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Aisha Bushby Books

the shop witch’s quest

The Shop-Witch’s Quest

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Chapter book, Dyslexia-friendly
dyslexia-friendly

The Shop-Witch’s Quest is a wonderful tale of magic, friendship and adventure. The light-hearted nature of this read, along with the interesting and accessible vocabulary used throughout, would make it perfect for any reader beginning their independent reading journey as an introduction to chapter books, as well as for those who enjoy stories about witches and magic.

In this story, there are a variety of witches with differing occupations, including a garden-witch, a smith-witch and post-witch. Laurel herself is a shop-witch, who helps her parents run the magic shop ‘Witch Wares Emporium’ in the village. There are also witches in the story that do not ride the traditional broomstick and instead use other interesting forms of unexpected flying transportation.

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a flash of fireflies

A Flash of Fireflies

Chapter book

A magical middle grade book about family, friendship and finding your place, with a delicate touch of magic. Perfect for 10-12 year olds and fans of Jacqueline Wilson, Michelle Harrison and Kiran Millwood-Hargrave and The Girl Who Speaks Bear.

Hazel’s new life in England should have been the stuff of fairy tales; after all her Great Aunt’s cottage looked just like a gingerbread house, with a magical garden and whispering fireflies promising quests and adventures.

But as Hazel struggles to deal with the challenges of the everyday world –⁠ making friends, missing her family –⁠ she
also learns that every fairy tale has a dark side. And there are terrifying creatures that lurk in the shadows . . .

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tiny the secret adventurer

Tiny, the Secret Adventurer

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Chapter book
resources-available

This is a sweet short chapter book, but it manages not to be saccharin-sweet.  I am sure it will have wide appeal.  A little person, Tiny, is born in the sunflower patch of Oakwood Primary School’s garden, human in every respect but her size.  That’s why the garden’s animal residents are are so hostile towards her, at least initially.  They suspect she will be like the other human children who, apart from kindly Nour, are all rather clumsy.  When frog’s habitat is destroyed, Tiny has a chance to show she is friend not foe and, when she risks all to help him, all opposition melts away and the garden community is united as never before.

For the discerning reader there is a message here: about cooperation, friendship, and perhaps even prejudice, making it suitable for sharing in class.  Equally, it will give much pleasure to the child who reads it at home, and to the parent or librarian eager for alternatives (or follow-on) to the Daisy Meadows series.

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A Pocketful of Stars

Chapter book

A magical middle grade book about family, friendship and finding out who you are, full of emotion and a secret fantasy world to discover. Perfect for 10 year olds and fans of Jacqueline Wilson, Ross Welford, Kiran Millwood-Hargrave and The House with Chicken Legs. From a rising star of children’s books.

This place is magic … but it’s not the sort of magic that comes from wands and spells …

Can piecing together the past help you change the present?

Safiya and her mum have never seen eye to eye. Her mum doesn’t understand Safiya’s love of gaming and Safiya doesn’t think they have anything in common. As Safiya struggles to fit in at school she wonders if her mum wishes she was more like her confident best friend Elle. But then her mum falls into a coma and, when Safiya waits by her bedside, she finds herself in a strange and magical world that looks a bit like one of her games. And there’s a rebellious teenage girl, with a secret, who looks suspiciously familiar …

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Your Review

Stone Girl Bone Girl

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

Curriculum links (if relevant)

Curriculum links (if relevant)

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