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.
Nominated for Favourite Books of 2018 by: Sophie Merrill (@MissSMerrill ), Year 6 Teacher & Curriculum Lead
A stunning and magical story. A fabulous sequel. Beautifully written, filled with rich and vivid descriptions. Well rounded and engaging characters with a hint of darkness to engage older readers and keep them on their toes. A remarkable piece of writing. Loved it!
This book is for anyone who would love learning about monsters from around the world.
From monsters in the woods and hiding in caves to those high in the sky and outer space, this book has a place for all sorts of monstrous creatures from myths and legends. There is also a section that details monsters from modern movies and books. Throughout the pages lurk a whole host of weird and wonderful monsters to meet whose origins span centuries of storytelling, from Voldemort and Gollum to Medusa and the Minotaur.
This is a fun read set out in short bursts that are perfect for young children. The most amazing part of this book is that it comes with its own monster-detecting lens, because the monsters on the pages are in fact hidden and you will need to find them using the 3d anaglyph (groovy red and blue 3d glasses). The book ends with a monster workshop inviting you to trace, draw and take inspiration in order to create your own.
An informative and interactive book with an original twist, this is perfect for young readers with keen eyes and big imaginations.
Reviewed by: Leanne Woolcock, Year 6 Teacher and English Coordinator
Nominated for Favourite Books of 2018 by: ‘A Crafty Arab’ (@ACraftyArab), artist and blogger at http://acraftyarab.com
This fictional tale is about a spirited second grader named Yasim, who lives with a multi-generational Pakistani American family. She has adventures as an explorer, a painter, a builder and a fashionista.
I took the book to my story time at the library and it got a room full of thumbs up… I read them the chapter on Yasmin being a painter. We then talked about times we were in art class when we feel that we are not any good. The kids loved that there was a person just like them, who feels that way about their artwork too. It was such a great discussion about how art allows you to make mistakes.
Nominated for Favourite Books of 2018 by: Helen Peckett (@learnmesummat), Y6 teacher & KS2 leader
This magical, adventure book is gripping from the start when Emmeline finds her parents have disappeared. Along with her newly made friend, Thing, they encounter kidnappers, a secret organisation and mysterious mythical creatures in the race to find her parents. Both myself and my Y6 class have loved this book this term.
Nominated for Favourite Books of 2018 by: Tami Wylie (@twylie68), Year 4 Teacher
Mup is a typical girl until her father is kidnappped. She then discovers many secrets about her family; her mother is a witch and her grandmother is the Witch Queen. Thus begins an epic adventure to save a father, a family and a kingdom.
Nominated for Favourite Books of 2018 by: Janet M Baird, Tutor for KS2/3/4 and middle-grade writer
This is a classic which will introduce the Second World War to KS2 students and beyond. The story of Jakub and Izzie and their rescue of the Lipizzaner horses adds a new dramatic dimension to the war. Readers will identify with the main characters and there is scope for class topic work on the deeper issues of Hitler and his effects on life in different countries. It will also appeal to all horse lovers!
Nominated for Favourite Books of 2018 by: Anne Thompson (@Alibrarylady), librarian and book reviewer for http://www.thebookbag.co.uk
Set in America in the 1970s this somehow still manages to have a feel of a fable or fairy tale about it. Louisiana’s journey to find both home and the person she will become is a timeless one and this adds greatly to the book’s appeal. Kate DiCamillo has a rare gift as a storyteller; she writes with such care and wisdom that her stories stay with you for a very long time. She has a remarkable understanding of children’s emotions and in this book her words will comfort and reassure readers of all ages.
This beautiful poetry anthology that includes a new nature poem for every month of the year is perfectly pitched for young readers to explore the power of nature through Coelho’s highly accessible verses.
The collection of 12 poems contains a mix of types of poetry, each one exploring the poet’s own experiences and interactions with a different aspect of nature associated with its linked month. February’s poem, for example, explores the simple joys of spotting frogspawn in a pond tempered with concerns about their decline (“We’d watch the full stop grow/on an unwritten sentence,/ would our hopes hop?”). March’s list poem celebrates the diversity of daffodil types while August’s poem explores the memorable experiences of scrumping for fruit with friends. December’s poem, meanwhile, reflects on the way in which unique snowflakes come together to form an all-consuming blanket of snow.
The book is structured into monthly sections and the poems accompanied by beautiful illustrations that celebrate the beauty of the natural world and changing seasons.
The poems are beautifully illustrated by Kelly Louise Judd, with colours and patterns drawn out to reflect each poem’s seasonal imagery. For teachers, finding a place for this book on your desk will provide a quick and easy way of inspiring pupils with a taste of poetry each month as well as an opportunity to grapple with the rich vocabulary and layers of meaning packed into each poem. I would recommend the collection across the whole primary age range.
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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