Author & Illustrators
Maz Evans has crafted a story brimming with humour, heart and unforgettable characters in The Last Bard. From the very first page, readers are swept into a world where friendship and hope shine brightly, even when the odds seem stacked against them.
The premise of the story is a boy (the last living relative of William Shakespeare) with befriends a larger-than-life cast of Shakespeare characters who have jumped right out of the pages of an inherited copy of The Complete Works of Shakespeare.
The main characters are wonderfully drawn; flawed, funny and full of life. Their struggles and triumphs feel real, whether it’s their witty banter, moments of vulnerability or the courage they show when faced with daunting challenges. At its core, this is a story about friendship and hope in dark times. Maz Evans balances these heartfelt themes with her signature humour and fast-paced storytelling, making the book both deeply emotional and entertaining.
A really enjoyable, humorous book that provides just enough facts with its fiction – suitable for Years 4, 5 and 6.
The characters from previous books in the series pop back up. A nicely written mythological culture book, with unexpected plot twists that keep children engaged.
Another brilliantly hilarious read from Maz Evans in her series of funny history-themed books, where modern mortals meet ancient gods and goddesses.
In this book, Vespa and her cousin travel to the Egyptian underworld to rescue Ra, the sun god, who has been kidnapped by Seth, the god of chaos. To do that, they have to be dead, so Isis sees to it by sending their spirits down, much to the dismay of their parents. Isis insists they will be sent back alive by Osiris once their mission is complete.
The cousins are faced with plenty of danger while looking for Ra. This book is packed full of mythology presented humorously. It’s a fabulously engaging book that had me chuckling all the way through! . It’s perfect for use in the classroom for teaching about mythology in a light-hearted, entertaining way. Teachers and pupils alike will love this book.
Studying the Maya civilisation (definitely not ‘the Mayans’ as you will find out in the book) is a popular theme in KS2 and now Maz Evans has provided the perfect class reader to go alongside the topic!
As well as enjoying a humorous, fast-paced adventure, readers will learn about Maya culture, including meeting some of their gods and experiencing the deadly game Pok a Tok, which cousins Vesper and Aster must play to prevent the destruction of both themselves and their world.
The two characters are very different – Vesper, football-loving, outspoken and headstrong and Aster, quieter and more studious, but with a bright secret – and the reader comes to understand them, their relationships, their strengths and their motives as the story develops. Many children will be familiar with, and fans of, the Who Let the Gods Out series by the same author, and they will equally enjoy this spin-off series, which includes some familiar and favourite characters, but is a series starter in its own right.
This is a brilliant read-aloud to bring the Maya world to life and help pupils make links in their learning about ancient civilizations.
This fast-moving narrative with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments is a huge hit, especially with upper KS2.
The story is based on the exploits of a boy called Elliot, who falls into an adventurous mission and calls on the help of the Olympian gods. Full of comedy scenes and sad parts too, we think this is an excellent story to read aloud for a light-hearted take on how Greek gods would fare in the modern world.
There are also chapter-by-chapter reading resources available to download from the publisher.
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