Exploring Grief Through Fantasy: A Review of ‘The World Between the Rain’

Posted on December 29, 2024 by alibrarylady

Grief is like the ocean; it comes in waves, ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim

Vicki Harrison

There are many quotes about grief, many metaphors used to describe it and frequently they use water in its various forms, be that rain or oceans, tears or the sense that one is drowning in a crushing sensation of different emotions. In her debut novel, The World Between the Rain, Susan Cahill uses these ideas in the form of a magical portal story that also conveys ways in which people may cope with grief and loss. It is an absorbing and, ultimately, comforting read.

Halloween is approaching and it is the anniversary of the death of thirteen year old Marina’s father. In the previous months Marina’s younger sister has been busy with her circle of friends and her mother, Maeve, has lost herself in the obsessional cleaning of their home. But now Maeve has fallen into a deep sleep from which Marina is unable to waken her. This strange sleeping sickness has also overtaken all the adults in the village where the family live. Only Ursula, the girls’ newly arrived grandmother, appears unaffected by this phenomenon and it is she who tells Marina stories of the forgotten gods and the strange world between the rain in the West of Ireland. Shortly afterwards Marina finds herself transported to a mysterious, watery world inhabited by unusual creatures, demons and gods. As she struggles to make sense of her predicament she also knows that she must return to her own world and to her own family who need her.

The World Between the Rain is unlike anything I have read recently yet there are elements that feel familiar. The strange world that Marina visits contains facets of her own yet portrayed in a fantastical way reminiscent of Alice and her adventures in Wonderland. Just like the author, as a child I longed to find a portal to another place like Narnia and Marina, through her sadness, does just this. Susan Cahill has blended magic, folklore, family life and bereavement together in this absorbing story in a manner that encourages the reader to think and reflect. It would, in my opinion, be a helpful book for a teen or young adult who is grieving to read. Even as an adult who has experienced family loss in the last year I found this a thoughtful and, despite the moments of drama and thrills, soothing story. The author has highlighted the many different ways in which people can experience and cope with grief and the impact that this can have on families. Sadly, death in a family can sometimes cause stress between those dealing with the enormity of their loss. This story’s ending provides much needed hope and consolation.

The setting and the names are interesting aspects of this story. Set in the village of Ballinaday on the coast of the West of Ireland, although not a real place it is based on the author’s home town in West Cork. The Irish phrase Béal an Átha translated to Ballina in English means “mouth of the ford” and can be found in places situated on rivers or river mouths. The name Marina of course has connections to the sea too. When she travels between the rain Marina first finds herself in a strange, floating city called Ishka, the pronunciation of the Gaelic for water, uisce. The use of language and imagery throughout the book adds to the magical feeling of the other world created for Marina but also for her emotions and experiences. As a reader it is interesting how one accepts the imagined as real quite quickly. The fantasy world full of dreamweavers, gods and monsters is beautifully executed and the adventure a compelling one of friendship and bravery. The gradual reveal of the hidden stories behind some of the characters adds to the reader’s understanding and appreciation of their attitudes and motivation. The manner in which the contemporary and the fantastical worlds are blended works extremely well.

The World Between the Rain is refreshing in its originality and comforting in its message of acknowledging the enormity of grief and the importance of memories in keeping lost ones close after they have died. A stunning debut and one that I am glad that I have read. Thank you to Susan Cahill for her beautiful and wise story, Holly Ovenden for the excellent illustrations throughout and the stunning cover. Thank you also to Mikka Haugaard at Everything With Words for kindly providing my review copy.

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Blog Tour: The December Witches by Jennifer Claessen with illustrations by Heidi Cannon

Posted on December 4, 2024 by alibrarylady

Welcome to today’s stop on the blog tour to mark the publication in November of The December Witches, the final book in the A Month of Magic trilogy. This series blends family relationships, magic and Arthurian legend in exciting adventures that will appeal to lovers of fantasy. With the arrival of the movie version of Wicked I have a feeling the demand for stories featuring witches will be high so this is well timed.

In this final book Clemmie celebrates her 13th birthday but her special day is marred by magic going wrong in a dramatic fashion. She discovers that she has been chosen to be the One True Witch and struggles with this concept. There is chaos as she and the other young hags endeavour to stand up to the ancient powers. In order to survive she must release the magic that is overwhelming her and threatening her very existence. The importance of family bonds despite loss and difficulty is threaded through the magic and excitement of this dramatic finale to the series.

Jennifer Claessen and her publishers have kindly shared a chapter from The December Witches today which will whet your appetite to find out more.

DECEMBER_WITCHES_chapter6 (1)Download

The December Witches was published by Uclan Publishing in November. I should like to thank the publishers for my review copy and Graeme Williams for his help in preparing this blog post. Please do follow the rest of the blog tour to find out more and for your chance to win a free copy of the book.

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Reading Matters – Monthly Children’s Book News

Posted on November 30, 2024 by alibrarylady

Welcome to this latest round up of what has been happening in the world of children’s books over the last month. My news round ups are usually published on the first Saturday of the month but I have brought this one forward by a week to help you with Christmas ideas for both school and home. It is impossible to include everything as this would be the most enormous article for you to read so I have tried to provide a snapshot of a busy month for you. There are book award announcements, research, resources and some Christmas related items too. I do hope something here is helpful to you.

What I’m reading…

At the start of November I participated in #WitchWeek24 which this year marked the centenary of award winning author Joan Aiken. If you missed the blogposts marking this event you can find my contribution on Chris Lovegrove’s blog here. If you are a fan of Aiken’s work I can also recommend browsing Chris’s blog which contains many fascinating reviews of her books.

Sometimes books, particularly those written for children, can provide hope and encouragement and I have recently read a really beautiful story by Coral Rumble. If ever you are searching for a book to encourage empathy and kindness, soothe a worried mind and stimulate an interest in our natural surroundings I can thoroughly recommend Jakub’s Otter. Stories don’t have to feature magic, battles and dragons to help children be brave, sometimes kind, thoughtful understanding can be empowering.

As you know we have just celebrated National Non Fiction November and I have read three recently published books that I would like to recommend. EUREK-HER! Stories of Inspirational Women in STEM  by Frances Durkin illustrated by Nur Ventura is a cleverly produced book to both inspire and encourage children to try out their own scientific discovery. It would be an excellent purchase for school libraries being both a useful reference tool and an appealing book to browse for individual interest. You can read my full review here. Become A Chess Champion: Learn the Basics from a Pro by James Canty III and Brian Lambert is suitable for beginners but would also be helpful for anyone looking to develop their skills further. Secrets of the Ocean: 15 Bedtime Stories Inspired by Nature by Alicia Klepeis illustrated by Kaja Kajfež s a winning combination of narrative and facts will have great appeal for young animal lovers. If you want to find out more about these two titles you can read my reviews here.

Lastly, I have reviewed two excellent picturebooks for Just Imagine over the last week and can highly recommend them both. Cake for Everyone is a wordless picture book encouraging children to look and find, recall and imagine, retell and discuss. A captivating book with many uses in the classroom. In Santa’s First Christmas Mac Barnett and Sydney Smith have created a Christmas picture book that captures much that children will recognise and enjoy. This is a warm and kind festive story with a difference. 

Last month I mentioned one of my two year old grandson’s favourite books of the moment, The Whales on the Bus, which I can now recite from memory! In case you are looking for recommendations for the youngest readers in your life I thought I’d pass on another of his ‘reviews’. The little chap has now been named ‘LibraryLad’ by his uncle! So without further ado, this month’s star read as suggested by him is Britannica’s Baby Encyclopedia. He spends ages poring over it and I can understand why. This would be a terrific present.

News, articles and resources…

Yoto Carnegie Nominations Announced – this announcement feels a long time ago now but took place shortly after my last Reading Matters. A grand total of 119 books have been nominated for the 2025 Medals. 64 books are in contention for the Carnegie Medal for Writing, which is awarded to a book written in English for children and young people that sparks an outstanding reading experience, and 55 books for the Carnegie Medal for Illustration, which celebrates an outstanding reading experience through illustration. This includes 3 titles that have received nominations in both Medal categories. From these nominations, the judging panel will decide the long and shortlists and finally, the 2025 Medal winners.

The National Literacy Trust: Children and Young People’s Reading in 2024: the findings of the survey carried out early this year were concerning for anyone involved in the children’s book community in any capacity. Reading enjoyment has dropped and the figures for secondary pupils and for boys are particularly concerning. There was considerable debate at the time that this report was published and I did find the levels of commitment to improving things heartening. This was particularly evident in the widespread support for the role of public and school libraries and the way in which they can make a difference. The National Literacy Trust with the tag #GrowAGenerationofReaders is committed to supporting 1.5 million young readers in the next 3 years through a task force that will combine with other agencies. I hope that the links and articles I share in this monthly round up will help support this in a small way.

CLPE Reflecting Realities Report 2024 – For the first time in its history, the annual CLPE Reflecting Realities survey, funded by Arts Council England, reported an overall drop in the percentage of racially minoritised characters featured in published children’s books reviewed, from 30% in 2022 to 17% in 2023. The percentage of books featuring a main character from an ethnic minority had halved to 7%. To view CLPE’s Reflecting Realities Survey of Ethnic Representation within UK Children’s Literature in full please use the link above. While the results of this year’s survey may be sobering, CLPE point to their wider available body of work and the guidance provided in 7 years of Reflecting Realities reporting as a tool to ensure representative literature is a permanent, integrated feature of industry output.

A response to the 2024 CLPE Reflecting Realities Survey from Darren Chetty and Karen Sands-O’Connor – please do read this article from Books for Keeps magazine which provides background and helpful comment on the results of the Reflecting Realities survey.

BookTrust Early Years offers: Year two headline findings – this report made for more hopeful reading. In this briefing, Book Trust share 10 key findings from the second year of their BookTrust Early Years offers (Bookstart Toddler / Bookstart 1-2 Years and Bookstart Pre-schooler / Bookstart 3-4 Years). One key point that I noticed was that 96% of partners say these Early Years offers are effective at getting families with young children reading together.

Death to Non-Fiction! – as National Non-Fiction November comes to a close this article by author Andy Seed poses some interesting questions about the naming of factual books for children.

Non-fiction that makes you feel (with Mini Grey) – an absolutely lovely blogpost by Mini Grey on the emotional pleasures of reading non-fiction, highlighting The Fossil Hunter, The Biggest Footprint and The Observologist. Thank you to Mat Tobin for flagging this article up to me.

Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize 2024 – the shortlist for the Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize 2024 was announced recently, with six books chock full of tales of Arctic adventures, amazing ancestors and astrophysics. The winner will be chosen from among these six by over 19,000 young people across the country. Do have a look at the website to find out more.

2024 Books Are My Bag Readers Awards – Launched in 2016 and voted for by both booksellers and readers, the Books Are My Bag Awards feature the following categories – Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry, YA Fiction, Children’s, Break Through Author & Readers’ Choice. The winner of YA Fiction Award 2024 was Holly Jackson’s The Reappearance of Rachel Price and I am Rebel by Ross Montgomery was the Children’s category winner. Congratulations to all the winners.

Waterstones Book of The Year – another win for Ross Montgomery’s I am Rebel in the Children’s Book of the Year category. “At a time when children’s literacy and reading for pleasure should be at the top of everyone’s agenda, I Am Rebel stands out as the perfect book to press into the hands of children and the adults who care for them.” Bea Carvalho, Head of Books, Waterstones.

Books For Keeps November Issue – regular readers of this blog will know how highly I rate Books for Keeps as a source of information about children’s books. This latest issue is another gem. Regular contributors to Books for Keeps highlight the books that have given them the most enjoyment in 2024, Piers Torday is interviewed by Nicolette Jones, Sue McGonigle selects information books for the Christmas stocking, plus poetry picks for the festive season and regulars including Beyond The Secret Garden and reviews.

The Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition 2024 Winners – the 25th anniversary of Chicken House publishers also saw the announcement of this year’s winners of their writing competition. Huge congratulations to superstar school librarian Lucas Maxwell who has won the Times/Chicken House award, the prize of which is a £10,000 publishing contract and the offer of agent representation, for his novel You Have Selected Power Drive. Congratulations also to Tommy Finlayson who won The Lime Pictures New Storyteller Award for The Cornershop on Apocalypse Street.

Open University Reading For Pleasure Newsletter Live – don’t miss out on this free magazine style rapid CPD : Rich text recommendations, bite size research, practical ideas, and poetry plus a guest appearance by Laura Muchau. A lovely way to join a reading community and share ideas. December 4th 7.30pm – 8.30pm online. Booking via the link above.

Children’s and teens roundup: the best new picture books and novels – A sensational sleigh ride; joyous poetry; amazing animals; a sinister seaside town; a deadly forest; a thrilling heist and more in Imogen Russell Williams selection for November.

Unlock the Magic of Christmas Reading with Reading Rocks’ Classroom Advent Calendar – make reading part of your class’s Christmas tradition with a virtual Advent Calendar designed to inspire a love of books and bring festive joy to your classroom. Each day, your pupils will open a new “window” to discover a special video message from a well-loved author or illustrator. This is free with registration.

Winter Wonderland Resources from The National Literacy Trust – Whether you’re celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah or simply wish to set aside a time for cosy reading, this resource offers lots of ideas for literacy activities to mark this Winter period, including: Writing ideas such as winter Haikus, festive science experiments and grammar games, Book recommendations to read aloud with pupils aged 3 to 14 and suggestions storytelling and performance poetry. Free to download if you register.

Sprouts: Imagine a Christmas in 4024 with Sibéal Pounder – Tuesday 10 December 11.00am – 11.45am join Sibéal Pounder online hear a special reading from the book and explore the book’s themes and Sibéal’s inspiration for writing. There will also be a live Q&A section for children to find out what it’s like to be a published author in this event for age 9-11 from the National Literacy Trust.

Books for Topics Book Gift Guides – Books for Topics have created some great lists of book suggestions for different age groups for parents and carers to give at Christmas. There are bedtime stories, information books and special gift books to choose from. Suitable for the primary age group and the lists are free to download.

Christmas is Coming: A Festive Panel with Hazel Gardner, Pippa Goodhart, and Jarvis – if you missed this Just Imagine Festive Author Panel you can now catch up with it on the link above. Special Christmas books, both old favourites and new titles are featured plus the authors’ favourite read. Great for adults but you could share clips with children too.

Poetry By Heart Festive Poetry Showcase – Poetry By Heart, the nation’s favourite poetry speaking competition, is celebrating the best festive poems in a special Poetry Showcase and encouraging everyone, young and old, to create a new seasonal tradition by gifting a poetry performance this Christmas. This poetry advent calendar also includes Poetry By Heart ‘Give it a Go’ tips to enable visitors to the website to learn their favourite poem by heart. 

Tom Palmer: Christmas News Extra – there are free Christmas resources, stories, activities, films and a lovely short story available on Tom Palmer’s excellent website.

Finally, some book reviews that caught my eye recently…

The Christmas Pine by Julia Donaldson & Victoria Sandoy – reviewed on Storysnug, The Christmas Pine, a beautifully illustrated, rhyming picture book, tells the true story of the Christmas tree that stands in Trafalgar Square. A book to share with young children of 3+ with beautiful illustrations.

The Christmas Wish-tastrophe by Cariad Lloyd, illustrated by Ma Pe – if you are looking for stories on a festive theme to get young readers in the mood this lovely review by Veronica Price may help you. This Christmas mystery set in 1812 sounds delightful and being an illustrated hardback may be a good present idea too. Veronica recommends it as ‘an essential addition to Christmas book collections‘ which is good enough for me!

The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers illustrated by Shawn Harris – this book has been receiving a great deal of attention online recently and I am most tempted by this thoughtful review by Stephen Dilley for Just Imagine. Please do read his review to find out more.

Well, that’s it for now. Having said I would try to avoid an enormous article that would be too much to read it has rather grown as there is so much happening that merits inclusion. I hope that this round up has been helpful and interesting. Over the coming weeks I will continue to share book reviews and possibly snippets of Christmas news as I come across it. Reading Matters will be back in 2025 all being well. Happy reading!

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I Flew Around The World by Zara Rutherford illustrated by Jiatong Liu

Posted on November 25, 2024 by alibrarylady

When she was 19 years old Zara Rutherford set off on a daunting adventure to become the youngest woman to fly solo around the world. I Flew Around the World, Zara’s chronicle of her journey, is an enthralling read covering a wide range of subject matter. We learn about her preparations, the mechanics of flight, the geography and wildlife of the countries she flew over and landed in and the challenges she faced along the way. Over five months and thirty one countries Zara’s inspiring journey will educate and inspire a new generation of scientists and aviators.

This well presented book is extremely engaging. Zara Rutherford’s distinctive narrative voice is relatable for children and the book features photos from Zara and her family plus clear and helpful illustrations by Jiatong Liu. Beginning with the meticulous preparations such as clothing, kit and route choice, and incorporating facts about flight, the mechanics of Zara’s plane plus the history of manned flight this is a great way of learning about aviation through an enjoyable narrative. The clear diagrams of the cockpit and the plane help explain the systems and the physics behind her world breaking achievement.

There is a combination of diary entry, key facts and information plus a personal view of places, people and society in different countries conveyed in a friendly and child friendly manner. Zara’s many challenges included flying close to the wildfires in California in 2021 and being stuck in Siberia for three weeks due to the weather conditions. Through Zara’s journey the reader will also learn about earthquakes, typhoons and air pollution and in each case their importance to both the challenge of the journey and to the population affected by them is explained. On a lighter note there is a world map illustrating the author’s favourite foods from around the world such as moose spaghetti in Alaska and mahi-mahi fish from the Caribbean. This balance of the the personal and the scientific is striking across the whole book and is a great way for children to learn from an enjoyable factual book.

Zara’s journey took five months in total and her story ends with the news that she is now studying electrical engineering at university with dreams of space travel next on her list. An inspirational young woman and one whose story will fascinate and inspire young readers. This would be an excellent purchase for primary school libraries and classrooms. I Flew Around The World was published by Dorling Kindersley on 7th November for age 7+ and I should like to thank the publisher and Sally Oliphant for my review copy.

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Engaging Children with Non-Fiction for National Non-Fiction November

Posted on November 15, 2024 by alibrarylady

The theme for National Non-Fiction November 2024 is ‘Why Don’t You?’ which aims to stimulate discussion about hobbies and leisure activities and to encourage children to try something new. Neon Squid are a relatively new publisher whose aim is to create books that appeal to all sorts of children, from fact fans and visual learners to those who like to curl up with a good story. The two books I am reviewing today illustrate just how they are achieving this.

Become A Chess Champion: Learn the Basics from a Pro by James Canty III and Brian Lambert.

This entertaining book introduces children to the world of chess, talking them through the various chess pieces and how to use them. There are chess puzzles to solve, some interesting facts about the history of chess and famous players making this a great book to browse for pleasure alongside learning something new. James Canty uses a conversational tone throughout the text and starting with the basics moves gradually through to more complex stages of the game providing plenty of practice and clear explanations throughout. The illustrations by Brian Lambert incorporate additional information and each chess piece is given a character of its own with facial features, rather like a cartoon character, adding to the fun.

Become a Chess Champion is suitable for beginners but would also be helpful for anyone looking to develop their skills further. The adult members of my family enjoyed using this guide as a useful refresher course too! This would be a lovely book to give as a present and would be ideal for school use to support chess clubs or encourage beginners. It is well presented with a helpful contents page and a glossary making it accessible for the young reader of about 8+.

Secrets of the Ocean: 15 Bedtime Stories Inspired by Nature by Alicia Klepeis illustrated by Kaja Kajfež

This book is a winning combination of narrative and facts will have great appeal for young animal lovers. It is made up of a collection of 15 short stories each of which focuses on a different marine creature. The stories are followed by a factual explanation of each creature, ‘the science behind the story’, providing a biological snapshot of the creature they have just met. This is a clever approach giving the book a slightly different tone than a traditional nature study reference tool.

The stories include swimming iguanas, penguins, deep-sea anglerfish, albatrosses, dolphins, whales and sea turtles and feature both the creatures’ habitat and other creatures with whom they live. The narrative focuses on animal families and their behaviour which children will appreciate plus threats and predators, happily ending with escape. A younger child may enjoy listening to the stories for their own sake even if they do not yet have the reading fluency to read them independently.

The author, Alicia Klepeis has written over 200 books for children covering a range of subjects in both non-fiction and fiction and you may like to explore her other titles for differing age groups on her website here. Kaja Kajfež’s illustrations are beautiful bringing each creature to life on the page and the gold embossed cover of this hardback book is most appealing having a slightly traditional appearance. This, like the other title reviewed here, would make a good present for children.

I should like to thank the publishers, Neon Squid, and Malu Rocha for providing my review copies. If you are interested in exploring some more factual books for children from this publisher I have reviewed a couple here.

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EUREK-HER! Stories of Inspirational Women in STEM written by Frances Durkin Illustrated by Nur Ventura

Posted on November 11, 2024 by alibrarylady

This month sees the annual celebration of factual books, National Non-Fiction November, organised by the Federation of Children’s Book Groups. For more than 30 years award wining publisher b small publishing have been creating books that celebrate children’s enthusiasm for discovery. I am consistently impressed by how they balance reader appeal and engagement with learning in the books they produce. EUREK-HER! Stories of Inspirational Women in STEM was published in September and is an excellent addition to their catalogue.

EUREK-HER! is a hardback book with an eye-catching cover that explores the lives of 20 different women who each made a significant discovery or invention. It begins in Ancient Mesopotamia with Tapputi Belatekalli who used distillation to create perfume and travels through time and around the world to finish in Kenya with Nzambi Matee who in 2020 was named a Young Champion of the Earth by the United Nations Environment Programme. Each of the women depicted is inspiring in their own way and it is fascinating to compare and contrast their differing backgrounds. Although many were well educated and some came from wealthy backgrounds there are others who were lacking in opportunities early in life and were largely self taught. The women’s individual fields are broad ranging too including medical advancements such as life saving malaria treatment to the setting up of a global business selling teddy bears. Subjects such as astronomy, marine biology and DNA are all featured ensuring that young readers can find something that piques their interest.

The book also features step-by-step activities to try at home created by Jenny Jacoby such as designing your own periodic table, making a lava lamp or a pond viewer or designing a bridge. The illustrations are stylish and clear with the overall design of the book by Vicky Barker adding to its appeal. Key words within the text are highlighted in bold with a definition for these being provided in the glossary at the end of the book. The contents are presented at the beginning of the book in a flow chart design with the linked activities listed in a box below. The activities are also incorporated within the appropriate biographies.

Cleverly produced to both inspire and encourage children to try out their own scientific discovery EUREK-HER! Stories of Inspirational Women in STEM is an excellent purchase for school libraries being both a useful reference tool and an appealing book to browse for individual interest. Aimed at age 8+. There are also free teaching activities to download from the publisher’s website here.

The Reading Agency are hosting a free 60-minute online workshop with the author Frances Durkin on Tuesday 19th Nov from 1.15pm -2.15pm. It’s perfect for children in Key Stage 2 and will explore the incredible inventions and astonishing discoveries which are featured in her book. Frances’ workshop will last approximately 40 minutes, and will be followed by a Q&A. You can find out more and register for the event here.

I should like to thank Naomi Weeks and the b small publishing for providing my review copy. EUREK-HER! Stories of Inspirational Women in STEM was published on 2nd September.

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Jakub’s Otter by Coral Rumble

Posted on November 9, 2024 by alibrarylady

Call it serendipity, or perhaps merely good luck, but sometimes a children’s book appears at just the right time. Over the last week there has been a great deal of concerned discussion about the findings published in the National Literacy Trust’s recent report, Children and Young People’s Reading in 2024. It was heartening to see the children’s book community come together to share positive experiences, plans and initiatives with the hope that we can make a difference. November is also Empathy Action Month when the Empathy Lab team encourage everyone to make every day an Empathy Day, and to keep taking steps to build a better, more empathetic world.

Jakub, never fear danger before it arrives…What ifs weigh heavy; why nots lift the heart. – Signor Mancini: Jakub’s Otter

Cover design and illustration by Anna Morrison

As I was pondering on the report findings and the work of Empathy Lab, Jakub’s Otter, Coral Rumble’s first novel for children, reached the top of my reading pile. I’m so glad that it did! If ever you are searching for a book to encourage empathy and kindness, soothe a worried mind and stimulate an interest in our natural surroundings and its inhabitants this is a wonderful example. The characters feel so real, the setting so beautiful and the kindness within its pages so thoughtful that I slowed down my reading as I didn’t want to say goodbye to Jakub and his new friends.

Ten year old Jakub, an only child, looks after his mum who has multiple sclerosis. Although he never complains and loves his mum dearly Jakub has had to take on grown up responsibilities at a very young age. When family friends, the Koniks, offer to take Jakub on holiday to Italy with them the boy worries about his mum even though her sister is going to stay with her in his absence. However once in Italy Jakub meets an elderly, wise woodman who gently encourages Jakub to relax. Together they look after an injured young otter and Jakub learns more about the countryside in which he is staying. Marta, the daughter of the Koniks, is talkative when Jakub is quiet and initially Jakub finds her irritating and a little childish. However, as their holiday progresses he learns that Marta has a passion for storytelling and poetry and slowly a friendship develops.

I loved this story. Despite its quiet approach Jakub’s Otter takes children on quite a big adventure through the Italian countryside with bears and wolves, alongside cats and otters. Jakub is an appealing narrator and his experiences are broken up with Marta’s thoughtful poems thus allowing us to gradually understand the personalities of the two children. The gradual forging of the bond between them is lovely. The most important friendship though is perhaps between Jakub and the wise and kind Signor Mancini who introduces him to the local area and to the otter who has such an impact on Jakub. It is beautiful to see Jakub who has spent so long caring being cared for instead. Although Jakub’s home life is not described in detail by the end of the book we understand that he has gained much from his holiday through the love and understanding shown to him.

Jakub’s Otter is a beautiful book; thoughtful, kind and wise. I think adults would enjoy sharing this with the young people in their lives be that at home or in school. Some of the discussions about the decline in reading for enjoyment have dwelt on the need for funny books for children. Although this is true I also think there is a place for quiet books such as this one. Stories don’t have to feature magic, battles and dragons to help children be brave, sometimes kind, thoughtful understanding can be empowering.

Jakub’s Otter by Coral Rumble is published by Troika Books and is available now. You may like to visit Coral’s website to find our more about her books, poetry and additional information and useful links.

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Reading Matters – Monthly Roundup of Children’s Books and Events

Posted on November 2, 2024 by alibrarylady

Welcome to this latest round up of what has been happening in the world of children’s books over the last month, plus details of some book related events to look forward to. There has been such a wide range of articles, discussions and comment over the last few weeks that it would be impossible to include it all but I do hope that this selection of links and reviews will be helpful to you.

In addition to the links below I would particularly like to draw attention to #WitchWeek24. This annual event is on this occasion celebrating the books written by award winning author Joan Aiken, to mark her centenary this year. Organised by Chris Lovegrove, over a period of nine days there are daily postings highlighting different aspects of this highly regarded author’s work. Please do visit his blog here to find out more about the event. The opening post featured a fascinating insight into Joan Aiken’s childhood and early career by her daughter Lizza Aiken. I will be taking part on Wednesday sharing some thoughts on A Necklace of Raindrops and Other Stories, a collection in which the author collaborated with much loved illustrator Jan Pieńkowski.

What I’m reading…

Shadow Creatures by Chris Vick is inspired by his own family history and provides insights into life under the Nazi regime in Norway during World War 2. This is powerful historical fiction drawing on oral history passed down through the generations, using the memories of those alive at the time to highlight the resilience of ordinary people experiencing occupation. I found Shadow Creatures an illuminating and powerful read and would recommend it for children of about 12+. This would be an excellent book for use in the classroom as part of the history curriculum and would also appeal to readers who enjoy historical fiction. You can read my review here.

This week I read a highly entertaining and original debut by teacher Jack Jackman. Maisie vs Antarctica is the first in a new series featuring a likable father and daughter duo and perfect for adventure lovers of about 9+. Masie thinks that her Dad is possibly the most boring person in the world but when a babysitter lets him down at the last moment he reluctantly takes his daughter on a trip to Antarctica via Argentina, Once there Masie starts to wonder if there is more to her father than she realised. Crash landing on the ice and escaping from a leopard seal are only the start of the thrills and danger they face together. I really liked the balance between humour and adventure and the close relationship of the two main characters. A thoroughly enjoyable read, Maisie vs Antarctica is published by Nosy Crow with an eye catching cover by Marco Guadalupi. I should like to thank Hannah Prutton for my review copy.

Last but definitely not least my two year old grandson has started to develop his own personal taste in books. On the days when I look after him there is, as you would expect, a basket of books close at hand and I used to work my way through a few with him happily listening, lifting flaps and so on. Over the last couple of weeks he has rummaged through the basket himself, each time selecting The Whales on the Bus by by Katrina Charman illustrated by Nick Sharratt. Each group of creatures mentioned carries on with their chosen activity ‘all day long’. A certain little person is now only happy if I sing this book to him ‘all day long’. A definite hit!

News, articles and resources…

National Non-Fiction November – National Non-Fiction November is the Federation of Children’s Book Groups’ annual celebration of all things factual. The theme for NNFN2024 is ‘Why Don’t You?’ which aims to stimulate discussion about hobbies and leisure activities and to encourage children to try something new. The FCBG have organised a competition for children who are invited to create a short ‘advert’ for their hobby. A booklet of ideas has been created to support book groups, libraries, teachers and families and a special book list will be available soon. Do have a look at the FCBG website to find out more. You may find this comprehensive list of information titles compiled by LoveReading4Kids helpful too.

Michael Rosen Day – on Tuesday 12 November there will be a special day of poetry, stories and creativity to celebrate 50 years since Michael’s first book. You can join Michael in  a special online appearance, hosted by the amazing MC Grammar at 10am on 12th November and there is a special resource pack for you to download too. The organisers are hoping to see as many schools and libraries as possible joining in the fun.

Empathy Action Month – Every November, Empathy Lab help young people focus on ways to make a difference, and reflect on the Empathy Resolutions made for Empathy Day. They want to encourage everyone to make every day an Empathy Day, and to keep taking steps to build a better, more empathetic world. There is a different theme for each week of the month with ideas to inspire young people plus additional resources and book lists.

Tom Palmer’s Remembrance Day Resources – This year’s Remembrance Sunday will be marked on 10th November, with Armistice Day on Monday 11th November 2024. To help schools mark the occasion and link it to developing literacy in the classroom, Tom Palmer will be offering free resources for schools to use based around his books. These resources include a film featuring Tom at one of the sites at which an allied aircraft crashed during WW2 and a live virtual event on 11th November incorporating art, music, poetry and veteran interviews. Huge thanks to Tom for the time and effort he puts into creating these free resources.

Literacy Hive November Calendar – this is an excellent way to ensure that you don’t miss out on any special book related events over the coming month. Sian Hardy has collated a veritable treasure trove of resources on her website and it is both useful and easy to navigate. Highly recommended for schools.

Vote in this year’s Books Are My Bag Readers Awards – it is possible to cast your vote in this year’s Books Are My Bag Readers Awards via the website linked above but you only have until 11.59pm on Sunday 3rd November so you’ll have to be speedy! The six shortlists include books by beloved, bestselling authors and poets. There are four titles in both the YA and children’s categories to choose from so do have a look and vote if you can.

The Disgraceful History of Nursery Rhymes: How to Make Reading Fun – At the Centre of Literacy for Primary Education on Monday, November 11th 6 – 8pm. author and child psychologist Nick Tucker discusses why nursery rhymes have played such an important and occasionally controversial role in early childhood as part of an oral culture. The talk will be followed by Q and A and signing of their book Nursery Rhymes with Pictures by Robert Lacey and Ben Coppin. Tickets free on a first come first serve basis. 

Live talk and Q&A with the Waterstones Children’s Laureate 2024-2026 Frank Cottrell-Boyce – Bring the Waterstones Children’s Laureate directly into your classroom! Schools can register to join this free Book Trust special virtual visit, allowing children to ask the new Laureate questions and find out more about them. Thursday 21 November 11am start (45 – 60 mins max) Suitable for: Year groups 5, 6 and 7.

Winner of the Little Rebels Award Announced – The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries: Portraits and Poison by J T Williams with illustrations by Simone Douglas, is the winner of the 2024 Little Rebels Award. Many congratulations! I thoroughly enjoyed this book so am delighted that it has been selected by the judging panel. You can find out more about this award and the shortlisted titles on the official website above.

The (Incomplete) Lit in Colour Book List – this excellent resource from Penguin Books offers a snapshot of exciting new texts that have just been published and spotlights older classic texts to support
teachers and young people diversify their reading. This is the list suitable for the primary age group.

The Book Trust Great Books Guide 2024-25: best new children’s books – Here are 100 books from the last year that the Book Trust team think are great. Books are grouped together by interest age and you can browse the suggestions on the website or download the free guide as a PDF.

An Audience with Mac Barnett – if you missed the excellent chat between Nikki Gamble and Mac Barnett I can highly recommend watching the recording via the link above. Their discussion included talk about Mac’s book La Porta Segreta, the craft of writing children’s books and why children are his ideal readers.

THE JOY BRINGERS: An interview with Karin Celestine – author Ian Eagleton interviews Karin Celestine about her new book, the third in a series based around the season suitable for both children and adults. Karen says that she wants to encourage people “to remember to stop and notice the small joys in their days even, or especially. when times are tough, and to bring some joy to others too.” This lovely interview is today’s “small joy.” 

The Lion, The Witch and The Wonder by Katherine Rundell – in a series of five original essays for BBC Radio 4, award-winning writer Katherine Rundell explores the world of children’s fiction in a journey that reveals its fundamental importance to us all. All five episodes are now available to listen to. It’s great to see children’s books featured in the mainstream media.

Small Stories of Great Artists by Laurence Anholt – a poignant but lovely interview for the Federation of Children’s Book Groups. Laurence Anholt’s picture books about the great artists were popular in the school library for many years and I have no doubt that his new anthology will be enjoyed by many.

SLA Announcement – Alison Tarrant’s Departure – I should like to add my voice to the many who have expressed their gratitude to Alison Tarrant for all she has done over the last six years representing school librarians and libraries. During a challenging period Alison has supported and promoted the SLA members and school libraries in general through the Great School Libraries campaign and always with good cheer. She will be much missed.

Just Imagine: A Symphony of Stories – A Symphony of Stories is James Mayhew’s second book of stories inspired by classical music. It includes The Carnival of the Animals, The Four Seasons, The Sunken Cathedral, The Planets, The Butterfly Lovers, and The Firebird. In this recording of an interview that took place last month, James discusses his musical research and creative decisions when writing the stories and creating the images. I have earmarked some time this weekend to catch up with this.

Children’s and teens roundup – the best new picture books and novels – Spellbinding witches; memories of home; treasure hunters; fake facts; fearsome creatures; a great guide to graphic art and more are among the themes covered in the latest selection of new book chosen by Imogen Russell Williams.

National Literacy Trust: Inclusive Libraries Conference – the inaugural Inclusive Libraries conference took place at the start of September 2024, running both in Leeds and London. The National Literacy Trust have made recordings of the keynote speakers and panel discussion available on their website, linked above. You can also download a talking points resource and read a blogpost about the conference by Dawn Woods Member Development Librarian for the School Library Association.

Book Clubs in Schools: Mostly Book Talk – Ali Palmer and Katy Donnelly from Book Clubs in Schools produce a podcast about children and teenagers’ reading for pleasure. hatting to authors, teachers, librarians about middle grade and YA books to share new releases and chat about the books we are reading. Episode 13 is out now and features an interview with J. P Rose about Birdie and Anthony McGowan about Dogs of the Deadlands. 

Book Clubs in Schools: Picture Book Club – a new venture from Book Clubs in Schools which provides all the materials you need to run a peer led book club in a primary school encouraging oracy and informal book talk – Y5s leading small book clubs for Y1s. Schools are provided with a box of 15 picture books, carefully selected to give a diverse range of authors and styles. There is a simple training session planned for teachers to deliver to the older children selected to lead the book clubs plus stickers, bookmarks and a small booklet for the younger pupils to complete – three boxes to choose from and each box costs £125 including UK postage.

The Reader Teacher: November 2024 Children’s Books I’m Most Excited About – Scott Evan’s monthly videos are a good way of keeping up to date with what is being published at the moment. His selection for November includes King Winter’s Birthday by Jonathan Freedland and illustrated by Emily Sutton which looks beautiful.

Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award: Nominated Candidates for 2025 – this global award is given annually to a person or organisation for their outstanding contribution to children’s and young adult literature and the laureates are selected by a twelve-member expert jury. Candidates are nominated by organisations and institutions from all over the world. A total of 265 candidates from 72 countries and regions have been nominated for the 2025 award. The full list is available to view via the link above. If you are active on Twitter (X) Mat Tobin, @Mat_at_Brookes, is spotlighting this important award so I would suggest you follow him and #CelebratingALMA to find out more.

Finally, some book reviews that caught my eye recently…

Fly: A Child’s Guide to Birds and How to Spot Them by David Lindo illustrated by Sara Boccaccini Meadows – this is a lovely review by Jo Bowers for Just Imagine and I wanted to highlight some information books as we are celebrating non-fiction this month. One of a series of books published by Magic Cat Publishing, Jo says that Fly is a beautifully illustrated nonfiction book packed with information; a book to stimulate children’s curiosity about birds.

The Story of Britain’s Black Nurses by K. N. Chimbiri – another great information book this time from Scholastic. The final paragraph of Veronica Price’s helpful review tells us all we need to know: “I whole-heartedly recommend this book to primary and secondary school librarians and hope that it will inspire gratitude towards those who work so hard to improve the health of our nation, and perhaps inspire a future generation of nurses and healthcare professionals.”

The Boy Who Cried Ghost by Ian Eagleton – not only a review but also an excellent Q&A with the author. Thank you to Nicki Cleveland for her great review, her pupils for their thoughtful questions and Ian Eagleton for the care with which he answered them. A perfect blogpost for Empathy Action Month.

There is quite a lot to get through this month, I know, but I do hope that something included here will be helpful or interesting to you. Happy reading and I hope to produce a special festive issue next month.

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Shadow Creatures by Chris Vick

Posted on October 26, 2024 by alibrarylady

Chis Vick’s third novel for children, Shadow Creatures, is inspired by his own family history and provides insights into life under the Nazi regime in Norway during World War 2. This is powerful historical fiction drawing on oral history passed down through the generations, using the memories of those alive at the time to highlight the resilience of ordinary people experiencing occupation. Written with understanding and respect this is a thoroughly gripping and thought provoking story.

Shadow Creatures opens with a scene set today, when young Georgy is on holiday visiting her grandmother Tove and great-aunt Liva. Her curiosity is piqued when they meet an unusual old woman in the woods and she questions her elderly relatives about what happened to the three of them many years ago. The ensuing story is told from the viewpoints of Tove who was 12 when the Germans invaded, and Liva who was only 9. This sharing of the storytelling enables the reader to appreciate the differing viewpoints of mutual experiences and highlights the contrasting personalities of the two sisters. Alongside his own family history Chris Vick incorporates the Norwegian myths of the Underjordiske, or ‘shadow creatures’ from whom the sisters draw inspiration in their acts of defiance against the Nazis.

Among the village community in which Tove and Liva live are Mose and her daughter Agna, newly arrived in the village and treated with suspicion. But young Liva, left out of the secrets her sister Tove and brother Haakon share, idolises Agna who has become the village rebel and follows her everywhere. After the arrival of the German army their daily lives of fishing, exploring, and picnics on a nearby island are changed irrevocably. The island itself becomes home to a prisoner of war camp, Haakon becomes part of the local resistance delivering underground news sheets in loaves of bread and Liva and Agna become increasingly drawn into danger.

As an adult I knew very little about Norway’s role in World War 2 and was struck by a fact mentioned in the author’s note at the end of the book. Apparently although Norway had a population of fewer than three million they caused so much trouble by their acts of defiance that Hitler sent 400,000 soldiers to keep them under control draining the Nazi army of both manpower and resources. Shadow Creatures explores the lives of the ordinary people who were affected in differing ways by this experience. This exploration draws attention to the moral dilemma of those living under a brutal regime and asks the question what is the ‘right’ thing to do in these circumstances. Many discussions could be prompted by this aspect of the story and Vick encourages his readers to consider the choices made by the different characters from an ethical point of view. This study of the past may also encourage young people to contemplate events today with a little more understanding.

I found Shadow Creatures an illuminating and powerful read and would recommend it for children of about 12+. This would be an excellent book for use in the classroom as part of the history curriculum and would also appeal to readers who enjoy historical fiction. If you are interested in exploring more fiction on a similar theme you may like to try Resist by Tom Palmer and Hide and Seek by Robin Scott-Elliott.

Shadow Creatures was published by Zephyr Books on 3rd October and I should like to thank Laura Smythe and the publishers for my proof copy.

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Blog Tour: A Little Blue Dot by Maren Hasenjäger translated by Leah Francis

Posted on October 8, 2024 by alibrarylady

A Little Blue Dot was originally published in Germany and has gone on to sell 15,000 copies. It is quickly clear why this charming book has been such a hit. The book introduces the planets and our solar system with the information being presented in an engaging narrative style which is accessible and perfect for the target age group of 4-8 years. At this age children are familiar with story structure and the friendly tone of the narrative voice will quickly draw the young reader in and they will learn and absorb as they read.

Opening with the introduction of a small blue dot which is in fact planet earth we discover that as this small planet views her neighbours she feels insignificant alongside them. However, as we meet each planet and learn a little about them, such as Saturn with his ice-crystal rings and Mars with his storms and volcanoes, each of them reassure earth revealing that they in fact envy her. Then one small voice rises above the others emphasising the very important reason that earth matters a great deal. The charming presentation with the individual planets being given personalities brings the subject to life and is extremely appealing. Sometimes an explanation for a term is incorporated within the ‘story’, for example the first description of Mars reads as follows:

”Mars is my next-door neighbour and he’s really popular. They keep sending up probes, which are small robots or satellites to explore him.”

There is a lot of information conveyed within this appealing book about both the solar system and space exploration and the overall appearance is clear and uncluttered enhancing the reading experience. The lovely endpapers provide detailed statistics and key facts about each planet. The underlying theme of celebrating difference and reassuring those that may feel unimportant next to others is both subtle and kind giving this lovely book an additional purpose.

This would be an excellent book for infant and lower junior school classrooms and for primary school libraries too. Alongside being an excellent introduction to the solar system it is an enjoyable read and touches upon the need to protect the planet on which we live. In keeping with this theme the book itself has been sustainably produced using FSC paper and eco-friendly inks and glue.

A Little Blue Dot was published on 5th September by Mama Makes Books and I should like to thank Susan Barry for providing my review copy and for her assistance with preparing this post. Please do follow the rest of the blog tour to find out more about this lovely book.

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