Author name: Miss Cleveland

Experience the life of refugees through reading

/ / Friday Assembly, Library

June 14th -20th is Refugee Week, and there are some truly amazing books to help us travel in their shoes, and understand why people “choose” to travel thousands of miles to find a safe place to call home.

Starting off with picture books that are brilliant for sharing to open discussions, The Day War Came by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Rebecca Cobb is a powerful and necessary picture book – the journey of a child forced to become a refugee when war destroys everything she has ever known. Imagine if, on an ordinary day, war came. Imagine it turned your town to rubble. Imagine going on a long and difficult journey – all alone. Imagine finding no welcome at the end of it. Then imagine a child who gives you something small but very, very precious…

Next up is The Journey by Francesca Sanna. With haunting echoes of the refugee crisis this beautifully illustrated book explores the unimaginable decisions made as a family leave their home and everything they know to escape the turmoil and tragedy brought by war. This book will stay with you long after the last page is turned.

And the last picture book is an incredibly powerful, wordless book more suitable for older readers.  Migrants by Issa Watanabe. narrates the journey of a group of animals leaving a leafless forest. Borders must be crossed, sacrifices made, loved ones left behind. Issa Watanabe takes extraordinary care to show the individuality and humanity of each migrant through the detailed patterns on their clothing, their care of each other as they set up camp, the symbol of the blue ibis showing the connection between past and future, life and death.

For older children who are ready to explore this topic on their own, I have chosen Child I by Steve Tasane (Year 4+), and a previous Coventry Inspiration Book Award Winner – Looking At The Stars by Jo Cotterill (Year 6+).

Child I tells the story of a group of undocumented children with letters for names who are stuck living in a refugee camp, with stories to tell but no papers to prove them. As they try to forge a new family amongst themselves, they also long to keep memories of their old identities alive. Will they be heard and believed? And what will happen to them if they aren’t? An piece of writing that will enchant and intrigue children; and no doubt encourage questions and build empathy.

Looking At The Stars is a stunning story that will stay with you for a long time after finishing the final page. What if the only thing you had left were the stories in your head? Amina’s homeland has been ravaged by war, and her family is devastated… The women of the family – Amina, her two sisters and their mother – have no choice but to leave their home town, along with thousands of others, and head for a refugee camp. But there are even more challenges ahead…  Set in a fictional war torn country, Looking At The Stars is heart-breaking, yet hopeful and very hard hitting. There are a number of upsetting scenes in this story which places it as very firmly Year 6 and above.

Coventry Inspiration Book Awards: The Winners!

/ / Friday Assembly, Library

This week, I am delighted to announce the winners of this year’s Coventry Inspiration Book Awards. There have been some truly amazing books in every category and a huge range of writing styles and genres so that hopefully everyone had a book that inspired them to read.

The winning book in the What’s The Story category for Reception, Year 1 and 2 is…

The Diddle That Dummed by Kes Gray and Fred Blunt. Flinty Bo Diddle is writing a tune for his fiddle. All his diddles have lined up nicely – except for one who keeps going DUM, right in the middle! Which diddle went dum? The culprit steps forward saying: “ I’m not like the other diddles. Sometimes I like to go dum.” No matter what Flinty tries he just can’t get this diddle to diddle like it’s supposed to! A story about standing out from the crowd- we all know a Diddle that dums. A fabulously funny read aloud that is bound to get you laughing.

The winning book in the Telling Tales category for Year 3 and 4 is…

Harriet Versus The Galaxy by Samantha Bains, illustrated by Jessica Flores. The intergalactic adventure starts at home with Harriet, who discovers that her hearing-aid can do more than she ever bargained for when she finds an alien in her room. Discovering that her family secretly work for an intergalactic agency, Harriet becomes the Earth’s first line of defence as the only one who can understand the invaders. Sure, her hearing aid helps her understand aliens from across the universe, if only she could understand her own feelings. A hilarious and heartfelt debut from multi-award winning, hearing aid wearing, comedian, actor and author Samantha Baines.

The winning book in the Hooked On Books category for Year 5 and 6 is…

What’s That In Dog Years by Ben Davies, illustrated by Julia Christians. The last woof and testament of Gizmo the Wonder Dog! Gizmo has been my best friend since the day I was born – he’s always been around. But now they’re  telling me he might not always be around which completely sucks. I’m determined that me and Gizmo will have lots more fun and adventures before he goes – I mean, he loves parties, deserves pampering, and needs a break by the seaside. And as for that old saying about how you can’t teach an old dog new tricks – it’s true, you really can’t! Gizmo’s bucket list is up and running – unlike Gizmo who is totally lazy and demanding to be carried.

Before the book even gets started, it say, “A really funny story (but with a few sad bits too, so get your tissues ready!) They weren’t joking – I made it to page 3 before needing them! A brilliantly funny, poignant, heartbreaking book about life, best friends, growing up and moving on.

Ben has a way of taking serious subjects, adding his sharp humour and weaving them together to create stories that entertain, connect you with the characters and give you lots to think about. Tackling serious issues; death, family break-up, anxiety, bullying, poverty, and child careers, What’s That In Dog Years is a great read for empathy, and anyone in need of a jolly good cry (but you’ll laugh a lot too!). Julia Christians’ warm, humourous illustrations pepper the pages, helping to bring the characters and settings to life.

What an amazing set of winners this year. Huge congratulations to them all for inspiring us to read for pleasure! And a great big thank you to Coventry SLS for organising the awards.

And finally, as June is Pride Month, and this week saw Empathy Day on the 10th June, I’d like to share  Grandad’s Camper by Harry Woodgate. Grandad’s camper van is hidden away in the garage – now Gramps isn’t around any more, the adventures they shared travelling in it just wouldn’t be the same. As she listens to his wonderful stories, Grandad’s granddaughter has an idea to cheer him up…

Gorgeous illustrations adorn the pages of a story celebrating love, loss and a life lived to the full. Exploring a range of big emotions, including family love and the love we choose for ourselves, and the loss of a loved one and how we remember them, Grandad’s Camper is a brilliant book to open discussions to help children understand how others feel, and how they might be able to support them, putting empathy into action.

Coventry Inspiration Book Awards: The Last Evictions

/ / Friday Assembly, Library

The fifth and final books are evicted from the competitions this week leaving the top three in each category.

What’s The Story?

Reception and Key Stage 1 say goodbye to Number 7 Evergreen Street by Julia Patton. Pea lives in a flat at Number 7 Evergreen Street. It’s a grey building in a grey street, in a grey city. Inside the building, however, it’s not grey at all. Pea and her parents have lots of amazing, colourful neighbours. One day, an army of construction workers turn up on the street and start putting up brand new buildings. When it looks like Number 7 Evergreen Street is going to be demolished, Pea has to think quickly to save her and her neighbours homes.

Your final three are:

Telling Tales

This week we lose Too Small Tola by Atinuke, illustrated by Onyinye Iwu. Three delightful stories about Too Small Tola, a young girl who, though small, is very determined. Tola lives in a flat in Lagos with her sister, Moji, who is very clever; her brother, Dapo, who is very fast; and Grandmummy, who is very bossy. Tola proves to be stronger than she seems when she goes to market with Grandmummy and manages to carry home a basket full of yams and vegetables, chilli peppers and fish. When the taps in the flat don’t work, it’s Tola who brings water from the well, and it’s Tola who saves the day when Mr Abdul, the tailor, needs his goods to be delivered quickly.

Your final three are:

Hooked On Books

This week, we leave the Wonderscape by Jennifer Bell. When Arthur, Ren and Cecily investigate a mysterious explosion on their way to school, they find themselves trapped aboard The Principia – a scientific research ship sailing through hazardous waters, captained by one Isaac Newton. Lost in the year 2473 in the Wonderscape, an epic in-reality adventure game, they must call on the help of some unlikely historical heroes, to play their way home before time runs out.

Your final three are:

Make sure you vote for your winner:  https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/140/coventry_inspiration_book_awards

 

And finally, as the sun is out at last and it’s half term next week, I’m sharing The Lost Book Of Adventure from the notebooks of the Unknown Explorer. A facsimile edition of the tattered notebooks of the Unknown Adventurer, this love letter to the wild details everything you need to know about how to live and thrive in nature, from the principles of treehouse building to wilderness first aid.


If you are reading this, it means my notebooks have been found. I am leaving them here at camp for safekeeping along with a few other belongings that I won’t be taking with me. The notebooks are a lifetime’s worth of knowledge, which I’m passing on the you.

So reads an excerpt from the weatherworn letter discovered by nature enthusiast Teddy Keen on a recent trip to the Amazon, along with sketchbooks filled with details of extraordinary adventures and escapades, expedition advice and survival methods, annotated with captivating coloured-pencil drawings. It is thought that the sketchbooks were created for two young relatives of the author. Drawing on Teddy’s knowledge of the outdoors, the pages of the sketchbooks have been carefully transcribed for young readers, as they were originally intended.

You’ll be transported by riveting adventure tales from around the globe, like being dragged off by a hyena in Botswana, surviving a Saharan dust storm, being woken by an intrepid emperor penguin in Antarctica and coming face-to-face with a venomous bushmaster (one of the most dangerous snakes on the planet) – all told in lyrical prose and illustrations that wonder at the mysterious beauty of the wild.

Having inspired the adventurous spirit in you, the Unknown Adventurer encourages you to set out on your own adventure with information on wild camping, rafting, exploration, and shelters and dens, plus tips on first aid and tying knots. Expert instructions on wilderness basics, like building a fire, what to do if you get lost, and how to build various types of shelters are accompanied by more specific skills culled from many years of experience, like baking campfire bread, creating a toothbrush from a twig, making a suture from soldier ants and even how to pan for gold.

Find your way back to your primal self with the immersive text and glorious colour artwork of this one-of-a-kind adventure book.

REMEMBER: be good, be adventurous… and look after your parents.

Coventry Inspiration Book Awards: the half way point!

/ / Friday Assembly, Library

Another week of evictions sees yet more amazing books leave the competition.

Reception and Key Stage One have lost the adorable Don’t Worry Little Crab by Chris Haughton, a fabulous book about facing your fears. In the rockpool above the sea live two crabs: Little Crab and Big Crab. One day they decide to venture into the sea and Little Crab is excited until he sees how big the sea is and how huge the waves are. Little Crab is scared but with help from Very Big Crab, they slowly edge closer and closer until they are eventually in the sea. But what will happen to them as a humongous wave is heading their way?

Year 3 and 4 say goodbye to The Worst Class In The World by Joanna Nadin, illustrated by Rikin Parekh. According to head teacher Mrs Bottomley-Blunt, 4B is the WORST CLASS IN THE WORLD. She says school is not about footling or fiddle-faddling or fun. It is about learning and it is high time 4B tried harder to excel at it. But Stanley and Manjit didn’t literally mean to make their whole class sick with homemade biscuits. And they definitely didn’t literally mean for Manjit’s dog Killer to eat their teacher’s shoes or for Bruce Bingley’s rat to escape. These things just happened even though they had a foolproof plan. You see, 4B may be the WORST CLASS IN THE WORLD. But you wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

Year 5 and 6 lose one of my favourite books of 2020; Struan Murphy’s Orphans Of The Tide, an amazing adventure set in a fantasy world where beliefs and superstition underpin law and justice. The City was built on a sharp mountain that jutted improbably from the sea, and the sea kept trying to claim it back. That grey morning, once the tide had retreated, a whale was found on a rooftop. When a mysterious boy washes in with the tide, the citizens believe he’s the Enemy – the god who drowned the world – come again to cause untold chaos. Only Ellie, a fearless young inventor living in a workshop crammed with curiosities, believes he’s innocent. But the Enemy can take possession of any human body and the ruthless Inquisition are determined to destroy it forever. To save the boy, Ellie must prove who he really is – even if that means revealing her own dangerous secret.  For anyone who loved this, Orphans Of The Tide: Shipwreck Island is out now.

Make sure you keep voting to ensure your favourite isn’t evicted next week at:  https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/140/coventry_inspiration_book_awards

And finally, tomorrow is the Eurovision Song Contest, so this week I’m sharing Music: A Fold-Out Graphic History. Follow this unique 2.5m long fold-out timeline through a celebration of the history of music all around the world, while listening along to the accompanying Spotify playlist!

Learn about how different genres started including classical, folk, jazz, gospel, rock ‘n’ roll, country, punk, grunge and pop. Explore the histories of music linked to particular cultures or regions including Indigineous American, Asian, and African music; Son Cubano and Caribbean styles; and Australian bush music. Discover the stories of music maestros from around the world including Beethoven, Wei Liangfu, The Beatles, Joni Mitchell, David Bowie, Maria Callas, Nina Simone, Louis Armstrong, and Beyoncé. Published in conjunction with the Royal Albert Hall, marvel at the orchestra with a huge illustration set inside the hall, and find out about the ancient instruments discovered all over the globe.

All this and more features in this richly illustrated timeline of music from 60,000 years ago to the present day that will delight children and families alike!

Year 5 interview author, Dan Smith

/ / English, Library

Having loved The Invasion Of Crooked Oak, Year 5 were thrilled when we got an early copy of Dan’s latest book, The Beast Of Harwood Forest to read before having the chance to send our questions off to him. So imagine our utter delight, when on reading our questions, Dan offered to answer them live in our classroom! But first – the book!

What’s hiding in Harwood Forest …?

When Pete, Nancy and Krish arrive at Heathland Camp for a school trip, they’re in for an adventure – just not the kind they were expecting. Nearby sits the abandoned Harwood Institute. The crumbling buildings are out of bounds but strange screams come from the surrounding forest at night. Secrecy surrounds the events that took place at the institute during the war, so Pete and his friends make it their mission to find out the truth. But the forest is hiding a sinister secret, and the trio could be in real danger…

Are some mysteries best left undisturbed?

With links to the oldest written epic poem, Beowulf, and to the mysterious world of biological engineering, The Beast Of Harwood Forest is an utterly  gripping, thriller of a book packed with suspense and delivering a growing sense of dread as we head deeper into the forest. Sci-fi horror for children at its finest, that delivers just enough scares to get hearts racing without causing nightmares!

Each of our main characters have a strong personality and together they make a great team. Chris King’s illustrations really bring the characters, settings and The Beast to life!

There are real ethical debates within this story that will help to grow empathy too.

Here’s what Year 5 thought:

  • I thought it was really interesting and I just kept wanting to read more.
  • It was really exciting and I loved listening to it.
  • It was absolutely fantastic – I loved everything about it!
  • I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
  • It was packed full of adventure and suspense and was a bit scary too. 
  • It’s inspired me to find out more about the kind of experiments he talks about in the book!

And now, to the interview!

1. Miss Cleveland has a lot of amazing books on her bookcase (including all of the ones you have written for children). Why should we pick yours?

One of the most important things about reading for pleasure is that you have a big selection of books to choose from, so it’s great to hear that Miss Cleveland has so many on her shelves. I also think it’s important to choose the books YOU want to read, so I would never say that you have to pick mine. But, if you’re looking for some sci-fi action, a story about Viking revenge, some World War II adventure, or a creepy mystery … then I’m your guy!

2. Which of your characters are you most like?

I’m not a lot like any of my characters, but I’m a little bit like all of them. Does that make sense? I think all of my characters have a little bit of me in them, but I’m not brave enough to be Pete, or clever enough to be Krish, or inventive enough to be Nancy.

3. How do you come up with your sci-fi villains?

I usually use a mixture of things that are real and things that are made-up. To me, that makes them feel more believable. For instance, the cause of the trouble in The Invasion of Crooked Oak is inspired by a very real fungus that infects insects, and The Beast of Harwood Forest is inspired by the real belief that there is something strange living in Harwood Forest – not far from where I live. I then add my own twist by taking inspiration from books and films and video games.

4. Have you ever come face to face with a beast in real life?

Well, if I had, I’d probably have to keep it secret …

5. How is writing a series different from writing a stand alone book?

The Crooked Oak stories are a series without being a series because they don’t have to be read in any particular order. That means I don’t have to worry too much about continuity, but if you read all the books you get a much better picture of who the characters are. And that’s one of the biggest differences between writing a series and writing a stand-alone book – the characters. I’ve had so much pleasure writing about Pete, Nancy, and Krish for a second time, and it’s been fun throwing them into different creepy situations. We might even see them again sometime soon …

6. You have written books for adults and children. Which do you prefer?

I like writing both, but writing for young readers often feels more fun. It also feels more special because young readers express so much wonder and excitement for stories – something that often inspires me.

7. What would you do if you weren’t an author?

What I’d really like to be is Han Solo. He is, after all, the coolest smuggler in the galaxy. Failing that, I’d like to be Bear Grylls -but I’m not brave enough- or a rock star -but I have no musical talent. Maybe I should stick to being an author.

8. If you had to be in one of your stories which one would you be in?

That’s a tricky one. All of my stories are so dangerous. Below Zero would be far too cold. I’d probably be the first to get infected in Crooked Oak, or fall victim to The Beast of Harwood Forest. Maybe I’d be better off in Boy X, trying to survive on the jungle island of Isla Negra … at least it would be sunny!

9. Did you have a favourite book as a child?

I loved Tintin books when I was younger (and still do), but I think my favourite book was ‘The Runaways’ by Victor Canning. Don’t worry, no one else seems to have heard of it either. It was the first book in a trilogy about a boy called Smiler.

10. And finally, which characters from science fiction would you like to go on a socially distanced picnic with? Is there anyone you would definitely not want to be there?

I reckon the kids from Stranger Things would be fun at a picnic. Or the gang from Guardians of The Galaxy. I definitely wouldn’t invite Darth Vader because he’d just spend the whole time being grumpy. And the alien from Alien can stay at home, too.

Huge thanks to Year 5 for coming up with such amazing questions, Barrington Stoke for arranging for Dan to join us in our classroom, and to Dan for such an fun and engaging afternoon.

With comments like, “It’s just amazing being able to chat with an actual author,” “I’ll remember this afternoon forever,”  “He was very funny and gave us great answers,” and “It’s made me want to be an author too!” it was a truly inspirational afternoon!

Coventry Inspiration Book Awards: the third evictions

/ / Friday Assembly, Library

After this week, there are just five books left in each category. It’s time to find out of your favourite was evicted this week…

Reception and Key Stage 1 bid farewell to The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad, illustrated by Hatem Ali. With her new backpack and light-up shoes, Faizah knows the first day of school is going to be special. It’s the start of a brand new year and, best of all, it’s her older sister Asiya’s first day of hijab–a hijab of beautiful blue fabric, like the ocean waving to the sky. But not everyone sees hijab as beautiful, and in the face of hurtful, confusing words, Faizah will find new ways to be strong. A powerful, vibrantly illustrated story about the first day of school by Olympic medalist and social justice activist Ibtihaj Muhammad.

Year 3 and 4 say goodbye to Pests: Mouse In Training by Emer Stamp. Meet Stix, the tiny but heroic mouse who might be living behind your washing machine. But is he naughty enough to join the PESTS? Stix is the size of an egg cup, can jump the width of a dog’s bottom, and LOVES cheese. That’s because Stix is a mouse. He probably lives behind your washing machine, but you wouldn’t know it, because his grandma taught him to always stay out of trouble and NEVER let the humans know he’s there. But now Stix has stumbled across PESTS – the Peewit Educatorium for Seriously Terrible Scoundrels – in the basement of his building, and along with a whole host of new pesty friends (and enemies), he’s about to rip up Grandma’s rule book and make a REAL pest of himself…

For Year 5 and 6, it’s the end of the road for The Ice Bear Miracle by Cerrie Burnell. Life with bears is dangerous, as Marv Jackson knows-the large crescent moon shaped scar on his face acts as a constant reminder of the night he survived a bear attack. There he was, all but five-years-old dressed head to toe in an ice hockey kit, drawn to the frozen lake by his love of skating, or so people say. But when Marv thinks back to the moments before the beat attack, he can hear a baby’s cry cutting through the night air. Marv knows deep in his heart that the legendary tale of that night isn’t quite the full story. The truth can be found at a travelling carnival, where a mysterious young girl and her magnificent polar bear skate beneath the northern stars.

Make sure you keep voting to ensure your favourite isn’t evicted next week at:  https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/140/coventry_inspiration_book_awards

And finally, this week has been Mental Health Awareness Week. This year’s theme is nature, so make sure you get outside with your families this weekend and enjoy the wonders of the world around us. But just in case it rains, An Emotional Menagerie: Feelings From A to Z is a wonderful look at a whole range of emotions mixed with creatures from all over our planet.

Emotions are like animals:
No two are quite the same.
Some are quiet; some are fierce;
And all are hard to tame.

Using rich language to describe each of the discussed emotion as an animal, we are encouraged to explore what causes them and how we can manage them successfully, and by building our understanding of emotional vocabulary, we help to manage our mental health now and into the future.

Coventry Inspiration Book Awards: The Second Eviction!

/ / Friday Assembly, Library

Once again, we are saying goodbye to another group of excellent books.

Reception and Key Stage1  have lost Tiny And Teeny by Chris Judge. Glengadget is the teeniest, tiniest town around. Deep down, in between the blades of grass, lives Tiny with her best friend, her pet Teeny in their apple home. Every day of the week, they have a different neighbour to meet – they do some gardening for Mandy Small, read to Bitsy McGee and give Minkin a hand with her lively twins. Then disaster strikes. Tiny and Teeny find their teeny-tiny world turned upside down, when their house is destroyed by a falling rock. They are helped by their neighbours and other townsfolk  to find a new home.  A real celebration of community and ingenious uses for everyday objects.

Year 3 and 4 say goodbye to Derek The Sheep: Danger Is My Middle Name by Gary Northfield. Grumpy but lovable sheep, Derek, is always looking for the greener grass in life, but he is constantly thwarted in his plans by the other meddlesome (and tiresome) animals on his crazy farm]. From the legendary pages of the Beano, Bog Eyed Books presents the third graphic novel in the popular Derek the Sheep series. These outrageously funny and increasingly loopy stories can finally be savoured by fans old and new.

Year 5 and 6 lose the heart-breaking graphic novel When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Mohamed Omar, illustrated by Iman Geddy. Omar and his brother Hassan, two Somali boys, have spent a long time in the Dadaab refugee camp. Separated from their mother, they are looked after by a friendly stranger. Life in the camp isn’t always easy. The hunger is constant, but there’s football to look forward to, and now there’s a chance Omar will get to go to school… A stark look at the lives of child refugees that is sure to spark much discussion. The stunning illustrations tell the moving story when there are no words to express what is happening.

You can vote to keep your favourite book in the competition at https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/140/coventry_inspiration_book_awards

And finally, it’s Deaf Awareness Week in the UK this week, so I’ve chosen a brilliant book that has a hearing impaired main character – Max And The Millions by Ross Montgomery. 

Max hates life at St. Goliath’s Boarding School. The Headmaster, Mr. Pitt, is nothing like the caring teacher he portrays himself as. Every assembly Max is made to sit in the SPECIAL SEAT because he wears hearing aids. He’d far rather hide away with the caretaker, Mr Darrow, making miniature models. But, hours before the summer holidays are due to begin, Mr Darrow disappears, which means Max has to put their emergency plan into action.

When Mr Darrow still hasn’t returned as the start of the new term looms, Max discovers a miraculous transformation in the caretaker’s room, and finds himself in a race against time and Mr Pitt to save the new world and its inhabitants.

The inhabitants of The Floor have even more to worry about as the three tribes are locked in a battle for resources and all-out war seems ever more likely. Can newly crowned King Luke bring the Tribes together and keep the peace while Max battles Mr Pitt to save them all?

Brilliantly written, Ross Montgomery combines great characters, a pacey plot and huge handfuls of humour to create a rip-roaring adventure that had me howling with laughter from beginning to end in one sitting.

Year 6 interview with Arctic Star author, Tom Palmer.

/ / Library

Tom Palmer’s historical fiction is guaranteed to be excellently researched and packed with emotion; his new book,  Arctic Star, excels on both counts.

From the very first chapter, you are drawn into Frank, Stephen and Joseph’s lives aboard HMS Forgetmenot. Dark humour peppers their voyage across the freezing seas where the dangers are not only from the enemy.

It’s winter 1943 and teenagers Frank, Joseph and Stephen are Royal Navy recruits on their first mission at sea during the Second World War. Their ship is part of an Arctic Convoy sailing to Russia to deliver supplies to the Soviets. The convoys have to navigate treacherous waters, sailing through a narrow channel between the Arctic ice pack and German bases on the Norwegian coast. Faced with terrifying enemy attacks from both air and sea, as well as life-threatening cold and storms, will all three boys make it home again.

The intricacies of the three men’s friendships are expertly highlighted, which makes some of the conversations more harrowing for more sensitive readers. They create a myriad of discussion points too, from how friendships survive a fall out, to dealing with loss and grief, why people chose to go to war and how they survived their experiences

The differing perspectives are never clearer than when discussing their convoy’s destination, Murmansk in Russia. The ideology in theory doesn’t match the reality they find on shore leave, opening up a huge discussion on different political ideologies and ways of life

For a very different perspective on WW2 and a very different battlefield, Arctic Star is an all action, heart-breaking story of friendship and survival. Tissues are a must. Here’s what Year 6 thought:  

  • I love how it goes straight into the action and doesn’t stop!
  • I like how every chapter ends on a cliff hanger which makes you think a lot.
  • I love how there is humour even though it is a really serious story.
  • The description is so good it puts images in my head.
  • I like the chemistry between the characters and that they have such a strong friendship.
  • I like that it’s based around an aspect of WW2 we don’t normally get to read about.
  • I love that it is based on real events and you can feel the emotion in the story.

Now for the interview!

Miss Cleveland has lots of books on her bookcase. Why should we pick Arctic Star?

I’d say you don’t have to. But, if you like stories of war, adventure and danger – that feature friendship – then you might enjoy it. But compare it to some of the other books and choose the one you like the sound of most.

How would feel if you were one of the characters from Arctic Star, and how would you deal with that emotion?

I don’t know is the honest answer. I’ve never been in a shipwreck, but my job is to try to imagine it. To be honest, I compared it with the time I was in a ship in the North Sea in a force 9 gale and another time that my best friend died (aka Stephen). Then I drew from those emotional situations. Not easy, but it is good to use traumatic things you have been through when you write, I think. Most of the time.

Why do you think it’s important to write about things that have happened in history?

So that we are well informed about the past, meaning we can deal better with the future. There are lots of misconceptions about history and I think it is our duty to understand it properly and be respectful to those involved – and their memory.

Are there any other historical periods you would like to write about?

The Iron Age, in particular Queen Cartimandua.

Which of your books are you most passionate about and why?

After the War. Because I met some of the Holocaust survivors it is about and they told me they wanted me to write about their story because – to be quite honest – as they were very old, they would be dead soon and the story needed to be told when they were gone.

How long does it usually take you to write a story?

Football books = 2 months. History books 6 to 9 months.

Do you have any unfinished writing projects?

Yes. They are ones that didn’t work out.

What do you do if you are struggling for ideas?

Make a scrap book of images and ideas. Do lots of plans. Play with different ideas and juxtapose them until I find the right idea for me.

If you weren’t an author, what would you like to be instead?

An explorer.

Which children’s book characters would you like to go on a socially distanced picnic with?

The Cat in the Hat. That’d be a good laugh.

About Tom Palmer Tom is the multi award winning author of over fifty children’s books including three Puffin football series, Football Academy, Foul Play and The Squad, and 15 books for Barrington Stoke.

Huge thanks to Tom Palmer for answering our questions and to his publisher, Barrington Stoke, for arranging it for us.  

Coventry Inspiration Books Awards – First Out!

/ / Friday Assembly, Library

The evictions have started for this year’s Coventry Inspiration Book Awards, and these are the first books to leave the competition.

Reception, Year 1 and 2

Otto Blotter Bird Spotter by Graham Carter

Otto’s family are keen bird spotters, indeed they are so keen they have turned their house into a hide. Otto, though, loves exploring and on one of his trips he finds a very unusual baby bird and brings it secretly into his home. He is able to hide it from his family because the bird is very good at camouflage. As the bird grows and grows, Otto realises that it’s missing its family and recruits help to track them down.

A really lovely picture book celebrating the natural world with stunning illustrations. I’m really surprised to see this go out so early!

 

Year 3 and 4

My Other Life by Polly Ho-Yen, illustrated by Patricia Hu

Mae spends a lot of time in hospitals. She’s had asthma since she was little and sometimes she just can’t breathe. She was in hospital the very first time she saw the hole – a tear in the universe which seems to appear only to her. Before she knows it she is drawn into a parallel world, where things aren’t quite the same…

This powerful fantasy story is full of big ideas and a great way to talk about chronic illness with children. With beautiful black-and-white illustrations throughout, it is ideal for children who are developing as readers.

 

 

 

Year 5 and 6

Fire Girl, Forest Boy by Chloe Daykin

Maya has to escape. Abandoned in the cloud forest, she’s on the run in a country she doesn’t know and has no idea who to trust. Raul is escaping too – travelling back to his home where a terrible tragedy happened, ready to stir up trouble. When their paths collide in the middle of the jungle, the sparks begin to fly. As modern world corruption meets the magic and legends of ancient times, can Maya draw on her hidden light to find the way through to the truth?

An amazing, thought provoking adventure set in the Peruvian rainforest, highlighting the plight of our Earth’s lungs. Told in dual narrative, this has magic, crime and mystery all wrapped in in a stunning setting. Sad to see this one exit so early.

 

 

If you want to make sure your favourite book isn’t evicted make sure you keep voting! You can vote here !

And finally, here’s a non-fiction book celebrating all things sport including all three Olympic Games – the Olympics, the Paralympics and the Winter Olympics. Sportopedia by Adam Long, illustrated by Mark Long features over 60 sports from around the world, and looks at the rules, kits and fascinating facts. A brilliant book to dip in and out of with captivating illustrations!

 

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