It wasn’t until I was two drafts into The Midnight Guardians that I realised I was missing something vitally important to British folklore – giants! They’re integral to our national stories, particularly English ones. The story goes that Brutus of Troy came to Britannia and fought “the descendants of Albion” – a number of giants that lived in Cornwall – fought one called Gogmagog and defeated him. I love the idea that the inhabitants of Britain used to be enormous, mean smelly giants that kept fighting each other, and gave us the rivers and mountains and stone circles that we know today. It made me think about the giant story that I was raised on – the BFG! Those giant names alone are worth the entry fee: Bloodbottler, Bonecruncher, Fleshlumpeater… In The Midnight Guardians, there are two giants called Gog and Magog, which is a reference to the two statues that were destroyed in the raid of 28th December 1940 – they’re the protectors of the City of London, and their effigies are still carried in the Lord Mayor’s Show each year.
When Ivan’s little brother is stolen away by the terrifying Starjik, Ivan sets out into a cold, inhospitable world to bring him back. Ivan’s chances in this frozen world seem slim, and Starjik has a wild, cruel magic on his side. And yet as his adventure continues, it becomes clear that Ivan may have a friend – and a little magic – on his side too. When I was younger I read this book endlessly. It’s one of those stories you experience with your heart in your mouth, right through to the very end.
This powerful novel from award-winning children’s author Malorie Blackman tells the story of a young boy called Cameron who suffers from heart disease.
The novel deals with the contemporary issue of animal organ transplants and is a gripping read from the first page.
Suitable for upper KS2 and lower KS3.
This is the first of the Katie Morag Stories which went on to become a successful series (and TV programme too). It’s easy to fall in love with Hedderwick’s beautiful illustrations, and the characters feel like old friends. Struay may be a fictional island, but the books are inspired by the author’s own years of living on the isle of Colonsay. Perfect island escapism in words and pictures! All the stories are great, but I have a huge soft spot for Katie Morag and Tiresome Ted.
I’m a huge fan of Sophy Henn’s bold illustrative work and this stunning book is one of my favourites. Pom Pom wakes up in a terrible mood and nothing seems to go right from that point on. I love a grumpy character so Pom Pom stole my heart from the moment he woke up. The entire story is a delight. It’s also an absolutely brilliant book for talking about emotions with young readers.
A fresh and funny take on the pirate adventure for young readers from talented Mabbitt. Mabel Jones is kidnapped and forced to serve aboard pirate ship ‘The Feroshus Maggot’, captained by the – brilliantly named – wolf Idryss Ebenezer Split. The first in a page-turning series of adventures featuring the sparky heroine.
The first book of the Rook Saga – a trilogy within the wonderful Edge Chronicles – follows the fortunes of Rook Barkwater, who breaks out of the sewer-chambers of Undertown to journey to the Free Glades and an encounter with the mysterious last sky pirate. A deeply satisfying fantasy adventure from two master storytellers.
This is a touching and warm story about friendship and standing up to bullies. Ed’s squiggly lines create oodles of character and the book is beautifully designed. It champions staying true to oneself and sticking to one’s principles. This is an inspiring and adorable picture book about a pair of unlikely friends who face down a pack of bullies.
In this gorgeous picture book, first published in 1963, we go on a journey with Max, who’s been sent to his room for chasing the dog with a fork, and being an all-round wild thing. But somehow his room becomes a forest, and when he travels across the sea by boat he finds more Wild Things and becomes their king.
This book is such a classic and, as such, means so many different things to so many different people. At its heart, it teaches a young child that it’s OK to feel angry; it’s OK to take some time out. Your family will still love you. They’ll still be waiting for you when you come back. When Max stomps off to visit the wild things, he’s angry and frustrated. He’s so mad that he sails off “through night and day and in and out of weeks and almost over a year”. When he calms down, he realises he misses home and, to the disappointment of his new Kingdom, he heads back to his bedroom where his “still hot” supper is waiting for him.
This much-loved story is the embodiment of an emotion, and those powerful final lines – the release of them – are iconic in children’s literature.
Plot spoiler – the book does actually end, but only after a journey that truly deserves the label of EPIC! Bastian escapes some school bullies and finds refuge inside a bookshop. There, he finds a book called The Never Ending story. Unable to resist, he is drawn into the magical world of Fantastica. Bastian journeys alongside Atreyu – a child warrior – to save the Empress and stop an evil entity called the Nothing. Michael Ende’s imagination is simply staggering and your journey will take you to places like the Desert of Colours, the Silver City of Amarganth and the swamp of sadness – which truly lives up to its name.
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)
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