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Children's reading lists

Books to help grow confident and independent children

An image of author Phil Earle standing against a forest background. Next to him is the book cover of his new book Two Places to Call Home, partially on top of an orange background with a big orange spot.

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The story behind ‘Two Places to Call Home’

A picture book about divorce

Two Places to Call Home

Florrie has two of everything. 
Two lovely brothers . . . 
Two smashing parents . . . 
Two very cuddled pets. 
 
 
But two isn't always a magic number, as Florrie now has to live in TWO different houses: 
one with her mum . . . and one with her dad. 
 
An uplifting picture book that helps young readers discuss their feelings around divorce and embrace change. 
 
Praise for Two Places to Call Home: 
 
'Phil Earle's reassuring and hopeful picture book suggests imaginative ways to find courage and to tackle a child's anxiety about parents who separate.' Sunday Times 
 
'Heartfelt, honest and positive - a much needed, wonderful picture book!' Jim Field 
 
'A gentle and beautiful book filled with comfort and imagination.' Katya Balen, Carnegie Medal winner 
 
'Warm and wise and sweet.' Ross Montgomery 
 
'Perfect example of how picture books can be a powerful tool when helping children to make sense of their lives. Just lovely.' Rob Biddulph 
 
'A soothing and positive tale for those feeling split down the middle after a parental breakup.' Benji Davies

Phil Earle's reassuring and hopeful picture book suggests imaginative ways to find courage and to tackle a child's anxiety about parents who separate.

Heartfelt, honest and positive - a much needed, wonderful picture book!

Phil Earle (Author) 
Phil Earle was born, raised and schooled in Hull. His first job was as a care worker in a children's home, an experience that influenced the ideas behind Being Billy and Saving Daisy. He then trained as a drama therapist working in south London with traumatized and abused adolescents. After a couple of years in the care sector, Phil chose the more sedate lifestyle of being a bookseller, now working in children's publishing. 
His novel When the Sky Falls was shortlisted for the Yoto Carnegie Medal and won the 2022 British Book Award for Children's Fiction Book of the Year, as well as the Books Are My Bag Readers Award and the Times Children's Book of the Year. 
Phil now lives on a hill in West Yorkshire with his wife, children, two dogs and a dragon called Baz. 
 
Jess Rose (Illustrator) 
Jess Rose is an Author, Illustrator, and Designer born and raised in Yorkshire, England. She loved to draw from a very young age. At University she studied print and pattern and went onto work in design. Her love for storytelling has always been there, using pictures to create the stories from her imagination for her children at bedtime. Jess has illustrated for several children's books, and her work has been featured on Cbeebies bedtime stories. When Jess isn't working and spending time with her family, she can be found walking in the countryside, wild swimming and practising aerial hoop.

Florrie has two of everything. 
Two lovely brothers . . . 
Two smashing parents . . . 
Two very cuddled pets. 
 
 
But two isn't always a magic number, as Florrie now has to live in TWO different houses: 
one with her mum . . . and one with her dad. 
 
An uplifting picture book that helps young readers embrace change and discuss their feelings around divorce or separation. 
 
Brought to you by the award-winning, best-selling author, of When the Sky Falls, Phil Earle.

Discover the timeless classroom classic

The Bubble Wrap Boy

How do you stay on the board when your world is turned upside down?Charlie's found his secret talent: skateboarding. It's his one-way ticket to popularity. All he's got to do is practice, and nothing's going to stop him - not his clumsiness, not his overprotective mum, nothing.Except Charlie isn't the only one in his family hiding a massive secret, and his next discovery will change everything.'Have finished The Bubble Wrap Boy. If happy tears/snot smeared across face were legal currency, Phil Earle would be rich. So warm, and so funny' - Katherine Rundell, author of Rooftoppers and Impossible Creatures"A story about staying true to yourself and following your passion." - Kirkus Reviews

Have finished BUBBLE-WRAP BOY. If happy tears/snot smeared across face were legal currency, @philearle would be rich. So warm, and so funny

Phil Earle was born, raised and schooled in Hull. His first job was as a care worker in a children's home, an experience that influenced the ideas behind Being Billy and Saving Daisy. He then trained as a drama therapist and worked in a therapeutic community in south London, caring for traumatized and abused adolescents. 
 
After a couple of years in the care sector, Phil chose the more sedate lifestyle of a bookseller, and now works in children's publishing. Phil lives in south-east London with his wife and children, but Hull will always be home.

Heroic

'For the past five weeks I'd prayed that I'd never see my brother's name spelt out in poppies. In the weeks that followed I often wished I had.' 
 
Jammy and Sonny McGann are brothers, but that's where the similarities end. One is calm when the other is angry; one has a plan while the other lives purely in the moment. 
 
When Jammy returns from Afghanistan a very different man to the one who left, it's Sonny who is left to hold things together. But just how far will he go to save the brother who always put him first? 
 
Inspired by S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders and by the battles facing young soldiers all over the world, this is a devastating novel about brotherhood and sacrifice, from the award-winning author of Being Billy and Saving Daisy.

Saving Daisy

Daisy's mum is gone. Her dad refuses to talk about it. As far as Daisy's concerned, it's all her fault. As her life starts to spiral out of control, panic leads to tragedy and Daisy's left alone. 
 
But sometimes the kindness of a stranger can turn things around. A stranger who desperately wants to save Daisy - if she'll only let herself be saved . . . 
 
A powerful and moving story linked to Phil Earle's critically acclaimed debut book, Being Billy. 
 
Praise for Being Billy: 
'A wonderful book' - Morris Gleitzman 
'Phil Earle writes starkly but sensitively in this brilliant page-turning novel. It moved me to tears' - Jacqueline Wilson 
'This may be the most authoritative, honest and moving account of children trapped in the care system to date' - Keith Gray, Scotsman 
'life-affirming, redemptive, and really just rather good' - Marcus Sedgwick, Guardian 
'Moving and powerful, I loved it' - Sophie McKenzie 
'Being Billy was a total page-turner - authentic and gritty. Billy's voice doesn't falter . . . spiky, brave and compassionate - Jenny Downham

With Being Billy and Saving Daisy, Phil Earle has put himself straight into the front rank of YA fiction. Few can touch him for intensity, and none for heart

Phil Earle was born, raised and schooled in Hull. His first job was as a care worker in a children's home, an experience that influenced the ideas behind Being Billy and Saving Daisy. He then trained as a drama therapist and worked in a therapeutic community in south London, caring for traumatized and abused adolescents. 
 
After a couple of years in the care sector, Phil chose the more sedate lifestyle of a bookseller, and now works in children's publishing. Phil lives in south-east London with his wife and children, but Hull will always be home.

Being Billy

"Faces flashed before my eyes. 
And for every face there was a time that they had let me down. 
Each punch that landed was revenge, my chance to tell them I hadn't forgotten what they did." 
 
Eight years in a care home makes Billy Finn a professional lifer. And Billy's angry - with the system, the social workers, and the mother that gave him away. 
 
As far as Billy's concerned, he's on his own. His little brother and sister keep him going, though they can't keep him out of trouble. 
 
But he isn't being difficult on purpose. Billy's just being Billy. He can't be anything else. 
 
Can he? 
 
'Phil Earle writes starkly but sensitively about damaged children in this brilliant page-turning novel. It moved me to tears' - Jacqueline Wilson 
 
'Being Billy was a total page-turner - authentic and gritty. Billy's voice doesn't falter . . . spiky, brave and compassionate' - Jenny Downham, author of Before I Die 
 
'Moving and powerful, I loved it' - Sophie McKenzie 
 
 
Phil Earle was born, raised and schooled in Hull. His first job was as a care worker in a children's home, an experience that influenced the ideas behind Being Billy. He then trained as a drama therapist and worked in a therapeutic community in south London, caring for traumatized and abused adolescents. 
 
After a couple of years in the care sector, Phil chose the more sedate lifestyle of a bookseller, and now works in children's publishing. Phil lives in south-east London with his wife and children, but Hull will always be home.

Phil Earle

Jess Rose

A picture book about blended families

Florrie now lives in two different houses: 
One with her mum. 
One with her dad. 
 
And everything finally feels just right. Until Florrie's dad gets a new girlfriend... who's not her mum! 
 
Will having two families be too much for Florrie? 
 
A comforting picture book tackling the tricky emotions that surface when blending families after a separation, while celebrating new connections. 
 
Brought to you by best-selling and award-winning author, of When the Sky Falls and Two Places To Call Home, Phil Earle.

Phil Earle

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The story behind ‘Two Places to Call Home’

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