Materials

Many people and creatures lived in the forest, sharing its sanctuary. But they began to notice that something was not quite right. Branches were being cut off. So they set out to investigate. Eventually, they discovered Bear as the culprit. He was so determined to win a paper airplane competition and, needing more paper, he used the wood for the paper to practice. The forest community was not entirely without sympathy, but the chopping of trees had to stop and something done to make up for it. After the Bear started planting new trees to replace the old, his new friends perfected the optimum paper plane to enable him to win the competition and all was well. Oliver Jeffers’ simple, effective drawings portray expression on all his characters with just a few strokes of his pen yet add so much to the message of the book.

Publishers are spoiling us at the moment with a wealth of non-fiction titles for children that are presented with creativity and a high visual appeal. Once Upon a Raindrop: The Story of Water by James Carter and Nomoco immerses the readers into the wonderful world of water; from the tiny raindrops that drip and drop onto hills to the waves roaring mightily in the oceans and then to the wispy evaporations of steam and clouds.

More than a simple explanation of the water cycle, this book uses gentle and poetic verse to evoke the transient flow of water through its different forms, accompanied by swirling, meandering watercolour illustrations. Sometimes the shape and sizes of the words on the page seamlessly blend with the images to further bring life to the poetry.

The book is certainly informative when it comes to learning about water, but also offers something more. The gentle poetry of the words, the elegant illustrations and the high quality production of the book itself work together to pass on a key message about the beauty and importance of water as a life-giving element.

Iggy Peck is a young boy with a passion for building. No matter what materials he has to hand (from apples to nappies), he manages to use them to construct another new amazing creation. When Iggy’s new teacher bans building, Iggy will have to find a way to convince her that his architecture skills are very useful indeed. There is also an accompanying STEM activity book.

A beautifully illustrated book with real design qualities that even children who are not already interested in cranes or diggers will be fascinated by. Those who do love cranes and diggers will be in raptures as the details of a large-scale building project are explored with real authority.

The lively illustrations are beautifully created, and the small details, such as the bird’s nest on top of the crane and the mysterious cat (or is it a fox?) watching from afar, mean that multiple readings will reveal new things each time. 

The book also has a glossary and a list of tools at the back, which means teachers can use these to teach useful non-fiction reading skills and develop vocabulary. However, this is also a book to be read, enjoyed, talked about and shared by children. I can see it becoming one of the favourite books during reading time, and I daresay it will be included on many children’s present lists.

The Mellons are a family of five who live in a small flat and have had enough of not having enough space so decide that they need a bigger family home. They look around some different houses but none of them are quite right so they decide to build their own house. Each family member has a request for something that the new home should have: a study, a big kitchen and even a pool. With the help of architect Masha, they set off creating their dream home, but with a bigger picture in mind – their impact on the environment.

This book follows the journey of designing and building a new house and how this can be done in a more ecological way thinking about each step and its impact on the environment – making it stand out from the array of books about more traditional houses and homes. A range of tradespeople are introduced, who are represented by a range of men and women. At each step, the green way is discussed and how this is better for the environment than the traditional building method – for example using solar panels and a green roof. Every aspect of the building process is examined and made more friendly for the planet.

The book was enjoyable to discover and included interesting facts and lots of technical vocabulary – with enough science to capture older children as well as younger primary pupils who will enjoy the visual information and narrative frame. New topic words are either explained in the text or included in the glossary at the back.

This is a fantastic twist on the classic fairy tale ‘The Three Little Pigs’. In this hilarious new version of the story, the three little wolves build houses of bricks, concrete and steel in an attempt to escape the Big Bad Pig, who is well armed with a tool kit including a sledgehammer and a pneumatic drill. Highly recommended.

Elephant Island is a peculiar tale!  At the heart of the book is the theme of community. When Elephant’s ship capsizes, he has to resort to inventiveness to fix it. Children will love his quirky approach to problem-solving solving and wild engineering attempts, and the illustrations will be pored over as, with each look, there is something new to spot. Arnold the elephant has a very positive outlook on life and no matter what, he believes that he can fix things. His perseverance and determination result in a home for all where everyone is welcome.

Seemingly aimed at a younger audience but really well suited to the whole primary range, this picture book makes references to The Rime of the Ancient Mariner poem with the line “Alone, alone, all all alone, Alone on a wide wide sea!” The vocabulary used within the story is ambitious ‘salvage’, ‘seafaring’, ‘catastrophic’ and ‘expanding’ for example and so this will lend itself to discussion about the meaning of new words. For these reasons, it is a picture book that would be better placed in an older classroom or, if to be shared with younger children, to be read alongside an adult.

Readers will laugh at Arnold’s unusual approaches to fixing problems – his solutions are never the easy, obvious ones! The pictures contain things to find, things to count and each character is full of expression. This is a great book for sharing and for chatting about. Children will delight in Arnold’s creative contraptions and Leo Timmers’ detailed illustrations.

This delightful book has become an instant favourite. The eye-catching cover gives clues to the reader and after reading, be prepared for your younger readers to begin to build fantastic creations out of boxes. It is a dream story for children (and adults to read!) and most people remember a time when, on a receiving a gift, the child wants to play with the box!

The main character, Meg, is marvellous and feels very special on being the first ‘boxitect’ in her class. When another child joins, who is also a boxitect, this causes competition and resentment as to who is the best. As the story progresses, the message of working together and building on each other’s successes is key, as well as celebrating other children’s achievement. A message of friendship and teamwork is clear.

At the end of the story it, there is a section about ‘Why is cardboard so extraordinary?’ and instructions on how to make a tunnel and a castle. It really was inspirational and the day after reading this as a bedtime story my 5 year old daughter made a robot out of cardboard which she wore over her head and arms- be prepared for this to inspire young crafters!

Every now and then you find a picture book that is so much more than just a book with pictures. This is one of those books, telling the true story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay through words and quite breathtaking illustrations. This book is complex enough for older children and deals with extreme poverty as well as the joy of music while the pictures, showing both light and shade, stay in the mind long after reading. The faces of the children linger; the contrasts of colour making everything vivid and snatching you into the book, giving the reader the tiniest glimpse of what life is like in one of the poorest slums on Earth. The problem is solved with the use of rubbish, turning something that is clearly blighting their lives into something of huge benefit. The reader is left with a sense of the enormous ingenuity that must have gone on to recreate the instruments the children needed to play. The very end of the book takes you into reality as the author explains the true story and there is even a photo of the children with their instruments.

This is a remarkable book because it has the scope to be used as the basis for so much different work in schools. The story alone is unusual, the illustrations show notable use of colour and shade. The topic of the book could be used in music or Geography, or recycling topics. I’d never heard of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay before, but this book has made me glad to learn that such a wonderful organisation exists.

This is an information-packed picture book that draws attention to just how many everyday objects are made of plastic. From plastic straws and food wrapping to ketchup bottles and cat toys, there is no denying that plastic is all around us. The book walks through the history of plastic production and introduces the problem with materials that are not biodegradable. What’s more, through photographs, illustrations and child-friendly diagrams, the author explains that much of the plastic ends up in the ocean in enormous garbage patches (the most famous of which is currently three times the size of France!).

“Rubbish? Don’t Throw it Away” is a delightful, innovative book for early years education in the 21st century. It is a wonderful resource to introduce concepts of recycling and sustainability to children. It’s a story that invites young readers to think differently about the ‘stuff’ around them, fostering an early respect for the environment and teaching the value of resourcefulness and creativity.

Linda Newbury’s narrative skillfully introduces young readers to the Dragonflies Nursery, a group of industrious children who brilliantly transform what most consider ‘trash’ into treasured items. The book’s lively prose is peppered with imaginative ideas, showcasing how everyday waste items can be repurposed and brought to life again. It’s a testament to the power of creativity and problem-solving, underpinned by a clear, essential message about recycling and reducing waste.

Katie Rewse’s vibrant illustrations perfectly complement Newbury’s text, adding depth, character, and life to each page. Each illustration is eye-catching and detailed, offering opportunities to explore and engage with the transformation of pine cones into decorative owls or turning old curtains into amazing costumes.

“Rubbish? Don’t Throw it away” is a must-have addition to any preschool library or classroom. Parents and carers, too, will find the book enjoyable and inspirational. It’s not just about telling children what they can do with their ‘rubbish’ – it’s about sparking their imagination to develop their own ideas. It’s about laying the foundation for a generation that sees not waste but potential, reinforcing that every object, no matter how seemingly trivial, has potential value if approached with creativity and ingenuity.

This is a wonderful book that follows the cycle of a mysteriously individual jellyfish-like creature named Stanley as he travels through the ocean. As he meets other sea creatures, differences between him and them start to become apparent – like his two handles and colourful stripes. Various creatures swallow Stanley as he tenaciously continues on his journey until he is found by a human, on the shore, who chooses to put Stanley to much better use. A fun and brightly illustrated picture book with a clear message that plastic does not belong in the sea.

This book showcases a James Carter poem about inventions. The rhyming text takes the reader through the range of inventions we now have in our modern world. It is the colourful and vibrant illustrations that jump out at the reader in this book. They complement the rhyming text which focuses on the range and types of inventions from the start of time.

The end pages of this book should not be ignored and could provide an interesting discussion point for predictions about what this book will be about and for trying to make connections between the different items shown.  The font size and text layout guide the reader as it moves in and around the colourful illustrations. Teachers who are focusing on the topic of materials will find lots to explore in the text, particularly thinking about which everyday objects and items are made from – children may not be aware that glass is made from sand for example.

The end of the book has a nod towards the need for recycling the many things we create, and this may be a useful jumping-off point to talk about sustainability. The book also encourages children to be inventive and to create something new out of something old.