Author & Illustrators
A touching intergenerational story of love and resilience. Tibble loves talking to Grandpa. But Grandpa has stopped listening. Mum says just give him time. But Tibble wants to talk to Grandpa now. . . So Tibble tries his favourite game -TOP THREES! And something amazing happens. Grandpa starts talking again . . . A moving story about love, loss, and the wonder of families.
This story is about being real with our friends, honest with them so that they can be true to themselves; let’s be happy with how we are, and not have to conform because it suits other people. Setting the story in the Arctic gives it an exotic feel – everyone loves polar bears, puffins and snowy white foxes. And it allows the illustrator to display his skill at portraying the Northern Lights, which he does very well in characteristic cartoon style.
I can see Year 1 and 2s liking Patrick and their teachers reading it aloud when ‘doing’ related geography work, or when dealing with friendship issues. Equally, some children will enjoy reading it to themselves.
Sunny and the Birds is a gentle narrative telling the tale of a young boy and his daddy settling into a new life. There is a new house to get used to but other subtle themes weave throughout the story too. It would be interesting to ask children what other things they thought were a ‘new’ part of Sunny’s life. The voice of young, purposeful Sunny shines through and reminds us that children often adapt more easily to new homes and communities than adults, having perhaps fewer expectations and abundant natural optimism. The book uses garden birds as a bridge from past to present and includes the names of commonly found garden birds with an extra labelled illustration on the last page. Children will enjoy noticing for the subtle bird imagery in Nabila Adani’s delicate artwork; with echoes of Alison Jay style repetition, there are bird images on every page!
Ultimately a story of belonging and the small things that make a difference, Sunny and the Birds touches softly on the topic of putting down roots in a new place.
Peggy is an apologetic pigeon. She always assumes she’s in the wrong. Even when she’s the one getting bullied. But Joan, an older female seagull, gives her the necessary skills to stand up for herself. This hilarious tale from award-winning author Wendy Meddour contains an important message about the importance of being assertive. Carmen Saldana’s illustrations are full of personality and humour.
This is a beautiful picturebook that celebrates new beginnings and the power of human connection. Tilly moves to a new home by the sea. She’s sad to learn that her precious dog Shadow is not allowed to go into her new school on her first day. Tilly faces the challenge of a new start alone. At playtime, the teacher notices that Tilly is alone and suggests trying the Friendship Bench. A boy already occupies the bench and the pair form a bond as they work together to transform the old, broken bench into something beautiful.
This is a warm and gentle story. Most children can relate to the feeling of having nobody to play with or having to face a new challenge alone. The story gently encourages readers to seek human connection and reminds us all of the difference that reaching out and making friends can make. The story could be used to encourage children to reflect on how to make new or isolated members of the school community welcome. Could you work together this year to create spaces around the school where lonely children could go, where children can build connections through shared activity or where friendships can blossom?
We all have busy lives and little Tisha and her family are no exception. With life always moving at such a pace, Tisha must ‘hurry up’ to get ready for school on time, ‘hurry up’ to finish her drawings before break time, and ‘hurry up’ to tidy up before she goes home. But hurrying up all the time can be exhausting. Thankfully, Tisha’s Mummy knows a special game to help them all slow down when everything becomes too much . . .
A beautiful story about allowing more mindfulness and stillness into children’s lives.
It’s lights, camera, ACTION under the sea, but Stefano the Squid is having a wobble. All the other creatures seem far more amazing – no wonder the Deep Sea TV team don’t notice him.
But when disaster strikes, Stefano steps up! Can one ordinary squid save the day?
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