Reading Matters – news from the world of children’s books

Posted on March 14, 2020 by alibrarylady

Welcome to another Reading Matters and the chance to catch up on children’s book news that you may have missed during the week. This week’s news has been dominated by the possibility of school closures so some of the links include online resources that may be helpful. If you are on Twitter it is worth having a look at #FreeResources too. 

What I’m reading…

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This week I have read and very much enjoyed Dust Road by Tom Huddleston. This dystopian thriller, the sequel to Flood World,  is excellent for young readers who enjoy exciting and dramatic storylines but like books which make them think and ask questions too. I was delighted to take part in the blog tour to mark Dust Road’s publication and to host an interesting and enlightening Q & A with Tom Huddleston which added even more to my enjoyment of the story.

I have also read Mr Tiger, Betsy and the Golden Seahorse written by Sally Gardner and illustrated by Nick Marland. This is a entertaining and magical story which would be a treat to read aloud and my review will be on the blog next week. 

News from the world of children’s books…

From Watership Down to War Horse: Books about heroic animals – Damian Barr celebrates animal bravery in wild tales about battles, cruelty and kindness in his article for the Guardian

Marvellous Mums (book list) – with Mothers’ Day coming up on 22nd March Alison Leach of Books for Topics has created this helpful list of books celebrating mums. She has also added some thoughtful suggestions for sole Dads, grandparents and maternal bereavement.

Graphic Novels with Curriculum Links– Secondary school librarian, Melanie McGilloway @librarymice has compiled a helpful list of graphic novels grouped by curriculum subjects.

What do Artists Do All Day? – Shirley Hughes – a BBC4 programme shown again last Sunday and available to watch for a little while yet. Well worth watching especially if you are a fan of Shirley Hughes’s wonderful books.

Desert Island Discs with Chris Riddell author, illustrator and former Children’s Laureate – if you missed this last weekend it is still available to listen to and well worth a catch up. A lovely uplifting listen. 

Shortlist Announced for the KPMG Children’s Book Awards Ireland – The ten titles competing for this year’s awards have been revealed, as part of Belfast Children’s Festival. These include Toffee by Sarah Crossan and The Tide by Clare Helen Walsh illustrated by Ashling Lindsay. 

Flood World and Dust Road by Tom Huddleston Teaching Resource Pack – these two thrilling reads would be great for use in the classroom and publishers Nosy Crow have produced an excellent teaching pack including links to subjects such as democracy and morality and society plus creative writing prompts.

Register for the 2020 Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Award Shadowing Scheme – the shortlists are announced on 19th March and time is running out to register your school for the excellent shadowing scheme. There are a range of downloadable resources available and a shadowing tool kit.  

The Book Whisperer – a brand new blog from @TheBookWhisperer2 featuring reviews of the latest children’s books and recommended reads. There is also a link to a variety of free online educational resources. 

Custom Eyes Large Print Children’s Books – available via the Guide Dogs for the Blind website, from Dr Seuss to Shakespeare, from inspirational fiction to educational textbooks, over 4,200 large print books available for purchase for visually impaired children. Although too late for this year they do also provide large print copies of the World Book Day books. 

Free Reading Realm Home Learning Pack: Nature and Animals – Ian Eagleton, creator of the Reading Realm App, has produced this FREE Nature and Animals Home Learning Pack with drawing activities, extracts to read, spelling/grammar/punctuation tasks for any parents, teachers, schools who might need it. 

Registration now open for Bookbuzz 2020 – Bookbuzz is a reading programme from BookTrust that aims to help schools inspire a love of reading in 11 to 13-year-olds. (Years 7/8) Participating schools give their students the opportunity to choose their own book to take home and keep from a list of 17 titles. 

Books for Keeps March Issue out now – initially I selected a couple of articles to highlight but quite honestly the whole issue is worth making time for. Thoughtful articles and great reviews for children’s book lovers. 

Cast of Thousands Children’s Books for Educators – featuring hand picked quality books this website is for educators everywhere, school, home, museum.  Age adaptable activities and information linked to children’s books that support learning across a range of subjects.

Love My Books– helpful website for creative book based literacy activities designed for home learning with more books and activities added recently. 

Finally, some reviews that caught my eye this week…

The Lost Book by Margarita Surnaite – Andrea Reece, of LoveReading4Kids describes this picture book as ‘An intriguing book about the power of stories, and the importance of keeping your eyes open, beautifully and sensitively illustrated.’ 

Fierce, Fearless and Free by Lari Don illustrated by Eilidh Muldoon – reviewed on Books for Topics this anthology ‘simply showcases genuine traditional tales about girls who are the stars of their own stories.’ 

Bearmouth by Liz Hyder– Lucas Maxwell says that ‘Bearmouth is truly a unique YA that is near impossible to put down’ in his review. Suitable for aged 13+ and excellent for secondary school libraries.

That’s all for this week, I hope that this round up has been helpful and that you have found something of interest to you. I’m off to a day with the Berkshire branch of the School Library Association to share with and learn from school librarians. Have a great weekend and happy reading. 



 




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Dust Road by Tom Huddleston

Posted on March 14, 2020 by alibrarylady

Dust Road, the sequel to Flood World, is another epic adventure on a grand scale. Its gripping plot, vicious villains, courageous heroes and thought provoking themes combine to make this a rewarding read for children and teens. 

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Tom Huddleston has set his stories in a dystopian world where the rising sea levels have flooded cities while other parts of the world are now barren and desolate. This all feels disturbingly believable which adds to the impact. In Flood World we first met Kara and Joe who survive in The Shanties, the sunken ruins of a once great city. They unwittingly find themselves drawn into a battle between sinister crooks and The Mariners, a group of ruthless sea pirates. The situation quickly spirals out of control and Kara and Joe find their courage and loyalty tested repeatedly. 

Dust Road takes up Kara and Joe’s story as they embark on a perilous journey across the Atlantic and then through the barren wastelands of the US with a band of sinister outlaws who are determined to destroy the Mariners and steal their world and resources. The mounting danger and the moments of nail biting tension make this an exciting read and the powerful descriptions of both landscape and events again give Dust Road a cinematic feel. The places and the people felt real to me and this engagement adds to the reader’s enjoyment. The illustrations add to the appeal and I particularly like the fabulous map by Jensine Eckwall. Since childhood I have always been drawn to books with maps as for me this strengthens the belief in the world created by the author. 

The risks the children take and the danger in which they find themselves ensures that this sequel is a gripping read. There are sinister aspects to the villains that promote thoughts about modern politics and the use of power. There are new evil characters that Kara and Joe must tackle and old enemies from the previous book return too. Interesting themes are conveyed within the story too. There are times when the children have to make difficult choices and this novel will encourage readers to think about individual responsibility and loyalty to friends and family. These are not stereotypes or one dimensional characters, these children make mistakes, have doubts and struggle at times to cope with their predicament. Yet they are also brave, resourceful and determined, all qualities that will inspire young readers.  I particularly liked the way in which Kara and Joe mature throughout the story and there is an important message about helping others conveyed within the adventure. Tom Huddleston combines cliff hanging tension and high drama with moments of humanity and thoughtfulness with great effect. I enjoyed this very much. 

A gripping and original read with some unforgettable characters and tense moments. Dust Road would be excellent for readers of about 10+ who love thrills and excitement. 

Thank you very much to Tom Huddleston, Rebecca Mason and Nosy Crow Books for providing my review copy. Dust Road is available to purchase in all good bookshops or online

There are excellent teaching resources available on the publisher’s website linked to the two books. 

You can get a taste of Dust Road with this extract: 

 

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Blog Tour – Flood World and Dust Road by Tom Huddleston – Q&A with the author

Posted on March 13, 2020 by alibrarylady

Today I am pleased to host the final day of the Flood World and Dust Road blog tour. I thought that Flood World was a fabulous, exciting and thought provoking read so I was delighted to learn that there was to be a sequel.  Dust Road is, I think, even better, full of tension, drama and thrills featuring, in Kara and Joe, engaging characters with a broad appeal. 

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Both books would be excellent for readers of about 10+ who love thrills and excitement and are rewarding reads that will encourage young readers to think and ask questions too

I am delighted that Tom has kindly agreed to answer some questions on the blog today.

1. The theme of climate change, central to both FloodWorld and Dust Road, is timely and a subject that children have become engaged in fully in recent years. Did that engagement influence your decision to use this for the world in which these stories take place or is it something that you have wanted to write about for some time?
 
Well the very first draft of FloodWorld was written more than 10 years ago, long before the school climate strikes started. In fact, the issue I was most keen to explore initially was to do with terrorism, and the way an entire group of people can be demonised by the actions of a few extremists. That’s still a pretty timely theme, obviously.
 
But the first draft wasn’t very good, and the book ended up going into a drawer for quite a few years. It was when I was working on a much later draft, after my publishers Nosy Crow got involved, that the climate strikes began in earnest. I found them really inspiring, and they definitely influenced the way I felt about the book. It gave everything new meaning and new urgency. I really wanted to make the book as clear and forceful as it could be, to add my voice to this ongoing conversation around climate change.

2. The settings are vividly brought to life and feel real to me as a reader but are very different in the two books. What made you choose the locations?
 
I live in London, so that’s why I chose it as the location for FloodWorld – albeit in a much more waterlogged form! I find a story much more convincing if the writer really knows the place they’re writing about. If I’m honest, it wasn’t a very practical choice: London is not exactly close to the sea, so it’d take an extreme rise in tidal levels to flood the city. But I felt like it was more important that the story feel real than that it actually be real, if that makes sense. I sacrificed scientific fact in favour of a more emotional connection to the story and the location.
 
With DustRoad I wanted a stark contrast, somewhere that felt completely unlike the bustling, flooded city of the first book. A few years back I’d taken a road trip across the southern states of America, from Houston to California through the desert. Again I wanted that sense of realism, so I took inspiration from that journey – plus a couple of earlier road trips – to map out the story, and make the locations feel as real as possible. Hopefully it paid off.

3. There is a real cinematic feel to both books and they would be wonderful on the big screen. If you could choose, who would the director be and which actors would be great as some of the main characters?
 
Well I’m a giant film nerd – writing about cinema was my main job for years, and I still do a fair bit of freelancing. So I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t imagined how FloodWorld might look on the big screen!
 
I think there are loads of directors who’d do a great job. Edgar Wright’s balance of spectacular action and smart humour would be perfect. Taika Waititi is able to get amazing performances out of kids. And I’ve rarely seen a better book adaptation than Greta Gerwig’s recent version of Little Women – though obviously, this one would involve a few more explosions.
 
As for actors, I never had anyone in mind for Kara or Joe. But I do have one very clear casting choice for the FloodWorld movie. Mahershala Ali would be perfect as the Mariner captain, John Cortez. I had him in mind all the way through writing, in fact watching his performances helped me to find the character. I think he’d be incredible.

4. Kara is an interesting character, is she inspired by someone from real life?
 
A few readers have assumed she was inspired by Greta Thunberg, which isn’t the case – in fact, Kara’s essential character is one of the very few things in FloodWorld that hasn’t really changed since that first draft a decade ago. Embarrassingly, I didn’t even notice the parallels until a reviewer pointed them out. But it’s a very happy coincidence – Greta is one of my living heroes, and if Kara has even an ounce of her bravery and brilliance then I’m very pleased.
 
All that said, Kara definitely does have real-life parallels – there’s a lot of my older sister in her, and a bit of my mother too, who was a lifelong activist (the character of Joe’s teacher Miss Ella was partly based on her as well). And there are little hints of friends in there, people I grew up with, women I’ve admired, it all goes into the mix!

5. As a journalist and film critic have you always wanted to write for children?
 
I’ve always just wanted to be a writer, in whatever form I could. The first couple of novels I wrote were for adults, but neither have been published nor, I suspect, will they ever be! It was only when I started working on my first book for younger readers, The Waking World, that I felt like I’d found my voice. It just felt right.
 
I finished the first draft of The Waking World at the exact same time I started writing film reviews online. It just turned out that, for me at least, it was easier to make a living writing about film than writing fiction, and I needed to eat! So I took a job on the film desk at Time Out, and wrote stories at the weekends. The Waking World came out while I was at Time Out, and by the time I left that job I was working on my Star Wars and Warhammer books and the FloodWorld deal was ready to be finalised, so I was lucky enough to be able to switch over into writing fiction almost full time.

6. What type of books did you enjoy reading as a child and has that influenced your own writing style?
 
I read everything I could get my hands on: joke books, books of facts, film tie-ins, the Beano. But I always loved sci-fi, fantasy and adventure stories: writers like Ursula Le Guin (still my favourite), John Christopher, Susan Cooper, Nicolas Fisk and Rosemary Sutcliffe.
 
Thinking about what unites those writers, one important thing seems to be clarity: they all tell really clear, precise stories, and their descriptions are always simple but evocative. They don’t spend pages describing a castle or a spaceship or a landscape, they just give you a few key pieces of information and let your imagination do the rest. It’s something I’ve struggled with – my natural instinct is to over-describe and over-explain everything. These writers taught me to trust my readers to fill in the blanks.

7. The books’ covers are stunning and I also love the maps. Did you have any input into the design of these?
 
They’re gorgeous, aren’t they? Manuel Sumberac designed the covers, and he did an amazing job. It took quite a few goes to get the cover of FloodWorld just right, and the process was led by the design team at Nosy Crow with only a little input from me.
 
I was much more closely involved in the maps, which were drawn by the absurdly talented Jensine Eckwall. I’d scribbled out an extremely rough map while I was writing FloodWorld, which was then re-drawn in more detail by my talented partner Rosie so I could send it out with the book when I was looking for a publisher. Jensine took that version and made it her own, gave it life and movement and all these lovely, eccentric little details. For DustRoad, she worked directly from my rough sketches – how she managed to translate my scrawls into such a beautiful map I’ll never understand…
 
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Map by Jensine Eckwall

 
 
8. What next for the characters? Will there be more or is there an idea for something different on the way instead?
 
Well the plan is definitely for a third and final book in the FloodWorld trilogy – it’s all planned out, but obviously I can’t give anything away! And I’m working on a couple of other ideas, one for an adventure story in a similar vein to FloodWorld, and another that’s completely, totally different… In the meantime there are three more instalments in my Warhammer Adventures series on the way – the next one’s out in June.

9.And finally do you have any writing tips for young readers who would like to follow in your footsteps?
 
I suppose my biggest tip would be – don’t stop just because it’s rubbish! Thinking about my first draft of FloodWorld, which was this huge, messy, rambling load of nonsense, it would’ve been easy just to chuck it in the bin. But instead I put it away for a while, and when I came back to it I could see more clearly what was actually good about it (the flooded London setting, and the characters of Kara and Joe) and what wasn’t working (almost everything else). It took a lot of work, but eventually I was able to shape it into something that was fit for other people to read. So don’t expect to get it right first time – and if you get disheartened, don’t give up.
 
Thank you very much, Tom, for taking the time to answer my questions so fully. It has been fascinating and made me want to read the books all over again! I’m also delighted to learn that there is to be another book in the series. 
 
If you missed any of the blog tour this week you can still catch up with previous posts. 
 
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Reading Matters – news from the world of children’s books

Posted on March 7, 2020 by alibrarylady

Hello and welcome to another look back at the highlights of the week in the children’s books world. Of course with World Book Day celebrated on Thursday this week has been dominated by activities and discussion about this event. However there has been other news too so why not settle down and have a browse through this selection of articles, resources and reviews.

What I’m reading…

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The first two months of the year have seen the publication of several terrific children’s books and I have reviewed some Fabulous Fiction for Children – New Middle Grade Titles that I have read so far this year. At the moment I am reading Dust Road  by Tom Huddleston, the sequel to his thrilling Flood World  which I enjoyed very much last year. Tom will be answering questions on my blog next Friday as part of the blog tour so please watch out for that and the rest of the tour over the coming days.

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News from the world of children’s books..

Children’s and teens roundup – the best new picture books and novels – I always enjoy the reviews for the Guardian by Imogen Russell Williams and this fabulous selection is so tempting I am sure they will be added to many reading lists.

Storytime Assembly – this is a wonderful post by headteacher and picture book lover, Simon Smith, providing useful tips on how to turn assemblies into joyful read aloud celebrations and he includes some great book suggestions too.

Children are Reading Less than Ever Before, Research Reveals  and How I Managed to Raise a Little Bookworm in the Age of Smartphones and Tablets – two articles published this week both of which prompted much discussion online.

Children and Young People’s Reading in 2019 – This report outlines findings from The National Literacy Trust’s ninth Annual Literacy Survey relating to children and young people’s reading.

A Reading for Pleasure Manifesto – this article by children’s author Andy Seed is not new but has been shared again this week coinciding with World Book Day and is a fantastic resource for schools. It is extremely comprehensive giving many tips, suggestions and inspiring ideas. A helpful and positive answer to the findings of the report mentioned above.

New Book Trust Illustrator in Residence Ed Vere is set to inspire with the power of pictures – following the news announcement last week this article explains how Ed Vere is to share his knowledge on developing confidence and self-expression in children through drawing.

Great School Libraries Campaign Phase 2 – the Great School Libraries Campaign team plan to lobby the Government to get the document ‘ Vibrant Libraries, Thriving Schools’adopted by the UK Government for the other nations in the UK. You can read more details on this latest blogpost.

The Children’s Book Award Shortlists Announced – The Children’s Book Award organised by the Federation of Children’s Book Groups is the only national award voted for solely by children from start to finish. For this year the categories will be Books for Younger Children, Books for Younger Readers, Books for Confident Readers and Books for Older Readers, with three titles in each category.

There is a blog tour in progress at the moment where you can learn more about each of the shortlisted titles.

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Picture Books to Treasure and Inspire – boosting the profile of reading across school –   This is an absolutely lovely blogpost on the Hertfordshire for Learning Primary English website showing how picture books prompt discussion and aid comprehension  in KS2.

Surrey Libraries’ Children’s Book Award – the shortlists for these awards have been announced and schools in Surrey are able to shadow these awards and receive promotional material and reading guides for each book.

Online Reading For Pleasure Course from the School Library Association –  this online course guides you through the research, best practice and how to get reading for pleasure started in your school.

How World Book Day Lost the Plot– a thoughtful look by author Marianne Levy at how World Book Day has evolved over the years.

Winners of the Blue Peter Book Awards 2020  – on World Book Day it was announced that Wildspark by Vashti Hardy and Rise Up: Ordinary Kids With Extraordinary Stories were this year’s winners. There is an opportunity to win copies of the prize winning books on the Book Trust website, see the link above.

LGBTQ+ Primary Hub – This brand new website has been created to ‘enhance the delivery of LGBTQ+ inclusive education in primary schools by providing teachers with the support they need.

Finally here are some book reviews that caught my eye this week…

The Pear Affair by Judith Eagle – ‘With endearing characters, an exciting plot and a beautifully realised setting, this is a hit.’ says Liam @notsotweets in his lovely review of a book that’s right at the top of my to read pile.

Crater Lake by Jennifer Killick – ‘I cannot recommend this highly enough it is just outstanding from start to finish!’ This wonderful review by Lily @lilyfae suggests this is a book for every school library.

Extraordinary by Penny Harrison and Katie Wilson – this review by Jo Clarke @bookloverjo and guest post by the author is a lovely reminder to savour the everyday ‘ordinary’ moments. Extraordinary is now on my shopping list.

That’s all for this week. I hope that this look back has captured some of the book love that has been so visible this week. Have a lovely weekend and happy reading.




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Fabulous Fiction for Children – New Middle Grade Titles

Posted on March 3, 2020 by alibrarylady

This year has got off to a stunning start for lovers of children’s fiction with some exciting debuts and highly anticipated new titles from established authors too. I have read and enjoyed some great books over the last couple of months and have finally found time to review them here. Here are my recent reads for the middle grade audience, children of about nine to twelve years old, suitable for a wide range of tastes.

Where the World Turns Wild by Nicola Penfold

A085EE5B-B8E1-4D25-A2BE-64C945427D83This exciting debut, a mix of dystopian fiction and epic survival story, is beautifully written capturing the author’s love for the natural world and its important themes will inspire thoughtful discussion among young readers. This is highly recommended.

Juniper Greene and her younger brother, Bear, live in a walled city with their Grandma. Nature  has been banished there, following the outbreak of a deadly man-made disease many years earlier. Most people seem reconciled  to living in this sterile environment but the two children have always known about their resistance to the disease, and dream of escaping to the wild. They long to journey  to the place where humans have survived outside of cities and to be reunited with  their mother. When scientists discover that the siblings provide the key to fighting the disease, the pair must flee for their lives. As they embark into the wildness together they soon learn that there is danger in nature as well as beauty.

Juniper is a wonderful character who I quickly found both sympathetic and interesting. Her relationship with her little brother is tenderly and believably described by the author displaying that loving but at times frustrating bond between older and younger siblings. The landscape and the natural world is key to this story and, inspired by Nicola Penfold’s love of the Lake District, this felt both beautiful and familiar to me. Although set in a dystopian future there is a chilling air of possibility about the premise of this story which adds to its relevance to today’s audience.

The children’s journey is utterly gripping, full of danger and difficulties. This is an exciting read but also an extremely thoughtful one. Juniper and Bear show courage, persistence, loyalty and kindness. The reader fears for their safety and cares for their future. This is a powerful story which grips the reader and ultimately makes them care and would prompt thoughtful discussion. I loved this.

Thank you to Leilah Skelton and Stripes Pubishing for my Net Galley copy.

The BigWoof Conspiracy by Dashe Roberts

06ACEC00-DF2E-466C-A5C2-F36CB10DDB7DThe first in the new Sticky Pines series this is a fast paced, extremely funny adventure with an endearing retro feel that should convert even the most reluctant of readers.

Twelve year old self confessed geek Lucy is obsessed with UFOs and following the disappearance of several people from her hometown of Sticky Pines she sneaks out one night to investigate. Unfortunately she finds more than she bargained for: a huge hairy creature! Together with her new friend Milo, Lucy finds herself involved in a mystery that threatens to engulf the whole town of Sticky Pines and its rather strange residents.

This is great fun. If you imagine a blend of Scooby Doo and the Goosebumps series with contemporary attitudes you would be fairly close. Lucy is a fabulous character, tenacious and given to outbursts of her own particular brand of curses such as “Crudberries” and there is never a dull moment as she and Milo, who form an unlikely friendship, try to solve the mystery. Their plans are hindered by creepy clowns and several close shaves with mysterious ‘monsters’.  I have a suspicion that this book and the Sticky Pines series will be a hit with a wide audience.

Thank you to Nosy Crow publishers for my review copy.

Orion Lost by Alastair Chisholm

E381758C-A7A5-46A9-81AF-4E50D9F7DD34This is a terrific, tense and entertaining sci-fi adventure that has completely converted this rather sceptical science -fiction reader.

The colony ship Orion is four months out of Earth when catastrophe strikes – leaving the ship and everyone on board stranded in deep space. Suddenly it is up to thirteen-year-old Beth and her friends to navigate through dangerous  and uncharted territory to reach safety. But a heavily-damaged ship, space pirates, a mysterious alien species, and an artificial intelligence that Beth is unsure that she can trust means that getting home feels an impossible task.

I will be honest when I first read about Orion Lost I did not think that it would be a book that I would enjoy. Sci-fi is not generally a genre a choose. You are never too old to learn! This hooked me completely. No conversation distracted me and I was utterly engrossed. It is often said that authors remove parents from the story early on allowing children to take centre stage for the ensuing adventure and Alastair Chisholm manages this with some style. The relationships between the different characters, the twists and turns of the plot and the moments of high drama make this a compelling read. The personalities of the children are distinctive with differing types that ensure readers will find one with whom they can identify. The tensions between the children and their friendships and quarrels are recognisable and believable. At its heart, despite the setting, the aliens and the ‘Jumps’ through space and time, this is a story of conquering your fears, learning how to work successfully with others and discover what values are most important to us. I enjoyed this immensely, so much so I had that slight feeling of loss when it ended.

Thank you to Nosy Crow publishers for my review copy.

Other great titles for this age group that I have read this year include Little Bird Lands by Karen McCombie and The Girl Who Stole an Elephant by Nizrana Farook. I have also read and reviewed Evernight by Ross MacKenzie for the School Librarian magazine, a darkly magical adventure with a brave and inspiring heroine at its heart and a truly terrifying villain.





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Reading Matters – news from the world of children’s books

Posted on February 29, 2020 by alibrarylady

Hello and welcome to another look back at news, articles and reviews related to children’s books from the last week. This weekly catch up is made up of links to interesting items that I hope may be helpful to busy school librarians, teachers, educators and possibly  parents too.

What I’m reading…

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This week has been one of those weeks when I have had very little time to settle down with a book but I did find a moment or two to finish The BigWoof Conspiracy by Dashe Roberts which was great fun. I have also started reading Orion Lost by Alistair Chisholm and this may actually persuade me to read more sci-fi as I’m loving it so far.

This week I attended this term’s School Library Association Surrey Branch committee meeting and we have exciting plans for a Saturday event in May providing an opportunity for school librarians to share best practice on the theme of collaboration. More details to follow soon…

News from the world of children’s books…

10 Picture Books to Shine a Positive Light on 2020 – Author Rachel Bright picks her top positive picture books to share with little ones in 2020 for Book Trust.

Reflecting on Black presence in children’s books – article written by Farrah Serroukh and Karen Sands O’Connor for the British Library. The characters that we meet in children’s books shape the way that we see ourselves and our community around us.  This article takes  a look at the history of Black British representation.

Library Insights – Information Literacy Project – this new case study on the Great School Libraries website looks at how an information literacy programme at St Ninian’s High School equips pupils with the research skills that they need. 

Audio Books and Literacy Resources – following the publication of the their audiobooks and literacy research review last week, The National Literacy Trust have now created resources to help teachers and parents make the most of audiobooks to support children’s literacy in the classroom and at home.

New + Girl Detectives Book List – Looking for tales to thrill & captivate? This new Girl Detectives booklist compiled by CLPE is the place to look! Check out this latest collection, featuring girl detectives in a variety of historical and contemporary settings.

Diversity in Children’s Literature Padlet – Jenny Holder of the Liverpool Learning Partnership has created this excellent resource, a collection to support educators in exploring issues of diversity and inclusion in children’s and YA books.   

World Book Day is about more than dressing up – the latest newsletter from the Open University Reading for Pleasure team @OpenUni_RfP has examples of how to focus on reading for pleasure on the Big Day and all year round too. If you haven’t already signed up to this regular newsletter I would highly recommend it.

Book Award Winners 2018 – 2019 – another extremely helpful resource compiled for the Open University Reading for Pleasure website. This list includes the winners of top children’s awards.

Monster Slayer: a Beowulf Tale – this new retelling published by Barrington Stoke with wonderful illustrations by Chris Riddell is out now. Caroline Fielding asked author Brian Patten some questions for TeenLibrarian linked to both this book and his writing in general.

Tears at bedtime: are children’s books on environment causing climate anxiety? – interesting Guardian article by Patrick Barkham featuring many of the current children’s books, both fiction and non-fiction, on the theme of our natural world and its protection.

Ed Vere Named New Illustrator in Residence for Book Trust – Best selling author/illustrator Ed Vere  will succeed current writer in residence Cerrie Burnell on 2nd March. He will share knowledge on developing confidence in children through drawing and invite parents, artists and children to create an online picture gallery.

National Writing Day – This year’s National Writing Day is Wednesday 24th June. It is an annual celebration of the pleasure and power of writing creatively, inspiring people of all ages and abilities to try writing for fun and self-expression. Register on the official website for full information and free resources.

Statutory Storytime – Egmont publishers are calling on the Government to make storytime statutory, to change the curriculum to make space for reading aloud, so that all children up to the age of 11 hear a story every day, just for fun. You can download a letter to send to your MP or sign the petition by clicking on the link above.

Finally some book reviews that may help you choose your next read…

The House of One Hundred Clocks by A M Howell – this is already on my wish list but  Mr Ripley’s @enchantedbooks has reminded me that I need to get hold of a copy sooner rather than later, as he says, ‘This story is a joy to read.’

The House of Hidden Wonders by Sharon Gosling – Veronica Price @vonprice says ‘she was utterly enthralled from beginning to end’ and this ghostly mystery with its links to Sherlock Holmes sounds as though it would be an excellent transition to secondary title.

Marvellous Middle Grade Reads – a selection of must have fiction for primary school libraries and classrooms reviewed by Jo Clarke @bookloverjo. There’s something here for all tastes.

That’s all for this week. I hope that you have found an article of interest, a helpful resource or a book to add to your shopping list. Have a lovely weekend and happy reading.




 

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Reading Matters – news from the world of children’s books

Posted on February 22, 2020 by alibrarylady

Hello and welcome to another Reading Matters and a look back at some of the news from the children’s books world over the last week.

What I’m reading…

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This week I read and reviewed the special 40th Anniversary edition of The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch illustrated by Michael Martchenko. This delightful picture book with its strong message still deserves its place in primary school libraries and classrooms.

I have also read and very much enjoyed When the World Turns Wild by Nicola Penfold. This is a thoughtful story that will resonate with many young readers due to its message of valuing our environment and I warmed very quickly to the two main characters, Juniper and Bear. My review should follow very soon. At the moment I am reading The Bigwoof Conspiracy which is great fun.

News from the world of children’s books…

Creating a Reading for Pleasure Culture in School – article written by Emily Guille-Marrett for Wise Words giving advice and tips on how to embed a love of reading in your primary school.

Q & A with Jasmine Richards by Cerrie Burnell– Jasmine Richards writer and founder of Storymix answers questions from Cerrie Burnell, current writer in residence with Booktrust on why it is important that children have access to diverse books.

Edspresso Episode 11 – How could the magic of picture books be used to enable the development of critical thinking skills? – a wonderful podcast on the New South Wales Government website: Education for a Changing World, in which they speak to Mary Roche, who makes the case for using children’s picture books to teach critical thinking skills to younger learners.

Picture Books for Whole School Projects – if you are looking for suggestions for one book that can be used across the whole primary school Books for Topics provides five suggestions that would make great whole school projects.

Preview of Dust Road by Tom Huddleston – the sequel to the thrilling Flood World will be published by Nosy Crow next month and you are able to read the first chapter and get a taste of what to expect on the Nosy Crow website.

Maia and What Matters Kickstarter campaign – the publishers Book Island Books are trying to raise vital funds to reprint a unique picture book, Maia and What Matters, which tackles cultural taboos surrounding ageing, illness and loss in a brave and meaningful way. You can find out more by clicking on the link.

Strong Fairy Tale Heroines – a series – Katherine Langrish, YA and children’s author, has started a new series on her blog about heroines in traditional fairytales, kicking off by asking why many so many people think fairy tale heroines are passive. This ties in well with the anniversary of The Paper Bag Princess

Create a Story with Chicken House publishers – Maz Evans, Holly Rivers, Emma Shevah and Christopher Edge appear on a new video on the Chicken House website designed to inspire children to hatch their own creative stories. There are accompanying teacher notes and resources too.

Longlists for Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals Announced – The 40-strong list of titles for the 2020 Medals (20 on each longlist) were selected from a total of 162 nominations, read by an expert volunteer team of 14 children’s and youth librarians from across the UK. The shortlists will be announced next month.

Blue Peter Celebrates 20 Years of Book Awards It’s time to choose an overall winner. From a top ten shortlist of previous Blue Peter Book Award winners viewers will have the opportunity to choose their favourite title on the Blue Peter website. The winner will be announced on World Book Day.

Audiobooks and Literacy – the National Literacy Trust has produced details of research they carried out that shows that audiobooks can be used to support children’s learning. They have also created a range of resources for teachers and parents on the subject.

The British Library Discovering Children’s Books – Discover centuries of well-loved children’s stories and lesser-known tales with this new online resource for children, teachers and lifelong book-lovers. This looks fabulous and very useful.

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

Troofriend by Kirsty Applebaum – I loved Kirsty’s debut, The Middler, last year and Lucas Maxwell loved this, her second book saying in his review, ‘Troofriend is a really amazing novel that touches upon several important issues like friendship, bullying and the ethics surrounding AI.’ Another for my list!

A Sprinkle of Sorcery by Michelle Harrison – the sequel to A Touch of Magic this is described as ‘another spellbinding adventure that will take your breath away and make you believe in magic’ by Beverley Somerset for the Reading Zone. It sounds lovely.

That’s all for this week I hope you have found something to inspire or help you among the articles. If you are returning to school on Monday and are organising World Book Day, good luck! Here are a couple of easy to organise activities that I have used successfully in the past. Happy reading!

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Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of The Paper Bag Princess – Story by Robert Munsch Art by Michael Martchenko

Posted on February 20, 2020 by alibrarylady

In 1980 a picture book was published that upturned the traditional fairy tale princess stereotype and provided a revolutionary look at the role models portrayed in young children’s stories. Since then over 7 million copies have been sold and the book has been translated into many languages. To mark the 40th anniversary of The Paper Bag Princess Canadian children’s publisher Annick Press have produced a special edition with forewords by Chelsea Clinton and writer Francesca Segal and also an afterword from Ann Munsch with Robert Munsch providing an insight into the inspiration behind the story.

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This is the story of a princess. The princess Elizabeth, who is all set to marry her Prince Charming, or in this particular case her Prince Ronald. All these plans are frustrated when a dragon smashes into the castle and whisks Ronald away after first burning all the princess’s clothes. Elizabeth is remarkably unfazed by this and donning a paper bag she sets off after the dragon to rescue her Prince.  She outsmarts the dragon using her quick wits and saves Prince Ronald. The ungrateful prince tells off Princess Elizabeth for looking ‘a mess’ and says she must return when she is ‘dressed like a real princess.’ Elizabeth tells Ronald that although he may look like a real prince he is in fact ‘a bum’ and with that she skips off happily into the sunset without him.

This is a short story that would make a relatively quick read yet it says a great deal. The themes addressed in this alternative fairy tale include gender stereotyping, the importance of not judging people on appearance and learning to develop positive self-esteem. The happy ending for Elizabeth may not be the conventional one that the reader expects but it is nonetheless a happy one. The bright illustrations by Michael Martchenko are child friendly and add to the enjoyment and understanding of the text. The one depicting the prince and princess at the start of the story is rather telling, I feel. The besotted princess is shown gazing adoringly at the prince while he has his back to her and wears a rather snooty expression. Perhaps a hint of what is to unfold.

This special package to mark the 40th anniversary contain interesting extras that add to the overall appeal of the story. There is a forward by Chelsea Clinton describing how much they loved reading this book as a family with her children and as she remarks:

“I think it is critical that our daughter and our sons and all our daughters and sons grow up to believe they can defeat their own dragons and rescue themselves”

The inspiration for this story as described by Ann Munsch is rather lovely.  When she and Robert Munsch worked together in child care centres in the US in the 1970s he started telling stories to the older children while the younger ones slept. These stories often involved princes and princesses, dragons and castles and the hero was always the prince. Many of the children at the centres came from single parent families in which the mothers were truly being heroic and from this observation the Paper Bag Princess was born.

I greatly enjoyed rediscovering this classic and hope it continues to reach a wide audience for many years to come.

Thank you very much to Amy Dobson and Annick Press for kindly providing my review copy. The anniversary edition is published on 20th February and is available to buy in all good bookshops or online

Annick Press have produced this lovely trailer featuring Robert Munsch to mark the anniversary.

 



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Reading Matters – News from the world of children’s books

Posted on February 15, 2020 by alibrarylady

Hello everyone and welcome to another Reading Matters and the opportunity to catch up with news from the world of children’s books and school libraries that you may have missed during a busy week. For all those who work in schools a very happy half term holiday to you!

What I’m reading…

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This week I finished reading Little Bird Lands by Karen McCombie and you can read my review here. Spoiler…I loved it! Out now and perfect for lovers of children’s historical fiction.

This week I have also been reading the latest issue of Literacy, the journal published by The United Kingdom Literacy Association. So many fascinating and informative articles but one about school libraries is open access online: School libraries fostering children’s literacy and literature learning: mitigating the barriers  and I would highly recommend reading this as it draws attention to many issues faced by school librarians.

News and views from the world of children’s books…

The Non-Negotiable Role of School Librarians– article from the National Association of School Principals on collaboration between teachers and school librarians and how to ‘unlock the power of your library to drive a culture of deep learning in your school’.

21 Essential LGBTQ+ Kids & YA Books To Share in 2020 – to mark LGBT History Month in February Charlie Morris, Senior Publicist for Little Tiger Press and Stripes Publishing, has selected a range books for children, teens and young adults for the Toppsta website.

The School Library is a Litmus Paper – the latest blog on the Great School Libraries website written by former  Ofsted inspector, Larraine Harrison. It explains why school libraries are so important.

Picture Books for Children Reviews – Imogen Carter, for the Guardian, reviews a selection of picture books with a wide appeal covering nature, humour, acceptance and history.

The Imagine Children’s Festival – this annual festival is on now at the South Bank Centre and is dedicated to families experiencing and enjoying all kinds of art and culture together. Many popular children’s authors are featured. A wonderful half term treat!

The Importance of Diversity in School Libraries – “Diversity in school libraries isn’t about the numbers, it’s about the impact it has on the lives of the students who use them.” says former School Librarian of the Year, Lucas Maxwell, in his article for Book Riot.

Books to Engage Children With Environmental Issues – A range of titles on topical issues to prompt discussion or to use in the primary school classroom chosen by Jo @librarygirlandbookboy for the Copyright Licensing Agency website.

Topic Reading Lists – Helpful booklists on a variety of topics including Celebrating Difference, Emotional Well-being, Graphic Novels and many more are free to download from the Children’s Books Ireland website.

Longlist Announced for the Klaus Flugge Prize – Twenty debut picture books are in the running for this illustration prize that highlights the most talented newcomers. Previous winners include My Name is Not Refugee by Kate Milner and Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love.

CLPE Wins the Eleanor Farjeon Award 2019– The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education had been awarded the prestigious Eleanor Farjeon Award.  The prize, administered by the Children’s Book Circle, is given annually to acknowledge those individuals or institutions whose work and commitment to the world of children’s books has been deemed to be outstanding.

UK BAME Authors and Illustrators – School Librarian Matt Imrie has compiled and updated his lists of BAME authors for children, teens and young adults, illustrators, poets and publishers on the helpful Teen Librarian website.

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

Flights of Fancy–  Stories, pictures and inspiration from ten Children’s Laureates. This anthology is now available in paperback. ‘If you want to inspire children to let their imaginations soar, then you really, really must have a copy of this cracker of a book in your home or classroom’ says Jill Bennett in her review.

First Chapter Books from Stripe Publishing – reviewed by Jo @librarygirlandbookboy who says they are ‘an excellent choice for anyone aged 5+ who still loves the vibrant, full-page illustrations of picture books but want a little more text to go with them.’ They sound wonderful and perfect for emerging and newly confident readers.

Demelza and the Spectre Detectors by Holly Rivers – “an excellent debut, tackling some heavy subject matter with heart, humour and care.” says Alex Mitchell in this tempting review for The Bookbag @TheBookbag

That’s it for this week. I hope you’ve found something of interest and maybe an idea for a book to read. Have a lovely week and happy reading!



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Historical Fiction for Children – Little Bird Lands by Karen McCombie

Posted on February 13, 2020 by alibrarylady

Historical fiction is one of my favourite genres and historical fiction for children particularly so, therefore this sequel to Little Bird Flies has been eagerly anticipated since I first heard about it. I was not disappointed. Little Bird has matured, the setting has changed but this is just as vivid, entertaining and enjoyable as the first instalment. The sense of time and place draws you in and you journey alongside Little Bird as she discovers a new land, new friendships and new opportunities.

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In the mid 1800s Bridie, or Little Bird as she is known, has landed in America, far from her home in Scotland and far from the danger that caused her family to flee. First to the busy streets of New York then to the icy land of Michigan and finally to the prairies of the west, Little Bird holds tight to secrets and dreams of freedom. Then, on her journey she must overcome new perils and come face to face with an unwelcome ghost from her past. However, Little Bird, though small and fragile in some ways, has grown in self belief so determines to face whatever befalls her with courage and hope.

Karen McCombie has created in Little Bird a character who feels both thoroughly believable and also completely engaging. Now a teenager she has matured from the previous book and accompanying her as she discovers a new land and new people will enable young readers to discover them too. With a vivid sense of time and place and a hint of period language children will learn much from this entertaining story. Through the eyes of a young Scottish girl we see what life was like for families arriving in a strange place and how overwhelming this new world felt for them as they tried to find a place to call ‘home’. With its themes of emigration and finding a place of safety and acceptance this has a resonance today and the author, through the character of Little Bird, displays an understanding of the effects of their arrival on the Native Americans whose home it already is. Historical fiction provides a way of looking at issues, both from long ago and today, through a slightly different lens. This book, without ever being preaching or didactic in tone, displays a compassion and understanding for the people involved in a way that will appeal to children’s sense of fairness.

The story is an exciting one combining mystery and adventure with domestic ritual and family life in a manner that makes this feel believable and encourages the reader to care about individual characters. The growing friendship between Bridie and Easter, the black maid at the mine owner’s house is a lovely one and compensates Little Bird in a small way for the absence of her sisters. Doctor Spicer, the female doctor who becomes friends with Little Bird and her family, is a wonderful character and a role model for Bridie as she looks to the future. I love Bridie, she refuses to let physical frailty stand in her way, she is brave and determined but compassionate and understanding too. A fabulous character.

The detail included in both the descriptions of the setting and of every day routine brings this world vividly to life and I learned facts that I did not know before. Although first and foremost this is a fabulous story children will learn as they read and this would therefore be an excellent book to use in the classroom. I think this would appeal to readers who have enjoyed The Little House on the Prairie series or books by Emma Carroll.

The story reaches a hopeful resolution yet still leaves the possibility of another book in the series. I do hope so, I’m not quite ready to say goodbye to Little Bird just yet.

I should like to thank Rebecca Mason and Nosy Crow publishers for providing my proof review copy. The striking cover illustration of the finished copy is by Jasu Hu. Little Bird Lands was published on 6th February and is available to purchase at all good bookshops or online

Karen McCombie has written some story starters for Just Imagine, the educational consultants, and you may like to share Why the Begining of a Story Has to Pop!

Karen also recommends a helpful website: Facts for Kids: Ojibwa Indians should you wish to find out more about this aspect of the book.

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