Reading Matters – children’s book news

Posted on April 29, 2023 by alibrarylady

Welcome to this week’s look at what has been happening in the world of children’s books. There have been a few highlights including the announcement of both the Little Rebels and Branford Boase Awards shortlists details of which are included below.

What I’m reading…

Last weekend I finished reading the first of the Enola Holmes series by Nancy Springer, The Case of the Missing Marquess. These stories are now well known thanks to the Netflix series but I had never read the books so was interested to find out more about their appeal. Enola is, I think, a character with a relatable quality for readers and the scene setting descriptions of Victorian London are well done. With dastardly villains, clues to solve and occasional touches of humour this book is a winning combination of styles. You can find out more in my review for Just Imagine.

Cover illustration by Fuji Takashi

My Name is Sunshine Simpson is a charming debut by G M Linton inspired by her own family background and told with tenderness, humour and kindness. Ten year old Sunshine is part of a loving extended family, with good friends and an enthusiastic approach to life. However when friction develops in a new friendship, the challenge of a stressful school event approaches and worst of all her beloved Grandad’s health starts to deteriorate Sunshine’s smile begins to slip. There is laughter and tears, joy and heartbreak in this poignant story celebrating the Windrush generation and their achievements and a lovely message of hope, trust and the importance of self belief and positivity. The good news is this is the first in a new series.

News, articles and resources…

Top tips for helping children to become readers – Book Trust Writer-in-Residence, SF Said, has spoken to expert teachers and leaders in education to find out what really works to help children discover a love of reading. A must read and full of helpful and encouraging advice.

National Literacy Trust announces new primary school libraries partnership with Portal Trust – The National Literacy Trust has partnered with London-based charity, The Portal Trust, to help improve library and reading spaces in primary schools across the capital. Initially in Lambeth, the first year of the three-year programme, will work with nine primary schools, providing them with new reading spaces, teacher training and 300 books.

Children read almost 25% more books last year, UK and Ireland study finds – The 2023 What Kids Are Reading report, which surveyed children in the UK and Ireland, was published this week. The links with social media trends is an interesting point highlighted in this article in the Guardian. The report itself is organised by Renaissance, the company behind Accelerated Reader.

CLPE’s March’s New Books Round-Up – Each month CLPE’s Librarian, Phoebe Demeger, will reveal some of her favourite books she has recently added to their Literacy Library.

The Reading Agency’s April booklist for Children and Young People – A Race Against Time – The Reading Agency’s April booklist is full of exciting and gripping reads. From books exploring the climate crisis and planet Earth to heart-stopping thrillers and tales of magic and wonder, there’s something for everyone.

The Portable Magic Dispenser Vol 5, Issue 7 – this regular newsletter from school librarian Lucas Maxwell is always full of helpful suggestions and tips. You can sign up to receive it via email too.

Kate Saunders obituary – the sad news of the death of the prize-winning novelist, Kate Saunders, who won the Costa award for Five Children on the Western Front and whose Belfry Witches stories were adapted for TV was announced this week.

Comic Boom – Comics in Education – a reminder of this regular podcast exploring graphic novels, their appeal, their creation and their place in the classroom and school library. Recent episodes include chats with primary school teacher and graphic novel enthusiast, Richard Ruddick and Paul Register, founder of the Excelsior Award, the biggest book award for graphic novels and manga in the UK.

Book Wandering With Anna James – I’m running a week behind with this great new podcast from author Anna James and enjoyed her chat with bestselling author Gabrielle Zevin about the children’s classic A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett, both its joys and its problems. This week’s episode is with Nikesh Shukla talking about his lifelong love for Spider-Man. What a variety!

Little Rebels Award Shortlist Announced – The Little Rebels Children’s Book Award celebrates radical fiction for children aged 0-12. The award is given by the Alliance of Radical Booksellers and was established in conjunction with Letterbox Library. This year’s shortlist includes books on subjects such as racism, disability, gender identity, political activism and the criminal justice system.

Whole class guided reading in KS2: Finding the right balance for all children (Part 1) – this blog from HFL Education, the first of two parts, will guide teachers to reflect on strategies to ensure that all children can access learning in all class reading lessons and develop a love of reading.

The Branford Boase Award Shortlist Announced – Founded in 2000 to commemorate prize-winning author Henrietta Branford and influential Walker Books editor Wendy Boase, the Branford Boase Award is given annually to the author of the year’s outstanding debut novel for children. Uniquely, it also honours the editor of the winning title and highlights the importance of the editor in nurturing new talent. This year sees an all female shortlist for only the second time in the award’s history and explores themes including threats to our environment; toxic masculinity; identity and belonging.

Pyjamarama is back for 2023 – On Friday 16 June, children all around the country – in schools, nurseries, and at home – will spend the day reading, enjoying, and sharing stories all in the comfort of their pyjamas to raise vital funds to help every child get a bedtime story. You can find out more and sign up for the event via the Book Trust website link above.

Words and Art in Picturebook Poetry – another thoughtful blog on the Just Imagine website by Roy James. This time Roy discusses the varying role of illustration in poetry books, depicting the poems themselves, conveying emotions or helping to explain meaning.

Poetry for Primary Schools – this excellent and extremely comprehensive feature by Nikki Gamble is definitely worth saving for future reference as an aid to bringing poetry to life in the classroom. Nikki uses her considerable knowledge to bring together some suggestions by age group to help schools make selections so that children meet a wide variety of poets and forms of poetry throughout their primary years from Early Years to Year 6.

Explore the Ready, Set, Read! Book Collection – Get ready for a whole load of team spirit, your fave sporty heroes, and plenty of fun with The Reading Agency’s latest collection for the 2023 sports and games themed Summer Reading Challenge: Ready, Set, Read! Each book has been specially chosen by an expert group of readers for everybody taking part to enjoy. There are picture books, early readers and middle grade fiction to choose from.

The Reader Teacher Monthly Must Reads April 2023 – Scott Evans’ selection each month is always worth a look and he has provided a poster which you can download for free too.

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

Silver Linings by Fiona Woodcock – I have read many positive comments about this new picture book about different perspectives and this lovely review by Jo Cummins and interesting guest feature by Fiona Woodcock, part of this week’s blog tour, has completely sold it to me.

The Ship of Doom by M A Bennett – the first in a new series this adventure linked to the Titanic is highly praised by teacher/reviewer Tom Griffiths. “With a captivating, original sci-fi concept which will have you gripped, along with some lingering questions which will mean you must get book 2, The Ship of Doom is far from doomed like that fateful ship but is the thrilling start to a marvellous series.”

Graphic Novel Review: School Trip by Jerry Craft – this is an excellent review of the third in the series of novels about Jordan Banks and published by published by Quill Tree an imprint of Harper360UK on 27th April. Veronica Price describes it as one of her books of the year and says, “There is humour, warmth, and real character growth as students and teachers learn lessons about themselves and each other as they navigate a foreign city.”

That’s everything for this week. I hope you have a happy and restful Bank Holiday weekend.

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Blog Tour: Celebrating Earth Day with The Rescue of Ravenwood

Posted on April 24, 2023 by alibrarylady

Today it’s my turn on the Celebrating #EarthDay Blog Tour with Natasha Farrant’s The Rescue of Ravenwood and I’m delighted to share again my review of this lovely book.

Sometimes when life feels overwhelming, when the enormity of the things that are out of your control hits home you need to be reminded that it is possible to bring about change in a small way. This is especially important for children and young people. Natasha Farrant has tackled the vast issues of the day such as the climate crisis and conservation of our natural environment and more personal themes such as family dynamics and relationships and drawn them together in an adventure that is compelling, exciting and at times emotionally moving. The Rescue of Ravenwood encompasses so much, empowering its readers but does so with a gentle touch.

The old house of Ravenwood is situated in the north of England, sitting high up on the hillside overlooking the bay and surrounded by ancient woodland. The house has been a home for hundreds of years and at present is it home to Bea and her Uncle Leo and Raffy and his mum, Martha, a blended and happy little family. In the summer holidays after Bea and Raffy have left primary school everything changes; Noa a girl from the village comes to stay, Bea’s parents from she has been estranged contact her saying they want her to join them on a trip abroad and Uncle Jack visits with his friend both of whom who have plans for Ravenwood and its land. 

Bea, Raffy and Noa, so different in personality, are united in their wish to protect Ravenwood and as the adventure develops these three children take on challenges they would have previously thought unimaginable as they fight to save something precious. Although separated by circumstances they unite in their endeavours and the story told from their different viewpoints whisks the reader to London, across Europe and up to the topmost branches of the ancient tree that guards the entrance to Ravenwood, named Yggdrasil by Leo after the tree of folklore. 

I will struggle to avoid clichés as I describe this book as it really does have a feel of a classic and I genuinely couldn’t put it down! As I read I would occasionally mutter to anyone in the same room, “this is really good”. So, how to explain its appeal? Natasha Farrant is skilful at providing just enough detail to draw her reader in then tease them with a thought or comment which makes them want to discover more. The narrative switches between the three children’s point of view giving the story an immediacy and an added sense of involvement. The fabulous setting had a nostalgic appeal for me as an adult reminding me of beach settings in Blyton books, and the old house and its surroundings, if further south, could have been Rebecca’s Manderley. Bea, Raffy and Noa are well rounded and believable characters and the fact that all three develop in maturity and understanding throughout the book is an aspect that adds to its impact for young readers.

The Rescue of Ravenwood covers a great deal, looking at what makes a family, the importance of somewhere to call home and, central to the plot, the need to protect our natural world from those who may despoil it either by greed or lack of understanding. A book with an important message and one that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I would like to thank Bethany Carter and Faber Books for inviting me to take part in this blog tour and for providing my review copy. The Rescue of Ravenwood was published on 23rd February.

Please do check out the other stops on the Blog Tour to read more about this fantastic book from these wonderful bloggers. Finally Faber Books have published some excellent teaching resources linked to The Rescue of Ravenwood which you can download here.

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Reading Matters – children’s book news

Posted on April 22, 2023 by alibrarylady

Welcome to the first Reading Matters round up of the summer term. It would probably be futile to try and include everything that happened over the Easter break but I have attempted to sift through what people may have missed and highlighted a few events coming up and some interesting articles and podcasts you may enjoy.

What I’m reading…

In my final newsletter of the Spring term I mentioned The Silver Chain by Jion Sheibani and my review of this verse novel is now up on the Just Imagine website. This is a coming of age story, an insight into the impact of struggles with mental illness on a family and an exploration of the power of music to heal, encourage and restore. All of these subjects are conveyed through verse and illustration adding considerable impact to the theme of the importance of creativity to our wellbeing. Recommended for readers of about 14+.

Cover illustration by Paul Blow

Ravencave by Marcus Sedgwick is my outstanding read of the last couple of weeks. Moving, poignant and full of thoughtful kindness this is an emotional story of a family in crisis. The author’s writing style is beautiful in its spareness yet has a remarkable impact. It is, I think, a fitting and lasting legacy for an author who trusted his audience to understand and to care.

On a lighter note I have also enjoyed a lovely selection of picture books which have been published recently. My Pick of the New Picture Books includes making maths fun, teamwork and friendship, a celebration of Muslim women, nature in our own back yard and an invitation not to be too serious. Lots of choice and something for a range of tastes.

Barrington Stoke have published several retellings of the classics making them accessible to a wide readership the most recent of which is Laura Wood’s version of Louisa M Alcott’s Little Women. A perfect introduction to this much loved story of the four March sisters and great for readers of 10 up.

Last but not least my son bought me a copy of Richard Osman’s, The Bullet That Missed and I curled up with this whodunnit with a difference in the sunshine we had over Easter. It was great fun and I do very much enjoy getting to know the individual characters in this series.

News, articles and resources…

LIVE online announcement of the CLiPPA shortlist 2023 – CLPE, the National Poetry Centre for Primary Schools, is delighted to announce that for the first time in its 20-year history, the shortlist for the CLiPPA (Centre for Literacy in Primary Education Poetry Award) will be announced live at a virtual event at 2pm on Wednesday 3rd May to which all schools in the UK are invited. To receive their invitation, all schools need to do is to register for this year’s CLiPPA Shadowing Scheme. Chris Riddell, chair of this year’s CLiPPA judges, will host the event and it will include poetry performances from all the shortlisted poets.

Choosing Poetry for the Classroom – linking well with the announcement above, the Just Imagine review panel members share some of their favourite poetry books for the classroom in this helpful video.

Don’t forget to sign up for the National Literacy Trust Coronation draw-along with Rob Biddulph – a reminder that the live online draw-along with bestselling, award-winning children’s author and illustrator, Rob Biddulph takes place on Monday 24th April from 10 – 10.45am. Suitable for ages 7 to 11 (KS2/P4-P7), the live event will include the opportunity for children to craft their own coronation-inspired illustrations.

Love My Books Spring Newsletter April – in this latest issue find out about Michael Rosen on the new book in focus, Rigatoni the Pasta Cat, the top ten books to inspire young artists, an article by James Mayhew on his Katie’s Pictures series and three brand new activity pages plus congratulations to SF Said. A bumper issue and useful to both families and schools.

Blethering Together: Sustaining the Pleasure in Reading Conference – this event takes place on Saturday 17th June from 9.30-16.00. This conference will offer participants opportunities to explore research-informed practice and Norfolk Children’s Book Centre and UKLA bookshops will enrich the day. Workshops will be led by the OU RfP team and talented teachers, offering engaging ways forward.

British Translator-Author Daniel Hahn To Receive the Ottaway Award – Daniel Hahn has been named by Words Without Borders the 2023 winner of the Ottaway Award for the Promotion of International Literature. The honor will be presented to Hahn by the writer and translator Esther Allen on June 13 in New York.

Food and Farming in Children’s Books – this latest blog in the series by Roy James for Just Imagine is a fascinating and thought provoking read which encourages debate about the content of information books on this subject for children.

Bookwandering with Anna James is officially live! – The first episode of Anna’s podcast about the magic & power of children’s books is with Katherine Rundell on Charmed Life and can be accessed via the link above. Anna and Katherine also discuss Katherine’s 2019 essay, Why You Should Read Children’s Books Even Though You Are So Old and Wise, which does an excellent job of pitching the entire purpose of the podcast. I thoroughly enjoyed the first episode and have the second, focussing on The Little Princess, lined up for my weekend listening.

Free Virtual Event with Award Winning Author Phil Earle – to celebrate the launch of Phil Earle’s new book Until the Road Ends the publishers Andersen Press are hosting a live event for schools on 12th June at 2pm. Schools that sign up for the event by 5pm on 28th April have the chance to win 100 copies of Phil’s prize win game book, When the Sky Falls.

April 2023 Children’s Books I’m Most Excited About – Scott Evans’ selection for April includes several lovely picture books such as The Tree and the River by Aaron Becker and an excellent first chapter book, Budgie by Joseph Coelho and David Barrow.

Jhalak Prize 2023 Children’s and YA Shortlist – First awarded in March 2017, the Jhalak Prize and its new sister award Jhalak Children’s & YA Prize founded in 2020, seek to celebrate books by British/British resident BAME writers. This week the shortlists for both prizes were announced and the Children’s and YA list includes In Our Hands by Lucy Farfort and When Our Worlds Collided by Danielle Jawando.

Get Ready for Empathy Day on Thursday 8th June – the EmpathyLabUK team have announced geared up plans for Empathy Day 2023. These include: An assembly with Children’s Laureate, Joseph Coelho to be beamed into UK classrooms; An event with over 800 children at Manchester Libraries, featuring Rob Biddulph, Rashmi Sirdeshpande and Sophy Henn plus a free online festival. The link to the full press release giving more details plus how to register for the linked free resources for schools can be found on the official website above.

The Children’s Book Show Autumn Performances 2023 – The Children’s Book Show is a charity that inspires school children with a love of reading through an annual programme of in-theatre and digital performances and in-school workshops with the very best authors and illustrators from around the world. The team are busy finalising our autumn programme and booking opened on 19 April. Speakers include Michael Rosen, Frank Cottrell Boyce and Benji Davies with more performances announced very soon.

London Book Fair 2023: Klaus Flugge Honored for Lifetime Achievement – The award recognizes “an individual who has made a truly significant mark in the sphere of global publishing.” Klaus Flugge founded Andersen Press in autumn 1976 and went on to publish acclaimed writer/illustrators such as David McKee, Tony Ross, Satoshi Kitamura, Sir Quentin Blake, and Chris Riddell.

Mr Dilly Meets – Emma Carroll, Natasha Farrant & Christopher Lloyd – Join Mr Dilly and award-winning authors Natasha Farrant and Emma Carroll celebrating Earth Day 2023 and chatting about their latest environmentally themed books and the importance of protecting our planet. If you missed this event earlier in the week the recording is now available via the link above. A great event for primary aged (7-12 yrs) children.

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

Brilliant picture books about books… – Catherine Friess shares three brilliant picture books about books which take different approaches to celebrating books and reading on her Story Snug blog.

Clutch by M.G. Leonard Illustrated by Paddy Donnelly – Clutch is the third instalment of M.G. Leonard’s Twitchers Club series and I frequently read positive comments about these books. This lovely review by Stephen Connor for Just Imagine explains its appeal, “it seems that each story is uniquely written, and the twists and turns come thick and fast. As a reader, you never quite know who to trust…”

The World that Feeds Us by Nancy Castaldo Illustrated by Ginnie Hsu – another Just Imagine review this time of an information book mentioned in Roy James’ blog linked above. Nicholas Carter says, “Informative, clearly structured and beautifully illustrated throughout by Hsu, this excellent non-fiction text about our food, sustainable farming and the environment is perfect for KS2 classrooms.”

Today, 22nd April, is Earth Day and to mark this event Faber Publishers have organised a blog tour to celebrate Natasha Farrant’s The Rescue of Ravenwood, a book that urges its readers to look after the precious places in our natural world. The tour kicks off today and I will be participating on Monday. Full details are shown below.

That’s everything for this week and I know I will have missed out quite a bit but hope this taste helps a little. Happy reading!

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Ravencave by Marcus Sedgwick

Posted on April 17, 2023 by alibrarylady

In the knowledge of the untimely death of Marcus Sedgwick late last year Ravencave, his last novel, takes on an even greater significance and poignancy. This unsettling, compelling and beautifully written story of family discord, loss, grief and ghosts is a profoundly moving exploration of the connections between those we love and those in whose footsteps we follow.

Cover illustration by Paul Blow

James and his family are on a trip to the Yorkshire Dales a place with strong family connections, particularly for his father. This is not a holiday as such but a journey home and all is not well. James’ teenage brother, Rob, is not talking to him, his writer mum has not been able to write anything for months and his dad has lost his job, whilst James himself is engrossed in his own thoughts. He is thinking back to a previous holiday to the same place last year but in happier circumstances. This second trip is dominated by disagreements and friction and one day on a hike through the dales James hears strange laughter and spots a young girl in the ruins of an old farm. She resembles the children his dad had told him about, the wild children of Crackpot Hall, mentioned in an old book in the local second hand bookshop. At first James resists her urges to follow him but when she appears a second time he runs after her and away from his family.

It is hard to do justice to this book in a review without spoilers however, for me as a reader, I found the subject matter and the character of James became entwined with the author himself. Marcus Sedgwick has written about a landscape that he clearly knew and that was important to him. There is a strong sense of place in Ravencave and of its importance to this particular family. Marcus Sedgwick’s writing style is fitting for a novella of this length conveying depth of emotion and layers of meaning with moving simplicity. In this instance a short read does not mean one without a lasting impact. Ravencave is about a family who feel strangely separate from each other initially but with each chapter a little more is revealed about them and their relationships to each other. This gradual understanding of their true situation increases the emotional impact and is executed with great skill.

There is social commentary too and a thoughtful look at the way in which circumstances may repeat themselves, and how working people may be negatively affected by the actions of those who employ or house them. What is equally apparent however is the author’s own belief in the goodness of people generally. The final pages are profoundly affecting in their message of family love and its infinite nature.

“We were there for each other. We still are.”

This is a remarkable piece of writing by Marcus Sedgwick and to achieve this feat and still ensure that it is accessible to a wide readership is impressive. Ravencave is a fitting and lasting legacy for an author who trusted his audience to understand and to care.

I should like to thank Barrington Stoke for providing my review copy which will now be a treasured addition to my bookshelves. Ravencave was published on 2nd March and can be purchased on the publishers website. You may also like to read Marcus Sedgwick’s other YA novella for Barrington Stoke, Wrath, which was longlisted for this year’s Carnegie Medal.

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Pick of the New Picture Books

Posted on April 14, 2023 by alibrarylady

So many picture books have been published in recent weeks that it can be hard to keep up with them all. I have selected a few that I would like to recommend for both home and school as having that something extra that adds to their enjoyment and value.

That’s Mathematics (based on the lyrics by Tom Lehrer) by Chris Smith and Elina Braslina

That’s Mathematics is a picture book with a difference. Inspired by the song written by Tom Lehrer, maths teacher Chris Smith has created an entertaining book that will make maths fun for children. This is a brilliant way of showing children how mathematics is part of daily life conveyed through words and pictures.

Each double page is devoted to one line of the song with an explanation, challenges and activities designed to inspire youngsters. It’s a clever concept and has an appeal that will do much to dispel any anxiety a child might have about the subject. There are recipes, games, and puzzles to try and there is a lightness to this book that ensures it doesn’t feel too much like a teaching tool however it will educate as well as entertain. The vibrant illustrations by Elina Braslina incorporate much information too and everything is presented in an accessible manner. The spine on the cover of the book is designed to be used as a ruler too, such a thoughtful idea.

There is a helpful Parents’ Notes section at the end of the book and a link to downloadable activities plus answers to the puzzles posed throughout the book. A mathematical glossary is the final touch. Published by Mama Makes Books and highly recommended.

Lots of Dots by Pippa Goodhart illustrated by Anna Doherty

I’m a big fan of the picture books created by Tiny Owl Books and this latest title by the duo of Pippa Goodhart and Anna Doherty, creators of Best Test, is a delight. A joyful story about friendship and inclusivity this would be lovely for Early Year settings.

Jaguar wants to make friends but can’t find anyone who is the exactly the same as her. Clever Ladybird points out what they have in common and is quickly joined by other creatures who highlight their similarities. So a joyful Dotty club is formed! However Zebra is stripy and a bit sad that he is unable to join. Welcome to the Patterns club! But then monkey would not be able to belong. But wait, monkey suggests the Everybody Club which is the perfect club as it welcomes all.

With its wonderful inclusive message, its colourful illustrations showing how we can be alike and different at the same time this is a fabulous picture book with an important and reassuring message. Alongside the kind theme there are opportunities for learning about shapes, patterns and colours so this is a great book to share with pre-school children at home or in nursery settings. A delightful book.

Not Now, Noor! by Farhana Islam illustrated by Nabila Adani

Not Now, Noor! tells the story of a curious child and her perseverance in trying to find an answer to her important questions. Her quest to find the reason why the women in her family wear hijabs becomes a celebration of Muslim women and a joyful look at Noor’s happy family life.

Noor loves her Ammu (Mum) and the other special women in her family but wonders why they all wear headscarves. She ponders on the various possibilities such as hiding snacks under them or to avoid catching nits, possibly even being a spy, and decides to find out the true reason. Unfortunately the eager little girl always times her questions for when the women are busy so the repeated response is… “Not now, Noor!” Poor Noor despairs of ever finding out the real reason. But then her Ammu comes home and Noor has one last try. Of course she has the right answer for her curious little girl.

Inspired by the author’s own experiences as a teacher and the questions children asked her, this is a charming story of family with humour in the vibrant illustrations but is also a lovely way of educating children with whom this lovely book is shared. Published by Puffin Books in March.

Daisy and Jack’s Perfect Pond by Rachel Lawton and Beatrix Castro

This bright and colourful picture book is a wonderful way of encouraging young children to create their own mini wildlife habitat in their garden. Subtly inclusive and with creatures to spot on every page Daisy and Jack’s Perfect Pond will bring children, families and nature together in a gentle and practical way.

When Daisy and Jack spot a little frog in their small garden, they decide to come up with a plan to make their new visitor feel at home. With the help of Papa and Daddy, and some new tools from the garden centre, the two children create their own plant pot pond, and soon discover that a small change can make a big difference to their local wildlife.

In addition to the creatures to spot and the information included in the story there is also a guide to frogs and toads and their life cycle at the end of the book. All the information has been checked by an environmental education specialist and this is a valuable teaching tool in addition to being a happy story of a family sharing a love of nature together. This latest in a series of picture books from Pikku Publishing inspiring a connection with nature would be a valuable addition to home and school bookshelves.

Don’t Be Silly by Padmacandra

A bouncy reminder that we don’t have to take life too seriously all the time, this happy picture book by the illustrator of The Tale of the Whale is great to read aloud and has a range of linked creative opportunities available too.

Bouncy Bo and Little Smudge live in a sombre castle with their serious father. The two children are full of mischief and laughter but the adult around them are all so serious it is as though they have all forgotten how to smile. But then one day the children visit their grandparents and they discover that perhaps not all grown-ups are as miserable as they thought! Children will enjoy the rhyme read aloud and the repeated instruction of ‘Don’t be silly’ encourages plenty of audience participation at story-time too. However this funny and entertaining book also explores stereotypes and takes a wry look at the bond across the generations too. It is grandparents who sometimes have the time to enjoy the ridiculous with their small grandchildren and this is captured beautifully in this book.

The range of teacher resources and activities available on the Scallywag Press website linked to this book are excellent and enable adults to use Don’t Be Silly to encourage creativity including art ideas, writing suggestions and drama.

I Heard a Bird by Rob Ramsden

Another gem from Scallywag Press and the last in the In The Garden series of picture books in which Rob Ramsden introduces very young children to the natural world around them. I Heard a Bird is a fitting finale gently encouraging little ones to watch, wait and listen and develop an understanding of their environment.

A little girl waves hello from her garden and then hears a bird who is frighten away by a pair of fighting cats. As she searches fro the missing bird she meets many other creatures on the way, insects buzzing, a mouse scurrying and also leaves rustling. She stops and listens to a calming silence and as she relaxes and waits wafting through the breeze she hears the friendly sound of her little bird saying hello.

This is a soothing and gently calming picture book with a simple text and repetition to read aloud and clear uncluttered illustrations amplifying this effect. The themes of noticing the little things going on around you is an important one for both children and adults alike and I Heard a Bird encourages this approach. The choice of vocabulary is thoughtful and conveys the quality of the sounds the little girl can hear as she wanders through her garden on her journey of discovery. Perfectly pitched for pre-schoolers this is a lovely introduction to our natural world. There are some great teaching resources for this book too on the Scallywag Press website.

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Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women – A retelling by Laura Wood

Posted on April 12, 2023 by alibrarylady

As a lover of the classic story of Little Women for as long as I can remember I approached this retelling published by Barrington Stoke with a degree of caution. However in Laura Wood’s capable hands this story of four sisters retains the heart of the original but ensures that it is accessible to those who may find the length and writing style of the classics overwhelming.

Cover artwork by Helen Crawford-White

The four March sisters are very different in character, sweet, kind Meg, tomboyish book loving Jo, shy, thoughtful Beth and precocious, artistic Amy yet they are bound together as a loving family with their wise mother and their father who is at present away at war. They entertain themselves and each other, make friends with their neighbours and enjoy making the most of any opportunities for fun. Their bond may be tested by disagreements, some larger and more upsetting than others, but they come together when things really matter and support each other in adversity with strength and love. What Laura Wood has managed to do in this entertaining version is capture the personalities of the individual girls and remove some elements of the plot that young readers today may struggle with, for example there is no mention of Pilgrim’s Progress in this version. It is the girls themselves who, I think, are key to the love of this book for many, so to keep their distinct characters and manage to make them feel real to the reader despite some parts of the original plot not being included is important.

The main elements of the storyline remain including the growing friendship between the March girls and Laurie, the young man who lives with his grandfather next door. Inevitably in order to condense the story to novella length there are some episodes that of necessity are omitted however this would not affect the enjoyment for a reader new to the book. It is worth mentioning that modern editions, and film versions, tend to combine Little Women and Good Wives in one volume. In order to keep this version to a manageable length Laura Wood has retold only the first part, and as some of the events many associate with this classic novel take place in the Good Wives section this may be unexpected for those familiar with the plot. However, this does mean this Barrington Stoke retelling is even more suitable for a slightly younger audience.

I thoroughly enjoyed meeting my old friends again and think Laura Wood’s version would be a valuable addition to school libraries for readers of about 10 or 11 upwards. Published on 6th April by Barrington Stoke this book has a dyslexia-friendly layout, typeface and paperstock so that even more readers can enjoy it. It has been edited to a reading age of 9. I should like to thank the publishers for my review copy.

Barrington Stoke have published retellings of several of the classics and I have in the past reviewed Laura Wood’s version of Pride and Prejudice and Tanya Landman’s retellings of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights all of which I would also recommend.

Little Women as both a book and a film has always held a special place in my heart and I have in the past written about its appeal and if you are interested you can read about that here.

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Reading Matters – children’s book news

Posted on April 1, 2023 by alibrarylady

Welcome to the this week’s look at what has been happening in the world of children’s books. This will be the last round up for this term and Reading Matters should be back some time after the Easter school holidays all being well.

What I’m reading…

For some time I have been following Scott Evans @MrEPrimary on Twitter and have regularly shared his recommendations, book lists and videos in Reading Matters. When I was asked if I would like to read and review his new book 100 IDEAS for Primary Teachers: Reading for Pleasure I was delighted to agree. The book is practical, accessible and brimming with enthusiasm and will, I think, help teachers implement some innovative suggestions in their own classroom and nurture a reading community in their school. A deceptively slim book that could make a big difference.

I have just finished reading Flower Power by Keith Campion, the sequel to Flower Boy and found myself caring greatly for James, the lead character. The story features the transition from primary to secondary school and James is a boy who has to deal with social anxiety and shyness making the transition all the harder for him. His friendship with Mrs Samuels, a local elderly woman continues in this sequel and this cross generational bond is a touching element of the satisfying plot. James’ development and gradual increase in confidence will reassure readers who share his feelings and the ending is an upbeat and positive one too. I can see this being a useful book for encouraging discussion in both Year 6 and 7. Keith Campion, a teacher, has thoughtfully included activities and research prompts for each chapter at the end of the book giving this an added appeal to schools.

Display in Richard Challoner School Library

The Surrey branch of the School Library Association held our Spring Term meeting this week kindly hosted by Fiona Glassett, librarian at Richard Challoner School, New Malden. Members were able to browse the spacious library and talk about library matters offering each other advice and support. The highlight however was our discussion with Pat Freestone-Bayes, owner of the Regency Bookshop in Surbiton, and Elizabeth Perry, Manager of Daunt Books, Summertown, Oxford. We learned a great deal about the world of publishing and book supply and most importantly the many services and tips that independent bookshops offer to school librarians. A reminder to make the most of the specialist service offered by your local indie bookshop.

News, articles and resources…

St Fagans’ Diversity Picture Book Awards 2023 – the aim of this award created by teacher Gethin Wallace is to promote reading for pleasure and widen learners’ world by celebrating diversity and inclusion. The school are hoping publishers will submit copies of recently published books to add to their longlist. If you are a publisher or author and would like to support this great initiative please contact the school via this email: stfagansdiversitybooks@gmail.com The link above will take you to their Twitter account too.

Children’s and teens roundup – the best new picture books and novels – A bullying beetle; an Irish myth; the search for a magical beast; and a gripping coming-of-age story set in Ghana are featured in this latest selection of new books for children chosen by Imogen Russell Williams for the Guardian.

English Language Shortlist Revealed for Tir Na N-Og Awards 2023 – The Tir na n-Og Awards are the oldest and most popular awards for children’s literature in Wales and are held every year by the Books Council of Wales, sponsored by CILIP Cymru Wales. They celebrate the talents of authors and illustrators who either create original works in Welsh, or who write about authentically Welsh themes or backgrounds through the medium of English. The shortlist was announced last week and can be found via the link to the website above.

The Week Junior Book Awards Judging Panel – Each of the categories in this new award will be judged by a panel of three experts and a category chair. You can see the Shortlist Committee, responsible for selecting entries against the criteria who will meet in person to agree on the final shortlist for the Judges and the Judges themselves who include, Frank Cottrell Boyce, Cerrie Burnell and Scott Evans (See What I’m Reading!) and also find out more about the award on the website.

Bridging the gap between picture books and middle grade stories by Esi Merleh – Esi Merleh author of the Making Faces series has written a guest article for the Federation of Children’s Book Groups on a subject that will be of interest to parents and teachers.

Factual Books for Pleasure: Andy Seed on Children’s Reading – a guest post by Andy Seed, a Blue Peter Book Award-winning author, on the Books for Topics website about the place of information books as part of reading for pleasure for all. He discusses why some children prefer Non-Fiction and how factual books can work well as a way to get some children reading.

The 2023 Little Rebels Award Longlist – On behalf of the Alliance of Radical Booksellers the 2023 Little Rebels Award longlist was revealed this week. The award celebrates radical fiction for children aged 0-12 and the shortlist will be announced on Monday 24th April.

Bookshops help us understand humanity’s complexities – when I returned home from my SLA meeting focussing on the many good things about an independent bookshop I came across this really lovely article by Robin Ince for the Big Issue. What perfect timing! This description is just perfect: “Passing on beauty, delight and compassion is one of the wonders of the library and the bookshop.”

BBC Front Row Programme featuring library funding – Front Row on 28th March included a feature on public libraries including an item on Stockton on Tees library and an interview with Nick Poole, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP). You can catch up with this at about 15 minutes in on BBC Sounds above.

Dr Shini Somara:Engineers Making a Difference – if like me you missed this live event the recording is now available on The Book Channel with Nikki Gamble. Dr Shini Somara discusses her engineering background and her book Engineers Making a Difference with Nikki.

The Coronation draw-along with Rob Biddulph – To mark the Coronation the National Literacy Trust, in partnership with digital bank, Chase, is running a 2023 Children’s Book Celebration. The celebration invites pupils from across the UK to vote for their favourite book to create a Chase Coronation Booklist. To launch this celebration the National Literacy Trust invite you to a live online draw-along with bestselling, award-winning children’s author and illustrator, Rob Biddulph. Suitable for ages 7 to 11 (KS2/P4-P7), the live event will include the opportunity for children to craft their own coronation-inspired illustrations. To take part in Rob Biddulph’s live online draw-along on 24 April at 10am sign up on the website above.

News from Usborne March 2023: Peter Usborne CBE, died on Thursday 30th March – this is such sad news. For me and for countless others the Usborne name is synonymous with reliability and high quality children’s books. Sending condolences and sympathy to Peter Usborne’s family.

The Alligator’s Mouth Award for illustrated early fiction – Ten books have been longlisted for The Alligator’s Mouth Award 2023, which champions authors and illustrators of highly illustrated children’s fiction. Celebrating its fifth year, the children’s book prize created by The Alligator’s Mouth children’s bookshop and The Bright Agency, celebrates the best books for 6-8-year-olds.

The Reader Teacher Monthly Must Reads for March – Scott Evans’ picks of the month include Can You See Rainbows in Space? a book I mentioned last week and Where The River Takes Us, one of my favourite reads of the year so far.

Shortlists Announced for the UKLA Book Awards 2023 – The UKLA Book Awards are the only UK children’s book awards judged entirely by teachers. Key points from the shortlists announced this week include: a unique double shortlisting for past winner Manjeet Mann, author Susin Nielsen could be the first to win a category three times, UKLA and Carnegie shortlisting double for Katya Balen and Flying Eye Books the top performing publisher.

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

The Boy Who Disappeared and Other Stories by Rob Keeley – I don’t see many reviews of short story collections so this positive one on The Bookbag definitely should be highlighted. “This collection has something for everyone and concentrates on friendships and school settings. The stories are playful and engaging but always rooted in the real world of children’s lives. We loved them.”

Crookhaven The School for Thieves by J J Arcano – Books for Keeps Book of the Week this first in a new mystery series sounds like a cracking read. “The plot is full of twists and turns, and cracks along at a very satisfying pace, and Crookhaven is definitely somewhere readers will want to spend time.”

That’s everything for this week and this term. I hope those of you now breaking up for the Easter holidays have a relaxing time and wish you a happy Easter.

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Blog Tour: 100 IDEAS For Primary Teachers: Reading for Pleasure by Scott Evans

Posted on March 29, 2023 by alibrarylady

Practical, accessible and brimming with enthusiasm, 100 IDEAS for Primary Teachers: Reading for Pleasure will help teachers implement some innovative suggestions in their own classroom and nurture a reading community in their school. A deceptively slim book that could make a big difference.

Many years ago as a school librarian at a meeting with parents I said that teachers taught children ‘how to read’ and that my role as a librarian was to teach them ‘how to be a reader’. Those roles, I think, have now become less distinct in the primary sector due to the increased focus on the importance of reading for pleasure and the rise in the number of teachers who are now ‘Reading Teachers’. This new book shines a light on some wonderful examples of how this works in practice, providing its readers with the tools they need to replicate this in their own schools.

Scott Evans has gathered together a selection of tried and tested ideas, advice and suggestions that teachers can use to create a reading for pleasure culture in their classroom, school and wider community. Perhaps even more importantly they will also help sustain that culture. A big plus of this guide is the concise and clear presentation of the subject. The book is divided into 11 parts, each part focusing on a particular aspect such as, Creating a Reading Classroom, Being a Reading Teacher, Understanding Text Types, Love Your Libraries and Participating With Parents and Families. Within each part are individual ideas each having a relatable quote, a summary and a step by step guide to implementing the suggestion. There are also teaching tips, and ideas on how to expand on the activities incorporated plus bonus ideas. This comprehensive approach enables teachers to use as much or as little as they need from the suggestions and to select ideas suitable for their own school.

Scott Evans makes it clear from the introduction onwards that Reading for Pleasure should not be an add-on to the curriculum but integral to teaching. His knowledge and enthusiasm will inspire his readers and his practical advice will enable them. This excellent guide is perfect for teachers at any stage of their career and also suitable for school librarians who could adapt many suggestions for use in the school library. Despite the title this book would also be useful to secondary teachers too. An excellent resource and highly recommended.

100 IDEAS for Primary Teachers: Reading for Pleasure is published on 30th March by Bloomsbury Education. You can follow Scott Evans on Twitter @MrEPrimary and his helpful website can be found here. I should like to thank Enisha Samra and Bloomsbury Education for my review copy and for inviting me to participate in the blog tour.

You can follow the rest of the blog tour organised to coincide with publication over the next few days and full details can be found below.

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FCBG Children’s Book Award Blog Tour: While the Storm Rages by Phil Earle

Posted on March 27, 2023 by alibrarylady

Welcome to my stop on the Children’s Book Award Blog Tour! 

Today I am delighted to share a blog from Phil Earle all about his shortlisted title While The Storm Rages.

First a little information about the award itself.

The Children’s Book Award is the only national award for children’s books that is voted for entirely by children. It is owned and coordinated by the Federation of Children’s Book Groups and is highly respected by teachers, parents and librarians. It has brought acclaim and strong sales to past winners such as J.K. Rowling, Patrick Ness, Andy Stanton, Malorie Blackman, Anthony Horowitz and Michael Morpurgo, who has won a record four times. The award has often been the first to recognise the future stars of children’s fiction and has the ability to turn popular authors into bestsellers.

Who will win? Children nationwide are now invited to vote for their favourite of the ten shortlisted books. The deadline for online voting is 12 noon on Friday 12th May.  The category winners and the author of the best children’s book published in the 2022 nomination period will be announced at a glittering awards ceremony which takes place in Central London on Saturday 10th June, and will be live-streamed.

Vote online here – www.fcbg.org.uk/childrens-book-award-2023/.

Now over to Phil Earle who has kindly written this guest piece about While The Storm Rages.

History can be unbelievably harsh, packed with horrors and unbelievable cruelty. So should we leave it where it is, or should we show it for what it is, in the hope that we never make the same mistake again?

As soon as I read about the great animal massacre of 1939, I knew I had to write about it: to try and make sense of it, if nothing else. Imagine the scene, it’s September 1939, and your father has just marched off to war. Before he leaves, you make him a promise: to behave, to not give your mum any lip, and above all else, to look after his beloved dog, Winn. You wouldn’t refuse, would you? Imagine two weeks later then that a government booklet drops on your doorstep, telling you to have your animal put to sleep. That due to the incoming bombs and destruction, this is the safest and kindest thing to do. Many, many people faced this dilemma when ‘Air Raid Precaution For Animals’ dropped onto their doormat. Many people panicked. Who can blame them? And as a result of that booklet, 750,000 innocent animals saw their lives ended in just 30 days. That’s twice as many pets killed as British soldiers in the entirety of the war.

When I first read this, I thought it must have been made up, the ultimate shaggy dog story. But it wasn’t, and when I realised this, I knew there was a story for me to tell. The only question I needed to ask was: what if? What if, when the booklet was delivered, the boy whose dad had marched off to fight, said no? What if he kept his promise and kept the dog safe, no matter what.

I loved Noah as soon as he popped into my head. He’s not like me. He’s braver for starters. He acts in the moment, driven by his overwhelming impulses. He loves his dog, and he loves his dad (he IS more like me in this regard) and though he is hugely reckless, he is overwhelmingly pure in his every intention. None of what he does is for himself. It’s for those he adores and because he needs to keep his promise. I hope that Noah’s journey is an entertaining one to follow. I hope it leaves you breathless by the end. I love reading books like that, so it’s wonderful to have it recognised by this brilliant shortlisting. To be on a shortlist where every vote is cast by children is a bit special. So thank you. And happy reading.

Thank you, Phil. I loved Noah too! This is the last post in the blog tour to mark the announcement of the Children’s Book Award shortlists and if you missed any of the previous posts you can see where to find them in this graphic below. Thank you to the Federation of Children’s Book Groups and particularly Erin Hamilton for their help in preparing this post.

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Reading Matters – children’s book news

Posted on March 25, 2023 by alibrarylady

Welcome to this week’s look at what has been happening in the world of children’s books over the last few days.

What I’m reading…

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. This week I read and reviewed a selection of new titles published by them recently, all suitable for the primary age group. The stories include humour and finding your special talent, family, loss & friendship, ponies & adventure, history & mystery. There is something included here for every possible taste! I have another couple of new Barrington Stoke books for secondary age readers which I hope to read soon.

I also read and reviewed a selection of picture books this week that I think will be useful to have in schools. New Picture Books Helping Children and Families would be helpful for teachers and librarians also as they deal with subjects and situations that may cause worry and well chosen books can be enormously useful in providing reassurance and for prompting conversation.

Can You Get Rainbows in Space? by Dr. Sheila Kanani vibrantly illustrated by Liz Kay is an inviting non-fiction title just right for curious children and budding scientists. It is full of information and perfect for both browsing and learning. The enticing introduction encourages children to read on and then the information is divided into the colours of the rainbow, each section explains how we see that particular colour, and explores nature linked to it. It’s a clever presentation and one that is littered with the kind of facts which appeal to children such as What Colour is a Polar Bear Under Its Fur? Why Are Frogs Green? and What Came First: Orange or THE Orange? Published this week by Puffin Books and a must buy for primary school libraries. It would make a great present too.

This week I also read The Silver Chain by Jion Sheibani, a verse novel about mental health and the healing power of music which I found a compelling and thought provoking book. The format of this story in differing styles of poetry and accompanying illustrations incorporating musical symbols is both original and affecting. I can well understand why this was long listed for the Carnegie and hope to write my review for Just Imagine over the coming days and will share it next week.

News, articles and resources…

Poetry can move souls and thrum hearts: why wouldn’t we teach our children about it?: Joseph Coelho – following the recent publication of a report from the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education and Macmillan Children’s Books this article by our Children’s Laureate is full of positivity about the teaching of poetry in schools and includes links to his Poetry Prompts initiative with Book Trust and other related activities.

If you want children to read, let them read what they love! – excellent article by SF Said in his capacity as Writer in Residence for Book Trust in which he stresses the importance of choice in encouraging reading for pleasure. “Because choice is such a vital part of being a reader; an autonomous, lifelong reader, of the kind we want all kids to be...”

Taking a look behind What the World Doesn’t See by Mel Darbon – Tracy Darnton – a couple of weeks ago I reviewed What the World Doesn’t See by Mel Darbon, a book that will undoubtedly be among my top reads of the year, and this interview on An Awfully Big Blog Adventure explains a little more about the background to this story, its inspiration, personal relevance and its importance.

Talking About Representation: Reading Diversity in the Primary Curriculum with Atinuke – Hays Education, in collaboration with partners All Around Reading, are hosting a FREE online Author-led CPD event which will take place on Thursday 30th March from 4.30-6pm. Join respected author Atinuke, who later this year will be publishing Brilliant Black British History. The session will cover: An update on CLPE Reflecting Realities research and The Lit in Colour research, The author’s perspective and how Brilliant Black British History came to be written, Resource suggestions and How to support inclusive education in schools.

Do You Know What’s In Your Child’s School Library? – a downloadable infographic from the ever helpful Lucas Maxwell. This is a great resource highlighting the many roles of the school library and great to share with parents.

Reading for pleasure: Sustaining and developing your school’s reading culture – article by Prof. Teresa Cremin for Headteacher Uodate magazine. This contains excellent advice on how to use the recent World Book Day focus as a launchpad to establishing a reading culture within a school community.

PaperBound Magazine Spring Issue – the latest issue of this free online magazine is packed full of author interviews, book recommendations, writing tips and more. Featuring Daisy May Johnson, Oisín McGann and Liz Flanagan.

Hay Festival Schools Programme – this year’s Programme for Schools takes place THURSDAY 25 MAY & FRIDAY 26 MAY, with in-person events for pupils in Key Stage 2 on Thursday 25 May and Key Stages 3 & 4 on Friday 26 May. All events will be livestreamed on the day and are free to watch again later on Hay Player(captioned in English and Welsh). You can buy books on site from the Hay Festival Shop. All events are approximately 45 minutes in duration. It’s a brilliant line up so do please explore what’s on via the link above.

The Yoto Carnegies Events Week – Scholastic are to be the official book supplier for the Yoto Carnegie Awards 2023 and are hosting a week of free virtual events celebrating this year’s shortlists starting on Monday 27th March. You can register and find out details of timings etc on the website above.

Waterstones Children’s Book Prize Winner 2023 – The Cats We Meet Along the Way was this week announced as both the winner of the Books for Older Readers category and the Overall Winner of the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2023. You can read about the winners in each category, guest posts by the winning authors and the shortlisted books on the Waterstones website above.

Caboodle Classroom Launched – Caboodle is an online virtual platform, part of Authors Abroad, where top children’s authors, poets and illustrators come together so students anywhere in the world can be inspired about reading and writing. For each age category, from Early Years to aged 16, a new author event is released every month during term time and the sessions are available to view for two months. Teaching Notes provided by CLPE are supplied with every author visit. You can find out about the various subscription packages available and watch a video taster in the link above.

Books For Keeps March Issue – for many years this has been one of my favourite sources of information about children’s books as it’s also full of useful articles, interviews and reviews. This latest issue includes a guest editorial by Mary-Rose Grieve, co-chair of the Great School Libraries campaign, a feature by Nicholas Tucker about the late Marcus Sedgwick and regular features such as Beyond the Secret Garden.

CLPE’s February’s New Books Round-Up by their librarian Phoebe Demeger – Each month CLPE’s Librarian, Phoebe Demeger, reveals some of her favourite books she has recently added to the CLPE Literacy Library. These are divided into categories from Early Years Foundation Stage to KS3.

Where The River Takes Us by Lesley Parr Educational Resource Pack – last week I mentioned how much I enjoyed this novel set in 1970s Wales written by Lesley Parr and this week I noticed that Bloomsbury have published these excellent resources created by Scott Evans, The Reader Teacher. Free to download.

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

Moon’s Ramadan by Natasha Khan Kazi – this new beautifully illustrated picturebook depicts a journey of celebration around the world introducing Ramadan to young children, It explains events & traditions & the role that the moon plays in determining when Eid celebrations can begin. Catherine Friess on her Story Snug blog says, “It’s a fabulous book to read in an Early Years / Key Stage classroom to raise children’s awareness of the rituals and the significance of Ramadan.”

That’s Mathematics Based on Lyrics By Tom Lehrer, Chris Smith Illustrated by Elīna Brasliņa – I am lucky enough to have a copy of this brilliant book and think that Jo Cummins has summed up its appeal in her review which was part of the blog tour to mark its publication. “A great way to encourage children to think differently about maths and pick up plenty of mathematical vocabulary whilst having lots of fun.”

Super Questers: The Case of the Missing Memory by Lisa Moss and Dr. Thomas Bernard; illustrated Amy Willcox – this insightful and fascinating review by Ben Harris gives a flavour of the book itself and also the reasons for its appeal. Perfect for puzzlers and would be coders. Ben says, “I’m so glad a series like this exists today, that treats young children with the respect they deserve in the field of programming: coding is only complicated when we have our ‘grown up glasses’ on; kids massively enjoy it and they succeed as a result.”

The Way of The Dog by Zana Fraillon illustrated by Sean Buckingham – Nicki Cleveland has completely sold this book to me in her lovely review, “Scruffity will long live on the bookshelf in my heart.” The guest article by Zana Fraillon is a thoughtful and interesting read too.

That’s everything for this week and I hope something here is helpful to you. On Monday I’m participating in the blog tour highlighting the Top Ten reads on the shortlists for the FCBG’s Children’s Book Award. You can see full details of the blog tour below.

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