Great Crosby Catholic Primary 01519248661 admin.greatcrosby@schools.sefton.gov.uk
The Northern Road, Crosby, Liverpool, L23 2RQ
Love of Reading
Welcome to our Love of Reading page. You can see some of our work inspired by our love of reading. There are suggested authors and a calendar of special dates during the year. You can also find some library and bookshop suggestions from our local area, including some online ones.
National Year of Reading 2026
What is it all about?
Reading enjoyment amongst children is at its lowest level in 20 years.
The Year of Reading is a government initiative to encourage reading in ALL of its forms.
Go All In - National Year of Reading Video
Please take a few minutes to watch this video and click/tap the green button to find out more about the National Year of Reading 2026.
How can you help at home?
Words for Life
All of the content on Words for Life has been designed to provide parents, children and young people with activities and support to improve their language, literacy and communication skills from home.
The content has been created by an expert team of early years teachers and practitioners, adapted from the curriculum-based resources for school settings, or created in partnership with companies and publishers who are also as passionate about raising literacy levels.
Explore the quick and easy tips and activities to discover new ways you could boost your child’s literacy skills while having fun chatting, playing and reading together.
Click/tap the image visit the website.
TigerKubz
The TigerKubz website recommends 15 minutes of active reading a day.
It’s not about how many books you read, but how you read them. Engagement, or active reading, is key to a quality reading session with our children. During reading sessions, interact with your child by pointing out details in the pictures, making predictions, discussing the story, and relating it to their experiences. This approach not only enriches vocabulary and comprehension but also introduces new ideas, expanding their understanding of the world. Click/tap the image to find out more.
Reading Together - How to log your reading
Reading Together - How to log your reading
At the start of the year, teachers supplied your child with a yellow reading record.
Please write a comment in the diary or on the reading card when your child has read.
Your child is also very welcome to write a comment in the diary as well.
This reading record should be in your child’s school bag each day.
Reading Together - How to log your reading
Thu 5th Mar - World Book Day 2026
On Thursday 5th March, Great Crosby will be celebrating World Book Day.
Information about the day will be released soon.
Kingsley and Co’s fantastic team will be in to set up a MAGICAL book club for all year groups to visit and purchase their very own book for just £1!
Reading Websites and Shops
School Reading List
This website has recommendations of new and classic books for children at primary school.
Books for Topics
This image links to age-related booklists to help you to find the best books recommended for each age and stage of development. Whether you are looking for the best picturebooks for EYFS, first independent chapter books for KS1 or top recommended novels for Year 6, this is the place to find children’s book recommendations by age. The website also has booklists sorted by topic, recommendations of new books and much more.
Virtual School Library
Words for Life is created by the National Literacy Trust, funded by Kindred², the Department for Education, and supported by UK publishers. It provides parents, children and young people with activities and support to improve their language, literacy and communication skills from home. The National Literacy Trust's Virtual School Library, also funded by Kindred², is a free platform for primary schools, offering pupils access to free books and activities from the most popular children's authors.
Love Reading
Sign up for a free account and read extracts from recommended books before buying them. Try reading something by an author you haven't read before!
Toppsta
Find out about lots of books and read reviews. You can even win free copies of new books so you can write a review yourself.
Sefton Borrowbox
Enjoy your favourite e-books, e-audiobooks, digital newspapers and magazines with Your Library Sefton on BorrowBox, Libby and PressReader. Your library card gives you free access to download e-books and e-audiobooks on BorrowBox, e-audiobooks on Libby and digital newspapers and magazines on PressReader.
Oxford Owl
If you set up an account with Oxford Owl, you will have access to over 100 free, tablet-friendly ebooks that are banded in the way we do in school. There are also a wide range of other activities for Maths and English.
Pritchards Book Shop
Pritchards Bookshop has been proudly serving the Crosby community for over 40 years and has received The Independent Bookseller of the Year Award.
Pritchards are dedicated to creating a shop that works with local schools, authors, and the community beyond.
Open Monday - Saturday 9am-5pm
13 Moor Ln, Crosby, Liverpool L23 2SE
Email: pritchards-crosby@zen.co.uk
0151 931 1642
Kingsley & Co
Kingsley & Co is a literacy project of Ykids Children's charity in Liverpool. Named after Victorian Explorer, Mary Kingsley, Kingsley & Co aims to inspire and equip young explorers using the power of 'story'.
Open Thursday - Saturday 10am-4pm
The Palatine, Lower Mall, Strand Shopping Centre, Bootle, L20 4SW Tel: 0151 345 5670
Books for Keeps
Books for Keeps is an online magazine which has reviewed hundreds of new children’s books each year and published articles on every aspect of writing for children. There are over 12,500 reviews on the website and more than 2,000 articles including interviews with the top children’s authors and illustrators.
Write Blend
Write Blend
Write Blend is a bookshop and café at 124 South Road, Waterloo, Liverpool. L22 0ND
The children's section has one of the finest selections around of books for readers of all ages. There is also comfortable seating to allow young bibliophiles to inspect their purchases and plan their next ones!
Click on the image to visit the website and look out for their author signings and special events.
Opening Times
9am - 5pm
Monday to Saturday
Tel: (0151) 928 1303
World Book Day - Thu 6th Mar 2025
Nursery
Reception
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Staff
Blue Peter Book Badges
Blue Peter Book Badge
In the Summer Term of 2024, every child across the school had the opportunity to apply for their Blue Peter Book Badge.
The children learned how to review texts and created a book review for their favourite book. This was also the children’s final piece of writing for their next teacher to see.
The reviews were sent to Blue Peter, then in the Autumn Term, lots and lots of children received their Blue Peter Book badges at home.
Here are just a few children, wearing them proudly.
Recommended Authors
These authors are recommended by the Year 5 and 6 staff. Are there authors that you have enjoyed?
Malorie Blackman
Anthony Horowitz
Michael Morpurgo
Frank Cottrell-Boyce
William Nicholson
Robert Westall
Charlie Higson
Eoin Colfer
Michelle Magorian
Alan Ayckbourn
J. K. Rowling
Helen Creswell
Darren Shan
J. R. R. Tolkien
Elizabeth Kay
Will Peterson
Dan Friedman
Cornelia Funke
Jenny Nimmo
Phillip Pullman
Louis Sachar
David Walliams
Philip Caveney
Rick Riordan
