Swan Song by award winning author Gill Lewis is a thoughtful and sensitively written story about teenage mental health which highlights the power of nature to restore and heal troubled minds. A lovely book with a valuable and comforting message.
The reader meets Dylan on the day he is excluded from school after hitting another pupil. Dylan, a formerly happy boy, has found the transition to his grammar school extremely difficult and his unhappiness and anxiety has manifested itself in increasingly disruptive behaviour culminating in this act with its dramatic repercussions. Dylan’s mother makes the difficult decision to leave her job to homeschool her son and return to her childhood home in Wales to live with Dylan’s Grandad.
Although initially unhappy with the move gradually through his Grandfather’s non-judgemental attitude and kindness things begin to change for Dylan. However it is the link to nature that most profoundly affects him. Grandad takes Dylan out in his boat and it is the wide open seas and skies, the freedom and lack of pressure that calms him and enables him to learn how to relax and be himself. Grandad’s love of and interest in the whooper swans who return to the bay each winter is infectious and soon Dylan finds that he is concerned for their welfare and habitat in a similar way to his grandfather.
The two important threads of this story, the love and support of Dylan’s grandad and the beauty and importance of wildlife and its protection weave together in a manner that links them to Dylan’s depression and anxiety skilfully and sensitively. This is a lovely story told with great care and Gill Lewis manages to convey difficult themes including grief and loss in a gently accessible manner.
One of the aspects of the last year that has been discussed often is the importance of the access to nature to help people cope with difficult and stressful situations. Those lucky enough to have gardens and open spaces nearby have greatly appreciated them and it has brought home to many how much this accessibility matters. This kind and sensitive story portrays how that healing quality works and is also a reminder of the need to value and protect our natural environment.
As with all books published by Barrington Stoke Swan Song is produced in a dyslexia-friendly font specially created to make reading easier and an accessible layout and heavier paper with a gentle tint helps reduce visual stress. Careful editing ensures that this story can be enjoyed by children with a reading age of 8+ The age of the likeable protagonist and the subject ensures that this is a book that would be enjoyed by both upper primary and lower secondary age groups.
Thank you very much to Kirstin Lamb and Barrington Stoke for sending me my proof copy. Swan Song was published on 4th February and can be purchased online via your nearest independent bookshop which can be found on this map.
If the young readers in your life enjoy this book I can also recommend two more Barrington Stoke titles by Gill Lewis, Run Wild and Eagle Warrior.
Hello and welcome to this week’s look at what has been happening in the world of children’s books.
What I’m reading…
This week I caught up with a couple of reviews of books that I mentioned in the last Reading Matters. The Elephant by Peter Carnavas is a gem of book for many reasons, it is comforting, it is accessible, it is kind and it is wise. I do hope that my review has done this special book justice. The Hatmakers is a debut from Tamzin Merchant and is definitely one to watch as I can see this being popular. An enjoyable story with important themes conveyed within the magic and excitement. You can read my review for Just Imagine here.
My assistant reviewer, aged 3, built her first snowman a couple of weeks ago so I thought it was a good time to share the picture book The Snowman and the Sun by Susan Taghdis and Ali Mafakheri. This would be a great book to use in Early Years and KS1 to introduce the water cycle and would prompt lots of questions.
The audience with Sita Brahmachari on Thursday evening was a total joy and I am grateful to Nikki Gamble for these wonderful events which have been and continue to be a highlight while we are restricted in attending book events in person. When Secrets Set Sail is a beautiful story and one I enjoyed reading very much earlier this week. The weaving together of history, secrets and family relationships was skilfully done and the ending is one that made my skin tingle. I also loved that Sita included a helpful librarian just as she did in Corey’s Rock. Her wisdom and kindness, evident in the event I attended, runs through her books.
News, articles and resources…
Empathy not Sympathy by Nikki Gamble for Just Imagine – if you only have time to read one link this week please make it this one. A personal and beautiful piece of writing on the power of empathy; a reflection on the need for books to portray the lives of everyone and to encourage social justice.
Kids’ Poems and Stories with Michael Rosen – a reminder that on Michael Rosen’s fabulous YouTube channel you will find more than 400 poems, stories, teaching ideas, ideas for writing stories or poems from Michael and other authors. A wonderful online resource for school or home.
Resources to encourage creativity at home – inspired by books! – Victoria Dilly aka The Book Activist has collected together suggestions linked to popular books that will give young readers the opportunity to get creative and encourage their reading for pleasure.
The Reader Teacher January 2021 Must Reads – Scott Evans looks back at his favourite books published last month with reviews and a downloadable poster. I’m delighted to see The Valley of the Lost Secrets included on Scott’s list.
It’s OK Not To Be OK: Top tips for managing your child’s anxiety – this week has marked Children’s Mental Health Week and in this article for Book Trust Dr Tina Rae, child psychologist and author of It’s OK Not To Be OK, shares some great tips for managing children’s mental health, and our own, in uncertain times. The article also includes links to lists of books for talking about mental health.
LGBT HISTORY MONTH – a guest blog by Charlie Morris on the TOPPSTA website in which she shares some suggestions of books to look out for in 2021 that encourage empathy, and give LGBTQ+ characters a story of their own.
The Isle of Wight Story Festival – taking place during the half term break, 17th – 20th February, this free online event features a wonderful line-up if authors including Cerrie Burnell, Nicholas Allen, Jennifer Killick. Eve McDonnell and Neal Layton. There are details and a timetable of the programme available on the website. Thank you to Rich Simpson for spreading the word about this.
Children’s Football Writing Festival – A year on from the first Children’s Football Writing Festival, the National Football Museum is hosting some of its favourite children’s authors online this February half term. Includes Tom Palmer and Eve Ainsworth.
Step by Step Guide to Creating a Book Review Padlet– school librarian Lucas Maxwell has used Padlet with great success with his pupils and this helpful step by step guide is for anyone who was thinking of using Padlet but maybe felt intimidated by it.
Michael Rosen’s Keynote Speech “The Power of Literature” – The talk Michael Rosen gave to Goldsmiths PGCE students on “The Power of Literature” He has generously made this interesting and thought provoking talk free to use it for INSETs etc.
OU Reading for Pleasure Book Blether’s History Recommendations – On 2nd February, Jon Biddle and Gemma Gascoine hosted the first in a series of 4 ‘Book Blethers’ – discussion threads on Twitter by the @OURfP(Open University Reading for Pleasure) group, where teachers recommend books to each other. The topic of the first session was History. You can access the full list on the Norfolk Children’s Book Centre’s page on Bookshop.org via the link above and purchase any that take your fancy.
CLPE Home Learning Help: Reading Books Aloud Videos – the CLPE team have worked with a range of authors to create a number of video resources. These resources can be used to keep children reading and engaged purposefully in books while they may not have access to the books themselves.
Finally, some book reviews that caught my eye this week…
Marshmallow Pie by Clara Vulliamy – the illustrated fiction created by Clara Vulliamy has in my experience been hugely popular in the primary school library. They are always enticing packages that encourage newly independent readers and this one sounds like another winner. Kate Hitchings, in her lovely review for Just Imagine says, “This book is one for teachers to read and share. It is a book that given at the right moment could create a reader.”
Opie Jones Talks to Animals,’ by Nat Luurtsema, illustrated by Fay Austin – another story featuring animals but this time for a slightly older audience. The first in a new series, this sounds great fun and as Jo Cummins says, “the messages about working hard to hone your skills, pushing past your fears and learning how to navigate friendships… are ones that all children need to practise”.
Show Us Who You Are by Elle McNicoll – A Kind of Spark, Elle McNicoll’s debut published last year attracted widespread praise, and this review by Kate Heap of the author’s forthcoming novel has definitely whetted my appetite to read this follow up. “This book deals with big ideas. It’s a challenging, empathy-building Middle Grade novel that will stretch well into the Young Adult age range.”
I Am The Minotaur by Anthony McGowan – this is a title in the new Rollercoasters series, a collaboration between Oxford University Press and Barrington Stoke and sounds perfect for secondary school libraries. Ben Harris describes it as having “a pacy plot” but suggests that teachers, “slow it down by sharing it as a read-aloud in the secondary school, alongside discussion and empathetic consideration.”
The Awesome Power of Sleep: How Sleep Super-Charges Your Teenage Brain by Nicola Morgan – award-winning teenage well-being expert Nicola Morgan, author of bestselling Blame My Brain, The Teenage Guide to Stress and The Teenage Guide to Friends now turns her focus to the issue of sleep and the problems created by lack of sleep. This excellent review by Sue Magee of The Bookbag has tempted me, “It’s a fascinating book and a very satisfying read both for teenagers and adults: I learned a great deal.”
Another busy week and I hope that this selection has provided a useful link or tempted you to try a new book. Happy reading!
The Snowman and the Sun is the story of a snowman and the water cycle but it is also a sensitive reflection on the question of change and our place within those changes.
I was reminded of this picture book last week. There was a heavy fall of snow in our village and excited children built an army of snowmen, some in front gardens and many in our local park. They stood, suitably socially distanced, across what is normally the football pitch. I returned three days later to see that they had been reduced to sad lumps of varying sizes, no longer the characters that the children had enjoyed playing with. The weather forecast is promising the return of snow any day now so I imagine the snowmen will return. This picture book could be about them. This is, on the face of it, the story of the water cycle. Told from the snowman’s point of view the reader watches as he melts under the warm sun and then is transformed in stages until he eventually returns as a snowman once more, the water cycle complete. However there is a little more to it than that.
This is a book that prompts a lot of questions. The text makes it apparent that the snowman does not really disappear as the sun shines, he is ‘transformed’. The snowman continues to tell the story of how it feels as he changes; when the ground tickles him as a puddle and when he feels chilly as a cloud. It is a lovely touch to have him falling as a snowflake back outside the home of the little boy who first built him. A curious child will not only grasp the concept of the water cycle but also wonder about some of the detail in the illustrations. The snowman melts but the little boy is still clutching his ice cream. The hat first worn by the snowman appears later worn by the little boy and then perched on a chimney pot and also on top of an umbrella. There is a bee behaving in an un-bee like manner to spot as we read. So many questions!
This is most definitely a picture book that deserves to be lingered over. It is suitable for the very young as a straight forward tale about our friendly snowman but would also work well in the classroom as part of the science curriculum or for thoughtful philosophical discussion.
There are links to downloadable resources and a poster on the Tiny Owl website where you can also purchase a copy of the book. I should like to thank Tiny Owl Books for sending me my review copy.
Here is a lovely trailer created by Tiny Owl Books to give you a taste…
The Elephant is a skilfully and sensitively told story which approaches grief and mental health in a manner that is both touching and comforting. Peter Carnavas has made it possible for children to observe the healing power of kindness and love in a poignant yet genuinely endearing book. A brave little girl trying to put back together the broken pieces of her family. A small book brimming with love and hope.
Olive is worried about her father. More specifically she is worried about the big grey elephant that follows him everywhere. It stands over her father at the kitchen breakfast table, leaves with him for work and trudges behind him when he comes home. The elephant weighs her father down with sadness and the weight of that sadness spreads over Olive too. She wishes that the elephant would go away. When she confides in her best friend Arthur he knows the answer to the problem immediately. They must get rid of the elephant. But Olive does not know where to start.
I read this beautiful book in one sitting and as I read the lump in my throat grew bigger. This is a profoundly affecting story and yet not a depressing one. It takes skill to take a subject such as grief and depression and make it both understandable and relatable to young children and this treasure of a story does that beautifully. Each short chapter reveals a little more about the reason for Olive’s father’s sadness and the effect the death of Olive’s mother has had on this little family. Each of them is dealing with the loss in different ways. Her wise and funny Grandad has joined Olive and her father and takes over the care of his granddaughter with dedication. From the lovingly prepared packed lunches to the interesting exploratory walks when he collects Olive from school it is Grandad who provides the stability and the colour in her life.
There is a gentleness and warmth in the writing that is profoundly touching. Despite the sadness the relationships between the different generations of the family are loving and positive as is the friendship between Olive and Arthur. The little touches giving a glimpse of life at school and the detail of the walks Olive and Grandad take ‘side by side’ encourage a growing feeling of understanding and the development of a friendship with these characters. The reader, or this one at least, truly cares about them.
The short chapters, the charming illustrations so perfectly complementing the story, and the narrative voice all combine to make this an accessible and appealing book for children. Although mental health, grief and depression are difficult subjects to discuss this is a perfect book for addressing these issues for young readers. It would be applicable to depression or sadness brought about by other situations too and Olive is an inspiring little person for children to identify with. The plot is carefully constructed to give moments of joy and the ending is simply perfect. I loved this book very much, it is wise and kind and is the sort of book that could make a difference to its readers.
I should like to thank Poppy Stimpson and Pushkin Press for providing my review copy. The Elephant was published in the UK on 28th January and is available to purchase online at Waterstones or via your nearest independent bookshop which can be found on this map.
This week marks Children’s Mental Health Week and publication of The Elephant is perfectly timed to coincide with this. There is more information for parents and schools available on the official website.
There were some aspects of this story that reminded me a little of Felix After the Rain a beautiful picture book that also deals with mental health in a kind and thoughtful manner.
Hello and welcome to this week’s look at what has been happening in the world of children’s books. Sometimes it is difficult to avoid the feeling that many aspects of life are on hold but there have been some positive events this week that are well worth highlighting. Both the Read for Empathy collections and the Branford Boase Longlist were announced this week. We need empathy more than ever and this initiative from Empathy Lab is both important and inspiring. It has been a particularly challenging year for debut authors and the Branford Boase Award is a welcome opportunity to celebrate with the authors and editors involved. There are details of both included below. On a personal note my 89 year old Dad received his first Covid vaccination this week and I had to resist the temptation to skip out of the Epsom racecourse grandstand! I hope you have had something to smile about this week too.
What I’m reading…
On Sunday I read The Elephant by Peter Carnavas in one sitting. It tells the story of a brave little girl trying to put back together the broken pieces of her family. A small book brimming with love and hope. I think it is utterly beautiful and will post a review soon.
The Hatmakers by Tamzin Merchant was a joy to read this week. I escaped to a magical alternative Georgian London and experienced feuds and dastardly villains but hope and friendship too. Thank you to Nikki Gamble and Just Imagine for my copy and my review for them will be completed this weekend.
The Read for Empathy collections were announced on Tuesday and I wrote about them here. I am impressed yet again by the quality of the list and grateful to all those involved in this initiative which is growing each year both in impact and importance.
The 2021 Branford Boase Longlist was also announced this week and this is a welcome opportunity to celebrate new authors, their editors and their stories in what has been a most difficult time to launch their debut. This wide ranging list includes titles suitable for both primary and secondary school children.
The 2021 #ReadforEmpathy Book Collection is here! – this link to the official Empathy Lab website takes you to full information, including guides to the primary and secondary collections, an interview with the founder, Miranda McKearney and details of the previous collections too.
Reading for Pleasure Padlet – teacher Andrew Rough, originator of the #SundayMorningBookBlether chat on Twitter, has kindly compiled a selection of useful websites, blogs, Padlets, Facebook groups and discussions that provide inspiration for reading for pleasure.
ReadingZone Picture Book Competition 2021 – Reading Zone are challenging children and young people aged 4-18 years to create a picture book on or around World Book Day, with the launch of the ReadingZone Picture Book Competition 2021. Author and illustrator Mini Grey (The Last Wolf, Traction Man) will judge this year’s competition. The competition will run from January to Friday 23rd April. The winners will be announced in early June 2021. The link takes you to full details including tips from Mini herself and guidelines for entry.
The Windermere Children – I missed this programme when it was first shown so was grateful for the opportunity to watch the showing this week timed to coincide with. Holocaust Memorial Day. It tells the true story of the children who inspired Tom Palmer’s book, After The War.
Children’s Author Tom Percival on Sky News – this is a great interview in which Tom says that books are essential for children, encourages the support of independent bookshops and stresses the importance of reading for pleasure. Helped a little by his dog!
A brilliant UK and Ireland children and young adults’ booklist – as we remain in national lockdown this wonderful list of fifty books on the Tripfiction website allows children and young people to read their way around beautiful Britain and Ireland.
New presenters for children’s book radio show and podcast Down the Rabbit Hole – “Down the Rabbit Hole” is starting 2021 with a new presenting and production team, including author Sam Sedgman, Scholastic’s Hannah Love, Little Tiger’s Charlie Morris and The Bookseller‘s Caroline Carpenter. The new format for the show will involve picking a monthly theme, inviting guests and examining books that link to the month’s discussion topic.
Newbery and Caldecott 2021 Winners – a write up on the Pragmatic Mom blog of this year’s winners and honours lists for each of these prestigious US book awards. Michaela Goade became the first Native American to win the Caldecott Medal for her illustrations in the children’s book “We Are Water Protectors”.
Seven Stories Digital Author Event with Michael Morpurgo – Thursday 11th February 2021, 1.30pm Recommended age: Y3, Y4, Y5 & Y6. This event will be live streamed through a private YouTube link and last approximately 45 minutes, including a talk from Michael and a Q&A at the end. Michael will be talking about some of his best-loved books including War Horse, The Butterfly Lion,Shadow and Private Peaceful, as well as reading from his latest book, Boy Giant.
Reading Zone Book Club – this newsletter includes their featured authors for January, Children’s Author of the Month Cat Weldon introduces the Vikings and Norse Gods in How to be a Hero and YA Author of the Month is KL Kettle with The Boy I Am, a powerful dystopian novel exploring gender and power. There are also chapter extracts to download and information about their forthcoming book club events. This is a very useful website.
BookTrust Represents, Knights Of and CLPE unveil new Black British anthology Happy Here – BookTrust has teamed up with the inclusive publisher Knights Of and the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) to produce a brilliant new anthology of stories from Black British authors and illustrators including Patrice Lawrence, Joseph Coelho, Onyinye Iwu and Selom Sunu. Happy Here, which is introduced by High Rise Mystery author Sharna Jackson, pairs ten Black writers and ten Black illustrators for stories and poems covering themes of joy, home and family.
Share A Story with World Book Day – the organisers of World Book Day launched the schedule of FREE events for the new Share A Story Live this week. Whether you’re at home or at school, join the £1 authors & illustrators in World Book Day week for 3 days of online fun from 3rd-5th March.
Children’s books roundup – the best new picture books and novels – another simply fabulous selection from Imogen Russell Williams. I always know I’m going to enjoy a book that Imogen recommends and I was happy to see two of my recent favourites included; The Valley of Lost Secrets by Lesley Parr and The House at the Edge of Magic by Amy Sparkes. I’m also reminded that I must buy Talk Like a River.
Lesson Plan: Discuss 22-year-old Amanda Gorman’s inaugural poem “The Hill We Climb” – this article on PBS News provides a lesson in which students examine the poetry of Amanda Gorman, who was chosen to read her poem “The Hill We Climb” at President Joe Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20, 2021. Gorman’s poem complemented Biden’s inaugural address and was written to reflect on “the history that we stand on, and the future that we stand for.” Thank you to the School Library Association for sharing this.
Children’s Bookshow Digital Festival 2021 – the organisers have programmed six brilliant LIVE digital author events over three days to celebrate World Book Day, and to encourage children to love reading and books. Line up includes Michael Rosen, Kwame Alexander, Catherine Johnson, Neal Layton and more. Thank you to Jon Biddle for sharing this.
Finally, some book reviews that caught my eye this week…
A Shelter for Sadness,’ by Anne Booth, illustrated by David Litchfield – a couple of weeks ago I shared a lovely interview with the creators of this new picture book which was published last week. This review by Jo Cummins and personal reflection on sadness by Anne Booth is a thoughtful read. A book I am very much looking forward to reading.
Amari and the Night Brothers’, by B.B. Alston – this book is receiving a lot of attention at the moment, it is also included in the Guardian Best Children’s Books article above, and was already pencilled in on my wish list. This great review by Nick Campbell has made me even more enthusiastic. How can we resist a book described as, “a big-screen, 3D, popcorn-munching romp of a novel” and it’s the first of a series too!
Front Desk by Kelly Yang – this is a fabulous and insightful review by Sam Creighton for Just Imagine in which he discusses the various themes covered in this book published by Knight Of. In addition to being both important and relevant Sam also found it thoroughly enjoyable, “I completely and whole-heartedly loved reading this book and I can’t think of a stronger recommendation than that.”
What We’re Scared Of by Keren David – this is another book that I have already mentioned in Reading Matters, with the interview with Keren David on the Awfully Big Blog Adventure. This excellent review by Clare Zinkin explains why this new book matters so much. Definitely a book for all secondary school library shelves.
That’s it for this week. A reminder that the coming week is National Storytelling Week and you can find out more on the official website. Happy reading!
The longlist for the 2021 Branford Boase Award has been announced today. Set up in memory of award-winning author Henrietta Branford and her editor Wendy Boase, one of the founders of Walker Books, the Branford Boase Award is given annually to the author of an outstanding novel for seven year-olds and upwards written by a first-time novelist and also highlights the importance of the editor in the development of new authors.
It has a notable record in picking out the most talented authors at the start of their career. Past winners and shortlisted authors have included such well known and respected names as Siobhan Dowd, Meg Rosoff, Mal Peet, Frank Cottrell Boyce and Patrick Ness as well as Frances Hardinge, M G Leonard and Philip Reeve.
Uniquely, the Branford Boase Award also honours the editor of the winning title and highlights the importance of the editor in nurturing new talent. Despite the challenges of 2020, more than 60 books were submitted; 25 have made it onto the longlist, making it the longest in the award’s history. These include poet Patience Agbabi’s The Infinite, Wranglestone by Darren Charlton and The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates by Jenny Pearson, both shortlisted for the Costa Book Award, and A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll, recently announced as Blackwell’s Book of the Year. Previous winning editors on this year’s longlist include Sarah Odedina (2020 winner), and Rebecca Hill and Becky Walker (2018 winners).
Julia Eccleshare, chair of the judging panel says: ‘After the disruptions and challenges of 2020 we were delighted to receive so many entries for the 2021 award, and of such huge variety. Here are books to make readers laugh, to provoke and make us think, to make us hope. We are excited to share them with this year’s panel of judges’
The 2021 Branford Boase Award longlist in full:
The Infinite by Patience Agbabi, edited by Jo Dingley (Canongate)
The Sky is Mine by Amy Beashel, edited by Shadi Doostdar (Rock the Boat, an imprint of Oneworld)
Wranglestone by Darren Charlton, edited by Katie Jennings (Stripes)
Tiger Heart by Penny Chrimes, edited by Lena McCauley (Orion)
Boy, Everywhere by A.M. Dassu, edited by Emma Roberts (Old Barn Books)
The Good Hawk by Joseph Elliott, edited by Annalie Grainger & Megan Middleton (Walker).
When Life Gives You Mangoes by Kereen Getten, edited by Sarah Odedina (Pushkin Press)
A Clock of Stars: The Shadow Moth by Francesca Gibbons, edited by Nick Lake (HarperCollins Children’s Books), illus by Chris Riddell
Last Lesson by James Goodhand, edited by Ben Horslen (Penguin)
Orla and the Serpent’s Curse by C.J. Haslam, edited by Frances Taffinder (Walker Books)
Witch by Finbar Hawkins, edited by Fiona Kennedy (Head of Zeus)
And the Stars were Burning Brightly by Danielle Jawando, edited by Jane Griffiths (Simon and Schuster)
The Wild Way Home by Sophie Kirtley, edited by Lucy Mackay-Sim (Bloomsbury)
The Wolf Road by Richard Lambert edited by Mikka Haugaard (Everything with Words)
The Strangeworlds Travel Agency by L.D. Lapinski, edited by Lena McCauley (Orion)
A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll, edited by Eishar Brar (Knights Of)
Run, Rebel by Manjeet Mann, edited by Carmen McCullough (Penguin)
Orphans of the Tide by Struan Murray, edited by Ben Horslen (Puffin), illus Manuel Sumberac
Anisha Accidental Detective by Serena Patel, edited by Stephanie King (Usborne), illus Emma McCann
The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates by Jenny Pearson, edited by Rebecca Hill and Becky Walker (Usborne), illus Rob Biddulph
Are You Watching? By Vincent Ralph, edited by Tig Wallace (Penguin)
The Vanishing Trick by Jenni Spangler, edited by Jane Griffiths (Simon and Schuster), illus Chris Mould
The Unadoptables by Hana Tooke, edited by Naomi Colthurst (Puffin), illus Ayesha L. Rubio
The Pure Heart by Trudi Tweedie, edited by Kesia Lupo (Chicken House)
Diary of a Confused Feminist by Kate Weston, edited by Sarah Lambert (Hodder Children’s Books)
The shortlist for the Award will be announced on Thursday 29 April 2020. The winner will be announced on 15 July, COVID-19 rules permitting, at an award ceremony in London.
The Branford Boase Award is sponsored by Walker Books
For more information about the award, including a full list of past winners, and the Henrietta Branford Writing Competition visit www.branfordboaseaward.org.uk .
“Empathy is learnable – only 10% of our empathic ability is genetic. Scientists say that reading builds empathy, and this collection will play a direct role in helping raise an empathy-educated generation.”
Miranda McKearney OBE, EmpathyLab’s founder
EmpathyLab have revealed the 2021 Read For Empathy book collection after an expert judging panel weighed up hundreds of publisher submissions to select 50 of the very best contemporary empathy-boosting books for 4-16 year olds.
During my twenty years as a librarian I have seen how school libraries can act as empathy factories in their communities. The sharing of books with pupils and staff can connect individuals as a school family and encourage us to be empathetic and to show kindness in our daily lives. By stocking the right type of books and making them available to people who need them at the appropriate time libraries make a difference. These two carefully selected collections will enable this to happen more easily.
The primary collection is for 4-11 year olds and consists of 30 books; the secondary collection features 20 books for 12-16 year olds. Many of the books help readers understand the lives of those experiencing tough situations, from witnessing domestic violence to becoming a refugee. Others gently explore everyday situations and emotions, like friendship problems. Several help readers understand the experience of living with autism. The range of creators, formats and genres helps expand children’s world view and understand others better.
Read for Empathy Collection 2021
The 2021 Read For Empathy book collection comes at a time when empathising with others has never been needed more. The judges said: “We have an unprecedented chance to do things differently, building on the wave of community caring we’ve seen in the pandemic. This collection seizes that chance with both hands. The books will help children be their best selves; to think “we”, not “me”. Right now, what could be more important?” The judges also applauded a rise in books reflecting diverse perspectives and experiences – an antidote to hatred and prejudice, and key for building empathic insight. 42% are created by authors and illustrators of colour. The titles include picture books, graphic novels, poetry, novels in verse, early readers and novels so the wide range provides something for all tastes.
Primary Read for Empathy Collection
There are several of my personal favourites included and I am looking forward to exploring the collection over the coming weeks and sharing them on this blog. This year Empathy Day takes place on 10th June and the collections will be used by parents, teachers and librarians in the run- up to Empathy Day and beyond to instil empathy values and skills. This year’s theme is Walking in Someone Else’s Shoes.
Secondary Collection
Free downloadable guides, with tips on how to use the books with children and young people in the home or learning settings, are available online for free at empathylab.uk/2021-read-for-empathy-collections. EmpathyLab’s work on the book collection is supported by specialist book suppliers Peters.
Hello and welcome to this week’s look at what has been happening in the world of children’s books.
What I’m reading…
My family know me well so my Christmas and birthday presents included a wonderful selection of titles plus book tokens so I could indulge myself still further. One of the books my eldest son gave me was Dear Reader by Cathy Retzenbrink, which I finished last weekend. I loved this comforting mix of memoir, homage to the power of books to heal and encourage and many tempting book lists to explore. It is a book I will cherish for many reasons and one I will return to.
Turning to children’s books, this week I read Darwin’s Dragons by Lindsay Gavin. This is a story so compelling that I carried it around with me; every single chapter revealed a new challenge for our hero. Historical fiction that brings science and exploration to life for young readers and a book I would highly recommend for Year 4 upwards. You can read my review and a link to some great teaching resources created by Scott Evans here.
News, articles and resources…
Holocaust Memorial Day resources– A reminder that there is an excellent range of resources to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day (27th January) available on the Literacy Trust website. These include five short videos by award winning author Tom Palmer (with worksheets) encouraging children to write a story based on the testimony of a refugee.
Virtual library gives children in England free book access – Internet classroom Oak National Academy created the library after schools moved to remote learning for the majority of pupils until February half-term. Formed with The National Literacy Trust, the library will provide a book a week from its author of the week. This is a help to those primary schools which do not have an ebook platform and may encourage children to use the ebook facility at their local library too.
Ones to Watch: New Children’s Fiction for Spring 2021 – the Books for Topics team has been taking a look at some of the brilliant new middle-grade titles (ages 8-12) coming up this term. They have picked out ten top recommendations to watch out for from January to March 2021.
Thunder and Lightnings by Jan Mark: Walking the Norfolk Sky – last year I took part in an online book chat organised by Ben Harris linked to Thunder and Lightenings and enjoyed it very much. Even if you are not familiar with the book this is an excellent read and a chance to explore the Norfolk countryside despite being confined to our homes. Thank you to Jon Appleton and Mat Tobin who shared this lovely piece last weekend.
Short Story Collections – if you are looking for short stories to share with children during lockdown Jo Cummins has selected some of her favourites.
Welcome to nature 2.0 for a new generation of Ladybird readers – During the late 1950s and early 1960s, four children’s books about the natural world were published. They bore the title What to Look for in… followed by each of the four seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Now, more than 60 years later, Ladybird Books is publishing a new series under the same title, written by Elizabeth Jenner and illustrated by Natasha Durley. Like the originals, they aim to inspire budding young naturalists to learn more about the wild creatures they might see during the different seasons.
Authors and illustrators lend a hand during lockdown – The Bookseller has provided this online round-up of what some children’s authors and illustrators are offering during lockdown featuring Michael Rosen, Emma Carroll, Piers Torday and many more.
Coram Beanstalk #StayHomeAndReadEveryDay Poster – Now we’re all stuck indoors again let people know what books you are sharing together at home with this new #SHARE poster to colour-in & display. A lovely idea to get children talking about books and reading.
World Book Day in Lockdown – the organisers of World Book Day have updated their FAQ page to provide information about how this event will run this year and using the special book tokens. The website contains a wealth of useful resources suitable for home and school.
Climate activism, through fiction: Middle Grade Fiction – an excellent selection on the Climate Fiction Writers League website including books by Piers Torday, Tom Huddleston, Ele Fountain and Gill Lewis. A good place to start if you are looking for titles to inspire children.
School Library Association Webinar: Empathy Lab book collection – this year’s Read for Empathy Collections for primary and secondary will be announced on 26th January. Run by Sarah Mears MBE, Libraries Connected Programme Manager, this webinar will highlight these books chosen by experts. Sarah will be talking about some of her favourite books in the collection and explain the ‘empathy angles’ that guided their selection and the skills they hope that using the books will build. She will be suggesting ways to use the collection within an empathy context and sharing some of the exciting plans Libraries Connected have for Empathy Day 2021. It is free for SLA members and £18 for non-members. Further details via the link.
The Golden Beano – six digital issues of The Beano are free to download on this website. Thank you to Jon Biddle for sharing this link.
Finally, some book reviews that caught my eye this week…
The Song for Everyone written and illustrated by Lucy Morris – chosen as a Debut of the Month by LoveReading4Kids this picture book celebrating music and its power to change lives sounds extremely appealing. Andrea Reece says “The illustrations come as close as you can get to a visual representation of music and are full of warmth and fellowship.”
Swan Song by Gill Lewis – I am lucky to have a proof copy of this sitting on my shelves and was already looking forward to reading it. This lovely review by Roy James for Just Imagine has made me want to read it even more! “What struck me so powerfully was the sense of freedom running through its pages. And it’s with this that Gill Lewis weaves together a story of personal growth, family, and healing wrapped up in nature.”
The House at the Edge of Magic by Amy Sparkes – I read and reviewed this book over Christmas for the School Librarian magazine and think that Louise Nettleton has captured its appeal in her review, “This story is going to be a hit with children who are a bit young for the darker themes of the middle-grade market but want something more challenging than younger fiction titles offer”
The Hungry Ghost, by H.S. Norup – although I have already included a review of this book published last September this excellent and insightful review by Nick Campbell is definitely worth a read. His comment, “This is one novel that gives the lie to any claim that ‘issues novels’ and ‘novels of the imagination’ are in any kind of hierarchy, or even a binary: the wide-open terrain of the children’s novel allows ‘issues’ to be explored with whatever storytelling device is most effective, and most powerful.” resonated with me. I must read The Hungry Ghost soon!
Darwin’s Dragons is a story so compelling that I carried the book around with me; every single chapter revealed a new challenge for our hero. Historical fiction that brings science and exploration to life for young readers and a book I would highly recommend for upper primary onwards.
Lindsay Galvin has combined fact and fiction in an adventure so vividly drawn that the fantastical feels possible. Authors often take that “What if” question and explore a world that is a joy to inhabit temporarily even though we know it is one conjured by the imagination. Darwin’s Dragons is a story set in a world that is historically and scientifically accurate and so it all feels real. Briefly the reader wonders if the impossible is actually plausible.
It is 1835 and we meet our hero Syms Covington on the Galápagos Islands where, as a former cabin boy and now assistant to the naturalist Charles Darwin, he is helping his master in the gathering of specimens. A storm breaks and as they try to row back to their ship, The Beagle, first Darwin and then Syms end up fighting for their lives in the ocean. As the storm subsides Syms finds himself washed up on a volcanic island. Alone.
From this dramatic opening our young Robinson Crusoe struggles to cope with no water, very little food and a lack of shelter. He knows he must try and survive somehow until his master and the crew come to rescue him but the situation then becomes even more dangerous than he anticipated with the arrival of a huge and terrifying beast. However Syms is not as alone as he thinks and assistance is close at hand in an unusual and unexpected form.
This is a cracking adventure of the traditional type and every heart stopping challenge is met by Syms with a quiet, dogged determination. The chapters are short and the writing rich in detail and imagery which, I think, would make this a treat to read aloud to slightly younger children too. That the story is based on truth and includes real people gives this a greater impact and will awaken curiosity in readers to discover more about this fascinating period in history. I particularly enjoyed the cameo appearance by a young Queen Victoria.
There are aspects to this story that resonate strongly today. Charles Darwin’s scientific discoveries were greeted with scepticism by many initially and he waited many years to publish his findings. This sceptical attitude is still seen today in the attitude of some to the threat of climate change and this book could be used as a prompt for discussion on this subject.
The book itself is beautifully packaged and designed and the cover illustrations by Gordy Wright incorporate maps and images of Darwin’s works adding to the feel that this is a journal. There is information about the people and the places featured in the story at the end of the book and an interesting interview with Lindsay Galvin plus a timeline of events and suggested reading list. All of which will add to children’s enjoyment and understanding of this hugely enjoyable story.
There are chapter by chapter teaching resources created by Lindsay Galvin and Scott Evans available on the Chicken House Publisher’s website plus videos and an extract of the book to whet your appetite.
I should like to thank Laura Smythe and Chicken House Publishers for providing my review copy. Darwin’s Dragons was published on 7th January and is available to purchase online at Waterstones or via your nearest independent bookshop which can be found on this map.
Having followed Andy Shepherd’s progress from newly published author to popular and established writer I was delighted to be asked to take part in the blogtour for The Boy Who Sang With Dragons. Every so often a book, or in this case a series of books, comes along that a school librarian can recommend far and wide with confidence and it has been wonderful to witness the enthusiasm that has greeted Andy’s magical stories. This enchanting and likeable series reaches a conclusion in this fifth and final book and although young readers will be sad to say goodbye to Tomas, his friends and of course the dragons this is a perfect finale.
Tomas is now an experienced dragon grower, well versed in the needs of his charges and able to cope with all manner of problems resulting from their antics. However it is problems of a different sort that he must overcome in this latest instalment. He uncovers a secret and together with his new friend Aura he sets off on the most challenging adventure so far. With the help of their loyal group of friends and all the dragons of different sizes and skills Tomas and Aura solve the mystery that lies at the heart of the story of the dragons and discover the true depths of their friendship.
This final adventure is told with all the humour and warmth that we have come to expect from the previous books. Central to the story are Tomas and his likeable family in particular the relationship between Tomas and his Grandad and this aspect adds greatly to the emotional response of the reader. These are relatable and likeable people. Tomas is maturing and learning how to adjust to the changing dynamics of his group of friends as some depart to live elsewhere and new friends increase in importance. This is a useful life lesson for children who will discover through Tomas’s story the way in which friendships can alter and be tested but still remain constant. When Tomas feels threatened by developments it is Grandad with his wisdom and his toffees who comes to the rescue yet again.
But, importantly, this is also a story of humour and excitement! The plot has moments of peril and danger that are sure to keep children gripped. There is a lot of fun in this book but a lot of heart too. Andy Shepherd balances the adventure and the danger with tenderness and thoughtfulness too. I have mentioned it before but she has a knack of describing emotions and situations in a way that young readers will understand. I love the way in which she encourages her readers to stop and take notice so as not to miss the magic that is all around them if they look carefully.
Andy Shepherd has a wonderful website full of information and entertaining stuff for children including yummy recipes, dragonfruit fact sheets and quizzes. The range of teaching resources Andy has thoughtfully created for schools is extensive and covers everything from creative writing to art and research to media and these are available to download here. These would be fabulous to use in the classroom but are also perfect for home learning during the lockdown too.
Thank you very much to Andy and Piccadilly Press for providing my review copy and inviting me to take part in this blog tour. The Boy Who Sang With Dragons was published on 7th January and is available to purchase at Waterstones online or via your nearest independent bookshop which can be found on this map.
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