Welcome to the first Reading Matters newsletter of the new academic year and I hope that everyone had a lovely summer. The start of the new school year often generates enthusiasm for new challenges and commitments. Perhaps you are new to the joys of reading children’s books and reading for pleasure, if so I hope that Reading Matters will be helpful.

Inevitably a lot has happened in the world of children’s literature since mid July so I can’t include it all however I do hope that this bumper round up kicking off the new school year will provide a taste of how much is being created and shared at the moment.

What I’m reading…

As I focus on books for children and teens when reviewing it is a bit of a relaxing treat for me to make time for an ‘adult book’ safe in the knowledge that a review is not expected or required. Last year while on holiday in Suffolk I bought a second hand copy of Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, a book that had for a long time piqued my interest. Despite being woefully late to the party I started reading with little knowledge of the content of this award winning novel. Within a few chapters the lead character, Elizabeth Zott, had made a huge impression on me. She is a woman whose strength of character and intellect would, I think, cause me a little trepidation in real life but on the page she was quite an inspiration. The themes of feminism in the late 1950s and early 1960s, discrimination, society’s expectations of women, love, loss and grief all combine to make this an ideal book club choice. Some fabulous characters, witty dialogue and thoughtful analysis made this a really great summer read and it’s hard to accept that it is in fact a debut.

Returning to my more usual fare I thoroughly enjoyed the final book in A M Howell’s Mysteries at Sea Series. Alice and Sonny return and tackle secrets, intrigue and danger with their usual determination in The Hollywood Kidnap Case which is another exciting, well plotted mystery from this award winning author. If you are looking for a book to read aloud in the classroom I can definitely recommend Shipwrecked by Jenny Pearson and Friends Always and Forever by G M Linton both of which would get your term off to a positive start.

Turning to picture books, One-Button and the Sea by Sara Stanley and Viviane Schwarz could be read and shared in a multitude of ways and each of them would spark thought, conversation and most importantly, hope, encouragement and understanding. This excellent picturebook is suitable for a wide age range. My review, linked above, provides more details. The publication this summer of Running With Wings by Sam Squiers illustrated by Lara Potter is perfectly timed to capitalise on the interest and enthusiasm sparked by the Olympics and Paralympics. This thoughtful, inclusive and accessible story celebrates friendship and endeavouring to be the best you can be whatever the circumstances. Best friends Frankie and Mimi love to race but Mimi always gets nervous before the big races. Frankie has her own challenges to overcome but is determined and positive and the manner in which she empowers her friend is well done and extremely effective. This would prompt talk about resilience, self-belief and perseverance and the inclusivity in both text and image adds to the importance of this lovely book.

This month marks the centenary of Joan Aiken’s birth on 4th September 1925 in Rye, East Sussex and I have been re-acquainting myself with the work of this great children’s author. If you are tempted to read some of her books I would suggest that this post by Chris Lovegrove on his Calmgrove blog would be a great place to start as he has included links to several reviews and the official website dedicated to Joan Aiken maintained beautifully by her daughter Lizza. September is also World Kid Lit Month and you can find some helpful resources and book suggestions here. I plan to raid my bookshelves to find something that fits the bill.

News, articles and resources…

Inspiring the Next Generation of Readers with Mat Tobin – this interview hosted by Ed Finch on the Hamilton Trust Podcast, Primary Futures, is excellent and is perfect to share and discuss at the start of the new school year. There are resource recommendations to follow up after you have listened too.

The Literacy Year: Calendar of Events – this resource from the Literacy Hive is such a useful starting point for anyone interested in children’s books. Sian Hardy has collated an extensive range of events, awards, initiatives and more on a database that is searchable by resource type, age, area and cost. The website is also worth bookmarking for future reference with helpful information and advice on the regular blog. An excellent starting point would be Sian’s Back to School Resources selection.

Building a Classroom Reading Culture Webinar – On 12th September 3.45 – 4.45pm join teacher Jon Biddle as he shares lots of practical, and sustainable, ideas about how to help create a love of reading in schools.

Jon Biddle’s Reading for Pleasure Padlet – another wonderful resource generously shared by Jon. This is continually being updated and one of the latest additions is a section on Diverse Picturebook Assembly suggestions for the coming year.

Mr Dilly Meets: Virtual Author Visits for Schools – Mr Dilly Meets are FREE, fun, inspirational LIVE virtual author visits for primary schools, beamed straight into classrooms across the UK. Bringing the wonderful world of children’s books, authors, poets and illustrators together for chat and creativity. The Back to School Special takes place next Thursday, 12th September, and you may still have time to book. There are more great events lined up for the rest of the term so do have a browse on Mr Dilly’s website above.

An Evening In With Just Imagine – virtual author events for adults – As the nights draw in, be cosy at home and join Nikki Gamble for An Evening in with Just Imagine on Thursdays at 7.00. These events are free for teachers, librarians, students and anyone who loves children’s books. Former Children’s Laureate Anne Fine starts our year on Thursday 12th September with an introduction to her extraordinary new book On The Wall. 

Children’s Authors Live With Just Imagine – virtual events for schools – Just Imagine have an amazing lineup for this year’s virtual school events. These events are on Friday mornings, and are free to Just imagine subscribing to schools. Other schools can attend for a nominal fee.Books are available at discounted prices and include a discussion guide to help you make the most of the event. The year kicks off with Tony Bradman, the teachers’ favourite, introducing his new novel Roman Boy, discussing writing historical fiction, and answering children’s questions. Events generally last 30 minutes for KS1 events and 45 minutes for KS2 events. See individual events for further details.

The Klaus Flugge Prize – this award, set up to honour Klaus Flugge, founder of Andersen Press and a leading light in the world of children’s publishing and illustration, is awarded to the most promising and exciting newcomer to children’s picture book illustration. The winner of this year’s prize will be announced next week and if you would like to find our more about the shortlisted books the blog linked above features interviews by Mat Tobin with some of the illustrators. You may also enjoy the Shortlist Sketch videos available on YouTube here.

The Diverse Book Awards Longlist – the shortlist for this award is to be announced shortly, on 12th September, so you may like to acquaint yourselves with the books that made it to the longlist in each of the categories. The Diverse Book Awards was established in November 2019 and was created by award-winning children’s and YA author Abiola Bello and award winning publicist Helen Lewis.

Wainwright Prize Shortlist – This prize was created in Alfred Wainwright’s name to showcase the growing genre of nature-writing in publishing and to celebrate and encourage exploration of the outdoors to all readers. The Prize for Children’s Writing on Nature and Conservation category is definitely worth investigating.

How books can help with worries about school – Test Trouble author Serena Patel shares the way that books can offer comfort during times of change and stress in this article for Book Trust.

Jeremy Strong obituary – over the summer break the sad news of the death of author Jeremy Strong was announced. Winner of the Children’s Book Award for The Hundred Mile an Hour Dog in 1997 he was an author whose humour appealed to children. I am grateful to him for the many stories he wrote that encouraged both my sons and numerous children who visited the libraries in which I worked to read for fun.

Children’s and teens roundup – the best new picture books and novels – A beanstalk murder; the heroines of Greek myth; a history of AI; a mysterious golden island, and more are included in Imogen Russell Williams’ latest selection for the Guardian. I’m delighted to see The Secret of Golden Island by Natasha Farrant, one of my favourite summer reads, featured.

Dozens of UK school librarians asked to remove LGBTQ+ books, survey finds – this article in the Guardian reports on the findings of a recent survey administered by the School Library Association (SLA) and the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP). Although only a relative small survey, 53 school librarians were polled, the results have implications for all involved in sharing, providing and discussing books with children and young people.

The Best Historical Fiction for 8-12 Year Olds recommended by Catherine Johnson – There is some fabulous historical fiction out there for 8-12 year olds, some of it old, some of it new. Catherine Johnson, author of a number of historical novels for children and young adults, recommends some of the best—from short stories to epics and from straight historical novels to those with a strong dose of fantasy and magic.

There is no such thing as ‘children’s’ books – India Hansra reflects on her childhood favourites, the most important books she’ll ever read in this article for Varsity, the independent newspaper for the University of Cambridge.  

Can fairytales and fantasy compete with Fortnite? How to get kids reading at any age – article by Sam Leith, author of The Haunted Wood: A History of Childhood Reading published in October. An interesting viewpoint and some valid points about the ‘double audience’ for children’s literature.

Patrice Lawrence MBE BookTrust’s new Writer in Residence – Patrice Lawrence MBE hopes to shine a light on how books can support vulnerable children. During her residency, Lawrence aims to encourage children experiencing vulnerability or disadvantage to discover the magic of reading as well as promoting the benefits reading can bring to a child’s life such as better mental health, empathy and creativity.  

National Literacy Trust: World of Graphic Novels Reading Challenge – In September, The World of Graphic Novels reading challenge will go live with a full set of resources. These will include: Teacher Guidelines, age appropriate book lists, worksheets and certificates and will be available to download from 12th September. The aim is exploring and celebrating the exciting and popular world of graphic novels and comics with 7 to 14 year olds encouraging reluctant and confident readers alike.

The Reader Teacher: Books I’m Most Excited About for September: Each month Scott Evans produces a video of his favourite children’s books being published that month. September’s selection includes Me and My Brian by Helen Rutter illustrated by Claudia Petrazzi (Barrington Stoke) which I have just read and can also highly recommend.

I cannot conclude these links to resources and articles without making reference to public libraries. There have been reports in the media, interviews on TV with people such as library champion Michael Rosen about the negative impact of the large numbers of public libraries closed over the last few years. However I thought we would be wise to dwell here on the positive. Please do find time to listen to this wonderful episode of The Island of Brilliant with Nadia Shireen and Frank Cottrell Boyce in which Frank shares a letter he was sent after the devastating arson attack on Spellow Library in Liverpool during the riots this summer and speaks to Alex McCormack, who started the Go Fund Me which has to date raised over £250,000 to restore the library. It is a testament to the power of libraries as places of opportunity and community and also of individuals coming together to help in times of trouble. It will lift your spirits. And there’s a great interview with Chris Haughton as an added bonus!

Finally, some book reviews that caught my eye recently…

Save Our Forest! by Nora Dåsnes, translated by Lise Laerdal Bryn – When the impact of climate change hits home, students organize and fight back in this translated title from the author of the award winning Cross My Heart and Never Lie. In her helpful review Veronica Price says that she liked “the way that factual information about climate change and about activism was depicted in accessible, graphical form, making this book an ideal resource for classrooms as well as for home use.”  

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness illustrated by Tim Miller – Patrick Ness is well known for his award winning YA novels so the news that he has written a story for a younger audience intrigued me. Sam Creighton has reviewed this for Just Imagine and thinks that Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody will be a huge hit with Year 3 readers and above and as Sam rightly says it will be interesting to see how this particular author continues with this new venture.

Pernickity Boo by Sally Gardner illustrated by Chris Mould – a collaboration between award winning and prize wining illustrator this September Book of the Month on LoveReading4Kids is described as a “delightful tale of a finickety, pernickety, time-travelling umbrella”. Suitable for 7+ and even though I’m considerably older than 7 I really like the sound of this. As a hardback book this may be an early contender for Christmas present lists. (Sorry, far too early for the C word, I know!)

The Seamaiden’s Odyssey by Berlie Doherty and Tamsin Rosewell – I love both Berlie Doherty’s writing and Tamsin Rosewell’s illustration so this book was already on my radar, particularly after reading The Haunted Hills a couple of years ago. Tom Griffiths has persuaded me to push it up my list. You can read his review to find out why he “didn’t draw a breath and read The Seamaiden’s Odyssey in one sitting as it is such a beautiful, emotive tale.”

Well, there’s quite a lot to get through in this first Reading Matters of the school year so if you’re still reading I do hope that you’ve found it interesting and maybe something here will be useful to you. Happy reading until next time.