As it is our last Friday Library Recommendations before half term, this week my choices are all spooky books to set the hair on the back of your neck on end…

First, I’ve picked Creaky Castle by Jane Clarke and Christyan Fox,  a spoktacular halloween adventure.  Are you brave enough to enter?

Step into the mysterious world of Creaky Castle, where spine-chilling surprises await around every corner. This Halloween-themed picture book invites young readers to lift the flaps and uncover a host of spooky characters. From skeletons in the cellar and werewolves in the shower to a vampire hiding in the clothes chest, each page is a doorway to Halloween fun. Get ready for a bone-shaking, flap-lifting Halloween adventure that will leave your little ones wanting more.

For confident Year 3 and up readers, I’ve chosen Lockett & Wilde’s Dreadfully Haunting Mysteries: The Ghosts of the Manor by Lucy Strange, illustrated by Pam Smy which is the perfect introduction to gothic mysteries.

Matilda Lockett is used to playing the role of Poor Dead Edna on stage with her spirit-medium aunt, Signora Valentina, and theatrical uncle Barnabus – but when they all decamp to Beauchamp Manor to deal with a most dreadful haunting, she discovers she really can see ghosts! There she meets ghost boy, Edgar Wilde, who shares her love of supernatural snooping, and together they set about unravelling the case of The Ghosts of the Manor.

And finally, for our oldest children, I’ve picked Black Gables by Eibhlis Carcione; a deliciously dark and haunting read that is perfect for anyone who enjoy gothic tales with a supernatural twist. Eibhlis masterfully balances an unsettling atmosphere with an engaging mystery, creating a story that left me chilled to the bone.

Enter Black Gables and meet the world’s most sinister teachers and their pets!

When Rosella starts a new school in the eerie town of Black Gables, where crows croak menacingly and pale faces appear in the water of the lake, she knows that something is terribly wrong. Under the watchful eye of her new headmaster, Mr Edge, whose unsettling presence and appearance hint at something dark lingering beneath the surface of both the town and the school, Rosella must unravel the mystery of Black Gables before it’s too late!

Happy reading – don’t have nightmares!

Today is the start of World Space Week, and so all of my books this week look to the stars. The first two are also told in verse to link with National Poetry Day, which was yesterday.

For our younger children I have chosen The Big Beyond by James Carter and Aaron Cushley, a brilliantly fun rhyming exploration of space travel.

Once upon a rocket, a countdown has begun,

from 10, 9, 8 to 7 and 6

to 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Get ready for blast-off with this fast-paced poem that’s all about space travel. From the early humans who dreamt of wings to the Moon landing, and from spacecraft exploring Mars to the future beyond… Climb on board for an adventure into outer space!

My next book is a fabulous picture book for older children called We The Curious Ones by Marion Dane Bauer, illustrated by Hari & Deepti, which is a celebration of curiosity, imagination, and the pursuit of knowledge. Birds sing. Bees dance. Wolves howl. But we are the ones who tell stories. Since the beginning, humans have created stories about the universe. From early mythology to modern-day science, we have always been curious to know more, yet 95% of the world “out there” remains a mystery. What will we believe tomorrow?

The lyrical poetry is utterly captivating, drawing us into the history and mystery of the cosmos, and how our understanding of it has changed over time. With each changing narrative about the universe we live in, Marion skilfully weaves together themes of curiosity, wonder, and the human desire to understand the universe’s vastness. It enables us to explore complex scientific concepts in a thought-provoking, yet accessible manner, while evoking a sense of awe and reverence for the natural world and our place within it.

Breath-taking cut-paper illustrations, full of intricate details and vibrant colours, bring the beauty and complexity of the universe to life, from swirling galaxies to microscopic atoms. Hari & Deepti create a visual narrative that echoes and enhances the scientific stories being told on each page.

Finally, for our oldest readers, I’ve chosen The Last Boy by Eve McDonnell, a captivating historical fantasy that brilliantly blends real-life history with elements of magic, making it an exciting and emotional read for young readers and adults alike.

Inspired by the harrowing true story of George Brewster, the last recorded child chimney sweep in England, Eve has crafted a tale that is both touching and thrilling. Her enthralling story expertly weaves the grim realities of child labour in Victorian times with the enchantment of a magical world where the promise of a wish holds immense power.

At the heart of the story is Brewster’s wish to be the last climbing boy ever, a wish born out of desperation and a desire for freedom, not just for himself but for all children forced into this brutal line of work. His life is dictated by the dangerous and suffocating work of climbing inside chimneys to clean them, a task that risks his life daily. His escape comes from his astounding mathematical abilities and secret trips into a library full of the information he needs to complete his calculations. Eve does not shy away from portraying the harsh conditions child laborers faced, and the devastating effects their job had on their health.

A story of resilience, magic, and the enduring human spirit, The Last Boy is a must read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a twist of fantasy.

Happy reading!

This week, children in school have had an assembly about Coventry Food Bank, as that is where our harvest donations will be going this year. They have asked for items with long dates, such as tinned tomatoes and vegetables, tinned meats and fish, cooking sauces for the hob, and UHT long life milk. If you could attach a coin to a can too, they are also working with a charity in Bolivia to help feed street children too. We would be extremely grateful for anything you feel you can donate. We  will be accepting donations from Monday 30th September to Friday 4th October.

Our harvest collection has inspired my book choices for this week, which delve a little deeper into the lives of children who don’t have enough food.

The first is a picture book called, It’s A No Money Day by Kate Milner.

Mum works really hard, but today there is no money left and no food in the cupboards. Forced to visit the local food bank, Mum feels ashamed that they have to rely on the kindness of others, but her young daughter can still see all the good in her day like reading and drawing, and even the food bank.
Maybe one day things will be different but for now together they brighten up even the darkest of days.

A moving insight into the sad rise and necessity of food banks from the perspective of society’s most vulnerable, and an essential book to help develop empathy in younger readers.

For Year 3 and up, I’ve picked The Great (Food) Bank Heist by Onjali Q. Rauf

On Thursdays, Nelson, Ashley and Mum head out to the bank. But not just any old bank – the food bank. With its shining tins and packets of food stacked from floor to ceiling, Nelson thinks it’s the best kind of bank there is. But there’s a thief in town, and the shelves of the food bank are getting emptier each day, leaving people hungrier than ever. For the sake of his family and everyone else’s, Nelson needs to make them stop. But can he and his friends really be the ones to catch the bank robber?

Written with great empathy and Onjali’s trademark humour, The Great (Food) Bank Heist is a moving story that gives a child’s-eye view of the increasing problem of food poverty.

And finally, I have chosen a chapter book for Year 5 and up called, The Boy In The Suit by James Fox.

It’s not easy to fit in when you’re the boy in the suit…

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.

The Boy in the Suit is a remarkable debut that tackles important issues such as mental health, poverty, and the quest to fit in with sensitivity and grace. James has crafted a story that is not only a page-turner but also a life-affirming testament to the resilience of the human spirit, and is a timely reminder of the importance of empathy, community, and the strength found in the unlikeliest of places.

Happy reading!