This picture book will always have a special place on my bookshelf and in my heart. It was the first book I ever read to my granddaughter when she was just a tiny little thing barely a few months old. Over the following months, it endured as her favorite book too, and that first hardcover copy was read to pieces (quite literally). Martin’s perfect rhymes and poetic language match her soulful illustrations perfectly. She portrays a whole spectrum of childhood experiences and brings them alive so simply yet elegantly. This is a book that never fails to leave me with a lump in my throat and a smile on my face when I reach the end, because it’s about the sheer joy and wonder of being a child, and we all wish our children the very best in life.
A classic from Roald Dahl, with an edginess to it that invites Dahl’s darker humour to come out more strongly than some of his other children’s books. There’s fantasy, horror and the grotesque woven through what is ultimately an optimistic story about good triumphing over evil, where the smallest character saves the day, with the help of a caring grandparent.
The Grandmother in the story is bold, brave and full of great advice on how to cope in a world filled with secret child-hating witches. She works with her grandson (The Boy) to outsmart and eradicate the Grand High Witch and her followers.
One of my favourite childhood books. Twins Ruby and Garnet rely on their grandmother to be a much-needed calming influence when their world is turned upside down.
I have a passion for books set in eighteenth and nineteenth-century London – tales brimming with dark courts, fog-bound alleyways and n’er do wells lurking in the shadows. There are echoes of Oliver Twist in this story about Smith, a ragamuffin pickpocket, who, when he steals a mysterious ‘dockiment’ from an elderly man, gets caught up in a murderous plot that puts both his, and his sisters’ lives in terrible danger. Garfield was a master storyteller and his books may – as was the case with me – prove to be the perfect stepping stone to Dickens.
This is another wonderful story from popular picture book author Mini Grey (author of Traction Man). When a child’s toys are left out in the garden over night, they get unexpectedly beamed into space. The toys use their best storytelling skills to cope with their new surroundings and problem-solve their way back home. There are some great ideas for activities to go with this book on the Teachwire website.
A Grand Slam champion
An activist
An inspiration
Serena Williams began playing tennis when she was just a child, and is now an Olympic champion who’s won more Grand Slam singles titles than anyone else.
Throughout her life she’s battled many things, from life-threatening illnesses and sports injuries, to sexism and racism in the tennis world. Now she’s an icon in sport, fashion and activism, an inspiration to every young person who has dared to dream big.
After the success of the Kid Normal series, I was excited to receive the new novel from Greg James & Chris Smith. I have to say I certainly wasn’t disappointed, as I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to crazy end.
When we are introduced to Maya, her father (a scientist working for a company called Somnia) is in hospital following an accident at work. After having the weirdest dream, she is desperate to get back to sleep to dream about the boy who seems to have information on her father’s accident. It transpires that her dad has been left trapped within a dream by his evil employer. It is now up to Maya and her new friends to attempt to rescue him.
The Great Dream Robbery is full of rich language and descriptive paragraphs entwined within the humour. There is an endearing cast of characters, as well as the truly villainous character of Lilith Delamere. In an attempt to stop Lilith’s dastardly plan, there is an extremely bizarre battle involving a unicorn called Donald, a seal and an army of line dancing robots. This book could definitely be enjoyed in the classroom – probably as a class reader. Or as in my case, in the library for book club – as it has left me with a plethora of activity ideas.
Get ready for superheroes, supervillains and super-hilarious adventures in this series about four young sidekicks.
Superheroes have it easy. They don’t have to clean their secret headquarters, wash the alien bloodstains out of their costumes or be responsible for taking Super Mutt out for a walk. No, they leave all that for their sidekicks like me, while they get all the credit!
Being a superhero sidekick isn’t as fun as you think. You do all the work, beat the bad guys and save the planet, only for your grown-up partner to get all the credit. Junior Justice is sick of it, so he and his sidekick pals, Flygirl, Dinomite and Goo, have decided to form their own super team.
But before they can start saving the world they’ll have to prove to the adult heroes that they’re more than just sidekicks. And once the evil Dr Enok discovers his favourite pet Goo has left him to join a super team, the world might need saving sooner rather than later!
The Ice Whisperers is set in beautiful, mysterious, icy Siberia. When Bela’s mother dies, she is summoned to deepest Siberia to stay with an uncle she’s never met. Exploring his strange scientific workshop, she uncovers a secret she was never meant to find – a doorway that opens to an icy land, frozen in time and full of legends come to life. But this frozen land is in danger, and it’s up to Bela to find a way to save it. To succeed, she must join forces with the impossible: a long-lost sister she never knew she had, born 40,000 years before . .
The book is perfect for children who love fantasy novels; Ren-ya’s land is filled with ancient creatures and references to myths from long ago. The theme of friendship and the intense bond that sisters have draws comparisons with Frozen too.
This would be a fantastic novel to share with a lower key stage two class and would fit perfectly with topics that deal with frozen landscapes as well as prehistory. There are themes of ecology to draw upon and it would be a great novel to use in order to commence a geographical study of this landscape that contrasts so starkly with our own.
Reviewer: Claire Coates
Gretel, a woolly mammoth from prehistoric times, has been encased in ice for thousands of years until one peaceful Tuesday morning when the ice cracks and she pops out to greet the world again. At first, everything is marvellous – she learns about the modern world, shares amazing stories and is loved by the locals (some very friendly seabirds). But all these new changes are a little fast and overwhelming and, being the last mammoth left on Earth, Gretel starts to feel a bit lonely.
Gretel the Wonder Mammoth shows us that, no matter your size, how many talents you have and even if you are surrounded by friendly faces, everyone can feel anxious, alone and sad. It demonstrates how important it is to speak up and share your feelings when life becomes overwhelming and stressful. This very relatable story is perfect for younger pupils and teaches its readers that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is ask for help.
The illustrations are fun and engaging, with simple language and cheeky sea birds adorning the pages. The colours link to the emotions of the text and one cannot help but instantly take to the gentle, gregarious Gretel.
I would highly recommend this book for younger readers – in PSHE lessons, assemblies or for children requiring support in overcoming their fears.
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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
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Curriculum links (if relevant)
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