I can’t believe we’re already at the stage of this year’s Coventry Inspiration Book Awards where the evictions have begun, and this week we say goodbye to some fabulous books. Have a look at my recommendation for what to try next if your favourite left the competition this week.
What’s The Story
The first book evicted is Trouble At The Bug Hotel by Kathryn Simmonds, illustrated by Tor Freeman. The Bug Hotel has a fancy dining room, a rooftop terrace…even a pool if water is your thing. What a wonderful hotel! Trouble is, Branwell the solitary bee is not welcomed by the other guests – they’re convinced he will sting! But Branwell can’t sting, and even if he could, he wouldn’t want to. When a curious toddler starts poking and shaking the bug hotel, our stripy hero, Branwell, ends up saving the day, showing us all a thing or two about resolving tricky situations peacefully.
If you loved this, try Who ate all the bugs? by Matty Long, a brilliantly funny and informative picture book for our younger children. When Snail sets out to solve the mystery of disappearing bugs, young readers are taken on an entertaining journey through the food chain, guided by Glowworm’s wise (and slightly blunt) explanations. Packed with Matty Long’s trademark deadpan humour and bold, hilarious illustrations, this book introduces children to real-life facts about minibeasts and ecosystems in a way that’s accessible and engaging. Slightly disgusting, very clever and full of laugh-out-loud moments, it’s a great choice for curious young nature lovers.
Telling Tales
The first book to leave this category is The Lucky House Detective Agency by Scarlett Li, Illustrated by Sian James. Felix and his best friend Isaac love mysteries – chasing clues, identifying suspects, catching criminals – they can’t wait to open their own detective agency. So when Felix’s parents’ Lucky House takeaway is cursed with a spate of bad luck, Felix is determined to find the culprit. The boys’ investigations lead them to a clue: an ancient coin with a square hole at its centre. Could this lead them to secret treasure? (Un) fortunately, ‘Nosy’ Nina Ding, Felix’s sworn enemy, may have the answers.
If you loved this, try Agent Asha: Mission shark bytes by Sophie Deen, illustrated by Anjan Sarkar, a fast-paced and funny spy adventure packed with techy twists. When Asha Joshi is recruited by the secret Children’s Spy Agency, she suddenly has a very good reason for not finishing her homework – she has to save the world before bedtime! Using her coding skills, Asha faces dodgy tech, dangerous sharks and a mysterious internet blackout. Bursting with action, humour and colourful illustrations, this book cleverly introduces children to coding and problem-solving while supporting key KS1 and KS2 computing concepts. A great choice for budding spies and future coders.
Hooked On Books
The first book to leave this category is the utterly brilliant The Boy In The Suit by James Fox, illustrated by Tika and Tata Bobokhidze, a poignant and heart-warming exploration of a young boy’s struggle to find his place in a world that seems determined to keep him on the outside. From a mismatched school uniform to a mother battling mental health issues, Solo’s story is a delicate balance of humour, sadness, and resilience. Ten-year-old Solo – embarrassingly, that isn’t short for anything – just wants to be normal. He wants a name that doesn’t stand out. He wishes he had a proper school uniform that fitted him. He dreams about a mum who doesn’t get the Big Bad Reds, like his mum Morag. But most of all he longs to stop crashing funerals for the free food. But when Solo and Morag crash the funeral of a celebrity and get caught, the press are there to witness their humiliation. The next day it’s splashed across the papers. Before Solo knows it, he becomes a viral sensation, and life may never be normal again.
If you loved this, try My Brilliant Plan To Fix Everything by Ben Davis, a warm, funny and heartfelt story about family, friendship and good intentions going slightly wrong. When twelve-year-old Alex takes over his dad’s postal round so his dad can finally write a novel, he’s sure it will bring his family back together. Instead, Alex faces angry dogs, local bullies and an increasingly suspicious boss. Along the way, he finds unexpected support from Willow, a girl with secrets of her own. Told with humour and compassion, this is a thoughtful read about growing up, resilience and what really matters in families.
If you don’t want your favourite to leave next week, make sure you vote at Coventry Inspiration Book Awards – Coventry City Council
Happy reading, and voting!
