Discover the fantastic books selected for the 2026 Read to the Beat Summer Reading Challenge!
Get ready to Read to the Beat with the Book Squad!
We know what an amazing impact reading can have on children’s development and wellbeing. That is why we are absolutely thrilled to celebrate the 2026 Summer Reading Challenge!
Delivered by The Reading Agency in partnership with Universal Music Group UK, this year’s fantastic theme is Read to the Beat! It invites children across the country to explore the wonderful connection between stories and songs, discovering how reading and music both ignite imagination and creativity.
Here at the Book Squad, we have teamed up to bring you the best books to support reading for pleasure in your school. We are incredibly proud that our wonderful titles have been selected for the official Read to the Beat collection!
From rhyming picture books to laugh-out-loud diary series, these stories will get your young readers tapping their feet and turning pages all summer long.
Brilliant books for younger readers
If you teach early years or Key Stage 1, these beautifully illustrated picture books are perfect for introducing the joy of rhythm and movement!
My Little Drummer by Sian Radford
Illustrated by Gwen Millward, this joyful rhyming picture book explores neurodiversity for even the littlest of readers. When a young girl feels overwhelmed, her little drummer beats fast and loud in her head. She taps out a rhythm when she is trying to concentrate, and her little drummer knows exactly how to make her smile.
Sian Radford is an author, content creator and former teacher. Her TikTok channel, @moonandrue, has an audience of 1.1 million followers. In 2024, her baby-led weaning cook book published and has been a bestseller across the TikTok shop. My Little Drummer is her first book for children, exploring her own experience of ADHD, as well as drawing on the experiences of her family who have lots of different ways of interacting with the world.
Get My Little Drummer here!
1, 2, 3, Do the Unicorn by Michelle Robinson
Get ready for a fun-filled counting adventure! In this brilliant book illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw, Cleo and her unicorn friends are having a wonderful time dancing, prancing, and swishing their tails in the magic forest until – oh no! – their noise wakes the big, scary GIANT. But not all is what it seems . . . and a FE FI FO turns quickly into friendship.
Michelle Robinson always wanted to be an author like her hero Roald Dahl, but all they had in common was the same birthday and a love of chocolate. Now, of course, Michelle is a real author too. Her previous books include 1, 2, 3, Do the Dinosaur, Goodnight Digger, There's a Lion in My Cornflakes and Ten Fat Sausages.
Get 1, 2, 3, Do the Unicorn here!
Bhangra Boogie by Hena Khan
This is a delightful picture book illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat, about overcoming anxieties and dancing your way to confidence. Talia wants to be as graceful as the bhangra dancers at the mehndi - a traditional South Asian pre-wedding celebration. But her feet drag and her arms freeze when she tries to dance in front of others. Instead, she sits in her chair. But with some help from her dadi (grandmother), will Talia find the courage to take to the floor? And can she convince Dadi to join her?
Hena Khan is the author of a number of award-winning books for children of all ages. Her acclaimed picture books include Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns, Under My Hijab, Behind My Doors, and others. Hena lives in her hometown of Rockville, Maryland.
Get Bhangra Boogie here!
Captivating reads for older readers
For Key Stage 2 pupils, we have some incredible chapter books that celebrate musical talent, creativity, and finding your own unique voice.
Hari Kumar: Ultimate Superstar by Rashmi Sirdeshpande
Meet HARI KUMAR: 10 years old, 75% Indian, 25% French, and 100% going to be a superstar. All Hari needs to make it big is a lucky break – a chance to get his name out there. And when that break arrives in the form of a film festival competition at school, it’s Hari’s chance to shine.
But life isn’t always like the movies. The new kid Hari thought would be his sidekick turns out to have the makings of a true villain, the crack team he’s assembled have minds of their own, and censorship (in the form of the Deputy Head Teacher) is looming. Can Hari keep things together and pull off an epic comeback, or will his film-making debut be cancelled before it’s even released…?
Packed full of friendship and draaaaama, this series is perfect for fans of TOM GATES and LOKI!
Rashmi Sirdeshpande is a neurodivergent children’s author and an advocate for underrepresented voices in children’s publishing. A former World Book Day author and BookTrust Writer-in-Residence, Rashmi has won a number of awards, including the Diverse Book Awards (for Dadaji’s Paintbrush, illustrated by Ruchi Mhasane) and the Society of Authors Queen’s Knickers Award, which celebrates “outstanding” picture books (for Never Show a T-Rex a Book, illustrated by Diane Ewen). Her factual book Good News (illustrated by Adam Hayes) was shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Awards and her latest, Amazing Asia (illustrated by Jason Lyon) won the Children’s Choice at the School Library Association’s Information Book Awards (2025).
Get Hari Kumar here!
The Piano at the Station by Helen Rutter
Lacey's smart tongue and quick temper are constantly getting her confined to isolation at school. But there’s a lot more to her that most people never see, and when Lacey gets sent to lunch-time music lessons to keep her out of trouble, she discovers a love and talent for the piano that opens up a whole new world for her.
Just as she’s really beginning to make progress, her music teacher has to leave, which throws Lacey back into turmoil. Will she go back to her self-destructive ways or will music offer her a way to save her from herself?
Particularly suitable for readers aged 9+ with a reading age of 8.
Helen Rutter is an acclaimed author and comedian. Her debut novel, The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh, was selected as a Waterstones Children’s Book of the Month, in addition to being nominated for the Carnegie, shortlisted for the Costa, Blue Peter and Branford Boase Awards, and winning the Teach Primary Book Award.
Get The Piano at the Station here!
Inspire your pupils to be readers!
The Summer Reading Challenge is a brilliant way to keep your pupils hooked on books over the holidays. Encourage your class to visit their local library to sign up, set their reading goals, and earn special rewards as they Read to the Beat!
Remember that you can use your Book Squad subscriber 50 per cent off discount to purchase library copies of these titles!