The Carnegies

This is an extraordinary verse novel about the final year of primary school, told through poetry. The verse captures the character of Year 6 pupil Nate as he navigates issues of school, family illness, emotions, change and friendships. Year 6 is a difficult year for many children, and whilst they are unlikely to have it quite as difficult as Nate, the book still captures some of that flavour, including the run-up to SATs, friendship issues and anxiety during a time when a sense of big changes is in the air.

Through his powerful verses, ex-primary school teacher Matt Goodfellow pays testament to the impact of a great teacher in supporting pupils through this time as well as the power of words and writing to help manage big emotions.

This is a very emotional and immersive story. A mature child will be able to ‘read between the lines’ and understand the text at a deeper level, even in Year 6. A great Y6  transition read!

As this story unfolds – of a girl who visits the library and finds a book nobody notices, the ghost of a book with blank pages – our minds conceive of new possibilities: that raised dots on paper can open up a world of imagination and learning. Fingers are as capable of reading as eyes. The vulnerability of the book itself (scared that it’s story will end, ashamed of its white pages) reflects the vulnerability of those who are visually impaired, although the blind girl in this story strikes as confident as well as kind, as she offers the reassurance: “stories don’t really end – they can be read as many times as you want.” There is so much to explore here; so much to delight in (including the intricate paper-cut imagery). It could be enjoyed by individual children, or in small group settings as a way into talking about ‘disability’ and inclusion

“What did you think of it?” I asked the Year 5 girl with whom I shared this beautiful book. “Interesting,” she said. A simple response which belies just how captivated she was by it. She felt the pages, she drew from it her own conclusions (“we should not be so arrogant and be kind to each other”), she asked questions about braille, having not encountered it before, and said she wants to have braille books in the school library – a request I am keen to fulfil.