Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Author & Illustrators

Tom McLaughlin Books

Poetry Pizza

Poetry

Here, inside a bright and breezy cover, are ninety-three pages of illustrated, imaginative, occasionally quite incisive, and consistently inspiring verse. Inspiring because, if poetry can be this much fun, readers (of any age) will want to have a go themselves! It’s possible some will try to pen a haiku, but probably not the problematic ‘triolet’. Or they might simply take some of Simon Mole’s creative ideas like Mind Map and Cure for End of the Day Blues (to help them relax) or Us in the Car (as a game to play on long journeys).

There are also fun fabrications of dictionary entries, eg ‘Flooble’, and extrapolations of events like ‘The Last Wee’, which are certain to bring a smile to the face.

How many of these poems are based on the author’s own experiences, is not clear (did Dad really fill the bath with lemonade?), but it is clear that Simon Mole has a sparkling sense of humour and a real talent for cooking up a feast. Perform them, use them (eg to craft your own version of LOL with a.n.other abbreviation), share them and enjoy them!

Alan, King of the Universe: Book 1

Tom McLaughlin

Graphic novel

An orange cat blessed with opposable thumbs, Alan is convinced he was born to rule and spends his days scheming up brilliant plans to fulfil his destiny – from creating a brand-new country, Alanland, to cloning himself in an attempt raise an entire army of Alans. And his slobbery dog sidekick Fido is just happy to be along for the ride!

Join these two accident-prone characters on their hilarious adventures as they try to take over the universe – as long as they’re home in time for tea, of course.

This two-colour graphic novel series for 7+ readers will have kids and their grown-ups rolling around the floor with laughter. Suitable for newly independent readers.

Jack the Fairy: The Night Bigfoot Stole my Pants

Tom McLaughlin

Chapter book

This is a cracker of a book! Packed with lots of humour and ad entire this is the perfect read for kids (and adults!) Jack is a young fairy who has just found out what he is. He is eager to prove himself to his mom and uncle and show that he can be just as good a fairy as they are. When he catches a Bigfoot stealing his favourite underpants, things don’t quite go as he planned. Of course, chaos ensues causing danger to the world of magical creatures. Jack has to learn important lessons about magic and friendship. The plot of the story is fantastic and original and really sparks the imagination of the reader. The illustrations help to reinforce the story and add enjoyment. The writing is clear and crisp, making this an ideal read that will engage even the most reluctant readers.

The Boy Who Painted The World

Tom McLaughlin

Picturebook

When a boy stumbles into a blank book, he thinks it looks very empty . . . until he meets a determined paintbrush. Although the boy is certain that he can’t draw or paint, he’s encouraged to try-and the results are surprising. An ordinary square can become a dumper truck, and a messy blob of paint can become a Messy-saurus (that’s a scribbly sort of dinosaur). In fact, it soon becomes clear that anything can be turned into something. With a bit of imagination, the possibilities are endless! Written and illustrated by bestselling author Tom McLaughlin, The Boy Who Painted The World is a celebration of creativity and turning mistakes into magic.

Goodfellows

Tom McLaughlin

Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly

A case of mistaken identity leads to unintentional criminal activity when a dream family holiday goes terribly wrong in this punny comedy caper from author-illustrator Tom McLaughlin.

The Goodfellows are the perfect family. From helping the local community to scooping up prizes in school, there’s nothing they can’t do. And they’ve just won the holiday of a lifetime to the Big Apple!

When the family touchdown in New York and overhear a gentleman looking for the goodfellas, they can only assume he’s there to pick them up. But soon they’re involved in a diamond robbery and a gangster named Big Tony is thanking them for their impeccable work. It looks like everything for the Goodfellows is about to go very, very wrong …

The Accidental Billionaire

Tom McLaughlin

Chapter book

A new, hilarious book from author Tom McLaughlin, creator of the highly-acclaimed The Accidental Prime Minister. Funny by Name. Funny by Nature. Jasper Spam is mad about science, the problem is that all of his experiments tend to end in a BANG, until one day quite accidentally Jasper manages to invent something that will change the world forever . . . One crazy experiment involving a shed, a mallet, and a poorly aimed laser beam results in Jasper’s cat Rover, becoming the world’s first talking cat. Finally an invention that works – the Cat Chat 2000! Soon people are handing over all of their cash to get a talking cat. With his new found wealth Jasper can finally live the life he’s always dreamed of – buying a mansion, sports team, and producing a Hollywood blockbuster. But is there a huge price to pay for bringing talking cats to the world, and money won’t be able to solve the problem that the Cat Chat 2000 has caused.

Along Came a Different

Tom McLaughlin

Picturebook

Reds love being red. Yellows love being yellow. And Blues love being blue. The problem is that they just don’t like each other.

But one day, along comes a different colour who likes Reds, Yellows and Blues, and suddenly everything starts to change.

Maybe being different doesn’t mean you can’t be friends …

A very special picture book that supports the adage that there is more that unites us than divides us. Along Came a Different just goes to show how much better we can all be when we come together to find common ground as friends. Every bookshelf should have a copy.

The Accidental Father Christmas

Tom McLaughlin

Chapter book

The latest hilarious caper from author Tom McLaughlin. Funny by name. Funny by nature. Ben has one important thing on his Christmas list, and it’s the same thing every year. He wants his dad to be at home for Christmas. But his wish never comes true. And Ben’s starting to get a bit sceptical about Father Christmas’s existence, he needs proof. So, on Christmas Eve, he sets up an elaborate booby trap to capture the jolly bearded fella as he comes sliding down the chimney. Kicking off a sequence of hilarious events that makes this Christmas the most bonkers ever!

The day that Aliens (Nearly) Ate our Brains

Tom McLaughlin

Chapter book

A laugh-a-minute, action-packed alien adventure perfect for fans of Pamela Butchart and Frank Cottrell Boyce.

Best friends Freddy and Sal have accidentally intercepted a message from Alan – a spectacularly grumpy, brain-munching alien from outer space. Alan has only one message. Earth is going to be invaded in exactly ten hours’ time. Soon the police, Nasa and even Presidents from around the world are getting involved – and Freddy is about to become the most famous kid on planet earth for all the wrong reasons. Wolverhampton, we have a problem.

The Day I Became the Most Wanted Boy in the World

Tom McLaughlin

Chapter book

Nine year old Pete is about to have the worst day ever in this laugh-a-minute illustrated adventure!

There’s nothing Pete loves more than sitting at home, being quiet and watching the snooker. But when he accidentally bumps into a local gangster, Pete and his super annoying next door neighbour, Sammy, are caught up in a series of events that get worse and worse at each and every turn. Now Pete is in a race against time to prove his innocence – but it’s tricky to do that, especially when everyone thinks that you’re the most wanted boy in the world.