A unique take on the magical world, The Last Spell Breather is an intriguing adventure that will appeal to many readers. Rayne finds herself in a predicament; she adores her mother and desperately wants to please her but finds it difficult to live up to her mother’s expectations to become a Spell Breather. Like any other young girl, she longs to be with her friends, not stuck inside as her mother’s struggling apprentice. Rayne soon finds that her clumsy ways put the people of her village, and her friends, in grave danger and she is forced to embark on a dangerous journey to attempt to rescue them.
I really enjoyed reading this book and can see that it would easily appeal to many children. With pupils often citing ‘Harry Potter’ as one of their favourite series, this is a great book to continue their love of magic. The main character, Rayne, is endearing and will resonate with lots of people as the reader gets a real insight into her insecurities and can go on her journey with her. Readers will see her flourish and root for her through her journey as she steps into her own. Many of our children have their own insecurities or lack self-confidence and will easily to relate with the character.
This is definitely one to add to your to-be-read pile and a great choice for KS2 classrooms or school libraries.
Reviewed by: Christine Ivory, Y6 Teacher
This moving World War 2 novel begins with Anna, the grandmother, explaining how she was sent away by her parents, following the events during the night of the ninth of November 1938 in Germany on Kristallnacht.
Knowing that, as a Jew, she would no longer be safe, young Anna manages to get a space on the Kindertransport, bringing children like Anna to the relative safety of Britain. Following an arduous journey, Anna is taken in by a family in Kent, who live and work on a country estate. During 1940, when the threat of invasion pervades the country, Anna and her foster siblings Molly and Frank find themselves drawn into a dangerous web of deceit and betrayal. This is Anna’s opportunity to prove whose side she is on.
Told in the first person, Anna’s story has an immediacy that grips the reader, drawing them in as she adapts to her new life. There is poignancy as well as excitement, through short chapters that keep up the momentum of the adventure, as well as exploring Anna’s feelings.
A super-fun and cheerful picture book with a gentle message about the emptiness of materialism, Sneaky Beak is a great choice for storytime in EYFS and KS1.
Anyone who has ever been swayed by an advert for a new gadget or service upgrade will easily relate to Bear and Hamster as they learn the hard way that some things in life are great the way they are. Once perfectly content, the duo of animal friends are suddenly given cause to question whether they are missing out on something better when they encounter a smooth-talking avian called Sneaky Beak who has impressive salesmanship and a state-of-the-art catalogue of the latest gadgets. Is your bath bubbly enough?, he causes Bear to wonder. Is your bed bouncy enough, your cereal crunchy enough and are you sure you can ever be satisfied without succumbing to the wonders of a rocket trip to the moon?
Young readers will likely already be aware of the ‘upgrade now’ culture and will quickly tap into the story’s clear message about finding contentment in what they already have. Tony Neal’s bright and eye-catching illustrations (we especially enjoyed the close-up of the animals’ facial expressions) are a perfect match for the tongue-in-cheek, lilting story that uses gentle humour and fun characters to offer – in an unfailingly cheerful way – a cautionary tale for the modern generation.
Reviewed by: Alison (Founder of BooksForTopics) & Florence (aged 6) after attending the Little Tiger Picture Book Showcase.
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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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