Hello everyone, it’s the last Friday Library for this school year, so I’m going to share a couple more books that tie in with the Summer Reading Challenge theme of #WildWorldHereos, and then I have a special book for Year 6.
Don’t forget, you can sign up to the challenge at https://summerreadingchallenge.org.uk/ or pop into your local library. It’s totally free!
First up I have Amara And The Bats by Emma Reynolds.
Environmental activism gets a nocturnal twist in this utterly charming picture book about a young girl and her mission to save the bats! Amara loves bats! Her favourite thing to do is to collect bat facts and watch the amazing mammals fly at night by her house. But when Amara moves to a new town, she learns that her beloved bats no longer roost nearby because they are losing their habitat. Amara is upset. What can she do to help? She’s just one person, and the problem feels so much bigger than her. But after doing some research, she discovers that there are many young people making big changes all around the world. Inspired to take action, Amara gathers her new friends to help save the bats. Together, she knows they can make a difference! Emma Reynolds crafts an inspiring story about community action, perseverance, and what to do in the face of climate anxiety. At its heart, this is a story about hope and finding a place to call home.
Next up is The Most Important Animal Of All by Penny Worms, illustrated by Hannah Bailey.
A beautiful picture book where a teacher challenges her class to decide which is the most important animal of all. Seven children champion a different animal for the top spot. Is it bees as master pollinators, or bats who are night-time predators and pollinators? Is it elephants who shape their landscapes and spread seeds, or beavers who create watery habitats? Is it tigers or sharks who keep populations in balance so there is food for all? Is it tiny krill, food for so many whales and sea creatures? Packed with information about a myriad of species, and combining captivating illustrations and photographs showing them up close and in their habitats, this is a brilliant book to introduce the concepts of habitat loss, endangered species and climate change to younger readers.
Song Of The Far Isles by Nicholas Bowling is a stunningly beautiful, evocative writing bring this gripping adventure to life.
Oran lives on Little Drum, where music is everything. Every islander has a birth instrument and a life song – and the ancestors, called ghasts, linger to hear the music. But when the Duchess arrives from the mainland bringing orders of silence, she threatens the ghasts’ existence, the very soul of the community. When Oran hears of a mythical instrument with the power to manipulate hearts, she brings her ghast best friend, Alick, on a quest to find it, play it, and change the Duchess’s mind…
And finally, for Year 6, You Are A Champions by Marcus Rashford.
A brilliant book to help ease any worries you may have about moving on to secondary school, and build the skills you need to be the best you can be. It shows you how to:
- Be comfortable with who you are – you can’t be a champion until you’re happy being you!
- Dream big
- Practise like a champion
- Get out of your comfort zone and learn from your mistakes
- Navigate adversity in a positive way
- Find your team
- Use your voice and stand up for others
- Never stop learning
As Marcus says, you are already a champion – you just might not know it yet.