E. B. White’s classic story of Charlotte the spider and Wilbur the pig has enchanted many generations of readers – and prompted many tears! But what can possibly follow it?
Other books about personable animals include Stuart Little, another E. B. White favourite, the Blue Peter Award-winning rabbit fantasy Podkin One-Ear by Kieran Larwood and illustrated by David Wyatt, Armadillo and Hareby Jeremy Strong and Rebecca Bagley or any story by Dick King-Smith, such as Harry’s Mad, featuring a talking African Grey parrot, or Harriet’s Hare, where an alien inhabiting the body of a hare befriends a little girl and helps rebuild her family after her mother’s death.
If you’re looking for other stories that tug at the heartstrings, Michelle Magorian’s children’s classic Goodnight Mister Tom is a must-read, as is Lara Williamson’s new The Girl With Space in Her Heart in which anxious little girl Mabel carries an imaginary suitcase of worries after her parents’ breakup. Dick King-Smith’s The Crowstarver is a poignant and affecting story about a boy that can communicate with animals, and Onjali Q Rauf’s The Star Outside My Window is a sad but ultimately uplifting tale following the fortunes of a brother and sister put into care. Last, Sita Brahmachari and Jane Ray’s beautiful Corey’s Rock depicts a family healing itself after the loss of a child.
In this adorable collection of ten short stories, friends Armadillo and Hare meet other animals in a variety of encounters that centre on the importance of small things. Full of gentle humour and philosophy, reminiscent of Winnie the Pooh.
Willie Beech, a lonely and deprived child, is evacuated to a tiny English village just before the Second World War, and finds himself living with reclusive widower Thomas Oakley.
When Mabel’s dad walked out, he left a big space in Mabel’s heart. She wants to talk to Mum and her sister, but she can’t – so she keeps all her worries inside an imaginary suitcase, which is getting heavier and heavier. Whilst this moving story explores sensitive issues, including anxiety, depression, and family break-up, it’s also warm-hearted and written lightly with plenty of humour.
Isla and her family move to the Orkney Islands from Edinburgh after Isla’s five-year-old brother Corey passes away. Soon, she learns all about selkies and the myths behind them… Sensitive, sad and ultimately uplifting, with beautiful illustrations.
If you want more books featuring pigs, the new Unipiggle series by Hannah Shaw delivers a pig-unicorn hybrid full of giggles; Michael Morpurgo’s Mudpuddle Farm series is a lovely one for Charlotte’s Web fans, especially Pigs Might Fly. Of course, Dick King-Smith’s The Sheep Pig is another classic pig-themed children’s book (and was made into the film Babe). For funny piggy reads, Emer Stamp’s The Unbelievable Top Secret Diary of Pig is hilarious, as is the comic-format Pigsticks and Harold by Alex Milway.
Last, if you’re looking for heart-warming nature-based stories, Gill Lewis’ Sky Dancer and Run Wild and Nicola Davies’ The Little Mistake and Flying Free, both illustrated by Cathy Fisher, are gorgeous short reads about the bonds between animals and kids set in the British countryside.
It’s time for the selection of Princess Pea’s first Royal Unicorn! Everyone is delighted with the sugary sweet unicorns in the parade except the Princess herself – who is besotted with Unipiggle, a pig with a horn. Will Unipiggle bravely rescue Princess Pea from the storm and win her heart? This brightly illustrated story about a girl who wants to break free from society’s expectations is perfect for younger readers.
Pig is quite happy on the farm – until Duck reveals the terrible truth that Farmer doesn’t love him at all and is simply fattening him up to become his dinner.
Looking for somewhere secret to practice skateboarding, Izzy and Asha ignore the ‘Danger! Do Not Enter’ signs posted around the derelict gasworks. Sneaking inside along with Izzy’s little brother Connor, they discover an amazing hidden urban wilderness. The girls practice their board skills while Connor explores the scrubland, finding cormorants, beetles… and an injured wolf!
When Colin shoots a sparrowhawk, he knows that he’s done something wrong and takes the hawk to the vet. Soon, Colin finds a passion for wildlife he never knew he had. Anyone reading Flying Free will want to rescue their own hawk…
Join in!
Those are some of our ideas – but what about you? What do you love reading?
Let us know by messaging us on social media @BookTrust using the hashtag #WhatToReadAfter
Bookfinder
Use the Bookfinder to find the perfect book for you, your family and friends. You can use our special tools to search hundreds of children’s book reviews by age, category and theme.
