moon blew straight into Dinah and Dorinda’s hearts it meant that they couldn’t help but behave badly for a whole year. Transformed into kangaroos, they terrorise the sleepy town of Midmeddlecum with glee. But what they didn’t count on was being locked in a zoo. Things get even stickier for the mischievous sisters when they learn their father has been imprisoned in a dungeon by Count Hulagu Bloot, the tyrant of Bombardy. Their poor father! Can they rescue him in time? The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips Michael Morpurgo

It's 1943, and Lily Tregenze lives on a farm, in the idyllic seaside village of Slapton. Apart from her father being away, and the 'townie' evacuees at school, her life is scarcely touched by the war. Until one day, Lily and her family, along with 3000 other villagers, are told to move out of their homes – lock, stock and barrel. Soon, the whole area is out of bounds, as the Allied forces practice their landings for D-day, preparing to invade France. But Tips, Lily's adored cat, has other ideas – barbed wire and keep-out signs mean nothing to her, nor does the danger of guns and bombs. Frantic to find her, Lily makes friends with two young American soldiers, who promise to help her. But will she ever see her cat again? Lily decides to cross the wire into the danger zone to look for Tips herself… Now, many years later, as Michael is reading his Grandma Lily's diary, he learns about The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips – and wonders how one adventurous cat could still affect their lives sixty years later.

The Wreck of the Zanzibar Michael Morpurgo

A gripping children’s story from Britain’s best-loved children’s author and the man behind War Horse, Michael Morpurgo. “We all knew what was going to happen. We’d seen it before. A ship about to founder staggers before she falls. A huge wave broke over her stern and she did not come upright again.” Life on the Scilly Isles in 1907 is bleak and full of hardship. Laura’s twin brother, Billy, disappears, and then a storm devastates everything. It seems there’s little hope. But then the Zanzibar is wrecked on the island’s rocks, and everything changes . . . Former Children’s Laureate and award-winning author of War Horse, Michael Morpurgo, again demonstrates why he is considered to be the master story teller with one of his most dramatic children’s stories . . . The Wreck of the Zanzibar. How to Train Your Parents Pete Johnson

Moving to a new area and a new school, Louis is horrified to discover his parents changing into ultra-competitive parents, wanting him and his younger brother to get straight As at school and join all sorts of after-school clubs and activities like the other kids in the area. Suddenly Louis's life is no longer his own - until he meets Maddy, who claims to have trained her parents to ignore her- But does Louis really want to be ignored? A truly contemporary tale with characters kids will recognize instantly!

Aliens Stole my Underpants Brain Moses

This collection is packed with funny poems, starring some seriously out-of-this-world aliens! From ALIENS STOLE MY UNDERPANTS by Brian Moses To understand the ways of alien beings is hard, and I've never worked it out why they landed in my backyard. And I've always wondered why on their journey to the stars, these aliens stole my underpants and took them back to Mars. George’s Marvellous Medicine Roald Dahl

Most grandmas are kind and helpful ladies. Not George's grandma. She's a grumpy and grizzly old grouch and George wants to teach her a lesson. So when it's time for her medicine, George concocts a mixture which is guaranteed to send her through the roof...

The Twits Roald Dahl

THE TWITS is by the World's No.1 bestselling author, Roald Dahl. Mr Twit is a foul and smelly man with bits of cornflake and sardine in his beard. Mrs Twit is a horrible old hag with a glass eye. They've kept Muggle-Wump the monkey and his family caged in the garden for far too long, and now the monkeys want to take their REVENGE . . . Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Roald Dahl

Charlie Bucket loves chocolate - and Mr Willy Wonka, the most wondrous inventor in the world, is opening the gates of his amazing chocolate factory to five lucky children. It's the prize of a lifetime and all you have to do is find one of the five Golden Tickets. Charlie is the last lucky winner to join Willy Wonka in a tour of his factory - where some amazing surprises, both good and bad, await the children.

Billionaire Boy David Walliams

A hilarious, touching and extraordinary new fable from David Walliams, number one bestseller and one of the fastest growing children’s author across the globe. Joe has a lot of reasons to be happy. About a billion of them, in fact. You see, Joe's rich. Really, really rich. Joe's got his own bowling alley, his own cinema, even his own butler who is also an orangutan. He's the wealthiest twelve-year-old in the land. Yes, Joe has absolutely everything he could possibly want. But there’s just one thing he really needs: a friend…