Weekly Round-up 2nd April 2026
- Carolyn McCarthy
- Apr 2
- 3 min read
Your weekly digest about what's happening in the world of children's literature
Hi Everyone,
This week’s round-up is packed with ideas to keep reading buzzing through the summer term, from a new Pageticker case study at Ladybridge Community Primary to our latest football fiction picks for ages 4-11. You’ll also find free resources for the National Year of Reading, a spotlight on Finn’s Epic Fails, a gorgeous new Frank and Bert picture book, plus links to April’s big dates, including National Pet Month, National Poetry Month, Earth Day, and World Book Night.
We’re taking a short break over Easter, so there’ll be no round-up for the next couple of weeks - we’ll be back in your inbox on Thursday 23rd April with more ideas, updates, and giveaways.
Nicola, Founder
If you’d like to see Pageticker in action, you can also book a short demo. In 20–30 minutes, we’ll walk you through how teachers track reading at home and in class, how families use the free app, and what the data looks like for reading leads and SLT. It’s also a chance for you to ask questions.
Pageticker Free Resources
We’ve put together some free resources to help you make the most of the National Year of Reading this term.
Handpicked Seasonal Suggestion
This week’s handpicked suggestion is Finn’s Epic Fails by Phil Earle, suitable for ages 9 and above.
Finn just wants to survive Year 7, but it’s already a disaster. By Tuesday, his unicorn-obsessed sister has superglued a horn to his head, his evil brother has wedgied him 278 times, and his swimming class is an absolute nightmare. With best friends Laszlo and Google, Finn tries to turn epic fails into victory in a book that is definitely not a diary.
If pupils in your class are fans of Tom Gates or Diary of a Wimpy Kid, this could be another book for them to try.
Notable New Release
This week’s notable new release is Frank and Bert: The One Where Bert is Scared of Frog by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros.
Join Frank and Bert in a funny, warm-hearted tale about frogs, friendship, and being brave.
Frank and Bert love sailing Bert’s toy boat on the pond—until they spot a frog. Bert is terrified, and Frank wants to help… but what if he’s a little scared too?
The Frank and Bert series is one of our absolute favourite picture book series, so if you like this one, there are four others you could enjoy!
Pageticker Insights: Football fiction is trending
Our Top 5 for ages 4–7:
Spot Plays Football – Eric Hill
Spinderella – Julia Donaldson & Sebastian Braun
Kicking a Ball – Allan Ahlberg
Mr Monkey Plays Football – Linda Chapman
Willy the Wizard – Anthony Browne
Our Top 5 for ages 7–11:
The Kick Off (Jamie Johnson) – Dan Freedman
Secret FC – Tom Palmer
The Dream Team: Jaz Santos vs. the World – Priscilla Mante
Gus the Famous Football Cat – Tom Palmer
Horrid Henry and the Football Fiend – Francesca Simon
March Giveaway Winner Announcement and April Giveaway Open
Congratulations to Abbey Catholic Primary School in Birmingham for winning our March book Giveaway!
Click this link for your chance to win our April book giveaway.
This giveaway closes on the 30th April 2026 (5 p.m. BST). Full T&Cs here.
Upcoming Dates
April - National Pet Month (United Kingdom)
April - National Poetry Month
22 April - Earth Day
23 April - World Book Night
29 April - Effective leadership of reading for pleasure practices in the real world, National Literacy Trust webinar
Take a look at the events for the National Year of Reading
Pageticker Spotlight
Ladybridge Community Primary School in Bolton uses Pageticker to strengthen its reading culture across a large, diverse school, with Literacy Lead Melissa Whittingham leading the work. In our case study, she shares how using a digital reading record has supported engagement, communication with families, and whole‑school oversight of reading. Read the full Ladybridge Community Primary School case study here.
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.
Happy reading,
The Pageticker Team
