In the Deep Midwinter

Once again we are on that countdown to the Christmas season and with the major publishing Thursday at the beginning of October we began to see all of the winter offerings arriving.

Andersen Press, 9781783448548

“Wolf in the Snow” by Matthew Cordell is a delightful story of a young child and a young wolf cub who both become lost in a dangerous snow storm. They find and support each other in finding their respective homes and show that helping each other is definitely the way to go. The book is almost wordless, with just the odd wolf howl, or a groan from the child, however the emotive and really strong illustrations give us all the information we need to interpret the story. A great book for reading on a one to one basis with the younger child.

Simon & Schuster, 9781471172465

“The Snow Dragon” by Abi Elphinstone and Fiona Woodcock. What a truly magical story with totally dreamlike illustrations to bring the story to life. Phoebe is the final child living at Griselda Bone’s orphanage and longs to find her forever family but she did not reckon on her snowman turning into an ice dragon and taking her off on an adventure to see the northern lights and other wonders she had only seen in books. There are glorious illustrations and an ending that will give everyone a very seasonal glow.

Hachette, 9781444940374

“A home in the Snow” by Peter Bently and Charles Fuge is not specifically a Christmas story, but it is about winter, friendship and giving. Bramble the Badger wants to share his birthday with his friends, but they all seem to have forgotten his special day. When they ask for help to go to another friend’s house, he willingly helps and there is a truly delightful surprise for him when they arrive at their destination.

Hachette US, 978-1525302039

“One Wild Christmas” by Nicholas Oldland features the wonderful characters of Moose, Bear and Beaver as they try and find a tree to decorate for Christmas. When the do find one they hit a problem; Bear loves their beautiful tree and will not allow the others to cut it down, so how are they going to celebrate the holiday? Bear comes up with a solution and with a lot of hard work and some sharing they manage to have a celebration that reflects the true meaning of the festivities.

Nosy Crow, 9781788005449

“Mouse’s Night before Christmas” by Tracey Corderoy and Sarah Massini is a heart warming tale that take as its starting point the famous story by Clement C Moore. Only in this version the mouse becomes the central character, helping Santa deliver presents after the reindeer became lost. How Santa grants him his greatest wish makes for a perfect ending and will help the book become a favourite for every Christmas.

Pikku Publishing, 9781999639822

“Father Christmas and the Donkey” by Elizabeth Clark and Ari Tokinen. This is a wonderful story about the true message of Christmas. A donkey has been left out in the snowy weather and is making his way to find shelter when all of a sudden he hears bells and then sees a figure trudging through the snow; it is Father Christmas and he is about to deliver the last presents before going home, having already sent his reindeer back. The donkey volunteers to help deliver the presents and begins to understand the joy of giving and sharing. The ending find the donkey having a gift that will happy and loved for the rest of his days.

HarperCollins, 9780008180362

“The Crayons’ Christmas” by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers sees the crayons preparing for the great day. Some of them have gone on holiday and send messages to their owner Duncan and the other crayons, whilst others have been busily shopping for presents. Yet again we have brilliant illustrations, and also an amazing set of envelopes full of festive surprises. this is bound to become an annual favourite for the young and not so young.

Macmillan, 978-1509854295

“The Most-loved Bear” by Sam McBratney and Sam Usher is the story of a much loved bear who was lost on a train and went through many years of adventures, moving between owners and gradually getting more worn. However he never gives up and eventually there is a miraculous reunion with his original beloved owner. This is the sort of story that gives you a warm Christmas feeling and will be perfect for those of us who have a favourite teddy or toy from our childhood.

Two Hoots, 9781509857296

“Meerkat Christmas” by Emily Gravett sees the meerkats preparing for Christmas, but Sunny has been reading about the ‘perfect’ holiday and decides that the Kalahari Desert is not the place for a real Christmas. He sets off to find the perfect ingredients: snow, singing, tree, presents and dinner, but nowhere has all of them. When Sunny falls asleep on Christmas Eve it is Father Christmas who grants him the wish he really wants – to be home with his family. One again Emily Gravett has produced a glorious book that I absolutely loved and which should be in everyone’s’ Christmas collection

Egmont, 9781405288453

“Countdown to Christmas” by Adam and Charlotte Guillain, and Pippa Curnick is a delightful countdown to the festivities. One day Bear announces that he has made a Christmas game and everyday leading up to the great day he will choose an animal and give them each a gift. Young mouse is desperate to get something but becomes increasingly despondent as others are chosen, however on Christmas eve he is given a box and nestling within it is a lovely star. Bear leads him to the clearing in the wood where all their friends have collected, having decorated and used their gifts to dress up for a nativity play. A wonderful story told in rhyme that children will love.

Egmont, 9781405294195

“Mimi and the Mountain Dragon” by Michael Morpurgo and Helen Stephens tells the story of a young Swiss girl Mimi who finds a baby dragon hiding in the woodshed at Christmas. She bravely climbs the mountain to reach the castle where the mother dragon live and reunites the two animals. However they are then startled by an avalanche that basically covers Mimi’s village burying everyone, including her parents. It is only with the help of the dragon that they are able to clear the snow and release the trapped villagers. The event is meant to have happened hundreds of years ago but it still forms the basis of a winter celebration in the village. It is a magical story about friendship and understanding and has been adapted for the stage.

Hodder, 9781444939231

“The Night Before the Night Before Christmas” by Kes Gray and Claire Powell is a look behind the scenes at the north pole on the day before Christmas Eve. The Elves are working their socks off, Santa is ticking his list and the reindeer are waking up and feeding themselves in preparation for the great night, but Santa is sure that he has forgotten something important. It is only after he has taken off on his round that Mrs Claus shouts to let him know that he has forgotten to shave! Which is why we always see him with a bushy beard. This is a truly delightful and funny story that is told in rhyme and is a real pleasure to read out loud.

Simon & Schuster, 978-1471183799

“A Cat’s Christmas carol” by Sam Hay and Helen Shoesmith. Clawdia has an important job as the night watchman’s cat in a large department store. On Christmas Eve everyone goes home, but she is left guarding the building and soon finds herself in a battle of wits with some very small and very cold mice. She chases them through departments full of Christmas decorations until finally they see an artificial cat patrolling the store. Feeling let down, Clawdia joins the mice in trying to enjoy the festivities but then in a truly lovely moment her owner tells her that the robot is her present and that Clawdia will be going home for Christmas with the family.

As you can see there are some really amazing books out there this year and I am sure that they will become family and library favourites in the coming years. I hope that everyone has a great time and that the true spirit of Christmas can be found wherever you find yourselves.

April 11, 2019 by margaretpemberton

A Winter Wonderland of Reading

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.

May 7, 2018 by margaretpemberton

London Book Fair

This visit to the London Book fair seems to be turning into an annual pilgrimage for me. For those who have never been to it, this is the biggest event for publishers in the UK.; it is also a showcase for publishers from around the world and one of the most prestigious events of its kind. It takes place over 3 days in April and there are a huge range of workshops, launches, showcases and parties (if you are lucky enough to be invited). The main reason for the fair is to promote publishers, sell rights to other countries and buy rights from overseas concerns. Teachers and Librarians are not the central audience but there is still plenty for them to enjoy and learn from.

This year the focus was on the Baltic states, so there were sessions about publishing in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia as well as the broader issue about translation. There was also a wonderful exhibition of illustration from these states, which showed the sophistication and skill that is being used in their picture books and even books for an older audience.

There were so many sessions that I wanted to attend, so I stayed in London and visited the fair on two days. On the Tuesday, the day started off with a discussion panel comprised of

“Speaker Sarah Crossan, Author Peter Kalu, Author Emily Davidson, Young Ambassador, Inclusive Minds Heather Lacey, Ambassador for Inclusion, Inclusive Minds Alexandra Strick, Co-Founder, Inclusive Minds Nikki Marsh, Committee Member, IBBY UK” who were talking about “MInd the Gap: celebrating authentic inclusion” There was an additional member of the panel, but I did not catch her name unfortunately. This was a fascinating discussion about the way disability in particular is represented in children’s and YA fiction and it really made the audience think about what is acceptable as both a writer and as an audience. In the afternoon I sat in on the first part of a long session about Illustration in which art directors and designers shared their insights into becoming a published illustrator. As someone who is not good at art this was of great interest and helped with understanding the broader picture (sorry about the pun).

On Wednesday I had arranged to meet up with a couple of friends during the day, but I started off by having a wander around the Children’s hub and also the larger stands on the ground floor which had children’s elements; these included Bloomsbury, with some amazing pictures from Chris Riddell, Hachette, Penguin/Random House and Scholastic.

At lunchtime I went to the launch of a new book at the Firefly stand; this is a really great Welsh publisher which has produced some fantastic books. The one we were celebrating at the Fair was called “Dog Town” by Luize Pastore, a young writer from Latvia. I was also able to meet up with the lovely Tricia Adams and the author Saviour Pirotta for a good chat. Also there were Megan Farr from Firefly and authors Miriam Halamny and Eloise Williams.

The highlight of the afternoon was the publishers presentations, where about 13 publicists tried to woo us with their up and coming big titles. I must admit that I came away with several pages of titles that I want to read. There were several titles from Michael Morpurgo, a new book from Jacqueline Wilson and follow ups from Cressida Cowell Kieran Larwood, P G Bell and Philip Reeve among many. I am particularly looking forward to a new book from Emma Carroll, Patrick Ness and the team of Sarah McIntyre and Philip Reeve. It looks as if we are in for a bumper crop of great titles with a wide range of themes ranging from WWI (to commemorate the end of the conflict), Christmas, fantasy, witches and science fiction. Definitely something for everyone.

By the time I got home at about midnight I was feeling exhausted and yet very happy with the events I had attended, the friends I had met and the book suggestions I had received. All being well I will be going back next year.

December 18, 2016 by margaretpemberton

It must be Christmas!

Well, for the last couple of months we have been showered by lists of books that we should be reading this Christmas and I thought that as in previous years I will pick a few of the ones that I have really enjoyed. Yet again it has been quite a bumper year for Christmas stories and this year they cover a large range of genres as well as age ranges. So let us start with those for what is now termed the ‘independent’ reader.

Puffin, 978-0141369723

“Mistletoe and Murder” by Robin Stevens is the latest in her series about the two young sleuths Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong. I have been an avid reader of all her works and this definitely lives up to the superb standard of the others. Daisy and Hazel find themselves spending Christmas in a Cambridge college and then they become embroiled in a murder enquiry which really tests their skills. Robin Stevens has used her love of ‘Golden Age’ crime to link this story to the works of Dorothy L Sayers and in particular to ‘Gaudy Night’ which is set in an Oxford College. As the girls might say, this is a “really spiffing read”.

Macmillan, 978-1509832583

“The Road to Ever After” by Moira Young is a total change from her earlier work and is for a slightly younger audience. It is the story of young Davy David who scrapes out a living in the small town of Brownvale and re-creates pictures of angels on the ground. Life changes when the mysterious Miss Flint hires him to driver her to an unknown house on the coast, despite the fact that he is only 13 years and cannot drive. What follows is a magical journey, with unexpected consequences. There is a sense of being on a quest as well as there being a nod in the direction of “A Wonderful Life”. This is a story to re-read and treasure and I know it will be with me for a long time.

Canongate, 978-1782118572

“The Girl who saved Christmas” by Matt Haig is the follow on to last year’s best seller “A Boy called Christmas”. Whilst the central character is still Father Christmas, this book is set at a later period. People are beginning to not believe in Father Christmas and the magic is starting to disappear. It needs someone who really believes, to save the day; but even she is beginning to have doubts.

Nosy Crow, 978-0857636386

“Murder in Midwinter” by Fleur Hitchcock. When Maya thinks she might have seen a murderer, the police send her to stay with her aunt in Wales. But the danger follows her in this exciting story.

Puffin, 9780141373324

“The Christmasaurus” by Tom Fletcher is about a dinosaur searching for his identity and a young boy who loves dinosaurs and Christmas; add a nasty villain to the mix and get set for a fantastically magical adventure

Simon & Schuster, 9781471159800

“Winter Magic” edited by Abi Elphinstone is a collection of seasonal stories curated by Abi. the authors are a range of the top children’s writers that are in the UK today. They include Piers Torday, Michelle Magorian, Jamila Gavin and Lauren St John. There is bound to be something for everyone in this collection

Hodder, 9781444926491

“Santa Claude” by Alex T. Smith. When Claude accidentally locks Santa in handcuffs and can’t find the key (don’t ask) he faces the problem of trying to deliver all of the presents himself. This is a great story for those who are just beginning to read by themselves or who want to share with others.

With picture books we are always inundated by a host of new titles every year, however there are also some favourites that make a welcome re-appearance. I have included some that have come back this year and which I have not written about on previous years.

Simon & Schuster, 9781442496736

“Click Clack Ho! Ho! Ho!” by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin. This is the Christmas offering about the animals on farmer Brown’s farm and how they ‘cope’ with Christmas Eve and the arrival of Santa. As usual it is extremely funny and will be a great read.

Scholastic, 9781407109053

“The Lion, the Unicorn and Me” by Jeanette Winterson and Rosalind MacCurrach. This is a truly beautiful rendering of the Christmas story which really touches the heart. A absolute classic of the future.

Floris books, 9781782502944

“Mary’s Little Donkey” by Gunhild Sehlin and Helene Muller. This is a story of the Nativity for younger Children. It is translated from the Swedish and then it has been abridged. The illustrations are sympathetic to the tale and evoke the feel of the occasion. A lovely version to read to young children.

Puffin, 9781780080116

“Otto the Book Bear in the Snow” by Katie Cleminson is the magical story of two book bears whose book is borrowed from the library and then left whilst the readers go on holiday. But the bears need to get back to the library for the Christmas party, unfortunately things do not go as planned, so will they get back in time?

Puffin, 9780141373706

“Dream Snow” by Eric Carle. A delicious little lift the flap book about preparing for Christmas on a farm. It is great for recognizing the animals and getting into the festive spirit.

OUP, 9780192747372

“Winnie and Wilbur meet Santa” by Valerie Thomas and Korky Paul. When Santa gets stuck in Winnie’s chimney he asks her and Wilbur to help him deliver the rest of the presents. They have a great adventure but also lots of problems, so in the end Winnie uses a bit of magic to make sure that all the presents are delivered. As always the illustrations are sumptuous and this time there is a pop-up at the back, which is sure to be a great hit with everyone. I particularly like the use of Greek for names etc in the pictures, I wonder how many children will recognize the language?

Bloomsbury, 9781408859155

“Robin’s Winter Song” by Suzanne Barton is a beautiful story of the Robin discovering Winter for the first time and seeing what a great time he can have with his friends. The illustrations are positively jewel-like and add to the sense of joy and excitement about the time of year.

Walker books, 9781406365955

“The Christmas Eve Tree” by Delia Huddy and Emily Sutton is the story of a small and unloved Christmas tree that was saved from destruction by a young homeless boy and of the joy at Christmas as people gather around the tree to sing carols and to forget the problems of their everyday life. The ending shows that there is always hope and we need to believe in the goodness of people around us. There are beautiful illustrations with a feel of the 1960s to them, which really adds to the atmosphere of the story.

Simon & Schuster, 9781471119989

“The Storm Whale in Winter” by Benji Davies is the second story about a young boy called Noi and the young Whale that he had rescued in the summer. This is a winter’s tale and a wonderful coming together of man and nature to save one another. It is a simple but very heart warming story.

Red Fox, 9781782955504

“Lucy and Tom at Christmas” by Shirley Hughes have, together with “Alfie’s Christmas”, become symbols of what we might call a traditional Christmas. It was first published in 1981 and the world has changed a great deal since then. However the story gives a lovely sense of family, friendship and the meaning of the occasion. Sometimes it is nice to wallow in nostalgia and think of the simple enjoyments of life.

David Fickling, 9781910200803

“Coming Home” by Michael Morpurgo and Kerry Hyndman (illust.) is the story of a Robin as he migrates to his winter home, all the time thinking about his partner who should be waiting for him. It is full of trials and tribulations but also kindness and hope. Definitely a story full of the meaning of Christmas.

I can’t believe it is only a week until the big day but I am sure that there is still time to do a bit of reading or to get some stocking fillers for the family. I know I will be reading some of these stories to my grandson when he comes to visit and i might even treat myself to a re-read of one or two favourite stories. The Christmas season has definitely started as I was telling Christmas stories in my local primary school last week and I have also been to a performance of Messiah. There is just “The Muppet Christmas Carol” to go and then all will be ready. Have a wonderful Christmas everyone and enjoy your reading.

November 8, 2015 by margaretpemberton

Return to Cheltenham

For the first time in about 10 years I decided to pay a visit to the “Book it” section of the Cheltenham Literature Festival. This was mainly because I could not fit in all the authors I wanted to see at Bath (I was on duty) and also because it was announced that the amazing Jane Churchill would be stepping down from her role as children’s coordinator at the end of this year.

I decided on the second Sunday of the event because Bath was over and there were several panels of writers that I wanted to see. Perhaps the nicest thing about the Cheltenham venue is that it is in the Town Hall and on the green, which enables little activities to be taking place outside. There was a real buzz about the place as children enjoyed learning circus skills, face painting and various other craft subjects. Luckily the weather was fine and there was a really wonderful atmosphere.

the day started of with a session by Gillian Cross and Sally Nicholls talking about their books “Shadow Cat” and “An Island of their own”. The first story is about two young people brought together by circumstances and who form a common bond as they try and save a captive Serval and the second book is about a group of three siblings who are left some jewelry by an elderly aunt, but the catch is that she has hidden it and they have to go on a search. It was great to hear two such talented writers speaking about their plots and how they came up with their stories.

Holly Webb and Kate Saunders

I then attended a fascinating session by Holly Webb and Kate Saunders about their respective books which carry on two very famous classic novels. Holly has written “Return to the Secret Garden”, whilst Kate has given us “Five Children on the Western Front”. Both books have a wartime setting, the Western front being WWI and the Secret Garden featuring refugees in WWII. They are definitely worth having a read of and provide an added perspective on times gone by. I have just started reading Holly’s book but I read Kate’s book a while ago and it is a superb read, having been nominated for several awards..

Shoo Rayner

The book tent was full of authors signing books for their fans and I was lucky enough to meet up with Shoo Rayner and then saw Tracey Corduroy and Michael Morpurgo from a distance. Shoo had been talking about his new book “Dragon White“, which follow on from the previous title “Dragon Gold” and links a modern story with the myths of Wales and Merlin. It is a similar theme to that used by Sarah Mussi in her book “Here be Dragons”, although her work is for a teen audience. Shoo’s dragons are great for the younger confident reader.

Katherine Woodfine

Robin Stevens

My final event was one that had sold out and several of my friends were quite envious, it felt like having a ‘Golden Ticket’. This was with Robin Stevens and Katherine Woodfine, both of whom have written brilliant books that I have mentioned in several blogs already. They are “First Class Murder”, the third in the Wells and Wong mystery series and “The mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow”, the first in a series. There was great elation when they both announced that new titles will be published in February and March 2016. From Robin we will see “Jolly Foul Play” and from Katherine it will be “The mystery of the Jewelled Moth“. I can’t wait to read both of them. There is quite an interest in mixing history and mysteries and these two writers are excellent examples of the sub-genre.

I must admit that I came away from this day in a bit of a golden glow. There were so many lovely friends that I had seen and had a chat to as well as listening to some fascinating authors. Most of all these festivals remind us that there are huge numbers of enthusiastic young readers out there, we just need to make sure that they are being shown books that they will enjoy. I definitely think that Cheltenham is back on my map, even though my heart is in Bath.

January 19, 2015 by margaretpemberton

“We will remember them”

This is the first in a series of blogs that I will be writing over the period of the World War I Remembrance. We have spent the last year thinking about the whole concept of the war and the four years of horror that affected so many families across the globe. From this month, we will no doubt be thinking about individual battles as they took place, but unlike in previous conflicts these battles could last months rather than just a day or so.

I have tried to consider the best way to arrange the books that I am going to highlight in the blogs, but apart from a slight grouping by age range I have decided not to put them into any ‘box’. Before last year there had always been a small number of titles that were based in the war period but in the last few months there has been a tremendous increase in works being published.

I first started to think about what books were available well over a year ago, as I knew that schools would be asking for suggestions and I was thinking about a short training session to highlight resources.

The first collection of books include several that have now reached the category of “modern classic”. The first of these is “The Singing Tree” by Kate Seredy (Viking, 1939), which was a Newbery Honor book in the USA but which did not come to the UK until 50 years after its publication. Unusually it is set in Hungary and shows a different focus from those we are used to. “The Rinaldi Ring” by Jenny Nimmo (Mammoth, 1999) is the poignant story of a doomed romance during the great war and the mystery that a young boy tries to unravel eighty years later. For older readers we have the wonderful writing of Theresa Breslin, with her book “Remembrance” (Random House, 2002), which still brings a lump to my throat if I read any of it. It is the story of five young people who go to war and how they, and their families cope with the consequences. A series of books that were extremely popular when I started in libraries were the “Flambard” series by K M Peyton and they have just be reprinted, although only one of them actually has a setting in the war they do cover the build up and then the aftermath and the way the whole country was changed by the events.Perhaps one of the best know children’s books about the war is “Private Peaceful” by Michael Morpurgo. this deeply moving story is now part of the national curriculum and

there are a group of books which have our relationship with animals at the core of the story. Sometimes they are based on a true story, whilst others are imaginary events, but based on issues that did occur during the war. “War Horse”, by Michael Morpurgo has become something of a phenomenon. Not only has it been an immensely successful film and stage show (I am seeing it for the second time in January 2015), but Michael Morpurgo has put together a really moving event, with readings from the book and songs from the stage show. Morris Gleitzman has also written a tribute to the animals that went to war. His “Loyal Creatures” has taken a similar theme to Morpurgo ( it is based on a workshop script for the “War Horse” tour of Australia) and acknowledges the support he received. However his work is set in the surrounds of the Dardanelles campaign and Gallipoli and the ending is not as positive as we would like, but it is very realistic and haunting.

One of the highights of the past year was “the amazing tale of Ali Pasha” by Michael Foreman, which was based on a true story and was the tale of a young sailor from East Anglia who made a lifelongfriend of the tortoise he found in a pot hole in Gallipoli. The illustrations are atmospheric and often extremely poignant; it really is a lovely book. Another story with a dog as one of the main character’s is “Archie’s War” by Margi McAllister, which follows the life of young Archie as his brother tries to enlist, despite being underage, and the search for the missing son of the ‘big house’. It tells of the realities of war and the tragic consequences to those who went to war and came back, both injured and traumatized by the experience.

Margaret's reading shelf

a personal look at a reading life.

Michael Morpurgo