The story of BABUR, Prince, Emperor, Sage by Anuradha and Jane Ray

Most of us have been brought up listening to history, myths, legends and folk tales from other cultures.  But very often they can be from Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Caribbean or Chinese backgrounds.  So it is fascinating to have a story from a part of the world that we hear about in the news, but which we have little knowledge about their history; hopefully this book will help change that situation.

This is the story of the life of BABUR, who founded the Mughal Empire, at the same time that Henry VII and then Henry VIII were on the throne in England.  If we are aware of this dynasty it is because of the fifth Emperor,  Shah Jahan who was responsible for the building of the Taj Mahal, so it is fascinating to hear about the beginnings of this major dynasty.

The book is based on the autobiographical writings that Babur provided during his life and which he wrote between 1494 and 1530.  Originally the text was in a version of Turkish (Chagatay) but was then turned into Persian by the emperor Akbar.  The current author has had the job of greatly simplifying this work for a young audience; I believe that the original “Baburnama” is more than 400 pages, so this has been a mammoth task.

We start this tale in a part of the world that has changed names over the last centuries, so thankfully a map of the region has been included at the beginning of the story.  Basically we are looking at that area to the north and west of India and Pakistan, as we know them and which includes Uzbekistan and Afghanistan.  During the 16th Century this area was made up of a large number of small states, who were often at war with each other.  Babur was born as heir to the ruler of the state of Ferghana and at the age of 12 years he became king, after his father died in an accident.

The story is told in the first person as Babur reminisces about his life and the major events that took place.  It is noticeable that he spends a lot of his early life winning and losing territory; so that he is either a homeless wanderer, or the ruler of some important cities like Samarkand.  The memoirs see him gradually develop into someone who is more thoughtful and who  learns to understand the importance of wisdom when ruling a kingdom.  It is very evident that family was of great importance to him and he had a close relationship with his father and particularly with his grandmother; however it is with the birth of his eldest son that he discovered the happiest moment of his life.

This book is very highly illustrated by the artist Jane Ray and is full of her signature work, with the use of gold and bright colours.  She has been nominated for many awards including the Kate Greenaway Medal and won the Smarties Award for her picture book “The Story of Creation” in 1992.  I have been a great fan of her work, which in this case is very similar to many Persian illustrations  The colours are jewel-like and there is a real sense of movement and action, particularly in those scenes that depict battles and journeys.  In contrast we have a delicate and quite tender scene as Babur meets his wife and baby son.

Babur is a character who is full of contradictions at times, but he had a profound effect on his part of the world, creating a dynasty that was to rule for nearly 300 years, of which the final 100 years were just a shadow of the earlier period.  In a time where we are even more aware of the need for diversity and understanding of  other traditions, this will make an excellent addition to any school library.

Amazing Information: books to inspire and inform

Words & Pictures, 9781786038890

“The Race to Space” by Clive Gifford and Paul Daviz.  The author has been writing information books for young people for a long time and is recognized as an important part of the non-fiction book world.  This book looks at the chronology of the race to put men into space and then on to the Moon.  The illustrations are absolutely stunning, with a somewhat retro-style, reminiscent of 1950s soviet art at times.  The colour palette is very bright, although there is a flatness to the tones that reflect older methods of printing.  This is definitely a book to sit and browse through.  It is very much a book that will appeal to the artists as well as to the historians and scientists and it should be in all primary libraries.

Wide-eyed editions, 9781786030917

“When we walked on the Moon” by David Long and Sam Kalda is yet another book that has been produced to commemorate 50 years since man landed on the Moon.  It looks at the missions, from Apollo 11 to Apollo 17, all of which had astronauts land on the surface of the Moon and undertake a series of experiments, as well as playing golf etc!  This is a simple introduction that deals with the main characters  and I particularly like the sketches of the crews, together with facts about missions, that are found at the back of the book.  The illustrations once again hark back to the start of the space race, but they are much brighter than in some other titles and there is a greater use of a white background.

Usborne, 9781474950848

“The Usborne Book of the Moon” by Laura Cowan and Diana Toledano has a much wider look at the moon and is aimed at the bottom end of KS 2.  It covers everything from the space race to mythology, as well as astronomy and  geography.  As you would expect from the publisher there are some brilliant illustrations and a lot of information, given in small bite sized chunks that will work well with the intended audience.  This has a good index which makes it particularly useful for schools, although I think a lot of young enthusiasts will just enjoy dipping in to this lovely book.

Macmillan, 978509824090

“The Darkest Dark” by Chris Hadfield and the Fan Brothers.  This is a picture book based on the childhood o the astronaut Chris Hadfield; it tells of his fear of the dark and how seeing Apollo 11 helped him realize that the darkness of space could be fascinating and inspiring rather that frightening.  As a story, this can be read as a straightforward tale of space and imagination, or it can be used as a starting point when learning about space and the 50th anniversary of the Moon landings.

Nosy Crow, 9781788003391

“2019 Nature month by month” by Anna Wilson and Elly Jahnz  has been written for the National Trust and takes a look at the fascinating things that are going on around us throughout the year.  Anna Wilson is well know as a writer of fiction for children, but she is also keen on nature and wild swimming, so this is close to her heart.  This is an absolute treasure trove of information and covers things such as festivals, food, events and crafts relating to many of these activities.  The book is beautifully illustrated but perhaps the most striking part of my copy was the fluorescent orange end papers to the book, which made me want to hunt out my sun glasses.  I look forward to seeing if there is a new book for 2020.

Andersen Press, 9781783447435

“Stubby” by Michael Foreman is another in his retelling of true stories set in the First World War.  This recounts the story of  of how American troops, sent to the front in 1917, made a mascot of a little stray dog they named Stubby.  Miraculously the dog and his human carer survived the war and Stubby lived until 1926.  This is a beautifully illustrated story with very simple text and it will make an excellent introduction to the subject of the war.

Pavilion, 9781843653745

“Adventures in Space” by Simon Tyler is a stunningly illustrated book about space and about man’s attempts to leave the Earth and explore our neighbours.  The first half of the book looks at astronomy, the planets and the wider universe, so that we get a clear and well explained explanation of what is out there.  The second half of the book gives a brilliant timeline of how space exploration was achieved and what each major power produced as its space craft.  The information is truly up to date and even looks at prospective launches in 2020 and beyond.  There is also information about satellites and the International Space Station, making this a perfect start for anyone who loves space.  Unusually the pages are black, with white text, but the images tend to have been brightly coloured, so they stand out against the page.  Definitely recommended.

WhatonEarth Books, 9781999802820

“Absolutely Everything” by Christopher Lloyd, illustrated by Andy Forshaw, Justin Poulter and Will Exley is the sort of book that I would have loved to have received as a child.  It tells the history of the world in a chronological way, but with overlaps as we look at different parts of the world and what was happening in different civilizations.  The illustrations have a feel of the 1950s but with a bit of a modern twist.

“Mary who wrote Frankenstein”, (originally called “Mary and Frankenstein”) by Linda Bailey and Julia Sarda is a beautifully told introduction to the life of Mary Shelley (as she became) and how she came to write one of the most enduring stories in English Literature.  The illustrations are a tour de force by Julia Sarda and the sophisticated and highly stylized images really bring the text to life.  This would make a really good introduction to the young reader who is about to read the story itself; it also works as a good basis for learning about ‘Gothic tales’ and their popularity at the beginning of the 19th Century.

“Wild facts about Nature” by Andy Seed and Scott Garrett is yet another brilliantly funny and informative book by this author.  It is written under the auspices of the RSPB and is full of facts, jokes and stories all about nature.  This is definitely one of those books that young readers will keep dipping in to and will become a favourite for quizzes, long journeys and sharing with friends.  This is highly illustrated and definitely one for those who love books such as “Horrible Histories” etc.

Bloomsbury, 9781408889935

“The Silk Roads” by Peter Frankopan and Neil Packer is a truly delightful book bringing a fresh look at the developing history of the world; told through the development of trade routes along the silk roads and then wider trade routes.  The original book was written for adults but then this junior version was created.  The cover can only be described as sumptuous, with its blue and gold images and lettering.  The illustrations throughout are complex, colourful and based on the artistic style of the civilization being discussed. This brings the history of the word into one book and helps us to understand the links between different countries and their development over the centuries.  We often forget that history is a blending of all the influences that are in play at any given time and this book helps bring it all together.  I really loved this and I look forward to reading “The New Silk Roads” which looks at these relationships as they are today.

There has been a real resurgence in the publishing of information books, mainly led by the rise in general interest books rather than in those  intended for the curriculum.  The winning of the Kate Greenaway medal by “Shackleton’s Journey” gave a real boost to this sector and there have been several new and innovative publishers who have revitalized the market.  From this small selection you can see that there has been a swell in the number of titles looking at space and the moon, particularly as we reach the 50th anniversary of the moon landing.  However there are plenty of books out there if you love, history, nature art and a whole range of fascinating subject, just go out and enjoy the delightful buffet of books.

 

Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals 2015

Monday 22nd June was a fantastic day despite the really horrible weather.  The reason was the annual celebration of the best in Children’s Literature for the past year as shown in the Carnegie and Kate Greenaway awards.  You could say that I am somewhat biased as I had the great honour to chair the panel of judges in 2010 when Neil Gaiman won with “The Graveyard Book”  http://www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/2010awards/media_ceremony.php?file=1

2015-06-22 11.28.49This year had proved a mammoth task for the judges with over 90 titles put forward for Carnegie and 70 books listed for the Greenaway.  this was then pruned down to a more manageable number for the long-list and then finally the shortlist.  The titles that made it through the process were by a wide range of new and also well known and loved authors and illustrators; the thing they had in common was the immense quality of the work they produced and they way that this spoke to the audiences.

The award ceremony was back at the British Library after a break of several years and I know that for many of us it felt like a spiritual homecoming.  The conference centre foyer was buzzing as people met up with friends and colleagues from libraries and publishing.  All of the shortlisted nominees were there and were pounced on by their fans from the shadowing schools that had been invited, as well as by their adult fans as well.  The ceremony itself was full of laughter, with Mel Giedroyc (from Great British bake Off) acting as the compere and proving what a funny person she is.  The announcements themselves were greeted by loud cheers (and perhaps some secret sorrow, if your own choice did not win) and we then returned to the foyer for drinks and canapes, although you had to be quick to actually get any food.  The winner of the Carnegie medal is the lovely and truly talented Tanya Landman  for “Buffalo Soldier”, whilst the Greenaway medal has been won by new talent William Grill for his book “Shackleton’s Journey.”

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Tanya Landman, with Agnes Guyon and Mel Giedroyc

 

It was an occasion to catch up with old friends as well as meet some new people.  It also made me think that I will have to catch up with those books I have not read yet, but most importantly it reminded me that nominations for this year will open in September and I need to start writing a list of titles that I think should be on the list.

Congratulations to everyone involved.

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Sally Gardner with Elizabeth Laird

 

Tim Bowler with Tricia Adams of the SLA

Tim Bowler with Tricia Adams of the SLA