Your weekly digest about what's going on in the world of children's literature.
Hi there,
Welcome to the first of our weekly round-ups. It’s been two years since we started developing Pageticker, and our app has been available for almost a year now. In its ongoing development we continue to absorb a great deal of research into children’s reading, and additionally, as our users have grown, we possess a significant amount of data insights of our own. This free weekly round up aims to disseminate the most germane of this to literacy leads, librarians - anyone with a passion for children’s literature. So, do read on, and if you know someone else who’d also enjoy reading this, feel free to forward it on.
If you like what you read, click here to subscribe regularly to our weekly round-ups.
In the News
• The National Literacy Trust has just released resources for National Storytelling Week in February
• Resources for World Book Day have been released.
• The Booktrust Writer in Residence Matt Goodfellow (who wrote the First Year and the Final Year) has announced a poetry writing competition
• Shortlist for Peters Children’s Books of the Year
• Inclusive Books for Children Awards 2026: the longlist
Insights From Our Data
Analysing the Impact of Non-Fiction November.
Non-fiction November is in its 12th year as a month-long literary event. But does it encourage us to dig more into the non-fiction part of the library?
The answer is, a little.
Comparing to October, there was a slight increase in the proportion of non-fiction books being read:
In October, 8.4% of books read were non-fiction.
In November, this increased to 9.0%.
In some ways this might seem insignificant, but in absolute terms, this is a 7.1% increase - not-at-all insubstantial - and suggestive that non-fiction November almost certainly had an impact.
Monthly Giveaway
This month, and throughout the National Year of Reading, we'll be giving away a seasonal selection of books to one lucky winner.
To enter:
1. Like and comment on our Instagram or Facebook giveaway post.
2. Follow our Instagram or facebook.
3.Sign up to our weekly round-up. One entry per person.
Giveaway opens 12 Dec 2025 (1pm GMT) and closes 20 Dec 2025 (12pm GMT).
Winner is selected at random and will and contacted by email on 22 Dec 2025. If we've had no reply within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen.
One winner will receive all of the following books:
- The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper
- The Snow Thief by Alice Hemming & Nicola Slater
- The Snow Dragon by Abi Elphinstone & Fiona Woodcock
- Star by Holly Webb
- I Definitely Don’t Like Winter by Fiona Barker & Christine Pym
- Frost Hollow Hall by Emma Carroll
- The Lights That Dance In The Night by Yuval Zommer
- The Wolf Wilder by Katherine Rundell
Entrants must be UK-based, over 18, and must still be following @pageticker at the time of the draw.
By entering, you agree that your username and profile photo may be used for winner announcements.
This giveaway is not sponsored or endorsed by Instagram or Facebook.
Promoter: Pageticker, Pedalogic Ltd, Bath, UK.
Full T&Cs here.
Inspiring Initiatives
Here's a lovely scheme being run by Ladybridge Community Primary School that made us smile this week:
If children have completed four home reads in a week, then they are given a raffle ticket and entered into a draw: the winning ticket-holder can choose a book from the book vending machine.
Not every school has a book vending machine for sure, but we thought this was a great way to give every child the opportunity to be a winner week after week, rather than the same bookworms that a 'league table' approach can end up rewarding.
Handpicked Seasonal Suggestion
Here's a comforting familiar favourite as the festive season approaches... this book is aimed at 3 to 6 year olds but can be enjoyed by children and adults of any age!
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg follows a little boy who is listening at night for Santa. Rather than the jingle of reindeer bells he hears the steam from a train and boards it to the North Pole. He travels across mountains and snow covered plains before meeting Father Christmas himself.
It’s a magical story about Christmas. Can you hear the bell ring?
Notable New Release
Dracula and Daughters by Emma Carroll
For children aged 9 and over, this is the first in a new series by Emma Carroll and a complete departure from the historical fiction that she normally writes.
The book takes place in a city called Temstown, where vampires have started prowling the streets for the first time in twenty years.
Surely, the only way to keep the city safe is to kill the vampire with a stake to the heart?
That’s until three young girls discover that there might be a way to cure vampires rather than killing them.
This book is great for children in Year Five and Year Six in particular. It’s fast paced and emphasises the importance of self-belief and how each child has their own unique strengths.
Emma Carroll is currently writing the sequel to this book, which is based in Whitby.
Sunday Times Children's Bestsellers
1. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Partypooper by Jeff Kinney (18,370)
2. Dogman 14: Big Jim Believes by Dav Pilkey (14,765)
3. Santa & Son by David Walliams and Adam Stower (11,085)
4. Weird but True! 2026 (8,825)
5. Beano Annual 2026 (7,985)
Pageticker Booklist
This week, with the 2026 World Cup draw in the news, we've identified the three most-read series of books about football being currently being read.
1. Ultimate Football Heroes
2. Football Elite Superstars Series
3. Football Legend Series
It seems children love a bio about their favourite players!
Upcoming Dates
• From 5th January - Launch of the National Year of Reading
• From 13th January - We Wonder: Protect Our Nature STEM reading Challenge, resources and sign up opens
• Until 30th January - Register your pupils to help judge the Excelsior Awards, celebrating graphic novels and manga for 9-18 year olds
• 31st January - 8th February - National Storytelling Week
• 9th - 15th February - Children’s Mental Health Week
• 5th March - World Book Day
Did you enjoy our first weekly round-up? Don’t miss the next one - hit the button below to get this straight to your inbox every Friday.
Pageticker is the UK's top-rated digital reading diary designed to help children develop habits that will fuel their curiosity and learning for life. Find out more.
Have a great week,
The Pageticker Team
