Covering historic and current figures from the worlds of the arts, sport, business, politics and social activism, Black and Irish will also find space to celebrate everyday heroes-lesser known figures making a difference in Irish communities today.
Covering historic and current figures from the worlds of the arts, sport, business, politics and social activism, Black and Irish will also find space to celebrate everyday heroes-lesser known figures making a difference in Irish communities today.
Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. The bestselling LGBTQ+ graphic novel about life, love, and everything that happens in between: this is the fifth volume of the beloved HEARTSTOPPER series.
Nick and Charlie are very much in love. They’ve finally said those three little words, and Charlie has almost persuaded his mum to let him sleep over at Nick’s house … But with Nick going off to university next year, is everything about to change?
By Alice Oseman, winner of the YA Book Prize, Heartstopper encompasses all the small moments of Nick and Charlie’s lives that together make up something larger, which speaks to all of us.
Contains discussions around mental health and eating disorders, and sexual references.
A story of survival, of love between mother and son and of enduring hope in the face of unspeakable hardship. An important read. The Boy Who Didn’t Want to Die describes an extraordinary journey, made by Peter, a boy of five, through war-torn Europe in 1944 and 1945.
Peter and his parents set out from a small Hungarian town, travelling through Austria and then Germany together. Along the way, unforgettable images of adventure flash one after another: sleeping in a tent and then under the sky, discovering a disused brick factory, catching butterflies in the meadows – and as Peter realises that this adventure is really a nightmare – watching bombs falling from the blue sky outside Vienna, learning maths from his mother in Belsen.
All this is drawn against a background of terror, starvation, infection and, inevitably, death, before Peter and his mother can return home.
Author Professor Peter Lantos is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and in his previous life was an internationally renowned clinical neuroscientist. His memoir, Parallel Lines (Arcadia Books, 2006) was translated into Hungarian, German and Italian. Closed Horizon (Arcadia, 2012) was his first novel.
Peter was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2020 for ‘services to Holocaust education and awareness’.
He is one of the last of the generation of survivors and this – his first book for children – will serve as a testimony to his experience.
Peter lives in London.
Fourth Wing meets The Hunger Games in this sizzling fantasy romance not to be missed.
Only the extraordinary belong in the kingdom of Ilya . . . The exceptional. The Elites. The Elites have possessed powers for decades, gifted to them by the Plague, while those born Ordinary are just that, banished from the kingdom and shunned from society.
No one knows this better than Paedyn Gray, an Ordinary posing as an Elite. When she unsuspectingly saves one of Ilya’s princes, Kai Azer, she’s thrown into the Purging Trials, a brutal competition to showcase her ‘Elite’ powers.
If the Trials and the opponents don’t kill her, the prince she’s fighting feelings for will if he discovers what Paedyn really is . . . completely Ordinary.
Be swept away by the first in the smash hit, dagger-to-the-throat romantasy trilogy that’s taken the world by storm.
This is probably one of my books of the year. It’s beautifully constructed, with three parallel storylines which eventually merge. There’s a lot for children to empathise with and discuss. It’s a genuine page-turner!
Gripping, empathy-filled, warm, complex and optimistic!
Mikey’s dad has died, and his best friend is trying to help him. But Mikey doesn’t want to be helped; instead, he has pressed the self-destruct button and is drinking and getting into fights. Is there any way he can be helped back from the brink? This story explores a friendship that might be at breaking point and a violent side of society.
Barrington Stoke might be a simpler read, but they still produce books that hit hard and deal with complex issues. This is a study of grief set in a poverty-stricken neighbourhood, where even the adults do not have the capacity to help the grieving child. I knew Phil Earle would write something special as I’ve loved his books, but this is much grittier and more aimed at KS3 children. The boys do not have the emotional literacy or language to deal with the grief, and have nowhere to turn, which makes it quite a desperate tale. It seems like a story that would work well on screen as many children would understand Mikey’s grief, not only that his dad died, but that before then, he had left the family, and Mikey did not see him much. Earle creates the impression that the father was a real loser but loved nonetheless.
The cover by David Wardle is a clever take on the London Underground Tube map and whilst completely relevant, does not give anything away about the plot. The combination of Phil Earle and Barrington Stoke makes this a book for KS3 and beyond to remember.
Having only ever read the rather controversial John Boyne book, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, I decided it was time to read some more of his work. He does write an engaging and interesting story and the main character, Alfie, is delightful. It is also an interesting portrait of life in London during World War 1, not something I know very much about. The introduction of a real historical figure is nicely and believably done and the era well captured. There is also the discussion about conscientious objectors which is particularly well done and would lend itself to a debate in class as it is written in such a balanced way. Whilst many books about World War 1 are often about war itself, for obvious reasons, this is about the aftermath of going to war and the effects of ‘shell shock’ on the young men who survived. It is quite graphic in places and so I would say it is for a mature Year 6 child or Key Stage 3. Reading this does make me want to go and read more by John Boyne, who is clearly much more than the sum of one book, however well known it might be.
This is a brilliant, gritty novel from Malorie Blackman aimed at older children or younger teens.
The dual narrative follows the stories of Gemma and Mike, who are both struggling to deal with past trauma and difficult family dynamics. Mike, the new boy at school is (on the surface) sociable, popular and seems to have it all, whereas Gemma feels unnoticed and invisible to her family and her peers. Their worlds collide when Gemma realises she has seen Mike in a newspaper clipping and endeavours to find out more about his past – especially why he has told everyone his mum has died when Gemma knows this not to be true.
A brilliant, compelling tale exposes themes that some children will be familiar with, others less so. The story explores themes of friendship, bullying, trauma, parents in prison, death, separation, mental health, domestic abuse and family relationships. As often, Malorie Blackman weaves a tale with a moral message and shows her readers how mistakes can be rectified through honesty and a good support network.
A stunning, unusual and very moving contemporary fairy tale which, like all the best fairy tales, is as scary as it is compelling. This is a great thriller with an underlying ecological message for KS3.
Very few land-dwellers know the real reason for the mistrust that exists between them and those who make their homes on the water. But the water-dwellers, the silvermen, have a secret. They are amphibious humans; they can swim like fish and breathe underwater through their skin.
Kelda’s little sister Isla, however, is different. When, as the Lore dictates, she was thrown into the river at seven days old, she couldn’t breathe and almost died. Since then, the family has protected Isla’s secret because her very existence is a crime. Now, the river is sickening, survival is becoming harder, and Isla could be blamed. When a dreadful betrayal happens, Kelda and Isla must go on the run, but the whole family is in danger and their love for Isla is so great they are willing to brave ordeals, terrifying monsters and even death to save her.
This stunning fantasy adventure explores the traditions and ancient wisdom by which a marginalised community live their lives and encourages readers to think about whether certain beliefs should be challenged. It also asks what we would be prepared to do for those we love.
MY NAME IS LARA BLOOM AND THIS IS MY LIFE . . .
Meet Lara Bloom – the best friend you never knew you needed. This is her diary . . .
When Lara meets super-cute new boy Caiden, she begins to think that the way to his heart is to give herself a glow up. But her friends are not impressed. You should never glow up for a boy, only for yourself!
As Lara and her friends embark on their project of empowerment and self-love, Lara shares her innermost thoughts with her online journal. How can she keep her hair under control when she’s playing football? Why is she so fast on the pitch yet so uncoordinated off it? And how will she ever convince Caiden to take an interest in her?
With her worries safely locked in her top-secret journal, Lara is on track to unlock the glow-up of her dreams. Surely nothing could possibly go wrong . . .?!
A heart-warming story of friendship, crushes and learning to love yourself. Perfect for fans of GEEK GIRL, Louise Rennison and Alesha Dixon.
review
Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Would you recommend the book for use in primary schools?
yes
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Curriculum links (if relevant)
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