Here at BooksForTopics HQ we are huge fans of Isla Fisher’s Marge in Charge books and we have been eagerly anticipating the arrival of the newest one, Marge and the Secret Tunnel. Charming, witty and full of laugh-out-loud moments, we were happy to find that the latest instalment was well worth the wait.
Jemima and her little brother Jakey always look forward to their unconventional babysitter Marge coming round to look after them. Marge has rainbow hair and doesn’t seem like other grown-ups at all, and despite Mum’s list of important rules pinned to the fridge Marge always seems to stumble into hilarious adventures.
In this collection of three Marge stories, Jemima discovers a deep hole in the garden and when Marge comes over to babysit it seems like the perfect time to explore what is inside. As usual, Marge takes on the challenge gleefully, leading the children underground and through the secret tunnel. In the later stories, the trio embark on an unusual shopping trip and an important quest to rescue the neighbour’s lost kitten.
Marge has a song for every occasion and plenty of room for imagination and creativity. These short stories are a real hoot and are just brilliant for reading aloud to children in KS1 or lower Ks2.
How to Bee is a wonderfully gripping narrative set in a dystopian future where there are no bees and children work on farms to pollinate fruit trees by hand. Fruit has become a luxury afforded only by the rich people living in big houses in the city. Out on a rural farm, nine-year-old Peony lives in poverty but is incredibly well loved by her sister and grandfather. Peony dreams of becoming one of the farm’s best ‘bees’ and one day Peony’s world is turned upside down when her Ma turns up at the farm and demands that Peony come to the city to work with her.
It soon becomes clear that living in a wealthy house in the city is not as idyllic as some people might think. Peony is a steely and determined protagonist and she sets about on a mission to return home to her family as soon as possible.
This is a beautiful book that is intelligently written and incredibly moving. We highly recommend this story about the vital nature of bees, family bonds, the power of hope and the importance of not losing sight of things that matter.
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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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