Author & Illustrators
Jasmine is delighted to be nursing an injured hedgehog back to health until, on the afternoon of Bonfire Night, Snuffle escapes. As darkness falls and everyone prepares their bonfire celebrations, can Jasmine find Snuffle’s hiding place before the first match is lit?
Brilliant storytelling that will make you laugh and cry, this is Dick King-Smith for a new generation. Perfect for readers aged seven and up.
Much-loved children’s author Helen Peters delivers another beautiful wildlife tale with An Otter Called Pebble, perfect for lower KS2 readers and in particular, animal lovers.
Jasmine and Tom rescue a tiny otter cub, Pebble, from the river. Before the pair know it, they face a race against time to reunite Pebble with her elusive family.
As with Helen Peters’ other animal rescue stories, this book is filled with hope and determination, empowering children to make a difference to the natural world around them. Its short chapters and line illustrations offer an enjoyable adventure alongside fascinating insights into protected wildlife, making it an ideal independent read for Year 3.
I love family stories, and this is a real cracker.
Hannah lives on a rundown farm with her dad and three siblings. When the farm is threatened with closure, Hannah, who loves drama and writing, decides it is time to act. With the help of her best friend Lottie, and her brother and sisters, The Secret Hen House Theatre is born. Can Hannah’s dreams bring the farm back from the brink of disaster?
A really lovely read which brings both the countryside and the thrill of performing alive.
When wild animals stray into the park and get into difficulties, Hassan and his mum are there to help in two heartwarming tales from animal-story maestro Helen Peters.
Dapple the fawn gets carried away exploring the park near the woods where he lives with his mother, Fern. But when Fern comes to find him, she gets tangled in a wire. Can Dapple find someone to help set her free?
Olive the otter loves playing in the river near her home. But when she disobeys her mother and strays out after a rainstorm, Olive gets washed far downstream and lands on the bank in a city park. How will she ever find her way home?
Luckily for Dapple and Olive, Hassan and his mum, a wildlife ranger, live close to the park and can help both little animals back to safety.
Particularly suitable for readers aged 7+ with a reading age of 7.
The third in a fantastic series of animal stories for younger readers by Waterstones Children’s Book Prize-shortlisted author Helen Peters, with beautiful black-and-white illustrations by Ellie Snowdon.
A sick puppy abandoned on Jasmine’s farm urgently needs her help to survive. And though he adores her, Jasmine doesn’t know if Sky will ever trust people again. But it’s not until she gets into terrible danger that she finds out…
Brilliant storytelling that will make you laugh and cry, this is Dick King-Smith for a new generation. Perfect for readers aged seven and up.
Check out Jasmine’s other adventures: A Piglet Called Truffle, A Duckling Called Button, A Kitten Called Holly and many more!
A wonderful uplifting read from Helen Peters.
Hannah and her siblings are aghast when their always-strong, forever-busy farming father has an accident leaving him hospitalised and unable to work for weeks. Things go from bad to worse when they discover that the farm’s landlord wants to sell the farm off, leaving them homeless and farmless. They need to raise two million pounds in a few short months
The Great Farm Rescue tells the story of how Hannah, her friends and family – along with many volunteers – try the impossible task of raising the funds to save the farm. Running alongside the fundraising storyline is that of Hannah’s school production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the bully determined to get Hannah thrown off the play and humiliate her for good measure. This storyline is a continuation of Helen Peters’ previous books in the ‘Hannah’s Farm’ series, but also can be read as a standalone.
This heartwarming adventure will be enjoyed by many, as read-aloud enjoyment from 6 plus and read-alone for ages 8 and above. With an abundance of likeable characters, human and animal, you can’t help but get swept up in the drive to save the farm and the many twists and turns along the way. The book is well written with a plot line that keeps you wanting to read more, with a few laughs along the way.
Jasmine’s dad is a farmer, and her mum is a large-animal vet, so Jasmine spends a lot of time caring for animals and keeping them out of trouble. Unfortunately, this often means she gets into hot water herself…
A perfect animal story for younger readers by Waterstones Children’s Book Prize-shortlisted author Helen Peters, with beautiful black-and-white illustrations by Ellie Snowdon.
When Jasmine finds a lost foal in her father’s field, she can’t believe her eyes. Who would abandon such a beautiful creature, especially as it’s hurt its leg? With the race on to reunite Storm with his mother, Jasmine is determined to solve the mystery and bring the culprits to justice!
Brilliant storytelling that will make you laugh and cry, this is Dick King-Smith for a new generation.
Historical setting – tick. Dastardly villains -tick. Mansion house setting – tick. Poor girl -tick. Rich girl – tick. Yes, this book has all the ingredients for a fantastic, edge-of-the-seat historical spy adventure.
The combined themes of war and espionage will make this book one that children will want to read and a good addition to the canon of World War 2 stories suitable for slightly younger readers. It is a bit of old-fashioned daring-do, coupled with real historical detail and jeopardy. The tension is palpable throughout the story and the desperation of the heroines feels real. There is nothing here that slightly younger KS2 readers would find difficult, with only mentions of what is happening to Jews in Germany at the time and the violence is at a minimum.
The interesting part of the story is about the differences in the lives of the two girls due to their class and circumstances. The postscript at the end of the book makes it clear how the upper classes were really able to get away with things due to their standing in society and the two girls are like a microcosm of this class divide.
This is a tremendously exciting read, one I could not put down and read all in one go.
We highly recommend this gentle series of animal stories for younger readers, which are standalone animal-rescue adventures featuring loveable character Jasmine Green. There are plenty of books to keep readers going in this series, each based on a different type of animal.
In this story, Jasmine finds a pair of lost rabbits and hopes to take care of the frightened creatures until they can be united with their owners. Twists and turns mean that Jasmine has a number of challenges to face, especially when one of the rabbits called Clover proves to be very good at escaping.
Animal lovers and fans of collectible series will be keen to dip into this lovely story.
Animal lovers will quickly be drawn into Helen Peters’ A Donkey Called Mistletoe, illustrated by Ellie Snowden. Jasmine is no stranger to caring for animals, with her parents being a farmer and a vet. When Jasmine discovers that old Mr Hobson is no longer able to take care of his pet donkey, Mistletoe, she is desperate to help. It might take a bit of work to persuade her parents that a donkey won’t cause too much trouble at Christmas, by Jasmine is determined to make it work. Combining an animal rescue narrative with festive cheer, this is a good choice for readers who love a gentle and heartwarming style of story.
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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