Reading For Pleasure

Reception had a big debate about which theme to choose, ranging from Barbie to bodies, but settled on Pets!

For our youngest children, I’ve chosen Books Make Good Pets by John Agard and Momoko Abo

Books make good pets and don’t need going to the vet.
You don’t have to keep them on a lead or throw them a stick.
They’ll wag their words whenever you flick their dog-eared pages.
Even howl an ancient tale for the inward-listening ear.

Did you know that a book can take you anywhere? You only need to turn the pages of a story, and in a moment, you and your book could be crossing the waves in a pirate ship… or diving with mermaids… or even snoozing with a dragon.

Books really DO make good pets! Why don’t you peep inside this one, and take your mind on an adventure?

This delightful original picture book poem is the perfect gift for anyone who delights in the magic of a good book. Agard’s evocative, lyrical style is perfectly complemented with illustrations by Momoko Abe, whose colourful visuals add character, transporting the reader into an enchanting world of imagination.

I’m sneaking in a second picture book as it’s too good not be one of the recommendations on this theme. Seahorses Are Sold Out by Katja Gehrmann and Constanze Spengler is a hilariously wild picture book featuring a single-parent family.

Mika’s father works from home and he’s very busy! He can never find time for the promised swimming trip. So Dad allows Mika to choose a pet from the store while he finishes the project—something quiet like a mouse. And so begins a wonderfully turbulent story in which Mika brings home one animal after another… The mouse gets lost so they need a dog to find it. The dog is followed by a seal, the seal a penguin. One pet for Mika leads to another and another. How many animals can come to stay before a harassed father notices?

For newly confident readers, Luma And The Pet Dragon by Leah Mohammed contains two gorgeously warm and funny stories about a little girl whose wish comes true.

When Luma Dewan wakes up on the morning of her seventh birthday, she knows that today will be special. But she has no idea just how wonderful and extraordinary it will be. For today is the day she will meet Timir – a real talking dragon. Or at least when Luma is around that’s what he is. When anyone else is there, he becomes an ordinary grey puppy with a fluffy tail, who loves chasing squirrels and bouncing on trampolines.

It’s a big secret to keep – and Luma’s clever cousin Arjun is soon suspicious of this peculiar puppy, who doesn’t quite behave like any other dog. Luckily Luma’s grandmother – Nani – is there to help, and to Luma’s surprise, Nani might just know a little dragon magic of her own . . .

And finally, for our older children, I’ve chosen D-Day Dog by Tom Palmer, which is a beautifully told, heart-wrenching story of family, friendship and self-discovery, and a triumph of diversity, inclusivity and the power of knowledge to shape informed, balanced opinions.

Jack loves nothing more than playing video games based on war with his Dad, a member of the Army Reserves. That, and his dog, Finn. And now he’s learning all about the D-Day Landings at school before the Year 6 residential trip to Normandy. Life couldn’t be better.

Then Jack’s parents fall out when his Mum finds Dad’s deployment letter, and everything Jack thought about war is turned on it’s head when he researches a D-Day soldier and his dog, Emile Corteil and Glen.

Is he right to be proud of his Dad? Were soldiers brave or foolish? And what did John Maxwell Edmunds mean when he said, “When you go Home, tell them of us and say, For your Tomorrow, we gave our Today”?

Happy reading!

 

I love finding out about myths and legends, so when I read a non-fiction book all about legendary places, I knew that would be a brilliant start for a Friday Library Recommendation theme.

That book is An Atlas Of Legendary Places by Volker Mehnert and Claudia Lieb. A passport to the world’s most intriguing destinations, this book is a bounty of information and gorgeous illustrations that will spark wonder and wanderlust curiosity in young readers.

Filled with the magic of myth, culture, natural beauty, and history, this introduction to eighteen of the world’s most fascinating places introduces young readers to the ineffable qualities that make these locations so special. Stunning double-page spreads offer a deep dive into each site, with fascinating invaluable information and exciting perspectives.

Readers will learn about the unique geology of Thingvellir National Park in Iceland and Namibia’s Brandberg Mountain; the legends behind Germany’s Lorelei rock and Greece’s Delphi; the diverse cultural histories of Timbuktu and Jerusalem; the architectural and natural splendor of Taishan in China and Palenque in Mexico; and even the galactic marvels of the Milky Way. Discovering these places’ unique histories, physical characteristics, and cultural lore will inspire readers to learn more about each place, and encourage their interest in travel, geography, history, and the unexpected.

Now we know all about legendary places, it’s time to meet some of the amazing characters that live in them.  For our younger readers, I’ve chosen a fabulous series by Tom Easton – Hotel Of The Gods, which starts with Beware The Hellhound, where mythical guests cause magical mayhem! A hilarious new series perfect for fans of Pamela Butchart and David Solomons.

When Atlas’s parents get new jobs running a luxurious hotel he can’t believe his luck. It sounds almost too good to be true… It is!

The hotel has very unusual residents – ancient gods and goddesses, forgotten by humans who now worship TikTok celebrities. There’s a water dragon in the swimming pool, an Egyptian cat goddess demanding treats, a Viking god throwing his magical hammer around the garden, and an Aztec god who thinks Atlas is a human sacrifice! When Atlas ventures into the basement, where the Greek god Hades lives, he accidentally unleashes a closet-full of mythical monsters – including a three-headed Hellhound!

Can he get the monsters back into the basement before his parents lose their jobs?

And finally for this week, I’ve chosen the follow up series to the Coventry Inspiration Book Award winning series, Who Let The Gods Out? The Gods Squad are back with a new generation of children thoroughly unprepared to save the world from impending doom and daemons of chaos in Oh Maya Gods by Maz Evans.

The world’s worst-behaved immortals are at it again – introducing the brand-new Gods Squad taking them on! Meet Vesper, the bossy, football-mad daughter of Elliot Hooper, the original hero of Who Let the Gods Out?, and Aster, the super-bright son of Constellation, Virgo.

Together, they must recapture some villainous wrong’uns before the world ends next Wednesday. Off they head to the Maya underworld, where Kizin and his Lords and Ladies of Death are messing with astronomy, chocolate and human sacrifice …

With its irresistible blend of humour, heart, and mythology, Maz once again proves herself to be one of the funniest storytellers in children’s literature today. Book 2, Oh Mummy Mia! has just published too.

Happy reading!

 

 

Monday 22nd April is Earth Day, which was set up in 1970 to demonstrate support for environmental protection, so this week, I have chosen books on the theme of Rewilding. This is the process of restoring an area of land to it’s natural state, including returning wild plants and animals to the area.

For our younger children, I have picked The Wall And The Wild by Christina Dendy and Katie Rewse.  At a time of accelerating climate change, this is an eye-opening story about gardening, rewilding and embracing biodiversity in all its forms.

In a plot of land at the edge of town, Ana grows only perfectly-sized plants and perfect-looking flowers, and throws all the irregular shoots and uneven seeds over the wall into the disorderly Wild. But as her garden gets tidier, neater and more constrained, the Wild begins to grow…

For older children, I’ve chosen the latest book in the fabulous Explodapedia series: Rewild: Can Nature Heal Our World by Ben Martynoga, illustrated by Moose Allain, which is a celebration of nature and the incredible ways it keeps us alive, and an exploration of how we can welcome the wild on a personal and epic scale.

River-nurturing wolves, tree-toppling beavers, climate warrior whales and even genetically-engineered woolly mammoths could all help us protect, revive and restore our planet to its full glory. Join Ben Martynoga and Moose Allain for an inspiring look at how we can rewild life so that nature – and humankind – flourishes for a long time to come.

And finally, I’ve chosen one of my favourite non-fiction books from last year – Ultrawild: An Audacious Plan To Rewild Every City on Earth by Steve Mushin. It’s not just the title that’s audacious – everything from the brilliantly bold ideas to the chatty, graphic novel style delivery of some, quite frankly, mind-blowing science stakes claim to that description make this an outstanding read. Whether it’s ideas from ancient sewerage systems or futuristic hi-tech pollinators and plants, there are no limits on the creative solutions Steve discusses to bring the wild back to all areas of our planet.

Jump into his brain as he designs habitat-printing robot birds and water-filtering sewer submarines, calculates how far compost cannons can blast seed bombs (over a kilometre), brainstorms biomaterials with scientists and engineers, studies ecosystems and develops a deadly serious plan to transform cities into jungles, rewilding them into carbon-sucking mega-habitats for all species, and as fast as possible.

Through marvelously designed and hilarious engineering ideas, Mushin shares his vision for super-high-tech urban rewilding, covering the science of climate change, futuristic materials and foods, bio reactors, soil, forest ecosystems, mechanical flight, solar thermal power and working out just how fast we could actually turn roads into jungles, absorb carbon and reverse climate change.

Happy reading!

 

Welcome back after a lovely Easter break. It’s great to see signs of Spring everywhere, so this week, I’ve chosen books on the theme of Nature.

First, I’ve got a lovely poetry collection; Outside In: Nature Poems by Daniel Thompson and Julia Murray.

This inspiring collection of 50 poems will spark a love of nature, bring calm and happiness and let the outside in. Beautifully illustrated, it is filled with poems for children to read alone or enjoy with the whole family.

With poems about the seasons, senses, wildlife, weather and the joys of mud, it’s the perfect gift book for children to treasure.

Next, I’ve picked a fabulous Non-fiction book; Nature’s Fascinating Friendships by Kerry Hyndman and Mike Hills

Did you know pom pom crabs wear sea anemones as boxing gloves to fight off enemies? And greater honeybirds guide humans to hidden beehives? And bats use pitcher plants as sleeping bags?

From ravens and wolves to trees and fungi, learn how these unlikely alliances are formed and find out all the incredible, funny, weird and disgusting reasons why these partnerships work. Every page is beautifully illustrated and packed full of facts that should surprise and inspire us all to overcome our differences and work together more.

And finally, How To Be A Nature Explorer by Peter Wohlleben, illustrated by Belle Wuthrich is  the perfect companion for every child’s next outdoor adventure!

Whether you are in the forest, in your own backyard, or in the city, there are so many exciting ways to engage with nature—and forester Peter Wohlleben has the best ideas for doing so. With Be A Nature Explorer,  kids will learn how to press flowers, harvest algae, skip stones, observe spiders, and even how to build their own tiny sailboat in one of the 52 short, fun, and hands-on activities to help children explore and discover the outdoors, and it’s the perfect size to throw in a rucksack and refer to on adventures.

Happy reading!

 

What a fantastic selection of book in each category this year – I have loved reading and talking about the books with all of the children in school and taking votes every week since January. We had an amazing final three in each category, but the votes have all been counted and verified and we now have this year’s winners…

What’s The Story –  The Eyebrows Of Doom by Steve Smallman and Miguel Ordonez

As featured on CBeebies Bedtime Stories and read by Steve Carell, The Eyebrows of Doom is an outrageously funny and bonkers adventure story written by the rhyming genius, Steve Smallman, with bright, bold and brilliant artwork by award-winning illustrator, Miguel Ordóñez.

The Eyebrows of Doom are trying to take over the world! Join Dave and his friends as they try to stop them leaping from one unsuspecting animal to the next. And just when it looks as though the eyebrows’ antics have been thwarted . . . all is not as it seems!

This hilarious rhyming romp will have readers young and old laughing out loud.

If this was your favourite book, do try Inspector Penguin Investigates by Eoin McLaughlin and Ross Collins, an exciting, interactive detective story that will have readers hooked from the beginning.

Who could have broken into Baron von Buffetworth’s super-secure top-secret safe? And where have they taken his precious diamond?

There’s only one detective who can solve this mystery: Inspector Penguin! That is, if he can keep his mind off tuna long enough to find some clues…

Telling Tales – Lenny Lemon and The Invincible Rat by Ben Davis, illustrated by James Lancett 

Huge congratulations to Ben who wins his second Coventry Inspiration Book Award, but this time in a younger category, with a laugh out loud funny book that pupils and teachers can all relate to!

Lenny Lemmon is looking forward to Olden Days Day at school. It’s a chance to break the routine and try school as it was years ago. It explains the blackboard in the corner, his teacher’s bad temper and why his friend Sam looks like Oliver Twist. Lenny is pleased with his own contribution, too. It’s in a cardboard box at the back of the class at the moment because it’s not yet time to shine. Except it escapes and ends up in the bowl of sick, sorry, gruel, that Amelia Kelly has brought up, sorry, in.

Soon there are small, gruelly footprints all over the classroom and also a lot of screaming because the rat that Lenny found by the back of the chip shop is FREE. It takes the arrival of cool new girl, Jessica Conrad, to distract everyone. Jessica has a plan to catch the rat but it’ll cost them!

Can the three kids round up the rat before more damage is done? Or will they end up in the headmaster’s office – again. Maybe, but they’re going to need a bigger net… Make sure you don’t miss the next hilarious book in the series – Lenny Lemon And The Trail Of Crumbs.

If you loved Lenny Lemon, do try Cally & Jimmy: Twins Together by Zoe Antoniades and Katie Kear.

Join Cally and Jimmy in four hilarious stories, perfect for newly confident readers. They get into scrapes together, bake some poisonous cakes, almost ruin their school assembly and finally have a twintastic birthday party.

Hooked On Books – The Wall Between Us by Dan Smith.

This is Dan’s second win – the first being back in 2017 with Boy X – and the two books couldn’t be more different.

BERLIN 1961

Anja and Monika live opposite each other. They play together every day, with Otto the cat. One night they wake up to bangs and shouts. Soldiers are building a huge barbed wire fence between them. A terrible forever wall that gets longer and higher until it divides the whole city. On the East side, Monika is scared – neighbours are becoming spies and there are secret police everywhere. It’s Anja who spots that Otto has found a way across. If he can visit Monika, then perhaps she can too. But Anja gets trapped and there’s no safe way back …

Anja and Monika’s story is set in what feels like a terrifying dystopian world, yet it is one that existed in living memory. Dan has brought the terror of Berlin in 1961 to life in a gripping, unsettling read that will stay with me for a very long time.

Told through files, letters and newspaper articles, they really rooted the story in the reality that families would have lived. Most disturbing were the extracts from the Stasi files – as the reader, we could see a disastrous conclusion to Anja’s trip across the wall was coming, which cranked up the tension with each creaking floorboard and turn of the page.

If you loved this, try The Week At World’s End by Emma Carroll

Britain, 1962

Nothing ever happens in World’s End Close. So when Stevie discovers a runaway girl in her coal shed, the first thing she does is fetch her best friend, Ray. Both are dying for a bit of adventure, and when the girl begs for help, they readily agree. Yet they soon realise they’ve taken on more than they bargained for. The girl, Anna, reveals she’s on the run from people who are trying to poison her. Meanwhile, on the news, the Americans and Russians are arguing over missiles in Cuba.

As the threat of war grows, Anna’s behaviour becomes more mysterious. And when Stevie unearths a dark family secret, she wonders if Anna has come to World’s End Close on purpose, with a special message just for her…

Friendship, family and fear for the future are woven together to create a gripping story. Tension grows steadily as we adventure with Stevie and Ray through the week that was the Cuban Missile Crisis. A week where the world was on the brink of a war that no one could win.

Emma brings the world as it was in Britain in 1962 to life – a world of Mods and Rockers, new household appliances and the dreaded cane. With news focused on America, we not only see the Cold War at work, but the American Civil Rights Movement and peaceful protest brought to the fore. And that is just the backdrop to their adventure!

Huge thanks to everyone at Coventry Schools Library Service for organising another amazing Coventry Inspiration Book Awards this year. We have loved reading, talking and voting

Happy reading!

It’s the final eviction from the competition this week, and sadly we say goodbye to three amazing books.

What’s the Story? (Reception to Year 2) – The Dragon Painter by Lesley Sims, illustrated by BlueBean

A charming retelling of a traditional Chinese story makes the perfect addition to the ever growing series.

Chang is the best painter in all of China, so it’s Chang the Emperor sends for when his new temple needs painting. But why is Chang painting dragons without any eyes? Is it true, as he claims, that if you add eyes, painted dragons come to life? This delightful retelling has sweet, simple text and gorgeous illustrations, with plenty for children to spot as Chang paints his surprising dragons.

If this was your favourite story, try Luna and the Sky Dragon by Bethan Woollvin, an inspiring story perfect for little stargazers.

Luna loves the sky and finding out about all the wonders she can see above her. But the villagers can’t stop worrying about the mythical Sky Dragon – a fearsome creature who is said to dwell in the sky. Can Luna share her love of the sky and show the villagers that the Sky Dragon is nothing to be afraid of?

Featuring real constellations as well as facts about the milky way, eclipses, comets and other astronomical delights, this enteratins and educates in equal measure.

Telling Tales (Year 3 and 4) – Batpig: When Pigs Fly by Rob Harnell

BATPIG follows the amazing, porktastic adventures of Gary Yorkshire – an entirely normal piglet whose world is turned upside down when he’s bitten by his friend, Brooklyn the bat, and develops the power of flight! And what could Gary do with this newfound talent other than become a superhero?

Alternating between Batpig’s origin story and a furious and hilarious battle with his nemesis, Repto-Man, this is a brilliantly funny and skilfully rendered commercial young graphic novel series, with each book containing two separate stories.

If you loved Batpig, make sure you look out for the other books in the series, the latest of which is Go Pig Or Go Home, featuring magical sharks – and summer camp!

First there’s the sudden appearance of Sharkraham Lincoln (half shark! half president!), who sets off a major test cheating scandal. And then, at the worryingly named Camp Whomp-a-Pig, Gary’s hoping to finally get a break from superhero-ing, but a grumpy lake monster isn’t letting this sleeping pig lie. Will Batpig ever catch a break to just relax and enjoy a tasty sandwich, and not have to save the world?

Hooked On Books (Year 5 and 6) – Canaligator by Giovanni Eposito, illustrated by Purri Pankras

Canalligator is a graphic novel set in the canals of Birmingham and tells the rhyming tale of Casey, an unlikely reptile hero, and his friendship with four young people.

The combination of verse and graphic is quite unique and a QR code at the start of each chapter takes you to the author’s YouTube channel where the reader can view a short film about each chapter.

If Canalligator was your favourite, try Another Kind by Cait May and Trevor Bream, which is not your average monster story.

Tucked away in a government facility nicknamed the Playroom, six not-quite-human kids learn to control their strange and unpredictable abilities. Life is good—or safe, at least—hidden from the prying eyes of a judgmental world. That is, until a security breach forces them out of their home and into the path of the Collector, a mysterious being with leech-like powers.

Can the group band together to thwart the Collector’s devious plan, or will they wind up the newest addition to his collection?

You now have one more week to vote for your winner. Happy reading and don’t forget to vote for your favourite!

Another week, sees another three cracking books leave the competition. Did your favourite survive the eviction?

What’s the Story? (Reception to Year 2) – Stop! That’s Not My Story by Smriti Halls and Erika Meza

A joyful, empowering call to be the hero of your OWN story!

A girl opens up a book looking for the story that’s perfect for HER and tumbles inside. But Goldilocks is not her story, and nor is Jack and the Beanstalk or Little Red Riding Hood… There’s only one thing for it: she’s going to have to write her own story – and this time, SHE will be the hero.

A celebration of the stories we ALL love and the stories we are yet to write.

If this was your favourite book, try Once Upon A Fairytale by Natalia O’Hara and Lauren O’Hara, a story where the reader gets to decide on the adventure – the possibilities are endless.

Did you ever wish to feast with fairies, live in a tree, or ride a unicorn across the sun-lit sky? Here, in this magical world, you can. You can choose to be a clever princess, or a curious gingerbread man, or perhaps a gentle knight. Maybe you’ll live in a tree, or a tower on a hill. You can eat fresh-buttered sunbeams with fairies, or newt pie and pigtail pudding with ogres. Everywhere you look, you will find a new adventure. Just pick the one you like best.

A captivating book where the child chooses the story they want to tell – empowering children to become storytellers and weave their very own fairytale.

Telling Tales (Year 3 and 4) – Sheep School by Ross Montgomery

A thwarted thespian must use his talents to save his flock from a woolly situation in this hilarious gem from bestselling children’s author Ross Montgomery.

William the lamb just can’t stand still. His feet are always tapping, ready to dance, and he loves nothing more than bursting into song. But his talents aren’t always appreciated at Sheep School. Cast out of the flock, he wanders miserably away only to witness the rest of the sheep being captured by the Big Bad Wolf.

Can William find a way to put his artistic skills to use to save the day?

If you loved Sheep School, try The Ghost Cat Who Saved My Life by Pamela Butchart

The flat upstairs from Sav is empty, so who or what is making the strange yowling noises she can hear at night? Could it be a ghost cat?!

Sav and her best friend Liam decide to investigate, but their ghost hunt takes a very strange turn when Liam gets stuck in the stinky bin room of the flat and it’s a new feline friend who helps to get him out.

Nothing is quite as it seems in this brilliant new addition to the Little Gems list.

Hooked On Books (Year 5 and 6) – The Light Thieves by Helena Duggan

Clever, quirky and hugely imaginative, discover the eagerly anticipated new eco-adventure series from the bestselling author of A Place Called Perfect.

Who would you trust to save the world…a boy or a billionaire?

The earth has shifted on its axis and a mysterious dark mark has appeared on the sun – the whole world is in peril! But billionaire tech genius Howard Hansom has a plan…

When Grian’s sister goes missing he’s convinced she has run off to Hansom’s new city to help save the world. But when Grian and his two friends Jeffrey and Shelli track her there they find that nothing is quite as it seems.

Why is everything so secret? Where is the mysterious Area 13? What does Howard Hansom want with all the people he has enticed to live in his city? The days are getting darker but what’s really happening to the sun?

It this was your favourite book, make sure you read second book, Search For The Black Mirror to find out what happens next!

The energy from the sun is being stolen. It’s a catastrophe for the planet and every living thing on it! Friends Grian, Jeffrey and Shelli are desperately trying to work out how it’s happening. They know tech genius Howard Hansom is behind the theft and they’re determined to stop him. But they can’t use any of Hansom’s smart technology in their quest as it will track them wherever they go. The three young heroes need to find a strange black mirror to help them save the sun, and time is running out…

After this week, there is just one more vote off to go, so keep voting to make sure your favourite book makes it into the final three. Happy reading!