The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the second book in C. S. Lewis’s classic fantasy series, which has been drawing readers of all ages into a magical land with unforgettable characters for over sixty years. This is a stand-alone read, but if you would like to explore more of the Narnian realm, pick up the full series.
The idea that undiscovered magic is on your doorstep, or possibly even in your bedroom, is wonderful. This remains a favourite childhood book and a true classic for children in KS2.
The higgledy-piggledy nature of The Burrow is tremendous fun. It’s the home of the Weasley family in the Harry Potter books (I have the same number of children as Mrs Weasley and can completely identify with her!). The house is delightfully chaotic, but with so many interesting, magical things to find and ponder upon. I love the imagination behind it. I’d love to visit here and explore it.
A fast-paced, giggle-filled delight, The House at the Edge of Magic is made for sharing.
The story follows the desperate existence of Nine, an Oliver Twist-like character who is orphaned and abandoned. Living in The Nest, Nine must work as a purse-snatcher to please Pockets, the grizzly, revolting, leader of the thieflings. Nine is strong, wilful, resourceful and independent, but above all, she is a child who needs to be loved and deserves to be cared about. The only comfort in Nine’s lonely life is the sanctuary she seeks from the derelict library under of the care of the exasperated librarian, Mr. Downes. Having stolen a mysterious object from a young lady in a scarlet dress, Nine is whisked to a world of quirky houses, frogs’ tongues, relocating toilets and sugar bowls with attitude. It is impossible not to laugh at the crazy antics of the goings-on in the house in which Nine now finds herself.
The characters we meet on this crazy, quirky journey are vivid and surreal. Eric is a troll with a penchant for boiled sweets and who keeps house for Flabberghast – a wizard with a flamboyant dress sense. Only in this house would you think that a kilt-wearing spoon was ‘normal’!
The inhabitants of the house must rid their home of a curse cast by a wicked witch and, with the offer of immeasurable riches as a reward, Nine finds herself determined to help. What follows is a whirlwind of hysterical, action-packed occurrences. Something surprising lurks behind every door. There is a cupboard under the stairs of which I am envious – a locked tea cupboard whose handle magically transforms anyone who touches it and only in the garden of this house would you find giant bats with fizzing, sizzling corrosive poo!
Despite the madcap, zany exploits, there is also a gently beating heart at the centre of this tale. Nine emerges wiser and in some ways richer by the end. She learns that, despite Pockets’ cynical view, life can indeed bring you strawberries and that not all treasures are of the material kind.
This is an old folk tale, which I think originates from Eastern Europe but like most folk tales, there are slightly different versions, which makes it all the more interesting. The basic plot is about a traveller/a group of travellers (some versions tell the tale with a solider, another with a monk, and others with animals rather than humans as the characters) who arrive/s in a village with an empty cooking pot. No one is willing to give or share food. So, they drop a stone into their pot and begin to boil it with water. Each villager asks what’s being cooked and is told ‘stone soup’ and that everyone can taste it. Each villager then brings a vegetable or herb to make it taste better so by the end, the stone is removed, and there really is food for everyone. It may not strictly speaking be a potion but it’s a tasty concoction and a clever way to show how the villagers had to be tricked into doing the right thing.
I love Christine Hamill’s writing. Her book B is for Breast Cancer is a non-fiction work for adults based on her own experiences. The Best Medicine is a middle grade fiction book about twelve-year-old Philip who writes hilarious letters to his hero, Harry Hill, looking for advice to help him achieve his goal of becoming a comedian. But Philip’s life is interrupted when his mum gets breast cancer. What follows is a story which is heart-warming, uplifting, moving and also very funny.
I first heard about this book when I was in Yorkshire teaching creative writing with Malachy himself – and I instantly fell in love with the picture of the tiger prancing in the moonlight on the cover. Malachy is a wonderful storyteller from Ireland so imagine it with his soft accent making the words dance! It is also a rhyming story so burrows its way into your mind: ‘There’s a quiet, gentle tiger/In the woods below the hill…’ It is also challenges the idea that tigers are scary – quite the opposite in this case – so is the perfect, calming bedtime story for little ones.
This one is an oldie but a goodie. This fast-paced, hilarious, rhyming text follows Eddie. who is looking for his teddy in the woods. It’s super-fun to join in with the repeated rhymes and readers will love the HUGE surprise in store for Eddie when he eventually finds what he’s looking for. This book is a timeless classic, gorgeously illustrated throughout.
I’m sure this book crops up on every list of favourite bear books, favourite hat books, favourite massive twist books, favourite squashed rabbit books, favourite picture books – basically all the favourites – and with good reason. Jon Klassen is the master at taking picture book noir and making it palatable and this book is no exception. It’s a mischievous and brilliant story about a bear trying to find his hat and told completely in dialogue so get ready with the voices if you are reading this one aloud.
Bear is utterly exhausted and is looking to get a good night’s sleep but his neighbour Duck has other ideas. This hilarious story, illustrated by Benji Davies who is the master of drawing an increasingly knackered bear, has me giggling every time I’ve returned to it. As it turns out, it also happens to be a true-to-life reimagining of my son’s toddler years where I am played by Bear and he is played by Duck.
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.
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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