Every year I indulge in a little Christmas/winter reading to get me in the mood for the festive season. This year has been no exception with the highlights being Matt Haig, Tracey Corderoy and Alex T Smith; although all of these books will get you into the required mood.
Canongate, 9781786894328
“The Truth Pixie” by Matt Haig and Chris Mould. Over the last three years we have been treated to a series of three books based on the origins of Father Christmas. One of the central characters in each story is the Truth Pixie who is subject to the mixed blessing of not being able to tell a lie. In this delightful rhyming tale for younger children she discovers a new friend, makes that person happy and brings a bit of magic into the life of everyone who reads this tale. It is an absolute classic of the future.
“Hampstead the Hamster” by Michael Rosen is another story for younger children, those from 5+ . The hero Leo had always wanted a pet Hamster and eventually he gets his wish. However Hampstead (the hamster) is very sad and just seems to sulk in his cage. Leo tries everything to cheer him up, but nothing works; then Leo sees his pet running on the spot in the cage and gets a brilliant idea – hamsters love wheels and it would make a great Christmas present. Some great aaah! moments for everyone.
“How Winston delivered Christmas” by Alex T Smith is an absolutely delightful story told in “twenty four and a half chapters”. It is about how a young mouse called Winston discovers a letter to Father Christmas, on Christmas Eve, and decides he will try and make sure that the letter is delivered. This is a glorious story full of Christmas spirit and one which is bound to become something of a festive ritual in many homes.
“The Christmas Extravaganza Hotel” by Tracey Corderoy and Tony Neal. What a fantastically funny story, full of friendship and 
sharing. When frog mis-reads his map and ends up on the opposite side of the world from his Christmas hotel he is helped by Bear, who does everything he can to make the holiday memorable. This proved an absolute winner when I read it to six classes on one day and it leaves you with a warm glow.
“The Snowman” by Michael Morpurgo and Robin Shaw, based on the classic story by Raymond Briggs. This is a really lovely extended version of the Snowman story and will be great for those who want to read something slightly longer.
“Grandpa Christmas” by Michael Morpurgo and Jim Field. This is a heartwarming story with a strong message for all of us. Mia and her family read a very special letter from her grandfather every Christmas, just after they have opened their presents. In this letter he talks about the need to care for our world and to make sure that we do our best to make it a good place for our descendants and for the creatures that we share the world with. So thought provoking and magical.
“Silent Night” by Lara Hawthorne is a joyous re-telling of the Nativity story, using the words of the famous carol 
“Silent Night” The illustrations are bright and simple and can be enjoyed by children of all ages. The book also explains how the carol came to be written. It is a really delightful way for children to learn this song on the lead up to Christmas.
“Santa’s Wonderful Workshop” by Elys Dolan is a totally hilarious look at what can go wrong when Santa brings in some new helpers 
to make enough presents for Christmas. The illustrations are full of jokes will keep young readers amused for hours; it will also keep the adults chuckling as they read the story.
“Snow in the Garden” by Shirley Hughes is a gorgeous collection of stories, poems, recipes and decorations from one of the country’s 
most beloved writers and illustrators. this is one for both home and school and you will dip into it year after year.
The Night I met Father Christmas” by Ben Miller and Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini is a very different take on the legend of Father Christmas. It gives you hope that no one is beyond redemption and really oozes Christmas spirit.
“Frost” by Holly Webb is a magical tale of London, both now and in the 17th century, so if you like an element of time travel, wonderful animals and family tales you will love this.
Other picture books to look out for this year are:
“Pick a Pine Tree” by Patricia Toht and Jarvis
“I was made for you” by David Lucas
“Once upon a Snowstorm” by Richard Johnson
“Christmas Gremlins” by Adam and Charlotte Guillain, with Chris Chatterton
Whilst Christmas 2018 has now gone, these are great additions to your collection which will keep you ahead of the game for the coming year. I am now looking at Easter and some great picture books that have appeared in the past few months. There is some fantastic reading ahead.
“POG” by Padraig Kenny is a magical stand-alone story about two children (and their father)who move to their mother’s childhood home after her death. They are struggling to come to terms with their grief and find that the appearance of a small very hairy individual might help them. There is a very subtle underlying theme which has the story coming somewhat ‘full circle’. It is an extremely thought provoking read.
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.
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.
