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.
Fans of Sinéad O’Hart’s acclaimed debut The Eye of the North will be thrilled to see a new adventure arriving on the shelves so swiftly. The new book, The Star-Spun Web shares the high spirit of adventure, a captivating cast of characters and a determined, scientifically-minded female lead, but is in itself a wholly original storyline – one that is enthralling, intelligent and magical, hitting all the right notes and more for the kind of book I find just brilliant to read.
The story is based around the premise of parallel worlds with infinite possibilities, and features a group of pioneering scientists in the first half of the Twentieth Century working on theories about communicating and travelling between different worlds. The main character, Tess de Sousa, is a plucky young orphan with a pet tarantula called Violet. Tess was left at Ackerbee’s Home for Lost and Foundlings as a baby, along with a mysterious device called a Starspinner that may provide the only clues about her family.
When a mysterious stranger appears years later and claims to be a distant relative coming to take her home with him, Tess begins to unravel a deeply thrilling mystery about her origins. Soon she finds herself caught up in an edge-of-your-seat adventure featuring parallel universes, a very familiar-looking boy called Thomas and a dastardly plan involving scientific societies and terrifying war machines.
Perfect for fans of Christopher Edge and Phillip Pullman, there is so much to love in this story and I’m sure it is going to be a big hit with readers in Upper KS2.
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.
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Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
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yes
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