Category Archives: Book Review

The Frozen Sea by Piers Torday

Posted on September 19, 2019 by

Stories have great power. Through stories we learn about people, places and events. Stories can inspire and entertain, they connect us and help us to make sense of information and understand how it applies to our own lives. Stories require … Continue reading →

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Barrington Stoke – Making Brilliant Stories Accessible to More Readers

Posted on September 16, 2019 by

As a school librarian I have long been a fan of the books published by Barrington Stoke. From their earliest days they have produced stories that are inviting to children, written by top authors, of a length that is not … Continue reading →

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When We Were Warriors by Emma Carroll Review and links to teaching resources (Book 6 of my #20BooksofSummer)

Posted on August 27, 2019 by

Ever since her debut novel, Frost Hollow Hall I have found Emma Carroll’s historical fiction a treat to savour. I am shamefully late to reading this collection of short stories but having found the opportunity to sit down and enjoy … Continue reading →

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I, Cosmo by Carli Sorosiak

Posted on August 21, 2019 by

As a child my family always had a dog. There were times when we had two dogs. To me and to my sister these dogs were much more than pets, they were friends. Friends who we always believed knew when … Continue reading →

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Straw into Gold – Fairy tales re-spun by Hilary McKay illustrated by Sarah Gibb Book 5 of #20BooksofSummer

Posted on August 19, 2019 by

Fairy tales are part of our cultural history. We share these magical, gripping and frightening stories in childhood and their characters, messages of magic and bravery, evil and love stay with us into adulthood. They are referred to in a … Continue reading →

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The Salt Path by Raynor Winn Book 4 of #20BooksofSummer

Posted on July 29, 2019 by

My slow progress through the 20BooksOfSummer challenge organised by Cathy on 746 Books took a long detour around the South Western Coastal path with this non fiction best seller from 2018. Raynor Winn tells the story of how she and … Continue reading →

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Eagle Warrior by Gill Lewis

Posted on July 15, 2019 by

In her latest book Gill Lewis combines her knowledge, understanding and concern for wildlife with her skill in storytelling to create a thought provoking read that will enthral children and inspire them to think about conservation. Ten year old Bobbie … Continue reading →

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Anna at War by Helen Peters (20 Books of Summer -Book 3)

Posted on July 8, 2019 by

“The British were so magnanimous to welcome us foreigners… truly showing a phenomenal humanity.” These words were part of the inspiration for this enthralling and immensely thoughtful book set in World War 2. They were said by a woman in … Continue reading →

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Bookworm – A Memoir of Childhood Reading by Lucy Mangan (20 Books of Summer Book 2)

Posted on July 4, 2019 by

What is a bookworm? The Cambridge dictionary definition describes it as “Someone who reads a lot.” For Lucy Mangan it means so much more than that. In the introduction to this homage to the joys of reading she says that … Continue reading →

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All the Ways to be Smart written by Davina Bell illustrated by Allison Colpoys

Posted on June 21, 2019 by

A celebration of what makes each and every child special, this positive and joy filled book acts as a reassuring balance to the message that the only things that matter are those that can be measured and assessed. “I can’t … Continue reading →

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