Author & Illustrators
Nominated for Favourite Books of 2018 by: Nia Talbot (@NiaTalbot), Assistant Headteacher and EYFS teacher
Laura Wood transported me back in time to this beautiful Cornish setting where Lou, the main protagonist, is trying to decide what her life should be. She is swept into a glamourous lifestyle but not everything is as wonderful as people perceive. This book kept me hooked and I very much loved Lou. She seemed so real to me. A definite favourite read for me.
Laura’s own book The Animals of Madame Malone’s Music Hall is a charming tale of believing in one’s self and the importance of community, with a cast of creative creatures taking centre stage and a super-readable and dyslexia-friendly format.
Summer by the seaside with Gran isn’t exactly what Callie expected. Instead of sunshine and ice cream, she’s stuck helping Gran’s drama group save their local theatre. Worst of all, they’ve asked her to star in their play. But when she goes exploring backstage, Callie stumbles into an altogether different world another theatre, run by a wise fox and her troupe of talking animals. And the strangest part of all? Callie’s set to play the lead in their show too. Forced to face her fears will Callie be up to the challenge of saving Madame Malone’s Music Hall?
Wildly imaginative with an unusual array of animal characters and a sensitive message of self-belief, this uplifting story will appeal to animal lovers and fans of the theatre alike. (Ages 8+ / ‘super-readable ‘ format).
Sometimes you meet a character in a book who you not only like a lot, but also think that if you met them in real life you would want to be friends with them. So it is with Effie in ‘Vote for Effie’, a very real twelve year old girl, starting at a new school part of the way through Year 8. Most children have anxieties about starting secondary school or any new school and this book explores this fear in a lively and fast paced story. But Vote for Effie is more than just a story about starting a new school, as it covers injustice and women’s rights as well and is immensely readable.
Effie ends up, almost by accident, running for School Council and the story takes the reader through her campaign, against a seemingly unpleasant adversary. Effie is at first friendless, but then joined by a group of entertaining and interesting individuals as she challenges the status quo. The book is full of humour and delightfully illustrated by Mirelle Ortega.
I particularly liked that the central character is of Greek origin, as, living and working in an area where there are a significant number of Greek Cypriot children, I feel they are underrepresented in books.
I’d never read anything by this author before, but this book was so enjoyable I want to read more. As a reader you find yourself cheering Effie on and living the ups and downs with both Effie and her companions. I would vote for Effie!
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)
Any other comments
Any other comments