Welcome to Manor Drive's Reading Hive - a buzzing hub of imagination, wonder, and stories waiting to be discovered! Here, children can listen to a delightful collection of tales that spark curiosity, inspire creativity, and help nurture a lifelong love of reading. Whether they’re curling up with a classic or diving into a brand-new adventure, the Reading Hive is the perfect place for young minds to explore the magic of storytelling.

Listen to stories being read by our staff:

 

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Here's a list of highly recommended reads for Early Years/Reception (ages 4–5). These books are perfect for building early language skills, supporting emotional development, and most importantly - making story time magical and fun!

Timeless Classics

• We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen & Helen Oxenbury

• Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell

• Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. & Eric Carle

• The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

• Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney

Rhyme and Repetition

• Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler

• Each Peach Pear Plum by Janet and Allan Ahlberg

• Shark in the Park by Nick Sharratt

• Pants by Giles Andreae & Nick Sharratt

• The Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson

Funny and Interactive Stories

• You Choose by Nick Sharratt & Pippa Goodhart

• Oi Frog! by Kes Gray & Jim Field

• Press Here by Hervé Tullet

• That’s Not My… series by Fiona Watt (touch and feel books)

• This Book Just Ate My Dog! by Richard Byrne

Stories for Exploring the World

• Look Up! by Nathan Bryon & Dapo Adeola

• All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold

• My World, Your World by Melanie Walsh

• What the Ladybird Heard by Julia Donaldson

• Peepo! by Janet and Allan Ahlberg

Here’s a list of recommended Key Stage One (KS1) reads that are perfect for developing reading skills, building imagination, and encouraging a love of books. These stories offer a great mix of humour, heart, and adventure:

Classic Favourites

• The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr

• Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

• Peace at Last by Jill Murphy

• Elmer by David McKee

• Funnybones by Janet and Allan Ahlberg

Modern Must-Reads

• Oi Frog! by Kes Gray and Jim Field

• The Koala Who Could by Rachel Bright and Jim Field

• Superworm by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

• Look Up! by Nathan Bryon and Dapo Adeola

• Clean Up! by Nathan Bryon and Dapo Adeola

Books to Build Confidence

• Kipper the Dog series by Mick Inkpen

• Biff, Chip and Kipper (Oxford Reading Tree) by Roderick Hunt

• Usborne First Reading series (varied authors – fairy tales, folk tales, and more)

• Phonics Readers by Julia Donaldson (published by Usborne)

Diverse and Inclusive Reads

• Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love

• Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’o

• The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad

• All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold

Here's a list of recommended reads for Lower Key Stage Two (ages 7–9) - perfect for children who are developing fluency, building stamina, and beginning to explore more complex themes and chapter books, while still enjoying fun, imagination, and adventure.

Engaging Chapter Books

• The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark by Jill Tomlinson

• The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy

• Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown

• The Twits by Roald Dahl

• Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

Funny and Imaginative Reads

• Dog Man series by Dav Pilkey

• Claude series by Alex T. Smith

• Isadora Moon series by Harriet Muncaster

• The Nothing to See Here Hotel by Steven Butler

• Planet Omar series by Zanib Mian

Adventure and Mystery

• The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton

• Ottoline series by Chris Riddell

• Detective Dog Nell by Julia Donaldson

• The 13-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton

• Lottie Luna and the Bloom Garden by Vivian French

Books That Spark Empathy and Thought

• The Boy Who Grew Dragons by Andy Shepherd

• The Invisible by Tom Percival

• The Colour Monster by Anna Llenas

• The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson

• Toto the Ninja Cat series by Dermot O'Leary

Non-Fiction and Poetry

• Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World by Kate Pankhurst

• Little People, Big Dreams series by various authors

• Poems Out Loud! compiled by Laurie Stansfield

• A First Book of Nature by Nicola Davies

Classic Reads

• Tom’s Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce

• Stig of the Dump by Clive King

• The Family from One End Street by Eve Garnett

Modern Must-Reads

• Amari and the Night Brothers by B. B. Alston

• Time Travelling with a Hamster by Ross Welford

• The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Raúf

• Asha and the Spirit Bird by Jasbinder Bilan

Diverse & Inclusive Reads

• Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet by Zanib Mian

• Flour Babies by Anne Fine

• The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier

Poetry

• Classic Poems (Miles Kelly) 

• 100 Brilliant Poems for Children (edited by Paul Cookson) 

• 101 Poems for Children: A Laureate’s Choice (Carol Ann Duffy) 

• The Poetry World of John Agard

Geography & World Cultures Non Fiction

• Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall

• Maps by Aleksandra Mizielinska and Daniel Mizielinski

• The Story of Your Home by Agnes Allen

History & Social Studies Non-Fiction

• The Story of the World" by Susan Wise Bauer

• A Child's History of England by Charles Dickens

• The Dangerous Book for Boys by Conn and Hal Iggulden

Science & Technology Non Fiction

• ​​​​Murderous Maths" series by Kjartan Poskitt

• "You Are Awesome" by Matthew Syed

• "The Universe in My Pocket" by Grazyna Stasinska

 

Phonics Sounds Write Initial and First Steps Extended Code texts below: