With the new term about to start there are many teachers out there who are looking for good and exciting books that they can read and recommend to their younger pupils this year. These suggestions are hopefully ones that will help them; they are really for KS1 and KS2L and whether the children read them individually is obviously a matter for the staff. However they have all got potential to be read to the children if teachers are looking for funny, interesting or exciting stories that do not take the whole term to read. Give some of them a try and decide whether they will work with your young people.
Barrington Stoke, 9781781127681
“Rose’s Dress of Dreams” by Katherine Woodfine and Kate Pankhurst is one of the first titles in a new series by Barrington Stoke. The books are a smaller format than usual and have coloured illustrations, all of which makes them very attractive to the younger reader. This title is about a young girl and her dream of becoming a dressmaker during the pre-revolutionary period in France. The young Rose eventually became the first of the famous couturiers and an influence on generations of designers. It is really about holding on to your dreams and trying to overcome the challenges that life throws at you. It is particularly good for those who have an interest in history or fashion
Usborne, 9781848127333
“Marge and the Secret Tunnel” by Isla Fisher and Eglantine Ceulemans is the fourth in a series about one of the most eccentric babysitters you are likely to meet. Jemima and Jakey often have to spend time with a babysitter and until Marge came on the scene they had always disliked the experience. However with Marge everything becomes an exciting adventure and in this story they go exploring in a secret tunnel that they find at the bottom of the garden. there are actually three stories in this book, the other two being about a”great shopping race” and the “lost kitten”. Having these short stories makes them very accessible, not only to new readers but also for reading in class; they are just long enough to read the whole tale in one session. Great for KS1 children.
Usborne, 9781474928120
“Meet the Twitches” by Hayley Scott and Pippa Curnick. This is a delightful introduction to a young girl, Stevie 
and the family of toy rabbits called the Twitches. When Stevie and her mother move from their tower block flat she is given a wonderful and quaint dolls’ house, in the shape of a teapot. Included are all the furnishings and fitting and a complete library; most fantastic of all are the family of toy rabbits that inhabit the house. What Stevie does not know is that the rabbits magically come alive and when the father, Gabriel is lost in the garden during the furniture moving, it is up to the family and especially young Silver to find him and get him back home. It is a lovely story about the importance of home and family and I am looking forward to reading more of their adventures in the future.
Barrington Stoke, 9781781127551
“Hari and his Electric Feet” by Alexander McCall Smith and Sam Usher. The author is well known for the crime series that he has written over the years, but he has also become known for the stories that he has written for children. This book is by Barrington Stoke and is a delightful story of hope and how music and dance can have a beneficial effect on people. Hari and his sister live with their aunt in a big city in India, as their parents have had to go away to earn money and Hari helps by making sweets and delivering lunches. he is an avid fan of Bollywood films and loves the dancing; so when his sister suggests he tries it himself, he does and discovers a talent to make others dance along with him. This leads to all sorts of adventures and a happy ending for the whole family. This is a real “feel good” story and has lots of lessons for the adults of the world, so why not get dancing.
Hodder, 9781444932065
“Mr Penguin and the Lost Treasure” by Alex T. Smith is the fantastically funny story of an intrepid adventurer and detective as he searches for a lost treasure. The fact that he is a penguin and his sidekick is a spider just adds to the totally whacky plot. The illustrations are weird and wonderful and Alex T Smith has created a truly original new hero. there are lot of twists and turns in the plot and you cannot be sure who are the villains and who are the good guys. I am sure that we will see a lot more of this exciting hero with a love of fish finger sandwiches.
Hachette, 9781444921724
“Rabbit and Bear: Attack of the Snack” by Julian Gough and Jim Field. This is the third in a series of short stories about Bear and his friend Rabbit. One day they are out swimming when a creature crash lands in the lake and they pull it out, but they have no idea what it is. Eventually they discover that it is an Owl and all their friends have a view about what type of animal an owl is. It is a fascinating look at how we are affected by rumours and scaremongering and I think there are many links to what can happen in the real world. Children however are going to love the information at the end of the story, as the Owl (he is a burrowing owl) explains that he lines his hole in blueberry Poo, in order to attract beetles to eat. There are brilliant illustrations and extremely funny characters; it will be a great read for those gaining confidence, but also a lovely class read.
Usborne, 9781474932011
“Tanglewood Animal Park: Elephant Emergency” by Tamsyn Murray is the third story about the Tanglewood animal park and in particular Zoe, the daughter of the owners and Oliver, the son of the park vet. Each of the stories has followed the fortunes of new animals as they are introduced to the park and in this story it is a family of six elephants who are being re-homed, from a zoo that is closing down. This is a wonderful story of the ups and downs of looking after animals and there is a real sense that the author truly knows what it is like to be involved with all of these creatures. For anyone who loved the TV series about Longleat, or just loves wildlife, these are a fantastic read.
Oxford University Press, 9780192764058
“Night Zoo Keeper: Giraffes of whispering wood” by Joshua Davidson and Buzz Burman mixes magic and wild animals in a lovely story. When Will is transported into the world of the night garden he enters a world of imagination where he has to save the animals from the robotic spiders, called Voids. It appears that he is the next “Night Zoo Keeper” and he and his friend Riya have to help the giraffes who inhabit this part of the zoo. This is a great story about letting your imagination fly and not being afraid to be different from everyone else.
Well, there they are. Hopefully you will have found something that excites you. I would also suggest that you look on the websites of these publishers, because they are going to have other titles that you may want to consider and they often have additional materials that the children can use both in class and at home. Anyway, do Enjoy!
politics, written for children, causes such a stir but this title has done exactly that. Whilst aimed at KS2 and above this is actually very suitable for adults who have not shown an interest in politics before. It is divided into six main chapters, covering everything from kinds of governments to some of the major ‘questions’ that people as, such as “what is terrorism?”It is a well laid out book and has been very well researched. It has also used a range of experts, from BBC reporters to MPs. I particularly like the section on how to hold a debate because it makes you think about different aspects of the discussion. It has a good index and glossary and is really recommended, both for school and for the home.
the poetry and in the illustrations. The premise it simple; it is an alphabetical list of terms associated with nature, that seem to be disappearing from everyday knowledge and usage. However the reality goes far beyond this, because each definition or description is a poem in its own right and the first letter of each line adds up to create the name of the subject matter. Jackie Morris’s illustrations are almost beyond description; they are sumptuous, lyrical, magical evocations of the world around us. This is one of those books that totally transcends the way we label books. It is something that can be read and pored over with a small child, but it also works as a wonderfully absorbing read for adults. It is possibly at the top of my non-fiction list for the last year.
“Where’s Jane” by Rebecca Smith and Katy Dockrill is a look at the novels of Jane Austen. It covers six of her most famous works and gives a very concise description of the stories. Each book is given a double page spread with details of the plot as well as a small vignette of the characters. There is also a double page of just illustration which shows scenes from the book and which has an element of “Where’s Wally as the reader has to find the character of Jane, as well as her Pug dog. there is a great deal of complexity in the illustrations, all of which show everyday activities of the period and give us a real sense of the time. What is particularly helpful is the slight change in the colour palette for each of the books, this creates a natural division between the sections and brings a different atmosphere to each story. As we commemorated the bicentenary of her death in 2017 this book seems particularly well times. It will be extremely useful, not only as an introduction to the books, but also a look at the social and cultural elements of life in the early 19th century. Definitely one for the KS2 classroom.
world around them and changed the way that we think. Some of these people are household names but many of them are not; however they have all been chosen to represent specific quality. the book is aimed at younger readers, from about 7 years upwards and it is heavily illustrated with bright and cheerful pictures. this introduction really whets the appetite and will hopefully lead young people to find out about the award winners in more detail.
have been produced in order to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Women’s suffrage. This one is aimed at a relatively young audience, the lower end of KS2 or even good readers who are slightly younger. The range of women cover the last four thousand years of our history from Ancient Egypt to the Russian Cosmonauts; whilst most of them are well known there are one or two who do not usually appear in such books and it is great to see this variation. It is a brightly illustrated book with plenty of information, but in bite-sized chunks and I am sure that readers will be encouraged to go ahead and find out more about the amazing women mentioned.
“Animal surprises:how to draw” by Nicola Davies and Abbie Cameron. Nicola Davies is one of the most well known and respected writers of narrative non-fiction for young people, with an emphasis on the natural world. This book is part of a series that she has written in collaboration with a young illustrator called Abbie Cameron. The idea is to show young people how to draw some of the creatures that are found in some of Nicola’s books, starting with “Animal Surprises”; this will be followed by other titles such as “The Word Bird” and “Into the Blue”. Each animal has a short half page description by Nicola but the main emphasis is on the building of the illustrations. It is aimed at the absolute beginner, using circles, ovals and lines to construct frameworks and then filling in the details. I feel as if even I could have a go at creating the animals shown.
“10 reasons to love a bear” is part of a series aimed at younger readers and which introduces them to some of their favourite creatures in the wild. There are double page spreads and just three or four lines of text on each page, so that it makes for a great book to read on a one to one basis. the facts act as a starting point for more in-depth searching. It is a very child friendly series and further titles include Whales and Elephants.
can change the stories that we know. It starts out as a version of ‘Little red Riding Hood, but takes an unexpected turn, thanks to the librarian who had been tied up by the wolf. It encourages children to change things around if they don’t like the way a story is going and is a wonderful encouragement for those wanting to write their own stories.
“Birdy and Bou: the Floating Library” by David Bedford and Mandy Stanley is a charming story aimed at the very young. Bou, the panda and his friend Birdy live on the edge of a river. Imagine their excitement when they see the Library Boat on its way to their village, so they and their friends hurry down to the river bank so they can choose some books to read. they become so involved that they do not notice that the boat is about to leave and they need to get the book back. Luckily Birdy is able to fly the book to the Library! A great introduction to using a library and a way of reminding us that in other parts of the world having access to books is more difficult than for us.
Lemmings and finds that they don’t actually jump off cliffs, unfortunately the three on board his ship can’t read and keep jumping into the water, where they need to be rescued. Despite all his efforts, I am not sure that the Lemmings really understand what he was trying to say A great story for the very young, but with a very important message for even the adults among us.
“Picking Pickle” by Polly Faber and Clare Vulliamy. this is an absolutely gorgeous story about choosing a new dog.It is a simple discussion between the reader and a dog called Pickle and he is trying to help us find the right dog to take home. Well, you can imagine who the perfect animal turns out to be! This is a magical story to read to any child, especially if you are thinking about buying a pet. It makes you think about the animal and whether it will fit in with your family, so that you become the perfect family for this dog.
doesn’t know what to do about it. Luckily Doc Bill (a Platypus) comes along and helps him get better with some soothing creams and treatments. Whilst this is a great story it also has a very strong role in helping young children who have eczema understand what is wrong and how the doctors are trying to help them. Definitely one for schools, nurseries and even doctors’ surgeries.
occasions when it is very helpful to have the support of the pack, especially when danger is close by. It is a lovely tale of trying to grow up, testing the boundaries and then understanding the meaning of family and friends. the illustrations are great and you get real sense of connection with Erik and his attempts to grow up.
“The Station Mouse” by Meg McLaren is one of my favourite picture books so far this year. It is the story of Maurice, a station mouse, who collects all of the lost items every night but no one ever comes to claim them back. How Maurice changes the rules of the ‘Station Mouse Handbook’ and makes things better for everyone makes for a fantastic book, which leaves you with a warm glow when you have finished reading it. This is going on my list of ‘forever’ books.
that breathing space to sort everything out. This is the story of Liesel, a little girl who lives high in a clock tower. When she see things going wrong and people being unhappy she stops time and uses that space to help mend, replace, find or save people and things that need help. It really reminds us about the importance of kindness and helping others and has a really magical quality. It is yet another book that will be on my ‘forever’ books list because of the thoughtfulness that it evokes.
that many children (as well as adults struggle with). When Ruby discovers a worry gradually getting bigger she worries so much that it begins to take over her life. Then one day she discovers someone else with a worry and they find that talking about them makes them grow smaller and eventually disappear. The simple, clear and supportive message is one that we all need to remember and this is a perfect story to tell to young children who are in the same situation as Ruby.
“A Newborn Child” by Jackie Morris is a totally wonderful, magical retelling of the Christmas story. the author has created the most sumptuous illustrations and the text is short but totally reflective of the images. The name Jackie Morris always means quality and she has maintained her high standards with this book. It is a real classic.
Harry is playing the role of Scrooge in the school play and desperately wants his dad to attend, but that is beginning to look very unlikely. There is a very poignant and yet uplifting contrast between the plot of the play and the everyday life that harry is having to cope with. Yet another one to add to my Christmas shelf.
young Theo who has been left at home on Christmas Eve while his parents are both still at work. When he thinks he sees a shooting star he makes a wish that he could have some friends for company and that is when the magic starts. The book is truly lovely object and has a feel of the 1950s about it; the paper is thick and creamy, the illustrations are of the period and the colour palette is bright but without the harshness that is often found today.
of what happens when people misunderstand what they hear. This is a delightful story from Barrington Stoke with matching colour illustrations from our previous Children’s Laureate.
Department Store. Our heroines Sophie and Lil find themselves spending the holiday at Winter Hall but danger and intrigue seems to have followed them. A cracking read and thankfully there is a hint that the girls will be back for more adventures in the future.
McGifty and Slippery Sam, with the first one being about their attempt to save Santa’s sleigh after it is taken. This is great fun as always.
“The untold story of Father Christmas” by Alison and Mike Battle with Lauren A Mills is another version of how this mythical character became the person we know today. The cover is sumptuous and the illustrations are beautiful, with soft and glowing colours and a feel of Scandinavian scenery. This is for KS2 children probably, but is a great read for telling to younger ones.
his way hoe from the town and with a very precious package. The illustrations are based on very intricate paper collage and this gives a 3-D effect.There is also a battery at the back of the book, which provides lights at different points in the story. The very young children will love this.
“The Nutcracker (The story of the orchestra)” illustrated by Jessica Courtney-Tickle is one for those who love their ballet. This is a very straightforward re-telling of the story but with the magical addition of small excerpts of music; you press the relevant button and are transported to the performance. It would make a wonderful gift for someone about to attend their first performance.
was lucky enough to hear this author/poet speak at a conference earlier this year, so I was excited to see what this story would be like. Well, it was just as hysterically funny as you might imagine with a very determined heroine Greta Zargo, who really wants to be an investigative reporter. There is the case of the missing cakes and the competition to win a reporting prize but in the background and moving ever closer to Earth is a Death Robot; can Greta find the culprit and save the planet at the same time. You will have to read it to see.
novels. He has given us a mystery with two main central characters. Their stories start individually but gradually things begin to merge until eventually we understand how they are linked together. Chipper is a dog that has been kept in a scientific research facility since he was young. He knows that the ‘white coats’ have done things to him, but his increased abilities allow him to escape and go on the hunt for someone (unknown) that he just has to find. On the other side of the State lives Jeff, who has gone to live with his aunt after the tragic deaths of his parents. How these two come together and what their connection is makes for a thrilling and very addictive story. The next in the series should be a real roller-coaster I suspect. One for years 6 and 7.
“You can’t make me go to Witch School” by Em Lynas. Daisy Wart just wants to become a great Shakespearean actress but her grandmother insists that she is a witch and sends her off to witch school. Despite her protests she finds that she can do magic and she and her new friends are called upon to save Toadspit Towers (her school) from an ancient curse. can she do this and also achieve her acting ambitions? This is a funny and exciting story about finding yourself and also about friendship. It is great for the lower end of KS2 and those who just want a light and very enjoyable story.
perhaps I am showing my age to some extent. It is a fantasy with rabbits as the main characters, so there is also a nod to Richard Adams and ‘Watership Down’. They are anthropomorphized, so that we are taken to a somewhat medieval landscape with warring tribes and three young rabbits who are fleeing from a terrifying enemy and who have to save an ancient treasure. It is a thrilling story for ‘middle grade’ children and could well be a favourite for many years to come.
“The Starman and me” by Sharon Cohen (NG) reminded me somewhat of ‘Stig of the Dump‘by Clive King, ‘Nation‘ by Terry Pratchett and another new book by Adam Stower called ‘King Coo’. When Kofi sees an unusual small and very scruffy person on a roundabout he is in for the most amazing adventure of his life so far. The character finally 
makes contact, but is he from our world and if so, how did he get to England? this is one of those books that gradually hooks you and then reels you in. A really great read.
series of books by this French Canadian author and which was first published in 1994. It is a short and very witty story about what happens when Miss Charlotte arrives to teach a class of young children who do not enjoy school. Her somewhat eccentric methods eventually make her very popular, but the children find that they have to fight to keep the teacher they have come to love and admire. As a follow on, you might like to read “The Mysterious Librarian” which sees Miss Charlotte take on the challenge of encouraging children to enjoy reading.
“The Spooky School” by Tracey Corderoy and Steve Lenton is another set of short stories about the cake-baking, crime-fighting duo of Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam. They originally started their adventures in picture book format but have now branched out for the next age group. In this book they save jewels, fight ghosts and meet a fiendish new villain; a Red Panda called ‘Red Rocket’. It is great fun.
in the “Tanglewood Animal Park” series which follows the adventures of young Zoe, whose parents have bought Tanglewood Manor and turned it into an Animal Park. This story revolves around Tindu the male Tiger and the attempts to help him settle down in the park, before the arrival of his new mate. It is a charming story with a lot of information and a cast of characters that you can’t help but like. This is a super series, especially if you are an animal lover.
adventures of young Lady Miranda and her dog called Pug as they visit the local boating lake. However when things get out of control and Pug finds himself in the sea and being rescued by another young girl life becomes quite adventurous. This is the first in a series of adventures for the pampered pooch and joins the list of books written about the breed.
Pug related story only this time the hero is called Pugly and he is trying to bake a cake for his owner. Unfortunately his efforts seem to be being sabotaged by Clementine (Clem) the family cat. Most families with a mix of pets will understand the frictions between the main characters and the very funny scrapes that they get themselves in to.
“Marge and the Pirate baby” by Isla Fisher is the second book featuring Marge, a truly unique babysitter. This time she is looking after Jemima and Jake as usual, but finds herself having to look after their demon of a baby cousin called Zara. There are three short stories in this offering and I think that the author is really starting to be comfortable with her characters, which means that we become more involved with the stories. This is a funny and quirky book for both boys and girls.
where he is from. That is the situation that D.J and Gina find themselves in and they then have to try and find a way of sending him back home. This book is the first in a series of comic style books being published by Puffin. It is bright , well illustrated and full of humour; in other words it is great for boys in particular, although the strong female character makes it fun for everyone.
another one of their fantastically funny collaborations. Set in Funfair Moon it is full of zany aliens, dastardly villains and a clever heroine called Emily. As you would expect this will take you on a ‘roller coaster ride’ of excitement. The illustrations are full of the energy and humour that we have come to expect. It is a great book to read alone or to a class.
Teddington, disguised as humans. This book sees them and their friends going to Cornwall on their summer holidays. As usual there are lots of ‘groan worthy’ jokes as well as puns, both written and visual. I love the way that the author’s voice comes across so easily and the illustrator’s ability to translate all of this visually. A really great read for all ages.
on his nose as they are leaving his cave; that is when he finds that all his food is missing. He goes outside and discovers the wonder of the snow. Rabbit offers him a moldy old carrot to eat, which he is very grateful for. However he does not know that it is Rabbit who has stolen his food. When a wolf comes looking for some food the two friends have to work together and Rabbit in particular learns a few things about friendship. What a funny story with some gross elements such as Rabbit eating his own poo (yuck!)
Toad frozen solid in the ice house, little did they guess that it was the (in)famous Toad that they had heard stories of from their grandparents. Toad of course is just as excitable as in the past and when he finds that the weasels have taken over Toad Hall and want to knock it down for a housing estate, he is determined to get it back. With the help of his new young friends he finds a way to challenge the weasels. This is a great story full of charm and humour that really retains the spirit of the original and this is captured by the super illustrations by Holly Swain.
Whilst most of my time on a visit is spent helping the schools, I do get time to look at what has been arriving in the last few months and these are some of the picture books that caught my eye when I visited three weeks ago.
called Alice Jones and I must admit to being a fan. It fits into that group of writers who would be perfectly at home in the “Golden Age” of crime fiction, although these books are set in the current period. A great series for those who love Robin Stevens and Katherine Woodfine.
introduction to the cycles of the Moon, aimed at the youngest of readers. It is told in rhyme and can be read as both a story and as a source of information. Basically it is a conversation between the Moon and a small child who loves watching its changes. The illustrations are beautiful and use the dark blue of the night sky to balance the brightness of the Moon. This is brilliant for Foundation stage and beyond.
The author is well known in the education field and he has produced another clear and concise book about science. The book is divided into nine sections from magnetism to water and nature and there are a range of experiments within each area. As you would expect, there is a good glossary and index, so that this is useful as a class text as well as a library book. The pages are bright and clearly laid out. the text is logical and understandable with the processes being explained in an effective way. A lot of the ‘experiments’ do not require special equipment so they could be done in a classroom, or even at home.
The book begins with the basics and then builds on these by creating various ‘Missions’, where the reader has to build pages and apps in order to move forward in their task. This is not something you can just dip in to, although I am sure that members of a younger generation will find it easier to follow. This is definitely one that my younger son would have loved in his youth, when he was just learning to program.
well laid out and actually understandable. For young people who want to blog and vlog this is a very good place to start; of course it is also definitely for those older people who want to have a go at setting up a blog. It lists the main blog sites but it might be useful for schools to know that WordPress have a separate blog host called Edublogs which is aimed specifically at those working in education and which has more safeguards that normal sites. Yes, that is what I am using as it is a very good and user friendly place to be.
going on in the paintings. Unless the audience is knowledgeable about art they may well not differentiate between the two groups of artists. There is a section at the back of the book which gives thumbnail images and information about each piece of work. It is an excellent introduction to some major artists across the centuries.
visiting a museum and gives information about some of the major civilizations that you are likely to see there. It is aimed at KS1 and asks the reader to search the pictures for hidden items that were important to various ancient cultures. This is bright and cheerful; it is divided into the various sections you might find in a museum but there is no contents, index or glossary.
“50 things you should know about Space” by Professor Raman Prinja is another in this excellent series and the format is the same as the others. The contents page shows that the layout of the book and it starts with the history of the universe and how we have reached the state that exists today; then it looks at our solar system and each of the planets before finally covering the technology that has developed to allow us to explore the space around us. An excellent introduction to the subject.
Moose, Beaver and Bear. Whilst the stories can be read just as picture books, they are also about friendship, sharing and also about the consequences to others when you do something without considering them. The stories and illustrations are amusing, colourful and full of personality as well as providing a lesson for young readers.
The book itself is small (18cm square) and a comfortable size for young readers. The illustrations are clear but almost childlike and there is an element of fun added by the cheeky and amusing worm that appears in all the pages. the words are limited to only two lines of rhyming text per page but they explain the subject manner in a concise and understandable way. You could read this as a story to young children, but the inclusion of an index allows for some degree of searching, although the information given is not always very obvious. This is a nice addition to the mini-beast collections of Foundation and KS1 classes.
and very crawly creatures. The author is a zoologist and TV presenter, so she combines knowledge with the ability to connect with her audience. The illustrations and photographs are clear and accurate, whilst the text explains, without overwhelming the young reader. Even the size of the books is aimed at being comfortable for the small person. There is also a lovely surprise at the back of each book; one has a cut-out spider, whilst the other has a butterfly model. Altogether a well thought out series.
grandson is going to love. it is full of every kind of tractor and bulldozer that he could imagine. The layout is by type of machine and where they are used so that you get a real idea of how the use has developed over the last 100 years. The illustrations are up o date, bright and easily link to the small and concise blocks of text. A great book for KS1 to read and for younger children to share with an adult.
and then back again. Chris Packham is a well know and respected naturalist and he has chosen 15 widely different species to act as examples. Illustrations are used rather than photographs and this allows for some imagination to be added. Most of the images include a group of three children and this links the reading audience with the actual migratory process. Whilst there is not a huge amount of text it does give some fascinating information and acts as a springboard for those who want to go further in their research. It is a great book for KSI classes.
introduction to the world of nature for younger readers. The book is divided into into ‘chapters’ which are just two pages long and consist of beautiful illustrations of various examples of each subject. The text is limited to the names of the plant/animal and perhaps a short question for the reader to answer. It is a lovely book for browsing, but you need additional resources to add to the information.