Lantana Publishing brings us a stunning picture book offering from the Brazilian duo Stella Elia and Weberson Santiago.
A tender storytelling moment unfolds between a grandson and his grandpa, who says that ‘every line on my skin tells the story of my life.’ Grandpa’s seafaring tales speak of amazing voyages around the globe, joyfully traversing different continents and collecting new stories as he goes. The stories, the seas and the characters encountered along the way sit somewhere between the boundary of real and magical and it never really matters to the reader either way – because stories are stories and the joy here is in the retelling.
Not in the business of colonising, Grandpa’s love of each place he visits is poured out in his lyrical ode to each continent. The only treasures he collects on his travels are the stories with which he fills his luggage as he packs up and moves on from each place. The artwork is wonderful – capturing the spirit of the adventures and the wide-eyed wonder of the young boy as he sits and listens to Grandpa.
This is a truly lovely picture book that enchants as much as it entertains – an ode to adventures real and imaginary and a gentle plea to encourage loved ones to bring to the surface life stories that long to be retold.
A stunning new picture book bringing Darwin’s theories alive for young readers.
This is a book that you could read straight through like a story, or spend hours poring over like an encyclopaedia – or both! I can see Radeva’s interpretation of Darwin being hugely popular in class libraries, one of those rare books that all children can get something from and talk about.
The artwork is truly lovely, keeping the same style for both pictures and diagrams which makes it coherent overall. Some of the images are reminiscent of creation story illustrations and this opens up scope for dialogue about different pupils’ beliefs and understandings. Scattered throughout the book are illustrated quotes of Darwin’s original words – these provide a challenge for the more advanced reader, and could easily be used as a discussion topic in class or a focal point for a display.
Finally, the book includes not only a useful glossary but a section detailing how our modern knowledge of genetics expands and confirms Darwin’s work, along with a page on misconceptions. I must also mention the endpapers, so often overlooked – both front and back contain a wealth of insects for children to look out for and hone their skills as naturalists.
Storm Hound is a hugely entertaining and highly original fantasy adventure from Claire Fayers, author of Mirror Magic and The Accidental Pirates.
Everybody knows that dogs are man’s best friend. That is, everybody except for Storm Hound, the youngest hound in Odin’s sky hunt. Storm believes himself to be fierce, mighty and far above the ways of the domestic dogs living down on Earth. So when he accidentally falls from the skies during his first official hunt and lands on the A40 just outside Abergavenny, Storm is surprised to find that nobody on Earth seems to take seriously his important role of Storm of the Wild Hunt.
Worse still, people seem to treat Storm as if he is some kind of adorable domestic puppy. Twelve-year-old Jessica adopts Storm from a rescue centre and a tender relationship develops between the pair. Jessica, who is facing a life upheaval as she moves from London to a new home and school in Wales, relishes the comfort and companionship that Storm brings her and, as time goes by, Storm begins to feel loyal and protective towards Jessica too (although he is categorically NOT her pet – he is Storm of Odin from the Wild Hunt).
Some humans are aware of Storm’s legendary powers though, and suddenly a number of adults become unusually interested in Jessica and her new pet. What follows is a fast-paced and very witty adventure that leaves Storm with a life-changing decision to make.
Storm Hound is a genuinely funny narrative that is also poignant in parts and I know so many young readers who will thoroughly enjoy everything about this story.
Quirky, chilling and atmospheric, ‘The Boy Who Flew’ is a brand new offering from Fleur Hitchcock, author of the popular Murder in Midwinter. This is a gem of a story – with its roller-coaster adventure plot that will have readers gripped from start to finish and wide-eyed with curiosity to the very last page.
Athan Wilde befriends an inventor called Mr Chen, who shares with Athan his madcap ideas for flying machines. Athan has always dreamed of being able to fly and now, with a competition to build the first flying machine on the horizon, flight seems to be on everybody’s mind. As a result, there are people lurking around who will stop at nothing to get their hands on the competition prize.
But when Mr Chen is unexpectedly murdered, it falls to Athan to rescue the flying machine blueprints before they fall into the wrong hands. What follows is a fast-unfolding mystery with exciting and unexpected twists, played out with a curious cast of characters (including a very dark villain) and an enjoyably pacey narrative.
This is highly recommendable to KS2 readers who enjoy stories with plenty of intrigue, thrilling plot lines and cleverly imagined worlds.
Nominated for Favourite Books of 2018 by: Simon Smith (@smithsmm), headteacher and blogger at smithsmm.wordpress.com
With very few words, this book shows us the power of unspoken language. The generation gap between the grandfather and his grandson fades away as they sketch and unite on paper. What starts with dread slowly becomes joy as the generation gap is crossed and grandfather and grandson cross both the age barrier and the language barrier to celebrate being with each other.
This is a unique non-fiction book exploring the wonderfully varied ways that plants spread their seeds.
With each section dedicated to different types of seed journeys, from explosions to hitchhikers to bouncers, this is the kind of book that makes you stop and think about just how amazing our natural world is.
Ten different seed dispersal methods are covered, each one explained through a wonderfully visual story of its process. Some of the dispersal methods will be familiar to children and they may recognise their own part in the process too, such as blowing dandelion seeds. Other methods will capture children’s interest and amusement, such as the seeds being digested by birds and animals (many young readers will no doubt enjoy the images of the berries passing through animal digestive tracks and returning to the ground in droppings). Some of the methods are rarer, such as the water lily seeds floating along in the water until its fruit rots and the seeds sink to the bottom. The images are striking and explain each step of the process clearly, with the seeds retaining centre position each time as the stars if the show.
This delightful non-fiction book with a storytelling feel and stylised images has something to offer readers at different stages throughout the primary age range.
Nominated for Favourite Books of 2018 by: Nia Talbot (@NiaTalbot), Assistant Headteacher and EYFS teacher
Laura Wood transported me back in time to this beautiful Cornish setting where Lou, the main protagonist, is trying to decide what her life should be. She is swept into a glamourous lifestyle but not everything is as wonderful as people perceive. This book kept me hooked and I very much loved Lou. She seemed so real to me. A definite favourite read for me.
Dare is a picture book that urges very young children to stand up for what matters, see the goodness around them and make a difference in the world. Like many Tiny Owl books, Dare includes inspirational messages and a diverse mix of characters, this time brought to life by Polly Noakes’ vibrant and uplifting illustrations.
Lorna Gutierrez’s simple-yet-meaningful rhyming text on each page repeats the idea of daring children to do something different and brave. All of the ‘dare to…’ messages encourage children to think about how they can strive to be a good person, having a positive impact on themselves, others and the world around them. Variations in font and placement of text on each page help each new message stand out from the one before it.
The illustrations mix elements of the characters’ reality and their imaginations, merging them together to form the child’s view of the world. The is cleverly reiterated by the use of some aspects of every page being line drawings that pull the emphasis towards the central, colourful illustrations.
With an important message emphasising that small actions from small people can make a big difference, this is a joyful picture book recommended for children in EYFS and KS1.
Nominated for Favourite Books of 2018 by: Andrew Murray, Year 3 Teacher
An unlikely friendship/partnership between a ‘hard-working goody-two-shoes’ boy and the young witch (with a penchant for cake) who lives at the bottom of his garden. Much laughter, fun and laughing out loud moments. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
Fans of Brightstorm will be delighted to see a more challenging offering from Vashti Hardy. I just loved being immersed in the world of Wildspark, with imaginary worlds that are as inventive as they are thrilling.
Prue Haywood is an inventive and curious girl who lives on a remote farm. Her aptitude for engineering gains her entry into the exciting world of Medlock and its secretive guild of inventors – but only because she poses as her brother, who really passed away not too long before. I loved following Prue’s journey on the Gigantrak train into the great metal city of Medlock and I read on with wide eyes, as Prue – a farm girl – acclimatises to the bright amber lights and towering structures of the city and the advanced systems and technologies waiting for her at the guild. With the brightest minds developing ways of placing human spirits into animal-like machines, the work of the guild is completely alluring for budding young inventors like Prue.
Prue is driven by a desire to bring her brother to life again, but it’s her warm nature, natural creativity and loyalty to friends and family that really help her the most as she navigates the complex issues of using technology responsibly. The narrative provides plenty to think about; many of the issues raised will resonate with readers growing up in the current generation that’s used to the pace of technologies advancing faster than the Gigantrak itself. I’m sure the book will raise fascinating discussions in many classrooms.
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
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Curriculum links (if relevant)
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