The School Librarian 70-4 Winter 2022

Learning to be a writer –
the vital role of school libraries
By James Clements
How Covid19 has impacted pupil attainment
in reading
By Liz Twist
The Quarterly Journal of the School Library Association
Volume 70 Number 4 Winter 2022
What I needed when faced with a book ban
By Alice Leggatt
www.sla.org.uk

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Contents
The Quarterly Journal of the School Library Association
Volume 70 Number 4 Winter 2022
Welcome from the CEO 2
Editorial 3
SLA News 4
Features
It’s Their World Too!
Richard Gerver 5
Learning To Be a Writer: The Vital Role of School Libraries
James Clements 6
The School Library: A Space to Make Sense of the Holocaust Through Literature
Cat Kirkland 8
How Covid-19 Has Impacted Pupil Attainment in Reading
Liz Twist 10
The Importance of Media Literacy Education in Improving Consumer Engagement
and Trust in Journalism
Ed Procter and Hamish Gibson 12
What I Needed When Faced with a Book Ban
Alice Leggatt 14
My Experience of Being an Author Who Was Banned
Simon James Green 16
International Perspectives 17
Between the Library and the Classroom 18
Research Highlights 18
Media and Information Literacy Alliance update 19
A View From... 20
Frequently Asked Questions 23
Dates for you Diary 24
Curriculum Links 25
Digital
EdTech Horizons 26
Corpse Talk 27
Track My Read 28
How To…Use Wakelet 29
Key Stage 1 Social Media Accounts and Hashtags 30
Three from YouTube – Music 31
Three Websites - Chemistry 32
York Patrons Q&A 34
Members Corner 35
Book Reviews
7 & Under 36
8 -12 46
13-16 60
17-19 66
Professional reviews 69
Article Index 70
Book Review Index 72
8
The School Library:
A Space to Make
Sense of the Holocaust
Through Literature
12
The Importance of
Media Literacy
Education in Improving
Consumer Engagement
and Trust in Journalism
26
EdTech Horizons
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
1

Welcome from the CEO
I
write this the weekend the clocks go back; as someone
who loves Autumn I usually don’t mind too much, but
this year the mornings seem to have got dark instantly
rather gradually which I’m more used to… It may be
tempting therefore to dwell on the darkness, uncertainty
and rapid change that seems to be swirling, but I don’t
want to this year’s TSLs to end on such a note. This year has been
a momentous one – the good and the bad – and we now move
on, looking forward while reflecting backwards.
This Winter TSL brings a close to the SLA’s 85 th anniversary year.
Our small team have gone to lengths to pull off the celebrations
– a Roundtable event at the House of Commons, an Anniversary
booklet, a giveaway for each 85 th day this year, and a Gala Dinner
where the winners of the SLA Awards (bar the Information Book
Award) were announced. It has taken monumental effort and
support, and each celebration has been linked to something
more serious: advocacy; creating a community and saying thank
you to all involved.
Despite all this, our focus has remained on our crucial work. Our
advocacy for the sector increased (in part due to the anniversary),
with more media engagement, and our support of the Great School
Library (GSL) campaign continues. The second research project has
almost finished, and new results should be announced in early 2023.
We have continued sharing our expertise with other
organisations. This includes the Summer Reading Challenge,
Reading Well, Empathy Lab and the
Cheltenham Literature Festival’s
Reading Teachers = Reading Pupils, as
well as donating books to the OU Teachers’
Reading Groups.
Alison Tarrant
We have taken action on wider issues: equality, diversity and
inclusion; highlighted the carbon recovery scheme for TSL, and
supported members to react to the cost of living crisis. These
are issues we want to positively impact, both internally and by
supporting our members to take action.
But it is our day to day business which makes us the organization
we are; supporting children’s development through school
libraries. We launched the new five-year strategy in April, and
also hosted a cross sector discussion day on Censorship v
Safeguarding. Funding from the Foyle Foundation allowed
shortlist sets of the Information Book Award books to go to 120
schools, which will foster rich discussions about reading and
information literacy.
Looking to 2023, there are moments I’m already excited about –
the launch of the new GSL report; working more closely with
different organizations to achieve our aims, new Honour Lists
for our awards to celebrate and new digital developments for
the SLA. There will be difficult decisions and dark days, but
supporting this dynamic community and the children you serve
provides the light we need
Published four times a year by the School Library Association:
spring, summer, autumn and winter.
Cover illustration by Chris Riddell.
Cover: Original artwork by Chris
Riddell, Patron of the School Library
Association. You can be in with a
chance of winning this artwork by
emailing ‘Winter Riddell Cover’ to
info@sla.org.uk. Our thanks go to
Chris Riddell for all his wonderful
artwork, as this is his final edition
drawing the cover for TSL.
The Winner of the Autumn artwork is
Sally Matthews, Librarian and Head
of Enrichment, Pinewood School,
Bourton, Swindon.
Copyright © 2022 School Library Association. All rights reserved.
ISSN 0036 6595
The views expressed are those of the contributors and reviewers and
not necessarily the official views of the School Library Association.
Registered Charity Nos. 313660 and SC039453.
Printed on Carbon Captured paper.
Annually the production of TSL creates
44.76 square meters of native British
woodland and captures 1.792 tonnes of CO 2 .
Designed and printed by
Holywell Press, Oxford.
Contributions
Articles, books or digital media for review are always
welcome. We are happy to receive enquiries from potential
contributors and will be pleased to supply further
information. Email: tsl@sla.org.uk
Advertising: 4 Welbeck Avenue, Tunbridge Wells,
Kent, TN4 9BD
Tel: 01892 677742; Fax: 01892 677743;
Email: sharonm@spacemarketing.co.uk
All other communications should be sent to
info@sla.org.uk. Phone number: 01793 530166
We are always keen for feedback.
Subscriptions
The current cost of annual membership of the School Library
Association is £95.00 to include one copy of each quarterly
journal, The School Librarian, or £131.00 to include two
copies. The rate for retired and fulltime student members
is £50.00. Details and membership forms may be obtained
from the SLA website.
Members of the SLA receive this journal free; they may
purchase other SLA publications and training courses
at reduced rates; and may use our telephone advisory
service and access members-only resources on the website.
Worldwide institutional subscriptions to the journal only are
available at £122.00 for the calendar year 2021.
2
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

Editorial
Learning to be a writer –
the vital role of school libraries
By James Clements
How Covid19 has impacted pupil attainment
in reading
The Quarterly Journal of the School Library Association
Volume 70 Number 4 Winter 2022
By Liz Twist
I
wrote in my last editorial about the
turbulence the country and the education
sector were facing following the
resignation of our then prime minister,
Boris Johnson. Few would have thought
in the summer that by now we would be
facing our third Prime Minister and government in
three months. We are also onto our fifth education
secretary since July. Schools (along with the rest
of the country) are facing their second major crisis
since 2020 as the cost of living continues to rise,
squeezing budgets in unsustainable ways.
In such times the school library is perfectly placed
to offer so much for pupils and staff alongside
reading opportunities; sanctuary, escapism,
warmth, stability and food banks in some cases, to
name just a few. We know all our members do such
a wonderful job. Let us hope that those who make
the decisions about the future of schools will begin
to remember how important school libraries are.
Let us hope that those who make the
decisions about the future of schools
will begin to remember how important
school libraries are.
While most of the measures to tackle Covid 19
have now been lifted (pending any new wave
this winter), the effects of the pandemic on the
generation of pupils whose education has been
disrupted will be felt for years to come. Summer
2022 saw the publication of national Key Stage 2
results for the first time since the pandemic hit.
The percentage of pupils achieving the expected
standards in writing, maths, grammar, punctuation
and spelling was down on 2019, and in the case of
writing, it was nearly 10% lower. Education writer,
James Clements, discusses the ways school libraries
can support pupils’ writing skills to help combat
this situation. “Perhaps the greatest impact of
reading on writing comes not from the direct use of
texts in the classroom,” says James. “But from the
gradual accumulation of language and ideas that
comes from children’s wider reading.”
A report from the National Foundation for
Educational Research (NFER) published in March
shows the negative impact on reading progress
from pandemic school closures was greatest
among key stage 1 pupils, and particularly those
in Year 1. Liz Twist, Head of Assessment Research
and Product Development at the NFER, examines
the findings in more detail. She says: “Meeting
the particular needs of these children as they
join Year 2 is a critical challenge for teachers. We
know that there is a clear relationship between
children’s confidence and perception of themselves
as learners and the progress that
they go on to make.” The current
generation of educators face a
challenge unlike any of their
predecessors; school libraries
and all they can offer will be
vital to helping them meet
that challenge.
The year 2022 has also seen an
alarming number of authors,
academics and books being
banned or ‘challenged’ both
in the US and UK by certain
groups who don’t want
young people to access them.
Librarian Alice Leggatt writes here about
her experiences of having had an author school
visit cancelled earlier this year, sharing what
helped her through the situation and its aftermath.
She writes: “What I wanted in those overwhelming,
early moments was a framework, guidance,
anything on how to handle book challenges in
UK schools. It didn’t seem to exist. And so…[this
article details] what I discovered I most needed.”
The author involved, Simon Green, also shares
his point of view. He writes on page 16: “When
this sort of censorship happens, we have to stand
together, we have to call it out, even when that has
unpleasant consequences.”
Looking to next year, January will bring Holocaust
Memorial Day on the 27th of the month and Cat
Kirkland, Education Officer for the Holocaust
Educational Trust, discusses ways to use library
resources to teach pupils about the Holocaust, and
the importance of historical accuracy and reliable
information sources.
In this issue we also have Jonathan Viner outlining
digital options for wellbeing support and Kojo
Hazel introduces Wakelet, the free digital curation
platform that allows users to organise content.
Both not to be missed!
As you will read in the News column, our
wonderful journal was short-listed in the Memcom
Excellence Awards 2022 and received a highly
commended. It is testament to the hard work of all
our contributors, columnist and reviewers that the
high caliber of our journal has been recognized in
this way. I would like to thank everyone who has
contributed over the past year; we really couldn’t
put together such a quality magazine without your
help. We have exciting developments planned for
the coming year and I feel sure that 2023 will be
another year to remember for TSL!
I am always interested in hearing new ideas for
content so please do get in touch to discuss any
suggestions; please email elizabeth.roberts@sla.
org.uk. I hope you all have a very happy Christmas
when it arrives!
What I needed when faced with a book ban
By Alice Leggatt
www.sla.org.uk
Elly Roberts is the
Publications and Awards
Officer for The School
Library Association
@Elly_Roberts1
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
3

SLA News
Celebrations
We are very pleased that TSL received a ‘Highly Commended’ in
the recent Memcom Excellence Awards 2022! The journal was
shortlisted for the category ‘Best Membership Magazine < 20K
circulation’ in June, with the winners revealed at a ceremony
in September. The Memcom awards recognise excellence in
professional membership associations. We’re very proud to have
the quality of the journal recognized in this way, and look forward
to such an achievement setting the future for the magazine.
October also saw the SLA host its celebratory Gala Dinner
to mark our 85 th anniversary. Nearly 100 guests, including
the Mayor of Swindon, gathered in the DoubleTree Hotel in
Swindon, the home of the SLA, to celebrate this milestone
and all the wonderful work that has been achieved since
the organization’s formation. As part of this, the winners of
our prestigious awards, the School Librarian of the Year, the
Community Award, and the Enterprise of the Year Award were
announced. It was wonderful to celebrate the high calibre of the
work going on in School libraries, and congratulations again to
all the winners:
Primary School joint winners
Rumena Aktar
Firs Primary School, Castle Bromwich,
West Midlands
Jenny Griffiths
Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School,
London
Secondary School
Derek France
Preston Lodge High School, East Lothian
Broughton Junior School
Aylesbury, Berkshire
Alexandra Palace
Children’s Book Award
Team
Highly Commended went to Hull Schools Library Service for
their work with St Charles Voluntary Catholic Academy
Farewell
We send our heartfelt thanks
to our Patron Chris Riddell
who is stepping back from
providing the artwork for
the TSL front covers. This
edition will be his last, after
having given us amazing
drawings for so many years.
SLA members will no doubt
all have their own favourites
from past copies.
New Additions
Becky West
Hannah Richardson
Helen Cleaves
Paul Register
In August the SLA welcomed a new member of staff, Becky
West, to the team as the Association Services Administrator.
Becky has a background in science and worked for many years
as a secondary school science technician in Hertfordshire.
Her move to Wiltshire prompted a change in career.
Becky is now supporting the rest of the team with everything
admin related: from updating the website and answering
your calls and emails, to handling award submissions and
managing orders for the online shop.
Becky said: ‘It has been a steep learning curve, swapping a
lab coat for a swivel chair, but I am really settling into my
new role. Having worked in a school setting for eight years,
I can appreciate how school support staff have a wealth of
knowledge and skills that often go undervalued. I feel proud to
be able to help members get the support and recognition they
need and deserve.’
We held our AGM in October as a hybrid event, with some
members coming to our office as well as members joining us
online. We are delighted to announce the addition of three
new trustees, Helen Cleaves, Hannah Richardson, and Paul
Register, along with the re-election of Karan Kaur. Helen is
a School Librarian at Ibstock Place, an independent co-ed
school on the edge of Richmond Park in Southwest London.
Hannah has been working in an independent school in Bristol
since 2017 and has been involved in the Bristol Teen Book
Award. Paul has been working with school libraries since
2000 and is probably best known for the Excelsior Award,
the biggest book award for graphic novels and Manga in the
UK. Sue Bastone, who has been our Chair for the past two
years, stepped down to become an ordinary trustee, and
we welcome Alison Kennedy, who has been the vice chair,
as our new Chair of the trustees, and Amanda Whiteford as
Vice Chair.
4
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

Feature
It’s Their World Too!
Richard Gerver
SLA President Richard Gerver talks about the importance of
developing pupils’ confidence and understanding of the world
they live in.
In September 2001, I took up my
Headship. A few days after the start of
term, terrorists flew planes into the Twin
Towers, The Pentagon and very nearly,
the Capitol Building. My new school was
under the flight path for planes taking off
and landing at East Midlands Airport. Planes flew
over low and loud every hour of every day and the
children in our urban primary school had never
even noticed. But by 12 September 2001, that
had changed. I will never forget walking across
the infant playground during morning break that
day, to see distraught children, clinging to their
teachers and even cowering under the wooden
tables and benches as a plane flew over. They,
like us, had witnessed the horrific scenes on the
television but many had not had the chance to talk
about what they had seen, how it had made them
feel and how to make sense of it. As a result, some
of our children thought the planes were “coming
to get them”.
That evening, at our staff meeting, we talked
about the situation and realised we needed to do
something. We were aware that while the internet
was changing everything and 24-hour news
coverage was creating a new Information Age,
our children knew and understood less and less.
They were confused and frightened by what they
were encountering.
Ours was a school in an introspective community
where few children were talking about much at
home, which left a vacuum often easily filled by
ignorance, gossip, and misinformation.
So we created a slot in our timetable for every class
to discuss ‘Our World this Week’. It was deliberately
positioned to take place on a Friday afternoon.
We wanted to get our children thinking about the
world outside at the end of a week, in contrast to
the rest of school where it is easy to focus inwardly
on our planned lessons and activities. We designed
the sessions to help our students understand their
week alongside the events in the “real world”.
Every Friday our children could talk about stories
they had seen, heard or read about in the news;
teachers and support staff were trained by our
librarian to know how to talk about current
affairs, fact, fiction and bias, so classes were
developmental as well as informative.
Very quickly, we noticed more interest in current
affairs – children sharing and discussing, wanting
to understand and even debate. It had a major
impact on literacy levels, written and oral, and the
self confidence of our students.
We then decided it would be great to offer sessions
for parents and carers, run in the library by the
librarian, covering how to discuss news at home,
how to check sources and hold age-appropriate
conversations, dealing with challenging questions,
and exploring issues. It, too, had a profound
impact, with growing numbers of parents
signing up.
This September saw the passing of Queen Elizabeth
ll, which came with wall to wall news coverage.
Mostly respectful and supportive, this did at times
throw up complex issues. For example, the idea of
a Royal Family, colonialism, slavery, and racism. I
was reminded of how important it is for every child,
in every school to have an opportunity to discuss
and reflect. In the words of George Bernard Shaw:
‘Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous
than ignorance.’
There has never been a more important time
for schools to educate children about the world,
the context of their lives, and their roles and
responsibilities as emerging citizens to make
informed, measured decisions.
Thankfully, the children at school stopped diving
under tables relatively quickly, and rather than
looking down at their feet, did look up to the
sky with renewed confidence and a growing
understanding of the world they lived in. I hope
that today many of those young people are talking
about the sad events of this September with their
own children and families, helping them make
sense of the complexity and emotions they see, feel,
and hear.
Richard Gerver is President
of the School Library
Association, and a worldrenowned
speaker and
author. He was previously a
headteacher.
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
5

Feature
Learning To Be a Writer:
The Vital Role of School Libraries
James Clements
This summer saw the publication of national Key Stage 2 results
for the first time since the pandemic. The percentage of pupils
achieving the expected standards in writing, maths, grammar,
punctuation and spelling was down on 2019, and in the case
of writing, it was nearly 10% lower. Education writer James
Clements, discusses ways school libraries can support pupils’
writing skills and help combat this situation.
James Clements is an
experienced teacher,
researcher, and education
writer. Prior to this, James
was a primary teacher and
school leader in central
London. He is the author
of Teaching English by
the Book and co-author
of Understanding and
Teaching Primary English.
Twitter: @MrJClements
has dropped off
a cliff’ trumpeted the
headline in The Observer,
sharing the news that
primary-aged children’s
‘Writing
achievement dipped
in writing in the first set of national tests since
children returned to school after the pandemic.
Perhaps that isn’t that surprising; of all the areas
of the curriculum, writing is one of the trickiest to
teach remotely, depending as it does on so many
different interrelated elements. Writing involves
juggling ideas, language, purpose, and motivation
(and that’s before we reach the challenges that
come from getting the words onto the page itself).
It’s understandable if some of the balls have been
dropped over the last couple of years.
Helping children to get back on track with their
writing is likely to be a focus for parents and
teachers in schools right across the country. But
let’s not forget the role school libraries and the
skilled librarians who run them play in supporting
children’s writing development.
Reading and writing – a symbiotic
relationship
While many school libraries host groups for young
writers to share their work, run competitions that
provide a motivating reason to write, or organise
events or contact with published authors, perhaps
the most significant and consistent way that the
school library supports writing is through providing
access, and an expert introduction, to the world
of books.
Countless authors have shared their advice for
aspiring writers over the years, with suggestions
ranging from Jack London’s ‘you can’t wait for
inspiration, you have to go after it with a club’ to
George Orwell’s ‘never use a long word where a
The most significant and consistent
way that the school library supports
writing is through providing access,
and an expert introduction, to the
world of books.
short one will do’. The one constant that unites
almost all this advice is the need for writers to read
widely and often. The language, ideas and feel for
language that come from reading and listening to
books are vital if children are to develop a writing
voice of their own. As Stephen King famously puts
it in his wonderful On Writing: ‘If you don’t have
the time to read, you don’t have the time (or the
tools) to write. Simple as that.’
Books as models and catalysts
Away from the library, in the classroom, books are
often used in two key ways to support writing: as
models and as catalysts. A model is where a text is
used by a teacher to illustrate a particular aspect of
writing. By seeing how an expert writer creates a text
for a particular purpose or uses language in a special
way, children can understand the options open to
them in their own writing. Reading the writing of
others offers children an apprenticeship in creating
written language. Models can work at the level of
a whole text: young children enjoying the story of
The Very Hungry Caterpillar and then creating their
own version with different foods, say. Models can
6
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

Learning To Be a Writer: The Vital Role of School Libraries
Reading the writing of others offers
children an apprenticeship in creating
written language.
also work at the level of language: children might
listen to a scene from Uncle Montague’s Tales of
Terror together and then talk about how it makes the
hairs on the back of their neck stand up. They can
then try to unpick why that is, before writing their
own story drawing on some of the same techniques
that Chris Priestley uses so skilfully.
Texts can also act as catalysts for children’s writing.
In science, a catalyst is a substance that causes
(or speeds up) a chemical reaction. In the same
way, the ideas that children draw from reading
can cause writing to happen. A text might give us
inspiration to write, it might give us an imagined
purpose for writing, or it might provide the world
in which the writing is carried out. Examples of
this might include writing another story set in the
Hundred Acre Wood or the Forgotten Territories.
Or children might write a letter to a character –
for example, after reading the glorious Barbara
Throws a Wobbler, children might write to offer
Barbara some advice for keeping slightly calmer in
the future.
Books as fuel for writing
However, using books as models or catalysts is
a very classroom-based way of approaching the
relationship between reading and writing. Perhaps
the greatest impact of reading on writing comes not
from the direct use of texts in the classroom, but
from the gradual accumulation of language and
ideas that comes from children’s wider reading.
Discussing the role reading can play in shaping
children’s understanding and sense of self, the
author Frank Cottrell-Boyce says:
‘Coal is solid sunlight, the stored memory of
millions of uninhabited summers. Then one day
. . . someone opens a hole in the ground and
all that stored energy comes pouring out and is
consumed in furnaces, engines, motors . . . when
we – teachers, parents, carers, friends – read to
our children that’s what we’re doing. Laying down
strata of fuel, fuel studded with fossils and treasure.’
While the fuel that children burn to power their
writing often comes from their reading, it will also
come from many other sources: their interests and
passions, the things they talk about, the games they
play, their experiences and the things they like to do.
But the fuel that comes from reading might just be
the most important for their writer’s voice, providing
ideas, language, and different narrative possibilities.
Often considerable time will elapse between the
laying down of fuel and the time when it’s needed.
When Mikey comes to write the sparkling dialogue
between the hero and their sworn enemy in his
adventure story, it’s all the superhero comics he’s
read that give him a model to draw on, even if that is
happening unconsciously.
However, we must be careful about the relationship
between reading and writing. In the article quoted
above, Cottrell-Boyce urges caution when drawing
on books and literature as prompts for writing,
reminding us that turning the act of reading into
something transactional – a linear relationship
where a book provides direct inspiration or a
model – diminishes what reading gives us. We don’t
read The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank to
learn about diary writing.
And, of course, different people will take different
things from the same book, making sense of the
ideas in radically different ways as we absorb them
into our own schema. We will all come away with
different fossils and treasure. While books can be
valuable as direct models for teaching writing,
often the best thing we can do is to leave a text
alone once children have read it, allowing it to bed
down and become part of the very fabric of the
children we work with.
The impact of reading for pleasure is a long game,
and sometimes we need to have faith and leave
books to work their magic. Perhaps it is through
introducing children to this magic that librarians
can have the greatest effect on children’s journeys
to become writers.
Photo credit: Canva.
This article is adapted from
On the Write Track by James
Clements, a new book about
teaching writing in the
primary school published by
Routledge in October 2022.
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
7

Feature
The School Library: A Space to
Make Sense of the Holocaust
Through Literature
Cat Kirkland
Education Officer for the Holocaust Educational Trust,
Cat Kirkland, discusses ways to use library resources ahead
of Holocaust Memorial Day in January, to teach pupils about
the Holocaust and the importance of historical accuracy and
reliable information sources.
Cat Kirkland is an Education
Officer for the Holocaust
Educational Trust who
works primarily in the Trust’s
teacher training programme.
She is a former History and
Citizenship teacher, who
has worked as a freelance
educator for the Jewish
Museum (London) and the
Imperial War Museums
in London.
Readers of this journal do not need
to be reminded of the importance
of the school library in providing
pupils and students with a haven
in which to explore complex
questions. Whether it’s to follow
up on a conversation at home or with friends,
something they’ve watched on television, or a topic
they’re discussing in a lesson, the library is a safe
place our students can come to when they want to
ask, ‘how can I find out more?’
With a topic as vast and
incomprehensible as the Holocaust,
students may find every answer
generates more questions, and they
might only articulate their questions
long after first encountering a
discussion of the topic.
With a topic as vast and incomprehensible
as the Holocaust, students may find every
answer generates more questions, and they
might only articulate their questions long after
first encountering a discussion of the topic.
Conversations move on, television programmes
end, and lessons finish, and teachers introduce
new topics. But libraries, and their books filled
with answers (and further questions) will, we hope,
always be there. So, how can colleagues working in
school libraries support students in learning about
and commemorating the events of the Holocaust?
The Holocaust Educational Trust aims to educate
young people from every background about the
Holocaust and the important lessons to be learned
for today. The trust works in schools, universities
and in the community to raise awareness and
understanding of the Holocaust. And we provide
guides for teaching about the Holocaust, which
include recommended reading lists for pupils from
Year 6 (or P7) to post 16.
A consideration when selecting books for
young people wanting to ‘find out more’ is age
appropriateness. The books the trust recommends
for students at different ages are chosen for their
literacy level and the narratives they convey. With a
topic as complex and plagued by misunderstanding
(and worse, misappropriation, distortion, and
denial) as the Holocaust, historical accuracy is
also a concern. This is not to say that we do not
recommend works of fiction. Rather, at primary
level, we recommend fictional texts which are based
on events which might have taken place, even if they
did not happen exactly as depicted. And for older
students we recommend fiction in which the literary
devices used by the author can be examined to elicit
what really happened from the sometimes elaborate
and moving reimagining presented by the authors.
At primary level the books which the Holocaust
Educational Trust recommend are based on the
premise that:
“The Trust does not believe that wartime
persecution and murder are appropriate topics
for this level. Rather, learning about issues such
as pre-war Jewish life and culture, persecution
before the Second World War, emigration, and
rescue introduces students to themes which are
important in their own right and which have
significant contemporary relevance.”
Guide for Primary School Teachers, p. 3
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The School Library: A Space to Make Sense of the Holocaust Through Literature
In keeping with these principles, the trust
recommends a series of books exploring the
experiences of refugees to the UK, stories of
escape and rescue, and Anne Frank’s life in hiding.
A favourite among the Trust’s staff is When Hitler
Stole Pink Rabbit, in which author and illustrator
Judith Kerr told, through the story of Anna and
her family, a fictionalised account of her own
experiences as a child refugee. Pupils can revel in
Kerr’s often humorous depictions of Anna and her
brother Max. They can follow them as they meet
children of different nationalities and cultures
whilst travelling from place to place. But the
book does not shy away from depicting the sense
of displacement felt by both children and their
parents as they tried to find a safe place to live.
One of my favourites is Hitler’s Canary, by Sandi
Toksvig, which tells the story of the escape of the
Jews of Denmark, through the story and reflections
of 10-year-old Bamse and his friend Anton who,
only relatively late in the story, we realise is Jewish.
Readers follow the story of the practical jokes they
play on the Nazi soldiers, but at the heart of the
book is a story about a boy who wants his friend to
be safe.
These, and the other books we recommend in our
Guide for Primary School Teachers, tell meaningful
stories for primary-aged pupils who want to find
out more, but do so without exploring the darker
narrative which the Trust believes should be
explored only when students are a little older.
For students in secondary schools, we recommend
a variety of works of fiction and non-fiction in our
publication Teaching the Holocaust in English.
These include works which have informed the
world’s understanding of what happened, like
Night, by Elie Wiesel and Primo Levi’s If This is a
Man/ The Truce, recommended for students in
upper secondary, and Levi’s The Drowned and the
Saved, suitable for post-16 students. Additionally,
librarians might want to point secondary school
students who want to find out more towards
works of poetry, like Holocaust Poetry, edited by
Hilda Schiff, or ... I Never Saw Another Butterfly...
Children’s Drawings and Poems from Terezín
Concentration Camp, edited by Hana Volavková,
or Maus, by Art Spiegelman, which present’s
his father’s testimony as a graphic novel. These
novels and anthologies add richness to students’
understanding of the Holocaust, and help them
appreciate how literature informs the historical
record and our knowledge and impressions of
this past.
The Trust problematises one of the most prominent
fictionalised accounts of the Holocaust, John
Boyne’s The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, in the
Teaching the Holocaust in English guide and
recommends some alternative works of fiction
for secondary-aged students. Lower secondary
school students might find out more about the
cultural context of the Holocaust by reading Marcus
Zusak’s, The Book Thief. And students post 16 might
find it rewarding to read the dreamlike prose of
W. G. Sebald’s, Austerlitz or Jonathan Safran Foer’s
Everything Is Illuminated, a magic realist novel
which engages with the history and memory of
the Holocaust whilst also drawing inspiration
from classic Yiddish literature. Both challenge
the students to consider fiction’s contribution to
Holocaust memory and commemoration.
The school library, by providing an
additional space for students to pose
and explore challenging questions,
is perfectly positioned to support
students in learning more about what
happened during the Holocaust.
The school library, by providing an additional
space for students to pose and explore challenging
questions, is perfectly positioned to support
students in learning more about what happened
during the Holocaust, and how we have,
collectively, come to understand it. Colleagues
working in school libraries are welcome to contact
TeacherCPD@het.org.uk to find out more about
the work of the Holocaust Educational Trust, the
training, support, and resources we provide, and
our recommended reading lists for students of
different ages.
Photo credit: Canva
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
9

Feature
How Covid-19 Has Impacted Pupil
Attainment in Reading
Liz Twist
A new report from the National Foundation for Educational
Research (NFER) published in March this year shows the
negative impacts on reading progress from Covid partial
school closures was greatest among key stage 1 pupils,
particularly those in Year 1. Liz Twist, Head of Assessment
Research and Product Development at the NFER, discusses
the findings in more detail.
Liz Twist is Head of
Assessment Research and
Product Development at
the National Foundation
for Educational Research.
She was previously National
Research Coordinator for
the Progress in International
Reading Literacy Study
(PIRLS). Liz’s international
work includes providing
advice on formative
assessment in China and
assessment development
in Botswana, among
other activities.
Remember 23 March 2020?
The announcement of the first
lockdown in the UK as a response
to the Covid-19 pandemic. The
immediacy of the close down of
daily life: the restrictions on leaving
home for ‘one form of exercise a day’, on shopping
for necessities ‘as infrequently as possible’, was
shocking for adults. For young children, it must have
been bewildering – an unexpected holiday from
school but without the usual freedoms.
At the National Foundation for Educational
Research (NFER), we began thinking about
how this level of disruption to schooling could
impact on children’s learning. In particular, we
were concerned with how this could affect the
development of the youngest children in school.
This led to a project, sponsored by the Education
Endowment Foundation (EEF), looking at the
reading and mathematics attainment of children
in Year 1 and Year 2 in the following academic year
(2020/21). In addition to this work, several other
organisations also analysed attainment data during
the 2020/21 and 2021/22 academic years, and we
produced a summary of these findings in March.
Whilst there is as yet no official announcement
about the end of the pandemic, infection rates
have been falling over the past summer and
school closures were, for the most part, avoided in
2021/22. This therefore provides the opportunity to
take a longer perspective on Covid-19’s impact.
What we know about the impact of the
pandemic on learning in primary schools
The most extensive evidence is available for
primary school pupils. This shows that pupils
We know that there is a clear
relationship between children’s
confidence and perception of
themselves as learners and the
progress that they go on to make.
made less progress than expected as a result of the
school disruption including, in England, the two
periods of partial school closures (March–June
2020 (14 weeks); January–March 2021 (8 weeks)).
It’s worth noting that this isn’t to say that children
weren’t learning at all or were in some sense losing
what they had learned. They were learning less
than we have come to expect based on evidence
from previous years, but they were, on average,
continuing to make progress, albeit more slowly.
There are multiple influences on children’s
progress. During the first lockdown, in spring
2020, NFER reported that most teachers (90%)
believed that children were doing less work than
usually expected at that time of year. Teachers also
reported lower engagement of pupils who lacked IT
resources or space to study.
We know that during the second lockdown
schools were better able to provide online learning
opportunities for their pupils, but during lockdown,
and subsequently, education remained affected by
Covid-related restrictions.
Signs of recovery
By summer 2021, we were able to report that
there were signs of recovery in attainment across
most years in primary school in the key subjects
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How Covid-19 Has Impacted Pupil Attainment in Reading
to grow during primary education. By Year 2,
many confident and capable readers choose to
read above other activities. In so doing, they are
embedding and growing their skills, demonstrating
what Stanovich termed the ‘Matthew effect’ – so
called because ‘the rich get richer’.
Next steps in reading
Part of the project sponsored by the EEF which
focused on the achievements of Year 1 and 2 pupils
involved close scrutiny of the responses provided
to the assessments in order to determine gaps
in pupils’ understanding and the next steps in
their learning.
of reading and mathematics. After seeing a dip
in expected performance of around 2–3 months
during the pandemic, by summer 2021 there were
clear signs of this ‘Covid gap’ having narrowed in
mathematics at key stage 1. In reading at this age,
however, the gap remained. In relation to pupils in
key stage 2, there were also signs of recovery, in this
case most notably in reading.
Uneven impact
Photo credit: Canva
NFER’s own work on the impact of school
disruption on learning focused on key stage 1.
This is when pupils are learning the basic skills
that they will continue to develop throughout
the primary years. One very striking, and
educationally significant, finding was that the
disruption to learning had the greatest impact
on those Year 1 pupils who were still at the
very earliest stages of learning. Specifically, we
found that in summer 2021, the proportion of
Year 1 pupils who struggled to engage with the
reading assessment because of limited skills had
more than doubled compared to the original
standardisation sample (from 2.4% in 2019 to 5.8%
in 2021). Similarly, the proportion struggling with
the mathematics assessment in Year 1 increased
from 1.4% at the point of standardisation to 3.6%
in summer 2021.
Whilst these are relatively small proportions,
meeting the particular needs of these children as
they join Year 2 is a critical challenge for teachers.
We know that there is a clear relationship between
children’s confidence and perception of themselves
as learners and the progress that they go on to
make. Reading, in particular, is very dependent on
the rehearsal of skills and it is vital that children
have the chance to practise their developing
reading skills with a range of books and reading
materials. We know that the skills gap between
the weakest and the strongest readers continues
Despite there being evidence of the partial school
closures having affected children’s learning,
we found that the overall areas of strengths and
weaknesses seen during the pandemic were
the same as those seen at the assessments’
standardisation in 2017 (Year 2) and 2019 (Year 1).
For the Year 1 children, the area which saw the
biggest gap was independent comprehension.
This is the section of the assessment where
children must read the text independently and
then answer written questions; other sections
involve responding to text read aloud or answering
questions which referred to single sentences.
This ability to decode, either aloud or silently, to
comprehend, following the thread of a text, and
to either recall or refer back to answer a question,
requires a level of independence in reading that
develops through practice. Support for young
readers developing this independence in reading
is through questions about what they’ve read – the
characters and their actions or motivations, for
example. Asking children to predict what the book
is about based on the title and the cover illustration
before they begin to read it can be an effective way
of engaging their interest.
The Year 2 pupils showed some difficulties in
retrieving information from an information text
with some children demonstrating a tendency to
answer, incorrectly, from their general knowledge
or to provide very general answers, rather than
referring back to specific sections of the text. When
answering questions about their reading, children
should be encouraged to look back at the text,
perhaps to point to where they believe the answer
is to be found, rather than to rely on their memory
or their prior knowledge.
In summary, at this age children benefit from both
practising their emerging reading skills and also
talking about their reading. As well as sharing their
reading with them, choosing books to read aloud
to children of this age (which they are unable to
read independently) ensures they are introduced
to a wide variety of texts. This will hopefully help to
reduce one of the impacts of the pandemic.
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
11

Feature
The Importance of Media
Literacy Education in Improving
Consumer Engagement and Trust
in Journalism
Ed Procter and Hamish Gibson
Ed Procter is CEO
of IMPRESS, the UK’s
recognised independent
press regulator, whose
purpose is to enable
people to make informed
media choices and inspire
publishers, journalists and
content creators to produce
high quality information,
we can all trust. IMPRESS
delivers this through
regulation, education and
resolution services. Ed’s
background is in media,
sport dispute resolution,
legal services and criminal
justice. This informs his
interest and passion for
issues concerning access to
justice, press standards and
media literacy.
Hamish Gibson is a
Regulatory Executive at
IMPRESS and MA student
at Goldsmiths University.
With a background in arts
journalism and graphic
design, his role at IMPRESS
focuses on membership
and public engagement,
including media literacy
initiatives. His MA research
is currently looking at how
journalism can redesign
itself sustainably for the
21st century.
CEO Ed Procter and Regulatory Executive Hamish Gibson from
IMPRESS discuss their organisation’s approach to educating the
public about journalism standards and ethics, which may provide
an interesting framework for discussions and assemblies about
trust and the media in school.
Structural and technological changes
to the news sector have impacted
the production and consumption of
journalism, and these changes, in
tandem with deprioritising standards
and accountability, have contributed
to falling trust in news media. IMPRESS is an
independent self-regulatory body for the press,
approved under Royal Charter to promote high
ethical standards of news reporting and publication. 1
This article reviews the organisation’s approach to
educating the public about journalism standards
and ethics and the evidence base supporting this
approach. A media literacy-focus on educating the
public on journalism norms, standards, and ethics is
crucial to improving trust in journalism.
The importance of news
News fulfils various important and diverse roles
in society. Access to quality news journalism and
the ability to discern between different sources of
information is crucial if citizens are to be accurately
and reliably informed about the world. Research
has shown a strong link between news engagement
and democratic participation. Public engagement
with news journalism is an important component
of media literacy education, allowing consumers
to confidently navigate the digital news and
information landscape.
Technological changes and the impact
of algorithms
Digital devices have triggered radical changes to
the way news is sourced, edited, distributed, and
consumed. News publishers have lost significant
control and revenue over the distribution and
consumption of their ‘product’ to social media
platforms and search engines. News access via
smartphones has almost doubled over the last
decade. The influence of smartphones is much
greater among younger age groups with 48% of
18–24 and 46% of 25–34 reporting this as their
primary means of consuming news. To compete for
audiences and advertising revenue on the big tech
controlled social media platforms, news publishers
are all too often required to prioritise ‘clicks’ over the
quality and public interest value of their product.
Declining revenues have led to smaller newsrooms
with a much-reduced capacity to source, gather and
publish original, high-quality content, including
public interest-based investigative journalism.
Algorithms and news aggregators increasingly
shape the type of news we interact with. They
promote content that echoes our existing
preferences and users with similar behavioural
profiles, prioritising content more likely to invite
clicks from larger subsets of users, creating a
self-perpetuating news feed. This cycle is driven
by behavioural habits, taking little account of the
quality, verifiability, or diversity of news sources.
This encourages more passive habits in users, with
news content battling daily for audience attention
Algorithms and news aggregators
increasingly shape the type of news
that we interact with.
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The Importance of Media Literacy Education in Improving Consumer Engagement
and Trust in Journalism
alongside content pre-designed to invite instant,
short-lived engagement. As such, educational
interventions are needed, to counterbalance the
worst effects of algorithmic biases while promoting
autonomy and integrity in user engagement.
Trust trends in news media
These factors have contributed to decreasing trust
in and alienation from news journalism. Trust in
UK written press media has been low for more
than a decade. The 2021 European Broadcast
Union’s Trust in Media Survey found 57% of the
UK population tend not to trust their written press,
the seventh lowest trust level in Europe. This
compares to 40% who tend not to trust TV and
35% who tend not to trust radio. The IPSOS-Mori
trust veracity index 2021 ranked journalists as the
fourth-least trusted profession with 28% saying
that they would generally trust journalists to tell
the truth, compared to 52% who said they would
trust TV news readers to tell the truth. According
to the Reuters Digital News Report 2022, only
34% trust the news and almost half (46%) actively
avoid reading the news. A consistent trend shows
broadcast journalism is trusted significantly
more than written and online journalism. This
gap is partly explained by transparency and
accountability, outlined by one respondent from
our public engagement research.
“I trust the news on TV more than newspapers.
[It’s] live in front of so many people, they have
standards and professionalism to uphold, whereas
newspapers are written behind the scenes.”
Insights into consumer media knowledge,
beliefs, and habits
In 2016, IMPRESS surveyed the public in
partnership with strategy consultancy Britain
Thinks. The public were worried about
misrepresentative, agenda-driven stories, had
low levels of trust in written press compared to
broadcast media, and asked for independent
regulation to hold publishers to account for
accuracy. IMPRESS revisited these issues in 2022,
as part of a comprehensive review of the editorial
Standards Code and Guidance that underpins
its regulatory scheme. 2 The principal aim was to
identify gaps in knowledge, better understand
media habits, and inform the development of
IMPRESS’ media literacy educational work.
This research showed low levels of media and
regulatory literacy across all groups. Almost half
of respondents with the highest educational
levels claimed to have little knowledge about
news production, journalism standards, or press
regulation. Only 22% of respondents were aware TV,
radio, print, and online news are not part of a single
regulatory system. Only 14% of respondents were
aware UK written press and websites are not subject
to statutory regulation (unlike broadcast media).
While many publishers voluntarily subscribe to
editorial standards codes, 32% of the respondents
were not aware of the existence of these codes.
Only 22% claimed to know anything about what is
required of news publishers in these codes.
66% agreed their trust would improve if they knew
more about journalistic processes. 70% claimed
they would be more likely to trust written press
and online news if they knew more about how it is
regulated. This is consistent across demographics,
including those that both do and don’t trust the
media. When asked what influences their trust in
journalism, respondents said content which fails to
declare relevant sponsorships, or which blurs the
line between fact and opinion is likely to decrease
their trust. By comparison, ‘links to helplines and
support services in articles about sensitive issues’;
‘content that tries to include all sides of the story
equally’; and ‘when a publication clearly indicates
that it is a member of a press regulator’, are all likely
to increase trust, indicating that quality, accountable
journalism has a positive effect on news trust.
Lessons for media literacy educators
Based on the research evidence discussed above,
we propose that media literacy interventions
should involve educating the public on ethical
standards and norms that underpin high-quality
journalism and available redress options. Such a
programme should cover the following five topics:
1. An overview of the media landscape to identify
different types of media, production processes,
ownership structures, their political and social
values, distribution channels (including the role
of algorithms), editorial standards, and relevant
legal and regulatory requirements.
2. An analysis of ethical media standards and
frameworks to identify components of highquality
journalism such as accuracy, nondiscrimination,
non-interference with natural
justice, privacy protection, avoiding harassment,
and public interest considerations.
3. The use of relevant case study material to
identify high-quality journalism, improve critical
evaluation skills, and encourage consumers to
gravitate towards quality news sources.
4. An overview of media rights and responsibilities,
including defamation, privacy, data protection,
hate speech and copyright laws, and how to seek
legal redress.
5. The practical application of ethical journalism
standards and frameworks on personal online
engagement to ensure users understand online
risks and mitigate these by operating safely,
legally, and ethically.
Conclusion
Higher news media literacy based on quality
journalism delivers numerous benefits to society.
Users currently have low levels of literacy about
news production and regulation. A positive sign,
however, is consumers not only want to learn more
but also want to be actively involved in improving
standards. We strongly believe that improved news
media literacy can reverse falling trust in news and
can enable consumers to operate safely, legally,
and ethically in their own online activities.
Photo credit: Canva.
Notes
1. IMPRESS was
established in response to
the 2012 Leveson Inquiry
into the culture, practices
and ethics of the British
press following the phone
hacking scandal. IMPRESS
operates in the public
interest by protecting press
freedom, individual rights,
and public safety. Its main
functions are to regulate,
resolve complaints,
arbitrate legal disputes and
to educate journalists and
the public about journalism
standards and ethics.
2. The University of Leeds
and the University of Derby
carried out extensive
public engagement
research, in collaboration
with IMPRESS, seeking
insight into the public’s
media knowledge, beliefs,
and behaviour. The
research took the form of a
survey of a representative
group of UK citizens
(n=3044) and five follow up
focus groups.
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
13

Feature
What I Needed When Faced with a
Book Ban
Alice Leggatt
Librarian Alice Leggatt shares her experiences of having an
author visit to her school cancelled, and what helped her as the
situation unfolded.
Alice Leggatt is a Librarian
at a state school in SE
London. Previously a
teacher, she moved to
libraries – a long-held
ambition - in 2021, and is
excited to be undertaking
her CILIP chartership
journey next year. She loves
being part of a community
of librarians, many of whom
have saved the day for her
countless times this year!
Back in December 2021 I was idly
scrolling my school library’s Twitter
feed when I noticed that an author
we followed, Simon James Green,
had posted a picture of his dog
and that she looked identical to
my own. By total coincidence I had recently taken
a photo of my dog lying on top of one of Simon’s
books, so I sent him the picture. We had a little
Twitter chat, I told him his books were popular in
our library, and he mentioned that he lived locally
and so it would be easy for him to visit if we ever
needed an author.
This tiny moment set off a chain of events that
I never anticipated. I will not rehash the whole
story here (we are librarians, we know how to do
background research!) but the short version is that
we did book a visit from Simon; a far-right Catholic
blog somehow got hold of the letter I’d sent to
parents and published an article entitled ‘English
Catholic School MUST Cancel Scandalous LGBTQ+
History Month Book Signing Event’; the blog’s
followers responded by sending homophobic
messages to the school and our Archdiocese; the
Archdiocese decided that Simon and his books
fell ‘outside the scope of what is permissible in a
Catholic School’, then sacked our governing body
for supporting the event; press attention followed,
and approximately seventy NEU members at my
school went on strike for six days in protest. I
made the tough decision to move to a new school
this September.
I am sure that any librarian reading this can
imagine what this was like to experience – the
panicked phone calls to my manager as hateful
comments started appearing online, the futile
desire to shield Simon as it developed, the gutpunch
of seeing Simon and myself described as
‘groomers’, the fear for my much-loved job and
students, and the mounting horror as I watched
something intended to be fun and inspiring
become something ugly.
Alice Leggatt and former line manager Michael Cotton
Before this happened to me, I didn’t think this
could happen in the UK at all; like many librarians I
had taught lessons centered around Banned Books
Week, and yet I had approached it as an abstract
concept. I was caught off guard when this landed
at my door – my faith school was inclusive and
accepting, we had staff and students who openly
identified as LGBTQ+, we had a policy on how to
support transgender students – what was going on?
What I wanted in those overwhelming, early
moments was a framework, guidance, anything on
how to handle book challenges in UK schools. It
didn’t seem to exist. And so the following is what I
discovered I most needed.
Somewhere to turn in a crisis
I was lucky that I was able to reach out for help to
a fantastic online group of school librarians. The
group administrator put me in touch with Alison
Tarrant, who was immediately kind and proactive –
the SLA, CILIP and CILIPSLG issued a strong
joint statement supporting us. Moving forwards,
I think that as a sector we need a formal way of
reporting book challenges, and a central place to
access timely support and advice. What happened
14
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What I Needed When Faced with a Book Ban
at my school is not an isolated incident – I have
since been contacted by three librarians in other
faith schools facing similar issues. My school
experienced a perfect storm of events which made
it public, but these things can and do happen
quietly elsewhere.
A positive relationship with your school
I believe that a part of the reason our governing
body voted to go ahead with Simon’s visit was that
they could see what I was trying to achieve in the
library. The fact that a once unloved space was now
vibrant, happy, and busy spoke for me when I felt
awkward in promoting my work myself. Where you
can, let people know about the great work going
on in your libraries, even if it feels uncomfortable –
they need to know!
A way to be heard
As a school employee I was unable to speak
publicly about the situation. Strangely this was
one of the hardest parts – seeing favourite authors
rally in support of Simon (Holly Bourne! Elle
McNicoll! MALORIE BLACKMAN!) and not being
able to add my voice to theirs was frustrating
but, of course, necessary for our safety and
confidentiality. My union was vital in helping
raise my concerns. Without them I’d have felt very
isolated (as we know, librarians are often solo
workers, and no one fully understands our unique
role!). The impressive work my NEU representative
undertook proved to me that it is worthwhile
being part of an organization that aims to protect
workers and speaks with a collective voice
against discrimination.
I was particularly shocked when, about a week
after the cancellation, quotes from Simon’s books
were taken out of context and shared online as a
‘justification’ for it. Having since learned a lot about
the methods used to ban books, especially in the
US, I now know I was naïve not to see it coming.
Context is vital, so the fact that the NEU could
publicly push back against the idea that books
that use sexual language are inherently harmful to
young adults was important.
A robust library policy
School libraires ALL need to have a policy which
lays out, in detail, the process that must be followed
if a book or author is challenged. Ideally the
policy should include a specification that students
need to have a voice in this (with only 1% of book
challenges in the US coming from young people
themselves, it seems vital that their opinions are
sought and valued). A collection development
policy should also be included, with particular
reference to books featuring diverse voices. My
policy helped to prevent the removal of physical
books, but I had not anticipated that it might be
needed in this way.
School libraires ALL need to have a
policy which lays out, in detail, the
process that must be followed if a
book or author is challenged.
A community
There is no doubt that experiencing a book
challenge is very difficult. There is no easy answer
here – personally I tried hard to remember what
equitable access really means and how beneficial
diverse books are for all students. The vocal support
of other librarians, who sent messages of solidarity
and inclusive books to my school, was invaluable.
A fabulous author
It was Simon’s reputation as a very funny, highenergy
speaker that most informed my choice
to book him for a celebration of reading. It was
therefore pure luck that he also turned out to be
such a brave, warm, and frankly hilarious person
when things took a dark turn. Although it is not
an exact science, I feel it is important to listen
to the recommendations of other schools when
booking an author – a good reputation usually
exists for a reason, and I remain certain that Simon
deserves his.
To me, it feels that the writing is on the wall. Some
of the loudest voices protesting Simon’s visit did
not even live in the UK. We need to be prepared to
defend intellectual freedom – the SLA and CILIP
are doing important work on these issues, and I
look forward to supporting this.
Left to right: pictures from
the protests during the
strike, and the display
advertising the author visit.
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
15

Feature
My Experience of Being an Author
Who Was Banned
Simon James Green
Simon James Green is the
author of ten books for
children and young adults,
including Life of Riley:
Beginner’s Luck (shortlisted
for the Blue Peter Book
Award) and picture books
Llama Glamarama and
Fabulous Frankie, with
illustrator Garry Parsons.
His YA novels include Noah
Can’t Even (long listed for
the Branford Boase); Alex
in Wonderland (nominated
for the Carnegie medal);
and You’re the One That
I Want (shortlisted for the
YA book Prize and Diverse
Book Awards).
When I was at school during
the 90s, Section 28 ensured
there no books in my school
library featuring LGBT
characters or storylines.
It’s terrible what fear and
ignorance can do to people and that legislation left
many of us feeling ashamed and alone. That’s why,
when I started writing young adult books, I wanted
to write the sort of thing I would have loved to have
found in the school library when I was a teenager.
My debut, Noah Can’t Even, was published in
2017 by Scholastic, and since then I’ve published
a further ten novels, six of them YA, as well as
middle-grade and picture book titles. All of my
books have comedy at their heart. Some of them
also feature LGBT characters and themes. It’s been
lovely having them embraced by schools up and
down the country, and since 2017 I’ve been invited
into hundreds of schools, giving talks and running
workshops, sharing my love of reading, of comedy,
and sometimes talking about difficult topics
through the accessible lens of shared laughter.
Earlier this year I accepted a booking from a
Catholic school. I’ve visited many faith schools,
always without incident, so it was a shock when
my visit was cancelled by the archdiocese. The
situation moved quickly once the press got hold
of the story, with justifications circulating from all
manner of parties, some directly involved, others
not so. From outright homophobia, suggesting
my visit was designed to ‘seduce young boys into
a sordid lifestyle’ (the sort of defamatory rhetoric
I hadn’t heard since the late 80s), to complaints
about swearing and sexual content (a common
tactic of book banners in the US), their arguments
were soon accompanied by the inevitable out-ofcontext
quotes from my books, as if none of them
understood what literature was or how it worked.
What followed was a barrage of online abuse. Along
with the ‘Groomer!’ accusations which are sadly
What really worried me though was the
effect all this would have on the young
people in that school.
par for the course
for LGBT content
creators these days,
I was sent countless
messages quoting
bible passages,
informing me that I
would ‘die and burn
in hell’. What really
worried me though
was the effect all
this would have on
the young people
in that school,
some of whom
would be LGBT,
and who would be
seeing all this for
themselves. My heart broke
for them.
But support came from many places. Scholastic
were brilliant, and I had daily calls with the PR
team, as they fielded media enquiries and checked
in on me constantly. As the rest of the publishing
world rallied behind me, I was inundated with
supportive tweets and messages from schools and
librarians, many of them booking me immediately
for an author visit, ‘to make a point’. Meanwhile,
students from school LGBT clubs all over the UK
sent me cards and protest leaflets they had made –
they too were outraged for their peers in another
school. In all this, it’s easy to forget that young
people have a voice too – they have agency, and
they have the right to make choices about what
they read. Another positive is that I’ve also made
a great friend in Alice, the brilliant librarian who
booked me originally.
Not allowing young people to read, or hear, about
LGBT topics does nothing to prepare them for the
diverse world in which they live. When this sort of
censorship happens, we have to stand together, we
have to call it out, even when that has unpleasant
consequences. Staying silent is what they want – it
lets them get away with it.
Simon James Green’s latest YA novel, GAY CLUB!,
was published in May 2022 by Scholastic.
16
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

International Perspectives
We Are All Connected:
Canadian School Libraries
Anita Brooks Kirkland
We are all connected. As the chair of Canada’s national
organization Canadian School Libraries, I know this to be
true. The very fact that I have been invited to share news about
school libraries in Canada with you, the members of the SLA in
the UK, is evidence of this. When we are connected, we grow to
understand not only the uniqueness of our various contexts but
also the similarity of our common concerns, and the energy of
our individual and collective efforts to advance school libraries.
I’ve taken this opportunity to explore the SLA website and social
media channels. Of course I have discovered many similarities
in what our associations strive to accomplish, the projects
we undertake, and our understanding of the power of school
libraries. Being very aware of the huge challenges you face in the
UK, I must nevertheless confess a bit of “association envy” when
I see one national association binding local branches together
with common purpose. In this, our differences are significant.
Canada is a huge country, with a population that is just over
half that of the UK, widely dispersed across provinces and
territories. In our federal system of government, the provinces
have jurisdiction in key areas, including education. Provinces
have differing understandings of the potential of school library
programs, resulting in widely disparate policy, funding, and
staffing models. Lack of a clear, national vision has contributed
to a general decline in school libraries. There are many vibrant
and progressive programs, but these tend to exist in pockets of
excellence. Many students in Canada have little to no access to
school libraries.
This fragile national school library ecosystem was significantly
disrupted when the Canadian Library Association (CLA)
dissolved in 2016. With this dissolution, we lost the only national
journal dedicated to school library practice. The visionary
document, 1 was effectively orphaned. A national voice for school
libraries was silenced. The new federation of library associations’
mandate did not have the scope to sustain these priorities for the
school library sector.
The notion of a new national organization clearly engaged
a working group of school library leaders. With positive
results from a national survey and under the pressures of
tight timelines for the CLA’s dissolution, the group decided
to proceed with forming Canadian School Libraries (CSL) as
a new non-profit, charitable organization. Supported by the
broader library professional community, the CLA generously
transferred intellectual property rights for relevant publications
and projects.
CSL has only existed for about five years, but we have been
very aggressive in pursuing our mission to support the ongoing
development of excellence in
school library learning commons
programs. CSL is network-driven,
not membership-driven. All CSL
resources are open source. Our goal
is to reach and support as wide a
community of practice as possible,
and part of that strategy is removing
barriers to access.
CSL focuses on education and
research. Our first priority was to
develop Leading Learning into a
vibrant, living document. Presented
as a website, the standards are regularly revisited and updated,
and are presented in both official languages: English and French.
Canadian School Libraries Journal and our biennial research
symposium, Treasure Mountain Canada (TMC), are powerful
venues for fostering professional learning. Ideas incubated at
TMC symposia have grown into major projects, like the recently
published CSL Collection Diversity Toolkit, which has received
very positive national and international attention.
Our new national organization has raised the profile of school
libraries significantly in the broader communities of public
education, publishing, and media. We participate in important
national initiatives and have partnered with other organizations
in grant projects.
Increasing national and international connections is an
organizational priority. CSL has established a working network of
provincial and territorial school library associations. We are all in
this together, and networking leverages our collective talents and
strengths. CSL has become the national voice for school libraries,
and represents Canada in international organizations.
Despite significant challenges, Canada’s school library
professionals are focused on the future. Pandemic realities
have fostered considerable program innovation, and CSL is
helping to share the energy and develop these new ideas. We are
all connected after all, and our collective voices are so very
necessary for positive change.
Notes
1. Leading Learning: Standards of Practice for School Library Learning
Commons in Canada, published by CLA in 2014.
Please visit www.canadianschoollibraries.ca to explore our organization
and resources.
Follow CSL on Twitter @CdnSchoolLibrar.
Anita Brooks Kirkland
is the chair of Canadian
School Libraries. She is past
president of the Ontario
Library Association and
the Ontario School Library
Association, and has
extensive experience as a
teacher educator and school
district instructional leader.
Anita shares extensive
resources on her website,
www.bythebrooks.ca,
and is active on
Twitter @AnitaBK.
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
17

Between the Library and the Classroom
Becoming Integral to the Educational Process
The IFLA 2022 World Library and Information
Congress (WLIC) saw the launch of the latest book
in the IFLA Global Action for School Libraries
series, Models of Inquiry (2022), which reaffirms
the centrality of inquiry to achieving the school
library’s educational and moral purpose, and
which included two chapters on FOSIL. These
chapters afforded us the opportunity to reflect
deeply on a journey that began in earnest in 2011
and resulted in an invitation to contribute a chapter
to an upcoming IFLA book on digital literacy, to be
launched during the IFLA 2023 WLIC. This chapter
afforded me the opportunity to reflect deeply on
where this journey is taking us.
In wrestling with this chapter, I gained greater
insight into the importance and urgency of our
calling as school librarians. In reality, we are
pitched into battle on the frontline of the assault on
what Jonathan Rauch (2021) terms the Constitution
of Knowledge, which is the epistemological
operating system of our democracy. This view
may seem somewhat extreme from the relative
comfort of our school libraries, but evidence
continues to mount. Having just observed Banned
Books Week – with PEN America, for example,
reporting 1,648 unique book titles banned in
schools between July 2021 and June 2022, with the
rate increasing – we might be tempted to view this
assault solely in terms of the books themselves.
This, however, misses the real threat, which is an
assault on the underlying knowledge-building, or
inquiry, process.
As school librarians, then, we serve the
Constitution of Knowledge in two vital ways.
Firstly, we secure physical access to the growing
body of knowledge of reality – as uncovered by
the academic disciplines/subjects – held in our
collections. Secondly, we educate our students
in the inquiry process that grows this body of
knowledge, so that they become knowledge-able
– able, that is, to intellectually access this body of
knowledge, and utilise it – thereby strengthening
the ‘reality-based community of error-seeking
inquirers’ (Rauch) that upholds and is upheld by
the Constitution of Knowledge. Failure to do so, as
Dallas Willard (1999) warns, leaves us vulnerable
to ‘desire and will/ brute force…as social processes
come to be managed by people who simply know
how to get their way among a mass of those who
no longer believe that they can, with the aid of
their culture’s texts and the traditional disciplines,
determine how things are…regardless of how
anyone wishes them to be or how people with
social authority present them’.
The revolution will not be televised.
The FOSIL Group is an
international community
of educators who frame
learning through inquiry,
which is a process
and stance aimed at
building knowledge and
understanding of the
world and ourselves in it
as the basis for responsible
participation in society.
Darryl Toerien
Research Highlights
Children and young people’s reading engagement in
2022: Continuing insight into the impact of the Covid 19
pandemic on reading.
This report from the National Literacy Trust looks at children’s
reading engagement post pandemic. Their annual survey
allows them to explore children and young people’s reading
engagement before, during, and after educational disruption
relating to Covid-19. This report shows that any gains made in
children and young people’s reading engagement during the
early part of the pandemic had completely eroded by early 2022.
Fewer children and young people enjoyed reading, and fewer
read in their free time in 2022, compared with the previous
two years. This is particularly the case for young people from
disadvantaged backgrounds, and within this group, for boys.
https://tinyurl.com/muabcuub
Reading to Learn? The Co-Development of Mathematics
and Reading During Primary School
This paper looks at the relationship between early reading
and mathematics development both from a theoretic and a
pedagogical standpoint. According to the authors, previous
research has provided mixed results about which subject is
the leading indicator in the developmental process. This paper
investigates a sample of pupils from the UK aged 5 to 12
(49% girls). The results suggest a positive relation between
the development of reading and mathematics. Furthermore,
a positive association between prior reading scores and
subsequent changes in achievement in mathematics was
found, whereas changes in reading were substantially smaller
for students with a higher prior performance in mathematics.
https://tinyurl.com/yeyuyym4
Grammar and Writing in England’s National Curriculum
The study, co-authored by researchers at the University of York
and University College London (UCL) and funded by the Nuffield
foundation, found that grammar lessons do not appear to help
children learn to write. Lessons on grammar are a key feature
of the national curriculum taught in England’s primary schools,
but this study found that while grammar teaching can improve
children’s ability to generate sentences, there is no statistically
significant improvement in their narrative writing.
The authors of the study say their research adds to a growing
body of evidence which calls into question the current way
grammar is taught: they suggest that a review of the requirements
for grammar in England’s national curriculum is needed. https://
tinyurl.com/3ff2yjcz
18
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

Media and Information
Literacy Alliance Update
October saw the Media and Information Literacy
Alliance (MILA) board hold its first face to face
meeting, in which we discussed priorities for the
MILA strategy, funding the organisation, and
leadership and management. Part of the reason we
launched MILA was to bring together stakeholders
in the Media Literacy and Information Literacy
field, with a belief that there could be greater
opportunities to amplify the message about its
importance through collaboration. MILA is a
great opportunity for CILIP and ILG to collaborate
with organisations such as Wikimedia UK, Health
Education England, Libraries Connected, the
Association for Citizenship Teaching and the
Patient Information Forum. We are also really
delighted to announce that we have a new board
member joining us: Dr Alice Mathers, Director
of Research and Learning at the RSA. A great
afternoon was spent meeting for the first time in
a room with representatives from many of our
stakeholders. We were able to set out a plan of
action for the short, medium, and long term for
MILA and we hope to be able share this with you in
the coming weeks and months. As a first concrete
outcome, MILA is funding a literature review of
Members of the MILA Board: Liz Moorse, Nick Poole,
Carolyn Waite, Sophie Randall, SLA patron Julian McDougall,
Stephane Goldstein and Jane Secker
the impact of information literacy interventions.
We hope to be able to announce the successful
team who are taking on this piece of research in
the next few weeks. Please do keep an eye on our
revamped website (mila.org.uk) to keep up to date.
Dr Jane Secker FCLIP,
SFHEA, FRSA is a senior
Lecturer in Educational
Development at City,
University of London and
Chair of CILIP’s Information
Literacy Group.
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
19

A View From …
… a primary school
Library Ambassadors
On the day of my interview, I met with two very capable,
confident Year 6s who had been appointed ‘library ambassadors’
for the year. They told me all about how the library was being
managed, including their roles and their ideas for how the library
might be used in future. I was encouraged and excited at the
prospect of having willing, active student helpers who were up
for the challenge of revitalising the school’s library use with me
… only to never see them again! The next year, I had a little group
of Year 6s who spent many lunchtimes hanging out in the library,
but who were suspiciously absent whenever anything that
looked less fun needed doing. Then Covid-19 hit and NOBODY
was allowed in! My 21/22 ambassadors got off to a great start,
but their enthusiasm petered off around Christmas and I never
managed to reel them back in. Were all these children just lazy?
Were they getting different messages from their teachers about
the expectations for a library ambassador? Or was it me? Was I,
despite my best efforts to the contrary, a scary (or worse, boring)
librarian? It’s certainly been my experience that keeping student
librarians engaged requires a level of balance and skill that I have
not yet perfected – but this year I think I have happened upon the
perfect formula.
1. My ambassadors have demonstrated consistent care,
engagement, and enthusiasm towards the library throughout
their school career.
2. They have had almost their full
school career with a librarian in
post, meaning that they are already
aware and on board with my
expectations, as well as familiar
with me as a member of staff.
3. They came up with their own
project for the library, over which
they have free rein. They have also
chosen to take responsibility for
one of our lunch clubs.
It’s this last one that I think will
seal the deal. There will always be
jobs that need to be done, but the
Rebecca Campling
is a primary school librarian
in Orton Wistow Primary
School, Peterborough
projects that my students have felt ownership over have always,
without exception, been more successful than the ones they feel
less invested in. Equally, I have confidence that I can give these
ambassadors full autonomy, due to the groundwork that has
already been laid. I’m excited to see where they take the projects
they’ve begun, and to learn from them about how to make their
role both fun and fulfilling.
… a secondary school
A Busy Time
I finally got round to doing a stock check this summer after many
years of thinking I really must. Thanks to a fairly cheap handheld
scanner and three clear weeks in the holiday, I was able to
work my way through the 13,000 books that should have been in
the LRC. There were around 600 items missing, some of which I
believe to be in departments, but I am going to take them off the
catalogue anyway. If I don’t know exactly where they are, as far as
I am concerned, they are missing. The stock check was definitely
worth doing. It was also a chance to have a really good weed as I
went along, and now I just need to find homes for the hundreds
of books I took off the shelves. Although I am not sure anyone is
going to be interested in biographies of long forgotten celebrities
from the noughties.
As we headed into a new academic year, I welcomed our
new intake of Year 12 students. I dusted off my induction
presentation, which I haven’t been able to deliver in person for
a couple of years due to Covid. I received several requests for
information after the induction which I hope means the students
found it helpful and worthwhile. I have issued hundreds of
textbooks to Year 12 students, and they seem to be immersing
themselves in their new studies. The LRC is still a purposeful,
working environment despite being busier than last year. It
occurred to me, seeing the students
milling around the building during
breaks, how different this year is to
the last two. If it wasn’t for the major
historic changes that are happening
at the moment it would all feel
completely back to normal.
September and the new academic
year also mean that our Year 13
students have been sending off their
applications to UCAS. Students
applying to Oxford or Cambridge,
or for medicine, veterinary studies,
or dentistry have been taking
Sarah Smith
LRC Manager, Landau
Forte Academy Tamworth
Sixth Form
admissions tests and writing personal statements which had the
early entry date of 15 October. As UCAS correspondent for our
school, I have been checking forms and making sure personal
statements have been written. With all of this, along with the
large cohort of EPQ students this year who have been coming to
me with their ideas for projects and titles, it has already been a
busy few months.
20
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

A View From …
… a school library service
Extra Support and Help
Hampshire SLS recently held its annual training day and I’d like
to share some of the reflections from that day with you.
Most services and businesses achieved a degree of channel shift
during the pandemic, and our virtual ‘Meet the Author’ delivery
is one that we will retain for its accessibility to so many more
schools and its reduced environmental impact. Similarly, we are
providing our booklists online with live updates now rather than
printing material that becomes dated. But where many services
are focused on automation and self-service, we need to ensure
that our schools can contact us easily for expert support and help
when it is needed. That is our priority.
While we remain a professional- to-professional service,
increasingly our work is becoming more targeted to individuals
and to specific circumstances as they occur. Providing books
and support for new Afghan and Ukraine pupils has been a
challenge most of us will have faced recently, and it has shown
that we can be quick to respond when necessary. Our Diversity
and Inclusion audits provide schools with a focus to assess their
own library stock to ensure that it is representative of society and
supports modern citizenship, and we advise on follow-up actions
needed. We have also introduced SLS@Home, a scheme where
we select books for pupils who schools identify are less likely to
have access to books at home or the
support network to take them to their
local library. Over the longer school
holidays these pupils are loaned
four books and we accept that there
may be a higher than usual loss rate.
This summer we supported over 320
children in this way, with some of
them participating in the Summer
Reading Challenge for the first time.
In our current economic climate, this
type of need will only increase, and
we need to work with our subscribers
and with public library colleagues
Helen Bryant
Hampshire County Council
School Library Service
Manager
to ensure access to appropriate quality resources for all our
children. This is a view that I know all my colleagues in SLS-UK
share, along with a commitment to supporting schools across
the country with high quality curriculum-linked texts. All of us
involved in school libraries need to be able to demonstrate the
impact and value for money that we bring in tight financial times,
but I’m confident that we have the creativity and passion to
innovate and deliver.
… an international school
The End of the Year
When I started writing this article, the plan was to focus only
on the research process we’re going through at this moment
of the year. Our school follows the Brazilian school’s calendar,
which is quite different: it starts in February/March and ends in
December.
It means that at this stage, we are heading towards final exams
and the end of the school year. This also means that our
students are either finishing their IB course, when they need my
guidance to finish formatting Extended Essays (EEs) and Internal
Assessments (IAs), or starting their first IAs research, which is
when they come to do a pre-research, define topics and build
their research questions to nurture their searches and writings.
Academic research is something I really enjoy, and our students
know it well. Or at least they start to know after they begin their
IB course, which is when I give my presentations on research
to them. Specifications on each Internal Assessment paper,
Extended Essay, referencing, citations, and formatting of
academic papers are some of the topics approached in IB. I can
assure you that both staff and students will come to the library
whenever they need guidance on any of them.
It is very important that we, librarians, take on this challenge
and show our communities we are the specialists to guide
them through the research process. Some tools like plagiarism
checkers and citation software can be useful, but a librarian’s
guidance goes far beyond that.
Once they learn how to properly
start research, get well organized
with the sources, use citation
methods appropriately, and
reference efficiently, our mission is
accomplished in this aspect.
However, while I was writing about
it, I realised there were other topics
I would like to approach, too. One of
them, which came to me recently, is
the ‘Silence in the [school] library’.
Not as in Doctor Who’s episode 8,
Jaqueline Castro
Senior Librarian, The British
School, Rio de Janeiro
season 4, but to question its need and how much we consider our
students’ age, energy, vivacity, and tolerance to their own noise
in the library space. Is the school library supposed to be silent?
Or, does it need to be silent at all times? I don’t believe so. The
library I run is as lively as our students and there are moments of
silence and moments of extreme noise, and I love it as it is.
Another topic I would raise is the Book Club, in which we all have
a chance to read out loud a book’s page to the group once a week
as we go through the same book til we finish it. And there is also
collection development, but these are too diverse themes to go in
only one article and they wouldn’t all fit in anyway.
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
21

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Frequently Asked Questions
answered by Lucy Chambers
I would like to subscribe to some
magazines in my primary school
library. What do you suggest?
Children’s magazines and newspapers
are a great addition to the library and may
encourage reluctant readers into reading.
Display them on a suitable rack or in boxes
where you can also store back issues.
1. Subscriptions: it is usually cheaper to
subscribe to titles via their publisher,
but if buying several titles, it is simpler
to use a magazine supplier such as
Newsstand or DLT Magazines.
2. Children’s newspapers sometimes offer
online material and lesson plans, too.
Examples include First News, The Day
and The Week Junior.
3. Magazines cover most of the National
Curriculum, including geography,
history, science, languages, maths, and
English, and also popular hobbies, such
as sports, gaming, stories and books, as
well as comics.
4. Consider the age groups you think will
read the magazines and buy a range of
titles.
5. When magazines get tatty, you can use
them for displays or art work.
6. Popular titles in my libraries: Eco-
Kids (conservation), Match (football),
National Geographic Kids (geography),
Factology (many subjects), Okido
(arts and sciences), Discovery Box,
Britannica Magazine (general
information articles), WhizzPopBang!
(STEM).
7. Some popular titles about books and
reading: StoryBox, AdventureBox,
StoryTime.
8. Comics: The Phoenix Comic (no
advertising) is very popular. Also
available are brilliant spin-off books
series, e.g. Bunny vs Monkey, by the
same cartoonists and Corpsetalk (nonfiction
in comic format).
We’ve received a grant to
refurbish the library.
Where do I start?
It’s exciting when a grant application is
successful, but also daunting. I assume
here that you are remaining in the same
space rather than moving.
1. Read the original grant criteria and
consider other elements you, students,
and staff now require. Put library users
at the centre of the design process, both
students and library staff, for whom
the space must be functional. Run a
competition for students’ designs.
2. Consider spaces for different groups:
Do you need to seat a whole class?
Fixed computers? Soft seating? Study
carrells? A calm, wellbeing area?
An audiobook area? Facilities for
collaborative learning? Somewhere for
students with sensory issues? Consider
sightlines in a big space.
3. Ask for librarians’ ideas via the
School Library Network, your local
SLA branch, or SLS: what works well
and what not so well?
4. Invite library designers to suggest a
design. See www.sla.org.uk/search/
refurbishment for some suggested
companies.
5. Buy the sturdiest specialist library
shelving you can afford. It must be fitfor-purpose
and long-lasting; consider
shelf height (primary or secondary
students), some movable bays, signage
locations, shelves for front-facing
book display, adjustable shelves,
Kinderboxes for picture books.
6. Consider extras, such as shelf toppers,
Slatwall, book stands, shelf labelling
systems.
7. The ambience may be enhanced with
quirky units and wall decorations or
wise statements on walls, if the grant
stretches to this.
I’ve started in a library full of old
books. Can you give me some tips
on weeding it, such as what to do
with the withdrawn books?
To keep the library looking good and with
books that are current, diverse, inclusive
and that appeal to readers, weed regularly.
Fewer well-curated books are better than
shelves overflowing with books no one
borrows. Include weeding in your stock
selection policy. Promote books that
remain by improving displays (frontfacing
books), verbal promotion, creating
Sways, shelf barkers, etc. Additional tips:
1. Keep curriculum subjects up to date.
2. Remove books if they are more than ten
years old.
3. Before weeding, check that there are
other titles on this subject and that the
book is not rare and irreplaceable, also
that there are newer editions.
4. Consult staff about curriculum
books requirements and reading
lists for students. Remove books
which no longer fit, unless they are
of general interest.
5. Remove all books in bad condition,
with ripped spines, scribbled in, damp,
or with torn pages, etc.
6. Go through your library systematically
on a regular basis, for example, a
subsection each month. Weeding is a
continuous process.
7. Stamp removed books with a
‘Withdrawn’ stamp (from library
stationery suppliers).
8. Sell weeded books for a small amount
to students, give them away, or offer
them to a book recycling company such
as www.ziffit.com, Webuybooks.co.uk
or bookrescuers.com.
9. If all else fails, recycle them by
removing the covers (not recyclable),
and then placing the text into paper
recycling.
Lucy now concentrates on
writing after 20 plus years as
a primary school librarian.
Answers are her personal
opinion based on long
experience.
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
23

Dates for your Diary
DECEMBER 2022 JANUARY 2023 FEBRUARY 2023
2nd–8th National Grief Awareness Week
3rd International Day of Persons with
Disabilities
8th Christmas Jumper Day
10th Human Rights Day
23rd Dec–2nd Jan SLA office closed
Henrietta Branford Writing Competition
launch
Empathy Lab Book Collection released
4th World Braille Day
18th Winnie the Pooh Day/A.A. Milne’s
birthday
20th SLA Enterprise Award and Community
Award submissions close
21st International Hug Day
23rd National Handwriting Day
27th Lewis Caroll’s Birthday
National Holocaust Memorial Day
29th Jan–5th Feb National Story Telling
Week
LGBT History month
Chinese New Year. Year of the rabbit
1st World Read Aloud Day
2nd Harry Potter Book Night
7th–13th Children’s Mental Health Week.
7th Safer Internet Day
21st International Mother Language Day
26th Tell a Fairy Tale Day
TSL mailed out: 9th March
SLA Awards
Don’t forget to get involved in the SLA’s awards! This year we launched the Enterprise of the Year Award and the Community Award to celebrate the
wider work being done in school libraries.
Enterprise of the Year Award
Community Award
This celebrates one-off or progressive projects – such as a rebuilding or
refurbishment, or a whole-school information literacy project – which
develop literacy, community, and independence in children.
Winner of the 2022 Award
Broughton Junior School refurbished their library to create a garden and
a Victorian reading room, with the core book collection underpinned by
Centre for Literacy in Primary Education.
Children were consulted, and parents and
teachers were also encouraged to increase
their reading. A mobile app was introduced to
help children choose and record what they
read or wanted to read, and which parents
could also access to support their child.
“Our vision was to develop a space within
each school that would transport our
children into a world beyond their everyday
‘norm’: similar to that which we experience through reading. We wanted
to develop spaces that would invite our children to wonder, to question,
to be curious and, above all, to give them a sense of belonging within
our schools.”
This award recognizes community effort by celebrating the high quality
working partnerships that exist in so many schools across the country.
It could go to any organization or individual who has gone “above and
beyond” to support a school library.
Winner of the 2022 Award
The Alexandra Palace Children’s Book Award
was created by a team of four Haringey school
librarians in 2015, starting life as a transition
project to connect schools with local feeder
primaries.
After several successful years, the award
grew and by 2018, 25 local schools were
involved. The librarians approached the
Creative Learning team at Alexandra Palace to propose a
collaboration. The first Alexander Palace Children’s Book Award ceremony
was held there in the newly refurbished theatre there in 2019, hosted by
Michael Rosen. The 2020 and 2021 awards took place online presented by
Cressida Cowell. Real-life elements were made possible in 2021 through
partnerships with the local forest school, who provided story den building
workshops, connecting to the theme of one of that year’s books. A set
of online resources ensured children continued to be engaged with the
shortlisted books.
There’s still time to highlight your wonderful library as entries don’t close until 20 January 2023.
24
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

Curriculum Links
Primary – Internet Safety
Website: How to Play YouTube
Videos Safely in School
tinyurl.com/mtasmx2x
Options to allow your students to
watch YouTube videos without the ads,
comments and follow-on videos.
PDF via Website: Keeping Children
Safe during Community
Activities, After-School Clubs and
Tuition Resource Online
tinyurl.com/auh7ye46
Non-statutory guidance from the DfE to
help providers of out-of-school settings
understand the best practice for creating
a safe environment for the children in
their care.
PDF via Website: Mental Health
Infographic Resource
tinyurl.com/bde7kku3
Activities to do with classes to support
mental health in relation to the internet
or to remind them to also live in the
moment.
Website: NewsFlash! Game
www.newsflashgame.org
A fun online video game for 8–12 year
olds, with supporting educational
resources for parents, carers, and
teachers. Commissioned by Sutton
Library Services in 2020.
Book: Shalini Vallepur,
Information
Booklife, 1 Aug 2022, 24pp, £12.99,
9781801551885
Imparts simple advice about staying
safe while using computers. Titles on
Gaming, Information and Shopping.
Website: CEOP
www.thinkuknow.co.uk/
The National Crime Agency’s CEOP
Education team aim to help protect
children and young people from online
child sexual abuse via an education
programme, providing training,
resources, and information.
Website: Childnet
tinyurl.com/yhc3uwu4
Helpful information and guidance on a
range of online safety topics for schools
and to use with students.
Website: Get safe online
tinyurl.com/mw69mta9
Advice on many topics including
gaming, cyberbullying, social media,
and academic honesty.
Video: ‘Supporting pre-schoolers
online’
www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3OF-NWDzGo
Resources to help children under 5
enjoy their online world safely, from
Internet Matters.
Secondary – Internet Safety
Podcast: Word of Mouth - Ghosting
Caking and Breadcrumbing
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0019jyf
BBC Sounds Word of Mouth with
Michael Rosen investigating the
evolving lexicon of online dating and
lies likely to be found there.
Website: The Dark Web Explained
www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/articles/
dark-web-explained/
Created by the National Crime Agency
in collaboration with children’s
societies, this resource is for adults to
help them understand the Dark Web.
Video: ‘Is everything you share
online 100% accurate?’
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwJ0UJ8fXBc
A BBC Ideas video in partnership with
the Open University, demonstrating the
ease of misinformation.
Video: ‘Supporting Pre-teens
online’
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZIrd0gnSws
Resources to help children starting
secondary school navigate the online
world safely, from Internet Matters.
Book: Holly Bathie, Richard Merritt
and Kate Sutton, Social Media
Survival Guide
Usborne, April 2022, 296pp, £6.99,
9781474999267
An essential book for equipping young
people with the important skills they
need to manage their social media
safely and confidently.
Video: CBBC
www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/curations/lifebabbleguide-to-digital-safety
The Lifebabble team provide a variety of
videos to help learn about digital safety.
Book: Sarah Katz, Digital Earth:
Cyber threats, privacy and ethics
in an age of paranoia
IT Governance Publishing, April 2022, 180pp,
£15.95, 9781787783591
Raising awareness of digital threats such
as phishing, ransomware, and spyware
before they can wreak havoc in our
professional or personal lives.
Book: Louisa Reid, Activist
Guppy, October 2022, 336pp, £7.99,
9781913101749
Verse novel of an anonymous online
poster bringing sexual abuse to light.
Video: ‘Online Safety and Sexting’
www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7z6lMbL3mw
Online safety with specific reference to
sexting.
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
25

Digital
EdTech Horizons
Founder of 10Digits Consultancy, Jonathan Viner talks about
one of the systems available to support wellbeing.
Jonathan Viner is the
Founder of 10Digits, an
independent consultancy
that provides actionable
insight and hands-on
support to education
entrepreneurs. He also
publishes the fortnightly
Nordic EdTech News
newsletter and is a
regular commentator,
speaker, and writer on
global EdTech trends.
@jonathanviner
In a recent tweet, Alison Tarrant, Chief
Executive of the School Library Association,
identified some of the benefits that libraries
bring to schools, emphasising that they add
“reading relationships, literacy, personal
development and opportunities to improve
wellbeing”. Unquestionably, the school library’s
role in improving student wellbeing has never been
more urgently needed.
The recently published Good Childhood Report
from the UK charity The Children’s Society clearly
showed that children’s happiness has continued to
decline. Young people are less happy, on average,
than they were ten years ago. But how can school
libraries and EdTech providers address this?
An international school in the Czech Republic,
working with Bristol-based Persona Education,
provides a great example of what is possible.
The English College in Prague was set up by former
President Václav Havel and King Charles III in 1994.
It provides English-medium education to over 400
students of secondary school age. The school’s
Librarian (and SLA member), Kayti Selbie, has
been at the school since 2019, and has worked hard
to promote student welfare through the library.
As well as developing a tailored library and study
skills curriculum, which helps students become
more effective and efficient learners, Kayti trialled
an online wellbeing education programme for
50 students in Year 9 (UK equivalent). This has
now been expanded to include all Year 9 and
Year 10 students.
The wellbeing resources are built upon the Persona
Life Skills programme. This offers a scaffolded, ageappropriate
online social and emotional learning
curriculum for Years 9–13/Grades 8–12 (KS3,
KS4, KS5). It seeks to support secondary student
wellbeing and employability and uses Persona’s
“unique personality insights framework”. Kayti
identified that the resources were a good fit with
the broader life and study skills programme that
she was introducing.
The project began with a pilot phase in which
Kayti delivered one lesson a week to ensure it
was a “really good test.” The impact of the pilot
was evaluated and identified real value for tutors,
who mentor and support students. They were
able to use feedback and insights from completed
exercises on Persona to have deeper conversations
with students.
This was particularly true of students who are
“a bit reticent in tutor time, but who feel more
comfortable in describing their feelings on a
platform like Persona Life Skills.” The online
activities and resources provided by Persona also
gave students the opportunity to better understand
themselves and their relationships with others.
Kayti commented that this “tied in perfectly with the
study skills curriculum I was building”. Indeed she
found that topics she had planned around key skill
sets such as communication, problem solving, and
resilience were “already on the Persona platform”.
Most importantly, Kayti sought feedback from
the students who engaged with the trial. The
overwhelming feedback was that the resources
were “really useful and really valuable”. Almost all
of them were keen for the school to continue using
Persona in the future. Kayti is keen to expand the
use of the resources to all age groups if budget can
be made available.
For further information on Persona Life Skills,
please visit www.persona-life.com
26
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

Digital
Corpse Talk
www.youtube.com/playlist?list= PLwIV8SNgQyXElngStwcgeSwUJVqTBXVZE
Corpse Talk is an animated biography series
based on the successful series of graphic
novels by Adam and Lisa Murphy. Its tag
line is ‘The Show that brings the dead famous
to life!’.
The videos are presented in the format of an
interview where the subject appears in corpse
form. There are flashbacks to key events in their life,
where they are rendered in a non-corpse like form.
The videos are short – a quick taster of the life and
times of the chosen subject – usually around seven
minutes long.
The animation values are very good, and it is an
eye-catching introduction to the life and times of
some very famous people and some people who
are a little less well known.
The list of biography subjects has some diversity
in it, but mainly has a lot of people who are the
staples in most biographies aimed at kids, such as
Leonardo da Vinci, Cleopatra, and Mozart.
In terms of content,
although the videos are
generally presented in
a light-hearted manner,
with some truly terrible
puns, the reality of
the life of the famous
person is not shied
away from. Some may
object to the Ching
Shih video referring
to decapitations as punishments in a rather
throwaway fashion, or to the exploding corpse of
William the Conqueror.
They are a good and vibrant introduction to
biographies. They would work well as a quick
starter for a class to show the main points of how to
construct a biography and how you would create a
narrative of someone’s life.
Michelle Deegan is the
Secondary Librarian at
International School of
the Hague. Michelle has
worked in school libraries
and college libraries in
Mozambique, UAE, and
Dublin. The best part of
Michelle’s job is chatting
with students about good
books. Michelle likes to
travel to visit new and
interesting places.
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
27

Digital
Track My Read
www.readforgood.org/track-my-read/
Roshan Hunt is a Chartered
Librarian with experience
of managing corporate and
school libraries.
Track My Read is a new web-based tool
from Read for Good, the national charity
responsible for the Readathon initiative.
Track My Read is a little like a Fitbit for reading
as it allows pupils to log what they are choosing
to read, and for how long. Budget-conscious
librarians will be pleased to know that unlike
many other software solutions it is completely
free to use.
My first thought whenever considering using a
system like this is to establish which age group it is
appropriate for. The style of font and language used,
e.g. “…reading gives you superpowers!”, indicated
to me that it is aimed more at younger readers.
However, there is nothing to stop older students
using it. In fact, both UK primary and secondary
schools appear in a drop-down list when you start
typing a school name to register. It is not only for
schools to use, however, as you can also enter a
group name manually.
Overall, it is an intuitive system designed to help
teachers and librarians engage pupils in reading for
pleasure. Gold star to Read for Good for frequently
mentioning librarians (in addition to teachers) on
their website. There is a five-minute video which
niftily explains the registration and usage process
and an eight-minute video aimed at explaining the
system to parents too. So, if you decide to launch it
to your stakeholders, promoting it will be a doddle.
To begin, the organiser needs a Google account
to register; however, pupils do not need a Google
account to use the system. Simply enter details of
the class name and then manually enter pupils’
names or upload them via a .csv file. Then, set
a collective target of minutes to be read e.g. if
30 pupils aim to read 20 minutes a day for 14 days,
set a target of 8,400 minutes.
Completing the registration process takes just a
few minutes and generates unique links for you to
send to each pupil. Pupils will need to bookmark
the link in their browser to regularly update their
log. The log consists of just four entries: the format
read (e.g. text, magazine or audio book etc..), the
title of the book, how many minutes it was read for,
and finally, an emoji is selected to indicate level of
enjoyment of the book.
It is GDPR compliant with the option to enable a
public dashboard to share a class’s achievements
on social media. Track My Read does not have a
quizzing module to test understanding of texts read
(as found in some other available products).
In summary, Track My Read is a useful tool for
a fixed time initiative. It would work well with a
competitive element with other classes and so buyin
from teaching staff is essential.
As it is free and the time taken to set up even a test
class is minimal, I would definitely recommend
trying it out.
28
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

How To… Use Wakelet –
The Must-Have Creative Tool
Digital
Wakelet is a FREE digital curation
platform that lets you organise a mix of
content for easy access. This, of course,
means it’s a broad platform that can be used in
many ways! Wakelet also has a mobile app, so the
possibilities are endless! Wakelet really is a musthave
for everyone.
If you think of a media feed on something such
as Instagram, that’s a little what Wakelet feels
like – a recognisable platform for users that can
make sharing a mix of digital content easy. From
social media posts and videos to images and links,
this lets you collate it all in one stream. These
combinations are known as collections and can be
easily created and shared with a single link, making
them widely accessible for students, teachers,
and families.
Wakelet allows you to sign in and start using it right
away for free. You can log into the platform via
any web browser (www.wakelet.com), on nearly any
device, and also download the mobile app. Once
you have signed in you are free to start creating
your wakes!
Features of Wakelet
Wakelet works with lots of education technology
platforms, including Microsoft Teams and Google
Classroom. This makes it very easy to integrate, and
work across, resources. Wakelet can be used by a
collective group or individually. There are so many
great features which create endless possibilities
for use. Here are the features that allow you to add
content to your collections:
• Paste any web address
• Write text
• Insert images (e.g. from device, Canva, Giphy, or
Unsplash)
• Bookmark useful content
• Insert PDFs
• Insert Tweets
• Insert a video recording or screen recording (via
Flip video)
• Insert a YouTube Video
• Upload documents from OneDrive and Google
Drive
• Insert contact created in Adobe Express
Wakelet is extremely user friendly; it’s intuitive
and comes packed with customisation options
to fit every situation. Display your content in one
of various layout options, for example media,
which displays visual interactive content within
your collection. This is my favourite layout option
because you can create really beautiful, engaging
collections of content. Other display options
include compact, grid view, mood boards, and
columns. You can share your collections as links,
QR codes, embed them
directly into a website, or
add them as tabs directly
to Microsoft Teams
or Google Classroom.
Collections can be shared
publicly or privately.
The option to invite
others to contribute
to your collections is
a gamechanger for
collaboration in the classroom. Teachers can also
use the spaces feature to create a digital resource
space for their classes which is made up from a
group of collections. My students find the spaces
feature very useful for accessing lesson content and
revision resources – perfect for hybrid learning.
Uses of Wakelet
In a place where creativity knows no bounds,
the education world has developed some mindblowing
methods of using Wakelet. My personal
favourite is as a method for assessment for
learning. My students enjoy receiving individual
feedback created by using the Flip video recorder,
where I record myself giving verbal feedback as I
move through their work on screen.
The recording is then shared with my
students as a link. The options really
are endless; here are some other
useful uses of Wakelet:
• Collate revision materials
• Bookmark useful information
• Create your own planner
• Create lesson plans
• Promote an event
• Create a digital CV
• Collaborate on projects with your peers
• Keep a digital diary
• Create a digital newsletter
• Write a digital story
• Create a digital library or reading
recommendations
If you are not already hooked, Wakelet also has an
explore function where there are literally thousands
of shared collections from all over the world. There
is an endless digital library of wonder directly at
your fingertips. You can copy collections or simply
look for inspiration for your own collections.
Wakelet has had such a positive impact on my
teaching and the experiences of my learners.
I simply wouldn’t be without it, and as the app
is ever evolving, it’s only going to get better.
Get creative and make a start on your very own
Wakelet collection.
Kojo Hazel
Teacher of IT and Diversity
& Inclusion Fellow for
Microsoft Education UK.
@kojohazel
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
29

Digital
Key Stage 1 Social Media
Accounts and Hashtags
Twitter
National Geographic Kids @NGKids
This account is linked to the National Geographic
Kids magazine which is aimed at 6- to 12-yearolds.
It shares links to free articles on a range of
environmental topics, activities, and quizzes.
Also follow @ngkteachersuk for specific National
Geographic Kids teachers’ content.
KS1 learning @ks1learning
Shares ideas and activities from schools around the
country and highlights relevant posts from related
organisations.
Joseph Coelho @JosephACoelho
This account shares the work of the current
Children’s Laureate, promotes children’s literature,
and highlights interesting campaigns, activities,
and events from other organisations.
#edutwitter #edchat
These are hashtags rather than accounts. Follow
these to stay up to date with the latest debates,
developments and inspiration in education.
#YoungSciBooks
Another hashtag, this highlights the books
shortlisted for the Royal Society Young Person’s
Book Prize and promotes the related activities of
the judging schools. Shortlisted books are provided
for free to schools who successfully apply to judge
the award.
BBC Newsround @BBCNewsround
The official account for BBC Newsround, this
shares links to online articles and quizzes for a
range of age groups.
Scottish Book Trust @scottishbooktrust
An account for the well-known national charity,
which highlights reading lists, competitions,
campaigns, and promotes reading for pleasure for
all ages.
Twinkle KS1 @TwinkleKs1
This shares topical news articles, downloadable
lesson resources, and fun posts. Some of the
resources and training advertised incur a cost but
free materials are also available.
Primary School Book Club @PrimarySchoolBC
An online book club focusing on books for primary
schools. Vote for your favourite and join in with the
monthly chat.
Storypirates @storypirates
This account shares news and updates about the
award-winning American-based Story Pirates
podcast which shares stories written by young
people.
Lauren Thow is a Librarian
and Guidance Teacher at
Stewart’s Melville College.
She is passionate about
school libraries, loves
engaging young people
with literature, and when
she’s not reading, can be
found walking the hills
of Edinburgh.
Instagram
KS1 Provision @ks1provision
Miss E is an educator who shares ideas for lesson
activities and classroom materials across a range
of subjects.
Early Years Outdoor @earlyyearsoutdoor
This shows a range of creative outdoor learning
activities, including crafts and mud kitchen ideas.
Additional resources can be downloaded via the
associated website for a cost.
Little Learners Blog @little.learners.blog
This account predominantly focuses on play
table set ups such as creative tuff tray ideas. The
posts feature a wide variety of topics and could be
adapted for different age groups.
Guinness World Records @guinnessworldrecords
Find out more about the Guinness World Records
with short video clips and interviews with
records holders.
Kid’s Word of the Day @kidswordoftheday
With daily words and definitions accompanied by
an image depicting the word, this is a fun way to
build vocabulary. Some words may be challenging
for the younger age groups but with one word a day
there’s enough to pick and choose.
Wow in the World
@wowintheworld
A fun account that
highlights bitesize facts and
information from around
the world. Posts are often
linked to a Wow in the
World podcast.
The Dadlab @thedadlab
This shares fun
science experiments
using everyday
items, encouraging
experimentation,
science, and fun.
Animal Planet
@animalplanet
Regular posts about animals, often
accompanied by facts and videos.
World Book Day UK @worldbookdaysocial
Supporting World Book Day – the annual
celebration of children’s literature – this account
shares reading recommendations and ideas to
promote Reading for Pleasure.
30
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

Digital
Three from YouTube – Music
TED ED ‘How to Read Music’
by Tim Hansen
www.ted.com/talks/tim_hansen_how_to_
read_music?language=en
The most interesting video on this channel was
‘Understanding Get Lucky’. It is broken down into
the music and lyrics and how they work together to
produce this iconic song.
This five-minute video describes how to read
music. It describes how notes and music notation
make up pieces of music and how they interact
to make a piece of art. It describes how pitch and
rhythm work together across the staff. It shows how
the pitch is arranged and how to read notes on the
right lines at the correct pitch to create the piece
of music. It has a description of a clef and what it
is used for. The video covers most descriptions of
musical terminology which builds up knowledge
from the basics to simplify reading sheet music
for beginners.
The rhythm is described simply by using a clock
and explains how beats and rhythm affect the
musical composition by using the bar lines. The
video is very clear and precise and easy to listen to.
12tone
www.youtube.com/c/12tonevideos
This channel by 12tone has many musical videos
describing lots of musical genres and techniques
such as ‘The Secret to Writing Lyrics’, understanding
popular songs, building blocks of music and others.
‘The Secret to Writing Lyrics’ was the first video
I tried. It is six minutes long and talks about why
lyrics are important (listener identification) and
how they are the most mysterious part of the song
with the need to fit them comfortably into the
music. Cory Arnold describes how using the correct
language is key to how you want the song to be
heard with techniques such as a poetic structure
building the lyrics as he writes with sounds and
rhymes. The video is very interesting to listen to and
helps with the understanding of what lyrics are and
how they are generally used by different artists.
BBC
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSCUKqVqs7I
One video on the BBC YouTube channel is
‘The Story of Music’ by Dara O’Briain’s Science
Club and it describes where music originated from
and how melodies are formed.
It shows how Pythagoras noticed sounds which
harmonised with each other as he was walking
past a blacksmith – he thought that how good
the hammers sounded together was down to
maths (rhythm). Many great minds of science
also studied sound, from Aristotle to Leonardo Da
Vinci and Galileo. It describes the spread of music
from monasteries to royal courts, and how during
Beethoven’s era music was becoming commercially
listened to around the world. For just a threeminute
video, this was a very interesting watch with
fun graphics and sounds which students, especially
in primary, would engage with.
Beth Khalil is the LRC
Manager/Literacy
Coordinator NET Thorp
Academy. She has been a
librarian for 30 years and
her passion is encouraging
young people to discover a
lifelong love of reading.
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
31

Digital
Three Websites:
Chemistry
Barbara Band is a chartered
librarian with over 30 years’
experience working in a
wide range of schools;
an international speaker,
writer, and trainer, she offers
consultancy services on
all aspects of librarianship
and reading. When not
campaigning for school
libraries, she can be found
reading, knitting, or painting.
Royal Society of Chemistry
www.rsc.org/teaching-and-learning/
@RoySocChem
A dedicated site that brings together teaching
resources and online support for both primary and
secondary students. Registration is free.
Primary resources are divided into 4–7 years,
7–9 years and 9–11 years, and include information
sheets on curriculum topics, videos, and
demonstrations; as chemistry is a practical as well
as theoretical subject, it is important for students
to watch experiments, and videos allow them to
do this. The secondary section includes key skills,
core content, and literacy in science teaching; the
latter has reading activities and chemical articles to
promote science literacy.
Curriculum maps enable you to provide relevant
resources, and collections is a useful segment as
this pulls together information under topics such as
classic experiments, chemistry in sport, alchemy,
and chemistry and art – providing links with
other subjects. Many may also find the maths for
chemistry section valuable.
This is an extremely easy to navigate website,
packed full of useful resources. New items are
highlighted, there are quizzes and games and other
recommended websites to explore, such as Wow
Science and the Association of Science Education.
American Chemical Society
www.acs.org
Although this is a US website, and is therefore
more relevant to their curriculum, it has some
excellent chemistry educational resources grouped
into elementary and middle school, and high
school categories, making them perfect for both
primary and secondary students. Each lesson has
an overview, a video demonstration, lesson plan,
and student activity sheet. Some also have further
reading suggestions. Resources have been grouped
into topics that spotlight the connection between
chemistry and everyday life – including the Earth,
water, food, health and your body, and the periodic
table – to aid teachers in learning and assist parents
who want to explore chemistry at home with their
children. There are also interesting articles and
videos from ChemMatters Magazine (found under
the ‘For Students’ tab) to encourage wider reading
around the subject.
ReAgent
www.chemicals.co.uk/chemistry-educationresources
Although ReAgent is a company offering bespoke
chemical services, they have some useful
educational resources on their website covering
both GCSE and A Levels. For GCSE students
there are revision resources, tips for preparing for
exams, topic articles and practical skills. The A level
resources cover a variety of revision topics with the
illustrated text divided by sub-headings making it
accessible. There is a section on where a chemistry
education could take you – something that students
may be interested in before making their exam
choices. The website also has a list of links to the
best seven chemistry resources (www.reagent.co.uk/
best-chemistry-resources) including blogs, videos,
infographics and more, many of which are created
by expert chemists aiming to make chemistry easy
to understand and fun to learn.
32
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

Give every student access
to the right books with Sora
Anytime, anywhere access to ebooks, audiobooks,
Read-Alongs, magazines and comics on any device
is simple with the award-winning Sora reading app.
Sora also offers social-emotional learning content
and multiple language options.
Visit DiscoverSora.com
to learn how to get started for free.
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
33

Your Patrons Q&A
Julian McDougall
Why did you become a patron of the School Library
Association?
I met Alison Tarrant through a research project funded by the US
Embassy on media literacy and ‘fake news’. We led this project
in CEMP, my research centre, and we used a multi-stakeholder
methodology and brought together journalists, teachers,
students, information professionals and media producers.
I interviewed Alison and then we invited the Great School
Libraries campaign to our project event in London. The penny
dropped for me that a school library is potentially exactly the
kind of space where really good media literacy work can happen
with young people – we call this a ‘third space’ in our research.
Alison asked me to speak at the weekend event online and I ran
a webinar for SLA, and people seemed to be interested in the
suggestion that school libraries could be this ‘third space’ for
media literacy work. And then I got the invite to become a patron
and it was a no-brainer. Since accepting, I did a keynote at the
recent weekend, we are about to start working together (with Ali
Kennedy) on a new project funded by e-nurture, and we have a
new SLA member, (Rachael Brennon) about to start working with
us on our educational doctorate programme on an SLA designed
study. So, it’s a pretty strong partnership at this point!
We get so bogged down in whether technology
and digital activity is ‘good or bad’ that we are
too binary in our thinking. Instead, the priority is
to give future generations the critical capabilities
to engage with the media ecosystem for positive
consequences.
What inspires you in your work?
It’s a massive privilege to spend your working life working with
other researchers, students, and partners (like the SLA) on
projects that have the potential to make a difference and solve
problems. We’re all about trying to help people to navigate the
media and information ecosystem in more engaged, active, and
critical ways, and we get to work with people all over the world,
who are often dealing with stuff that I can’t even imagine. Most
recently we have worked with Syrian and Rohingya refugees in
Turkey and Bangladesh on a media literacy project where we
used our funding to put the amazing digital art work they were
producing into new contexts from our research, sharing the
outcomes online and at a live virtual event. If people reading this
visit the online exhibition (Digital Arts for Refugee Engagement
– the project site is easy to find), I think they will find it inspiring,
and that answers your question!
What was the last book you read that changed your thinking?
Book of Trespass by Nick Hayes
What is the most important thing for educators to prioritize
at the moment?
Finding a connecting point between the digital lives of young
people and critical thinking skills. It is NOT about screen
time versus other activities, having various kinds of literacy
(digital, media, information, data
literacies) or not. It’s about working
with the everyday literacies young
people already have, and letting
educators enrich and guide them
with critical thinking, active
citizenship, social justice and
wanting a better, fairer world. Paulo
Freire said that education is about
the ‘critical consciousness’ to enable
people to create change in their
lives. It is, but we also get so bogged
down in whether technology and
digital activity is “good” or “bad” that
we are too binary in our thinking.
Instead, the priority is to give future
generations the critical capabilities
to engage with the media ecosystem
for positive consequences. Education
is where we can find a way out of
‘information disorder’, but critical
consciousness is required for
people to know why democracy is
important, why information should
Julian McDougall is
Professor in Media and
Education at Bournemouth
University, Head of the
Centre for Excellence in
Media Practice and Principal
Fellow of Advance HE.
He runs the Professional
Doctorate (Ed D) in Creative
and Media Education at
Bournemouth University
and convenes the annual
International Media
Education Summit.
be trustworthy, why it’s important to engage with a plurality of
perspectives, why it’s good to be more mindful about our digital
behaviour, why we should think hard about the way media
representations of people who are different to us are making us
think negatively about them. This is very different to banning
phones in school or obsessing about screen addiction.
In another life what different job would you have chosen?
Journalist. Or if you want something more different to what I
ended up doing, I was a DJ once, so …
What are you working on currently?
Aha, right, pull up a chair … No, the short version is – two
projects with the British Council in Ghana and Nigeria on media
and information literacy and online learning, the finishing
touches to a co-edited book (with Karen Fowler-Watt) on
media misinformation and another one with Sarah Jones and
Steve Dawkins on media literacy and virtual reality, looking for
funding for a scaled up version of the DA-RE project I mentioned
above, and working with the SLA on the project we applied for
recently. We also run an international conference called the
Media Education Summit and we are returning to the real world
in Vancouver next March. So that is going to keep me busy.
What’s the one piece of advice you would give to a young
person today?
Long term advice: ‘It’s complicated’. See that as a good thing.
Short term advice: if you are not happy with the world my
generation have created for you, and that would be a totally
reasonable position to take, then you can absolutely make it
better, but you have to get together with each other and act. And
that takes us back to the question about education. Our job is
to equip young people with the critical foundations for taking
action for positive change. The curriculum is NOT set up for that,
so we need to provide the space for it.
34
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

Members Corner
Name: Nalayini Indran
Role: Senior Librarian
Where you work: Hendon School
How long have you been a member: four years
What’s your role?
My role consists of: (1) supporting literacy and promoting
reading throughout the school, (2) working with teaching
staff to provide induction, research, and information literacy
sessions for students to support the curriculum, (3) collection
management and purchase of resources according to different
student needs, and (4) supervision of sixth form students.
Which bits of the job do you love?
I find it rewarding when I am able to help students fill gaps
they have in the knowledge they need for specific subjects. I do
this by guiding them towards the appropriate reading materials
or resources. I also gain satisfaction when, as a result of my
encouragement and support, I see a student go from being
an infrequent library visitor to regularly reading or borrowing
books. Furthermore, having a very supportive line manager
and school/teaching team around me, who understand the
value of school libraries, is fantastic.
What challenges do you face in your role?
I am finding it difficult to bring students’ reading habits back
to the levels they were before the Covid-19 lockdown. We are
also looking into how we can increase the school library’s
involvement in teaching and learning,
especially through collaborative efforts
with the teaching staff.
What do you think is the biggest
challenge facing the sector, and how can
we combat it?
Nationally, there seems to be a lack of
understanding about how school librarians can support the
literacy and teaching and learning initiatives.
A few suggestions to combat this are below:
a. Statuary legislation for school libraries
b. Advocacy on behalf of school libraries
c. Support from the Department of Education to make school
libraries a more integral part of teaching and learning
What is the one piece of advice you would share with
others?
Work in collaboration with teaching staff and develop
networks with other partner organisations, including the
School Library Association.
Why would you recommend the SLA?
It always has a positive impact through its commitment to
supporting and guiding school librarians through every step
of their journey. There are also plenty of opportunities and
resources for CPD.
Your in 2022
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VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
35

Books: 7 & Under
Adamson, Ged
The Elephant
Detectives
Nosy Crow
2022, pp30, £6.99
9781839942907
Friendship. Elephants. Search
I like this book and I think many children will too,
even some who think they’ve grown out of picture
books. It is very silly, but it’s also quite touching and
playful. Alan isn’t too upset at losing his balloon.
There are other games after all. But he is very upset
at losing his elephant. So he is pleased when Emil,
the elephant detective, offers to help. Armed with a
copy of ‘A Guide to Elephants’ from the local library,
they’ll find the creature in no time, won’t they? And,
if not, at least elephants can be relied upon never
to forget – either their taste for doughnuts, or for
friendship. Highly recommended for early years
foundation stage and key stage 1, as well as any
child who enjoys reading aloud to younger siblings,
cousins and grown-ups. Storyline and illustrations
both contribute to the delicious sense of fun.
(The eyes are particularly expressive.) In addition,
portraying the main characters from different ethnic
backgrounds makes this a good choice for enhancing
the diversity of primary school library provision.
Jane Rew
Averiss, Corrinne
Love
Illustrated by Kirsti Beautymann
words & pictures
2022, pp32, £7.99
9780711272613
Family. Love. Separation
Tess’ house is full of love, and she is surrounded
by it wherever she goes: at home, on walks, and at
her grandparents’ home. When she starts school,
she worries that the string of love that has always
surrounded her may not be strong enough to tie her
to her family, but soon finds new strings begin to
form between her teacher and other children in her
class. As her first day ends, and other children are
collected, she is left alone with her teacher and fears
her string no longer works.
A gentle, uplifting look at the anxiety that separation
from family can cause when children begin school
or nursery for the first time, showing how love
remains when we are apart, when we quarrel, and
when things might not go to plan. Touching on
death of a parent, it shows that love lasts beyond
life too.
The words and illustrations dovetail perfectly to
enhance the emotions portrayed throughout.
Perfect to spark discussions about love and how to
build and strengthen bonds.
Nicki Cleveland
Balkan, Gabrielle Balkan
Who’s That Dinosaur?
Illustrated by Sam Brewster
Phaidon Press Limited
2022, pp18, £9.95
9781838665388
Dinosaurs. Interactive. Early Learning
An interactive board book that may have a wider age
appeal than usual for this format due to the content
and presentation.
A brief introduction describes an overview of
dinosaurs and the importance of fossils in learning
about them. Set up as a guessing game with visual
and narrative clues, this book then invites readers
to look at seven different dinosaur skeletons and
guess to whom they belong. The answer is provided
in a foldout reveal, accompanied by an explanation
as to why each dinosaur’s body was so special.
Facts are presented in a blend of bullet points and
short sentences. There is also a suggestion on how
the reader may like to imitate each dinosaur either
through noise, appearance, or behaviour. Each
dinosaur name is accompanied by guidance on how
to pronounce it. This is an appealing introduction to
the subject of dinosaurs for younger readers.
Anne Thompson
Bermingham,
Alice-May
My First
Encyclopedia
Illustrated by Jean Claude
Priddy Books
2022, pp127, £12.99
9781838991968
Information. Facts. Fun
This has a cover that hints at the fun filled pages
that lay beyond. For a reasonably sized book this
manages to cram a lot of bite-sized information
in that is manageable for small people. Everything
is covered: from rocks to Ancient Egypt and
from transport to dinosaurs. There is a wealth of
information for both children and adults to learn
from in a highly engaging format. The illustrations
and photos are dynamic and will instantly draw
young people in. A great purchase for home and
school.
Jodie Brooks
Brett, Anna
Really Wild Families:
Little Bee
Illustrated by Rebeca Pintos
QED Publishing
2022, pp48, £9.99
9780711274143
Bumblebees. Insects. Animal Families
In the first half of this 48-page information book,
Little Bee introduces her family, home, and
daily routines, all illustrated by Rebecca Pintos’s
endearing artwork. The second half is presented
in the style of traditional non-fiction, using simple
impersonal language presented in a different font,
illustrated by photographs and a diagram. As such,
the book could be used to help children begin to
recognise the differences between fact and fiction.
The addition of puzzles, a craft, and a quiz ensures
that the book remains engaging and accessible
for young readers throughout. This is one of the
first titles in the Really Wild Families series which
explores young animals’ ‘habitats, family dynamics
and how they play, grow and survive as a family’
Chris Routh
Butterworth, Nick
A Flying Visit: A Percy
the Park Keeper Story
Harper Collins Children’s Books
2022, pp32, £12.99
9780008455620
Animals. Woodland. Adventure
Introducing another adventure with Percy the Park
Keeper and his woodland friends. This magical story
focuses on the hedgehog who dreams of being able
to fly but fears this dream is well beyond his reach.
That is until he meets a new friend, Carla the bird.
Carla arrives in a flurry of confusion, all tangled
up and in need of some help and some tasty food.
Hedgehog goes out of his way to help her, but will
he get a favour in return?
This beautiful book is a treat for any child and is full
of bright, vibrant, and humorous pictures depicting
friendly and happy animals. It helps to teach children
to care for and respect the wonderful nature around
them, as well as being an enjoyable story.
Angela Dyson
36
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

Books: 7 & Under
Cartwright Jones, Naomi
How to Catch a
Rainbow
Illustrated by Ana Gómez
Oxford University Press
2022, pp32, £6.99
9780192779038
Rainbows. Resilience. Memories
Freya loves rainbows (who doesn’t?) and being
the adventurous type, she sets out on a mission to
find one, equipped as a rainbow hunter. Her initial
enthusiasm turns to disappointment when despite
her careful efforts, she doesn’t manage to find one.
She also realises that her attempts to mix together
sunshine and rain don’t really work either. Being the
resilient type, Freya doesn’t easily give up, instead
she decides to break the problem down and hunts
for each colour of the rainbow at a time. After the
optimism of discovering all of the rainbow’s colours
in nature, disappointment returns again – these
colours don’t really look much like a rainbow when
you put them all together. What will Freya do next?
Naomi Jones has created a story of adventure,
resilience, and memory making that young children
will love, brought to life by Ana Gomez’s bright
rainbow illustrations, with a final challenge of
finding more than 100 throughout the book.
Georgia Ramsay
Coelho, Joseph
Our Tower
Illustrated by Richard Johnson
Frances Lincoln Children’s
Books
2022, pp45, £12.99
9780711268821
Communities. Environment. Positivity
Three children living in a tall, grey tower block set
off to find a tree they can see from their windows.
They try various trees in the woods until they
spot just the right one. The tree leads them deep
underground to a magical world full of light where
they realise their home is a mirror image reflecting
the beauty in nature around the block and the tower
block itself. There is love among the neighbours
who all help one another and both adults and
children relearn to love their tower block home and
the comfort derived from within.
Coelho’s words are accompanied by rich,
atmospheric artwork from Richard Johnson, grey
at first, greening in the woods, and lighting up
with warm colours from the warmth of neighbours
enjoying one another’s company.
A wonderful picture book for slightly older children,
demonstrating that it is that which is close to home
which makes us the happiest
Dawn Woods
Conlon, Dom
Grow, Tree, Grow!
Illustrated by Anastasia Izlesou
Graffeg
2022, pp36, £7.99
9781802580761
Trees. Lifecycles. Ecology
This is the fifth book in the Wild Wanderers series,
which focuses on biodiversity and ecology and
aims to foster a love of the natural world. Here, we
are looking at the lifecycle of a tree, from its first
challenge – will the sapling be eaten by a deer?
– to its death when it continues to be part of the
ecosystem. Through its life, we also observe other
plants and animals who are sharing the forest with
the tree, often benefiting from its presence, as well
as the impact of humans on nature.
Written in the form of a poem, and using many
lovely similes and metaphors, the text is very lyrical,
while remaining informative. Its strong rhythm
would make it perfect to read aloud. It also includes
a useful glossary. The illustrations are rich and
earthy, with many details for children to spot.
As well as being a beautiful book to read for
pleasure, it also offers many opportunities to learn
and discuss and has a place on the shelves of any
primary school library or classroom.
Agnes Guyon
De Roo, Elena
To Catch a Cloud
Illustrated by Hannah Peck
Faber & Faber
2022, pp32, £6.99
9780571340583
Rhyme. Nature. Adventure
Written as a rhyming sea shanty, this playful book
takes the main character on a journey to the sea and
beyond. Elena de Doo has thoughtfully personified
nature, bringing to life the clouds, wind, and waves,
capturing the way nature’s mood can change and
transform between being gentle and playful into a
sometimes-unexpected rage. This book reminds us
of the power that nature holds over humans, and
Peck’s effective use of colour in her illustrations
strongly evokes a sense change – I could almost
feel the temperature changing as I read it. Young
children will enjoy having this rhyming verse read
out loud to them, as their sense of adventure
explores the illustrations.
Georgia Ramsay
Dias-Hayes, Michaela
Family and Me!
Owlet Press
2022, pp32, £7.99
9781913339395
Families. Heritage. Identity
A fun rhyming picture book
with a young girl introducing us to the different
family features she has acquired, and who gave
them to her!
This cheerful book points out to children how their
beautiful features and rich heritage are passed down
from different family members.
With fun illustrations with the girl showing pride and
love for her dual-heritage family, this would be a
lovely book to read and talk about all the different
features we have that make us unique!
Ruth Horsman
Donnelly, Paddy
Fox & Son Tailers
The O’Brien Press
2022, pp32, £12.99
9781788492768
Animals. Identity. Creativity
Fox & Son Tailers make
bespoke tails for the animals, birds and reptiles in
Ballybrush – casual-wear tails, formal-wear tails,
all made according to strict rules. Rory Fox is bored
with conventional designs – he imagines new
styles and colours. Dad isn’t impressed, until a Very
Important Peacock sees Rory’s designs and must
have one of them. The resulting demand for Rory’s
designs makes for brisk business, with everyone
clamouring for newly fashionable tails of all kinds.
This is a delightful picture book: its prose morphs
into rollicking verse and back; the illustrations
are awash with visual jokes, among them a large
number of rabbits and mice contributing to the
chaos in Fox & Son’s shop. There’s a nice picture of
a rock hopper penguin admiring its new scut before
a full-length mirror. A map of Ballybrush appears on
the endpapers which is fun. All told, there’s plenty to
look for and laugh about on every page.
Peter Andrews
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
37

Books: 7 & Under
Empson, Jo
Tiny Blue, I Love You
Hodders Children’s Books
2022, pp32, £6.99
9781444940008
Love. Family. Penguins
What a delightful picture book this is. Tiny Blue is a
baby penguin who is constantly asking his papa to
answer his questions about the world. Papa knows
everything you see, or so Tiny Blue believes. His
curiosity takes us on a walk and a swim through
wonderfully illustrated pages of blues, pinks, and
turquoises. Wise papa answers the questions on and
on until night time, and Papa explains that no one
can know everything. He settles Tiny Blue after their
busy day and says ‘I love you’ to which the question
of course is … ‘What is love? That is a very big
question, replies papa as he cuddles him tight.
A bedtime story book or a close-of-day book,
‘Tiny Blue I Love You’ emphasises the relationship
between parent and child in a beautiful, colourful
book. The constant questioning about his world
and his total belief in his father will resonate in any
household with small children. The words are well
chosen to reflect the conversations, and the text is
spaced on the pages creatively to complement the
flow.
Janet Sims
Faber, Polly
Kitsy Bitsy’s Nosy
Neighbours
Illustrated by Melissa Crowton
Nosy Crow
2022, pp30, £7.99
9781839943676
Animals. Friendship. Conflict
Welcome to Park View Rise! Our first double-page
spread shows the block in situ, park and station
to hand, opened up like a dolls house to show
the inhabitants and their lovely homes. There is
much to see and discuss in the bright and lively
illustrations. We soon discover that things don’t
always run smoothly, and from the top down, each
neighbour causes problems for the next until the
whole building is fighting on the roof! Luckily,
Kitsy Bitsy is there to sort it all out, and before long
everyone is friends again and sharing delicious
Good Neighbours Honey Cake (recipe in the back
of the book!). The delightful book shows us that
even when we fall out with friends, it is easy to
forget, forgive, and move forward. Accompanied
by an audio track easily accessed on a smartphone,
beautifully read with just the right level of sound
effects to not overwhelm the story. A truly lovely
book to share time and time again.
Helen Thompson
Franceschelli,
Christopher
Space Block
2022, pp80, £12.99
9781419750991
Space. Astronauts. Planets
A satisfying, robust, chunky
block book that provides ‘an Out-of-This-World
Exploration of Space!’ The design is fascinating and
unpredictable with die cut pages, flaps, foldouts in
several directions, and bright, attractive artwork. This
imaginative range of formats engages the reader and
keeps momentum. An evocative shooting star opens
the book, and we move to the Planetarium Show.
The gatefold pull out of the Solar System stresses the
immensity of space and creates awe and wonder. We
learn about sending vehicles into space, such as the
Perseverance Rover that landed on Mars. The pictures
of distant objects that look much closer when
seen through telescopes are thought-provoking.
I enjoyed the flap that reveals the inside of the
command capsule, and the dramatic lift off happens
before our eyes. We follow the stages of the moon
landing with astronauts walking, driving, and even
leaping because of the small amount of gravity, and
then – splashdown! Finally we see what astronauts
do on the Space Station, including spacewalks and
repairs, before returning to earth. Informative and
inspirational, the book is highly recommended.
Brenda Marshall
38
George, Kaille
I Hear You, Ocean
Illustrated by Carmen Mok
Greystone Kids
2022, pp36, £13.99
9781771647397
Ocean. Siblings. Exploration
This particularly attractive
hardback has one seashore scene on the dust jacket
and another one underneath. The picture book begins
with two siblings and their parents standing on a rock;
the older sibling explains to the younger ‘The ocean
has lots to say … if you listen.’ (p.3.) Whether it is the
roar of the waves, the rumble of the pebbles, or the
scuttle of the crabs being described, this story is a joy
to read aloud.
As well as being ideal for learning about the outdoors,
this book shows a positive, happy relationship
between two siblings. Their parents appear on the
first and last pages, reinforcing a content, secure
family group.
This picture book is the second in the Sounds of
Nature series and has inspired me to read the earlier
I Hear You, Forest. Author Kallie George has written
many commended children’s books, whilst illustrator
Carmen Mok has received various awards. The
illustrations here are delightful and work well with the
text, creating a sense of wonder as the siblings explore
the seaside together.
Janet Syme
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
Gravett, Emily
10 Cats
Too Hoots
2022, pp25, £12.99
9781509857364
Counting. Patterns. Families
Just from the cover alone you know that this latest
instalment from Emily Gravett is going to be a treat.
One cat and nine inquisitive kittens, pots of paint,
what could possibly go wrong? This book is full of
kitty hijinks, which will make counting and learning
about colours and patterns fun and engaging.
Emily Gravett’s illustrations bring to life the
mischievousness, but also the endearing qualities
of cats. Whilst the mother cat sleeps the kittens
really have fun and children reading along will enjoy
their playful antics just as much. Whether you wish
to use it to teach early mathematics or to develop
vocabulary around colours, it’s a book to read aloud.
Being an easy-to-read text means that children
can enjoy sharing the story together. A reading for
pleasure as well as for purpose book.
Rebecca Simpson-Hargreaves
EDITOR’S PICK
Hammett, Tracey
Bob the Dog Gets
a Job
Illustrated by Angie Stevens
Graffeg
2022, pp36, £7.99
9781802580815
Ice Cream. Animals. Working
This is a delightful picture book following the fun of a
busy little dog, neatly contrasted with a laid-back cat
with whom she shares a home. The job involves Bob
taking responsibility for creating and selling ice creams
from a van, participating in an ice cream festival, and
of course winning the special trophy for the best ice
cream creation. Skilfully constructed, Hammett’s text
includes light-hearted humour, as well as covering a
broad ice-cream vocabulary and sequenced actions.
There is so much seemingly effortlessly included
that would support early independent writing; the
text demonstrates grammatical conventions with
imaginative language use and some ambitious word
choices. It would be a super text to read aloud in
paired, shared, group and whole class contexts.
Stevens’ lively and engaging illustrations invite the
reader into the story; Bob is totally charming, and
the energy and fun is infectious, with so much to
spot and discuss about the ice cream business. This
book would make a very valuable addition to support
early years and infant shelves; Bob could become a
class favourite.
Stephanie Barclay

Books: 7 & Under
Empathy
Editor’s pick
Corrine Averiss and
Kirsti Beautyman
Love
Words & pictures, 2022, 32pp, £7.99
9780711272613
Emotions. Family. School
Tess is starting school and is worried
her family’s love may not stretch that
far. Her Mum understands and offers
a solution.
Kathryn White and
Rachael Dean
Home for Grace
Andersen Press, 2022, 32pp, £12.99
9781839131752
Friendship. Homelessness. Refugees
Grace appears in a shop doorway in
a sleeping bag with a cat called Luna.
An introduction to homelessness.
Eoin Colfer and Chris Judge
Cloud Babies
Walker, 2022, 40pp, £12.99
9781529502671
Families. Health. Imagination
Erin’s favourite game is spotting
animals in the clouds with her mum
and dad. This gives her joy when she
spends time in hospital.
Sheetal Sheth & Khoa Le
Making Happy
Barefoot Books, 2022, 32pp, £7.99,
9781646866236
Families. Health. Positivity
Sickness changes many things, but
the family still have each other,
and they know how to find joy and
laughter when they need it most.
Lou John and Jenny
Bloomfield (Illustrator)
The Worry Jar
OUP, 2022, 32pp, £10.99
9780192782731
Emotions. Families. Problem-Solving
When Frida’s worries begin to
overwhelm her, her granny helps
her put them to one side and enjoy
herself.
Moira Butterfield and
Gwen Millward
Sometimes I’m a Baby
Bear, Sometimes I’m a
Snail
Welbeck, 2022, 32pp, £12.99
9781803380254
Emotions. PSHE. Self-Awareness
It’s ok to feel different feelings at
different times – with ways to deal
with these emotions.
Emma Chichester Clark
Bears Don’t Cry
Harper Collins, 2022, 32pp, £12.99,
9780008491833
Bears. Books. Friendship
George decides to go the library by
himself. But poor George’s trip soon
ends in disaster and his library book
is ruined.
Wendy Meddour and
Daniel Egneus
The Friendship Bench
OUP, 2022, 32pp, £6.99
9780192777331
Friendship. School. Shyness
Tilly has just moved to a new house
by the sea. But her new school is full
of strangers until she’s pointed to the
friendship bench.
Helen Welsh, Clare
All the Animals
Were Sleeping
Illustrated by Jenny Løvlie
Nosy Crow
2022, pp30, £7.99
9781839940262
Desert. Animals. Night
Set in the dry, grassy, plains of the Serengeti, this is the
simple story of an intrepid mongoose returning safely
to his burrow at night. He passes giraffes, zebras,
monkeys, elephants, storks, lizards, butterflies, and
cheetahs, all sleeping peacefully in their own way.
These are not the animals which we usually meet in
stories about the night.
This is a book which can be used at many levels. First,
the richly coloured, double-page illustrations can be
used on their own for questions, observation, and
deduction or as a starting point for children’s own text.
The text is lyrical and rich with a satisfying,
predictable pattern that you can begin to join in with.
Using the smartphone link you can listen to it being
read expressively against a background of atmospheric
desert sounds. This adds a second layer.
Finally, there are non-fiction facts at the end,
giving details about each of the animals. This is a
starting point for further finding out about the animals,
the Serengeti, and Africa.
Annie Pattison
Henn, Sophy
Lifesize Baby
Animals
Red Shed
2022, pp32, £8.99
9781405299497
Animals. Nature. Measuring
This is the third book in Sophy Henn’s Lifesize
series. The concept is simple but very effective:
whenever the word LIFESIZE appears, you know
that what you see is the real size of the baby animal
(or part of it) in nature. You can appreciate nature’s
diversity, from the biggest baby of all, a baby whale
whose eye almost fits a whole page, to tiny babies
who are just a dot on the page, and culminating in
a fold-out spread of a baby elephant! Each animal
is accompanied by some information on both the
animal, its environment, and, sometimes, other
animals who live nearby. The last double spread
features the animals again, with babies and adults
measured in Lifesize books.
The illustrations are big and bold, and the style is
chatty and very interactive, encouraging children
to compare, measure, and question. I can see this
book having many uses in the primary classroom,
not only to learn about animals and their habitat, but
also in Maths lessons.
Agnes Guyon
Hinson-King, Rico
Strong and Tough
Illustrated by Nick Sharratt
Bloomsbury Children’s Books
2022, pp32, £6.99
9781526648631
Families. Feelings. Adoption
and Fostering
This is a modern story for a modern age. It addresses
important contemporary issues such as fostering
and adoption, and considers the loss that a child
feels during this process. It is about a young boy,
Charlie, who goes into care and is separated from
his sisters. He misses his sisters and wants to be
with them again. This makes him sad, but his love
of football helps him deal with his feelings and his
situation. This story follows Charlie’s journey until
he is eventually reunited with his sisters when they
are all fostered by two dads. Finally, Charlie and his
sisters are adopted by the two dads and his dream of
being part of a family comes true.
This is a story about strength and resilience written
by a 10-year-old boy called Rico Hinson-King. It is a
true story of his life. Rico’s writing shows a maturity
well beyond his age, and the book addresses issues
of fostering and adoption from a child’s perspective.
It is not only a good read but also provides a
valuable resource for children experiencing
fostering or adoption.
Andrea Rayner
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
39

Books: 7 & Under
Hodgkinson, Leigh
Martha Maps It Out
Oxford University Press
2022, pp29, £6.99
9780192777782
Maps. Community. World
This book is an absolute
delight and a must for
curious children everywhere. Martha loves drawing
maps; she creates maps of the universe, our planet,
her city, her street, her block of flats, and even
her bedroom. Every page is full of detail with clear
illustrations and descriptions. There are lots of
quirky details and fun facts. Children of all ages will
spend hours poring over each page and identifying
every part of Martha’s and their own world, and it is
a wonderful book to encourage conversations.
The book explores the many ways we are connected
to our communities and how we use maps and scale
to make sense of our world. This book will introduce
children to many themes, including sustainability
and their place in the world. It encourages children
to dream BIG, to ask BIG questions and to have BIG
thoughts. Martha’s map of her thoughts is funny and
inspiring, and her excitement is infectious and full of
energy. Children can be inspired to create their own
maps, starting a useful habit of mind-mapping!
Sue Bastone
Horácek, Petr
A Best Friend for
Bear
Walker Books Ltd
2022, pp32, £12.99
9781406397543
Friendship. Loneliness.
Playing
Black Bear is lonely and is hoping to find a friend. So
he goes walking in the forest in search of a friend.
And this is just what Brown Bear is doing too. They
chat, they search together, and then they try playing
to see if they can find a friend. Horacek’s illustrations
bring out the bears’ characters well and the print
size is just right for children with whom one is
sharing the book – older ones will be able to follow
the words easily and younger children will delight
in the fact that they can work out the fact that the
bears are friends before the bears even realise it. A
friendly joke at the end ties up the story really well
and serves as a useful lesson or point of view to
aid children on their journeys of knowledge about
themselves and the world.
Rudolf Loewenstein
Jones, Richard
Where Have You
Been, Little Cat?
Simon & Schuster
Children’s
2022, pp32, £12.99
9781398502529
Animals. Adventure. Imagination.
Have you ever wondered what your cat gets up to
when they venture out of the house?
This story encourages children to use their
imagination and discover where cats go every day.
What adventures do they encounter? Who do they
meet? What do they do? It also promotes thought
and empathy and allows children to think about how
a cat might feel on their day’s adventures. Are they
brave? Are they happy? Do they get scared?
The text is simple and the illustrations that spread
across the entire page are beautiful and clear. A
lovely book to share with very young children,
especially those who have a cat themselves!
Angela Dyson
Lightman, Alan P.
and Pastuchiv, Olga
Ada and the
Galaxies
Illustrated by Susanna
Chapman
MIT Kids Press
2022, pp40, £12.99
9781529505221
Stars. Joyful. Nature
This beautiful book tells the story of a city girl who is
desperate to see stars in the night sky. On a visit to the
island where her grandparents, Ama and Poobah, live,
she sees ospreys and crabs, and goes kayaking. She
patiently waits for the sun to go down, but as darkness
falls there is a thick fog over the island. Will she have to
settle for seeing the stars in pictures in her grandfather’s
book or will she see them in the night sky?
Filled with bright and busy pictures, this colourful book
uses joyful images to help tell the story of Ada. Facts
about the universe and galaxies are incorporated, and
the drawings include pictures taken by the Hubble
telescope. This would be a great book to begin to
teach young children about galaxies and space. It also
encourages children to explore their surrounding
as there are so many exciting and amazing things to
discover in nature. This book does speak of aliens
as if it is certain that they exist; however, it mentions
afterwards that there is no evidence of this.
Sarah Taylor
Morris, Jackie
Something About a
Bear
Otter-Barry Books
2022, pp40, £18.99
9781913074289
Bears. Wild. Environment
This is an enthralling
celebration of bears from
around the world. There is delightful short prose
on each page about the featured bears, with fullpage
stunning water-colour painting-originated
illustrations, ending with fascinating facts about a
variety of bears.
This beautiful large book is shortlisted for the CILIP
Kate Greenaway Medal, and I can just imagine
children at school poring over it, debating with
their friends about which one is their favourite bear.
Ultimately, their teddy bear! We learn about the
bears as babies; how they are cared for; what they
eat; where they live; which other animals they live
alongside; all about their predators; and ultimately,
we gain an understanding of their lives.
This hopefully translates into a respect for these
astonishing creatures, and a love of the wild places
which are celebrated on these remarkable pages.
Jenny Griffiths
Murray, Lily
A Dress with
Pockets
Illustrated by Jenny Løvlie
Macmillan Children’s
Books
2022, pp25, £7.99
9781529047868
Clothes. Adventures.
Playing
On her birthday, Lucy is taken to the Fabulous
Fashion Store by her rather chic Aunt Augusta with
the aim of buying her a new dress. The shopkeeper
brings out lots of dresses to show them: puffy and
fluffy dresses, slinky and twinkly dresses, even fairy
and scary dresses – but none are quite right. When
Lucy is asked what she wants, her answer is ‘a dress
with pockets’. The adults are astounded so Lucy
goes on to explain why pockets are important. She
needs them to fill with the treasures she finds on her
adventures. Things like sticks and stones, fossils and
flints, spells and shells. She even mentions worms,
spiders, frogs, and snails. Lucy will not be swayed
and eventually the shopkeeper finds the perfect
dress in a dusty box in the corner. A great book
to read aloud with its use of lyrical language and
alliteration. There’s a lovely contrast between the
neat scenes in the dress shop and Lucy exploring the
woods on her adventures, and the endpapers are
full of small delights to spot.
Barbara Band
40
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

In this wonderfully festive picture book,
Yuval Zommer imagines the Northern Lights’
fleeting journey from space to Earth and how
they weave a special magic for the animals
and people living in the frozen lands below.
Yuval Zommer’s
enchanting picture book
conjuration of the majesty of
the northern lights and Arctic
landscape is a seasonal delight
that little ones will want to
return to time and time again.’
LoveReading4Kids
AGE:
2+
Nature is
always at the fore of
Zommer’s work, and
this book is a sparkling
wintry masterpiece.
inews
This beautifully lyrical
book not only imagines
how the phenomenon came
from space to earth, but
evokes its spellbinding effect
on the humans and creatures
who bask in its glow.
The Daily Mail
AVAILABLE
NOW IN
PAPERBACK
@OxfordChildrens
www.oxfordchildrens.co.uk
978-0-19-276985-5

Books: 7 & Under
Newson, Karl
The Hat Full of
Secrets
Illustrated by Wazza Pink
Stripes Publishing
2022, pp84, £5.99
9781788950794
Grandparents. Stories.
Adventure
When Henry discovers
something amazing in the garden, Grandad
suggests he keeps it under his hat. Henry doesn’t
have a hat, but luckily Grandad has a spare one. The
borrowed hat leads them on all sorts of adventures
and Henry finds out some pretty amazing things
about Grandad along the way.
The Hat Full of Secrets is a warm story about the
power of sharing ideas – which seems written
partly to encourage children not to keep secrets.
Henry and Grandad spend the day together in their
neighbourhood. The beautiful illustrations create
a comforting and familiar world around the two,
whilst giving us a glimpse into their adventures.
While they talk, are they sharing Grandad’s
memories, or tales from his imagination? Either way,
Grandad’s ideas are exciting and inspiring; Henry
has fun hearing all about them and eventually he
decides to share a big idea of his own. An ideal book
for reading together in small groups.
Sharon Corbally
O’Hara, Natalia
Choose Your Own
Story: Once Upon
a ... Fairytale
Illustrated by Lauren O’Hara
McMillan Children’s Books
2022, pp39, £12.99
9781529045772
Fairy Tale. Storytelling.
Adventure
This enchanting you-choose style book is an ideal
conversation starter for young readers. So much
of our early reading is based upon fairy tales and
traditional tales. This colourful and beautifully
illustrated book from the magical O’Hara sisters is a
fun look at building your own fairy tale and creating
a story with elements of familiarity.
Beginning with the traditional story starter of ‘Once
Upon …’, the reader can then choose from five
different options before turning the page to choose
a main character with even more options. This then
builds into a fun and engaging story with the reader
as the author. You can’t help but lose yourself in
the possibilities of taking your story in new and
exciting directions. With plenty of scope to add
funny elements and to hunt for a villain, this should
appeal to readers of all ages. With its fairy-tale
charm, there is so much to discover in the pages of
this magical book.
Erin Hamilton
Page, Alexandra
The Worry Tiger
Illustrated by Stef Murphy
Two Hoots
2022, pp26, £12.99
9781529074123
Worries. Tigers. Jungles
Rory is worried because
he must have something to talk about at ‘show and
tell’ tomorrow, and he can think of nothing. When
he falls asleep, his room becomes a beautiful jungle
and out of the jungle pads a tiger with a ‘drum-deep
purr …’. She explains she is his Worry Tiger, and
she wants to show him the jungle. Together they
use mindfulness techniques to feel, look, listen
and stretch, using all the animals and creatures
they meet. Our tiger is a poet and uses lovely
phrases: ‘See how quiet you can be. Tiptoe like a
tiger and tell me what you see.’ The motherly tiger
takes Rory back to his room and the next morning
he decides he will draw a picture of the tiger
for school and talk about his experiences in the
jungle. The four mindfulness techniques are given
in detail at the end of the story, and this is a lovely
picture book with wonderful jungle pictures.
Elizabeth Schlenther
Percival, Tom
Milo’s Monster
Bloomsbury Children’s Book
2022, pp32, £6.99
9781526613011
Feelings. Jealousy. Friendship
This is the latest book in the
Big Bright Feelings series,
books aimed at young children that explore
emotions, and enable them to talk about and
discuss how they are feeling with adults. Milo is best
friends with Jay, who lives next door, and they do
everything together. One day Suzi moves in across
the road and suddenly it seems that Jay is always
out playing and having fun with her and has no time
for Milo. Milo is angry about this and the squirmy
feeling in his tummy becomes a green monster that
constantly whispers and mutters to him, and never
leaves him alone. He withdraws from Jay and Suzi,
watching them from a distance, until he bumps into
Suzi who reminds him that Jay is his best friend,
that he misses Milo and that they can all be friends
together. The pictures illustrate the story well, it
is simply told making it easy for young children to
understand, and there are tips that adults can share
to help children deal with their jealous feelings.
Barbara Band
Pirotta, Saviour
Turtle Bay
Illustrated by Nilesh Mistry
Otter - Barry Books
2022, pp32, £7.99
9781913074364
Turtles. Strangers. Acceptance
If someone is rather different
from you, then it is not always easy to empathise
with them, or even like them. At least, this is what
Yuko thinks, seeing her brother Taro’s relationship
with elderly Jiro- San, whom she regards as strange.
However, this does not put Taro off, as he continues
to spend time in the company of Jiro-San, who
is waiting for his friends to come. And come they
do, but not immediately – before they come, the
beach must be swept ready for their arrival. Mistry’s
illustrations of the different sea creatures whom
the old man and young boy meet are realistic and
will help awaken fascination on the part of children
reading this book – and when the sea turtles arrive,
both Taro and Yuko are able to appreciate the need
for preparing for their arrival. More surprises await
the children as pages are turned. The two pages of
information at the back of the book serve to give
further facts of note about sea turtles to readers.
Rudolf Loewenstein
Pitcher, Caroline
Lord of the Forest
Illustrated by Jackie Morris
Graffeg
2022, pp32, £20
9781802581645
Tigers. Animals. Jungle
A very welcome new
edition in a stunning
large format which does full justice to the glorious
illustrations by Greenaway winning Jackie Morris.
The lyrical poetic language with wonderfully vivid
similes bring to life the full glory of the jungle
environment where little Tiger is born and grows
and finds his own power and self-belief. Everything
little Tiger hears is new and exciting. When he
tells his mother of the sounds all around him, she
reminds him ‘When you don’t hear them, my son,
be ready. The Lord of the Forest is here!’ But who is
the Lord of the Forest, and when will Tiger find out?
Every animal he meets loudly claims to be the Lord
but their boasting betrays them. The true Lord has
no need to boast, which is a lesson in humility and
where true strength and power resides.
Joy Court
42
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

Books: 7 & Under
Rawlinson, Julia
Fletcher and the Stars
Illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke
Graffeg
2022, pp32, £12.99
9781914079337
Night Time. Animals. Wonder
Fletcher, a well-meaning but naive young fox, is
not frightened of the night, he is in awe of it. His
mission to help the stars immerses him in the sights,
sounds, and sensations of the magical, night-time
woodland. The soft, uncomplicated illustrations
help us to share his journey and experience that
sense of wonder.
The words which tell his story are carefully chosen;
poetic descriptive passages are balanced with
friendly, reassuring conversations between Fletcher
and a badger cub who is not so confident about
being out in the dark. Through this adventure he
overcomes his worries.
It would be valuable to read this book alongside
other related fiction and non-fiction books as part
of a night time topic.
This is a new addition to the Fletcher’s Four Seasons
series in which subjects from the natural world are
explored. It could equally be used together with
these other books. And to support teachers there
are resources online suggesting ideas for discussion
and related activities.
Annie Pattison
Rayner, Catherine
Five Bears
Macmillan Children’s Books
2022, pp32, £12.99
9781529051278
Friendship. Adventure.
Kindness
What a gloriously happy
and joyful story this is. One bear is out for a wander
when he meets another bear. This other bear is
kind and just wants to say hello, so the first bear
follows along behind. They are very different and
have different thoughts, ideas, and plans. When
they meet a third and a fourth bear, they just offer
kindness in return for nothing else, and so the pack
of bears grows.
Their thoughts are still as different as they are, but
their path seems to be merging. When they discover
a stuck bear, it comes as no surprise to the reader
that they stop to help. This fifth bear is surprised at
their kindness and asks why they helped. He then
asks an important question about their differences
and friendship, which has a very simple answer.
A brilliant story which celebrates differences
and highlights the importance of friendship and
acceptance for being who you are. Filled with the
charm of Catherine Rayner’s words and her unique
and beautiful illustrations, this is one to cherish.
Erin Hamilton
Riskin, Dan
Fiona the Fruit
Bat
Illustrated by Rachel Qiuqi
Greystone Kids
2022, pp40, £12.99
9781771647854
Bats. Nature.
Echolocation
An informative story with facts about bat
echolocation woven into it, to give an educational
read for bedtime. Following the worries of a young
bat, Fiona, who is about to take her very first flight
on her own, the story explores the theory behind
echolocation in a child friendly way. As the young
bat takes her flight, we hear how she listens to her
surroundings to know where she’s going. Together
with beautiful illustrations and facts at the back of
the book to accompany the story, this is a perfect
book for young nature lovers.
Helen Robinson
Rosen, Michael
Goldilocks
and the Three
Crocodiles
Illustrated by
David Melling
Harper Collins Children’s
Books
2022, pp32, £12.99
9780008509880
Adventure. Fairy Tales. Exploration
This wonderful collaboration between the author
Michael Rosen and the illustrator David Melling
brings you a new slant to the traditional ‘Goldilocks’
tale. Joyful and guaranteed to make you smile, we
follow Goldilocks and her puppy Tiddles on their
quest to find the three bear’s house. However, all
does not go to plan, for as they walk along the
beach, the call of the sea is strong and soon they are
under its spell. Entering a cave, they find something
they were not expecting. Repeating rhyming
language woven into parts of the story would have
young children reciting along at key points. The
illustrations bring an extra layer of pleasure to the
story, revealing small details which the reader can
spot, giving hints as to who really lives in the cave.
This book will easily become a favourite staple of
the early years and primary classroom or library.
Rebecca Simpson-Hargreaves
Rundell, Katherine
The Zebra’s Great
Escape
Illustrated by ara Ogilvie
Bloomsbury Children’s Books
2022, pp60, £14.99
9781408885758
Adventure. Animals. Friendship
Mink loves to be wild and free, so when she meets
a young zebra in the square where she lives, she
is keen to help. Gabriel the zebra rests her muzzle
on Mink’s head, and they discover that they can
communicate through colourful pictures and
feelings. Gabriel’s parents have been kidnapped by
the wicked Mr Spit. Together with a grumpy dog,
a helpful squirrel, and a host of other animals, the
duo must rescue them before they are stuffed! It
turns out Mr Spit has gathered an entire alphabet
of animals and Mink must save them all. This is a
lovely blend of animals, adventure, and fantasy
which would make for a brilliant story time. Sara
Ogilvie’s charming illustrations are wonderful,
especially the colourful way she depicts the chain of
communication between the various animals. The
synergy between the text and pictures is spot on and
it draws the reader into the fantastical adventure. I
particularly enjoyed finding out what some of the
more unusual animals were, from quokkas and
uakari monkeys to xoloitzcuintlis!
Isobel Powell
Sirdeshpande, Rashmi
Dadaji’s Paintbrush
Illustrated by
Ruchi Mhasane Andersen
2022, pp25, £12.99
9781839131394
Diversity. India. Bereavement
This is an appealing story covering many themes:
a grandfather–grandson relationship, growing up,
creativity, sharing skills, coping with loss, the grieving
process, acceptance, and memories. There are many
nuances, such as how emotions affect responses
to colours and sights, and how an unexpected
encounter becomes a catalyst for change. The Indian
setting is vividly described in words and vibrant
illustrations, which bring the village and daily routines
to life. I enjoyed the descriptions of interactions
between the artist grandfather and village children
and the local colour, from Indian fruits and bright
flowers to the depiction of the pair watching stars.
They paint the sights around them and garner ideas
from books, the grandfather teaching his grandson
and other village children. When grandfather dies,
the illustration style depicts this, changing from
bright to muted colours, and then back again as the
now older boy comes to terms with his grandfather’s
death. I loved the colourful endpapers, too. I highly
recommend this gorgeous book for sharing in
primary schools.
Lucy Chambers
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
43

Books: 7 & Under
Sorosiak, Carlie
Everywhere with
You
Illustrated by Devon
Holzwarth
Walker Books Ltd
2022, pp33, £12.99
9781529506310
Family. Animals.
Friendship
The illustrations are so beautiful and help to tell this
story. The story is one of a girl and a dog who live
next door. They are both lonely and make friends
through the fence. The girl reads to the dog and
shares snacks with him. Eventually the neighbours
gift the dog to the girl as they see the bond that has
been made.
Told through the dog’s voice, this is a lovely story of
friendship and loyalty.
Kate Keaveny
Sparkes, Amy
The Monster Who
Was Scared of Soap
Illustrated by Jack Viant
Bloomsbury Education
2022, pp48, £5.99
9781472994547
Hygiene. Humorous.
Inclusive
Amy Sparkes has created two lively characters
– Gerald the Monster and Maggie the expert
monster-tamer – for good reason: to show young
children that some of life’s necessary tasks (like
cleaning up) can be fun. Equally, this short book for
new readers will show them that reading (especially
when you’re still learning) can be enjoyable too.
The funny story line – conveyed as much by
illustrations as by text – helps, as does carefully
selected vocabulary and well-crafted sentence
structure. That Maggie wears discreet hearing aids
and Gerald likes soft, pink, fluffy things may also
dispel unhelpful stereotypes and will be particularly
important to some children who don’t usually see
their likeness in books.
Hopefully, this is going to be just the book for
some key stage 1 boys in particular (though not to
the exclusion of girls) – the book which gets them
hooked on reading.
Jane Rew
Sterer, Gideon
The Midnight
Fair
Illustrated by
Mariachiara Di Giorgio
Walker Books Ltd
2022, pp41, £7.99
9781406394658
Night Time. Adventure. Animals
What a wonderful picture book this is! As night falls,
the fairground closes and becomes a dark, silent
space – or does it? Answering the unasked question
‘what happens at night in the Fairground?’, Sterer and
Di Giorgio invite the viewer into a fabulous, whimsical,
yet grounded and relatable adventure, as the wild
animals come in and explore this human world, at
night. Each of the pictures tells a story without words,
but steeped in ideas, beautifully illustrated, to discover
what can be ‘got up to’ when the humans are absent.
There is mystery, anticipation, alacrity, kindness,
collaboration, exploration, compassion; this book
will delight its viewers, providing rich opportunities
for high level speaking and listening literacy work,
including inference, prediction, imaginative drama,
vocabulary development, all promoting story telling
skills. This is a gift to prepare children for imagining
their own stories and lends itself to intimate sharing
sessions as well as whole class enjoyment. It would
also be an excellent book for older children with
special educational needs and disabilities.
Stephanie Barclay
Taylor, Sean and
Morss, Alex
Wild Summer Life
in the Heat
Illustrated by Cinyee Chiu
Happy Yak
2022, pp32, £12.99
9780711269729
Summer. Nature. Climate
Change
Combining fiction and non-fiction, this picture book
explores the topic of summer. The first half is a story
of a young girl and her grandpa taking a walk to the
beach and spotting plants and animals on the way.
Grandpa is a mine of entertaining information about
how the change of seasons and climate change
affects the wildlife.
The second, non-fiction, part gives clearly laid out
further information about summer animal and plant
adaptations and life in the oceans.
The focus throughout the books is very much on
the impact of climate change and the heating of
the planet. The final page gives tips on how to help
reduce this, and sources of further information.
In keeping with the summer theme, the illustrations
are bright and colourful and bring the season to life.
This is one of a series of books, each focussing on a
different season.
Shona Page
Willis, Jeanne
I Remember
Illustrated by Raquel
Catalina
Nosy Crow
2022, pp30, £12.99
9781839941221
Families. Aging.
Friendship
A boy comes to call on an old lady, and they spend
time together chatting, playing, and just being
together. However, Kathleen’s memory is not what
it was, as she points out later in the book: ‘I can
remember being five, but I can’t remember what
I did five minutes ago.’ George takes it all in his
stride, however, as they continue to enjoy each
other’s company in the way that the very old and
very young are so good at doing. The warmth of
Catalina’s illustrations brings out the love that each
character has for each other, and the gentle give and
take will inspire not just the children who read or
hear the story, but also the adults who are fortunate
enough to be able to share this story with them.
This book deserves to find a place at home or in
classrooms as its messages, so gently expressed,
apply to us all.
Rudolf Loewenstein
Wilson-Max, Ken
Eco Girl
Otter-Barry Books
2022, pp32, £12.99
9781913074319
Family. Trees. Zimbabwe
Fans of the stunning Astro
Girl will be delighted to
read Eco Girl, the latest beautiful picture book from
the very talented Ken Wilson-Max. With a stunning
cover which you cannot help but pick up and start
reading immediately, it tells the tale of Eve who lives
on the edge of a forest and loves the incredibly tall
trees. Inspired by his own experiences of growing up
in Zimbabwe, Wilson-Max takes us on a gentle story
about the love of the baobab tree by Eve’s family, with
captivating illustrations throughout.
Eve learns how trees grow from being a seedling,
to a sprout, to a sapling, to a tree during a walk on
her birthday to visit her grandma who lives deep
in the forest. Her grandma takes her to a special
place amongst the trees where Eve follows a family
tradition of planting her very own seedling alongside
her ancestor’s trees.
This is such an important story about family and how
vital trees are to our world, with important facts about
tree projects in Zimbabwe to share too.
I love this story!
Jenny Griffiths
44
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

Discover your next read from
ANDERSEN PRESS
Bookworms
9781839131486 | £12.99
Home for Grace
9781839131752 | £12.99
The Kindest Red
9781839133039 | £12.99
Jan 2023
Adoette
9781839131899 | £12.99
Arthur Who Wrote Sherlock
9781839132995 | £8.99
Jan 2023
Theodosia and the
Staff of Osiris
9781839132353 | £7.99
The Magic of Endings
9781839132100 | £7.99
Jan 2023
Little Sure Shot
9781839132018 | £7.99
Jan 2023
Artwork from Bookworms by Nyanda Foday & Joelle Avelino
Booked: Graphic Novel
9781839132230 | £9.99
While the Storm Rages
9781839132056 | £7.99
The Ripper of
Whitechapel
9781839132148 | £7.99
The Haunting of
Tyrese Walker
9781839132407 | £8.99
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Books: 8 – 12 | Fiction and Poetry
Abdo, Dan and Abdo,
Jason
The Ghost Blade
Simon & Schuster Children’s
2022, pp245, £8.99
9781398512726
Graphic Novel. Comic. Humour
This is a wonderful graphic novel
full of humour and which is
perfect for fans of the Bunny Vs Monkey series.
Barb is a Berzerker, one of an elite crew of warriors
who protect the land of Bailiwick from the scourge
of monsters. The evil Witch Head has captured all
of the adult Berzerkers. Cue Barb to the rescue! But
she’s not alone – Barb’s got her own amateur crew of
wannabe zerks, made up of farmers, monsters, and
her best pal, Porkchop the Yeti. The ragtag gang must
infiltrate Maug Horn, the monster capital, and find
Franny Fire Fingers, who they hope will lead them to
the Wise Wizards and the power to fight Witch Head.
But when Barb’s powerful Shadow Blade is no match
for the evil she encounters, Barb must learn that her
true power comes from her own heart.
The graphics in this book are striking and help make
the comic really inviting to the reader and it will be a
fabulous edition to any school reader for any comic
book fan.
Emma Suffield
Applegate, Katherine
Wishtree
Welback Flame
2022, pp224, £7.99
9781801300704
Nature. Friendship. Loyalty
Red is an ancient oak tree and
the local wishtree. Every year
people write their wishes on pieces of cloth and tie
them to Red’s branches. Red is also home to many
different birds and animals: Bongo the crow, owls,
possums, and racoons to mention a few. Red has
watched over the community for many years and
is much admired. However things turn unpleasant
when a new family move into a house on the street
and are not made welcome. Red also comes under
threat and the way of life for all the community is set
to change.
This is a delightful story told by Red – this tree talks!
The animal characters with their quirky names
really come to life with the illustrations by Charles
Santoso. There is humour from the friendship of
Red and Bongo, but also a serious message about
tolerance and acceptance. This is an unusual and
thoughtful read.
Brenda Heathcote
Arshad, Humza and
White, Henry
Little Badman and the
Rise of the Punjabi
Zombies
Puffin
2022, pp371, £7.99
9780241509272
Adventure. School. Mystery
Who knew mentioning your opponent’s mum in
a rap battle was against the rules? Well, Humza
Khan – aka Little Badman – does now. He’s just
started secondary school and things are already not
going to plan: Humza’s dad has embarrassed him
by dropping him off at school; his trusty sidekicks,
Umer and Wendy, are in different classes; and the big
schoolyard bully has his sights set firmly on Humza
after a tense rap battle. The joy and relatability of this
book comes from Arshad and White’s wonderfully
mischievous protagonist. There is adventure and
excitement aplenty when Little Badman discovers a
magical wish-granting orb, quickly spiralling out of
control and leading to homework-helping zombies
and a parsnip-sized dad! It’s a funny, pacy, and often
tender story of a teenager trying to navigate the
difficulties of a new school and the challenges every
young person faces.
Ben Lunn
Blackwood, Remi
Race to Fire Mountain:
Future Hero
Scholastic
2022, pp153, £6.99
9780702311758
Adventure. Fantasy. Action
Jarrell has spent his life feeling as
though he doesn’t fit in. His favourite thing to do is
spend hours upon end drawing, not running around
and playing sports like the other boys. No one
seems to pay attention to him or the fantasy world
he creates within his doodles – ‘Ulfrika.’ The only
place Jarell feels himself is at his local barbershop,
as he can hang his pictures up on display. One day,
Jarell discovers a portal to this magical land, which
includes creatures and gods beyond his wildest
dreams. However, danger lurks at every corner
and now Jarell must prove himself to be the hero
everyone is hoping for. Remi Blackwood writes a
gripping tale of danger, magic, and heroes. From
the very beginning, the reader is immersed into
the exciting fantasy world of Ulfrika. With brilliant
illustrations to take your imagination further, this
book is a brilliant read for teenagers. The language
and text size used make it extremely dyslexia
friendly and provide a rollercoaster of adventure
within each chapter
Sophie Matter
Bunzl, Peter
Magicborn
Usborne Publishing Limited
2022, pp363, £7.99
9781474964395
Historical. Magic. Adventure
The year is 1726 and George I
is on the throne of England. His
Royal Sorcerer is on the hunt for those who are
magicborn – those who have the ability to make
magic and who have come from Fairyland. Twins
Tempest, the Storm Girl, and Thomas, the Wild Boy,
are cursed. One of them must die on their thirteenth
birthday so that their mother may continue to reign
over Fairyland for another 133 years. Escaping
to England, they think they are safe but they
are captured by the Royal Sorcerer and taken to
Kensington Palace where they are locked up and
made to perform magic for the King.
This historical fantasy is the first in a new series. It
is a thrilling rollercoaster of a story which is hard to
put down. With alternate chapters in England and in
Fairyland, the scene is set for the twins to discover
their past and change their future. In discovering
their magic, they also find a more important secret
– that love is stronger than evil. A brilliant tale for
young readers.
Sue Bastone
Carroll, Emma
The Little Match Girl
Strikes Back
Illustrated by Lauren Child
Simon & Schuster Children’s
2022, pp208, £12.99
9781398512818
Protest. Magic. History
In this fabulous reimagining of the original tale, Carroll
and Child take readers on a whirlwind adventure
around London, steeped in nineteenth century social
history, workers’ rights, and protests movements. We
follow the spunky Bridie on her life as a match girl
and how she navigates this dangerous world, first
for the sake of her family and then for the greater
good of those involved in the match-making process.
In particular, Carroll and Child’s brilliant use of the
metaphor of matches really stands out – being an
initial hindrance to Bridie but then as a means by
which nuanced and cleverly portrayed issues around
complex social issues from history are awoken in her,
and thus made accessible to young readers. This work
would make a fabulous edition to any lessons on
nineteenth century Victorian Britain; bringing to life
the issues of the day through an inspirational female
role model, with a touch of magic too!
However, anyone who appreciates the original Hans
Anderson tale may find this protagonist’s critique of it
unfair and off-putting.
Meg Barclay
46
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

Books: 8 – 12
Claessen, Jennifer
The October Witches
UCLan Publishing
2022, pp352, £7.99
9781912979905
Witches. Relatable. Courage
As October, the most significant
month for witches, approaches,
12-year-old Clemmie feels anxious when at last the
time comes for her to discover what kind of power
she might possess and finally use. This is the time
when rival covens of Merlyn and Morgan hags can
harness their magic, but things get complicated
when some of them decide that one month to use
magic is not enough. Soon, Clemmie’s coven find
themselves in danger and she has to decide just how
much she and her family can sacrifice to keep their
magic afloat.
This is a vivacious, entertaining witchy read which
brings together delicious escapism fantasy, an
endearing protagonist, and highly relatable daily
drama that many readers will identify with despite
having no access to any magic spells. I liked how
effortless and visual the storytelling felt, and how
skilfully it embraces fun, adventure, and all sorts of
relatable dilemmas that contemporary readers may
encounter as they grow up and learn to decide for
themselves rather than follow blindly what adults
tell them to be the only right way.
Marzena Currie
Cole, Stephen
Stitched Up
Barrington Stoke
2022, pp122, £7.99
9781800901230
Adventure. Fashion. Exploitation
From the first page you are immersed in the
protagonist Hanh’s world of the serpentine sewing
machine, sandblasters, and steam presses. Hanh’s
life in the sweatshop is delivered in a matter-of-fact
tone in stark contrast to the dire working conditions.
The dream of becoming a fashion designer is
something the young girl must push to the back of
her mind – the same industry that is taking away
her childhood. The plot, for the reader, is akin to
bringing together the ideas of ‘Show Me What You
Are Made Of’ and ‘Stacey Dooley Investigates’.
The story shows how pride and poverty could lead
anyone to these circumstances. Even though Hanh is
surrounded by toxic chemicals and is malnourished,
the young girl does not give up hope. The story
conveys the message that despite the violence,
the child workers can work together as a team and
have a sense of purpose to help them survive the
exploitative regime. For young readers it gives a
clear insight into modern-day slavery and the illegal
commerce that currently exploits children their own
age in the world.
Sarah Ryan
Conway, Anne-Marie
How To Be More
Hedgehog
UCLan Publishing
2022, pp208, £7.99
9781912979813
Stammer. Families. Cyber
Bullying
Lily has a stutter and finds
words beginning with certain letters hard to say.
Her teacher Mr Daley encourages Lily to be involved
in class discussions and asks her to introduce
her project to the class. Lily’s so-called friend Mia
doesn’t want her to do any of the talking in fear
that she will ruin the presentation. In order to have
the best chance at avoiding stuttering, Lily records
herself on her laptop to see how she can improve,
but her brother finds the video and sends it to
his friend, who in turn posts it on YouTube. Lily is
teased because of the video and attempts to run
away. But after discovering a positive comment
on her video about raising awareness of plastic in
the ocean, Lily finds her brave and starts her own
YouTube channel.
The author deals with the themes of cyber bullying,
broken families, and stammering in a sensitive
way. A great read for 9- to 12-year-olds.
Charlotte Cole
Cowell, Cressida
Which Way to Anywhere
Hodders Children’s Books
2022, pp384, £12.99
9781444968194
Adventure. Magic. Humour
Twins K2 and Izzabird O’Hero cannot
abide their stepbrother and sister, Theo and Mabel,
and the feeling is mutual. The only thing they have
in common is their love for their little sister Annipick,
so when she is kidnapped in strange and disturbing
circumstances, they reluctantly unite to find her.
She has been taken to another world, a world with
terrifying monsters and carnivorous plants that scent
human fear. There are horrifying beings threatening
them on earth too. Can Theo and Izzabird’s technical
wizardry, K2’s extraordinary drawing ability, Mabel’s
quiet leadership qualities, and Annipick’s unexpected
magical powers possibly save them from their
gargantuan warring enemies?
This thrill-packed, inventive, and funny story from the
former Children’s Laureate and author of the How to
Train Your Dragon series is bound to be immensely
popular among key stage 2 children. Who could not
enjoy a book with flying hoovers, opinionated robots,
secret potions, and magic toothbrushes? Cowell’s own
expressive drawings on nearly every page bring the
characters and action vividly to life. There is a strong
environmental theme. Sequels will surely follow.
Anne Harding
Delahaye, Rachel
Day of the Whale
Troika Books
2022, pp293, £8.99
9781912745197
Totalitarian. Futuristic. Adventure
After sea level rise has reduced
Australia to a parched island, the second-generation
protagonist enjoys his hard work helping repair the
damaged planet. Cam is proud of following the
restrictive rules that govern every aspect of the postindustrial,
environmentalist community – enforced by
Watchers. But his father had gone missing after leaving
an enigmatic message, and Cam enters the dangerous
territory in this society of befriending outcasts and
potential subversives in his quest for answers. As
the exciting adventure unfolds and fact intrudes,
his faith and the perceived world order around him
disintegrate, to be replaced by observation, trust, and
genuine comradeship. But this is a logical if unusual
projection of the present day, and the denouement
isn’t altogether positive; currently endangered species
are extinct. The deceitful exploitative regime is
dismantled, not replaced, leaving readers to question
what the faith-led islanders will do next. A well told
story about appealing characters in a thoughtprovoking
scenario that the author uses to dissect
concepts from socialism, tribalism, and capitalism to
vegetarianism and environmentalism, and turn some
on their heads.
Henrietta Price
Doherty, Berlie
The Haunted Hills
UClan Publishing
2022, pp208, £7.99
978 1912979936
Grief. Legends. Friendship
When Carl is taken by his parents
to the Peak District to try to
help him recover from the aftermath of a horrific
accident, he becomes caught up in the mystery
of the legend of the Lost Lad. Grieving over the
death of his best friend, he soon wonders if he is
seeing ghosts of the past or of his present. Can he
ever come to terms with what happened and his
part in it? A beautifully written tale exploring grief,
guilt, love, and friendship. Powerful storytelling
and extremely well-drawn characters, both living
and dead. Doherty has woven local legend with a
modern story in her usual brilliant and compelling
way. The Peak District landscape is vividly and
evocatively drawn, creating a strong sense of
time and place. A book that envelops the reader
and immerses them in the story – one that I was
desperate to know the outcome of but also wanted
to savour the reading experience and make it last.
A fantastic read and one I think we may well see on
2023 award lists.
Annie Everall
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
47

Books: 8 – 12 | Fiction and Poetry
Evelyn, Alex
The Secret Wild
Walker Books Ltd
2022, pp291, £7.99
9781406399394
Adventure. Environment. Friendship
Fern, who loves plants and running wild
in the rainforest, has spent her life travelling with her
plant-hunting botanist parents. Sent to stay with Uncle
Ned to start school in London, her only compensation
for lost freedom is a unique plant she “acquired” on
the plane, a plant she calls Special that appears to
understand her every word. Fern feels lonely and lost in
her new environment until she makes friends with the
boy next door. Her complete opposite, quiet, puzzleloving,
plant-phobic Woody helps Fern adapt to city life.
But Special isn’t the only unusual plant in London.
Monstrous plants appear overnight, smothering
buildings and causing chaos. The work of the
mysterious Guerrilla Gardener. Can Fern and Woody
stop the mega-rewilding and save London from
destruction?
Containing clear eco messages about valuing nature
and the environment, this heart-warming, action
packed mystery and adventure story also explores
themes of loneliness, life changes, friendship, and
courage. With tips for making your own seed bombs at
the end of the book, this is a great read for any budding
botanist or emerging environmentalist.
Lynn Marshall
Farr, David
The Book of Stolen
Dreams
Usborne
2022, pp389, £7.99
9781801315135
Adventure. Mystery. Fantasy
This is a wonderful magical
fantasy adventure novel which is gripping and will
be an instant classic. Perfect for fans of books by
Philip Pullman, Katherine Rundell, and Eva Ibbotson,
this book will be a hit with students in any school
library.
The fast-paced mysterious storyline begins when
two youngsters are plunged into danger when they
help their father steal a forbidden book and they are
forced to go on the run. To save their father from
prison they must discover the truth about The Book
of Stolen Dreams. But someone else knows its secret
and will stop at nothing to snatch the book’s magic
for himself. The children face a desperate battle
to stop the book falling into their enemies’ hands,
because if it does, they could destroy everything.
You will not want to leave the pages of this book as
you embark on an unforgettable adventure.
Emma Suffield
Gosling, Sharon
The Extraordinary
Voyage of Katy Willacott
Stripes Publishing
2022, pp355, £7.99
9781788954181
Historical Adventure. Gender.
Science
Katy’s caring father sees for her a comfortable life as a
wife. But Katy has been brought up at Kew among the
collections of plants brought back from the voyages
of Darwin. Like her mother, she has developed her
skills as a botanist but soon recognises that this work
goes unrecognised for women. Katy is inspired by the
independent-minded Fran Brocklehurst, who talks of
real-life extraordinary women doing extraordinary things.
So here begin her adventures. Disguised as a boy, she
endures the hardships and dangers of life on a sailing
ship and a trek through Brazilian jungle to find a fallen
star. There is suspense aplenty with many and varied
characters to meet along the way. Through Katy’s
experiences we discover much about other times,
places, cultures, attitudes, and values.
This is an enjoyable introduction to the historical
novel. It’s an opportunity for teachers to support the
reader by discussing the role of research and to think
about what might realistically have happened and
how far imagination and fantasy make for very good
storytelling.
Annie Pattison
Harrold, A. F
The Worlds We Leave
Behind
Illustrated by Levi Pinfold
Bloomsbury Children’s Books
2022, pp241, £12.99
9781526623881
Friendship. Anger. Missing Person
An exceptional and brave story that will, at times,
boggle your mind. It certainly begs a second and
perhaps even a third reading.
Tommo, Hex, and Sascha are playing on the rope swing
in the forest when a fun game of throwing dirt goes
horribly wrong and Sascha gets injured. The boys react
differently and Hex gets beaten up by Sascha’s older
sister for laughing, as she believes him to be the cause
of the accident. Running away, Hex finds a huge dog
and a strange old woman who offers him revenge on
the girl who fought him. That girl was offered the same
deal, to erase Hex for his actions. One will get erased.
What follows is the aftermath of erasing an entire
person and the ripples of change as the world
heals itself around this missing person. Families and
friendships are impacted greatly but there is a whisper
of the past lingering.
Truly thought-provoking and compelling, this is an
extraordinary story. The atmospheric illustrations from
Levi Pinfold suit the story perfectly and add danger and
darkness to the tale.
Erin Hamilton
Hastings, Natasha
The Miraculous
Sweetmakers: The
Frost Fair
Illustrated by Alex T. Smith
Harper Collins Children’s Books
2022, pp448, £12.99
9780008496050
Historical. Friendships. Magic
Debuts are always a treat. To find a new voice, to
explore a new imagination, to delve into a new style
of writing, can anything be more exciting? Well, it
can actually, yes. For the story itself can be and this
is exactly the case with Natasha Hasting’s debut.
Set during the time of the cold winter and Great
Frost of 1683, the story introduces us to Thomasina
and Anne. They are the best of friends even if
leading very different lives. One girl runs her father’s
sweet shop, the other apprentices for her family
apothecary, but they come together to sell their
wares to those enjoying the frozen river Thames.
All is well until a family tragedy turns Thomasina’s
world upside down. A mysterious conjuror, an
enchanted Frost Fair and the world of Father Winter
threaten all the girls hold dear unless they can solve
the magical mysteries. A gripping and excitingly
detailed historical adventure.
Louise Ellis-Barrett
Hegley, John
I Am a Poetato
Otter Barry Books
2022, pp64, £9.99
9781913074340
Poetry. Animals. Nature
This is a fabulous poetry
companion full of laughout-loud
witty poems about
nature, animals, pets, and people. Featuring dogs
and deckchairs, Peter the non-talking Parrot, an
unusual unicorn, a vole in a vest – and a guillemot.
This brilliant collection is laid out with poems in
alphabetical order to make them easy to find and in
a scrapbook style with wonderful drawings – every
poem is laid out in a different and unique way.
I am a Poetato is great book for readers for all ages
(even those who think they don’t like poetry) and
would be a wonderful addition to any key stage 1 or
2 primary classroom or library.
Emma Suffield
48
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

Books: 8 – 12
WWI/WWII
Editor’s pick
Robin Stevens
The Ministry of
Unladylike Activity
Puffin, 2022, 352pp, £12.99
9780241429860
Crime. Detectives. Murder
Someone is passing info to Nazi
Germany and the detectives must
find out who if they want to be
acknowledged by the Ministry.
Jonathan Tullock
Cuckoo Summer
Andersen Press, 2022, 256pp, £7.99
9781839132094
Countryside. Evacuees. Friendship
Two children find a wounded Nazi
airman in the woods and look after
him as he’s a fellow human being.
K N Chimbiri and Elizabeth
Lander
The Story of Britain’s
Black Airmen
Scholastic, 2022, 72pp, £8.99
9780702307423
Aircraft. World War I. World War II
Details the rarely heard stories of
Black airmen during the First and
Second World Wars who contributed
so much.
Sufiya Ahmed and Hazem
Asif
Rosie Raja: Churchill’s
Spy
Bloomsbury, 2022, 224pp, £6.99
9781801990059
Adventure. Spies. World War II
Rosie’s father is a spy for the British
government, and when he flies on a
secret mission to France, she stows
away in the plane.
Vanessa Harbour
Safe
Firefly, 2022, 224pp, £7.99,
9781913102937
Adventure. Animals. World War II
Kizzy and Jakob, a Roma girl and a
Jewish boy, lead a group of horses
and children to safety during World
War II.
Michael
Morpurgo and George
Butler
War horse
Farshore, 2022, 185pp, £12,99
9780008535711
Animals. World War I. Horses
Fortieth anniversary of a publishing
classic about Joey the horse as he
moves from life on a farm into the
battles of World War I.
Stephen Bourne
Black Poppies
The History Press, 2022, 176pp, £8.99,
9780750999632
Britain. Home Front. World War I
Fascinating stories of Black British
servicemen who fought on the
battlefields, plus Black Britons who
supported the war effort on the
Home Front.
Sue Klauber
Zinc
Troika Books, 2022, 192pp, £8.99
9781912745043
Coding. Resistance. World War II
It is World War II and Eva and her
brothers, John and George, are each
fighting in their own way.
Higuera, Donna Barba
The Last Story Teller
Piccadilly Press
2022, pp336, £7.99
9781800784208
Sci-Fi. Folklore. Friendship
The Last Storyteller comes to us
from the USA, where the novel
won the prestigious 2022 Newbery Medal. Higuera
skilfully combines science fiction, folklore, and
mythology to create a pacy middle grade novel
which advanced readers from Year 5 upwards will
love.
Feisty Petra Peña is part of a small group of children,
and their scientist parents, chosen to leave planet
Earth which is doomed to be obliterated by an
incoming comet. On the star ship that will transport
her, brother Xavier, and their parents to life on a new
planet Sagan, they are put into a condition of stasis
in order to survive the 380 years it will take to get
there. On board, the community is overtaken by The
Collective who have their own vision of survival.
Higuera weaves tales remembered from her own
childhood into the narrative which juxtaposes the
warmth of relationships with the sterility of life
under the control of The Collective. A must-buy for
all upper key stage 2 or key stage 3 libraries.
Jane Broadis
Hitchcock, Fleur
Mouse Heart
Nosy Crow
2022, pp272, £7.99
9781788009485
Murder. Theatre. Mystery
In this romp of a murder
mystery, our plucky foundling
heroine, Mouse, is determined to clear the name
of her friend Walter who has been wrongfully
imprisoned for murder. Set in the world of the Moth
Theatre where she has been brought up, as the body
count increases, Mouse is forced to question what
she thinks she knows about her theatre family –
someone in the cast is not who they seem and has a
deadly secret. Can Mouse uncover the truth before
it’s too late?
Packed full of adventure, this story is a real page
turner. Although fictionalised, the historical setting
feels real, and you can feel yourself running through
the streets with Mouse. Children aged 9+ will love it!
Shona Page
Hoghton, Anna
Orla and the Wild
Hunt
Chicken House
2022, pp356, £7.99
9781912626113
Grief. Mythology. Adventure
A book steeped in Irish
mythology and folklore but dealing with grief and
loss. Orla and her brother are still grieving the death
of their mother and choose to spend time in the
comfort of their grandmother’s house in Ireland
where they can enjoy her magical storytelling. But
soon after they arrive, Gran vanishes. She has been
taken by the Wild Hunt, a dark force reminiscent
of the dementors in the Harry Potter books; they
torture the mortals by feasting on their sadness until
there is nothing left of that person. The children
have just three days to rescue their Gran.
Helped by a local boy – and a peculiar creature
called a pooka which they discover in Gran’s garden
shed – they set out to find her. They enrol the help
of Fionn (Finn MacCool) the famous giant of Ireland
and have to put their sadness behind them if they’re
to rescue their beloved Gran. The story moves at a
great pace and the author depicts the loss and anger
of grief in an accessible way for readers.
Carolyn Copland
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
49

Books: 8 – 12 | Fiction and Poetry
Horowitz, Antony
Where Seagulls Dare:
A Diamond Brothers
Case
Walker Books Ltd
2022, pp251, £7.99
9781529501179
Adventure. Funny. Crime
The long-awaited return of the Diamond brothers
is sure not to disappoint long-time admirers of
Anthony Horowitz and enchant new readers of his
more whimsical, comic series. Private investigators
Tim and Nick Diamond are back, and this time
they must find a man reported missing by his
daughter, Jane Nightingale. It is not long before
they encounter trouble in the form of traps and
treacherous cable cars and for Nick, keeping his
dim older brother Tim in check is the biggest
danger of all! The outlandish brothers soon come
up against a super hacker villain and a sinister far
right organisation, but seeing as they have already
spent the money they were paid to find Alastair
Nightingale, they have little choice but to get to
the bottom of the case and to save the day. This
adventure sleuth caper is pacy and the brothers’
reckless bravery, hilarious blunders, and wholesome
silliness will delight any reader who appreciates a
well-crafted, twisty comic adventure.
Cari Lake
Hoskins, Hayley
The Whisperlings
Puffin
2022, pp352, £7.99
9780241514504
Ghosts. Mystery. Friendship
‘There’s no such thing as ghosts
unless you need their help.’ In this
debut novel, strong-willed and brave Peggy Devona
is a Whisperling and as such, can speak to the
dead. Set in 1897, a girl with such an ability has a gift
which must remain hidden, but when Peggy’s best
friend Sally is accused of murdering her employer
Lady Stanton, it is up to Peggy to use her power as
a Whisperling to uncover the truth. She travels from
Alderley to the menacing streets of Bristol where
she joins her uncle’s Psychic Emporium to speak to
ghosts who can help her find the truth to save her
friend from the gallows.
This novel is perfect for young readers aged 9+ who
like the mystery genre set against a richly painted
historic context. Victorian England is brought to
life through Hoskins’ finely drawn characters and
relationships in the gothic tradition, and the novel
tackles complex themes of death and prejudice. A
must-buy book for your fans of Robin Stevens and
Emma Carroll.
Jane Broadis
Howe, Cath
The Insiders
Nosy Crow
2022, pp250, £7.99
9781788006125
Friendship. School. Adventure
Featuring friendship breakdowns,
break-ins, and secrets aplenty, The Insiders takes an
intriguing look at what happens when friendships
grow apart and promises get broken.
Ted, Callow, Zara, and Nico have been friends
throughout primary school, but, following an
embarrassing incident, Ted distances himself from the
others and begins to feel increasingly isolated.
When the others find out someone has been staying
overnight in their school, they decide to investigate –
without Ted. As Ted’s loneliness and bitterness grows,
the consequences grow increasingly dangerous.
Featuring Cath Howe’s trademark wisdom and
warmth, The Insiders is a perfect book to help those
coming to the end of primary school navigate
tricky friendship dynamics and discover the value
of communication. It would be ideal as a class
reader, touching on themes such as broken homes,
blended families, and loneliness. This is a perfect
book to encourage children to consider other
people’s perspectives and perhaps become more
compassionate to those around them.
Becca Watts
Humphreys, Alastair
The Girl Who Rowed
the Ocean
Lightning Books
2022, pp280, £9.99
9781785633324
Oceans. Perseverance. Explorers
A thoroughly enjoyable and
gripping tale about a young girl called Lucy who
is fed up with daydreaming of adventures and sets
out to have one herself. She decides to row across
the Atlantic Ocean from England to Barbados by
herself in a small boat she nicknames Izzy. The
story is inspired by the author’s own adventure and
bridges the gap nicely between fiction and nonfiction.
Alongside the narrative we also get to read
Lucy’s diary and fact files about different aspects of
her journey, from navigating by the stars to ocean
pollution, that Lucy’s class have been compiling
at school. As a reader you’re invested in Lucy’s
journey as she’s a feisty and often funny character
– the pizza bottom and flying fish incidences are
particularly memorable – and grow to appreciate
the strength and skill needed to pursue such an
adventure. It also helps that she gained a lot of her
pre-trip knowledge from reading around the topic in
books from her library!
Cassie Kemp
James, Anna
Hetty and the Battle
of the Books
Barrington Stoke
2022, pp68, £7.48
9781800900998
Libraries. Campaign. Friendship
A story of broken and repaired
friendships that centres around the library which is
the heart of any good secondary school.
Hetty discovers the headteacher is closing the
school library and making the librarian redundant.
Alongside this she has lost her primary school best
friends. In a campaign to save the library Hetty
discovers the meaning of good communication
and teamwork alongside understanding what real
friendship is.
A fantastic book on lots of levels, from friendships to
the importance of campaigning for what you believe
is right. This is a fantastic book and also has the
lovely dyslexic friendliness of all Barrington Stoke
books. A must for the school library!
Kate Keaveny
John, Rebecca F.
The Shadow Order
Firefly Press
2022, pp288, £7.99
9781913102951
Fantasy. Adventure. Friendship
This book was right up my
street: strong adventure, a
hint of mysticism, and lots of danger! One year
ago, everyone’s shadows changed showing their
true self, their inner self – some were good … some
bad. As a result, the prime minster of Copperwell
decreed that no one was to go outside during
daylight hours with defiance to be punishable with
prison time. Three friends, Effie, Betsy and Teddy,
smell something amiss and after taking the chance
to watch the sun rise, soon learn something that
will change their lives. The story takes them on
a journey over new lands where they meet with
fascinating communities of people who they never
knew existed. The scope of the novel is vast and
perfectly realised; it has a true steampunk heart,
and the world creation is truly satisfying. It cleverly
weaves in our own world problems with climate
change and political activism. This book deserves to
have a large readership and I for one hope that we
return to this world soon.
Jodie Brooks
50
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

Books: 8 – 12
Jones, Pip
Dimple and the Boo
Barrington Stoke
2022, pp91, £6.99
9781800901452
Family. Emotions. Feelings
Dimple is struggling because
his dad is working away. He
imagines he finds a boo and
boo says the things that Dimple is feeling. Luckily for
Dimple, he has people around who care about him
and support him in telling them how he feels.
This is a lovely heart-warming story exploring
emotions and how they can be expressed in
unhelpful ways. Dimple soon learns that he should
say how he feels and talk to the adults who want to
help him.
As a Barrington Stoke book this is perfect for those
who need a tinted background and font that is easier
to read.
Kate Keaveny
Kemp, Anna
Into Goblyn Wood
Illustrated by David Wyatt
Simon & Schuster
2022, pp352, £7.99
9781398503830
Magic. Friendship. Adventure
Meet Hazel. She’s felt different ever
since she can remember, but she has no memory of
her parents or her life before Ditchmoor School for
the Wretched – which is absolutely as horrible as it
sounds.
When her best friend Pete is carried off into the night
by strange creatures, Hazel musters her courage and
takes her first tentative step into the Goblyn Wood.
The forest is full of fairies, but something is draining
their magic. As Hazel’s epic journey leads to the
discovery of her own power, she realises the key to
saving Pete and her host of new friends might be
even closer than she thinks.
Kemp’s writing is as charming as it is compelling.
With its classic fairy-tale feel, this whimsical
narrative will sweep you away. Engaging, beautifully
woven, with plenty of peril and more than a dash
of darkness, Into Goblyn Wood is a timeless tale of
friendship, fate, and finding yourself. The perfect
winter story to read alone or share aloud.
Alison King
Khan, M.T.
Nura and the
Immortal Palace
Walker Books Limited
2022, pp272, £7.99
9781529503494
Fantasy. Adventure.
Exploitation
Twelve-year-old Nura works
in the mica mines in Pakistan to help support her
family. She is full of energy and hoping to find the
Demon’s Tongue, a legendary treasure buried deep
in the mines, so that her family does not have to
worry about money again – and she can enjoy
delicious gulab jamuns. When she over-extends
her digging, a terrible accident buries her best
friend, Faisal. In her desperation to save him, she
is catapulted into the land of the jinn – a magical,
terrible world where your desires seem answered
until you realise you have been tricked into a world
as unfair as the real one. Feisty Nura will not stand
for the exploitation by those in power and sets
out to rescue her friend. Inventive, action-packed,
problem-solving adventures ensue. Threaded
throughout this ultimately heart-warming tale
are cultural and societal issues that are punchily
addressed. A dynamic portal fantasy. Very highly
recommended.
Carolyn Boyd
Maguire, Gregory
Cress Watercress
Walker Books Ltd
2022, pp216, £10.99
9781529507102
Wildlife. Family. Adventure
Cress is already unhappy as
her mother, determinedly
packing up their home to move away, hands over
her disagreeable brother, a sickly toddler. The
author sets out the characters and their world on
page one, in not many more words. The family has
fallen on hard times following the disappearance
of her father, and is downsizing to a distant bedsit.
The cover likens the fast-paced, anthropomorphic
tale of growing up to Wind in the Willows and Stuart
Little. But like Salten’s Viennese Bambi, the lively,
concise account of American woodland life and
ecology has gravitas, encompassing invariably
destructive interaction with humans, exemplified by
the loss of Cress’s father: The place name is revealed
to be Hunter’s Wood. The story is ultimately upbeat.
It is moved on through sparkling dialogue and
humour. Sufficiently engaging for adult readers,
and particularly suited to reading aloud, its wry
characterisation feels more like Potter’s villagers. It
is also suitable for young children as the violence
isn’t depicted. A page turner for all age groups.
Attractive colour illustrations of woodland life
complement the text.
Henrietta Price
McGough, Roger
An Imaginary
Menagerie
Otter - Barry Books
2022, pp96, £7.99
9781913074357
Animals. Wordplay. Creativity
This charming collection
contains 72 witty poems, each
featuring an animal character, real or imaginary, often
depicted in a way you’d least expect: Honda-driving
anacondas, wordfish scouting the oceans in search
of an “s”, hairy spiders in gliders, and camouflage
wombats are just a few among many that are bound
to make you giggle.
Deliciously playful and beautifully decorated with
amusing line-drawing style illustrations, these
are genius little poems which will do wonders to
children’s imagination and would also be really good
for reluctant readers. There’s a lot of wordplay and
cheeky wit seeping through these little masterpieces,
and it’s so much fun to explore every little detail
within the text and corresponding illustration, e.g.
“Allivator”, which you read starting from the bottom
of the page or picture. Anyone who says that poetry
is boring should reach for this book because it will
prove them wrong. A delightful addition to any school
library, it’s the kind of book that could easily inspire
children to write their own poems.
Marzena Currie
McNab, Andy and
French, Jess
My Mum Is a Spy
Illustrated by Nathan Reed
Welback Flame
2022, pp176, £6.99
9781801300193
Spies. Adventure. Animals
Idris’s annoying stepsister Lucia is coming to stay
for half term, and he is dreading her new fad. This
time she’s obsessed with spies and she is absolutely
positive that Idris’s mum is a spy! But the more she
insists, the more annoyed Idris gets!
When some animals are stolen at the local zoo,
Lucia makes sure they go for a visit so she can test
her spy skills by solving the crime. All is definitely
not as it seems, and Idris’s mum does seem to be
acting strangely … could she be a spy after all?
When Mum suddenly goes missing, Idris and Lucia
have to take action, and they are drawn into the
mission. Can they save the animals and catch the
bad guy?
A funny, fast-paced animal adventure by Andy
McNab, really enjoyable with great characters –
the next in the series is out soon.
Jenni Prestwood
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
51

Books: 8 – 12 | Fiction and Poetry
Montgomery, Ross
Hurly Burly:
Macbeth Mayhem!
Barrington Stoke
2022, pp76, £6.99
9781800900820
School. Shakespeare. Morals
This short book is about the
student Beth, who aims to win the prize for the
best-behaved pupil. In order to do so, she frames
the two other candidates so that they would be
excluded from the prize, but in the end her guilt
makes her admit her deeds and she learns a lesson
about honesty and friendship. The story is inspired
by Shakespeare’s Macbeth and narrates it in a
modern way. The story is catchy, and I enjoyed
the spin on the original. I believe it could inspire
young readers to read the original story and makes
it more accessible for the younger audience. It is
a great continuation of the author’s former books
that follow the same pattern. The choice of words
is fitting for key stage 1 and 2 and it has a good
message to take away. It is a great book to keep in
the school library and I would recommend it for a
read during tutor time or in English lessons.
Luise Hocke
O’Donoghue, Katie
The Little Squirrel
Who Worried
Gill Books
2021, pp59, £11.99
9780717192304
Worries. Animals. Support
This is a very well-planned and
executed progressive story about a squirrel who
encounters different woodland creatures on the
necessary journey from his nest to prepare for the
winter.
Each creature gives helpful advice on how to deal
with the anxieties Squirrel describes, building a bank
of supportive techniques that could easily transfer to
real life. The author writes from experience as an Art
Psychotherapist, and the advice – and expression of it
– is authentic to read, inspiring confidence. The gentle
approach is inviting and natural, never patronising.
This is a really lovely book: it is a “proper book” with
chapters and varied sentence structures, style and
grammatical devices. At the same time, the large
print renders it accessible to less confident readers,
the narrative is easy, and O’Donoghue’s beautiful
illustrations lighten the text and create additional
discussion points. It would be equally useful in shared,
paired, and individual reading sessions, throughout
the primary school age range, and a very useful
addition to a PSHE programme.
Stephanie Barclay
Owen, David
Alex Neptune, Dragon
Thief
Usborne Publishing
2022, pp256, £7.99
9781474999236
Dragon. Heist. Environment
According to legend, the
seaside town where Alex Neptune lives is home to a
centuries-old water dragon that protects the ocean,
sea creatures, and local inhabitants. The dragon is
celebrated in an annual festival, but how many people
will come this year, now that the bay in which the
town sits is polluted and filthy? Alex is terrified of
the sea, sure it will kill him, but when he discovers
not only that the dragon is real but that it has been
poisoned and captured for commercial exploitation,
he has to act fast. He senses the dragon asking him
for help. He and his techno-wizard friend Zoey make
plans to rescue it and return the bay to health. Their
daring heist requires sea otters, a hyper-intelligent
octopus, Alex’s weight-lifting sister, his grandfather’s
ice-cream van, a classmate’s astonishing ability to
hold his breath, and most of all Alex’s extraordinary
new, supernatural powers. Can they stop the villainous
Raze Callis?
An enjoyable and humorous MG fantasy adventure
with important themes: protecting the oceans,
friendship, and overcoming fear. The first in a series.
Anne Harding
Pearson, Jenny
Operation Nativity
Usborne Publishing
2022, pp336, £12.99
9781803705033
Christmas. Humour. Family
An ultimate Christmas
adventure for young readers
by Jenny Pearson, author of the popular The
Supermiraculous Journey of Freddie Yates. Written
in Pearson’s signature humorous style, this is a great
story for a primary school Christmas library. The
Angel Gabriel has been a little overzealous with
announcing the arrival of the baby Jesus, resulting
in all the key characters from the Nativity crash
landing in the present time in a village in Hampshire.
So ensues the slapstick task of gathering up the
characters – shepherds, donkey, Balthazar, Mary and
Joseph – and returning them to their rightful time
in order to ensure Christmas happens. Of course
the children in the story, Oscar and Molly, are trying
to do all this whilst keeping the antics a secret from
the adults. Young readers will enjoy the humour and
the idea that the adults are none the wiser to what’s
going on. Themes linked to family relationships
also run through the story. Obviously, a story most
suitable to a particular time of the year.
Michelle Armstrong-Harris
Quinn, Suzy K.
Huxley Sparks and
the Book of Secrets
Lightning Books
2022, pp393, £9.99
9781785633317
Fairy Tales. Friendship. Mystery
Huxley Sparks and his family
move to Germany, the home of fairy tales, following
the death of his father, and so begins a story of
magical encounters with fairy tale characters
including goblins, wolves, and fairies. Huxley
discovers he comes from a line of Sparks who had
a significant impact on the history of Merchenheft,
a town in the Black Forest. On arrival, the family
discover that they are the owners of a home of
castle proportions and an ancient book which only
Huxley can read. Huxley can see fairies, goblins, and
other magical creatures that the rest of his family
cannot. A mystery begins as a creepy red hooded
figure is killing deer in the forest and an evil king
is trying to rise from the depths of the town well.
Teaming up with new friends, Karl and Clementine,
Huxley begins the adventure of a lifetime to try and
solve the mystery and return the town to its even
keel.
The first in the series, this book will appeal to fans of
mythical stories, magic, and mystery.
Michelle Armstrong-Harris
Roberts, Ros
Every Cloud
Stripes Publishing
2022, pp323, £4.48
9781788953467
Friendship. Families. Dementia
Set in the summer before
joining secondary school,
Amy’s story starts with
everything under a grey cloud. She hates the house
her family have moved to, partly because it means
she won’t be going to the same new school as her
friends. Dad isn’t working, Mum’s working too much,
and she’s not sure which of her friends are actually
friendly. Now, her grandad’s dementia is getting
worse, Gran has hurt her ankle, and Amy’s family has
to move again to look after them both.
Every Cloud is a story of finding your own identity
and your place amongst the people around you.
Its strength lies in each character being genuine,
rounded, complex and written with empathy.
The book is perfectly pitched between honesty
and hopefulness. It covers themes of uncertainty,
change and loss, but also celebrates the power of
love between families and friends – old and new. An
ultimately uplifting read, particularly for any student
who feels unsettled as their world changes around
them.
Sharon Corbally
52
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

Books: 8 – 12
Said, S.F.
Tyger
Illustrated by Dave
McKean
David Fickling Books
2022, pp304, £12.99
9781788452830
Magic. Adventure.
Mythology
A fabulously written and
engrossing tale of endurance and self-discovery
through the lens of Adam, a young delivery boy
who finds a mysterious Tyger who is in danger in a
rubbish dump. Set in a future London which is still
part of the British Empire, and in which the world
is on the edge of destruction, only Adam with the
help of his friend Zadie can save the Tyger and the
world from the evil racist forces who are determined
to preserve this Dystopia forever. Weaving religion,
mythology, and society, with difference, oppression,
and manipulation, Said expertly portrays humans,
their strengths and weaknesses, and gives a brilliant
example of courage in adversity. Exploring themes
of self-reflection, courage and bravery, this work
is a rich source of discussion for any class, as well
as a stimulating and gripping read. Heavy with
racism and anti-racism discussion points, this work
may be more accessible to the older reader but
will be enjoyed by all. It is accompanied by brilliant
illustrations which really make this work come alive.
Meg Barclay
EDITOR’S PICK
Skinner, Nicola
Giant
Harper Collins Children’s Books
2022, pp368, £12.99
9780008422455
Adventure. Fantasy. Family
Like the other children on the
island, Minnie has a giant to look
after her, until the age of 12 when she will have
to turn her giant to stone with a kiss. The stone
is essential to carry out repairs from the many
earthquakes that plague the island. But Minnie
loves her giant, so she runs away and in doing so,
uncovers a lot about her island, its inhabitants and,
ultimately, herself.
This is a poignant story of love, friendship,
and courage. It tackles heavy topics, such as
totalitarianism, misinformation, and exploitation,
with a lot of tenderness, imagination, and humour
as well as moments of sadness, always remaining
appropriate for the intended audience.
The language is beautiful, rich, and playful, the
world making is vivid, and the characters are fully
formed and often endearing. The plot is engaging,
with unexpected twists and a satisfying conclusion.
This book would be ideal for a class read and
would undoubtedly provoke empathy and a lot of
discussion about justice and following your heart.
Highly recommended.
Agnes Guyon
Smith, Chris
Frankie Best
Hates Quests
Puffin
2022, pp383, £7.99
9780241522110
Computer. Games.
Fantasy Families
Frankie is 12 and finding school difficult as her
friends are teasing her. Her parents designed a
fantasy computer game which her friends used
to play, but now her friends prefer phones and
boys! She and her brother have to spend a week
with Grandad – and he has no WIFI! When they
discover a hidden portal to a fantasy world Frankie
is not interested until Grandad is captured and they
have to rescue him. Gradually Frankie decides that
she does like quests after all, and realises that she
can have different interests to those of the girls
at school. There are many delightful illustrations,
amusing comments from the author, and interesting
names throughout the magical kingdom. At 400
pages, a fable for keen readers.
Alison A. Maxwell-Cox
Webb, Holly
The Story of
Greenriver
Orion Children’s Books
2022, pp256, £12.99
9781510109629
Adventure. Animals.
Environment
Silken knows she is
different from the other
beavers as her teeth and strength cannot compare.
Her singing is also unusual. But she is tolerated by
virtue of being the daughter of the Master Builder,
whom all the beavers of the Stronghold look up to.
Sedge too feels different and feels he doesn’t live up
to his mother’s expectations of what an otter heir to
ruling the holt should be.
When they both discover a truth, known to
others but kept from each of them, they set out
independently to find out more.
Along the way they find there is more than one way
to view life and what they have been taught may not
be the only “correct” perspective.
This story forefronts nature’s reaction to changes in
the climate – caused by man – and how this affects
animals trying to live.
Dawn Woods
Wolk, Lauren
My Own Lightning
Penguin Books
2022, pp307, £7.99
9780241424216
Family. Reconciliation. Dogs
Annabelle is struck by
lightning in America in 1944.
This lightning gives her the
power to understand animals, or so she thinks. Like
her first book Wolf Hollow, this narrative features
some of the same characters. It can be read as a
stand-alone, but I think it would be helpful to read
Wolf Hollow first.
This book has interesting representation of epilepsy.
Author, Lauren Wolk, also discusses the nature of
superpowers or exceptional abilities and whether,
by those, we actually mean our own inner strength.
Another main theme is how quick humans are
sometimes to judge other humans and how people
can change significantly over time. Although the
setting for the book is World War II, the war provides
the background to the book only.
Animal lovers are likely to enjoy this novel.
Rebecca Butler
Zetter, Neal and Seigal,
Joshua
Scared?
Troika Books
2022, pp120, £8.99
9781912745142
Poetry. Emotions. Feelings
A door mysteriously bathed in bright light opens on
the cover, (by debut illustrator Zoe Williams) of this
brilliant poetry book. It’s not all ghosts, dinosaurs,
and skeletons, but poems on many themes that may
worry children. There are poems on growing up, on
schools, on divorce, parents, clowns, a child puzzling
about Heaven, depression, injuries caused, being
frightened of the dark, and more. Some poems are sad
and scary, others witty and inventive. The poets’ styles
perfectly complement each other. They sometimes
run workshops together, and this is their second
joint book for Troika. I liked the poem called ‘Author’s
Advice’: ‘Do you want to be a better writer? / Then
never be nervous ...’ followed by pages of synonyms.
Others I like include the shape poem ‘Black Holes’ and
‘Shadow’: “It follows me/And yet it’s not part of me”
These poems are excellent for learning by heart and
performing and also for class discussions on issues
that may worry children but that they might be
reluctant to talk about. Recommended for key stages 1
and 2 and younger key stage 3.
Lucy Chambers
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
53

Books: 8 – 12 | Information
Aderin-Pocock,
Maggie
Am I Made of
Stardust?
Illustrated by Chelen Ecija
Buster Books
2022, pp128, £12.99
9781780557540
Science. Space. Questions
The second book from award-winning scientist
Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock. Using a questionand-answer
format, it explores a range of
universe-related themes such as whether there are
rainbows on other planets, who was the first person
to go into space, did a person drive a car in space,
and how do astronauts have fun in space. Bite-sized
information, set in a bright, attractive format which
includes some stunning NASA photographs and
draws the reader in. The book includes a glossary,
index, try this at home activities, and some
Astrofacts which are fun extra bits of information
relating to the topic. A fun, fascinating book for
dipping in and out of and perfect for children who
love asking questions.
Annie Everall
Bennett, Robin
Stupendous Sports:
Fantastic Football
Illustrated by Matt Cherry
Firefly Press
2022, pp129, £6.99
9781913102913
Sport. Learning. Humour
One of the Stupendous Sports series, here is a book
for a child who wants to join in, having realised that
all their friends are playing football and want to talk
about it – and their team and its players and how
the referee always gets it wrong. I cannot think of a
better way to unlock the mysteries of the game, its
rules, or the special skills of the finest players. Start
here if you want to understand the offside rule or to
learn that in 1866 teams representing London and
Sheffield agreed that a good length for the game
would be 90 minutes and it has been that ever since.
There are five chapters, including ‘The Match’ and
‘Skills and Tactics’ and three appendices including
the useful ‘Keywords and What They Mean’. Each
chapter is cheerfully illustrated with pen and ink
sketches in a style owing something to the Beano.
And each not only entertains with some sly humour,
it will also equip a beginner with enough knowledge
to understand what is going on when they step onto
the pitch and how they can make a difference.
David Mallett
Braun, Dieter
Wild Animals of the
World
Illustrated by Dieter Braun
Flying Eye Book
2022, pp216, £25
9781838741143
Animals. Biodiversity. Illustrations
Did you know that each orca family has its own
dialect that they use to communicate? Or that
a male ostrich can roar like a lion? Wild Animals
of the World by Dieter Braun, from Flying Eye
Books, is a spectacular book for children who love
pictures, and information in bite-sized pieces. This
is more of an art book than an information book,
with stunning, lavish, full-page digitally rendered
colour illustrations of the world’s species in Braun’s
instantly recognisable geometrical style. Each
picture is accompanied by a short paragraph of
information with three to six sentences giving
key details and interesting facts in vocabulary
appropriate for readers of 7 years and up. The
illustrations would be perfect to inspire artwork in
the primary classroom when studying endangered
species, the rainforest, frozen landscapes, or the
human impact on the natural environment. A truly
beautiful book.
Jane Broadis
Chevannes, Sabrina
Chess for Children
Batsford
2022, pp128, £9.99
9781849947299
Pastimes. Games. Strategy
Many schools have a chess club; this book would be
a fine way to create a new club in a school without
one. Or of course this could be used by an individual
child alongside a parent or teacher. It starts with
explaining the shape of the board and the moves
of each piece. There are then simplified games or
drills to start with, which develop understanding of
each piece’s attributes. The later pages of the book
enable the developing player to learn strategy and
skills which could take them on to the beginnings of
competitive chess.
There are plenty of illustrations and diagrams, all
of which open the explanations, and a fine sense
of humour envelopes the book. It is presented as a
conversation between Jamie and Jess as they learn
together.
Nick Hunt
Cranford, Elizabeth
Bugs
NQ Kids
2021, pp64, £10.99
9781912944286
Animals. Bugs. Insects
The cover of bugs attracts
immediate attention with its 3D effect of a
grasshopper bursting out from the page. This is
not a book for the squeamish as it is filled with
huge, larger-than-life photographs of all manner
of insects, but this gruesome detail is exactly what
fascinates children. The book begins by explaining
that “bugs” is not a scientific term and that what
we commonly consider as bugs are part of a much
larger group called arthropods, which even includes
crustaceans! It also mentions that bugs, surprisingly,
account for 85% of all animal life. The reader learns
about the life of various bugs such as spiders,
termites, wasps and bees, ants, and beetles. We
are taken through their life cycles, metamorphosis,
mating and insect families, and migratory journeys.
The role of bugs in ecosystems is covered, such as
their work in the pollination of food crops and how
they keep pests in check. Sadly, bugs on the brink
are also mentioned. Visually exciting and packed
with information, this is definitely a book that
will appeal.
Barbara Band
Davis, Rachael
A Mind Like Mine
Illustrated by Islenia Mil
Wide Eyed Editions
2022, pp63, £14.99
9780711273993
Mental Health. Biographies.
Self-Esteem
This is an inspirational collection of short biographies
of famous people through history with presumed
mental health disorders. This involves applying
current terminology in a way that it was not applied in
the past, which the author admits is tricky. Examples
include Michelangelo (melancholy, depression,
autism, OCD); Newton (psychosis); and Darwin (panic
disorder, agoraphobia). Contemporary subjects
include Jameela Jamil (body dysmorphia) and
Andrew Flintoff (bulimia). One-page biographies
covering their achievements, mental health
symptoms, and personal lives are interspersed with
explanations of the disorders discussed. There are
tables of useful information, such as phrases to use
or avoid when talking about mental health, potential
treatments, and website links. This book shows
that mental health disorders need not stop people
achieving their goals and leading inspiring lives. I
recommend it for upper key stage 2 and secondary
schools. It could form the basis of some useful
discussions and is also excellent to dip into and for
school libraries’ self-help sections.
Lucy Chambers
54
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

Books: 8 – 12
Fichou, Bertrand
What About: Science
Illustrated by Pascal Lemaitre
Twirl
2022, pp80, £12.99
9791036339172
Science. Humour. Information
This is a fantastic book to entertain and excite
younger pupils in Years 7 and 8. The format is
simple: over 40 questions are answered in a
beautifully and humorously illustrated hardback
book. There are 77 full-colour pages, jam-packed
with information without being overwhelming. Each
A4 page contains the answer to a question; in some
cases where a more in-depth answer is required it
runs over two pages. Short paragraphs, information
boxes, and many illustrations create an exciting
experience for the reader.
Throughout the book we are joined by ‘The
Professor’ and ‘Marty from Mars’. These friendly,
familiar faces set the tone for fun while keeping
knowledge at the forefront of the reader’s mind.
My favourite questions are: ‘Do owls really have
horns?’, ‘Why do our bodies make noises?’ and
‘What is snot made of?’. Not only do we discover
the answers to these questions, but we also delve
deeper in the text boxes.
Erica Dean
Gifford, Clive
Powered by Plants
Illustrated by Gosia Herba
Wild Eyed Edition
2022, pp80, £14.99
9780711270060
Plants. Sustainability.
Technology
Meet the trees, flowers and vegetation that inspire
our everyday technology. The first-person narrative
really brings this fascinating book to life, and it is
one which I will keep on my own shelves for future
reference and enjoyment.
The plants range from the lesser known, such as
guayule, to familiar, such as bamboo and seaweed;
they are organised into the broad subject areas of
structures, robotics, energy, health, sustainability,
and materials. I had no idea that the wood of
Australian paperbark maple, an invasive species in
America, can be turned into alien concrete, which is
70 per cent lighter than regular concrete and which
insulates for both heat and sound.
The illustrations are truly amazing and bring the text
to life in a very accessible way. My only criticism is
that the index could be much better: a search for
malaria and mosquitoes produced nothing and I had
to skim the health section looking for a picture of a
mosquito. That apart, a truly remarkable book which
is a must for both school and home collections.
Carolyn Copland
Gwinn, Saskia
Scientists Are Saving
the World!
Illustrated by Ana Albero
Magic Cat Publishing
2022, pp32, £7.99
9781913520540
Science. History. Individuals
This book has been created in a cartoon form
and looks at a range of different scientists, from
meteorologists to Ukrainian astronauts. Covering
various scientific roles, including astrophysicists and
robotic engineers, it looks at how scientists all over
the world have contributed to the development of
mankind.
Living as I do near Lyme Regis, I was particularly
interested in Mary Anning, the palaeontologist, as
well as Stephanie Wilson who has travelled into
space. Easy to read, it is a great book for dipping into
and supporting current science projects. Whilst its
approach is very different, this works extremely well
and will, I am sure, appeal to all abilities. Providing
an ideal starting point for further discussion on
scientific principles, it will also act as a springboard
for future projects. I really liked this book and the
fresh approach it has taken in its view of scientific
development.
Godfrey Hall
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VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
55

Books: 8 – 12 | Information
Hudson, Briony
Medicine
Illustrated by Nick Taylor
Big Picture Press
2022, pp80, £16.99
9781787419377
History. Science. Medicine
The story of medicine basically starts over 4000
years ago in Assyrian times in Iraq, Turkey, and
Iran. Packed with facts, the book includes sections
on how medicines work inside your body, plagues,
and viruses. Chunky pieces of text are supported by
excellent drawings and text, and they are well laid
out so that they don’t become too overpowering.
I was impressed by the section on superdrugs
versus superbugs and the one on tackling future
challenges. Ideal as a starting point for a project on
medical history, it would be extremely useful for
older primary pupils. There is an excellent section
with drawings on the power of plants, looking at
medicinal remedies which have been with us for
hundreds of years.
One other section that was fascinating was the
one on prosthetic limbs. The advances and
development of these over the past few years has
been phenomenal and the book looks at the history
of these from the thirteenth century up until now,
concentrating in part on the use of different blades
in various sports.
Godfrey Hall
Hui, Rebecca
It’s Our Business to
Make a Better World
Illustrated by Anneli Bray
Magic Cat Publishing
2022, pp32, £12.99
9781913520434
Sustainability. Business.
Children
This is a book about children in different parts of the
world with ideas, mainly business ideas, to reduce
pollution and waste and to improve access to
health care and education. Examples are providing
alternatives to fast fashion, reducing paper waste,
and redistributing food that would otherwise go
to landfill. The countries represented range from
the highly developed (USA, Netherlands, Germany)
to the less developed (Azerbaijan, Malawi). It has
relatively little text and has colourful illustrations
and would be suitable for the upper primary level.
Charles Harvey
James, Alice and
Frith, Alex
Big Questions About
the Universe
Illustrated by David J. Plant
Usborne Publishing
2022, pp96, £9.99
9781474989879
Universe. Planets. Space Travel
The important point, clearly made in this book, is that
in so many cases we simply don’t know the answers.
Here we have a mixture of really basic questions and
really BIG questions, all posed by children and tackled
by experts at London’s Royal Observatory, Greenwich.
The book uses a mixture of photos, comic strips, and
diagrams, accompanied by explanations which use
clear, direct language. It’s always balanced, realistic,
thought-provoking, fun and fascinating.
There are distinct sections, logically arranged, covering
not only the planets, moons, and the origins of the
universe, but also practical questions such as the cost
of space travel and training to be an astronaut.
This book is just right for the individual, independent
reader, randomly browsing. A glossary and an index
help you to follow through. It would work equally well
with a whole class brainstorming questions and finding
the answers. Or in fact not finding them and coming
to understand that in science the important question is
the one yet to be answered.
Annie Pattison
Kelly, Patrick
and Kelly, Renee
Britannica’s
Word of the
Day
Britannica Books
2022, pp347, £12.99
9781913750350
Vocabulary. Definition. Humour
A Logophile or a Logomaniac is a person who loves
words. This is their book.
How many sweat glands do you have? Well on 24
September you will learn that the average person
has between 2 and 4 million. Every day of the year
has a word and some facts associated; they do not
follow any theme, nor are they selected with any
special connection to the date as far as I can see.
21 June isn’t linked to its position as the longest
day; its word is ‘recumbent’. The words selected
are in general use, but not quite everyday words.
So there is a degree of vocabulary development
intended. Each day is a surprise and an interesting
topic to ponder. There are occasionally some links
between neighbouring dates but most simply offer
standalone fascination.
I loved it and imagine a form teacher could use it
as a way of filling morning registration with a little
extra fun.
Nick Hunt
Long, David
Tutankhanmun’s
Treasure
Illustrated by Stefano Tambellini
Barrington Stoke
2022, pp76, £6.99
9781800900073
Egypt. History. Discovery
Discover the amazing and exciting true story of
the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun in this
fascinating and informative book by David Long.
As well as covering the discovery of Tutankhamun,
the reader is first introduced to what archaeology is
and then ancient Egypt – especially its monuments,
mummies and royal tombs, including the Pyramids
and Valley of the Kings. The story then moves onto
Howard Carter and the discovery of the tomb and
treasures of Tutankhamun, which I found very
engrossing – learning much about Carter’s time
in Egypt. I really found this an informative read for
such a short book, with a logical narrative and flow.
The eye-catching greyscale illustrations by Stafano
Tambellini enhanced the book. A great book for
young history fans and those looking for something
other than a novel to read. It would be a good
choice to read to a class. It’s published by Barrington
Stoke with a suggested reading age of 8 years and is
part of a series called An Incredible True Story.
Stephen Leitch
Mabbott, Lizzie
How Many Ways Can
You Cook Eggs
Illustrated by Charlotte Dumortier
Big Picture Press
2022, pp80, £16.99
9781800781160
Cookbook. Food. Recipe
A fact-filled, eggciting look at different food groups
with eggcellent recipes, perfect for budding chefs
to start their culinary journey, with a little help from
grown-ups if needed.
Separated into sections based on where food comes
from – garden, ocean, and land – we learn about the
produce before being giving the opportunity to turn
them into a tasty meal for a family of four. Recipes
are gathered from across the globe: from Mexican
street corn to Vietnamese Pho Ga, and Beijing style
dumplings to Turkish menemen. With relishes,
pickles, and puddings too, there really is something
for everyone. I loved the challenges at the end of
each food section explaining different dishes and
inviting you to get creative with the ingredients you
enjoy the most.
Simple instructions are paired with fun illustrations to
guide chefs, young and old, and sections on tips and
techniques and health and safety round off this great
book, perfect for topic boxes on food and cooking.
Nicki Cleveland
56
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

Books: 8 – 12
Martin, Dora
The Atlas of Diabolical
Dinosaurs
Illustrated by Daniel Hamilton
NQ Publishers
2022, pp48, £10.99, 9781912944378
Dinosaurs. Prehistory. Palaeontology
This is a very attractive book for the young dinosaur
enthusiast. Its 48 pages are packed with information
about individual dinosaur species, arranged by the
continent where they were discovered. “Dinorama”
panels for each section show a top 10 of ‘facts and
records’. Alongside bite-sized facts, longer paragraphs
give more in-depth information.
Dino contemporaries such as plesiosaurs, pterosaurs,
and early birds and mammals are included, and all
species mentioned are illustrated. The giraffe-sized
Quetzalcoatlus in flight would have been a sight to
boggle the mind. Smaller but still impressive is the
‘devil frog’ of Madagascar (Beelzebufo to scientists),
as big as a large beach ball.
The pages are gorgeously illustrated by Daniel
Hamilton in muted, earthy colours. The type design
uses a variety of font size, and although the layout is
attractive, the smallest font might challenge young
eyes. For this reason I’d say the target audience would
be an able reader in key stage 2, or key stage 3.
Anna Quick
Oldfield, Matt and
Oldfield, Tom
Ultimate Football
Heroes: Rice: From the
Playground to the Pitch
Studio Press
2022, pp176, £5.99
9781789464887
Sport. Family. Football
The real story of Declan Rice’s rise from schoolboy
footballer to England hero is engaging and warmly
presented. There are some “downs”, most notably
the day when aged 13, after 7 years, Chelsea
released him and he did not feature in their under
14 squad. The disappointment was short lived for
West Ham quickly signed him. But the mood in the
Rice home is powerfully described. There are plenty
of high points too. Declan has won many awards,
featured in many successes. I found the emotion of
his Premier League debut especially well described.
This book is one of many in a series; I am sure many
pupils will find these an interesting read. It is a good
policy to keep a fine non-fiction section available in
any library or book collection. The titles in the series
at present are 100% male heroes. I am certain that
the recent rise in popularity of the women’s leagues
and the women’s national team will lead to some of
the heroes of women’s football soon joining the list.
Nick Hunt
Owen, David
My First World Atlas
NQ Kids
2022, pp48, £12.99
9781912944187
Atlas. World. Map
This eye-catching atlas goes
well beyond the simple location of the countries in
each continent and instead celebrates the wildlife,
festivals, languages, and cultures of each region. By
focusing on some of the key factors that influence
life in each continent, David Owen has managed to
give a flavour of the diversity that makes our planet
so special. The busy pages are filled with Quino
Marin’s captivating illustrations, which accurately
depict key landmarks whilst revealing a wealth
of lesser-known treasures. Each continent has a
highly visual double-page spread, largely filled with
illustrations of animals and landmarks, followed by
a double page of more detailed written information
outlining human experiences in that area of the
world. This variance in complexity means that this
is an atlas that has longevity and will grow with
the child as they become more confident readers.
The fun elements, such as the ‘can you spot’
section for each continent, are sure to keep young
explorers occupied, whilst improving their spatial
understanding of the globe.
Georgia Ramsay
Here are tHe superstars of tHe story of life
Discover the biggest extinction events and
the most amazing animals ever to swim, stalk,
slither or walk our planet!
Out now. By BeN GarroD Illustrated by Gabriel Ugueto
Available online and in all good bookstores
headofzeus.com
readzephyr.com
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
57

Books: 8 – 12 | Information
Ralphs, Matt and
Wright, Gordy
Secrets of the Dead
Nosy Crow
2022, pp64, £12.99
9781788009003
History. Science. Geography
This book examines human
remains around the world, travelling from South
America to the Arctic and from Britain to Japan – a
fascinating study on ancient civilisations, their beliefs,
and how they preserved their dead. Going from
mummies in Egypt to eighth century Kukai Buddhist
monks in Japan, this is a journey that concentrates
on how the dead were treated and ritual practices
all over the globe. The subject matter is dealt with
sympathetically and with respect – it was written in
conjunction with experts at the British Museum.
An excellent book for older primaries and lower
secondary students, it will be an asset in both the
classroom and school library. As well as studying the
dead it also investigates the living and the everyday Iife
of different civilizations. I was particularly interested in
the double-page spread on the Salt Men of Iran, which
looks at bodies that have been left untouched for over
1700 years. A well-designed map also shows where
each individual was found.
A fascinating book providing an insight into death
rituals and mummification around the world.
Godfrey Hall
Rothery, Ben
Deadly and Dangerous
Animals
Lady Bird Books
2022, pp47, £12.99
9780241532263
Animals. Biology. Geography
I have found over the years of working with children
that they seem to have a fascination for deadly
creatures. From the tiny venomous spiders of
Australia to the tigers of Siberia, this book has been
produced to provide background and insight into
the habits and techniques of these many creatures.
Produced by Ladybird, it is packed with an array
of excellent illustrations and information on how
creatures use speed, teamwork, or in some cases
venom to deal with their prey. Written by the awardwinning
illustrator Ben Rothery, this spectacular and
riveting book explores the many creatures around
the world that use a variety of methods to capture
their prey. One of the most interesting features of
this publication are those creatures that you would
not expect to be so deadly such as the dragonfly,
one of the most effective hunters on the planet,
catching over 95 % of their prey using special eyes
and incredible speed.
An amazing and outstanding book, it combines
superb illustrations and well-crafted text and will be
popular with all ages.
Godfrey Hall
Ryall Woolcock, Kim
It’s Tough to Be Tiny
Illustrated by Stacey Thomas
Flying Eye Book
2022, pp48, £15.55
9781838740764
Minibeasts. Animals. Science
A beautifully illustrated book about the tiny creatures
of the world and all the amazing things they can do.
This book covers some more familiar minibeasts
and introduces some new ones too, including the
tiny water bugs that when eaten can walk their way
out of a frog, and the algae that sloths snack on that
grows in their own fur. It’s a refreshing way to look
at the topic as it has a conversational tone and the
illustrations really bring the pages to life. It would
be a great read for minibeast fans, leisure reading –
especially for the more gruesome and gross creatures
– and for topic support in school.
Cassie Kemp
Sedgwick, Marcus
Be Calm
Illustrated by Thomas Taylor
Vie
2022, pp142, £10.99
9781800074125
Non-fiction. Anxiety. Self-Help
This self-help workbook for helping younger students
with stress and anxiety is well set out and accessible.
The short chapters explain what anxiety is and what
it can feel like, why we are programmed to worry
and potentially be anxious. It uses clear illustrations
to explain different breathing techniques, body
scanning, and mindfulness activities. It also covers
self-compassion, catastrophising, and storytelling.
There are spaces to fill in about feelings, thoughts,
and physical reactions as it guides you through
dealing with your anxiety.
The book is reassuring and comforting, offering real
life examples and helpful advice. I feel this is a very
relevant book for the current times and would be a
useful resource for the school library. Just watch out
for students filling in the exercises!
Jenni Prestwood
Smith, Miranda
If the World Were 100
Animals
Illustrated by Aaron Cushley
Red Shed
2022, pp25, £6.99
9781405299350
Animals. Numbers. 100
This book will blow your mind and is so captivating
it will likely challenge the thinking of children and
grown-ups in equal measure. The concept is really
simple: if there were only 100 animals in the world,
how many would be … With more than 20 billion
billion animals on Earth, some of the numbers
are far too large to comprehend, yet this simple
approach really helps children to visualise the range
of animals in different categories. For example,
if the world were 100 pets, how many would be
dogs? If we look at where 100 land mammals live,
how many would live in South America (surprisingly
few!). If there are 100 vertebrates, how many would
be mammals? There is a lot to learn from this
book. After capturing the readers’ interest with the
surprising numbers, Miranda Smith delves deeper
into some of the explanations to help make sense of
each category in focus. Aaron Cushley’s illustrations
bring a softness to this book, beautifully showing
the vast diversity of animals on our planet. This was
an absolute joy to read.
Georgia Ramsay
Strathie, Chae
So You Think You’ve
Got It Bad? A Kid’s Life
in a Medieval Castle
Illustrated by Marisa Morea
Nosy Crow
2022, pp64, £7.99
9781839942143
History. Medieval Times. Humour
This large-format history book is attractive from
the cover onwards. Every right-hand page has a
colourful border imprinted with its theme, making
you want to just flick though the book. Dip in and the
colourful imagery continues, with lively cartoon-style
illustrations full of witty comments. Beginning with
how smelly life was around the castle will surely
appeal. The book is funny and informative too. I learnt
that people bathed in a cloth-lined wooden tub and
used soap made of olive oil and herbs, so ‘you’d end
up clean, but smell a bit like a pizza.’ It compares life
then with life now, asking which is better? Relating
history to the present via familiar images from
children’s lives today brings this book to life. Contents
include family life, clothes, chores, education, knights,
battles, and games. It covers a wide range of facts in a
very humorous style. The book has one of the wittiest
glossaries I’ve seen. This book is part of a series
of many historical periods studied in the National
Curriculum. Recommended for key stages 2 and 3.
Lucy Chambers
58
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

Books: 8 – 12
Towler, Paige
Gross Factopia
Illustrated by Andy Smith
Britannica Books
2022, pp208, £10.99
9781913750671
Non-fiction. Facts. Gross
The latest title in the fantastic Factopedia series –
which explores facts to make you squirm with disgust
– is the perfect non-fiction browser to take you on an
incredible trail of foul facts. The bite-sized facts mixed
with humorous illustrations catapult you forwards
and backwards through history and across the globe
as you choose which trail to follow depending on
which path piques your interest.
From finding out that sloths poo only once a week,
to crocodile poo being used as make-up in ancient
Rome, onto ancient Romans purchasing vials of
gladiator sweat, each fact is linked to the one before,
all of which are verified by Encyclopaedia Britannica.
Whether it’s humans, plants or animals, the ocean or
space, celebrations or world records, this is a hugely
entertaining cornucopia of mind-blowing, stomachchurning
knowledge that can be returned to time and
again to make sure you don’t miss any of gore, guts,
and grossness within.
Nicki Cleveland
Walmsley, Naomi
Live Like a Hunter
Gatherer
Button Books
2022, pp55, £12.99
9781787081208
History. Lifestyle. Stone Age
Three million years of human history are included
in the Stone Age! Yet we almost behave as if history
began in 1066. In this text we are introduced to
Stone Age life, even given recipes to try. Our early
ancestors may not have had as attractive a life as we
enjoy but nor were they stupid or uninteresting. The
book successfully dispels a number of myths. They
had a culture and a fascinating way of life. This book,
in text and with many illustrations, describes an
enterprising and sustainable way of life. The use of
every part of the slaughtered animal, the collection
of plants as food but also as medicine is clearly
described. A young girl ‘Stone Age friend’ guides us
through the experiences and teaches us about her
life. There are a number of activities to follow which
could be used in forest school sessions – making
basic tools and creating wall art.
Nick Hunt
Wilsher, Jane
Marvellous Body
Illustrated by Andrés Lozano
What on Earth Publishing
2022, pp48, £14.99
9781913750572
Biology. Human Body. Science
This book is the second in a series where you use
a die-cut lens to magnify the inner workings of, in
this case, the human body. Each aspect is covered
in a double-page spread, with simple illustrations
of people doing normal activities. There’s plenty
to study on each page and captions explain facts,
such as how many smell detectors the nose has. A
box with an eye explains the different items you can
see using the lens. The book is inclusive, including
people in wheelchairs on many pages. There are
diagrams for organs such as the eyes and ears and
brief but readable explanations of how the senses
work. The book covers health, surgery, pregnancy,
and current scientific research (genes, 3-D printing
of body parts, etc). Many topics are covered in this
book, so it lacks great detail, but it is an appealing
introduction to human biology. I liked the diversity
statement at the end of the book, too. The book has
an index and lists its sources, which are useful for
further research. Recommended for key stage 2.
Lucy Chambers
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VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
59

Books: 13 – 16 | Fiction and Poetry
Albert, Melissa
Our Crooked Hearts
Penguin Books
2022, pp340, £7.99
9780241592540
Supernatural. Friendships.
Relationships
When 17-year-old Ivy discovers a secret safe in her
parents’ closet, its contents start to unravel her
world. She finds a keepsake box of treasures from her
past – but she cannot remember any of them. Her
neighbour Billy tells her she broke his heart – and
she cannot remember that either. A supernatural
element is introduced when Ivy senses that someone
is watching her; glimpses in mirrors and signs of an
unseen presence when she is alone in the house
seem to confirm her suspicions. Billy insists that Ivy’s
mother has the answers, but she has vanished. Ivy’s
search for the truth takes her into a forgotten past and
a clash with the supernatural before she can reclaim
her memories and save her mother. Ivy’s story is
interwoven with accounts of her mother Dana’s past
and her battle with malign forces to save herself and
protect her daughter. Both narrative strands are fastpaced,
tense and dramatic, overlapping each other
in ways which develop the reader’s understanding
of character and plot. A compelling read for lovers of
tales of magic and the supernatural.
Sandra Bennett
Beashel, Amy
We Are All
Constellations
Rock The Boat
2022, pp336, £8.99
9780861540662
Grief. Suicide. Family
Seventeen-year-old Iris is trying to live as normal a
life as she can without her mum, who was tragically
killed in a house fire when she was a child. Iris
was led to believe that her childhood home was
destroyed in the fire. That is until she sees her old
house on an Instagram post and goes to investigate
it for herself and finds that it is very much still
standing. A chain of events leads Iris to confront
her dad, and he reveals that her mum took her own
life and that the lie was to protect her. Iris tries to
come to terms with the news of her Mum’s suicide
and tries to make sense of the complex situation she
finds herself in.
A story exploring friendship, grief, sexuality, love,
and family. A heart-wrenching read that will stay
with you long after you have finished it.
Charlotte Cole
Corr, Katharine and Corr
Elizabeth
Daughter of Darkness:
The House of Shadows
Duology
Hot Key Books
2022, pp419, £9.63
9781471410918
Horror. Orpheus and Eurydice. Adventure
The title of this novel and the front cover will either
attract or repel. The heroine’s face is presented
front on, with a snake crawling up both sides in
close contact and with mouths open, resting on
her eyebrows. Perhaps not for the faint hearted, but
those looking for a dark read will not be disappointed:
especially those interested in fantasy and mythology.
Deina is a Soul Severer of the Order of Hades. Her
work is to guide the souls of the dying into the
afterlife. She is desperate to escape from her life in
the Order, and when Orpheus arrives at the House of
Hades and offers a rich reward to anyone who can
bring his wife back from the dead, Deina immediately
rises to the challenge but is in competition with
other Severers. There follows a thrilling adventure,
a journey through the Underworld, based on a
reimagining of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice.
A fast-moving tale but detailed in terms of both
characters and events. A concentrated read in which
the reader interest and involvement never flag.
Elizabeth Finlayson
Delacorte, Kat
With Fire in Their Blood
Penguin Books
2022, pp368, £8.99
9780241487624
Fantasy. Romance. Magic
A supernatural romance with plenty
of bisexual and queer representation. The book is set
in a secluded Italian town, against a backdrop of dark
magic and mafia clans.
Castello is a town divided, controlled by the
mysterious General who will maintain order and
purity, regardless of cost. It’s not the kind of place
16-year-old Lilly planned on spending her last years of
high school, and when she falls in with Liza, Nico and
Christian, it’s only a matter of time before sparks fly.
In this beautifully damaged city where witches burn
and love is a sure road to ruin, Lilly doesn’t know who
she can trust – maybe not even herself.
Delacorte evokes a stunning gothic landscape that
simmers with magic and tension. Inspired by the
author’s own experiences in Italy, the tightly woven
plot explores the dark side of beauty through a cast
of captivating characters you won’t want to leave. A
unique story from a vital new voice in YA fantasy, this is
a must-read for fans of Chloe Gong, VE Schwab, and
Renee Ahdieh.
Alison King
Fielding, Yvette
The Ripper of
Whitechapel
Anderson Press
2022, pp235, £7.99
9781839132148
Ghosts. Murder. Action
Yvette Fielding has used her own
ghost hunting experience to create this new series
of spooky tales. The Ripper of Whitechapel is the
second book, but we are left in no doubt that a third
is on the way! Not for the young or faint of heart,
Ripper pulls no punches, with detailed descriptions
of apparitions and murders. Despite the main
protagonists being children, the book opens with a
gruesome death and the kidnapping of two young
children who we know will also be killed, although
we are thankfully spared the detail. Eve, Clovis and
Tom work with Eve’s uncle Rufus and the SPI to hunt
down the ghost of Jack the Ripper and rescue the
spirits of the previously mentioned young children.
Full of action and peril, this will appeal to the many
students who love horror, with very visual writing
that references modern horror films.
Helen Thompson
Forna, Namina
The Merciless Ones
2022, pp477, £8.99
9781474959582
Fantasy. Violence. Gender
In this sequel to The Gilded
Ones, the kingdom of Otera is
still ravaged by war. Although
Deka has released the mother goddesses from
their imprisonment and is acknowledged as the
Nuru, their only divine daughter, peace will not be
established until she and her allies overcome the
followers of the god Oyomo. This time they are
supported by male warriors, notably Deka’s lover,
Keita. The fantasy continues the theme of tolerance
and gender inclusivity established in The Gilded
Ones; boys occupy a privileged role in society,
so when many reject their status and join Deka’s
struggle, a powerful message is delivered. The
goal of Deka’s struggle is equality and although the
narrative includes vivid descriptions of violence, it is
with this end in mind. Deka’s battle with a hierarchy
based on gender is paralleled by her journey of selfdiscovery;
in a dramatic conclusion which prepares
the ground for a third novel, she learns that in order
to be truly free, she will have to liberate Otera from
the gods themselves.
There are some graphic descriptions of violence.
Sandra Bennett
60
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

Books: 13 – 16
Gavin, Jamila
Never Forget You
Farshore
2022, pp384, £8.99
9780755503346
WWII. Friendship. Resilience
I was really looking forward to
this book coming out as I have
enjoyed Jamila Gavin’s previous novels. This story
was beautifully woven together, combining history
and fiction. This is probably not for younger readers
as it was a little graphic in places and primary aged
students may find the themes quite upsetting.
Four young girls are friends at boarding school
as the Second World War approaches; their four
voices can be heard at various stages of the book
as their lives move on from boarding school to
separate roles in World War II, both in London and
Paris. So many themes and topics of World War II
are interwoven: Dunkirk, Kristallnacht, Holocaust,
French resistance, Nazi sympathisers, air raids,
patriotism, evacuation, spies. Some readers may find
the thread of the story difficult to follow as it jumps
between characters.
Tanya Henning
Gino, Alex
Alice Austen Lived
Here
Scholastic
2022, pp162, £6.00
9780702316166
LGBTQ+. USA. Found Family
This book tells the heartwarming
story of Sam, a non-binary child from New
York, who researches the queer poet Alice Austen
for a school project. Over the course of the book,
Sam discovers the queer side of history that they
had not learnt about in school. History is not only
full of DSCWM (Dead Straight Cisgender White Men)
like Sam’s History teacher seems to believe. Queer
people existed in the past too!
Intrigued by this taste of historical queerness, Sam
connects with older generations of queer adults
in their neighbourhood, like Jess and Val, a queer
couple, and Ms. Hansen, an elderly lesbian. As well
as LGBTQ+ themes, this book also prominently
features body positivity, feminism, and healthy
intergenerational relationships.
Matt Cowie
Harbour, Vanessa
Safe
Firefly Press
2022, pp224, £7.99
9781913102937
Horses. WWII. Adventure
In central Europe in 1944,
orphans Kizzy and Jakob make
the dangerous trip to rescue a few rare Czech
horses from being eaten by advancing Russians
and other communists, and ride them back to the
Spanish Riding School in Austria, already the refuge
of Balkan Lippizaners as well as themselves. The
few turn out to be a large herd, and other orphans
gather around them. In the end without adult help,
the orphans have to work together on an extended
trail ride through mountains and forest, threading
between the various warring soldiers to bring the
herd back. They face dangerous situations and
people as they cross battle lines and borders. An
insight into the terrible events of that time and
place, and an equine adventure that will introduce
horse enthusiasts to some very attractive European
breeds. The author’s postscript explains the setting
and characterisation (for example the heroine Kizzy
is a Romany gypsy) – the persecution of minorities
that created huge numbers of orphans in Europe, in
many cases without a surviving community of origin
to return to.
Henrietta Price
Hayden, Chaz
The First Thing
About You
Walker Books
2022, pp361, £8.99
9781529510942
Differently-abled. Romance.
Mystery
The story is narrated by Harris,
who due to spinal muscular atrophy always feels like
he is only known at high school as the ‘guy in the
wheelchair’. When his family move from California to
New Jersey he finally get the chance to become the
person he wants to be at East Essex Central.
The novel is a coming-of-age story and is honestly
and hilariously told by Harris, as he navigates life
at the new school. For the first time he has support
from an aide instead of his mom. Miranda, a cool,
young nursing student, who coincidently used to be a
student at EEC, seems to understand the real Harris. As
the school semester progresses, Harris befriends the
geeky Zander and the boys on the football team; he is
also drawn to Nory. However, things get complicated
when Harris sees Miranda has her own demons, and
suddenly his journey through typical high school
rites of passage gets complicated. A must-have for
any school library collection. There is some adult
language in the book.
Sam Sinclair
Jo, Sophie
The Nicest Girl
UCLan Publishing
2022, pp272, £7.99
9781912979967
Friendship. Self-Worth. Friendship
Perfect for teenagers as it is
very relatable! The writing style is easy and
conversational but never dull or repetitive. This story
follows the main character, Anna, and her journey
through the realisation that she is “too nice” and
often treated like a doormat by people around her.
Anna has just three close friends that she has known
her entire school life, and when she is given the job
of looking after the new person, Ryan, she starts to
question whether she agreed to the task for all the
wrong reasons. Her needy friend, Marla, is viewed
as the “fun one” within the group. Anna begins
to question why she allows herself to fall into the
background so much.
This story makes us question whether we need to
believe in ourselves that bit more so we can shine in
our own way.
Tanya Henning
Kessel, Anthony
Outside Chance
Crown House Publishing
2022, pp220, £6.99
9781785835889
Mystery. Friendship. Wellbeing
This is the second book in
the Don’t Doubt the Rainbow
series out of four. It is a fastpaced
young adult thriller featuring teen detective
Edie Marble. The book starts only three months after
Edie solves the mystery of her own mum’s death
and now the teen super sleuth is tasked with solving
four very different but equally puzzling mysteries
that have more in common than first meets the
eye ... Why does Edie’s neighbour’s long-lost friend
suddenly keep turning up wherever she goes? How
can students fail an exam when they know their
answers were correct?
What led to the vicious attack on an elderly woman
on Hampstead Heath? And why should Edie’s
schoolfriend be worried about his stepfather’s new
activist friends? Edie uses the Three Principles,
a new approach to how the mind works which
can help children’s mental health and wellbeing
as support in dealing with an extremely stressful
situation. This is a series that would be a great
addition to the YA, mystery, or wellbeing section of
any school library.
Sam Sinclair
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
61

Books: 13 – 16 | Fiction and Poetry
Landman, Tanya
The Battle of Cable
Street
Barrington Stoke
2022, pp113, £7.99
9781800901087
Fascism. East End. History
Barrington Stoke are renowned
for their carefully written and printed novellas for
students who are unwilling or unable to tackle a
long book, always written by leading novelists. This
is no exception.
Tackling a subject that is not often covered, this is a
fascinating read imagining how ordinary teenagers
in the East End of London initially didn’t understand
and then were moved to action by Oswald
Mosely and his right-wing Black shirts. Careful
characterisations show how individuals all reacted
differently to this threat. A powerful tale, told in
straightforward, engaging prose on the impact
fascism had in England, leading up to the much
more famous fight against European fascism the
followed quickly on its heels.
A highly recommended, beautifully written look at a
part of our history that is often ignored.
Tricia Adams
Longman, Finn
The Butterfly Assassin
Simon & Schuster
2022, pp368, £8.99
9781398507340
Dystopian. Thriller. Adventure
An epic dystopian thriller
where the lead character is
running for her life from a
deadly organisation. A fast-paced storyline set in
the fictional land of Espera, where Esperanto is the
spoken language, within the context of districts run
by powerful disparate groups. Bella Nicholls, aka
Isabel Ryans, is on the run from those who seek to
control her and use the skills that she has acquired
through a secret assassination programme for
children. A new name, new life, new prospects, and
hope for a normal life are on the horizon until Bella’s
cover is broken and the Guilds, who control Espera,
are hunting her down. ‘In a city ruled by killers,
survival can be deadly.’ Twists, turns, violence and
survival make this an exciting read. Fans of Hunger
Games and Divergent will find this book really hits
the mark. Language, depictions of violence, and
themes make this unsuitable for younger readers.
Michelle Armstrong-Harris
MacGregor, Maya
The Many Half-Lived
Lives of Sam Sylvester
Astra Young Reader
2022, pp350, £15.99
9781635923599
Mystery. LGBTQ+. Romance
This mesmerising book is a story
of solving mysteries, both present and past, and the
recovery from past traumas.
Sam is described as a non-binary autistic teen whose
pronouns are they/them. They have long collected
stories of half-lived lives – of teens who died before
turning nineteen, Sam almost being one. Following
this traumatic event, Sam and their father have moved
to Oregon for a fresh start.
Life seems to be on the upswing after finding a school
which provides acceptance and encouragement,
leading to new friendships. Yet the past keeps
roaring back – in Sam’s memories and in the form
of a 30-year-old suspicious death that took place in
Sam’s new home. Sam can’t resist trying to find out
more about the kid who died and who now seems to
guide their investigation. When Sam starts receiving
threatening notes, they know they’re on the path to
uncovering a murderer. But are they digging through
the past or digging their own future grave?
A stunning read and one which will doubtless
generate much debate.
Carolyn Copland
Madon, R.J
Beowulf’s Ghost
The Book Guild Publishing
2022, pp236, £9.99
9781914471759
Mythology. History. Adventure
Adam is living with the guilt of
being responsible for his sister’s
death. After running away on the anniversary of her
death, he finds himself transported back in time to
Northumberland in the sixth century where he is
mistaken for the great hero Beowulf.
Caught up in a blood feud between the Angles
and Celts, Adam is shocked to find that the spirit
of his sister lives on in the body of another. As he
struggles to overcome his own demons and fight
the monsters he finds, both real and imaginary, he
uncovers a plot to kill the one person who can lead
him back to redemption.
This wonderful narrative draws on the iconic story
of Beowulf, an Old English poem probably written in
the eighth century from an earlier sixth century oral
poem. Full of history, mythology, and adventure,
this story will entertain and educate the reader.
Carolyn Copland
McGowan, Anthony
Dogs of the
Deadlands
Oneworld
2022, pp320, £7.99
9780861543267
Courage. Survival. Adventure
A fabulous and
unsentimental tale of the
experiences of dogs, wildlife,
and humans, in the aftermath of the Chernobyl
disaster of 1986, where the human families must
evacuate, but pets are left to survive alone. This tells
of courage, of loss, of survival against the odds, and
ultimately of a hope that brings some meaning to
life. McGowan brings the reader to face the realities
of heartbreak, but is never voyeuristic about them;
the struggles are purposeful, as the relationship
between predators and dogs, and dogs and people,
are brought into focus for examination. Ultimately
this is a story about love, and its endurance despite
disaster. The narrative is pacy, beautifully written,
and with very well considered description to bring
the story to life.
This is a great read and an inspiring story; less able
readers will not struggle to keep up and all will
delight in the plotting that ends so satisfyingly as the
story draws to a close. A super addition to include
older primary readers and young teenagers.
Stephanie Barclay
EDITOR’S PICK
Pillainayagam, Christine
Ellie Pillai is Brown
Faber & Faber
2022, pp458, £8.99
9780571366910
Fiction. Identity. Inclusion
This is a heart-warming story of
a Siri Lankan girl trying to fit into a world that is
drastically different from her roots. Witty, dramatic,
and raw, Ellie Pillai is Brown is relatable to those
who feel uncomfortable in their own skin. The
core message of acceptance, love, and inclusion is
explored beautifully, with intertwining musical lyrics
alongside a cast of equally intriguing characters
from different backgrounds and cultures. The
topic of identity isn’t always easy to get right, but
Pillainayagam has undoubtedly poured her soul
into creating a character who can be relatable to
all. This book is great for teens who want to read
an emotionally driven story – full of relatable teen
drama and plenty of humour to match it.
Rabia Arif
62
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

Books: 13 – 16
Democracy, Government and Leadership
Editor’s pick
Michael Rosen
and Annemarie Young
What Is Politics? Why
Should We Care? And
Other Big Questions
Wayland, 2022, 48pp, £9.99,
9781526309068
Politics. Citizenship & SMSC.
Democracy
Explains the different aspects of
politics and how it relates to us all
in our everyday lives, encouraging
independent thinking and discussion.
What’s the Point of
Philosophy?
DK, 2022, 128pp, £14.99,
9780241536384
Leadership. Self-Belief. Philosophy
How philosophy has changed the
world, one crazy idea at a time. This
book will inspire, surprise, amuse,
and entertain everybody who picks
it up.
Alex Budak
Becoming a
Changemaker: An
Actionable, Inclusive
Guide to Leading Positive
Change at Any Level
Grand Central Life and Style, 2022,
304pp, £25.00,
9781538707760
Activism. Change. Leadership
Research-backed guide to developing
the mindsets and leadership skills
needed to navigate, shape, and lead
change, and to thrive amidst uncertainty.
Poppy O’Neill
Stronger Than You Know:
Find Your Shine and Be
Confidently You
Summersdale Pr, 2022, 144pp, £10.99,
9781800073418
Change. Leadership. Self-Confidence
This accessible and interactive guide
for 11- to 15-year-olds will help
young people to find their voice and
feel more confident.
David Dixon
Leadership for
Sustainability: Saving the
Planet One School at a
Time
Crown House Pub, 2022, 250pp, £18.99,
9781781354018
Activism. Advocacy. Leadership
Influencing the people in positions
of power to get the necessary
environmental changes in motion,
including school leaders operating
within their own local communities.
Clive Gifford and Steve Gavan
A Quick History of
Politics: from Pharaohs to
Fair Votes
Wide eyed editions, 2021, 128pp, £9.99,
9780711260320
History. Law and Order. Politics
An introductory history of politics from
around the world, how systems work,
and why they matter. With timeline to
2020 and a touch of humour.
Nadia Jae (Editor)
Raise Your Voice: Make
Yourself Heard in a Noisy
World
DK, 2022, 224pp, £12.99,
9780241567531
Activism. Advocacy. Leadership
Essential advice on boosting
confidence and speaking up,
presenting yourself and using
technology to tell your story – with
first-hand advice from sports people,
musicians, and broadcasters.
Rahman, Yasmin
Why Is Nobody
Laughing?
Hot Key Books
2022, pp243, £7.99
9781471411342
Mental Health. Families. Friendship
Ibrahim may only be 16, but he
seems to be the one holding his family together.
He bottles everything up because he feels no one
outside of his culture and religion could possibly
understand his situation. But now, Ibrahim has
started having panic attacks, although at first he
refuses to accept that’s what they are.
Thankfully, the mysterious Sura only seems to
appear whenever a panic attack comes on, and she
helps guide him through some coping techniques.
Ibrahim and his best friend Dexter love comedy
and sign up to a local stand-up competition, but
he doesn’t tell his parents how important the
competition is to him, and has to sneak away from
a family gathering, not realising his little sister is
following and she is hit by a car. Negative thoughts
get Ibrahim spiralling and he thinks about suicide.
The book sensitively deals with mental health and
the importance of talking about things and how
someone can have a huge impact on your life
without them even knowing.
Jenni Prestwood
Williamson, Victoria
War of the Wind
Neem Tree Press
2022, pp250, £8.99
9781911107507
Deafness. Environment. Science
Max lives on a small Scottish
island in a small community of
many fishermen. One day when his father allowed
him out on the boat with him, an accident causes
Max to lose his hearing. He now has to get used to a
new life where around him he sees his friends drift
away and his parents compensate by having a new
baby to become the perfect child Max no longer
feels he is.
The island is promised smart new phones with
technology which will enable Max to communicate
better with his friends and his father. The catch is
the tech company needs to build wind turbines to
help transmit an improved phone signal, and Max
is strongly in favour, although many on the island
are not.
However, Max begins to notice that he and other
non-hearing peers are the only ones not being
affected by the noises and signals emitting from the
turbines. But that is only half the story.
A powerful environmental thriller where deafness is
a superpower.
Dawn Woods
Wood, Laura
The Agency for
Scandal
Scholastic
2022, pp420, £8.99
9780702303241
Detectives. Equality. Victorian
Izzy Stanhope is recruited by The
Aviary – an all-female detective agency – leading
her to a life of disguises, back street brawls, missing
jewels, swooning over a Duke, and ultimately
challenging inequality.
Strong females are a staple in Wood’s books and her
latest novel set at the end of the nineteenth century
is packed full of them!
There is an extra special treat in store, too, as
characters from her previous novel Single Thread
of Moonlight appear as minor figures – so existing
fans of her young adult fiction will devour this one
for sure.
Definitely one of those books you don’t want to
end, such is the draw of immersing yourself into the
world Wood so masterfully creates.
Her longest novel to date, this would be a best fit
for 13+ avid readers who like their historical fiction
to have a strong romantic element whilst staying
unashamedly feminist.
Helen Emery
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
63

Books: 13 – 16 | Information
Bocquet, José-Louis
Alice Guy First Lady
of Film
Illustrated by Catel
SelfMadeHero
2022, pp400, £17.99
9781914224034
Biography. Cinema. Innovation
In their beautiful 400-page graphic novel, Catel and
Bocquet tell the story of a little known historical figure;
the first female film maker. Less than a year after the
Lumiere brothers invented cinematography, Alice
began making films. Before 1922, she had directed
more than 300 but was excluded from the annals of
history. Beginning with shorts, she moved through 1,
2 and 3 reelers as the audiences’ taste changed and
developed. As a true innovator of the time, she defined
the professions of screenwriter and producer, was the
first woman to open her own production company,
and directed the first feminist satire and also the first
all-black cast in 1912.
As well as being a spectacular biography in its
own right, this text could also trigger a number of
discussions. There are so many opportunities to
engage pupils throughout the curriculum – this is an
impressive feat!
This graphic biography full of stunning black and
white, neatly framed artwork is a must for more than
graphic novel lovers alone.
Erica Dean
Evans, Milly
Honest.
Hot Key Books
2022, pp312, £7.99
9781471411168
Relationships. Bodies. Sex
The author is a young adult
journalist who is well known
from her appearances on TikTok. In this book she
talks about all aspects of sex, relationships and
bodies, and she does it in a very straightforward and
engaging way. Talking directly to her audience, she
explains her background and how she learnt that her
age group often needed real information and did
not know where to find it.
In this book Evans covers every aspect that you
can imagine, from gender issues to online safety,
mental health, consent, and knowing your body. It
is a book for people of all genders and is positive
and supportive when dealing with issues that people
might face. There is a very good index to help the
reader find the information they want, although the
book can be read straight through. There is also a
useful section at the end which signposts articles,
websites, and other sources of accurate and reliable
information. A good addition to the library for the
14+ age group.
Margaret Pemberton
Farinella, Matteo and
Ros, Hana
Neurocomic
Nobrow
2022, pp152, £12.99
9781913123086
Brain. Memory. Discovery
Want to know how your brain,
memory and neurons work and what they do? Then
dive into Neurocomic, an exceptional non-fiction
graphic novel that will take you on a journey
into and through the brain. Stark monochrome
illustration and text follow the journey of one man
who finds himself pulled inside a brain and then
tries to find his way out through a forest of neurons.
As he travels through different sections of neurons
and the brain, he meets a host of scientists who
have contributed to our understanding of the brain
and memory over the years, and who explain to
him the brain’s different workings and functions.
Illustrations and text go together extremely well
and make understanding ideas like Pavlov’s work
on conditioning, and workings of neurons, easy
to grasp. There is also a notes section at the end
providing further information on key scientists and
ideas. Entertaining, educational, enjoyable, and
great for visual learners, this is possibly the most
different non-fiction book you’ll read this year!
Recommended.
Stephen Leitch
Hammond, Alison
Black in Time: The
Most Awesome Black
Britons from Yesterday
to Today
Puffin
2022, pp308, £7.99
9780241532317
Black History. Identity. Biography
Fronted by an instantly recognisable personality,
the book also has a snappy title for a thoroughly
twenty-first century take on endeavouring to make
our history more inclusive. The style is colloquial
and conversational and designed to engage young
readers. The biographical outlines of a number of
historical figures range from the Roman period to
the twentieth century. These are followed at regular
intervals by interviews with contemporary Black British
achievers. This approach works well, as exemplified
by actor Adrian Lester’s reflections on the previously
unknown Ira Aldridge, the first Black actor to play
Othello on the English stage. The point that many
figures in the book are still largely unknown or have
rarely figured in written historical narratives is well
made. The interviewees themselves share how they
would have benefited from knowing more about their
own heritage growing up, and in the process missed
out on some powerful role models. All these factors
make this a very useful acquisition.
John Newman
Hansen, Quincy
Shake It Up! How to
Be Young, Autistic and
Make an Impact
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
2022, pp256, £13.99
9781787759794
Autism. Advocacy. Campaign
Written by a young autistic activist and blogger, this
book gives insight both for autistic individuals and
for those who want to support them in advocating
for themselves. However there is more – this book
is not just about advocacy; it is also about becoming
an activist. Advice is given throughout the book
about picking a topic and a goal then breaking it
down into how to tell the world about it.
With real voices from autistic teens, the reader gains
an insight into both how to get your message out
there, along with the pitfalls, and the positive and
negative impact it may have on mental health. Ideas
around different creative processes are shared, with
suggestions on how to share a story through blogs,
podcasts, and social media.
This is a good book to have in a secondary library
for young people to see what they can achieve.
Kate Keaveny
Hornigold, Judy and
Jewell, Rose
GCSE Maths for
Neurodivergent
Learners
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
2022, pp304, £22.99
9781787757004
Methods. Mathematics. Learning Difficulties
This textbook is a really user-friendly guide to
GCSE mathematics for those who need a little extra
support. Written in an encouraging tone, it would
be an ideal help for a very motivated student who is
a capable reader; however, it could also be used by
an adult to help support a pupil who is not able to
study independently.
The book is split into three parts. The first explains
what five different learning difficulties are and how
these might affect the learner’s ability to study
mathematics. The author suggests helpful strategies
to address these difficulties. Part two explains various
concrete and pictorial methods that can help the
learner grasp fundamental elements of mathematics,
using a clear layout and visual aids. Exercises are also
given to practise these methods. It is helpful that the
learner can see a variety of intuitive methods and
choose the one they prefer. The final section includes
resources to create physical learning aids and a list of
practical revision tips.
Sarah Taylor
64
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

Books: 13 – 16
Hudson, Simon
History Through the
Black Experience:
Volume One & Two
New Generation Publishing
2021, pp399, £23.47
9781803690919
Reference. Black History.
Diversity
This set of books provide a fascinating insight into the
experience of Black cultures and people throughout
the generations, as well as including white people
who have had an impact on events. The two volumes
are laid out chronologically over the year so you can
look at specific dates and see what events occurred,
or which people had relevance to that day.
The books are suitable for a reference section of a
school or college library and would work well as a
starting point for research. Each volume has a good
index covering the people, places, or events you
are likely to be searching for. The volumes are well
illustrated, which really adds to the overall appeal of
the books. Although aimed at the secondary school
market, the writing is very accessible which makes it
possible for younger pupils to use the volumes too. I
found the books totally absorbing and kept wanting
to read on.
Margaret Pemberton
Jacobs, Calum (editor)
A New Formation:
How Black
Footballers Shaped
the Modern Game
Merky Books
2022, pp400, £16.99
9781529118704
Football. Inclusiveness. Anti-Racism
This is a very readable and informative book looking at
the lives of Black footballers and their contributions to the
professional game. The essays address the racism within
our country, the media, and the sport itself, and details
how it has been increasingly the players themselves
rather than the sports officiating bodies that have
challenged this. There are also consistent themes around
the social, economic, and cultural contexts that have
shaped Black British identity, citing academics including
Paul Gilroy and Stuart Hall. The essays detail the struggles
of talented individuals to gain the respect, understanding,
and support they needed to flourish. Some like Justin
Fashanu were failed badly, and others like Andy Cole and
Danny Rose talk about their struggles within the game
despite the trappings of success. There are positives such
as Ian Wright’s emergence as a role model and mentor
to young players, and Hope Powell’s considerable role in
developing women’s football is a standout chapter. There
is also an enlightening chapter on the emergence of
Black Muslim players.
John Newman
Markey, Charlotte, et al.
Being You: The Body
Image Book for Boys
Cambridge University Press
2022, pp252, £9.99
9781108949378
Puberty. Personal Health. Self-
Esteem.
The Body image book for Boys is exactly what
it says it is: an in-depth exploration of what it
means to go through puberty which tackles the
fundamental issues. The book is a great way to
start a conversation for boys who have difficulty
navigating the world of adolescence, or simply as
a handbook that allows boys to explore what they
are going through at their discretion. With plenty
of information on creating a positive experience
through your teens (such as dispelling myths on
certain anatomy, diagrams of what your body is
going through, and whether it is important to gain
a six-pack!), Being You is an interactive read with
plenty of opportunities and prompts for the readers
to explore and digest. Well researched and with
plenty of evidence from our well-qualified authors
– Being You is an engaging, enlightening, and
colourful read for those who have just stepped into
the world of puberty, and for those who are beyond
their teens.
Rabia Arif
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VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
65

Books: 17 – 19
Atta, Dean
Only on the
Weekends
Hodder Children’s Books
2022, pp521, £8.99
9781444960563
LGBTQ+. Romance. Family
This novel explores themes
of race, queerness, class,
and self-confidence. Its
British-Nigerian protagonist Mack is in love with the
Egyptian Karim. But Mack is insecure and, as in most
of his relationships, does not believe that Karim
feels as strongly about him. When Mack moves to
Scotland and meets Fin, the attractive transgender
star of his dad’s new movie, further strain is put on
their relationship. Mack must decide what he wants
in a relationship and who he wants that relationship
to be with. Along the way, he must gain the
confidence to believe that he is loved.
Written in verse and interspersed with additional
poems, this novel is beautiful to read and, for pupils
used to reading prose, provides the opportunity to
look at a story in a new way.
Matt Cowie
Divin, Sue
Truth Be Told
Macmillan Children’s Books
2022, pp295, £7.99
9781529040982
Families. Bereavement.
Reconciliation
Set in Northern Ireland in 2019, this
is a superb, deftly woven story about two teenage girls
from opposite sides of the political divide.
Tara, Catholic, living in Derry with her mam and nan,
is reeling from the trauma of her boyfriend’s violent
suicide. Faith lives in rural Armagh with her Evangelical
Protestant parents, concealing her true sexuality for
fear of being disowned. Meeting on a cross-community
residential course, Tara and Faith are shocked to find
they look virtually identical. As Faith suspects her dad
isn’t her biological father, and Tara has never known
her male relatives, they work together to unravel the
mysteries of their past. But their quest to establish
their true identities exposes tragedies and dark secrets
born of the Troubles that still resonate through the
generations and influence their lives in ways they don’t
fully understand.
This compelling, powerfully emotional story deals with
challenging issues but is also an engaging coming-ofage
tale full of dry wit and humour. Ultimately a story
of love, loss, reconciliation, and hope suited to both
young adults and adults. Highly recommended.
Lynn Marshall
Griffiths, Jane
Little Silver
Bloodaxe Books
2022, pp72, £10.99
9781780376127
Poetry. Art. Experience
This fascinating collection
explores the gaps between
matter and spirit, empirical observation, and
imaginative insight, with particular emphasis on
the creative process. Things shift and change
shape: water ‘a shimmy in the silver back of the sea’; a
demolished childhood home leaving ‘skylight where
no light should be’; or snow ‘endlessly unwriting
itself’. The poet wonders from what basis she starts to
write: ‘I’m not clear about sequences, how one thing
leads to another’. We are advised to ‘concentrate on
visible absences’ in order to marvel at ‘how many
things we contrive to hold together in time’. In ‘The
Amortals’, the children of her imagination ask where
they come from, giving rise to a list of associations
from the poet’s life experiences, including ‘ghost
stories at Christmas’ – they are named Miles and
Flora. Poetry groups will enjoy tracing the motifs
through this collection and considering the issues it
raises, enjoying, along the way, images such as the
sea which ‘turns out its pockets over and over’, or the
falling firework ‘metamorph-(o) hissing back down to
earth’. Original, thought provoking, and haunting.
Frank Startup
Harkin, Jo
Tell Me an Ending
Hutchinson Heinemanns
2022, pp364, £16.99
9781529151374
Science-Fiction. Philosophical
Questions. Drama
This book is about the invention
of the company Nepenthe which enables its clients
to remove traumatic memories. However, due to
complications, the four protagonists have been
offered to reinstate their removed memories – the
catch? They don’t know what they are! Therefore,
throughout the book they have to decide if they
want to take that step or not. The book has a great
story which is captivating, and its protagonists are
confronted with very individual storylines. It is well
written, with a variety of vocabulary which would
widen the young readers’ knowledge of words. I
would recommend this book for teenagers and
young adults because the story is interesting but
also leaves the reader with brain food to think about!
It would be great to have a copy of the book in the
school library, but the concept of the book itself
could also offer a chance for discussions for English
or PSHE lessons!
Luise Hocke
Jubber, Nicholas
The Fairy Tellers
2022, pp336, £20
9781529327694
Fairy Tales. Authors. Biography
In this highly personal exploration
of fairy tales, Jubber has selected
examples (examining origin, authors, and evolution)
which have fascinated listeners and readers over
centuries. While acknowledging their origin in
folklore, mythologies, and oral telling (he emphasises
that fairy tales retain ‘some flavour of [their] oral
roots’), Jubber is at pains to identify the authors who
recorded the tales, largely in the form as we know
them today. He writes eloquently of H. C. Anderson,
his biography, and his own created stories.
Whilst promoting fairy tales, Jubber curiously skims
over an additional, valuable interpretation: that of
humans’ response to experiences of a divine power.
(In the Snow Queen, Anderson does outline the
arrogance of Devils attempting to reflect the face
of God in their mirror as their undoing, resulting
in splinters of broken glass corrupting the human
world until redeemed by love.) This book is very
well written and a highly engaging read, full of
interesting opinions and valuable histories – a useful
Library addition.
Stephanie Barclay
Mafi, Tahereh
This Woven Kingdom
Electric Monkey
2022, pp494, £12.99
9780008512392
Mystery. Fantasy. Romance
Tahereh Mafi crafts a fictional
world of forgotten kingdoms,
civil unrest, and dramatic action. We start off with
our female protagonist, Alizeh, who is hoping that
a life of servitude and her trusty Snoda will keep
her identity hidden from the prying eyes of the
monarchy. However, her efforts are ruined when
Prince Kamran spots her at a market and believes
her to be a spy. Not realising the cost of his actions,
Kamran raises his suspicions with his grandfather,
the king, who believes the girl’s past makes her a
threat to the throne. Will Kamran be able to save
Alizeh from this fate he has dealt her, and will Alizeh
ever discover her true identity? This book is perfect
for young adults who love a fantasy romance novel.
With twists and turns in every chapter, as well as
amazing character depth, this book makes for the
perfect winter read. With each chapter switching
between Alizeh and Kamran’s perspectives, we
are able to get to know both individuals well, as
they discover this newfound spark which has risen
between them.
Sophie Matter
66
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

Books: 17 – 19
Mental Health
Editor’s pick
Natasha Devon
Toxic
UCLan, 2022, 322pp, £8.99
9781912979899
Exploitation. Friendship. Social Media
A previously confident teenager
starts to doubt herself and change
her interests and personality to fit in
with her exciting new friend.
Lucy Maddox
A Year to Change Your
Mind
Allen & Unwin, 2023, 400pp, £16.99
9781838956288
Behaviour. Habits. Positivity
Living a more thoughtful, positive life
that better prepares us for the future
month by month.
Emma Van Hinsbergh
The Complete Wellbeing
Manual
Arcturus, 2022, 256pp, £17.99
9781838573829
Behaviour. Habits. Health
Comprehensive information on
bringing balance and harmony into
your life with a healthy body and
mind.
Sylvia Plath
The Bell Jar
Faber, 2022, 256pp, £14.99
9780571373079
Black humour. Poetry. Mental Health
New illustrated edition of this classic
semi-autobiography of genius poet
affected by mental health highs and
lows.
Grant Brydon
Life Lessons from Hip-
Hop
Dorling Kindersely, 2022, 144pp, £14.99
9780241567081
Mental Health. Life skills. Inspiration
Inspirational life lessons from some
of the biggest names in the world of
hip-hop.
Ant Middleton
The Wall
Harper Collins, 2022, 320pp, £22
9780008472351
Empowerment. Motivation. Self-
Awareness
Life changing strategies to help
demolish fear, seize control, and
reach full potential.
Kiki Ely
Everyday Wellbeing
Chartwell, 2022, 168pp, £12.99
9780785840305
Health. Self-Care. Wellbeing
Scores of new tips and tricks to
achieve better rest and improve
physical and mental health.
Shaa Wasnund & Richard
Newton
Stop Talking, Start Doing
Capstone, 2022, 208pp, £10.99
9780857089267
Empowerment. Motivation. Self-
Awareness
If there is something you really want
to do, but fear you’ll never do it, then
you need this book to move from
procrastination to action.
O’Farrell, Maggie
The Marriage Portrait
Tinder Press
2022, pp368, £25
9781472223845
History. Duty. Power
Maggie O’Farrell beautifully
reimagines the unfamiliar life of
young Lucrezia di Medici, Duchess of Ferrara, in this
captivating historical fiction novel.
Said to also be the inspiration behind Robert
Browning’s famous poem, ‘My Last Duchess’, we
follow Lucrezia as she struggles to navigate first
her uncomfortable childhood, then her arranged
marriage to an erratic and powerful Duke when she
is just 15 years old. Isolated, alone, and completely
at the mercy of her husband, Lucrezia must find a
way of surviving a relationship she never wanted.
This is the story of a young woman stripped of any
choice, who is desperately searching for a glimmer
of independence in a life she constantly feels she
doesn’t belong in. Although the moving narrative
evokes much empathy for Lucrezia, it was also
refreshing to experience the voice of a woman
intent on testing the constraints of convention.
Ending with a clever twist, the turbulence and
tension of the Italian Renaissance really comes alive
in this absorbing read about love, power, duty and
hope. I couldn’t put it down.
Hannah Groves
EDITOR’S PICK
Quraishi, Shazea
The Glimmer
Bloodaxe Books
2022, pp104, £10.99
9781780376332
Art. Science. Meaning
Arranged in chronological order
across 31 days, the poems record encounters
between a taxidermist and artists from various
disciplines, such as painting, music, and photography,
who visit her in a Mexican artists’ colony where, in
the opening poem, she is dissecting a mouse, ‘taking
apart…putting together’. This initial observation
expands into a theme running through the collection:
art as a semi-scientific process of disassembling
and reassembling, a reorganisation of matter to find
meaning. The artists question themselves and their
work, often to the point of despair: ‘It goes on and
on, the questioning’. The work is written in a variety
of styles, from broken-phrased impressionism to
narrative or passages of direct address generally
presented in italics, while notes at the end explain an
anagram form used in some poems. There is close
observation, description of biological and other
processes – one piece reads like a dictionary entry
– alongside metaphysical speculation: ‘When we
apply paint, it’s so alive, it’s moving. When it dries it
becomes dead’. It adds up to a rich and complex work
which will keep poetry societies fully employed.
Frank Startup
Skyers, Jennifer
Too Many Mouths
to Feed
Independently Published
2022, pp106, £7.99
9798418111968
World War I. Forgiveness.
Compassion
Set in Britain in the First World
War, this novel tells the story of a secure, middle class,
moneyed and well-connected family. It opens with
their son, Rupert, describing their idyllic lifestyle, soon
to be turned upside down by the declaration of war.
His parents, he tells us, are ‘pillars of the immunity’.
The future seems as secure as the present. Rupert has
gained a place at Cambridge to study medicine. But
all this changes as newspapers report the milestones
that lead towards war: the invasion of Sarajevo and the
assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Their
father, who has enlisted in the army, is killed in action.
At the heart of this story is another family whose son is
the victim of medical negligence. They are determined
to find out precisely what happened and to identify the
medic responsible. Theirs is a gripping story at the end
of which they eventually find themselves – somewhat
paradoxically – proffering compassion and forgiveness.
The work of an ordained minister, this short,
inspirational, heart-warming novel is presented in crisp,
well-constructed prose. Highly recommendable
Elizabeth Finlayson
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
67

AWESOME READS
FROM EVERYTHING WITH WORDS
ISBN 9781911427292
Paperback, 368 pages Illustrated
£7.99 Age 9+
THE CHESTNUT
ROASTER
Eve McDonnell
Time: 1888. Place: Paris, above
and below ground.
Gripping historical fantasy thriller
with a dazzling but tiny heroine
who will stop at nothing, but can
she catch the memory thief and
restore the lost children?
‘Mysterious and captivating.
The writing is sublime’ – Kieran
Larwood
‘Captivating. An unforgettable
Paris adventure. Fantastique’
– The Times Book of the Week
SMALL!
Hannah Moffatt
Harvey is a small boy in a giant
world. On stilts. And if he’s
discovered he’ll be stomped into a
sandwich!
‘Funny and yucky with
characterful caricatures by Rory
Walker … likely to be a hit read
aloud.’ – The Sunday Times Best
Books of the Year 2022
‘A giant triumph’ – A.F. Steadman
THE CORNY SCAREDY-
CAT PARANORMAL
INVESTIGATION
SQUAD
David Wandsworth
Alistair is leads a lonely life in
darkest Cornwall but then he
meets Saoirse and her wild
brother Billy, and the Corny
Scaredy-Cat Paranormal
Investigation Squad is born. Can
they escape the sinister sword
wielding ghosts?
‘David Walliams meets
Goosebumps’ – The Bookseller
ISBN 9781911427230
Paperback 272 pages illustrated by Rory Walker
£7.99 Age 7+
THE BEAR WHO
SAILED THE OCEAN ON
AN ICEBERG
Emily Critchley
One day Patrick discovers Monty
the polar bear in the family
freezer! Can he save Monty from
nosey neighbours? How do you
keep a ravenous but friendly polar
bear safe—and well-fed?
‘Funny, heartwarming’ –
Lovereading4Kids
ISBN 9781911427278
Paperback, 242 pages illustrated
£6.99 Age 7+
THE WOLF ROAD
Richard Lambert
ISBN 9781911427216
Paperback 368 pages illustrated
£ 7.99 Age 7+
SHADOW TOWN
Richard Lambert
ISBN 9781911427162
Paperback 352 pages
£8.99 Age 12+
When Lucas survives the car
accident that kills his parents,
one memory stays with him – of
the wolf that caused the crash.
And when he learns that a wild
creature is killing livestock on the
mountains, he knows it’s the wolf,
that it’s come for him, and that he
must face it.
‘Compelling’ – Sunday Times
‘Masterly’ – Financial Times
Longlisted for The Yoto Carnergie,
winner of the Mal Peet
ISBN 9781911427223
Paperback 398 pages
£7.99 Age 10+
In a dangerous land enslaved by a
cruel regent, where the Dreamers
have the magical power to turn
dreams into reality, Toby meets
Tamurlaine, a strange girl who
has lost her memory. Who can
you trust when you don’t know
yourself?
A Times & Sunday Times Best
Book of the Year

Books: Professional
Barker, Naomi
The Teacher Journal
Bloomsbury Education
2022, pp160, £14.99
9781801990318
Teaching. Development. Careers
With so many recent changes to
teacher training and the advent of the Early Careers
Framework (ECF), this practical journal would be
very useful for new teachers. It follows the academic
year, giving the reader research articles pertaining
to the ECF to read and reflect upon as they include
them into their classroom practice. However, as it
is meant to be written in, this book would be more
suitable for say ECF teachers who have their own
copy when they start their teaching journey.
Bridget Hamlet
Burkhardt, Joanna M.
Media Smart
Facet Publishing
2022, pp216, £55
9781783305087
Information. Media. Internet
This book is a must have for anyone
who works with information. It gives an in-depth
history of the internet, technology, and media, as
well as how human beings process and retrieve
information.
There are some classroom exercises which are
useful for library information sessions but might also
be useful for general “how to” guides for IT lessons
or PSHE sessions for any age students. Additionally,
the exercises may also be useful for personal CPD
as well.
There is so much detail in the book that it is difficult
to read all at once; it would be better to keep it on a
shelf close to you and dip in and out of it regularly,
especially when lesson planning.
It has only just been released, so is an up-to-date and
relevant source of information to support learning.
Tanya Henning
Kirschner, Paul A. and
Hendrick, Carl
How Teaching
Happens
Routledge
2022, pp356, £19.99
9781032132082
Teaching. Research. Professional
Development
This book belongs in every school professional
development section. The editors have collated
the most effective educational research, illustrated
the findings for clarity, and provided concise
pedagogical takeaways at the end of each seminal
work, making this both theoretical as well as
incredibly practical. They have included many
further reading suggestions for each topic, with
convenient QR codes for easy access, not to
mention a useful glossary and comprehensive index.
How Teaching Happens is one of the best teacher
training books available.
Bridget Hamlet
EDITOR’S PICK
Luxmoore, Nick
Supporting Young People
Through Everyday Chaos
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
2022, pp160, £14.99
9781839973598
Chaos. Behaviour. Support
Nick Luxmoore wrote this posthumously published
book about young people and chaos following
the sudden accidental death of his daughter, an
unexpected chaotic event in his personal life.
Luxmoore spent his life working as a school
counsellor, youth worker, and teacher, and his
insightful first-hand experiences assisting young
people through chaos are sprinkled throughout the
text. Each chapter explores one element of chaos
that young people experience, including anxiety,
bullying, anger, and loss. I thought it was particularly
useful when Luxmoore pointed out throughout the
text that young people do not yet have the means
to deal with the variety of chaos in their lives, as it is
often their first time experiencing it. Therefore, their
behaviour in response to chaos may not be what
we expect, but we can help them to better process
and cope with that chaos. This is a very useful text
for anyone that works with young people, especially
those in pastoral roles, because it is full of advice on
how to deal with a wide variety of reactions to the
chaos of growing up.
Emily Kindregan
Naylor, Phil
Naylor’s Natter
Bloomsbury Education
2022, pp128, £19.99
9781472992468
Education. Podcasts. CPD
If you have heard any of the
popular podcasts known as
Naylor’s Natter, then this book is the perfect
accompaniment to the series. If you haven’t yet
come across the podcasts or the book, then a treat
awaits. The author, Phil Naylor, has over twenty
years of experience in education and extols the
way in which we can all learn from each other. This
volume brings together valuable advice for teachers
and school leaders under five headings: behaviour,
leadership, pastoral care, CPD, and the future of
teaching and learning.
The layout of the book is very accessible: each
chapter opens with a helpful chapter overview
and there are QR codes throughout to link the
reader with the celebrated podcasts. Well known
figures from education (e.g. Dame Alison Peacock,
Professor Guy Claxton) share experiences in these
interviews, and the whole book is brimming with
recommendations and advice. Having started the
series of 150 podcasts in early 2019, Naylor has
decided to bring the project to an end after almost
four years. It is a great legacy indeed!
Janet Syme
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
69

Article Index for 2022
Band, Barbara
Three Websites – Revision i 32
Three Websites – PHSE ii 32
Three Websites – Phonics iii 32
Three Websites – Chemistry iv 32
Barclay, Meg
The Coming Storm Review ii 27
Beechey, Jan
Ways to Support Pupils with Dyslexia iii 12
Booth, Eleanor
A View from ... a Secondary School i 20
A View from ... a Secondary School ii 20
A View from ... a Secondary School iii 20
Bradbury, Alice
The Book is Mightier than the Phoneme iii 6
Brooks Kirkland, Anita
International Perspectives iv 17
Bryant, Helen
A View from ... a School Library Service iv 20
Budget
Running a School Library Without a Budget
(Leggatt) iii 5
Campling, Rebecca
A View from … a Primary School i 20
A View from … a Primary School ii 20
A View from … a Primary School iii 20
A View from … a Primary School iv 20
Castro, Jaqueline
A View from … an International School i 21
A View from … an International School ii 21
A View from … an International School iii 21
A View from … an International School iv 21
Censorship
What I Needed When Faced with a Book Ban
(Leggatt) iv 14
My Experience of Being an Author Who Was
Banned (Green) iv 16
Chambers, Lucy
Frequently Asked Questions i 23
Frequently Asked Questions ii 23
Frequently Asked Questions iii 22
Frequently Asked Questions iv 23
Clements, James
Learning to Be a Writer: The Vital Role of School
Libraries iv 6
Community
Alienus Non Diutius (Gerver) ii 5
Together (Gerver) iii 15
It’s Their World Too (Gerver) iv 5
Controversial Books
Current Conversations (Marris) ii 17
Deaville, Amanda
Current Conversations iii 17
Deegan, Michelle
Corpse Talk iv 27
Digital
Digital Library Hub: Innovation During the
Pandemic (Millis-Campbell) i 8
How to … (Harmeet ) i 26
JSTOR for Librarians, (McCargar) i 27
Using Technology and Video Game Playing to
Support Literacy (Picton) i 28
EdTech Horizons (Viner) i 29
Three from YouTube – French (Khalil) i 31
Three Websites – Revision (Band) i 32
Beyond Copy and Paste: Become a
Shortcut Expert (Harmeet) ii 29
Encyclopaedia Britannica (Woods) ii 28
EdTech Horizons (Viner) ii 26
Three from YouTube – Physics (Khalil) ii 31
Three Websites – PHSE (Band) ii 32
How to … Use Immersive Reader (Hazel) iii 26
Seven Stories: New Digital Exhibitions
Website (Hunt) iii 27
Manga Resources from the Japan Society
(Humphreys) iii 28
EdTech Horizons (Viner) iii 29
Three from YouTube – Biology (Khalil) iii 31
Three Websites – Phonics (Band) iii 32
EdTech Horizons (Viner) iv 26
Corpse Talk (Deegan) iv 27
Track My Read, (Hunt) iv 28
How to … Use Wakelet (Hazel) iv 29
Three from YouTube – Music (Khalil) iv 31
Three Websites – Chemistry (Band) iv 32
Diversity
Supporting Students with English as an Additional
Language (Roberts) i 10
LGBTQ+ Provision in the School Library – for All
(Jones) ii 6
Dyslexia
Ways to Support Pupils with Dyslexia (Beechey) iii
12
Education
The Age of the Edupreneur (Gerver) i 15
Gerver, Richard
The Age of the Edupreneur i 15
Alienus Non Diutius ii 5
Together iii 15
It’s Their World Too iv 5
Gibson, Hamish
The Importance of Media Literacy Education in
Improving Consumer Engagement and Trust in
Journalism iv 12
Goldstein, Stephane
Media and Information Literacy
Alliance Update ii 18
Media and Information Literacy
Alliance Update iii 19
Graphic Novels
Graphic Novels: Beyond Reluctant Readers iii 8
Green, Simon
My Experience of Being an Author
Who Was Banned iv 16
Hazel, Kojo
How to … Use Immersive Reader iii 26
How to … Use Wakelet iv 29
Holocaust
The School Library – a Space to Make Sense of the
Holocaust Through Literature (Kirkland) iv 8
Horsman, Ruth
Parent Power i 5
Social Media Links for CPD Reading and
Information Literacy ii 30
Humphreys, Bev
Manga Resources from the Japan Society iii 28
Hunt, Roshan
Seven Stories: New Digital Exhibitions Websiteiii 27
Track My Read iv 28
International
International Perspectives (Marquardt) i 16
A View From … an International School (Castro)i 21
International Perspectives,(School Libraries
Working Group COBDC) ii 16
A View From … an International School (Castro)ii 21
International Perspectives (Majid) iii 16
A View From … an International School (Castro) iii
21
International Perspectives (Brooks Kirkland) iv 17
A View From … an International School (Castro) iv
21
Jones, Verity
LGBTQ+ Provision in the School Library – for allii 6
Khalil, Beth
Three from YouTube – French i 31
Three from YouTube – Physics ii 31
Three from YouTube – Biology iii 31
Three from YouTube – Music iv 31
Kirkland, Cat
The School Library – a Space to Make Sense of the
Holocaust Through Literature iv 8
Koorevaar, Connie
What is the Ideal Number of Books Loaned per
Week for a Primary School Library for a Typical
User? ii 14
Learning Loss
Reducing the Summer Learning Gap
(Roberts) i 14
Leggatt, Alice
What I Needed When Faced with a Book Ban iv 14
Running a School Library Without a Budget iii 5
Letters, Samantha
Social Media Links for Science i 30
Library
Current Conversations (Millar) i 17
Between the Library and the Classroom
(Toerien) i 18
Between the Library and the Classroom
(Toerien) ii 19
Between the Library and the Classroom
(Toerien) iii 18
Between the Library and the Classroom
(Toerien) iv 18
70
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

2022 Index
A View from … a School Library
Service (Bryant) iv 20
Majid, Mayasari Abdul
International Perspectives, iii 16
Marquardt, Luisa
International Perspectives i 16
Marris, Claire
Current Conversations ii 17
Mawhinney, Natalie
What Are the Most Important Information
Skills Young People Need Today? iii 10
McCargar, Terri
JSTOR for Librarians i 27
McDougall, Julian
Next Steps for Tackling Fake News and
Improving Media Literacy ii 12
Media and Information Literacy
Teaching Media Literacy Through Citizenship:
An Urgent Priority for Schools (Moorse) i 12
Media and Information Literacy Alliance
Update (Secker) i 18
Next Steps for Tackling Fake News and
Improving Media Literacy (McDougall) ii 12
Media and Information Literacy Alliance
Update (Goldstein & Secker) ii 18
What Are the Most Important Information
Skills Young People Need Today?
(Preston & Mawhinney) iii 10
Media and Information Literacy Alliance
Update (Goldstein & Secker) iii 19
The Importance of Media Literacy Education
in Improving Consumer Engagement and
Trust in Journalism (Procter & Gibson) iv 12
Media and Information Literacy Alliance
Update (Secker) iv 19
Merga, Dr Margaret K.
Libraries as an Essential Wellbeing Resource
in Schools ii 8
Millar, Catherine
Current Conversations i 17
Millis-Campbell, Liz
Digital Library Hub: Innovation During the
Pandemic i 8
Moorse, Liz
Teaching Media Literacy Through Citizenship:
An Urgent Priority for Schools i 12
New Librarians
The First Year Setting Up a School Library,
(Wallis) ii 10
Current Conversations (Deaville) iii 17
O’Brien, Katie
Increasing Pupil Wellbeing Through Reading
Bounce Together iii 14
Picton, Irene
Using Technology and Video Game Playing
to Support Literacy i 28
Podcast
The Coming Storm Review (Barclay) ii 27
Preston, Dr Alison
What are the Most Important Information Skills
Young People Need Today? iii 10
Primary
Parent Power (Horsman) i 5
A View from … a Primary School (Campling) i 20
Curriculum Links – Primary Shakespeare i 24
What Is the Ideal Number of Books Loaned
per Week for a Primary School Library for a
Typical User? (Koorevaar) ii 14
A View from … a Primary School (Campling) ii 20
Curriculum Links – Primary Design
& Technology ii 25
A View from … a Primary School (Campling) iii 20
Curriculum Links – Primary Art iii 25
A View from … a Primary School (Campling) iv 20
Curriculum Links – Primary Internet Safety iv 25
Procter, Ed
The Importance of Media Literacy Education
in Improving Consumer Engagement and
Trust in Journalism iv 12
Reading
How Covid-19 Has Impacted Pupil
Attainment in Reading (Twist) iv 10
Frequently Asked Questions (Chambers) i 23
Frequently Asked Questions (Chambers) ii 23
Frequently Asked Questions (Chambers) iii 22
Frequently Asked Questions (Chambers) iv 23
Register, Paul
Graphic Novels: Beyond Reluctant Readers iii 8
Research
Research Highlights i 18
Research Highlights (Roberts) iv 18
Roberts, Elly
Supporting Students with English
as an Additional Language i 10
Reducing the Summer Learning Gap i 14
Research Highlights iv 18
Sahota, Harmeet
How to … i 26
Beyond Copy AND Paste:
Become a Shortcut Expert ii 29
School Libraries Working Group COBDC
International Perspectives ii 16
Secker, Jane
Media and Information Literacy Alliance
Update i 18
Media and Information Literacy Alliance
Update ii 18
Media and Information Literacy Alliance
Update iii 19
Media and Information Literacy Alliance
Update iv 19
Secondary
A View from … a Secondary School (Booth) i 20
Curriculum Links – Secondary Maths i 24
A View from … a Secondary School (Booth) ii 20
Curriculum Links – Secondary Music ii 25
A View from … a Secondary School (Booth) iii 20
Curriculum Links – Secondary Geography iii 25
Curriculum Links – Secondary Internet
Safety iv 25
Sixth Form
A View from … a Sixth Form (Smith) i 21
A View from … a Sixth Form (Smith) ii 21
A View from … a Sixth Form (Smith) iii 21
A View from … a Sixth Form (Smith) iv 21
Smith, Sarah
A View from....a Sixth Form i 21
A View from....a Sixth Form ii 21
A View from....a Sixth Form iii 21
A View from....a Sixth Form iv 21
Social Media
Social Media Links for Science (Letters) i 30
Social Media Links for CPD Reading
and Information Literacy (Horsman) ii 30
Social Media Links for
Anti-Bullying accounts (Thow) iii 30
Social Media Links for Key Stage 1 (Thow) iv 30
Storytelling
Telling Tales in School, (Williams) i 6
Teaching Reading
The Book is Mightier than the Phoneme
(Bradbury & Wyse) iii 6
Thow, Lauren
Social Media Links for Anti-Bullying
Accounts iii 30
Social Media Links for Key Stage 1 iv 30
Toerien, Darryl
Between the Library and the Classroom i 18
Between the Library and the Classroom ii 19
Between the Library and the Classroom iii 18
Between the Library and the Classroom iv 18
Twist, Liz
How Covid-19 Has Impacted
Pupil Attainment in Reading iv 10
Viner, Jonathan
EdTech Horizons i 29
EdTech Horizons ii 26
EdTech Horizons iii 29
EdTech Horizons iv 26
Wallis, Clive
The First Year Setting Up a School Library ii 10
Wellbeing
Libraries as an Essential Wellbeing Resource
in Schools (Merga) ii 8
Increasing Pupil Wellbeing Through Reading
(O’Brien) iii 14
Williams, Alec
Telling Tales in School i 6
Woods, Dawn
Encyclopaedia Britannica ii 28
Writing
Learning to Be a Writer – the Vital Role of
School Libraries (Clements) iv 6
Wyse, Profs Dominic
The Book is Mightier than the Phoneme iii 6
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022
71

Books: Review Index
Page numbers in italics indicate a book that features
in the Editor’s Picks highlight box on that page.
A
Abdo, Dan and Abdo, Jason - The Ghost Blade 46
Adamson, Ged - The Elephant Detectives 36
Aderin-Pocock, Maggie - Am I Made of Stardust? 54
Albert, Melissa - Our Crooked Hearts 60
Alex Budak - Becoming a Changemaker: An Actionable,
Inclusive Guide to Leading Positive Change at Any Level 63
Ant Middleton - The Wall 67
Applegate, Katherine - Wishtree 46
Arshad, Humza and White, Henry - Little Badman and the
Rise of the Punjabi Zombies 46
Atta, Dean - Only on the Weekends 66
Averiss, Corrinne - Love 36
B
Balkan, Gabrielle Balkan - Who’s That Dinosaur? 36
Barker, Naomi - The Teacher Journal 69
Beashel, Amy - We Are All Constellations 60
Bennett, Robin - Stupendous Sports: Fantastic Football 54
Bermingham, Alice-May - My First Encyclopedia 36
Blackwood, Remi - Race to Fire Mountain: Future Hero 46
Bocquet, José-Louis - Alice Guy First Lady of Film 64
Bourne, Stephen - Black Poppies 49
Braun, Dieter - Wild Animals of the World 54
Brett, Anna - Really Wild Families: Little Bee 36
Bunzl, Peter - Magicborn 46
Burkhardt, Joanna M. - Media Smart 69
Butterfield, Moira and Millward, Gwen - Sometimes I’m a
Baby Bear, Sometimes I’m a Snail 39
Butterworth, Nick - A Flying Visit:
A Percy the Park Keeper Story 36
C
Carroll, Emma - The Little Match Girl Strikes Back 46
Cartwright Jones, Naomi - How to Catch a Rainbow 37
Chevannes, Sabrina - Chess for Children 54
Chichester Clark, Emma - Bears Don’t Cry 39
Chimbiri, K N and Lander, Elizabeth
- The Story of Britain’s Black Airmen 49
Claessen, Jennifer - The October Witches 47
Clive Gifford and Steve Gavan - A Quick History of Politics:
from Pharaohs to Fair Votes 63
Coelho, Joseph - Our Tower 37
Cole, Stephen - Stitched Up 47
Colfer, Eoin and Judge, Chris - Cloud Babies 39
Conlon, Dom - Grow, Tree, Grow! 37
Conway, Anne-Marie - How To Be More Hedgehog 47
Corrine Averiss and Kirsti Beautyman - Love 39
Corr, Katharine and Corr Elizabeth - Daughter of Darkness:
The House of Shadows Duology 60
Cowell, Cressida - Which Way to Anywhere 47
Cranford, Elizabeth - Bugs 54
D
Davis, Rachael - A Mind Like Mine 54
Delacorte, Kat - With Fire in Their Blood 60
Delahaye, Rachel - Day of the Whale 47
De Roo, Elena - To Catch a Cloud 37
Devon, Natasha - Toxic 67
Dias-Hayes, Michaela - Family and Me! 37
Divin, Sue - Truth Be Told 66
Dixon, David - Leadership for Sustainability:
Saving the Planet One School at a Time 63
Doherty, Berlie - The Haunted Hills 47
Donnelly, Paddy - Fox & Son Tailers 37
E
Ely, Kiki - Everyday Wellbeing 67
Empson, Jo - Tiny Blue, I Love You 38
Evans, Milly - Honest. 64
Evelyn, Alex - The Secret Wild 48
F
Faber, Polly - Kitsy Bitsy’s Nosy Neighbours 38
Farinella, Matteo and Ros, Hana - Neurocomic 64
Farr, David - The Book of Stolen Dreams 48
Fichou, Bertrand - What About: Science 55
Fielding, Yvette - The Ripper of Whitechapel 60
Forna, Namina - The Merciless Ones 60
Franceschelli, Christopher - Space Block 38
G
Gavin, Jamila - Never Forget You 61
George, Kaille - I Hear You, Ocean 38
Gifford, Clive - Powered by Plants 55
Gino, Alex - Alice Austen Lived Here 61
Gosling, Sharon - The Extraordinary Voyage of Katy Willacott 48
Grant Brydon - Life Lessons from Hip-Hop 67
Gravett, Emily - 10 Cats 38
Griffiths, Jane - Little Silver 66
Gwinn, Saskia - Scientists Are Saving the World! 55
H
Hammett, Tracey - Bob the Dog Gets a Job 38
Hammond, Alison - Black in Time: The Most Awesome Black
Britons from Yesterday to Today 64
Hansen, Quincy - Shake It Up! How to Be Young, Autistic and
Make an Impact 64
Harbour, Vanessa - Safe 61
Harkin, Jo - Tell Me an Ending 66
Harrold, A. F - The Worlds We Leave Behind 48
Hastings, Natasha - The Miraculous Sweetmakers:
The Frost Fair 48
Hayden, Chaz - The First Thing About You 61
Hegley, John - I Am a Poetato 48
Helen Welsh, Clare - All the Animals Were Sleeping 39
Henn, Sophy - Lifesize Baby Animals 39
Higuera, Donna Barba - The Last Story Teller 49
Hinson-King, Rico - Strong and Tough 39
Hitchcock, Fleur - Mouse Heart 49
Hodgkinson, Leigh - Martha Maps It Out 40
Hoghton, Anna - Orla and the Wild Hunt 49
Horácek, Petr - A Best Friend for Bear 40
Hornigold, Judy and Jewell, Rose - GCSE Maths for
Neurodivergent Learners 64
Horowitz, Antony - Where Seagulls Dare: A Diamond
Brothers Case 50
Hoskins, Hayley - The Whisperlings 50
Howe, Cath - The Insiders 50
Hudson, Briony - Medicine 56
Hudson, Simon - History Through the Black Experience:
Volume One & Two 65
Hui, Rebecca - It’s Our Business to Make a Better World 56
Humphreys, Alastair - The Girl Who Rowed the Ocean 50
J
Jacobs, Calum (editor) - A New Formation: How Black
Footballers Shaped the Modern Game 65
James, Alice and Frith, Alex -
Big Questions About the Universe 56
James, Anna - Hetty and the Battle of the Books 50
John, Lou and Bloomfield, Jenny (Illustrator) -
The Worry Jar 39
John, Rebecca F. - The Shadow Order 50
Jonathan Tullock - Cuckoo Summer 49
Jones, Pip - Dimple and the Boo 51
Jones, Richard - Where Have You Been, Little Cat? 40
Jo, Sophie - The Nicest Girl 61
Jubber, Nicholas - The Fairy Tellers 66
K
Kelly, Patrick and Kelly, Renee - Britannica’s Word of the Day 56
Kemp, Anna - Into Goblyn Wood 51
Kessel, Anthony - Outside Chance 61
Khan, M.T. - Nura and the Immortal Palace 51
Kirschner, Paul A. and Hendrick, Carl -
How Teaching Happens 69
Klauber, Sue - Zinc 49
L
Landman, Tanya - The Battle of Cable Street 62
Lightman, Alan P. and Pastuchiv, Olga -
Ada and the Galaxies 40
Long, David - Tutankhanmun’s Treasure 56
Longman, Finn - The Butterfly Assassin 62
Luxmoore, Nick - Supporting Young People
Through Everyday Chaos 69
M
Mabbott, Lizzie - How Many Ways Can You Cook Eggs 56
MacGregor, Maya - The Many Half-Lived Lives
of Sam Sylvester 62
Maddox, Lucy - A Year to Change Your Mind 67
Madon, R.J - Beowulf’s Ghost 62
Mafi, Tahereh - This Woven Kingdom 66
Maguire, Gregory - Cress Watercress 51
Markey, Charlotte, et al. - Being You:
The Body Image Book for Boys 65
Martin, Dora - The Atlas of Diabolical Dinosaurs 57
McGough, Roger - An Imaginary Menagerie 51
McGowan, Anthony - Dogs Of the Deadlands 62
McNab, Andy and French, Jess - My Mum Is a Spy 51
Michael Rosen and Annemarie Young - What Is Politics?
Why Should We Care? And Other Big Questions 63
What’s the Point of Philosophy? 63
Montgomery, Ross - Hurly Burly: Macbeth Mayhem! 52
Morris, Jackie - Something About a Bear 40
Murray, Lily - A Dress with Pockets 40
N
Nadia Jae (Editor) - Raise Your Voice: Make Yourself Heard
in a Noisy World 63
Naylor, Phil - Naylor’s Natter 69
Newson, Karl - The Hat Full of Secrets 42
O
O’Donoghue, Katie - The Little Squirrel Who Worried 52
O’Farrell, Maggie - The Marriage Portrait 67
O’Hara, Natalia - Choose Your Own Story:
Once Upon a ... Fairytale 42
Oldfield, Matt and Oldfield, Tom - Ultimate Football Heroes:
Rice: From the Playground to the Pitch 57
Owen, David - Alex Neptune, Dragon Thief 52
Owen, David - My First World Atlas 57
P
Page, Alexandra - The Worry Tiger 42
Pearson, Jenny - Operation Nativity 52
Percival, Tom - Milo’s Monster 42
Pillainayagam, Christine - Ellie Pillai is Brown 62
Pirotta, Saviour - Turtle Bay 42
Pitcher, Caroline - Lord of the Forest 42
Plath, Sylvia - The Bell Jar 67
Poppy O’Neill - Stronger Than You Know: Find Your Shine
and Be Confidently You 63
Q
Quinn, Suzy K. - Huxley Sparks and the Book of Secrets 52
Quraishi, Shazea - The Glimmer 67
R
Rahman, Yasmin - Why Is Nobody Laughing? 63
Ralphs, Matt and Wright, Gordy - Secrets of the Dead 58
Rawlinson, Julia - Fletcher and the Stars 43
Rayner, Catherine - Five Bears 43
Riskin, Dan - Fiona the Fruit Bat 43
Roberts, Ros - Every Cloud 52
Rosen, Michael - Goldilocks and the Three Crocodiles 43
Rothery, Ben - Deadly Dangerous Animals 58
Rundell, Katherine - The Zebra’s Great Escape 43
Ryall Woolcock, Kim - It’s Tough to Be Tiny 58
S
Said, S.F. - Tyger 53
Sedgwick, Marcus - Be Calm 58
Shaa Wasnund & Richard Newton - Stop Talking, Start Doing 67
Sheetal Sheth & Khoa Le - Making Happy 39
Sirdeshpande, Rashmi - Dadaji’s Paintbrush 43
Skinner, Nicola - Giant 53
Skyers, Jennifer - Too Many Mouths to Feed 67
Smith, Chris - Frankie Best Hates Quests 53
Smith, Miranda - If the World Were 100 Animals 58
Sorosiak, Carlie - Everywhere with You 44
Sparkes, Amy - The Monster Who Was Scared of Soap 44
Sterer, Gideon - The Midnight Fair 44
Stevens, Robin - The Ministry of Unladylike Activity 49
Strathie, Chae - So You Think You’ve Got It Bad?
A Kid’s Life in a Medieval Castle 58
Sufiya Ahmed and Hazem Asif - Rosie Raja: Churchill’s Spy 49
T
Taylor, Sean and Morss, Alex - Wild Summer Life in the Heat 44
Towler, Paige - Gross Factopia 59
Vanessa Harbour - Safe 49
Michael Morpurgo and George Butler - War Horse 49
V
Van Hinsbergh, Emma - The Complete Wellbeing Manual 67
W
Walmsley, Naomi - Live Like a Hunter Gatherer 59
Webb, Holly - The Story of Greenriver 53
Wendy Meddour and Daniel Egneus - The Friendship Bench 39
White, Kathryn and Dean, Rachael - Home for Grace 39
Williamson, Victoria - War of the Wind 63
Willis, Jeanne - I Remember 44
Wilsher, Jane - Marvellous Body 59
Wilson-Max, Ken - Eco Girl 44
Wolk, Lauren - My Own Lightning 53
Wood, Laura - The Agency for Scandal 63
Z
Zetter, Neal and Seigal, Joshua - Scared? 53
72
VOLUME 70 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2022

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