Benji’s Emerald King

Benji’s Emerald King is a delightful short chapter book that will particularly appeal to children who are interested in nature or enjoy outdoor adventures. This book could also be used a class text or as an independent read for more confident readers.

Readers will be engaged with the tale of friendship and exploration that runs throughout the book, as well as the focus on looking after the local environment. The choice of vocabulary used also makes this story accessible to all and easy to follow. In particular, running alongside the story are extracts from Benji’s nature notebook, which he uses to record his notes, drawings and observations from his time in the woods. These extracts give factual information about many things in the wood, including the different types of trees and animals, which could be used to further consolidate learning in the classroom, as well as being a nice addition that runs alongside the narrative of the story. Littering and the damage this can cause are also referenced in the book.

The illustrations used in the book are engaging and fun. They support the reader to navigate the text well, breaking it up into readable chunks. This is a great first book for the start of the Woodland Explorers Club series.