Children's Books reviews

Welcome to the section of book reviews! 

Here you'll find a selection of illustrated books, useful for teaching English as a Second Language to very young children, but also several classics (and less-known works) for pre-teens.

Choosing the right book can make all the difference in a lesson: it's not just about the story, but about how well it fits the language level, the vocabulary being practiced, and the interests of the children reading it. That's why each review goes beyond a simple summary — I look closely at the language used, the themes, the illustrations, and how well the book lends itself to classroom use.

If you are a teacher looking for help in analyzing the books your students are reading, then... this is your page! You'll find honest, practical reviews designed to save you time, so you can quickly decide whether a book is the right fit for your class.

At the end of each review, there are links to specific classroom activities waiting for you!!! From comprehension questions to hands-on games and creative tasks, these activities are designed to help children truly engage with the story, not just read it.

Enjoy them!

1) THE GRAMMAR OF FANTASY by Gianni Rodari

1a) THE RIGHTS OF A READER by Daniel Pennac

1b) TEACHER MAN by Frank McCourt

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2) The BFG by Roald Dahl

3) CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY by Roald Dahl

4) JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH by Roald Dahl

5) MATILDA by Roald Dahl

 6) GANGSTA GRANNY by David Walliam   

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6) THE ADVENTURE OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN by Mark Twain

7) ANNE OF GREEN GABLES by L. M. Montgomery

8) AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS by Jules Verne

9) BIZZY BEE AND THE FLOWERS by Jill Warren

10) THE EVOLUTION OF CALPURNIA TATE by Jacqueline Kelly

11) LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE by Laura Ingalls Wilder

12) MOMO by Michael Ende

13) TREASURE ISLAND by Robert Luis Stevenson

14) PETER PAN by J.M. Barrie

15) PIPPI LONGSTOCKING by Astrid Lindgren

16) A TALE DARK AND GRIMM by Adam Gidwitz

17) THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ by L. Frank Baum

18) TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee

19) THE LIONS OF LITTLE ROCK by Kristin Levine    

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1) AHORA NO, BERNARDO / NOT NOW, BERNARD by David McKee

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1) THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR by Eric Carle

2) DO YOU WANT TO BE MY FRIEND? by Eric Carle

3) 1,2,3, TO THE ZOO by Eric Carle

4) THE MIXED-UP CHAMELEON by Eric Carle

5) BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR, WHAT DO YOU SEE? by Eric Carle

6) TODAY IS MONDAY by Eric Carle

7) FROM HEAD TO TOE by Eric Carle

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1) CAT and MOUSE 

Learn the colors! by Stephane Husar and Loïc Méhée

2) CAT and MOUSE 

Meet the Animals! by Stephane Husar and Loïc Méhée

3) CAT and MOUSE 

Eat Good Food! by Stephane Husar and Loïc Méhée

4) CAT and MOUSE 

Let's Go Shopping! by Stephane Husar and Loïc Méhée

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1) THE GINGERBREAD MAN by Jim Aylesworth

2) LITTLE BLUE AND LITTLE YELLOW by Leo Lionni

3) THE LORAX by Dr Seuss

4) THE MITTEN by Jan Brett

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1) THE MOON IS COLD by Enrich Lluch

2) AT THE FAIR by Enrich Lluch

3) WITCH HAZEL by Enrich Lluch

4) MARY'S TOOTH by Enrich Lluch

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1) IF YOU WERE ME AND LIVED IN… MEXICO by Carole P. Roman

2) CAPTAIN NO BEARD by Carole P. Roman

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1)  CLASSICAL COMICS

I design series of activities based on a communicative method that will help children to practice the grammar they're learning at school. Many ESL activities, I see, are nothing more than 'fill in the blank' exercises that only teach kids how to fill in blanks and miss the whole point of learning to speak and understand a new language.

It's much easier and more fun to learn by doing, and you'll be surprised at how quickly you'll see valuable results. You can get my activities on my online store: ESL CHILDREN'S WORKSHEETS

-- I'm a member of the Amazon Affiliate Program and I earn commissions when people buy products through links on this website --

Lucy dedicates a lot of time and love to thinking about and writing the posts she shares with all of you. Because she believes that a better teaching is the key for a better future. If you find any help, value or joy in this blog, please consider becoming a supporting reader. A donation, in any amount, will be gratefully accepted.