This weeks Friday Library Recommendations are all on the theme chosen by Year 6 – The Great Outdoors! Here is a selection of fiction and non-fiction highlighting the wonderful world around us.

Unplugged by Steve Antony

A delightful picture book about the fun you can have when you unplug yourself and get outside! From the author of the much-loved Mr Panda series. Blip spends all day plugged into her computer, playing games and having fun. But when there’s a power cut, Blip goes down the stairs and out the front door, where she discovers playing games and having fun… outside! Isn’t it wonderful to be unplugged? This simple story is perfect for families trying to strike the right balance between screen time and outdoor play.

My Big Book Of Outdoors by Tim Hopwood

Discover the great outdoors with this beautifully illustrated treasury that celebrates the wonder of nature in four glorious seasons. From vibrant springtime flowers to sweet fruits on summer trees, the falling of autumn leaves and snowdrops in winter, this book of four seasons is the perfect introduction to the big outdoors. Discover why birds fly south in winter, find animal footprints in the snow and learn to make the perfect snowflake; grow a sunflower, find a feather and make a daisy chain. Full of activities, poetry and fun facts to explore, this bumper book is jam-packed with amazing things to see and do outdoors – the perfect gift for every season.

Wild Child: A Journey Through Nature by Dara McAnulty

Wild Child: A Journey Through Nature is a beautiful book, illustrated in full colour by Barry Falls, and divided into five sections: looking out of the window, venturing out into the garden, walking in the woods, investigating heathland and wandering on the river bank. Dara pauses to tell you about each habitat and provides fantastic facts about the native birds, animals and plants you will find there – including wrens, blackbirds, butterflies, tadpoles, bluebells, bees, hen harriers, otters, dandelions, oak trees and many more. Each section contains a discovery section where you will have a closer look at natural phenomenon such as metamorphoses and migration, learn about categorization in the animal kingdom or become an expert on the collective nouns for birds, and finishes with an activity to do when you get home: plant wild flowers, make a bird feeder, try pond dipping, make a journey stick and build a terrarium. Dara ends the book with advice for young conservationists.

Zo And The Forest Of Secrets by Alake Pilgrim

Sci-fi meets myth in this heart-stopping race for survival in the Trinidadian forests. When Zo decides to run away from home, she isn’t scared; after all, she knows the island like the back of her hand. But, as she journeys through the once-familiar forest, terrifying creatures and warped visions begin to emerge. With a beast on her heels and a lost boy thrown into her path, could a mysterious abandoned facility hold answers? Zo must unravel the secrets of the forest before she is lost in them forever…

Not for the faint-hearted, this is a nail-biting thriller that doesn’t let up from them moment Zo strikes out on her own, and I cannot wait for the second book in this duology to answer the questions pinging around my head!

The Rewilders by Lindsay Littleson

Esme is annoyed and braced for boredom when she’s sent to stay with her gran for the weekend, until she discovers a terrible mistake. Cora, the abandoned kitten Gran found on the Rothiecraig Estate, is in fact a wild lynx kit and she is growing—fast! Suddenly, Esme find herself on a dangerous mission to rewild Cora, along with Callum Docherty for company, the school’s ‘bad boy’, and Shug, the worst guard dog in the world. The situation takes a terrifying turn when the children pitch their tents on a bleak Highland moor and hear wolves howling outside…

The Rewilders is such a captivating, immersive and thought provoking read. I felt as if I was walking the moors with Esme and Callum on their mission to rewild Cora. Told from both Esme and Callum’s perspectives we really get to know the two children on their journey. Without spoilers, there were two moments in the book that I read with wide eyed wonder and a hint of jealousy. This is a celebration of our natural world, a reminder of the delicate balance of ecosystems, and that we must take responsibility for looking after the world we live in before we damage it beyond repair. For those not sure of the Scottish dialect, there is a glossary at the end of the story, which came in handy as I had no idea what gowping meant!

Rewilding by David A. Steen, illustrated by Chiara Fedele

Discover inspiring stories of wildlife brought back from the brink of extinction in this kids’ non-fiction book about animals and the environment. Rewilding means returning animals or plants to places where they used to live. In this book, acclaimed conservation biologist and science communicator David A. Steen introduces children to the scientists determined to turn back the hands of time to create a greener future. Read about awe-inspiring rewilding projects, including:

• The wolves that returned to Yellowstone National Park and dramatically improved the ecosystem
• The beavers reintroduced to their old territories to build dams to stop them flooding
• The Galápagos giant tortoises who beat the odds to survive extinction and return to their island home

Throughout the heartwarming true stories, beautifully illustrated by award-winning artist Chiara Fedele, children will learn how different species evolved to live side by side and will see what it takes to be a conservation scientist. They might even be inspired to become a wildlife activist themselves! By the end of the book kids will be left with a key message: it’s not too late to fix the planet.

Tidy by Emily Gravett

A very funny rhyming woodland story about the perils of being too tidy. Pete the badger likes everything to be neat and tidy at all times, but what starts as the collecting of one fallen leaf escalates and ends with the complete destruction of the forest! Will Pete realise the error of his ways and set things right? Lush foliage and delightful characters abound in this cautionary tale of overenthusiastic neatness that delivers its message of environmental preservation with subtlety and humour. The freshness of the illustrations and the many comic details make this a very special book. Once you enter this forest, you’ll never want to leave.

Happy reading!

This week, Year 5 have chosen Space for our Friday Library Recommendations and it’s been a real struggle narrowing down the books!

Ada And The Galaxies by Alan Lightman and Olga Pastychiv, illustrated by Susanna Chapman

Stargazers rejoice at this beautiful, accessible and fascinating story about our incredible night sky, with stunning pictures from the Hubble telescope! There is so much for Ada to do while visiting her grandparents on an island in Maine, but no amount of beachcombing and kayaking during the day can take the place of looking at the bright and beautiful stars at night. She can hardly wait for the sun to set, but will a thick fog spoil her stargazing plans? Photographs taken from the Hubble telescope are seamlessly layered with charming illustrations to beautifully bring to life this enchanting story of a curious child and her caring grandfather, who share a love for our incredible night sky and the mysteries it holds.

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly, illustrated by Laura Freeman

Bringing the incredibly inspiring true story of four black women who helped NASA launch men into space to picture book readers! Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden were good at math…really good. They participated in some of NASA’s greatest successes, like providing the calculations for America’s first journeys into space. And they did so during a time when being black and a woman limited what they could do. But they worked hard. They persisted. And they used their genius minds to change the world. In this beautifully illustrated picture book edition, we explore the story of four female African American mathematicians at NASA, known as “colored computers,” and how they overcame gender and racial barriers to succeed in a highly challenging STEM-based career.

An Adventurer’s Guide To Outer Space by Isabel Thomas, illustrated by Yas Imamura

Pack your spacesuit and join adventurer Mia on a spellbinding journey to the depths of the universe, spotting spectacular constellations, discovering new asteroids and counting the sparkling rings of Saturn. On your way, you can visit: the Moon and Sun; the International Space Station; Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune; the Asteroid Belt; the Dwarf Planets; the Kuiper Belt; Exoplanets; the Milky Way and distant galaxies. With breathtaking facts and interactive space activities, this captivating book will excite and inspire the adventurers of the future.

Space Maps by Lara Albanese and Tommaso Vidus Rosin

Do you want to go on a journey through space? Then all you have to do is look up at the night sky. What can you see?  This super-sized book of maps takes you on a space adventure from the stars to the solar system, and far beyond!  Marvel at the constellations, and learn what their names and patterns mean to different cultures. Then venture further out, past what the naked eye can see, and hop from planet to planet to explore Earth s celestial neighbours. Discover how humans have used rockets, probes and telescopes to explore space – and even stop off at the International Space Station to visit the scientists working there! Let Space Maps take you on a tour through the universe, with its 24 maps, stunning illustrations and amazing facts. Grab your telescope and get ready for the intergalactic journey of a lifetime!

How To Teach Grown-Ups About Pluto by Dean Regas, illustrated by Aaron Blecha

A witty guide to Pluto’s discovery and demotion, which puts kids in charge. Pluto has not been a planet since 2006. But this tiny world still inspires people of all ages while sparking controversy. In this delightfully witty book, astronomer Dean Regas teaches you how to educate your grown-up about the cutting-edge science of space, most crucially the reason why Pluto is NOT a planet any more. Delving into the history of space discoveries, the key players who have helped our understanding of the universe (including the 11-year-old girl who named Pluto in the first place) and the ever-changing nature of science, this book will equip every reader with the tools they need to bring their grown-ups fully up to speed, and to sneak in as many amazing astronomical facts as possible. And there’s a handy quiz at the end so that you can check your grown-up has been paying attention!

Phoenix by S.F. Said, illustrated by Dave McKean

A BOY WITH THE POWER OF A STAR… Lucky thinks he’s an ordinary Human boy. But one night, he dreams that the stars are singing to him, and wakes to find an uncontrollable power rising inside him. Now he’s on the run, racing through space, searching for answers. In a galaxy at war, where Humans and Aliens are deadly enemies, the only people who can help him are an Alien starship crew – and an Alien warrior girl, with neon needles in her hair…

Sublime storytelling with soul, and one of the best books I have ever read! The words sing off the page in the same way the stars call to Lucky in this action packed adventure to save the universe. Dave McKean’s atmospheric illustrations capture the intensity and emotion throughout bringing an extra depth to S.F. Said’s lyrical tale. Phoenix mixes sci-fi with social commentary effortlessly, in a story that is heartfelt, captivating and desperately needed in today’s world. Children need stories that will help them to build empathy and understanding for others, to fire their imagination that the way things are doesn’t need to be the way things will always be, that we should be breaking walls down and not building them, and this is that story.  If our children take the messages in Phoenix to heart, and act on them, they will be able to imagine a friendlier, kinder future, and maybe, this book will go a little way to changing the world, because if we want to change the world, first we have to imagine it’s possible.

Happy reading!

It’s Year 4’s turn to pick the theme this week, and they have gone for horror, which has been the trickiest yet! Year 5 & 6 already know about Chis Priestley’s Seven Ghosts, Dan Smith’s Crooked Oak series and Ross Montgomery’s Christmas Dinner Of Souls, and then as we move down the school, finding suitable horror becomes trickier. So, grab your cushion of comfort and get ready for some frightfully good reads…

There’s A Ghost In This House by Oliver Jeffers

A captivating new picture book with interactive transparent pages…

Hello, come in.
Maybe you can help me?

A young girl lives in a haunted house, but has never seen a ghost. Are they white with holes for eyes? Are they hard to see? She’d love to know! Step inside and turn the transparent pages to help her on an entertaining ghost hunt, from behind the sofa, right up to the attic. With lots of friendly ghost surprises and incredible mixed media illustrations, this unique and funny book will entertain young readers over and over again!

A Dark, Dark Tale by Ruth Brown

The simplicity of the text and the expressive beauty of the illustrations build up the tension to culminate in a surprising ending in this this mysterious, beautifully illustrated picture book. Children will delight in following the black cat’s progress through the dark, dark wood, into the dark, dark house, and eventually to the surprise discovery…

A Tale Dark And Grimm by Adam Gidwitz

A gorgeously grisly retelling of the Brothers Grimm’s tales with the most gruesome bits left in, and now an animated series on Netfix!

Reader: beware. Warlocks with dark spells, hunters with deadly aim, and bakers with ovens retrofitted for cooking children lurk within these pages. But if you dare, turn the page and learn the true story of Hansel and Gretel – the story behind (and beyond) the bread crumbs, edible houses and outwitted witches. Come on in. It may be frightening, it’s certainly bloody, and it’s definitely not for the faint of heart.

Frankenstiltskin by Joseph Coelho, illustrated by Freya Hartas

Frankenstein meets Rumpelstiltkin in this expertly-stitched story about a powerful king, a girl unafraid to stand up for her beliefs, and a monstrous little creature with magic – and greed – in his bones. The second story in a funny, deliciously dark, three-part series of twisted classics, written in verse by award-winning poet Joseph Coelho.

Joining the family business, animal-lover Bryony proves to be an extraordinary taxidermist, whose tender fingers create displays which comfort, educate and astound. But when Byrony’s proud father boasts of her skill, who should come calling but the secretive King of all Mythica. Locking her away, he gives her three horrible tasks … three impossible tasks! It’s only then that a strange, sinister creature emerges from the shadows of the castle, offering Bryony a helping hand… But at what cost?

Strange Star by Emma Carroll

A thrilling, deliciously creepy, gothic story, inspired by the creation of Frankenstein, that is sure to freeze your blood. 

Switzerland, 1816. On a stormy summer night, Lord Byron and his guests are gathered round the fire. Felix, their serving boy, can’t wait to hear their creepy tales. Yet real life is about to take a chilling turn- more chilling than any tale. Frantic pounding at the front door reveals a stranger, a girl covered in the most unusual scars. She claims to be looking for her sister, supposedly snatched from England by a woman called Mary Shelley. Someone else has followed her here too, she says. And the girl is terrified.

Scarlett Hart Monster Hunter by Marcus Sedgwick, illustrated by Thomas Taylor

A rip-roaring romp full of hairy horrors, villainous villains, and introducing the world’s toughest monster hunter: Scarlett Hart!

Scarlett Hart, orphaned daughter of two legendary monster hunters, is determined to carry on in her parents footsteps even if the Royal Academy for the Pursuit and Eradication of Zoological Eccentricities says she’s too young to fight perilous horrors. But whether it’s creepy mummies or a horrid hound, Scarlett won’t back down, and with the help of her loyal butler and a lot of monster-mashing gadgets, she’s on the case.

With her parent’s arch-rival, Count Stankovic, ratting her out to T.R.A.P.E.Z.E. and taking all the monster-catching rewards for himself, it’s getting hard for Scarlett to do what she was born to do. And when more monsters start mysteriously manifesting than ever before, Scarlett knows she has to get to the bottom of it and save the city . . . whatever the danger!

Strange But True: 10 of The World’s Greatest Mysteries by Kathryn Hulick, Illustrated by Gordy Wright

Prepare to have your mind blown! As you explore ten of the world’s greatest unsolved mysteries, you’ll witness a UFO encounter, search for the lost city of Atlantis, tour a haunted house and discover the kraken’s true form. Learn how sightings of flying saucers and stories of alien abductions can be explained by sleep paralysis, false memories and hypnosis. Find out what pareidolia is and how this psychological phenomenon may explain some ghost sightings. Explore possible real locations for the lost city of Atlantis. Beautiful, haunting illustrations set the mood and spark the imagination. ​Along the way, you’ll use the scientific method and sharp thinking to separate fact from fiction and explain the unexplainable.

Happy reading!

With the return of seeing in summer at Stonehenge this week, it is very apt that Year 3 have chosen the theme of The Stone Age.  Here are a few of my favourites covering all ages in school.

Dave’s Rock by Frann Preston-Gannon

Meet Dave, Caveman Dave.

Dave love rock.
Jon love rock, too.
Dave’s rock bigger.
But Jon’s rock faster.

Who have best rock of all?

In this funny and stylishly illustrated sequel to Dave’s Cave, two lovable cavemen endeavour to make their rocks the very best they can – inventing, in the process, something rather remarkable. Written in hilarious caveman language that children will love to copy, Dave’s Rock is laugh-out-loud funny and perfect for reading aloud. A stylish, witty picture book with a brilliant message about the perils of being too competitive and the joy of working together as a team instead. If reading at home, every Nosy Crow paperback picture book comes with a free ‘Stories Aloud’ audio recording – just scan the QR code and listen along!

Stone Age Tales: The Great Storm by Terry Deary, illustrated by Tambe

Skara Brae, Orkney, Scotland, 5000 years ago… On the cold and windy island of Skara Brae, Tuc and his sister Storm try to catch birds in their fishing net. They eat fish day in, day out, and they’re sick of it. But when a thief steals half their tribe’s winter food stores, being bored of their dinner is the least of their problems. What if they starve? And even worse, what if it’s true that their father’s the thief? A brand new and exciting tale, based on real historical and archaeological evidence, this story is full of Terry Deary’s imaginative style and dry wit.

Skara Brae by Dawn Finch

This fascinating book is all about Skara Brae, a prehistoric Stone Age site in the Orkney Islands, Scotland. There is very little published material on the site currently available. Containing beautiful photographs and written with simple, clear explanation, this book is a fascinating insight into life in the Stone Age period.

The Stone Age Hunters, Gatherers and Wooly Mammoths by Marcia Williams

Hear all about the Stone Age from the great storyteller Sparrow – history like it’s never been told before! Join Marcia Williams on a journey to the Stone Age. Meet the people of Clan Woolly as they learn how to make fire, invent stone tools and turn wild wolves into tame dogs! Packed with jokes, comic illustrations and fascinating facts, this hugely entertaining fictional biography will make you look at the Stone Age in a whole new light! A fabulous non-fiction pleasure read!

The Wild Way Home by Sophie Kirtley

When Charlie’s longed-for brother is born with a serious heart condition, Charlie’s world is turned upside down. Upset and afraid, Charlie flees the hospital and makes for the ancient forest on the edge of town. There Charlie finds a boy floating face-down in the stream, injured, but alive. But when Charlie sets off back to the hospital to fetch help, it seems the forest has changed. It’s become a place as strange and wild as the boy dressed in deerskins. For Charlie has unwittingly fled into the Stone Age, with no way to help the boy or return to the present day. Or is there? What follows is a wild, big-hearted adventure as Charlie and the Stone Age boy set out together to find what they have lost – their courage, their hope, their family and their way home. A spellbinding time slip tale – you may need tissues!

 

Happy reading!