A thoughtful look at a day in the life of a young carer sensitively told by Tony Bradman, this would be an excellent addition to school library and classroom shelves.
Things are not going well for Jayden. After a sleepless night he has to prepare breakfast for both himself and his little sister and get ready for school, making sure that they are not late. Jayden’s Mum has been very sad for some time and stays in bed for days at a time so the responsibilities have fallen on him. When he arrives at school his best friend Dylan announces that they are not friends anymore and walks away arm in arm with new arrival, Luca. As the day progresses things go from bad to worse for poor Jayden. The arrogant Luca makes things difficult for him and Jayden is finding school work increasingly difficult to cope with and is falling behind the rest of the class. Coincidentally someone else is not having a good day either. Miss Wilson, a supply teacher, is covering for Jayden’s absent class teacher and arrives late for her first day increasing her own feelings of gloom. She is no longer sure teaching is the job for her and worries that increased paperwork is taking her away from the part of the job she loves the most; working with and helping children. Today their paths will cross in ways that may help both of them.
This is a book that touches on many themes in a compassionate and understanding manner using a scenario that children will relate to easily. During a typical school day following a familiar format the difficult subjects of depression, bullying and anxiety are made accessible to young readers. The impact of home life on school is well portrayed and the importance of asking for help when it is needed is emphasised. It is often extremely hard for children to acknowledge that they need an adult’s assistance and this story will encourage children to realise that the first step is an important one. Sharing feelings and problems can feel impossible for some and the kindness shown in this story will reassure young readers.
The book is illustrated throughout by Tania Rex and presented in a dyslexic friendly typeface on cream paper making it more accessible to a wide range of readers. Tony Bradman has dedicated his story to ‘all the Jaydens and Miss Wilsons everywhere’; a lovely thought.
I should like to thank Kirstin Lamb and the publishers Barrington Stoke for my review copy. A Bad Day for Jayden was published in March and is available to purchase online
The third in a series inspired by the author’s real life cats this action packed adventure is full of humour and is a real mood lifter of a book. Illustrated throughout, this is great fun for young newly confident readers and parents will enjoy reading it aloud too.
During the day Toto and her brother Silver are ordinary cats living with their owners in a town house in London. However, at night this all changes! Toto is almost totally blind but has been taught extraordinary skills by a ninja cat master back in Italy, where she was born. As night falls she and Silver embark on top secret adventures keeping the streets of London safe from notorious animal criminals. After months of exhausting work Toto and Silver are ready for a holiday and their friend, Catface, arranges a trip to the world’s most famous musical – Catstonbury! Toto is looking forward to a well earned rest but an evil villain has other plans for the festival. Toto has to call on all her skills to defeat the dastardly criminal and save the festival from catastrophe!
Dermot O’Leary uses his background in the music business and his passion for it to good effect in this enjoyable and lively tale. The stars of the festival, Jonny and the Shorthairs, with their lead singer Jonny sporting a huge ‘cat quiff’ and with an ego to match are entertaining characters. Toto’s friend Catface, apparently inspired by Stephen Fry, manages to be ‘both cool and odd’ and is joined by a motley crew of animal chums who team up with Toto as the adventure progresses. Despite the action, the puns and the crazy plot this is also a story of friendship and kindness and it is clear from the success of the series that this is a winning combination for young children.
The eye catching cover and the illustrations throughout are by Nick East and add to the fun immensely. I loved Toto’s twinkly wellies and the double page spread of the festival with Glastonbury Tor recognisable in the distance made me smile. In addition to breaking up the text so that the book does not look too overwhelming for children who have not developed reading stamina the illustrations are great to enjoy for their own sake, full of detail and imagination.
Although this is the third book in the series it works well as a stand alone although I have a suspicion that children will want to collect the set. This would work equally well as a read aloud and parents may have fun recognising aspects of the story and enjoy the wit and the puns too.
You can find out more about Toto in this interview with Dermot O’Leary for The Reading Agency:
I should like to thank Fritha Lindqvist and Hachette Children’s Publishers for providing my copy for review. Toto The Ninja Cat and the Superstar Catastrophe is out now and is available to purchase online
Hello everyone and welcome to another Reading Matters. As we approach the third week of the restrictions we are living under at present books can be an escape for both adults and children but they can also bring us together as a community online. This week I have included articles that I hope will encourage and soothe in addition to being interesting. There are also links to some more useful book related resources for children and some reviews.
What I’m reading…
This week I have read and reviewed a range of different types of book so I hope there is something here for all tastes. I loved The Pear Affair by Judith Eagle, a great adventure story with wonderful characters and a setting brought vividly to life. It would be perfect for confident readers of about 9 plus but would also work well as a read aloud for younger children. The Cockatoo from Timbuktu is a cheerful picture book helping young children to travel around the world from their own living rooms. I am a huge fan of the books published by Barrington Stoke and have reviewed two new titles in their brilliant little Gem series.
More book related resources for children staying at home…
Gaspard and the Quiet Day – If you are a parent, carer or teacher trying to find a comforting way of explaining the current situation to young children this is wonderful. A video of a special story written by Zeb Soanes and illustrated by James Mayhew, it is both thoughtful and reassuring. Perfectly done.
14 Stories in 14 days from Egmont Publishers – a new website, inspired by the recommended 14 days of self-isolation, offering 14 days of free content to provide entertainment and educational support for parents, carers and children across the UK.
Our Corona Diary – founded by Kathryn Evans this initiative hopes to document the experience through the eyes of young diarists and inspire a creative response to the crisis. Suitable for all ages from early years to young adult there are stacks of creative ideas plus information for parents, teachers and carers.
The Bookwanderers Club – a live book club hosted by children’s author Anna James every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 2pm while schools are closed due to COVID-19.
A letter from lockdown, by Michael Morpurgo – “Who needs swords when we have books?” BookTrust President Sir Michael Morpurgo writes a beautiful and encouraging letter to book lovers young and old in lockdown due to the COVID-19 virus.
Bookings Chat – Episode 33 Jennifer Killick – Author Jennifer Killick sits down to talk to school librarian Lucas Maxwell about the Alex Sparrow series, Crater Lake and much more! Episode 36 Anthony McGowan – Award-winning writer Anthony McGowan talks to Lucas about going to school in Leeds, philosophy and his novels including Lark, which has been shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal 2020. Booklings Chat is a regular podcast and worth catching up with if you are not already following.
The Children’s Spring Special from The Bookseller – this special edition has been made freely available online due to the current situation. Lots and lots of wonderful content. This is a bit of a treat for us all!
StoryTime4HomeTime – author and illustrator James Mayhew writes about his recent initiative sharing storytelling and art online. There are some examples of the gorgeous artwork produced by children in response to his videos.
Interview with Kirsty Applebaum, author of TrooFriend – read Kirsty’s thoughts on whether she’d like to own a Troofriend herself on Jo Cummins’ Library Girl and Book Boy blog. Troofriend was published this week by Nosy Crow.
The Best New Children’s Books for Now – chosen by Amanda Craig for The New Statesman these include Where The World Turns Wild by Nicola Penfold and Evernight by Ross MacKenkzie, two of my favourites so far this year.
Finally some reviews of children’s books that caught my eye this week…
Jungledrop by Abi Elphinstone – I nearly didn’t read this review by Veronica Price as my copy was almost at the top of my teetering book pile. She describes the ‘countless things to love about this story.’ I’ve now moved the book to the top!
That’s all for this week I do hope that this has been useful. If you are on Twitter do look out for #UnitedByBooks as many wonderful ideas, tips and resources are being shared to bring us all together.
Are you looking for books to encourage new readers? Barrington Stoke have published some wonderful books for younger readers recently and here are just two of them to give you a taste of what is available.
Everyone in Jackson’s class has a pet and Jackson would love a pet of his very own. He has a little brother but that’s not quite the same thing. Then one day Jackson meets a mysterious man when walking to school. The mysterious man has a pet cat named Mrs Wilson who takes a shine to Jackson and very soon Jackson gets not just one cat but one hundred and one cats!
Jeremy Strong has a gift for writing humour in books for children and for knowing what will appeal to young readers. This story is at times laugh out loud funny and at others a thoughtful look at how children can learn to overcome shyness. The author uses humour to lighten the fact that what young Jackson really needs is a friend. The text is accompanied by cheerful illustrations by Matt Robertson and children will love the cats. All the cats! There are cats of every type, colour and disposition wandering through the story and the endpapers. There is also a spot the difference puzzle featuring the mysterious man who readers will discover at the end of the story is hiding a rather special secret. A lovely book sure to put smiles on faces.
These two fairy tales with a twist told by one of our best loved authors featuring clever children getting the better of a grizzly bear and a grumpy king are sure to be a hit with new readers. In the first of the stories a little girl named Masha is lost in the woods near her Grandma’s house when she is whisked away by a ‘massive muscly bear’ who wants her to cook and clean for him. Masha is not happy about this at all and comes up with a cunning plan involving cakes to trick the bear which she hopes will allow her to escape and return home to Grandma. The massive, muscly bear is sure he is too clever to be tricked, but he may be wrong!
The second story features a grumpy and rather bored king. Despite his courtiers doing their best to entertain him he wants more. He proclaims that the person who is able to tell him the biggest lie will win The Great Golden Belly-button. So the search begins across the kingdom for the biggest liar. The king is unimpressed by all the people flocking to see him to tell lies then a small girl called Peggy arrives at the palace. Surely she is not a liar! The charming illustrations throughout by Ashley King add to the fun of both these stories plus puzzles to solve inside the front and back covers.
Both of these books are part of the fabulous Little Gems series from Barrington Stoke for young readers aged 5-8 and have a dyslexia-friendly layout, typeface and paperstock so that even more readers can enjoy them.
I would like to thank Kirstin Lamb and Barrington Stoke for providing my review copies. Both books are available now and can be purchased online by clicking on the titles above.
A cheerful picture book following a baby cockatoo as he tries to find his way home, this is fun to share while also enabling young children to discover countries around the world alongside the little bird.
Kian the little cockatoo lives in a zoo and sings about his happy life back home in Timbuktu. He yearns for home and one day when the keeper opens his cage Kian sneaks out and flies off, homeward bound. But how will he find his way home? Which way should he go?
Young children will find Kian appealing and enjoy following him as he makes his way back to Africa and home. Luckily for the reader Kian takes a rather roundabout and scenic route visiting Antarctica, Australia, India, China, England, Egypt and many other countries on his journey. The story told in rhyme with use of repetition describes all the sights that he sees along the way including a variety of animals, famous landmarks and places so children learn as they listen or read along.
The illustrations are bright and cheerful depicting many of the animals and places mentioned on Kian’s journey. Young children will enjoy recognising some of these and it is also a good prompt for discussion and a mini geography lesson as well as being entertaining. There is also a little ladybird to find on every page, a map of the world at the beginning and end of the book showing the route that Kian takes plus a page of fun facts to complete the package.
A lovely picture book for sharing in the home or classroom. I should like to thank the author, William Ford, for my free review copy. The Cockatoo from Timbuktu is out now and available to purchase online
I loved Judith Eagle’s debut, The Secret Starling, so it was with eager anticipation that I started reading her second book. I was not disappointed. Wonderful storytelling, an epic adventure, villains that make you boo and hiss, brave and resourceful children, the evocative Parisian setting and the mouthwatering French food, all blend together in an entertaining mystery. This book is a delight of a read.
Nell Magnificent usually does her best to avoid spending time with her awful parents. Her money obsessed father, Gerald and her fashion obsessed mother, Melinda show no interest in their daughter and treat her with disdain. It is therefore rather surprising that Nell should beg to be allowed to accompany them on a business trip to Paris. However Nell has a particular reason for wanting to visit the French capital. Her adored au pair, Perrine, or Pear as she was known, lives there and Nell is desperate to find her. Pear used to write regularly to Nell and had promised to rescue her from her miserable life but her letters have suddenly stopped. Nell is determined to find out why and to uncover the mystery behind Pear’s disappearance. Nell embarks on an adventure in which she makes new friends, hides in laundry rooms of grand hotels and races through secret tunnels and catacombs as she uncovers secrets beneath the bustling city.
This is an adventure with a traditional feel and is the type of story that encouraged me to become a reader as a child. The twists and turns of the plot, the gradual development of friendships and the growing bravery of Nell all encourage the reader to feel very much part of the action. Judith Eagle’s love of Paris shines through the entire book and the city comes vividly to life in the descriptions and the depiction of everyday life. The mouthwatering food, oh my goodness the food! I could almost taste the croque monsieur and the hot chocolate with the piece of chocolate melting in it. There are wonderful descriptions of the bakery delicacies, the fashion houses, the cobbled streets and the wide boulevards. In my head I was reading this with a French accent!
Nell is an extremely engaging character and her friendship with Xavier and his family and friends is believable and touching. Readers will, I think, enjoy the bravery and resourcefulness that the young characters display and as the story is set in the 1960s there is a satisfying independence to their lives due to the absence of mobile phones and technology. There are several strands to the plot and these are brought together in a satisfying and rather unexpected ending. A happy book imbued with a feeling of kindness and highly recommended.
The attractive cover and lovely chapter headings throughout are by Kim Geyer. I should like to thank Faber and Faber Publishers for providing my review copy,
The Pear Affair was published on 5th March and is available to buy online. If you are looking for another adventure for this age group I would recommend Sky Chasers by Emma Carroll coincidentally also set in France but this time during the 18th century.
Hello everyone and I hope you are managing to cope and to keep well during these strange times for us all. This week I have tried to balance news and articles with more links to book related resources available for children as we adapt to these very different circumstances.
What I’m reading…
Although I am finding it difficult to concentrate on any reading at the moment I have finished reading The Pear Affair by Judith Eagle. What a lovely book! Escaping to 1960’s Paris was just what I needed and this happy adventure is a joy to read. My review should be on the blog at the beginning of next week. I’m also catching up on Books For Keeps which is always entertaining and informative and I would highly recommend it.
Book related resources available for children…
If you missed my Reading for Pleasure – Resources to Help Children Enjoy Books at Home last week I have added some new links to brilliant creative and engaging resources that have been shared and will continue to update it regularly. Here are some more useful resources below.
Support for Out of School Learning – the School Library Association have a dedicated page on their website for the current crisis with a list of great resources & info about their upcoming webinar plan for librarians and teachers (you need to scroll to the bottom for the webinar info) It is being constantly updated.
BBC Bitesize Fact or Fake – Fact or Fake? – this new area on the educational website is designed to help children to identify fake news and misinformation through a range of engaging articles, videos and quizzes.
Free Resources from Barrington Stoke – From reading guides to colouring in sheets, their Young Editors Scheme to author videos, there’s something for every age of reader linked to some of this publisher’s wonderful books.
StoryTime4HomeTime with James Mayhew – From Monday 23 March, author and illustrator James Mayhew has been posting videos on Youtube at 3pm. Whether you’re in school or at home you can listen to a story and watch James draw upside down! A lovely, soothing end to the day.
Draw with Jim Field – learn to draw alongside illustrator Jim Field with these great videos of him drawing Oi Frog and more on his website.
A Point of View: Cause for Hope – Michael Morpurgo’s thoughts on hunkering down in his cottage in Devon waiting for coronavirus to pass on this BBC Radio4 broadcast, available to listen to now if you missed it.
Book Recommendations for Home Learning – more helpful lists compiled by Alison on @Booksfortopics for different age groups and free to download in PDF format.
Down The Rabbit Hole Episode 7 Spring Special with Levi Pinfold and Kes Gray and Jim Field – In this special bumper episode of the Resonance FM programme, Imogen Russell Williams interviews award-winning artist Levi Pinfold about his extraordinary books and exquisite work on Harry Potter; and Jack Noel talks to picture book creators Kes Gray and Jim Field about their wildly brilliant Oi! partnership.
How Bookshops are Helping with Isolation – As more countries go into lockdown, bookshops around the world are having to think of creative ways to serve their customers and communities, writes Clare Thorp on the BBC website.
How to Draw…a Panda with Jackie Morris – Children’s author and illustrator Jackie Morris made a special trip to see the pandas at Edinburgh zoo to create this gorgeous guide to drawing a panda bear for the Guardian. You can meet pandas and seven other types of other bears in Jackie Morris’s new book Something About A Bear.
Tiny Owl Publishers Order Now Pay Later Offer! – the lovely team at Tiny Owl are providing the opportunity to order books by email with the option to pay now or choose to pay by 30th June.
Dot Magazine from Studio Anorak – now may be just the time to take out a subscription to a regular magazine and this one reviewed by Jo @LibraryGirl&BookBoy sounds great for younger children.
Lost by Adele Fountain – reviewed by Ruth Ng for The Bookbag @TheBookbag she describes this book as ‘full of adventure, and heartwarming family loyalty, this is an exciting and moving story.’
Max and the Midknights by Lincoln Pierce – ‘the perfect story for escapism and reassurance – the world isn’t always perfect but a good band of friends can make it easier to cope’ says Louise Nettleton @Lou_Nettleton in her cracking review.
That’s all for this week. I hope that something here has made you smile or has been interesting or helpful.
Hello everyone and welcome to another Reading Matters and a look back at the week in children’s books. This has been a difficult week for many and these are strange and worrying times. However I have decided to continue with these weekly updates for now as books can be a solace and an escape for us all so I hope very much that a guide to what is available may be comforting and helpful.
There has been an incredible amount of resources and information generously shared to support teachers and families following the closure of schools. This can at times feel bewildering and overwhelming. Therefore I am not including a vast number in Reading Matters this week as it would take up so much space but have written about these in a separate post Reading for Pleasure – Resources to Help Children Enjoy Books at Home I have however selected three that I think may be useful for teachers and school librarians below.
At the moment I am reading and enjoying The Pear Affair by Judith Eagle and pretending I am in Paris. A happy escape! I hope to post a review next week.
Last Saturday I had a rewarding day at the Central and East Berkshire branch of the School Library Association’s unconference. It now feels a lifetime ago in many ways but it was a valuable, interesting and thought provoking day. School librarians sharing ideas and practical suggestions in a friendly environment and giving a warm welcome to those of us from outside the area too. A tour of the Licensed Victuallers School Ascot’s library was included and here’s some photos for inspiration…
Resources…
Just Imagine – The Reading Journey – The Reading Journey app is FREE. If your school is signed up and you have set up pupils logins, there are lots of books that they can discover at home, an online reading journal and challenges which can be submitted to you via the school dashboard.
Glenthorne School Library Literary Resources – school librarian Lucas Maxwell @lucasjmaxwell has put together a list of links to helpful resources for students and parents. Many of these are suitable for secondary age too.
News from the World of Children’s Books…
Shortlists for CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals Announced – eight-strong shortlists for the UK’s oldest book awards for children and young people were revealed on Thursday. The lists include books promoting environmentalism, acceptance, kindness and bravery. The shadowing website has a range of resources available and the CKG team will be updating the site in response to school closures.
Use them or Lose Them – Our Precious Indies– blogpost by children’s author, Fleur Hitchcock. This is ever more important. Many independent bookshops are taking online orders and some are delivering too. Don’t forget that if you order via Hive Books a percentage of the price goes to an independent bookshop of your choice.
Five Books That Explain Germs, Hand Washing & Viruses – Help your children to understand about germs and the importance of hand washing with this helpful list of children’s books about germs, viruses and hand hygiene compiled by Alison Leach of Books for Topics.
DustRoad The Playlist– if you followed the recent blog tour with Tom Huddleston or read my review last week you may already have a copy of Dust Road. Tom has created a brilliant playlist to go with the book that will make you feel as though you are on the road trip with Kara and Joe!
Mental Health, Well Being and the School Library – the #GreatSchoolLibraries campaign has moved on to its next phase one strand of which is the role of the school library and librarian in supporting the mental health and well being of the school community. Vice-chair of the campaign, Barbara Band, has written about this important aspect examining research and asking for case studies.
British Book Awards 2020 – Tiny Owl are joint winners with Jacaranda Press of the inaugural Small Press of the Year Award. Tiny Owl publish some very lovely books for children and their website is well worth a browse.
Booktrust interview with Jessica Sanders, author of Love Your Body – When Jessica Sanders realised that she didn’t know any women who hadn’t experienced a negative body image when they were growing up, she decided to do something about it and write a book. Love Your Body is out now, illustrations by Carol Rossetti.
Finally here are some reviews that caught my eye this week…
Matisse’s Magical Trail by Tim Hopgood and Adam Boughton – shortlisted for Children’s Book Award this review is part of the linked blog tour and Scott Evans @MrEPrimary says ‘ I hope this book reaches the hands & hearts of many a reader, whether that be in a classroom, a library or a home because this is one that deserves to be read and reread, shared and re-shared over and over again.’ It sounds wonderful.
How Does Your Garden Grow? – a beautiful selection of tempting books reviewed by Jo @LibraryGirl&BookBoy that will encourage green fingers and welcome Spring. Perfect timing for stay at home families who are able to get out into a garden.
Talking to the Moon by S E Durrant – Andrea Reece describes this as ‘a poignant, thoughtful examination of family relationships, memory and loss’ on the LoveReading4Kids website. Another for my lengthy list.
That’s all for this week and I hope that you have found something of interest. Over the coming days and weeks although we have to practise social distancing we can meet up online and share a love of stories, escape to an imaginary world, visit new places or make new friends in the pages of a book. Keep well everyone and happy reading.
As the new term starts teachers, support staff and parents have been faced with a last minute turn around regarding the opening of schools and once again on-line learning is to be adopted for the majority of the children across England.
Please find the updated link here to updated websites and additional resources. The links below refer to last year’s resources.
Organisations, Charities and Literacy Websites
Words for Life – a brilliant place for parents to start, this is a comprehensive web portal for parents created by The Literacy Trust. Split up by age group, you will find ideas and guidance for simple activities that will engage children at home, while also benefiting their reading, writing and language development. You’ll be able to access free reading and writing resources, audiobooks, videos, competitions and reading challenges. Their new Virtual School Library site also offers author videos, free books, exclusive videos and their top three recommended reads.
World Book Day – Browse their booklists for children and young people at all ages and stages – for ideas and inspiration. There are stacks of links to book related resources and videos too. They have just added the Book Ideas Hub to the website which looks fabulous.
Authorfy – this is a great website. Full of free resources, activity packs, writing prompts, author videos and brilliant book recommendations this is a good way to entertain and educate children as it is so engaging.
Audible Stories – Audible have launched a free service that offers educational and entertaining audiobook content for kids, teens, and families.
Book Trust Stories and Games – lots of lovely interactive books to read online or watch with signing plus stacks of games and activities to share. They have now added a Home Time page with links to lots of fabulous activities. This is definitely worth a look.
Authors, Illustrators and Publishers
Rob Biddulph Draw Along Videos – these are great. Each Tuesday and Thursday at 10am Rob Biddulph is posting a video of him drawing a character for children to copy. These are stored on his website for you to watch later.
Chicken House Books Education Hub – Here you’ll find educational resources that work alongside this publisher’s most popular books books. Although designed for use in schools the videos and PDF downloads etc. could be enjoyed at home too.
Elise Gravel Free Comic– Illustrator Elise Gravel has created a free to download comic which explains the Covid19 situation to children.
Abi Elphinstone Jungle Drop – author Abi Elphinstone has shared 7 videos of her chatting about her latest book due out in May. You can have a sneaky peep at the opening chapters here too.
Caryl Hart Author Events Online – This is an excellent resource. Authors and illustrators are creating loads of resources that children, teachers and families can access from home. These include videos, live broadcasts on Instagram and Facebook, and printables and these have been collated and shared on this site by author Caryl Hart.
Steve Lenton’s Draw-Along-A-Lenton – Children’s Illustrator Steve Lenton’s YouTube channel is full of great videos showing children that everyone can draw and is being updated frequently.
Kids Poems and Stories With Michael Rosen – This is the official Michael Rosen video channel. All videos and playlists on this channel have been approved by Michael Rosen and are safe to watch.
Nick Sharratt’s Drawing Tips – Lots of videos with drawing activities based on his well known books such as the Daisy series by Kes Gray plus the characters for Jacqueline Wilson’s books and more.
Walkers Picture Book Party – ACTIVITY SHEETS: drawing, spot-the-difference or escape some mazes, there’s something for everyone!
UPDATED 2nd APRIL
Read Aloud with Frank Cottrell Boyce – the award winning author readingi The Astounding Broccoli Boy chapter by chapter on instagram. It’s a cheery comedy set during a pandemic!
Stay at Home Story Time with Oliver Jeffers – author and illustrator Oliver Jeffers is reading one of his books every weekday on Instagram and talking about some of the things that went into making it. This link takes you to his website where all the videos are being collated.
Free Resources from Barrington Stoke – From reading guides to colouring in sheets, their Young Editors Scheme to author videos, there’s something for every age of reader linked to some of this publisher’s wonderful books.
StoryTime4HomeTime with James Mayhew – From Monday 23 March, author and illustrator James Mayhew has been posting videos on Youtube at 3pm. Whether you’re in school or at home you can listen to a story and watch James draw upside down! A lovely, soothing end to the day.
Nosy Crow Free Resources – these publishers have put together lots of activities, resources, free Nosy Crow books and other content which they hope will help keep families happy. There are lots of links to fabulous stuff here.
Draw with Jim Field – learn to draw alongside illustrator Jim Field with these great videos of him drawing Oi Frog and more on his website.
Gaspard and the Quiet Day – If you are a parent, carer or teacher trying to find a comforting way of explaining the current situation to young children this is wonderful. A video of a special story written by Zeb Soanes and illustrated by James Mayhew, it is both thoughtful and reassuring. Perfectly done.
14 Stories in 14 days from Egmont Publishers – a new website, inspired by the recommended 14 days of self-isolation, offering 14 days of free content to provide entertainment and educational support for parents, carers and children across the UK.
Our Corona Diary – founded by Kathryn Evans this initiative hopes to document the experience through the eyes of young diarists and inspire a creative response to the crisis. Suitable for all ages from early years to young adult there are stacks of creative ideas plus information for parents, teachers and carers.
The Bookwanderers Club – a live book club hosted by children’s author Anna James every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 2pm while schools are closed due to COVID-19.
UPDATED 10th APRIL
Coronavirus: A Book for Children – Publishers Nosy Crow have produced a free information book explaining the coronavirus to children, illustrated by Gruffalo illustrator Axel Scheffler, with expert input. This is excellent & can be downloaded via the link above.
Hay Festival Programme for Schools Free Events Online – Watch authors from Hay Festival Programme for Schools filmed over the last 3 years. There are 55 fun filled and inspiring events to choose from including Ade Adepitan, Gemma Cairney, Emma Carroll, Eoin Colfer, Julian Clary, Abi Elphinstone and Andy Stanton.
Art with Clara Vulliamy – Author and illustrator Clara Vulliamy has started sharing entertaining art and drawing activities on her YouTube channel based on the characters from her much loved books.
#LibrariesFromHome brought to you by Libraries Connected – amongst the range of digital resources available are the excellent online rhyme times, story times and lego clubs that keep children engaged and support early literacy and creative thinking.
That’s all for now, I will add others as and when I find them. These will, I hope, add fun to reading at home. Don’t forget if you are a member of your local library they will provide a range of online resources that are included in your membership.
The third in this magical series by Sally Gardner this delightful book is a treat for young readers. The story is told with bags of humour and a touch of the ridiculous and this, combined with the wonderful illustrations by Nick Maland throughout, results in a perfect package for newly confident readers. The fact that it is printed in blue ink in Dyslexie, a font designed to make reading easier and more fun, ensures that Betsy and Mr Tiger’s adventures can be enjoyed by a wider audience.
“We, the alphabet, are a family of letters. It is, we agree, a rather large family. Nevertheless, we muddle along without too many hiccups. We see ourselves as magicians of words. We sprinkle spells, make up stories, tell tall tales, spin yarns into a fabric of fables.”
So begins this adventure into a magical world of talking tigers, mermaids, shipwrecks, treasure and copious amounts of ice cream. When Sally Gardner is the magician weaving words into tales to enchant children we know that we are entering a world of vivid imagination and Betsy’s adventures have a surreal feel to them. Yet the magic is grounded by an ingenious plot and believable relationships between the quirky characters. This is a thoroughly enjoyable read and I had somehow missed the first two books in the series but now want to put that right.
In this story we discover that all is not well in the underwater world of Mermaid City. Sea Pig’s prized seahorse, Pudding Pie, has gone missing and the cantankerous octopus is implicated in the disappearance. Betsy and her friend Mr Tiger must go to the rescue in their submarine and search for a happy ending for everyone. All does not go smoothly for our adventurers and the intrepid and determined Betsy finds herself having to cope alone at times and rises to the challenge magnificently. There is a reassuring wisdom about Mr Tiger who has touch of the wise professor about him as he conducts himself with dignity even when wearing a deep sea diving suit.
The wonderful illustrations by Nick Maland including several double page spreads add greatly to the appeal and also break up the text in a manner that makes the book look less overwhelming for children who have not yet developed reading stamina. I think children would have a sense of achievement and satisfaction on completion of this happy story. This would also be a treat to read aloud either at home or in the classroom. Highly recommended.
I should like to thank the publishers Zephyr Books for providing my review copy.
Mr Tiger, Betsy and the Golden Seahorse is available to purchase in all good bookshops or online
If you are looking for a book by Sally Gardner suitable for older children I would recommend Invisible in a Bright Light another story with a fairy tale quality.
Everyone in Jackson’s class has a pet and Jackson would love a pet of his very own. He has a little brother but that’s not quite the same thing. Then one day Jackson meets a mysterious man when walking to school. The mysterious man has a pet cat named Mrs Wilson who
These two fairy tales with a twist told by one of our best loved authors featuring clever children getting the better of a grizzly bear and a grumpy king are sure to be a hit with new readers. In the first of the stories a little girl named Masha is lost in the woods near her Grandma’s house when she is whisked away by a ‘massive muscly bear’ who wants her to cook and clean for him. Masha is not happy about this at all and comes up with a cunning plan involving cakes to trick the bear which she hopes will allow her to escape and return home to Grandma. The massive, muscly bear is sure he is too clever to be tricked, but he may be wrong!
Library Lady 