Reading Matters – children’s book news

Posted on January 14, 2023 by alibrarylady

Welcome to this week’s round up of what has been happening in the world of children’s books. I have not managed as much reading as I would have liked as things have been pretty busy this week but I hope the links I’ve gathered here appeal to you.

What I’m reading…

The Kiss by Eoin McLaughlin and Polly Dunbar is a bedtime story with a difference. A flip book telling the parallel stories of bedtime for Tiger and Crocodile and snuggles with parents, this picture book is a lovely way of introducing blended families to little ones. Out now from Faber Children’s Books.

The Shark Caller by Zillah Bethell was one of my favourite reads of 2021 so I was eager to read her new story, The Song Walker set in the Australian Outback, published next month by Usborne Books. I finished this yesterday and will need to ponder for a while before I formulate my thoughts into a coherent and helpful review. Zillah has a writing style that I find deeply affecting. She manages to convey great emotion in an understated manner and there is wisdom in her stories too. The Song Walker is an excellent example of why children’s literature is for everyone. There are themes of identity, spirituality, discrimination and loss wrapped up in a compelling and profoundly moving story that leaves the reader enriched by the experience. I’ll try to write a review before next Saturday.

News, articles and resources…

Books for Topics: Best Books This Month – January 2023 – It’s easy to feel lost in the flood of so many new children’s books available. Each month the Books for Topics review panel reads scores of new books and highlights five of their recently published favourites.

Register for the 2023 Yoto Carnegies Shadowing Scheme – a reminder that you have until Friday 3rd 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.

Lucas Maxwell’s Portable Magic Dispenser – this regular newsletter from school librarian Lucas Maxwell us always full of useful ideas and tips. This latest issue includes a free Dungeons and Dragons webinar and 30 books for people who say they don’t like reading.

Book Award Winners 2021-2022 – this helpful list is free to download from the Open University Reading for Pleasure website. This printable list contains the winning titles, author, publisher and ISBN for each award and category, so you can find and order the books quickly and easily.

Free Author Event with Louisa Reid – Hays Education and All Around Reading are hosting a free online author event with Louisa Reid on January 25th at 4.30pm suitable for secondary school teachers and librarians. During the session various themes from Louisa’s recent verse novel ‘Activist’ will be discussed and the panel will explore topics including how schools can facilitate difficult discussions around consent & respect and how schools can combat the rising tide of misogyny, sexist bullying and fear of sexual violence. Registration and full details via the link above.

Winter stories for older children (8-12) – BookTrust have selected some perfect reads to curl up with on dark winter evenings and you can find their suggestions for younger readers aged 5-8 here and also a range of picture books.

An evening with Abi Elphinstone – Abi Elphinstone joins Nikki Gamble to talk about her latest book, Saving Neverland. Abi talks about her first encounters with J M Barrie’s Peter Pan and what she loved about the book, as well as some of the problems for a 21st-century audience. She also talks about where she felt she could legitimately use her imagination to remiagine Neverland and what she felt she need to retain. I enjoyed this very much and would highly recommended it if you missed this event live earlier this month.

Quacked Spines: The Children’s Books Podcast – just before Christmas the lack of coverage of children’s books in the mainstream media was highlighted in several discussions on radio and online and this new venture by Drake the Bookshop was created in response. You can listen to the introductory trailer and the first episode via the link above.

Invention and Creation with Shane Hegarty – Join Shane Hegarty in this free Reading Agency event as he whisks us away into a world of invention and creation with The Impossible Shop of Ice Creams. Shane will deliver an inspiring talk – perfect for children aged 9-12 – and conclude with a Q&A. Wed, 25 January 2023, 10:00 – 11:00 and suitable for KS2.

Comic Boom – Comics in Education – A brand new education podcast exploring the use of comics in education. Each episode Lucy Starbucks Bradley will be joined by a special guest from a wide range of backgrounds, from passionate education professionals to academics and industry experts. The first two episodes are now available featuring school librarian Gemma Sosnowsky and cartoonist Neill Cameron.

Founder Fabia Turner’s initial reflections on Jericho Prize 2022/23 – The submission window for this award for unpublished and self-published Black-British children’s writers has recently closed. In this blogpost founder Fabia shares some insights from this year’s submissions data, and what she hopes to see in scripts from the current crop of picture book writers. There are points made about the similarities between drama and picture books that I also found fascinating.

An Educator’s Guide to Picture Books by Jacqueline Woodson – This guide accompanies the following picture books written by Jacqueline Woodson: The Day You Begin and The Year We Learned to Fly, both illustrated by Rafael López, and The World Belonged to Us, illustrated by Leo Espinosa. The guide is divided up, presenting each book with discussion questions and suggested activities and concludes with ideas about how to incorporate all three books into your classroom to encourage work with broader themes and to extend young readers’ reading experiences. Many thanks to Dr Mary Roche for making me aware of this valuable resource.

The value of representation by Kiran Satti – excellent article by Assistant Principal Kiran Satti on the Pearson’s Education’s blog expanding on the findings of the CLPE Reflecting Realities research.

Holocaust Memorial Day 2023 Resources and Event– a reminder of these resources from the National Literacy Trust and author Tom Palmer to help schools commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day on 27th January. Full details were shared in last week’s Reading Matters but the website is well, worth exploring.

FREE virtual event from Tom Palmer and the Anne Frank Trust – Thursday 2nd March 2023 (World Book Day) 10.00-11.00am. A discussion of Tom Palmer’s book Resist and the different experiences of Anne Frank and Audrey Hepburn in the Nazi occupied Netherlands during WW2 as well the theme of resistance.

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

Pick A Story A Dinosaur Unicorn Robot Adventure by Sarah Coyle illustrated by Adam Walker-Parker – for those that remember the pick your own adventure stories from their own childhood this picture book format version sounds great for inspiring today’s younger readers. An excellent review in Books for Keeps suggests that this will be popular with both families and schools.

The Curio Collectors by Eloise Williams & illustrated by Anna Shepeta – a tempting review by Kate Heap that has whetted my appetite for this historical mystery due to be published in March.

Frankenstein: A Retelling by Tanya Landman (author), Helen Crawford-White (illustrator) – I have been favourably impressed by Tanya Landman’s previous retellings of the classics for Barrington Stoke and this review on the LoveReading4Kids website suggests this new one is just as good. “Mary Shelley’s ground-breaking classic retold in concise, compelling, accessible style”

That’s everything for this week and I hope you have found something here of interest. Happy reading!

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Reading Matters – children’s book news

Posted on January 7, 2023 by alibrarylady

Happy New Year and welcome to the first Reading Matters update of 2023. This week’s round up includes both a look back at the best of 2022 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…

Before we turn to children’s books first a quick mention of some of my other reading. One of my Christmas presents was The Library: A Fragile History by Andrew Pettegree and Arthur der Weduwen a book which I am dipping into daily and finding fascinating. I do have two more daily reads, My Garden Year by Monty Don and A Year of Wonder: Classical Music for Every Day of the Year by Clemency Burton-Hall both of which act as an escape from the dreadful news everywhere at the moment. So far my resolution to read a little of these each day is working but as we’re only a week in to 2023 I mustn’t get smug!

There are numerous children’s books being published this month, many this week in fact. I have read and reviewed four of them A couple of new titles from Barrington Stoke, by Jenny Pearson and Ross Montgomery, the first in a new detective series by school librarian Lis Jardine and Abi Elphinstone’s exciting reimagining of Peter Pan, Saving Neverland which I would highly recommend for readers of about 8+. On Wednesday evening I attended the online launch event for Saving Neverland, a conversation between Abi and Nikki Gamble which was an absolute treat. The enthusiasm for imagination, adventure and the importance of children’s books was infectious and uplifting. There is also a lovely interview with Abi about this new book on the Books for Topics website here.

I have just started reading The Song Walker by Zillah Bethell and the excellent opening has definitely piqued my interest and I’m now wondering how the story will develop.

News, articles and resources…

Books for Topics Books of the Year 2022 – Alison Leach of Books for Topics invited teachers to vote for their best classroom read-alouds, the books that were the biggest hit with their pupils and the top books to support their curriculums and you can view all the category winners via the link above.

CLPE Staff Picks for 2022 – another wonderful range of books selected by the experts at the Centre for Literacy for Primary Education. The list is free to download and includes helpful summaries of the titles too.

Reading and Reflecting on Marcus Sedgwick – Former Chair of the Youth Libraries Group, Alison Brumwell, reflects upon the exceptional writing and varied career of the late Marcus Sedgwick, whose exceptional and experimental writing has done so much to enhance and enrich the lives of his readers. Marcus took part in the virtual programme for the Youth Libraries Group conference in 2022 and the insightful interview he gave with Alison is available to watch via this article.

The Reader Teacher January 2023: Books I’m Most Excited About – turning to the future, Scott Evans has selected his favourite books being published this month and you can find out more in his video. Lots of brilliant books to watch out for and helpful for both schools and families.

Book Trust New Children’s Books We Love January 2023 – every month, the Book Trust team review dozens of books for children and teenagers. Here are the ones they like best this month divided into age group categories.

Cook Up Your Own Fairy Tales with the British Library – from 25th January to 28th March the British Library are inviting children to make little books filled with storied inspired by the past. Launching with free events by Michael Rosen, Viviane Schwarz and Mara the storyteller this is is another helpful resource for schools. More details of how to get involved are available on the official website above.

An Evening with Richard O’Neill in Conversation with Nikki Gamble – Scholastic and Just Imagine are celebrating the publication of Richard O’Neill’s A Different Kind of Freedom: A Romani Story, the latest title in Scholastic’s popular Voices series. Free Online event via EVENTBRITE 18th January 7.00 – 8.00 pm Audience: For teachers, librarians, booksellers and anyone interested in children’s books. Children may watch with you.

Holocaust Memorial Day 27th January Resources – With the help of funding support from the Marks Family Charitable Trust, the Association of Jewish Refugees and The Blue Thread, award winning children’s author Tom Palmer has teamed up with the National Literacy Trust to produce free resources for use in the classroom or at home, to help schools commemorate this day. The resources are designed to be used throughout the week beginning Monday 23 January 2023, for use with students aged 10 to 14 (Upper Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3). You can also find out more and view resources from earlier years on Tom Palmer’s website. In addition on 27th January: 2:00 to 2:45pm. A free online Q&A event with Tom interviewing Mala
Tribich, a Holocaust survivor. For further info on this event and to register click here. The webinar will remain on the National Literacy Trust’s website as a resource video after the event.

How a School Library Can Have Impact – Barbara Band MCLIP, School Library Consultant, and co-author of Creating a School Library with Impact, explains how a school library is more than just a room with books in this article for Book Trust.

2023 TV shows and movies: The children’s books to read before they hit your screens – the Book Trust team have collated this list of titles that will be shown on TV or cinema over the coming year, a mix of favourites for all ages.

Diverse Class Books: by Ashley Booth – a true labour of love, teacher, reading for pleasure speaker and bookseller Ashley Booth has put together this spreadsheet of diverse and inclusive books. He has split the books according to year group (Nursery/Reception – Year 6) and he has indicated which books have resources available on Authorfy and the Literacy Shed websites. Ashley says it will be a working document and will be updated regularly as new books come out. This is a huge amount of work so a big thank you to Ashley.

Lollies Awards Shortlist Announced – Pooja Puri, Dapo Adeola and Nadia Shireen are among the authors and illustrators who have made the shortlist for the Laugh Out Loud Book Awards. Known as The Lollies, the prize is a set of awards created by Scholastic UK that celebrate the funniest children’s books. They were created in response to the end of the Roald Dahl Funny Prize in 2015 and have been expanded this year, adding additional categories following the news that the Blue Peter Book Awards have also ended. Voting takes place via the Scholastic website here.

Literacy teaching and school events calendar 2022-2023 – a quick reminder of this resource from the National Literacy Trust providing ideas and literacy teaching resources for cultural events and UK awareness days.

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

The Tiger Who Sleeps Under My Chair by Hannah Foley – published next month to link with Children’s Mental Health Week this story told through two timelines sounds both thoughtful and interesting. Teacher Tom Griffiths says in his review that, ‘With such a powerful story, it’s excellent and responsible to see that Hannah does a Q&A around mental health at the end, along with some important websites and phone numbers which can support readers further.’ A helpful book for school libraries.

21% Monster: Ice Giant – P. J. Canning – I had missed the first instalment of this adventure series but Rich Simpson’s review of the second book in the series published this week suggests this would be popular with many readers. Rich says it should appeal to fans of Horowitz’s Alex Rider, and lovers of authors such as Christopher Edge and Jennifer Bell. A broad appeal!

Albi the Glowing Cow Boy by Georgia Byng, illustrated by Angela Cogo – another book published this week that I had not heard of but does sound a little bit different. Veronica Price is a review whose opinion I trust so this story about a calf and a boy whose lives become intertwined is going on my wish list. It’s difficult to summarise why so do please read Veronica’s review to find out more. I love the gorgeous cover by Levi Pinfold too.

That’s everything for this week. I hope the first few days back to school have gone well for teachers, librarians and school staff and for children and families too.

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Children’s Books – ones to watch out for in January 2023

Posted on January 3, 2023 by alibrarylady

We can start the year with a smile thanks to two new books from Barrington Stoke this month. For many years I have been a fan of this particular publisher, their books are accessible and perfect for those who may struggle with longer texts or the mechanics of reading yet they are top quality stories, engaging, well written and often the key that opens the door to reading for pleasure.

Jenny Pearson is an author who has quickly developed a reputation for balancing laugh out loud hilarity with a thoughtful look at life and Bertie and the Alien Chicken is another lovely example of her skill. Bertie is reluctant to spend the summer holidays with his Uncle Brian on Long Bottom Farm. Bertie is not a fan of the countryside which is, in his opinion, smelly and lacking in entertainment. Things take an unexpected turn when he meets a chicken name Nugget, an alien visitor from Nurgle 7 on a mission to find Earth’s most important resource. Cue misunderstandings, mishaps and giggles before Bertie and Nuggle start to think about the intangible things that may matter most such as friendship, loneliness and kindness.

Some important discussion about feelings and acknowledging them is wrapped up in the silliness and there is understanding and kindness conveyed in the writing. The humorous illustrations by Aleksei Bitsoff add to the enjoyment, particularly the depiction of Nugget. I, along with young readers I expect, am hoping this is the first in a series of adventures starring Bertie.

Ross Montgomery’s series of Shakespeare linked stories continue with Fortune’s Fools: A Romeo Roller Coaster, a school story inspired by Romeo and Juliet. He has transferred the tragedy between two warring families to a sporting competition which gradually degenerates into a battle mirroring the conflict of the famous play. Best friends, Dom and Blake, have been chums forever, sharing a love and talent for sport. This year however the annual sports day has taken on a different atmosphere. Mr Fortune has named the school houses after the characters from Romeo and Juliet and the two friends, representing Capulet House and Montague House, are drawn into a battle that neither of them expected or wanted.

This is another story full of humour but told with an acknowledgment of the importance of friendship and an understanding of school life. The depiction of the warring drama and PE teachers made me smile too! Young readers will relate to the experiences in Fortune’s Fools and the engaging writing style and illustrations by Mark Beech ensure this introductions to one of literature’s most well known plays is appealing.

Both Bertie and the Alien Chicken and Fortune’s Fools: A Romeo Roller Coaster are published on 5th January by Barrington Stoke.

Abi Elphinstone was an inspired choice to write, Saving Neverland, a reimagining of the classic story of Peter Pan for a contemporary audience. In her capable hands the sexist and racist elements of the original are discarded yet the mercurial and intriguing aspect of Peter’s character are retained along with the excitement and danger of wild adventure. Abi Elphinstone’s previous books have combined enthralling escapades with kindness and humanity and in Saving Neverland she has done it again.

Ten year old Martha Pennydrop lives in a perfectly ordinary looking townhouse with her younger brother, Scruff. Their father is overworked and exhausted and their mother is absent so Martha takes upon herself the responsibility of looking after Scruff. In her efforts to care for him properly, especially after the events of the Terrible Day which she prefers not to think of, Martha has decided she is too old for make believe games, toys and childhood imagination. She is desperate to grow up and her life is now a lengthy to do list.

However their house has a history, having once belonged to the Darling family. Soon mysterious gold dust, an open window and night time visitors launch Martha into an incredible adventure in a far off land. Neverland and Peter Pan are in need of help as the country is in the grip of a curse put upon it by Peter’s old foe, Captain Hook. Martha is extremely reluctant but when Scruff is kidnapped she must rediscover her sense of adventure and belief in magic to save her brother and Neverland itself.

Abi Elphinstone has created a world of snow tigers and frost bears, ice sharks and snowy mountains making this a perfect winter read. It is refreshing to see Peter Pan partnered with a female character such as Martha. No darning of his socks this time! Her gradual development into a brave and determined adventurer is believable and is central to the plot. The Lost Kids add an extra dimension to the story and the inclusion of childhood toys, in particular Armageddon the woolly mammoth, will delight young readers.

A story about the transition from childhood yet with the importance of retaining a sense of adventure and fun running through its pages this is a joyful adventure capturing the best of the original and giving it a fresh relevance. Beautifully illustrated throughout and on the cover by Geraldine Rodrigues and published by Puffin in hardback on 5th January.

If mystery and whodunnits appeal to the young readers in your life then The Detention Detectives a debut by school librarian Lis Jardine may be just what you need. Following a house move Jonno Archer reluctantly finds himself joining Year 7 at Hanbridge High and is determined to persuade his parents that the move was a mistake. Finding a dead body on the school premises is the last thing Jonno needs but he decides to use it to his advantage and if he’s in deep trouble surely his mum and dad will take him back to his old school and his friends. Meanwhile he definitely does not want to make new friends, however he finds himself drawn into an investigation alongside fellow pupils, Daniel and Lydia and matters develop in dangerous and unexpected ways.

The clues, red herrings and plot twists mount up in this pacy adventure and junior sleuths will enjoy trying to solve the crime alongside the characters. The trio of children make an interesting and somewhat unlikely team. School reporter Lydia, bossy and businesslike, young carer Daniel desperate to protect his Mum from the effects of the crime and slightly prickly Jonno with his secret agenda may have been thrown together by circumstances yet the development of their relationship is entertaining. The first in a new series, this would be great for fans of the Murder Most Unladylike series by Robin Stevens. Cover illustration by Glenn Thomas and published in paperback by Puffin on 5th January.

I should like to thank Barrington Stoke, Kirstin Lamb, Puffin Books, Michelle Nathan and Phoebe Williams for providing my review copies.

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Reading Matters – children’s book news

Posted on December 17, 2022 by alibrarylady

Welcome to my last round up of children’s book news for 2022. This week there has been more attention given to children’s literature in the main stream media than I have seen for a long time. This is a positive step and I’m sure I’m not alone in hoping that this is something that will be developed further in the coming months.

What I’m reading…

Cover illustration by Geraldine Rodriguez

There’s not been much time for reading this week but I have started Saving Neverland by Abi Elphinstone and am enjoying being transported back to my childhood. This has Abi’s trademark love of adventure plus a kind, sensibility that ensures it will be welcomed by today’s readership. I’m hoping to have time to curl up and finish this soon. In the links below you will find information about the online launch of Saving Neverland, hosted by Nikki Gamble of Just Imagine, on 4th January.

News, articles and resources…

Christmas Reading Times 2022 – a great big thank you to wonderful school librarian Helen Smith of Eckington School who once again has produced this guide to books on TV this Christmas for both adults and children. You can view the primary age version here.

Just Imagine Favourite Books of 2022 – Jo Bowers reviews editor at Just Imagine, working with Nikki Gamble, Director of Just Imagine, asked their book reviewers for their top choices for 2022. A wonderful selection to browse for gift ideas or suggestions for titles to add to your reading lists at home or school in 2023.

Children’s books: 56 cracking reads to keep kids entertained this Christmas – Sarah Webb has chosen books for different age groups in this excellent and varied range of books. Perfect if you are looking for ideas for Christmas presents.

The best children’s books of 2022 – Imogen Carter’s picture books of the year, Kitty Empire’s chapter books of the year and Fiona Noble’s YA books of the year make up the selection in the Guardian. More temptation!

Love My Books December Newsletter – the latest brilliant newsletter includes top ten picturebooks 2022, Christmas stories, a focus on Tyger by SF Said including a terrific range of teaching ideas and activities in a free to download booklet. Highly recommended.

Steer clear of ‘mediocre writing’ by celebrities for Christmas, authors plead – there are contributions from authors Piers Torday and Anthony McGowan and literary agent Claire Wilson in this Observer article with which many children’s book lovers will be nodding in agreement.

Frank Cottrell-Boyce and Robin Stevens on BBC Radio4 Today – following on from the article above, award winning authors, Frank Cottrell- Boyce and Robin Stevens were interviewed on the Today programme on 13th December (at 2hrs 23mins) about the lack of discussion of children’s books in the main stream media. Includes book recommendations from them both and Frank saying ‘schools need librarians.’ Yay, hurray for Frank!

Author Katya Balen on BBC Radio4 Today – children’s books on national radio twice in one week! A discussion focusing on the current situation regarding the representation of children’s books in the media and the importance of the Carnegie award. The interview is available via this link until 20th December.

Celebrity has ruined children’s books – but we are going to fight back! – article by Ben Lawrence in the Telegraph (which is behind a paywall) but he makes a pledge that from January the paper will review one new children’s book per week. This article resulted in both Ben Lawrence and Michael Rosen being interviewed on BBCRadio4 Today on Friday. You can listen here at the end of the the programme, the last five minutes of the recording. Three days on the trot! Could this be the start of something?

The best children’s books of 2022 – plus a chance to win them! – Start children off on a lifelong journey of reading with Big Issue books editor Jane Graham’s pick of the best children’s books from 2022. Then check out our competition at the end to win all 15 books.

Shirley Hughes remembered by Clara Vulliamy – a beautiful tribute to the much loved author and illustrator who died earlier this year by her daughter, Clara Vulliamy.

Quentin Blake: The Drawing of My Life – this week marked the 90th birthday of Sir Quentin Blake and this BBC programme, originally shown last year, tells the story of his 70-year-long career in his own words and with his own pictures.

Lucas Maxwell’s Last Minute Book Gift Guide – super school librarian Lucas Maxwell shared this guide with parents at his school this week and I’m sure it will be helpful to others too. Suitable for readers aged 10+ and divided into genres.

Dates for your diary in January: Just Imagine and Nikki Gamble have some exciting events for you to look forward to in the New Year. There are 4 free book launches for teachers, librarians and booksellers but the Just Imagine team suggest that children may like to watch with an adult as there will be no inappropriate content.

4th January – 7.00 – 8.00 Abi Elphinstone – Saving Neverland

18th January 7.00 – 8.00 Richard O’Neill – A Romani Story

26th January 6.30 – 7.45, James Carter, Neal Layton, Brian Moses, Ed Boxall – An Evening of Poetry

31st January 7.00 – 8.00 Gill Lewis – Moonflight

January Book Blast is on 3rd January at 7.00

Another January date that schools may wish to prepare for is Holocaust Memorial Day 2023 which takes place on Friday 27th January. With the help of funding support from the Marks Family Charitable Trust, the Association of Jewish Refugees and The Blue Thread, award winning children’s author Tom Palmer has teamed up with the National Literacy Trust to produce free resources for use in the classroom or at home, to help schools commemorate this day. The resources are designed to be used throughout the week beginning Monday 23 January 2023, for use with students aged 10 to 14 (Upper Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3). Please visit Tom Palmer’s website to find out more and to register for a reminder.

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

Southgate – Ultimate Football Heroes By Matt & Tom Oldfield – as I write this newsletter there is debate in the news about whether Gareth Southgate will call it a day after England’s defeat in the World Cup quarter finals. Whatever his decision I imagine there will be quite a large audience for this particular biography aimed at readers aged 7+. Joanne Owen of LoveReading4Kids provides an insight.

The Octopus, Dadu and Me by Lucy Ann Unwin – there is something rather lovely about a children’s book that is able to capture the special relationship between a child and their grandparent and this sounds like one that does. Tom Griffiths says in his review, “There is so much to love about this story but what struck me was the power of connections.” One to watch out for in January.

The Terror of Hilltop House by Dan Smith – another January highlight. This is not a review but a guest post by author Dan Smith on Kate Heap’s blog that has whetted my appetite for this creepy tale.

Moving Towards The Shortest Day…Books To Take You There – Mary Esther Judy selects some of her favourite children’s books, both old favourites and newer titles, that are perfect to read on long, dark winter evenings.

That’s everything for this week and for this year. Thank you for reading and for the kind feedback which helps more than you may realise. Wishing you a very happy and healthy Christmas with family and friends. I’ll finish with an illustration by the wonderful Shirley Hughes who we said a sad goodbye to this year but whose books will always remain with us.

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Reading Matters – children’s book news

Posted on December 10, 2022 by alibrarylady

Welcome to this week’s round up of what has been happening in the world of children’s books. Real life has rather interrupted things for me recently so I’m sure I’ve missed things this time but hope that this week’s selection does at least provide a flavour of what is going on.

What I’m reading…

I don’t know quite how Jenny Pearson balances laugh out loud hilarity with poignant themes of love and loss so well but I’m glad she does. At the start of the week I finished reading Jenny Pearson’s Operation Nativity, so packed full of joy, appealing characters and a kindly look at the true meaning of Christmas that it should be on prescription as a life enhancing read. Oscar and his adorable little sister, Molly, the ‘actual Angel Gabriel’ plus Donald the Donkey and their attempts to save the first Christmas were a real mood lifter for me. My proof copy had a few jolly illustrations by Katie Kear and the published version is illustrated throughout. Recommended for about 8+ and adults will enjoy it too.

Marya Khan and the Incredible Henna Party, written by Saadia Faruqi and illustrated by Ani Bushry, is a great early chapter book for younger readers. Friendship and family relationships are portrayed realistically and with understanding. This is the first in a new series from Abrams Books and would be just right for children in Year 3&4.

This week I also read two rather special books, Christmas by Jan Pienskowski and King of Kings by Susan Hill illustrated by John Lawrence both of which are beautiful in different ways. I bought my second hand copies from Tygertale’s excellent Etsy shop. Jake has many more treasures to explore here.

News, articles and resources…

Best children’s and YA books of 2022 – a lovely selection from Imogen Russell Williams. She recommends the brilliant Britannica Baby Encyclopedia and SF Said’s excellent Tyger among a range of titles ranging from journeys through music, history, magic and more, plus the standout books for young adults.

Resist – an extra FREE Christmas story ” Silent Night” by Tom Palmer – A Christmas story based on the true story of Audrey Hepburn’s wartime childhood. In which Audrey – age 15 – helps the Dutch resistance to distribute presents to local children, presents that the Nazis had looted from Dutch shops to take home to Germany. You can read the story online on Tom’s website linked above or watch him read it on YouTube

‘I love writing for children’: Emma Thompson and Axel Scheffler on their amazing shaggy dog story – The Oscar-winning actor and the Gruffalo illustrator have teamed up to create a tale about a scruffy hound. They discuss corgis, comic books and how their friend

Flint High School Reading Advent Calendar – apologies that I missed this last week but it’s not too late to catch up with the first week of recommended books in this brilliant video. Created by two teachers from Flint High School the video presents a fabulous selection of contemporary children’s, tween and YA books introduced by the authors themselves.

Midwinter magic: Robert Macfarlane on the enduring power of The Dark Is Rising – Susan Cooper’s 1973 novel, newly adapted for a BBC audio series, has enthralled generations of children and writers with its folkloric tale of an English boy caught in a battle between light and dark.

Christmas Card Draw-a-Long with BookTrust Writer-Illustrator in Residence Nick Sharratt – this is fun. Learn how to make Christmas cards with popular illustrator Nick Sharratt.

Seven Super Christmas Picture Books – and more from Nick Sharratt here as he shares some festive books to snuggle up with.

Welcome to the wonderful world of Noodle Juice – I noticed a bit of a buzz online about this new publisher and this guest post in the Federation of Children’s Book Groups website has encouraged me to look out for their books in future.

Book Clubs in Schools Entered in the Smiley Charity Film Awards – The Charity Film Awards have been created to celebrate the success of film in fundraising, to increase exposure of charity films and to encourage donations for good causes. You can watch the video created by Book Clubs in Schools via the link, find out more about the awards and vote via the link above.

BookTrust New children’s books we love for December – Every month, the BookTrust team review dozens of books for children and teenagers. This month’s selection, divided into age categories, includes the excellent Britannica’s Baby Encyclopedia, Operation Nativity mentioned above, plus a range of picture books, fiction and nonfiction for all tastes.

Federation of Children’s Book Groups Annual Conference 2023 – a date for your diaries. Early Bird booking is now available until mid-January for the FCBG 2023 conference taking place at Rugby School 14th -16th April 2023. The theme this year is, Portable Magic: How To Catch A Reader. More details including confirmed speakers so far are a via the link.

A Winter Book List from CLPE – a wonderful selection of picture books and fiction to bring some winter warmth and Christmas cheer chosen by the the book experts at the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education.

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

The Snow Bear by Holly Webb – the tenth anniversary edition of this magical take set in the Arctic would probably be a lovely Christmas gift. Tracy Evans in her review for Just Imagine says ‘…it has lost none of its magic and is as relevant today as it was in its original form.”

You Are History by Greg Jenner illustrated by Jenny Taylor – a Book of the Week in the Books for Keeps online journal is definitely worth looking out for. A great review suggests that this would be an excellent addition to primary school library and classroom shelves.

Winter Magic edited by Abi Elphinstone – this is an old review on the Bookbag website but this is quite possibly my favourite ‘winter collection’ so I would like to highlight it again. A wonderful range of stories by some of the very best current authors for children there is not a weak link among them and this is lovely to share at home or in the classroom.

That’s everything for this week. Happy reading!

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Reading Matters- children’s book news

Posted on December 3, 2022 by alibrarylady

Welcome to this week’s catch up with what has been happening in the world of children’s books. The build up to Christmas has definitely now begun with recommended festive reads and literature related advent calendars to share. I hope that something in this week’s collection of articles and resources will be helpful.

What I’m reading…

My latest batch of reviews for Just Imagine are now complete. The October Witches by Jennifer Claessen is a refreshing debut with links to Arthurian legend, it merges family relationships with magic and the misuse of power with the hope and optimism of youth in an exciting adventure. Clemmie is a relatable and positive protagonist and the plot builds to a dramatic climax in this exciting adventure. There are two more books to follow this one too and I can see this being popular with readers aged 9 plus.

National Non-fiction November finished this week and before the month ended I wanted to highlight a really lovely book for our very youngest book lovers. Britannica’s Baby Encyclopedia has been created with an understanding of this very young audience’s needs and would make a brilliant present this Christmas. The appearance and feel of this encyclopedia is just right for little ones and the topics covered are: Earth, Animal, Plants, Food, Machines, Art, Music, Numbers and Shapes. The clear text is wonderful to read aloud with its lively and rhythmic vocabulary. I would highly recommend this great title from What On Earth Books.

At the moment I’m reading Operation Nativity by Jenny Pearson, Illustrated by Katie Kear. It is an absolute delight! Full of humour and kindness it really is a Christmas gift.

News, articles and resources…

Why author visits to schools matter: Waterstones Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho’s speech, read on the 24th November 2022 at The Arboretum for the BookTrust Represents Report Launch – a moving and important article by our Children’s Laureate about representation in children’s books.

The Impact of an Author Visit – an excellent article by Lucas Maxwell giving a school librarian’s perspective on why author visits matter. This, and the article above, highlights the enormous impact a visit by an author can have on both children and staff. Lucas references research to support what he has witnessed first hand.

7 Gorgeous Gift Books To Enjoy All Year Round – a lovely selection by Bruno De Luca on the My Book Corner blog including bedtime stories, fairy tales, nonfiction, a graphic novel, music and ballet. Some great suggestions for Christmas presents.

Teach Primary Book Awards: 2022 finalists announced – a collection of 32 titles in different categories. Each title has been chosen, not only for its outstanding aesthetic appeal and sheer enjoyability, but also because of its potential to support learning both inside the classroom and beyond. These are books that teachers will be able to recommend confidently to children and their parents, as well as use for inspirational classroom activities.

The Poetry by Heart Festive Poe-Tree Advent Calendar – Every winter Poetry By Heart, the national poetry speaking competition for schools, creates a special poetry advent calendar. The Poetry By Heart Festive Poe-tree advent calendar is a digital anthology of poems – classic, contemporary and diverse – arranged in the shape of a Christmas tree with 24 little doors. From 1-24 December a door is unlocked each day and children and young people (adults too) can open it to find a festive poem. It’s completely free for everyone to share and enjoy live from 1st December.

The Reading Agency Mini Winter Reading Challenge – The annual Winter Mini Challenge, is a fun reading adventure which encourages children to continue reading over the Christmas holidays with a free, digital platform offering rewards and prizes for continuing to read. The Winter Mini Challenge launched on 1st December and will run through until 20th February.

Christmas TV 2022 Highlights from Helen Smith – every year Helen Smith, a wonderful secondary school librarian, creates a guide to all the films or programmes on TV at Christmas linked to books, for both children and adults. As the TV schedule has been affected by World Cup, and some schools break up early, she has created a mini-TV guide for the first week of December with some Christmas highlights. It can be downloaded from the link on the School Library Association website above. Helen hopes to have her full guide available on 14th December so watch this space!

The Reader Teacher Monthly Must Reads November 2022 – Scott Evans choices for the last month are A is for Bee, Bramble Fox, Dream Train, Girl of Ink & Stars and You Are History. Find out more and download the free poster from The Reader Teacher link above.

Marvellous Christmas Stories Advent Calendar – thank you to Alicia Paine for creating this lovely calendar. Open each door to reveal a Christmas children’s book and a linked video. This would be great to share at home or in the classroom.

Waterstones Book of the Year 2022 – On the tenth anniversary of the award the winners in each category are: The Story of Art Without Men by Katy Hessel as Winner of the Waterstones Book of the Year 2022. Bonnie Garmus scoops Author of the Year for her debut novel Lessons in Chemistry, whilst Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A.F. Steadman is named Children’s Book of the Year.

Festive Favourites: The Reader Teacher Books I’m Most Excited About December 2022 – In this video Scott Evans shares the children’s book releases he is most excited about coming out this Christmas 2022.

Rugby League legend Rob Burrow is to read a CBeebies Bedtime Story – Former Leeds Rhinos player Rob Burrow is to read a CBeebies Bedtime Story using ground-breaking technology, the first time a bedtime story has been read this way. Rob reads Tilda Tries Again by Tom Percival at 6.50pm on Saturday 3rd December (CBeebies and BBC iPlayer)

TOPPSTA 100 Must Read Children’s Books of 2022 – a round up of the books that have received the most favourable reviews by children in this popular website. It makes for interesting reading.

Meet the Foyles Books of the Year 2022 – From a year of reading, recommending and selling books, and after months of suggestions, votes and debate, Foyles have selected their three most essential books for 2022. Their Children’s Book of the Year 2022 is Tyger by SF Said illustrated by Dave McKean, “A new classic of children’s literature.”

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

Merry & Bright: Warm, Festive Books to Share – Kate Heap, Primary English Consultant and author, reviews a lovely selection of children’s books for the Global School Alliance.

Children of the Stone City by Beverley Naidoo – I mentioned this book last week and think this review by Ann Alston for Just Imagine excellently conveys its impact. It is a novel that speaks of issues that are important now and have been through many years but it also offers hope, so important in children’s literature.

Happy Stories for Nature Lovers By Dawn Casey (author), Domenique Serfontein (illustrator) – a December book of the month on the LoveReading4Kids website this sounds really lovely. It’s difficult to resist a book described as “joyous”!

That’s everything for this week. Other commitments are mounting up at the moment but I’ll try to get Reading Matters out again next week although it may have to be a mini version. Happy reading!

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Britannica’s BABY ENCYCLOPEDIA for curious kids aged 0-3 by Sally Symes, Dr Amanda Gummer, Britannica Group Illustrated by Hanako Clulow

Posted on November 30, 2022 by alibrarylady

The month of November has seen a celebration of the inspiring world of non-fiction for children organised by the Federation of Children’s Book Groups. As the month ends I want to highlight a wonderful book that is a perfect introduction to information books for babies, toddlers and pre- schoolers. Britannica’s Baby Encyclopedia has been created with an understanding of this very young audience’s needs and would make a brilliant present this Christmas.

First, the appearance and feel of this encyclopedia is just right for little ones. A large format book with a sturdy board cover and card pages which will withstand poking and exploring by curious little fingers and although big the book will lie completely flat when opened out so is suitable for ‘tummy time’ for the very young and can be shared when sitting next to an adult too. The cover has die cuts revealing pictures of the different topics covered underneath and is bright, cheerful and inviting.

Illustration by Hanako Clulow

The topics covered are: Earth, Animal, Plants, Food, Machines, Art, Music, Numbers and Shapes. The clear text is wonderful to read aloud with its lively and rhythmic vocabulary. A lot of thought has clearly gone into the explanations enabling the child to learn the meaning of words as they also learn about the subject being discussed. For example, “People travel over bridges…and through tunnels.” “A butterfly flutters up-up-up in the air…as worms burrow deep down in the soil.” “Legs can move and explore. They help with crawling…and walking.” The emphasis is on ensuring that the topics are made relatable for the young child listening and the content is pitched just right to encourage curiosity and discovery. Much of the information is about subjects that children naturally find interesting such as animals, how plants grow, different types of food etc. There is a lovely balance between the familiar every day events and the world wide context for example a rabbit hopping out of its hutch and an elephant stomping through the forest.

Illustration by Hanako Clulow

The illustrations are wonderful being clear and containing accurate detail to point out and discuss with children. They include babies and young children taking part in activities which children will recognise and be familiar with adding to the appeal. The pictures are bold and bright and support the learning well. This is a cleverly designed book.

I would highly recommend this book for very young children and it would be wonderful to use in an Early Years setting and would be a much appreciated Christmas gift by both little ones and their parents.

I should like to thank Laura Smythe and and What On Earth Books for my review copy.

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Reading Matters – children’s book news

Posted on November 26, 2022 by alibrarylady

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

What I’m reading…

The remaining books in my latest batch to read and review for Just Imagine made up my reading this week. I enjoyed Honesty & Lies by Eloise Williams very much, it’s definitely my sort of book. Wonderful historical fiction for children, it is a story rich in ideas, language and period detail. The plot includes friendship, secrets and storytelling and it would be a great class read, particularly if you are looking for a text to link with the teaching of the Tudor Period.

I’m halfway through October Witches, a debut by Jennifer Claessen, a great read for dark evenings and the first in a new series. It’s a mix of family relationships, magic and adventure and I will be sharing my review for Just Imagine next week.

Little Wandle Letters and Sounds invited me to write an article on how to transform your primary school library to support reading for pleasure. I’ve tried to include tips for those with a limited budget. There are links to other sources of advice and information too. I hope it’s useful.

News, articles and resources…

Book Blast Special:Christmas Crackers – Nikki Gamble is joined by special guests Jo Bowers, Ben Harris, Helen Morgan, Sam Creighton, Erin Hamilton, Sam Keeley, Roy Moss, and Mary-Rose Grieve. They talk about some of their favourite Christmas books and some recently published titles too. A perfect way to get into the Christmas mood. If you’re quick the giveaway is open until Sunday so there is still time to enter too.

Five of the Best Friendly Dragons – Author of The Ultimate Guide to Growing Dragons, Andy Shepherd, shares five of her favourite friendly dragons on the Book Trust website. Perfect if you are looking for books featuring dragons that won’t be too scary!

‘I absolutely believe that if a child might experience it, then it is the business of children’s literature to talk about it.’ – In the wake of recent global events, author Nicola Davies discusses how stories can help children explore and deal with difficult issues. A post on the School Library Association website from earlier this year and shared online again this week this thoughtful article continues to be relevant.

Reading: A Child’s Superpower – This virtual event was run by The Open University in Northern Ireland on 18th October 2022 as part of the event programme for Book Week Northern Ireland, in partnership with Libraries NI and the BBC. Professor Teresa Cremin of The Open University shares her expert knowledge on the benefits of reading in childhood, tips for engaging a reluctant reader and how you can nurture a child’s love for reading. This event is suitable for both parents and teachers or anyone interested in supporting young readers.

New findings from BookTrust shine a spotlight on representation in children’s books and its impact on children’s motivations to read – New research and analysis by BookTrust, drawing on insight and findings from two new reports, shines a spotlight on the role of representation in children’s books and the critical impact this has on children’s motivations and desire to read. Both reports and a summary can be downloaded from the article linked above.

Winners announced for SLA’s 2021 Information Book Award – at an award ceremony at Hachette Publishers this week the 2022 winners of the School Library Association Information Book Award (IBA) were announced. The awards are divided into three age categories, judged by a panel of educators plus children have also had the opportunity to vote for their favourite book from the shortlist in order to determine an additional Children’s Choice winner in each age category, and one overall. Congratulations to all the winners.

Using the School Library Association Book Award by Helen Cleaves – having heard Helen Cleaves talk about this subject at our SLA Surrey branch meeting in the summer I can wholeheartedly recommend this article by Helen on the Federation of Children’s Book Groups website. Helen gives advice and tips on using the IBA successful in secondary schools, particularly Years 7&8. Time to get planning for the 2023 Award!

A Character Based on a Child of Your Choice Could Join the Cast of a New Book – Following the success of You Can!,by Alexandra Strick and Steve Anthony the team is thrilled to announce that a second book will follow. We Can! will share real children’s views on the kind of world they want to live in and how we can all play a part in creating that world. The book will be published in 2024. And an exciting new competition will give one lucky child the chance to join the cast of characters pictured in the book. Find out more about this opportunity via the link.

Muddy Brilliant! – Roy James’ regular blogposts for Just Imagine are always interesting, entertaining and helpful. This latest one looks at the importance of soil in areas of learning such as plants, living things, and rocks/geology but also linked to climate change and sustainability too. Roy recommends a couple of great books too.

Books for Topics 2022 Christmas Book Gift Guides – If you are looking for gift ideas for children, these guides contain recommended books for different ages and a wide variety of tastes and are free to download from the Books for Topics website.

What books does our primary school library need? – There are three elements to the well-organised library – space, stock and staff – that lead to a fourth, personalisation, which will help your pupils get the best from your library resources. Here Gillian Harris from Tower Hamlets SLS looks at stock.

Knights Of Publishers: Resources – if, like me, you’ve missed out on these resources linked to a range of titles published by Knights Of they are well worth exploring. Divided chapter by chapter and covering comprehension and inference questions, writing tasks and suggestions for extra activities these would be useful for teachers and librarians.

National Literacy Trust: Diverse Libraries webinar 1: Representations of neurodiversity in children’s reading – the first in the 2022/3 Diverse Libraries free webinar series will take the format of an ‘in conversation’ event with a panel of authors who will be exploring the importance of representation and discussing how neurodiversity feeds into both their writing and the characters in their books. Special guest authors and illustrators include Elle McNicoll, Rose Robbins, and Abigail Balfe. This free event takes place on 29th November 4-5.15pm online and full details can be found on the link above.

Children’s and teens roundup – the best new picture books and novels – Imogen Russell Williams latest selection for the Guardian includes A colourful picture book; comforting stories; hope for the future; and a sweetly seasonal YA romance.

Shortlist Announced For Biblio-Buzz 2023, Alexandra Palace’s Children’s Book Award – this award was the winner of the School Library Association Community Award for 2022 and encourages children in Years 5-7 in Haringey to become enthusiastic about reading. A great shortlist and lots of activities and events planned for participating schools.

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

The Gecko and the Echo by Rachel Bright and Jim Field – one look at the vibrant cover of this new picture book tempted me to read Tom Slattery’s review. Tom says, ‘I loved the message of showing kindness to others and allowing everyone a chance to shine in their own way,’ so on to the wish list it goes.

Wildsmith: Into the Dark Forest by Liz Flanagan – sometimes it can be tricky to find fantasy stories suitable for slightly younger children in the ‘middle grade’ audience and this sounds as though it would fit the bill. Kate Heap says, ‘This book is exactly what readers in Years 3 & 4 need. The short chapters are accessible and non-threatening. Well-spaced print and plenty of illustrations will pull children into the warmth of the story.’

The Detention Detectives by Lis Jardine – school stories and mysteries have a wide appeal for young readers and I really like the sound of this debut. Tom Griffiths has reviewed it this week and says that Lis Jardine ‘has a unique voice which really sets this book apart from those currently on the shelves – I particularly liked the footnotes relating to Star Trek and classic whodunnit shows…’ Lis is a school librarian so has insider knowledge on what children enjoy reading!

That’s everything for this week and I hope you found something here helpful. Happy reading!

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Reading Matters – children’s book news

Posted on November 19, 2022 by alibrarylady

“I think a successful book is one that leaves the reader in a slightly different place from where they were before they read it.”

Marcus Sedgwick

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

What I’m reading…

Sunday 13th November in addition to being Remembrance Sunday was also World Kindness Day. One of the books that I had received to review for Just Imagine was Be The Change: Be Kind by Marcus Sedgwick illustrated by Thomas Taylor. It is a thoughtful guide to kindness in society. Practical, informative and optimistic it provides readers with the tools to use kindness in everyday life and to make a difference and I would highly recommended it for ages 9+. Only days after I wrote this review we learned the desperately sad news that Marcus had died suddenly. I always felt that his gentle kindness and understanding of others came across in his writing. He will be so missed.

I also read and reviewed two picture books for Just Imagine. First up is one that may well become a Christmas classic. We Disagree About This Tree by Ross Collins sees Bear and Mouse reunited and preparing for the festivities. Bold and bright illustrations and bags of humour give this lovely book an instant appeal however alongside the fun is an important message about learning to compromise. The Clown Said No by Mischa Damjan has just been reissued with new illustrations by Torben Kuhlmann sixty years after it was first published and contains a theme as relevant today as then. There are times when it is important to stand up for your rights and remain true to what you know is right for you and this story illustrates this rather tenderly for children.

A reading highlight for me has been Children of the Stone City, the latest novel by award winning author Beverley Naidoo. Set in a world where Adam and Leila and their friend Zak live as Nons under the Permitted ruling class this powerful story explores themes of prejudice, discrimination, grief and human rights. Although the world created is fictitious it has its inspiration in many societies today. Threaded through the drama is the importance of music and writing in offering solace and encouragement in difficult situations. An excellent book for discussion and I was disappointed not to be able to attend Nikki Gamble’s recent audience with Beverley Naidoo and the linked book club conversation.

News, articles and resources…

One in seven state primary schools does not have a designated library space – this week the National Literacy Trust published a new report into libraries and were in Parliament with the Primary School Library Alliance. Founded in November 2021 by the National Literacy Trust and Penguin Random House UK, the Alliance works with its flagship partners to address the chronic lack of investment in primary school libraries and bring together relevant parties to help solve this urgent issue. The Alliance aims to transform 1,000 primary school libraries by 2025. This new report on the current situation is vital reading for all of us involved with children’s books in any capacity.

Books For Keeps November 2022 – the latest issue of this excellent online journal is a special one. In addition to the regular Beyond the Secret Garden feature and reviews there is a Christmas Book Gift Guide and a Books of the Year selection. Plus wonderful interviews with authors Anna McQuinn and MG Leonard, a feature by illustrator Harry Woodgate, and a nonfiction special from Sue McGonigle. All in all a must read for children’s book lovers.

Emma Suffield Q&A with Author Andy Shepherd – the latest in school librarian Emma Suffield’s series if interviews is with Andy Shepherd, author of the popular The Boy Who Grew Dragons series. Discover which books were Andy’s childhood favourites, read her writing tips and the inspiration for her stories.

Big Book, Little Cook: A celebration of children’s cookbooks – another brilliant blogpost by Roy James for Just Imagine. This one includes discussion on how you can incorporate cookbooks into different curriculum areas in the classroom. For many children these books can introduce them to experiences from around the world and Roy has ideas and tips to help.

Mindfulness books for children are a runaway publishing trend – this article in the Guardian by Amelia Hill explores the data which shows that to date this year, there have been 18% more children’s titles published in the genre of mental health and anxiety than this time in 2021.

The Reader Teacher 2022 Christmas Gift Giving Guides – Scott Evans has created lists of books for different ages and within each list books are divided into sections such as classics, new titles, poetry and festive fiction. An excellent place to start your Christmas shopping!

Mr Dilly Presents Bumper Christmas Special – Mr Dilly Meets some of the biggest names in Children’s Books on 6th December 11.00am – 12.15pm in this FREE Festive Fun packed Author event for Schools. There will be plenty of chat, readings the author’s Christmas books, a chance to have your school’s questions put to the guests and a Christmas Quiz that all the authors and your classroom can play along with at the same time.

Book Trust: What to Read After… Horrible Histories – Once someone has read all the books in the iconic Horrible Histories series, where to turn next? The combination of Terry Deary’s gory facts and Martin Brown’s humorous illustrations is hard to beat. But there are other books that might keep a young history buff entertained and the Book Trust team have put together a great variety within their selection.

Mat Tobin: Whose worlds are we sharing with children? – this blogpost by Mathew Tobin, Lecturer in English and Children’s Literature at Oxford Brookes University, explores representation and authenticity in children’s literature and provides us with much to think about. Paired with the publication last week of CLPE’s most recent Reflecting Realities Report this is an important read.

Poetry By Heart 2022 -2023 Competition – Poetry By Heart, the national poetry speaking competition for schools, is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2023. The competition is open now and an invitation to take part has been sent to every primary and secondary school in England. Registration, participation and competition entry are free, and the Poetry By Heart website offers a wealth of resources and support materials for teachers including a wide range of suggested poems, classic, contemporary and diverse, including many written by living poets. The grand finale of the 2023 competition is a special celebration taking place at Shakespeare’s Globe on Monday 26th June. The website is excellent and full of useful information and is a valuable resource for schools. There is a helpful step by step guide to the competition here.

Planning a poetry curriculum – another helpful blogpost from HFL Education (formerly Herts for Learning) which links well with the Poetry By Heart information above.

Foyles Books of the Year shortlists 2022 – there are three Foyles Books of the Year 2022 shortlists: Fiction, Non-Fiction, and Children’s. There are six books in the Children’s category and I was particularly pleased to see The Comet, one of my favourite picture books of the year and the wonderful Tyger included.

Developing a Culture of Reading for Pleasure 3: RfP Pedagogy – Methods and Practice – the third in this helpful series of blogposts by Debbie Thomas for the Literacy Hive explores ways to support and encourage Reading for Pleasure in the classroom. There is a link to a wonderful primary school library example too.

Nen & the Lonely Fisherman by Ian Eagleton and James Mayhew wins major award – On November 15th 2022, Nen and the Lonely Fisherman was awarded the inaugural Children’s & YA Polari Prize. This is the only LGBTQi+ award in the UK and one of the biggest awards of its kind in the world. In this lovely post on James’ blog he writes about how much this award means.

Children’s perspectives on becoming absorbed in stories – a free online Open University seminar taking place on 23rd November 3-4pm. What does story reading feel like in the upper primary years, when it is still a relatively new skill? What embodied sensations are involved in becoming absorbed, “lost in a book”?

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

Colours, Colours Everywhere by Julia Donaldson Illustrated by Sharon King-Chai – at the moment I’m on the look out for picture books for a new addition to our family and this sounds perfect. A vibrant rhyming story, beautiful landscapes with animals of all colours, foldouts, flaps to lift and holes to peep through on every page. Jo Bowers’ gorgeous review for Just Imagine has completely sold this to me.

Every Word Tells A Story by Tom Read Wilson Illustrated by Ian Morris – the review blog tour to mark National Non-Fiction November continues and this is a helpful review by Jo Cummins of a book that would be valuable both in homes, libraries and classrooms. A book that covers the origins of over one hundred words and is “a perfect book for young wordsmiths, encouraging kids and adults alike to have fun whilst learning about language.”

Where The River Takes Us – Lesley Parr – this lovely review by Karen on Bonkers About Books has made me extremely nostalgic for the 70s. Although not published until March 2023 this is going on my wish list now. “Whether you’re a child who wants to dive into a heart-warming adventure, or a grown-up of a ‘certain’ age who wants to relive their childhood, Where The River Takes Us is the book for you.”

That’s everything for this week and I hope that something here has been useful to you. Happy reading.

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Reading Matters – children’s book news

Posted on November 12, 2022 by alibrarylady

Welcome to this week’s look at what has been happening in the world of children’s books. On Wednesday I welcomed school library consultant and former President of CILIP, Barbara Band to our Surrey branch of the School Library Association Autumn meeting. Barbara spoke about the wider aspects of diversity in the library and how school librarians can better serve their whole community. On Friday CLPE published their latest Reflecting Realities report highlighting why this is so important. You can read the report in the links below. Plus the Carnegie nominations were announced. What a hectic week it’s been!

What I’m reading…

The Chestnut Roaster is an utterly mesmerising read which I very much enjoyed. It is a story of good versus evil, imaginative and original, carrying the reader along in an adventure that defies labelling. Historical fiction and fantasy combine to create something refreshingly different and memorable. Bewitching writing by Eve McDonnell paired with atmospheric illustrations by Ewa Beniak-Haremska and highly recommended.

I was delighted to participate in the Federation of Children’s Book Groups’ blog tour to mark National Non-Fiction November this week. It’s The Journey Not the Destination written by Carl Honoré, illustrated by Kevin & Kristen Howdeshell is an excellent way to travel the world, exploring at a leisurely place. A great book to share either at home or school.

News, articles and resources…

Nominations announced for the 2023 Yoto Carnegies – Nominations were announced this week for the UK’s longest running children’s book awards. A total of 125 books have been nominated for the 2023 Medals. 67 books are in contention for the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing and 58 books for the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Illustration. This includes 6 titles that have received nominations in both Medal categories. There are many books I have read and enjoyed included in the lists and I don’t envy the judges who have to reduce this number down to the long lists.

Reaching for the (Night) Sky – in his latest blog for Just Imagine Roy Moss selects some super children’s books to encourage young astronomers to get out into the field and observe. I found this an interesting read and know from experience in the school library that this is a subject that enthuses and fascinates children. Some great titles suggested by Roy too.

Nikki Gamble’s Book Blast November ’22 – if you missed this live event on Sunday 6th November the recording is now available to watch via YouTube. Nikki shares a selection of the best children’s books published in November 2022. Now with chapter bookmarks for easy viewing, this is an excellent way to keep up to date with the latest books.

CLPE: Q&A with Lydia Monks all about Adoette – I enjoyed reading this blogpost on the CLPE website. Lydia Monks discusses the inspiration for her book, Adoette, gives suggestions on how the book could be used in the primary classroom, talks about her career in writing and illustration and her major influences.

The Portable Magic Dispenser from Lucas Maxwell – if you haven’t already signed up for this regular newsletter from ace school librarian Lucas Maxwell I can highly recommend it. There are always ideas for you to use in the library or classroom and this latest issue includes Quick Fire Reviews, Library Escape Room ideas, scary books and tips on weeding policy in the library.

Books Are My Bag Readers Awards 2022 – This year’s winners were announced at a ceremony at Foyles Bookshop on Tuesday 8th November. The Children’s Fiction category was won by Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Being Good by Louie Stowell (Walker Books) and the Young Adult Fiction category by All That’s Left in the World by Erik. J. Brown (Hachette Children’s Group). You can watch a video of the award ceremony on the official website above.

National Non Fiction November 2022 Competition – to coincide with NNFN’s theme of Communication, this Federation of Children’s Book Groups competition has been inspired by Andy Seed’s brilliantly funny series ‘Interview with …’ published by Welbeck Children’s Books. Open to 5-12-year-olds living in the UK, we are inviting each entrant to choose either an animal or historical character and create an illustrated interview with them in a Q & A format. Closing date 5th December and full details available via the link.

The next chapter in children’s picture books – article in The Financial Times by Beatrice Hodgkin highlighting recent author/illustrator collaborations including Don’t Ask the Dragon by Lemn Sissay and Greg Stobbs and The Boy Who Lost His Spark by Maggie O’Farrell and Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini.

BookTrust’s Just One Book Campaign – The BookTrust Christmas Appeal raises money to send surprise festive book parcels to children who are vulnerable or in care. Half of the parcels will be sent to children in care, and the other half will be given out through community foodbanks to children in families facing challenging circumstances. The charity have selected six beautiful hardback books and each child will receive one that is appropriate to their age. Find out how you can help via the link.

‘The Beatryce Prophecy’ Film Based On Kate DiCamillo Novel In Works From Amazon, Netter Films; Brad Copeland To Pen The Script – this may I think be of interest to fans of Kate de Camillo, and there are many of us! Amazon Studios has locked down film rights to the #1 New York Times bestseller The Beatryce Prophecy from two-time Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo, tapping two-time Emmy nominee Brad Copeland (Arrested Development) to script an adaptation.

CLPE Reflecting Realities Report 2017-2021 – the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) ReflectingRealities report is an insight into minority representation in children’s literature for the period 2017-2021. There are both significant growth & glaring gaps, which CLPE will continue to highlight in their pursuit of the authentic portrayal of children in books. The report is important reading for anyone involved in children’s books in any capacity.

LoveReading4Kids Top Children’s Christmas Book Recommendations for 2022 – the John Lewis advert is out so I’m admitting defeat and sharing this selection of books. Everything from Lift the Flap books to eco reads, super readable dyslexia friendly books to festive fiction. This will probably be helpful to many.

The Case for Non-Fiction by Dan Nunn – a guest post by Dan Nunn of Raintree Publishing on the FCBG website for National Non-Fiction November. Dan was a guest speaker at our Surrey SLA branch meeting in June and it is fascinating to get a publisher’s perspective on the role of information books for children. An interesting read.

Diverse Libraries webinar 1: Representations of neurodiversity in children’s reading – the first in the Literacy Trust’s 2022/3 Diverse Libraries free webinar series which focuses on representations of neurodiversity in children’s reading. Special guest authors include Elle McNicoll and Rose Robbins. Taking place on 29 Nov 2022 4:00pm – 5:15pm, full details and registration available via the link.

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

The Faber Book of Bedtime Stories – the blog tour to mark the publication of this new collection, written by an impressive array of current children’s authors, started with this Q and A from Sarah McIntyre whose joyful illustrations bring each tale to life. Thank you Sue, @scoobiesue at Through the Bookshelf for this lovely read which has tempted me to put this on my Christmas shopping list.

The Ministry of Unladylike Activity by Robin Stevens – a new series by the creator of the hugely popular Murder Most Unladylike books will tempt many. This enthusiastic review by Ruth Ng for The Bookbag provides you with a taste of what to expect.

The Woodcutter and The Snow Prince – Ian Eagleton, ill. by Davide Ortu – this review by Rich Simpson, part of the blog tour to mark publication of this new book includes some some poetry ideas generously created by Ian to use in the classroom. I really like the sound of this and the suggestions are lovely to share in the run up to Christmas or through the winter months.

Iceberg by Claire Saxby Illustrated by Jess Racklyeft – the eye catching cover of this new book caught my attention and then this excellent review by Ros Steward completely sold it to me. She says, “This is a book that will be read again and again, and hopefully will inspire young people to explore issues around climate change and global warming without intimidating them.”

The Haunting of Tyrese Walker by J P Rose – a LoveReading4Kids Book of the Month for November this chiller for readers aged 11+ has an excellent review by Joanne Owen. “With a rich and palpable evocation of Jamaican landscapes, communities, culture and folklore, this chilling mystery has tremendous heart.”

That’s everything for this week. One more thing that book lovers may be interested in…the Hidden Books Game! Yes, you too can now share my frustration. In case you missed it here’s a link Good luck!

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