Reading Matters – Children’s Book News

Posted on January 6, 2024 by alibrarylady

Welcome to the first Reading Matters newsletter of 2024 and I hope that everyone had a happy and healthy Christmas holiday. This round up includes both a look back at the best of 2023 and a preview of some books we can look forward to at the start of this new year. There are events and resources too so why not settle down and explore.

What I’m reading…

Since my last round up my reading has been affected by both Christmas preparations and Covid which arrived in our house on Christmas Eve and is still with us as we start 2024. However books have been a welcome escape and I have several gems (that autocorrected to germs which is appropriate!) that I would like to share with you. My December reading round up included a couple of titles that had languished on my shelves for far too long and two new books published by Everything With Words. All of them were enjoyable reads. Moving on to 2024 one of my favourite publishers, Barrington Stoke, have several new books coming out at the moment and I reviewed three this week that have got the year off to a happy start. All three are books I would recommend.

My Christmas presents included the latest Richard Osman, The Last Devil to Die, and despite the body count this has been just what I needed. It may have been induced by my overuse of Lemsip and the resulting brain fog but I even found myself trying out the online quiz shared by Richard Osman to see which character I’m most like. It turns out I am 53% Joyce with “a little bit of Elizabeth” and “hardly any Ron at all”. Perhaps I need a dash more Elizabeth. Sorry, this will only make sense if you’ve read the books! Returning to children’s books I have just started reading Susan Cooper’s Over Sea, Under Stone prompted by Ben Harris’s online read along. It is lovely to discover a classic that I had missed.

News, articles and resources….

‘A hero to millions’: Benjamin Zephaniah remembered by Michael Rosen, Kae Tempest and more – just days after my last newsletter the awful news of Benjamin Zephaniah’s death was announced and it prompted a wave of tributes to this much loved poet. This article by just some of his fellow writers shows why he was so respected and admired.

The best children’s and YA books of 2023 – From a bear who stockpiles dreams to a sisterhood of knights via a tiger sea captain, the Guardian’s children’s book critics pick their favourite titles for children and young adults. There are some gorgeous picture books included and I was delighted to see some of my personal favourites included in the chapter book selection and one of my many resolutions is to try to broaden my reading in the teen and YA category so this is helpful.

Books For Topics Best Children’s Books of the Year 2023 – the community of primary teachers, TAs, librarians, authors and children’s book lovers were asked to vote for their favourite children’s books published in 2023 and the winners were announced last week. There categories include, Best Classroom Read Aloud, Children’s Favourite and Best Curriculum Support in four different age groups.

Just Imagine Favourite Reads of 2023 - Nikki Gamble and Jo Bowers of Just Imagine asked their review panel to pick their most enjoyable read of the year. And you can find out which books they selected in the video linked above. It is a good idea to visit https://justimagine.co.uk/childrens-books-reviews/ for trusted reviews throughout the year.


CLPE Staff Picks for 2023 – CLPE staff and their children recommend their best children’s books in 2023. A really lovely selection including poetry, picture books and first chapter books.

The Reader Teacher January 2023 Books I’m Most Excited About – now looking ahead, Scott Evans previews some of the books for children due to be published this month in his Coming Soon video and the year is getting off to a cracking start!

The Literacy Year– this online calendar of events created by Sian of The Literacy Hive is invaluable. I’ve linked to the calendar home page above where you can search by month, event type or age. It is definitely worth bookmarking the site and signing up for the newsletter to keep up to date.

6 brilliant bookish New Year’s Resolutions to try in 2024 – If you’re looking for ways to start a fresh chapter in 2024, check out Book Trust’s great suggestions of book-themed New Year’s resolutions to try. There are some ideas here that families may enjoy together.

Children’s and teens roundup – the best new picture books and novels – A determined rodent’s search for nuts, a guide to Terry Pratchett’s witches and moving stories by adoptee authors are among Imogen Russell Williams’ latest selection for The Guardian.

Tom Palmer’s Holocaust Day Memorial Day Resources – Holocaust Memorial Day takes place on Saturday 27th January and award winning author Tom Palmer has once again collaborated with the Literacy Trust and created a new story based on the lives of Holocaust survivor sister and brother, Mala Tribich MBE & the Late Sir Ben Helfgott. The development of the accompanying resources are in the final stage and will be a available soon. Mala Tribich will be joining Tom in an online Q&A event for schools in the run up to Holocaust Memorial Day on Friday 26 January 2024 09:30 to 10:15 to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day. You can find out more about the event, how schools can get involved in the Q&A and sign up for reminders for the event on Tom’s excellent and helpful website linked above.

How a Bay Area librarian became an Instagram star – if you are not already following wonderful Solano County librarian Mychal Threets on Instagram or Twitter please do have a look now. His videos of interactions with some of his library users are a total joy. He believes that libraries are for everyone and his delight in sharing everyday happenings of the book related variety is infectious. Guaranteed to make book lovers smile.

The National Literacy Trust: National Reading Champions Quiz – Do you have students aged 10 to 14 who love reading and enjoy sharing their knowledge with friends? Or, perhaps you have students who like being part of a team and having fun? The National Reading Champions Quiz provides a fantastic opportunity for students to enjoy a book quiz with their peers and compete with other schools in their region. The heats will run from 22 February to 25 March. 25 teams are able to sign up and compete in each regional heat. Winning teams from each of the 22 regions will go forward to a star-studded, national final on Wednesday 5 June 2024 held in central London, where one team will be crowned National Reading Champions 2024. Find out how your school can get involved on the Literacy Trust website above.

We Wonder: Journey into Space Reading Challenge – another great National Literacy Trust initiative. They will launch their STEM reading challenge, We Wonder: Journey into Space on 16th January 2024. This is aimed at children aged 7 to 14 who will be encouraged to design their own rocket and journey into space. The challenge aims to promote reading for pleasure, reading diversely and engaging with non-fiction. There will be teacher resources available and a competition for the children. Find out all about it and register your interest to take part.

Register for the 2024 Yoto Carnegies Shadowing Scheme – a reminder that you have until 8th February to register for the shadowing scheme linked to these prestigious awards. You need to register for your group to submit their reviews and artwork inspired by the shortlisted books and to vote for their favourite books to win the Shadowers’ Choice Awards. Shadowing can take place in any location in the world through access to our online resources and there is also a publicity pack available.

Free virtual author events with ReadingZone Live – ReadingZone Live events are aimed at Primary and Secondary groups. You can find the full programme for 2024’s online Author Events via the link above. Each Zoom event includes a half hour author event, followed by an author Q&A via Chat, giving students the opportunity to put their questions to the author. Discounted copies of each author’s books are made available. Highlights this term include Liz Flanagan and Sarah Crossan.

Julia Donaldson and Bookspace join the Great School Libraries Campaign – Former Children’s Laureate Julia Donaldson has thrown her support behind Great School Libraries campaign, by recording a film explaining why parents should support the this important initiative. BookSpace, the library furniture and design company, have joined as the headline sponsor. Do please support this campaign and share the video, if families join with school librarians and their supporters it could make a big difference

KM Peyton obituary – Kathleen Peyton, who has died aged 94, was a prolific writer for children under the pseudonym KM Peyton. She was best known for the highly regarded and popular Flambards series, which was adapted for television in 1978.

National Storytelling Week 2024: ideas and classroom activities for storytelling – National Storytelling Week takes place at the end of January every year and is a celebration of the power of sharing stories. Join the National Literacy Trust between 27 January and 4 February 2024 to dream up brilliant new worlds. From picture books to video games, there’s something to spark every child’s interest. There are flexible storytelling activities – designed for learners across a wide age range covering Early years, KS1, KS2 and KS3.

Finally, some book reviews that caught my eye recently…

Great Graphic Novels! – Erin Hamilton has reviewed a selection of new graphic novels on her blog and there is something here for a wide range of tastes. Thank you, Erin.

You Are 25% Banana by Susie Brooks Illustrated by Josy Bloggs – The title alone is one that encourages me to read this but if you are looking for non-fiction for the Early Years and Infant age group this definitely sounds like a book that you should explore. Roy James in his review for Just Imagine explains how the author and illustrator make a complicated subject interesting to the youngest readers.

City of Spies By Iszi Lawrence – historical fiction always tempts me and this review by Andrea Reece for Love Reading 4 Kids has highlighted an author who is new to me. The story is set in the American Revolution and Andrea says that “Readers will finish the book knowing much more about this fascinating and important period of our history than they did before and eager for more adventures starring Aiden.”

That’s all for this month’s round up and I do realise that there will be things I have missed but I hope this selection will provide a taste and be helpful to you too. Happy reading and see you next month.

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New Children’s Books From Barrington Stoke

Posted on January 3, 2024 by alibrarylady

Regular readers will know how highly I rate the publishers Barrington Stoke for all they do to encourage reading for pleasure for every single child. These three new books written by acclaimed authors published this week are a wonderful example of this publisher’s growing success and I would recommend each of them.

Sidney and Carrie Have a Party by Lisa Thompson illustrated by Jess Rose

The Little Gems series by Barrington Stoke are perfectly put together for younger readers aged 5+ being presented in a chunky format with a well designed layout. They are ideal for new readers just gaining confidence. This is the third of the stories featuring Sidney and Carrie and is both charming and wise. Lisa Thompson’s books have been featured in Empathy Lab’s Read for Empathy Collections in the past and her approach to storytelling encourages understanding and empathetic responses to everyday problems in her readers of all ages.

In this story best friends Sidney and Carrie are looking forward to their birthdays and as they celebrate them during the same week their parents suggest a joint party. This idea is met with delight by the two children until they gradually realise that they want different things from the party. From the invitations to entertainment to the cake they cannot agree on anything. This dilemma is testing their friendship until a lesson in the classroom encourages them to try a different approach. The delightful illustrations by Jess Rose help to convey the emotions felt by Sidney and Carrie and this gentle story demonstrates the importance of compromise and negotiation in friendships. A really thoughtful and kind story that will engage young readers incorporating everyday situations they will recognise.

Marvin and the Book of Magic by Jenny Pearson illustrated by Aleksei Bitskoff

Jenny Pearson has a knack of blending a great sense of fun with a thoughtful understanding of children, their lives and their worries in every book she writes. Marvin and the Book of Magic, her second book for Barrington Stoke, is a treat for fans of funny stories however it is threaded through with wise kindness too. The illustrations by Aleksei Bitskoff, who also illustrated Bertie and the Alien Chicken, bring Jenny’s characters to life with great humour and add to the fun.

Marvin’s grandad once told him that he had the gift of magic but after the humiliating events of his attempts on a national TV show involving a badly behaved squirrel Marvin has decided that being a magician is not for him. With his dreams in tatters he feels that he has let his late grandad down and the ridicule he receives from a couple of school bullies increases this feeling for poor Marvin. Luckily he has the support of his kind Dad and his enthusiastic best friend Asha, who is most definitely a glass half full type of person to help him recover. However when he visits a rather special shop he becomes the owner of a mysterious book and encouraged by Asha he is tempted to have one more try. Will his comeback at the school talent show be a success? The carefully structured plot demonstrates how magic can be found in friendships too and perhaps also in self belief and perseverance. This is an absolute delight of a story, with pitch perfect dialogue between the two children and some extremely funny moments but I particularly like its gentle and kind message to its young readers. Jenny Pearson has worked her magic yet again. Suitable for readers of about 9+ with a reading age of 8.

Northern Soul by Phil Earle

Award winning author Phil Earle has in the last couple of years gained a new fan base due to his excellent historical fiction so for those readers this hilarious but warm and wise story of first love may be a bit of a surprise. I also think that it may encourage many young people who think books are not for them to read for pleasure. Northern Soul is laugh out loud funny but balanced with understanding and experience making it a perfect read for its intended audience.

Fourteen year old Marv loves football and hanging out with his best mate Jimmy. But then one day new girl Carly walks into his classroom and into his life and everything changes. On the same day Marv also discovers the music of Otis Redding thanks to his single parent Dad who owns a local record shop and has what Marv considers extremely dodgy taste in footwear. (I will not enter the crocs debate online!) Although Marv fears that Carly is out of his league he really wants to win her over and make a good impression. When the ghost of Otis Redding appears in his bedroom and offers to help Marv initially is delighted. However this Otis, with a Yorkshire accent and a craving for fast food, may not be quite the help that Marv expected. The ensuing attempts to woo Carly “aided” by Otis are both hilarious and cringe making in equal measure.

Phil Earle has said that “there’s a fair bit of me in Marv” and that I think is what makes this work so brilliantly. The dialogue, the relationships and the situations are given an authenticity that ensure Northern Soul will resonate with many. Readers will empathise easily with Marv as he lurches from one embarrassing crisis to the next and even though I’m far from the intended readership I loved both the story and Marv himself. There is a need for fiction such as this which is both funny and relatable for teen readers, especially boys. Barrington Stoke and Phil Earle make a great team so let’s hope there is more of this to come. Suitable for readers aged 11+ and this accessible book is edited to a reading age of 8.

Thank you to Poppy McLean and Barrington Stoke for providing my review copies.

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Children’s Books – My December Reading Round Up

Posted on December 29, 2023 by alibrarylady

There are times when I wonder how on earth I will ever manage to catch up with the daunting pile of books that crowd my ‘must read soon’ shelves. This is hindered further by the many excellent books that are published each month to tempt me. Throughout December I have tried to balance the brand new and those that I have wanted to read for months but just have not got around to. My plans were hindered more than a little by Christmas preparations and Covid rearing its ugly head again, this time I escaped it but Mr T. did not. However these four books, although very different to each other, were worth making time for. Perhaps you have read them already?

Over ten years ago I read Twelve Minutes to Midnight by Christopher Edge, an historical mystery which I enjoyed, recommending it to many readers in the school library. Since then this author’s books have taken a slightly different direction and he has become known for pacy sci-fi adventures. Escape Room had somehow stayed on my bookshelf unread so I resolved to put that right. The story of twelve-year-old Ami who tackles The Escape, the ultimate escape room with puzzles and challenges to beat before time runs out, is a thrilling and thought provoking read. Alongside her teammates, Ami learns from the Host that they have been chosen to save the world and they must work together to find the answer. Christopher Edge is brilliant at building tension and this accessible and relatively short book packs a punch that belies its size. Perfect for young readers who enjoy gaming it also asks questions about humanity’s attitude to our planet and our role in protecting it. Published by Nosy Crow for readers aged 9+.

Our Castle By the Sea by Lucy Strange won the 2021 Young Quills Prize for Historical Fiction and is a beautifully written story set on the English coast at the start of the Second World War. Family is at the centre of the plot but just like in her debut, The Secret of Nightingale Wood, the author incorporates myth and mystery in a convincing manner. Twelve year old Petra and her older sister Magda are characters who one quickly cares about and their development is both credible and touching. Petra’s growth from a quiet, small child to a strong brave young girl is particularly well executed. Lucy Strange handles the harsh reality of the effects of war with sensitivity but without shying away from the effects of loss and trauma on individuals. The plot is utterly absorbing and will keep young readers guessing as the effects of sabotage on the coastal village add to the characters’ difficulties. The setting is an important element to Our Castle by the Sea and is brought vividly to life by the writing. This has such a realistic atmosphere due to the inclusion of historical detail and events that the story although entirely fictional has a strong authentic feel to it. This is the type of book that encouraged me to become a reader as a child and I’m delighted that Lucy Strange is encouraging that emotional engagement in today’s young readers. Highly recommended and published by Chicken House for readers of about 10+.

The Republic of Dreams by Richard Lambert

The sequel to Shadow Town, a Times Best Book of the Year in 2021, balances excitement and danger with personal hopes and fears in a fantasy threaded through with themes of environmental disaster and political corruption that are pertinent today. We are reunited with Toby, the young boy who visited the world of Balthasar in the first book, and Tamurlaine, his friend and princess, soon to be queen of the troubled land. The action switches between our world and that of Balthasar throughout the story and the merging of the two heightens the tension and the sense of danger in some ways. When Toby returned home after the first adventure he did not realise that Nicodemus Malladain, the evil villain had slipped to earth alongside him. Malladain is utterly bad, driven by greed and a need for absolute power and is central to the storyline. His presence threatens Toby and Tamurlaine’s lives and the future of both worlds. The harnessing of young people’s dreams for ill intent is an interesting concept and the portrayal of this is imaginative, original and frequently chilling

The cast of characters is varied and appealing adding both humanity and occasional wit to the tension and drama. Alfred, Toby’s much loved and all knowing cat features again and when friends Anon, an adolescent half-angel, Burston, a school friend and orphan and refugee, Jinky join him in this world to attempt to defeat Malladain and his evil plans each of the children’s lives change in ways they could not have foreseen.

Although reading Shadow Town adds to the enjoyment of this book I think that it could work as a stand alone with sufficient reference to the backstory included to aid understanding and appreciation. There is a satisfying conclusion to this second instalment however I do feel that the way has been left open for further adventures which would be appreciated by many young readers. Published by Everything With Words for readers aged 11+

Runner Hawk by Michael Egan

“Runner Hawk”, an intriguing title for this YA debut by poet Michael Egan and one that doesn’t give much away about the story itself. The cover illustration by Holly Ovenden has a dream like quality to it and the quote from author Zillah Bethel describes it as, ‘mesmerising, unsettling.’ She is right. It is also deeply affecting and strangely beautiful but above all I think unsettling is the most fitting adjective. Leo, and his story, stayed with me long after I finished reading this.

Told by 17 year old Leo Runner Hawk begins with the moment that he realises something is wrong; that time is playing tricks, that his memories are fading, sometimes he sees things that may not be there and he occasionally feels as though his body is out of his control. When his parents go away on holiday his young uncle, Toby, comes to stay and encourages his nephew to try new experiences. He meets a local girl, Eadie and begins a tentative relationship with her. But Leo is struggling and doesn’t understand why. Gradually he discovers the truth that has been withheld from him for so long and now changes everything for him. Part coming of age story, part crime novel, part science fiction this is a challenging read for an older teen. The writing style immerses the reader in Leo’s experiences in a manner that maximises the emotional impact. The first person narrative and the dialogue without speech marks gives a real feel of immediacy. The publicity material compares the story to Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go and I can understand why. Michael Egan encourages his reader to consider serious questions about humanity, family, love and loss. Published by Everything With Words for 14+.

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Reading Matters – children’s book news

Posted on December 2, 2023 by alibrarylady

Welcome to this latest round up of what has been happening in the world of children’s books over the last month. It is impossible to include everything as this would be the most enormous article for you to read so I’ve tried to provide a snapshot of a busy month for you. There are book award announcements, research, resources and some Christmas related items too. I do hope something here is helpful to you.

What I’m reading…

Over the last month my reading has been quite varied. It has included Christmas picture books, a humorous retelling of a festive favourite, four brave children tackling a wicked Fairy Queen, Irish folklore and magic, a graphic novel memoir and a gothic mystery. You can read my reviews of this selection here and there is something for quite an age range included to tempt you.

Usually children’s books that have been sent to me by publishers, authors and publicity agents have to go to the top of the pile but I am trying to find time to read those titles that I’ve been tempted to buy myself but then have languished on my bookshelves for far too long. This week I finally read A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicol. Yes, I know I’m shamefully late to this one! This debut novel created a stir when it was published by Knights Of in 2020 and I can understand why. Told as a first person narrative this affecting story gives a voice to an autistic child, eleven year old Addie. When she learns about the witch trials that took place in her home town in Scotland she is horrified and campaigns for a memorial in their memory to be created. Her experiences as she tries to achieve this, both in school and in her community, show that prejudice against those who are ‘different’ in any way is not confined to history. The story challenges stereotypes and portrays the many ways in which both adults and children can be unpleasant through either ignorance or lack of understanding. Addie’s strength and the support shown by her family, a new friend and a kind teacher balance this well.

News, articles and resources…

THE POWER OF POETRY FOR EMPATHY, WELLBEING & LITERACY: FREE CPD AUTHOR EVENT WITH MATT GOODFELLOW – Flagging this free online event which takes place next week. Hays Education, in collaboration with partners All Around Reading, are delighted to invite you to join them for their FREE online Author-led CPD event which will take place on Wednesday 6th December 2023 from 4.30-6pm. This should be a treat for all the fans Matt Goodfellow’s latest book, The Final Year which has created quite a buzz online!

Virtual School Visit with Katherine Rundell – Schools are invited to join Waterstones (free of charge) online for a very special virtual event with author Katherine Rundell as she presents her spellbinding new novel, Impossible Creatures. Recommended for years 5, 6 and 7. Wednesday 6th December 2023 10:30 – 11:15am.

Yoto Carnegie Nominations Announced – A grand total of 129 books have been nominated for the 2024 Medals. 69 books are in contention for the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing which is awarded to a book written in English for children and young people that sparks an outstanding reading experience and 60 books for the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Illustration, which celebrates an outstanding reading experience through illustration. This includes 6 titles that have received nominations in both Medal categories. It is interesting to note that several of the nominated titles in both categories are suitable for the primary age group and I will be fascinated to see how many make it on to the long and shortlists.

Malorie Blackman and Krystyna Budzynska to be honoured in Action for Children’s Arts J.M. Barrie Awards 2023 – The annual J.M. Barrie Awards celebrate people and organisations doing outstanding work within children’s arts and whose work, in the view of Action for Children’s Arts will stand the test of time. This year the Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to author Malorie Blackman OBE, in a ceremony on 8th November in recognition of her profound contribution to children’s literature.

The Missing Teen Category by Rebecca Rouillard, Kingston Educational Trust – read all about the reasoning behind the new 11+ category in the Spark! Book Awards and the need for more books to excite, engage and encourage KS3 pupils to keep reading.

Books Are My Bag Readers Awards 2023 Winners Announced – Each year, booksellers nominate their favourite books, and shortlists across six categories are curated by a panel from both chain and independent bookshops. Voting is then handed over to the book loving public, with a seventh and final category – Readers’ Choice – chosen entirely by readers. The Children’s Fiction winner is Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell published by Bloomsbury and the Young Adult Fiction winner is Gwen and Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher also published by Bloomsbury.

The Libraries for Primaries Campaign – Founded in November 2021 by the National Literacy Trust and Penguin Random House UK, the Libraries for Primaries campaign (formerly the Primary School Library Alliance) is a group of organisations who work to address the lack of investment in primary school libraries. Every primary school deserves a school library. But a shocking 1 in 7 state primary schools in the UK do not have one. The campaign’s recent publication “Unlocking the Power of Reading: How Can Every Child Have Access to a Library at School?” is an important read and can be found here. More information about the campaign can be found on the website above.

Graphic Novels Padlet – Richard Ruddick has recently updated his Padlet which is an excellent resource for those hunting for recommendations for both home and school reading for primary and secondary age. It also includes links to Bookshop.uk.org to enable speedy purchases should something catch your eye!

Book Trust Autumn Term Virtual Author Event with SF Said – if you missed this live event with award winning author SF Said in November you can catch up with the video recording on the Book Trust website linked above. Suitable for: Year groups 5, 6 and 7.

We Wonder: Journey into Space reading challenge – The National Literacy Trust are launching a new reading challenge in January 2024, The We Wonder: Journey into Space STEM reading challenge is aimed at students across the UK aged 7-14 years. Following the framework of read, launch, navigate, students will be tasked with designing their own rocket and planning a journey into space. Exploring a range of fun ideas, this challenge will not only encourage reading for pleasure and reading diversely, it will support disciplinary literacy by increased engagement with non-fiction texts. More information and details of how to register are available on the National Literacy Trust website above.

Books for Keeps Winter Special – Highlights include the Authorgraph interview with Sophie Anderson, Helen Cooper’s Windows into Illustration feature, a guided tour of the British Library’s new fantasy exhibition, and an important new ‘Beyond the Secret Garden’. Plus, discover the books of the year, chosen by a panel of experts and your essential Christmas Gift Guides. All this and reviews of the best new children’s books.

BBC Radio4: Analysis – Can Reading Really Improve Your Life – What can schools, government, the media and parents do to help foster a love of reading that could help children throughout their lives? Author and former Children’s Laureate Julia Donaldson investigates. With contributions from Frank Cottrell Boyce, Joseph Coelho, Teresa Cremin, Joanna Prior, Laura Patel, Leia Sands, Ben Lawrence and Sonia Thompson this is excellent and well worth a listen.

Nero Book Awards 2023 – Shortlists Announced – Launched in May 2023, the Nero Book Awards celebrate the outstanding books of the past 12 months across four award categories: Children’s Fiction, Debut Fiction, Fiction and Non-Fiction.The Children’s Fiction category covers books aimed at young readers aged 9-15 and the shortlist of four titles was chosen by a panel of judges made up of authors, booksellers and journalists.

The Portable Magic Dispenser: Ideas for your Library & Classroom – the latest newsletter from school librarian Lucas Maxwell includes tips for library lessons, how Dungeons and Dragons can help you and book chat. It’s definitely worth signing up for this regular resource.

Children’s and teens roundup – the best new picture books and novels –
A poetic Advent calendar, warming words from Neil Gaiman, a magnificent menagerie and a sinister secret Santa feature in Imogen Russell Williams latest selection for the Guardian. Imogen’s reviews always tempt me!

Malorie Blackman’s career honoured in British Library exhibition – Show dedicated to the prolific children’s and young adult novelist includes 82 rejection letters alongside her children’s laureate medal and runs from 24 November 2023 to 25 February 2024. It is free to visit.

School Library Association Announces Winners of 2023 Information Book Award – the winners of this year’s SLA Information Book Award were announced recently at a ceremony held at the central London offices of award sponsors Hachette Children’s Group. A panel of judges choose the winners for each of the three age categories and from these an Overall Winner is selected. It is great to see children and teens given the opportunity to have their say by voting in the Children’s Choice Award. Many congratulations to all the winners and you can find out which books won each category on the SLA website above.

BooksForTopics has partnered with Support Your School to help schools fund book packs – Books for Topics has shared news of a new fundraising initiative to help schools fund packs of their books to boost reading for pleasure. They have found that their Year Group Recommended Reading lists are among the most popular booklists on their website. Whilst schools can already purchase full sets of these books via Peters at 20% discount, not all schools are in the financial position to be able to afford to purchase new books. By registering with Support Your School a free fundraising platform, schools can raise money through donations from the local community to support their literacy and reading for pleasure mission. You can read more about this initiative via the link above.

The Reader Teacher Christmas Gift Giving Guides – Scott Evans has compiled helpful lists for different ages from 3+ to 9+ including a range of classic titles, new books, poetry, picturebooks and information books for people looking for ideas for Christmas presents. All the lists are downloadable in poster format too.

Books for Topics Christmas Book Gift Guide 2023 – Another helpful guide. Books make a superb choice of Christmas gifts for children. From timeless bedtime stories and curious information books to festive favourites and glorious gift books, Books for Topics have selected their top recommendations for book gifts for children in their primary years. Each of the guides includes purchasing links and a printable PDF version to share.

CLPE Survey of Ethnic Representation within UK Children’s Literature (November 2023) – the 6th annual Reflecting Realities report was published this week. For context, this survey should not be read in isolation, but in conjunction with the previous five publications however there is welcome news in that there has been 26% rise from the first report indicating that there are significantly more representative titles available to young readers now than 6 years ago. The report suggests areas for improvement & celebrates exemplary titles making this an important read for anyone interested in children’s books in any capacity.

The Poetry By Heart Festive Showcase – Every winter Poetry By Heart, the national poetry speaking competition for schools, creates a special gift of poetry. The Poetry By Heart Festive Poetry Showcase is a digital anthology of poems – classic and contemporary, perfect to read, share and learn by heart at Christmas. With twenty-four featured poems, it’s a complete poetry advent calendar. There are much loved classics and contemporary poems too each supported by information about the poet and tips to help you learn them by heart. Find out more on the website above.

Waterstones Book of the Year – Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell was announced as the Waterstones Book of the Year 2023 this week . Alice Winn’s In Memoriam scooped Novel of the Year, whilst Murdle by G.T. Karber is named Gift of the Year. It’s exciting to a children’s book recognised in this way. There is a video interview with Katherine Rundell available on the link above.

Peace On Earth Free e-book – The simply beautiful picture book ‘Peace On Earth’ has been released as a FREE ebook to be read online up until Dec 22nd. David Lichfield, Smriti Halls and Walker Books want to share the book’s hopeful message as far and wide as possible. Huge thanks for their generosity. You can read the book via the link above.

Finally, some book reviews that caught my eye recently…

Do You Remember? By Sydney Smith – in my last Reading Matters round up I mentioned Nikki Gamble’s wonderful Audience With this award wining author and illustrator and I now have a copy of the book itself. It is, I think, a book that stirs up complex emotions and somehow Martin Galway has captured this aspect in his wonderful review for Just Imagine.

Tiffany Aching’s Guide to Being A Witch by Rhianna Pratchett and Gabrielle Kent illustrated by Paul Kirby – this is a visually stunning book and in his excellent review experienced book reviewer, Gordon Askew says, “this sumptuous volume is is a fitting tribute to the much-missed Terry Pratchett, and to Tiffany Aching, possibly his loveliest creation.”

That’s all for this month and for 2023. I hope that Reading Matters has been useful and enjoyable for you over the year and thank you to regular readers who provide welcome encouragement and occasional book chat.

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Children’s Books – A November Reading Round Up

Posted on November 28, 2023 by alibrarylady

Christmas picture books, a humorous retelling of a festive favourite, four brave children tackling a wicked Fairy Queen, Irish folklore and magic, a graphic novel memoir and a gothic mystery make up my November reading. I hope there is something here that is suitable for the young readers in your life.

As Christmas approaches no doubt both families and schools are now thinking about preparations for the festive season. During the last month I have read and reviewed a selection of picturebooks that take a sometimes humorous and sometimes reflective look at Christmas preparations. A robot reindeer, a robin with criminal tendencies, friendship tested and preparations changed all feature in the selection, but all, thankfully, have a happy festive ending.

Over the last few years How Winston Delivered Christmas, Winston Came Home for Christmas and The Grumpus have become a welcome feature of the Advent season for both families and schools. This year Alex T Smith has produced another lavishly illustrated tale but this time taking a rather different approach to a Christmas classic, The Nutcracker. Told over 24 and a half chapters The Nutcracker: And the Mouse King’s Christmas Shenanigans (Macmillan) is a magical delight. On Christmas Eve as Clara and her little brother Fritz settle down for Herr Drosselmeyer’s magic show they do not anticipate the adventure that will follow. First one of the toys comes to life and then they learn that The Mouse King is up to no good and is determined to ruin Christmas. Clara, Fritz and their new friend Walter the Nutcracker are equally determined to stop his shenanigans. It is a race against time to reach the Kingdom of Sweets and release the Sugar Plum Fairy who is the only one who can release Fritz from the evil curse put upon him. There are some lovely inclusive touches in both the text and the illustrations and there is a delightful pantomime feel to this jolly adventure. This is an absolute treat to read aloud and would work equally well as bedtime story or class room read-aloud with nail biting chapter endings, wonderful, amusing illustrations, brilliant characters and a thoughtfully executed ending. Maybe there will be another instalment next year? I do hope so. Children from about 5 will enjoy listening to this and I suspect this is another book that will be returned to each Christmas.

Glassborn by Peter Bunzl, (Usborne) the standalone sequel to Magicborn, is a treat of a read. A story in the best tradition of children’s literature, a magical, historical fantasy tale of riddles and curses, secrets, spells and excitement set in an icy world ruled by a wicked Fairy Queen and featuring four brave children. Glassborn is a captivating story with literary connections to Narnia and Bronte and containing so much hope in its pages. The plot is engrossing with some tense cliffhangers and is told from the point of view of both Acton and his older sister Cora, both of whom are likeable protagonists. The story incorporates the deep emotions of loss and grief but also love and hope. There are some poignant moments but Peter Bunzl ensures that his readers end on a note of hopeful optimism. You can read my full review here. Suitable for readers aged about 9+ .

Magic, Irish folklore and language blend with contemporary modern issues of bullying, social class and environment in The Silver Road by Sinéad O’Hart (Piccadilly). When Rose is entrusted with a powerful stone by a Frost Giant, she is swept into an adventure full of danger. The stone can be used for great good or great evil, depending on its keeper. It leads Rose to discover the magic that runs through all of Ireland. A magic that is threaded together beneath the land: the Silver Road. But the Silver Road is under threat. Sinéad O’Hart’s love of Ireland, its tradition, legends, people and language are evident in every page of this enticing story. The voice of Rose as a protagonist balances the traditional and the modern beautifully and conveys the importance of our connections with both our past and each other eloquently. This is fantasy and folklore for a modern readership building to an exciting and cinematic finale. I was willing the delightful Rose on from the first page to the last. For readers of 9 upwards.

The popularity of graphic novels continues to rise and I was keen to try the first graphic novel published by Guppy Books, MexiKid: A Graphic Memoir by Pedro Martín. The storytelling voice in this autobiographical book is engaging and full of humour and yet this coming of age story is also moving in ways I did not expect. The young Pedro chronicles the road trip his family took in the 1970s with his family from California to Mexico to bring his abuelito (grandfather) back to America to live with them. The stories about Pedro’s legendary grandfather have raised him to superhero status in the young boy’s mind so the reader is keen to meet this elderly gentleman too. The focus on family, belonging, tradition, culture, identity and history is incorporated cleverly within the jokes and the sibling banter and MexiKid will teach readers much about Mexico. This is added to by the real-life photos of Martín’s family, and several pages of questions and answers about his life at the end of the book. The vibrant artwork is brilliant and ‘reading’ the illustrations is as entertaining as the text and there are Spanish phrases throughout with translations at the foot of page.. A memoir that will make its readers laugh but also containing poignant moments dealing with family loss. Recommended for about 10+.

As the evenings lengthen and winter draws in many teen readers may turn to darker subject matter and Nicholas Bowling’s new gothic mystery would fit the bill perfectly. The Undying of Obedience Wellrest ( Chicken House) is a story of magic, death and science with quite the most arresting opening sentence I have read for a long time. Although not my usual reading fare I found this both compelling and thought provoking. Ned works as a gravedigger with his grandfather and his quiet life is disrupted when graves start being disturbed and a young woman, Obedience, or Bede as she is known, starts spending time at the cemetery. Prompted by her research into her ancestor, Herbert, Bede is dedicated to science and is strongly resisting her father’s wish to marry Phineas Mordaunt, a man also intrigued by the scientific world. As the mystery deepens before it gradually unfolds with dramatic consequences this story is not for the faint hearted but does have a mesmerising appeal. For readers of 13+ this would prompt discussion about the treatment of women in science during this historical period, the limits of science and our understanding of death. Strange, dark and unsettling but Ned and Bede are convincing narrators and there are some memorable characters. This would probably be a good book club read for teen readers.

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Celebrating Start Small, Think Big and National Non-Fiction November

Posted on November 24, 2023 by alibrarylady

Start Small, Think Big is a brand new series from Mama Makes Books, an independent publisher launched in 2020. This month, National Non-Fiction November marks a celebration of the best information books for children available at the moment. I am impressed with the quality of this particular series and was delighted to be invited to take part in the blog tour this week Unfolding A World of Discovery!

Start Small, Think Big: Small, Speckled Egg by Mary Auld illustrations by Anne Terreros-Martin

This is the first book in the series and from the moment a child opens the textured cover with the peep-through hole, they will be transported to the Arctic. The reader follows the journey of an Arctic Tern from egg, to fluffy chick to fully grown adult bird discovering more about the bird and its life cycle as they read. We see the chick grow up quickly, learning to fly and feed on the wing. When still young the chick is ready to embark on a migration from the top of the world to the bottom and back again for the first time. The bird’s life story is told clearly and carefully in a way that builds understanding.

The clear text is accompanied by beautiful illustrations and the presentation is inviting and uncluttered. The way in which the narrative can be read by both emerging readers and those with greater reading confidence is well done broadening the audience appeal. The main text is written in the first-person for emerging readers, and additional information is presented for confident readers or shared reading. There is a stunning fold out map at the end of the book incorporating a world map of showing nesting grounds and migration route, a pictorial life cycle, and a polar i-spy game encouraging children to find animals and birds within the book. Small, Speckled Egg would be invaluable in primary school libraries and classrooms both for reading enjoyment and as an aid to the Science curriculum.

There are free comprehensive downloadable activity sheets (suitable for home and schools) available of the publisher’s website here.

Start Small, Think Big: Little, Brown Nut by Mary Auld illustrations by Dawn Cooper

Following the same format as its predecessor the peep through hole takes us deep into the Amazon Rainforest to learn about the Brazil nut tree, one of the tallest in the forest. We see a huge fruit falling from the tallest tree and an agouti, a small rodent, frees the nut inside from its hard casing and and then buries it in the ground. This small seed is forgotten and germinates and we then follow it on its journey to full growth learning how it is used by other animals and its place in the life cycle of the forest.

The beautiful illustrations are clear and full of information enabling children to learn about seed dispersal, photosynthesis, pollination and the rainforest alongside the detail contained in the text. The narrative is again presented at two levels of reading ability, thoughtfully executed and adding to the enjoyment possibilities rather than confusing the reader. A child could learn a great deal from this book packed with facts. The fold out map depicts South America and its countries plus the position of the Amazon rainforest, the life cycle of the Brazil nut tree and rainforest animals to spot and identify within the book. Little Brown Nut continues the themes and learning offered in the first book of this impressive series covering primary science topics and definitely deserves a place in primary school libraries and classroom.

Once again there are free, comprehensive downloadable activity sheets (suitable for home and schools) available on the publisher’s website here.

If you have missed any of the earlier posts on the blog tour celebrating this new series of children’s books or want to read forthcoming posts the details of where to find them are given below.

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Christmas Picture Books for Young Children

Posted on November 17, 2023 by alibrarylady

Sometimes Christmas preparations can feel a little overwhelming. This selection of picturebooks take a sometimes humorous and sometimes reflective look at problems and how to resolve them. A robot reindeer, a robin with criminal tendencies, friendship tested and preparations changed feature in the selection reviewed below but all, thankfully, have a happy festive ending.

Merry Whatmas? by Eoin McLaughlin and Polly Dunbar

What is Christmas all about? Fox thinks it’s about presents, Badger is concentrating on the food and Magpie is thinking about singing while preparing, the Mice are keen on Christmas jumpers and Rabbit knows everything must be perfect! Poor Hedgehog and Tortoise are feeling that it is all just a bit too much. Tortoise even wants to get away from it all. But then wise Owl explains that Christmas is all about being with the ones you love and the two little friends realise that he is right. The delightful ending is both soothing and calming.

Merry Whatmas? is an utterly lovely book to share with children in the run up to Christmas and many little ones will recognise Hedgehog and Tortoise from the previous books in this popular series too. Text and illustrations work together creating a bedtime read with an important message. It would also be a delight to read in Early Years settings. Published by Faber.

Santa’s New Reindeer by Caroline Crowe and Jess Pauwells

Santa has a problem. There is only one week until Christmas and it is frantically busy in his workshop but then disaster strikes when Rudolph crashes through the roof spraining his hoof on the way. Now there are only seven reindeer to pull Santa’s sleigh and he will never be able to deliver the presents in time! A search begins to find a suitable replacement for Rudolph and a cheetah, zebra, hare, moose and others are all discarded as not appropriate. Then Head Engineer Lizzie comes to the rescue with her Robot Reindeer. Is her invention up to the job?

This is great fun, with a bouncy rhyming text to read aloud and bright, merry illustrations with child appeal. It is the third in a series following Santa’s New Beard and Santa’s New Sleigh and will no doubt be a hit in both schools and homes. Published by Faber.

The Robin Who Stole Christmas by Rachel Morrisroe and Richard Merritt

Robins have a long and popular association with Christmas. This robin is rather different. Rotten Robin, the world’s most wanted criminal, hates Christmas and has hatched a plan to steal it aided by his gang of feathered friends. Everything must go, the decorations, the mince pies and even Santa. However Rotten Robin and his accomplices have not taken into account that the good robins are determined to foil his cunning plan. When he is forced to give back everything that he has stolen he realises that giving and sharing creates a rather different feeling than he was expecting.

In this humorous and entertaining story Rotten Robin is not quite changed from James Bond Villain to saint but he does learn an important lesson and this book does highlight the value of sharing and giving at Christmas time. The illustrations made me smile being full of clever little touches and the expressions on the characters are brilliant. A book with an appeal to children aged 3+ published by Puffin Books.

Christmas Cobwebs by Pippa Goodhart and Ema Maliauka

Old Bear is feeling nostalgic about Christmas and wants to recreate the magical day she remembers from when she was a cub for all her friends. She busies herself around the house preparing, cleaning and cooking. The large tree outside her house is perfect to decorate for the special celebration. Finally she is ready, the colourful paper chains are up, the tree looks glorious, and the biscuits are iced. The invitations are sent to all her friends and the spiders have been banished from the spotless house. But while Old Bear sleeps the spiders, sad that they are not invited, are busy spinning their wonderful webs. When Old Bear wakes she is horrified at the sight but her friends see only the beauty of the spiders’ work.

Christmas Cobwebs has a nostalgic charm that captures the traditional feel of a homely Christmas. The muted illustrations match the warmth of the book’s message and this magical tale of acceptance may prompt conversation about respecting others. It is a kind story. Published by Tiny Owl Books.

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Reading Matters – children’s book news

Posted on November 4, 2023 by alibrarylady

Welcome to this latest round up of what has been happening in the world of children’s books over the last month, plus details of some book related events to look forward to. There has been such a wide range of articles, discussions and comment over the last few weeks that it would be impossible to include it all but I do hope that this selection of links and reviews will be helpful to you.

What I’m reading…

My October reading included spies and a wartime mystery, a storytelling mouse, nature activities and fun for every season and perfect picture books for encouraging creative play and overcoming shyness. I reviewed them here and I hope there is something among the titles that is suitable for the young readers in your life. This week I read Glassborn by Peter Bunzl and was immersed in the story from the first pages. This standalone sequel to Magicborn, is a treat of a read. A story in the best tradition of children’s literature, a magical, historical fantasy tale of riddles and curses, secrets, spells and excitement set in an icy world ruled by a wicked Fairy Queen and featuring four brave children. Glassborn is a captivating story with literary connections to Narnia and Bronte and containing so much hope in its pages.

News, articles and resources…

Book Trust: SF Said talk and Q&A – it’s not too late to register for this free online event for schools taking place next Friday 10th November at 2pm. Suitable for: Year groups 5, 6 and 7 and with subtitles available two days after the recording. SF Said will tell the story of how he went from being a young reader like the children to writing award-winning books such as Tyger, Phoenix and Varjak Paw, which was listed by BookTrust as one of the 100 best children’s books of the past 100 years. His talk will include material about his own childhood reading, insights into the writing process, a reading from Tyger, and a live Q&A at the end.

National Non-Fiction November – National Non-Fiction November is the Federation of Children’s Book Groups’ annual celebration of all things factual. Born out of National Non-Fiction Day, the brain child of Adam Lancaster during his years as Chair, the whole month now celebrates all those readers that have a passion for information and facts and attempts to bring non fiction celebration in line with those of fiction.The theme this year is ‘Wonderful Water’ and you can download a list of suggested titles here. There is a competition for children to enter too, lots of events around the country and a blog tour to follow. Chris Routh’s welcome above tells you all about it.

Remembrance 2023: teaching resources and activities – the National Literacy Trust are partnering with Royal British Legion again this year on a programme of events and resources to support Remembrance teaching and learning in schools. These include: A live assembly on Friday 10 November and new resources to support learning in the classroom. They also have book club resources based on age-appropriate stories to help children explore themes of Remembrance, and to develop core reading comprehension skills.

Remembrance Day Resources from Tom Palmer – This year’s Remembrance Sunday will be marked on 12th November, with Armistice Day on Saturday 11th November 2023. To help schools mark the occasion and link it to developing literacy in the classroom, award winning author Tom Palmer will be offering FREE resources for schools to use based around his books. These include a video assembly message, a signed certificate and a free story to download with linked resources.

Educating for Empathy:the reading factor – online conference – on 5th December EmpathyLabUK are running the first ever conference focused exclusively on using literature to build empathy. In partnership with the University of Sussex and St Matthews Research School it features a line up of the country’s leading psychology, empathy and literacy experts. The conference explores how to harness reading’s power to build empathy understanding and skills. You will take away a rich understanding of the evidence base for using reading to build empathy, practical tools and next steps to deepen empathy education work. Although the Early Bird offer has now finished you can still book tickets and found out more about this excellent CPD via the link above.

Empathy Action Month is here! – prior to the conference highlighted above EmpathyLabUK are inviting you to join them all through the month of November to put empathy into action, and be inspired by stories. Every Wednesday, catch exclusive videos featuring incredible authors, illustrators & schools! New content available now including book lists and author video read-alouds.

CLPE’s October’s New Books Round-Up – Each month CLPE’s Librarian, Phoebe Demeger, reveals some of her favourite books she has recently added to their Literacy Library. This month’s selection includes Zeki Hikes With Daddy (also highly recommended by my grandson!) and All Bodies are Wonderful, an inclusive, informative and empowering guide to bodies, plus Katya Balen’s latest.

Puffin Autumn Term Virtual Author Visits – Real-life authors and illustrators will be streamed live into classrooms across the country via Zoom, with the chance for pupils to put their questions directly to the creators (sent in advance of the event). It is still possible to book for sessions with Jamie Littler, author of Arkspire. Ages 7 – 11, Vashti Harrison, author of BIG. Ages 4 – 8 and Nick Sharratt and Pippa Goodhart, creators of You Choose Christmas. Ages 3+

Festivals and Celebrations: Or, How To Really Pronounce Reading Festival – we will soon be heading into winter festival season. In his latest blog for Just Imagine, Roy Moss reflects on some considerations that we can bear in mind when introducing these topics into our classrooms. Some excellent book recommendations included too.

World Kindness Day National Literacy Trust Resources – the National Literacy Trust has partnered with Penguin Random House UK and Charlie Mackesy to create KS1/P2-3 and KS2/P4-P7 cross-curricular literacy and PSHE resources to help you celebrate World Kindness Day on Monday 13 November. The suite of resources explore Charlie Mackesy’s powerful, illustrated book, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse and help pupils to explore the importance of being kind to others as well as themselves. They can be downloaded via the link above.

The Diverse Book Awards Winners Announced – From 160 books to 4 the judges decided on their winners of The Diverse Book Awards including their first picture book winner, Dadaji’s Paintbrush by Rashmi Sirdeshpande, illustrated by Ruchi Mhasane. Many congratulations to all the winners. You can discover the winners in each category plus the long and shortlisted titles on the official website above.

The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award – A total of 245 candidates from 68 countries have been nominated for the 2024 award, including 66 candidates new from previous years. The list includes authors and illustrators, as well as storytellers and reading promoters. The laureate will be announced on 9 April 2024. The nominations for the UK included authors and illustrators such as David Almond, Malorie Blackman, Quentin Blake and Neil Gaiman plus organisations such as the Bookmark charity and the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education.

Children’s and teens’ roundup: the best new picture books and novels – A celebration of family; a guide to animal languages; Stonehenge spells; classroom crises; and dreams of becoming an alchemist are among the books reviewed by Imogen Russell Williams in her latest round up for the Guardian.

Julia Eccleshare’s Picks of the Month – Each month Julia Eccleshare, a leading authority in children’s literature, chooses a small selection of her favourites from the month. They will be generally new releases but occasionally she may select a new edition of a firm favourite and we will list them here. All are highly recommended with Julia’s seal of approval.

The Reader Teacher Monthly Must Reads for October – Scott Evans has chosen his five favourite children’s books published over the last month in different categories so there is something here to tempt a wide range of interests.

BookTrust research highlights the importance of multiple ‘reading influencers’ – Findings from the BookTrust Family Survey show what a difference it makes when children are read to by lots of different people. The research finds that the more people in a child’s life who are involved in influencing their reading, the more likely the child is to become a keen independent reader.

A Treatise on the State of Middle Grade and Young Adult Publishing Today – an article by librarian Karen Jensen for the School Library Journal: Teen Librarian Toolbox which although US based in content will be of interest to anyone involved in what world of children’s books in any capacity.

Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize 2023 – Shortlist Announced- perfectly timed for National Non-Fiction November! The Young People’s Book Prize celebrates the best science books for under-14s, highlighting books that communicate science to young people in creative and accessible ways. You can find out more about the award, the shortlist and how children can get involved in the article on the Literacy Hive website linked above.

Establishing a Primary School Library – SLA Member Development Librarian and former manager of Worcestershire County Council SLS, Dawn Woods, shares her vast expertise on how to establish a successful primary school library in this new publication from the School Library Association. It costs £15 for non-members and £12.50 for members and would be particularly useful for education professionals based in a primary school planning to establish a school library, or those looking to enhance their existing one.

The Reader Teacher Books I’m Most Excited About November 2023 – Scott Evans’ selection of books being published in November include Peter Bunzl’s Glassborn, mentioned above, a lovely new information book for young children Little, Brown Nut (Start Small, Think Big) by Mary Auld and Dawn Cooper and the poignant picturebook, Do You Remember? by Sydney Smith.

Christmas History Special: WWII Arctic Star 80th Anniversary – A Christmas History Special this December as Mr Dilly’s WORLD OF HISTORY presents a perfect event for schools and all children KS2 plus. Join Mr Dilly and multi award-winning children’s author Tom Palmer commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the WWII Battle of North Cape, a Second World War battle that took place across Christmas1943, and immortalised in Tom’s thrilling naval adventure novel Arctic Star, described by School Run as ‘one of the best children’s books about WWII’. Fri, 1 Dec 2023 11:00 – 12:00. Tickets and more details available on the link above.

Waterstones Book of the Year 2023 – there are three children’s books on this year’s shortlist; How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? By Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen; A Whale of a Time: A Funny Poem for Every Day of the Year by Lou Peacock and Matt Hunt; and Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell and Tomislav Tomic.

Finally, some book reviews that caught my eye this month…

Autumn Non-fiction Round Up – Kate Heap has read and reviewed a selection of books that are perfect for this month’s celebration of information books. From publishers who specialise in non-fiction such as Nosy Crow, Buster Books, Templar, Weldon Owen and Prestel, these eye-catching books will fly off classroom library shelves as children enjoy them together.

Kicked Out by A.M. Dassu – I have read several extremely positive reviews of this new book but am sharing this excellent one by teacher Ben Harris as it highlights the importance not only of this particular book but also of children’s fiction in general. And it really made me want to read the book!

That’s everything for this month and I hope you have found something of use or interest among the linked articles and events. I will be posting reviews over the next few weeks of some excellent new non-fiction for younger children and picturebooks on a Christmas theme so you may want to keep an eye out for those if you are on the hunt for present ideas. Reading Matters will be back next month.

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Glassborn by Peter Bunzl

Posted on November 3, 2023 by alibrarylady

Glassborn by Peter Bunzl, the standalone sequel to Magicborn, is a treat of a read. A story in the best tradition of children’s literature, a magical, historical fantasy tale of riddles and curses, secrets, spells and excitement set in an icy world ruled by a wicked Fairy Queen and featuring four brave children. Glassborn is a captivating story with literary connections to Narnia and Bronte and containing so much hope in its pages.

Cover illustration by Katarzyna Doszla

In 1826, as the Winter solstice approaches, the four Belle siblings arrive at their new home, Fairykeep Cottage. Their mother has died and their grief stricken father has travelled with his children to live with their Aunt. Here Acton, the youngest member of the family, discovers a hidden key that opens a door into Fairyland. But when he ventures through he’s kidnapped by the Fairy Queen’s servants. His siblings, Cora, Elle and Bram, set out on a quest to rescue their brother. But Fairyland is full of dangers and to overcome the Fairy Queen they will need all their courage and help from others. But who can they trust as they embark on their journey?

Inspired by the imaginary worlds created by the famous Brontë sisters, who loved to weave stories about places called Glass Town, Gondal and Angria, and wrote them down in fairy-sized newspapers and by Peter Bunzl’s childhood love of the Chronicles of Narnia this charming and enjoyable story also contains references to fairy tales and folklore such as The Green Man. Some of these elements will be recognisable to young readers and others may need guidance by an adult for them to appreciate fully. This, I think, is a wonderful way of broadening a child’s reading experience and understanding. As a child I felt a strong connection with the Narnia stories and as a teen greatly enjoyed reading Jane Eyre and I have a feeling that Glassborn will encourage that special reading experience for today’s readers.

The plot is engrossing with some tense cliffhangers and is told from the point of view of both Acton and his older sister Cora, both of whom are likeable protagonists. The story incorporates the deep emotions of loss and grief but also love and hope. There are some poignant moments but Peter Bunzl ensures that his readers end on a note of hopeful optimism. I’m glad I read this and am keen to read Magicborn now, which somehow I had missed.

Thank you to Eve Wersocki Morris and Usborne Books for providing my review copy. Glassborn is published on 9th November.

If you would like to read another book for children inspired by CS Lewis’s classic stories I would recommend The Lost Magician by Piers Torday. Barrington Stoke have published some excellent abridged versions of the classics including those written by the Brontë sisters. Tanya Landman’s retelling of Jane Eyre captures the heart of the story that made such an impact on me as a youngster and her version of Wuthering Heights converted me to a book I had always struggled with.

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Children’s Books – My October Reading Round Up

Posted on October 26, 2023 by alibrarylady

Spies and a wartime mystery, a storytelling mouse, nature activities and fun for every season and perfect picture books for encouraging creative play and overcoming shyness are among the children’s books I have read this month. I hope there is something here that is suitable for the young readers in your life.

The award winning Murder Most Unladylike series has been a huge hit with many children in recent years captivating would be super sleuths. In Robins Stevens’ follow up series we follow Hazel’s younger sister May who, along with her friends Nuala and Eric, is being trained as a spy by a secret agency called the Ministry of Unladylike Activity. The second book, The Body in the Blitz, (Puffin) set in 1941 sees the intrepid trio staying on a quiet street close to the Ministry, home to an unlikely collection of people thrown together by the war. In the basement of the bombed-out house at the end of that street that they discover something unexpected and mysterious; a body. Can the three friends identify this mystery person, solve a murder and pursue their work as spies?

This fabulous whodunnit is guaranteed to keep children riveted to the cleverly plotted story for its 400 plus pages. There is tension, twists and red herrings aplenty confirming Robin Stevens’ reputation as ‘Agatha Christie for children’. The three main protagonists are very different in personality but loyal to each other and dedicated to solving the case. The historical detail adds extra depth and the everyday life of people in London during World War 2 is incorporated into the plot creating a believable backdrop. The author is keen to make her books as inclusive as possible and adults may find the author’s note interesting. Children will simply be happy to find characters with whom they can identify. I grew rather fond of the sensible Eric and hope he develops further as the series continues. Published 12th October for readers of 9 or 10 and above.

Pumpkin Soup by Helen Cooper, which coincidentally celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, is a book I and many others have enjoyed reading with young children at this time of year. The Taming of the Cat (Faber Books) Helen Cooper’s new book published this month shares that magical quality of gorgeous illustrations and a classic storytelling feel.

This enchanting story within a story tells the tale of a fearsome cat named Gorgonzola and a clever little mouse named Brie. When caught in Gorgonzola’s lethal paws Brie summons up his storytelling skills, rather in the manner of Scheherazade, to amuse and distract the cat and save himself from being eaten. Featuring a brave princess, an enchanted world and a dragon his stories have a fairytale quality and this book would be a delight to share aloud. As Brie tells his tales each night leaving his expectant listener with a cliff hanger his own situation and his place in the community of mice becomes clearer to him too. He learns a salutary lesson about friendship and loyalty as his relationship with Gorgonzola subtly alters.

The black and white illustrations throughout the book are beautiful and detailed, some are full page and others are vignettes or chapter headings but all convey elements of the story and add greatly to the reader’s enjoyment. This hardback book would make a really lovely present. Suitable for readers of about 8 upwards and published on 5th October.

I’m already earmarking books for my one year old grandson to enjoy when he’s a little older and one published this month is high on my list. My Nature Trail by Rachel and Paul Lawston (Pikku Publishing) is an excellent way of introducing young children to nature. It combines information and activity suggestions for each season and incorporates pages where children can write down notes on what they have seen and done. The range of activities includes signs to look out for in each season, things to do like plant bulbs in the autumn or make a bird feeder in the winter. Some will require adult help or supervision and others children will be able to do themselves such as catching falling leaves or cloud spotting. The book is wonderful for encouraging children to get outside and experience nature be that in the local park, the beach, or their back garden. Perfect for schools but equally valuable for families this is an attractively produced and extremely appealing book for children aged 7+ and their families. I love this one!

Alanna Max publish excellent picture books for pre-schoolers and Catch! written by Trish Cooke and illustrated by Ken Wilson-Max is a perfect example of their work. In this delightful story we follow Kiona on a sunny afternoon as she embarks on an adventure with her mum to catch various objects. From a ball that’s too big to a tiny berry she can’t see, Kiona’s quest seems to have no joy. But her loving mother knows the perfect thing that Kiona can catch – a kiss! Trish Cooke’s text is super to read aloud being full of repetition and rich in its use of sounds and sensations for children to identify and enjoy and the bold illustrations by Ken Wilson-Max are eye-catching and full of life. This enjoyable story is also a way to gently encourage young children to think about relative sizes of objects and to become involved in play and outdoor activities. Inclusive, fun and thoughtful this is a lovely picture book for both Early Years settings and families and is suitable for little ones aged about 3 upwards. Out now.

Sometimes it can feel a little overwhelming when you are in a position where you have to say hello to people you don’t already know. The little girl in I’m Feeling a Little Bit Shy by Anna Milbourne illustrated by Asa Gilland (Usborne) is faced with situations with which many children will identify, going to a party, starting a new school or walking into a busy room. In each case she learns how to deal with her shyness through support and understanding. There is a charming, positive feel to this book and shy youngsters in a wide age range will find this reassuring and encouraging.

The little girl discovers that many people feel shy but learn to cope with and overcome it to enable them to make friends and enjoy new activities. She learns that it is a natural feeling that will pass and it helps to watch and listen before she joins in with others. Clinical psychologist Dr. Angharad Rudkin offered her expert advice to the creators of this book and the strategies offered within the story are helpful and practical. The jolly, busy illustrations and the inviting cut-out peep throughs add to the appeal of this valuable book. This would be a useful addition to primary school library and classroom shelves and is suitable for children aged 3+.

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