The School Librarian 71-4 Autumn 2023

Supporting Neurodiversity in the 

School Library 

By Derek France 

Escape the Library 

By Rebecca Campling 

The Quarterly Journal of the School Library Association 

Volume 71 Number 4 Winter 2023 

Collecting Our Thoughts About AI 

By Andrew Cox 

www.sla.org.uk

Introducing 

The new library user interface for Heritage Cirqa 

Look4 is the brand-new online catalogue for Heritage Cirqa, packed with features 

to help your library users find the resources they need and much more! 

A key feature of Look4 is a dynamic widget on the landing page, which we call 

‘Focus Feed’. It’s a powerful tool you can use to signpost and link to virtually 

anything you can think of. It has many uses, from reading lists, training materials, 

school events and clubs, to counselling and information literacy help. 

Look4 

The Focus Feed widget in Look4 

One great use of Focus Feed is to post video clips, to engage even the most reluctant user. Embed, or 

link to, institutional videos and set expiry dates, so that you don’t have to come back and remove them 

when their job is done. We also provide several tutorial videos for your users, like the one illustrated 

above, which you can visit at https://ct4.cirqahosting.com/cirqa-web-app and where, also, you can get 

a general impression of the interface. Keep things fresh and interesting with Look4 and they’ll keep 

coming back for more. 

cirqa.co.uk

Contents 



Welcome from the CEO 2 

Editorial 3 

SLA News 4 

Features 

Who is Talking to Them? 

Richard Gerver 5 

Benefits of a Bilingual School Library 

Benedicte de Rancourt 6 

Just 6 Minutes! 

Catherine Stack 8 

Supporting Neurodiversity 

Derek France 10 

Megan Urmston: UK Pupil Library Assistant of the Year 2023 13 

Collecting Our Thoughts About Artificial Intelligence 

Andrew Cox 14 

Using Fairy Tales to Celebrate Cultural Diversity 

Sophie Anderson 18 


Rebecca Campling 20 

A View From... 22 

Frequently Asked Questions 24 

Between the Library and the Classroom 25 

Research Highlights 25 

Curriculum Support 26 

Dates for you Diary 26 

Digital 

The Canva Revolution: Transforming Education with Creativity 28 

Canva Updates 29 

Safer Internet Day 2024 31 

SLA Website: Things to Look Out For 33 

The Klaus Flugge Prize Shortlist Sketchbook 33 

Review: Inclusive Books for Children 34 

EdTech Horizon 35 

Book Reviews 

7 & Under 36 

8-12 Fiction & Poetry 48 

8-12 Information 58 

13-16 Fiction & Poetry 63 

13-16 Information 66 

17-19 67 

Professional 70 

Article Index for 2023 71 

Book Review Index 71 

10 

Supporting 

Neurodiversity 

14 

Collecting Our 

Thoughts About 

Artificial Intelligence 

20 


VOLUME 71 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2023 

1

Welcome from the CEO 

Welcome to the Winter issue of TSL. 

As I write this, we’re hosting our New 

Developments Day and working hard 

on our own internal new developments; 

namely the new website and members’ 

portal. Its launch will be the culmination 

of over two years of preparation, and we’re excited for you to see 

it and take advantage of the opportunities it offers. 

And there are opportunities aplenty as I look around the sector 

– opportunities to help each other, to speak up for the sector, to 

engage with new people, and to give pupils the best educational 

experience possible. One with a fully functional school library. 

Alongside these opportunities there’s also a need for discussion 

and to look forward – to create a future for the sector and 

play a meaningful role in the development of the educational 

landscape. What are the skills that school library staff have which 

will still be needed in 10 years’ time? What kind of libraries will 

we have then? What kind of new developments will be needed 

from your sector bodies to support you? 

We’re pleased to announce the outline of our Weekend Course 

2024; taking place in Sheffield in early June. We have condensed 

the same amount of CPD into two days rather than three, 

reducing costs and giving you a day back. We will be organising 

an informal social event on the Thursday evening, so if you 

intend to arrive early, keep an eye out for information about 

that. The weekend will provide an opportunity for you to hear 

from authors, researchers and colleagues and have some of the 

discussions that are needed. 

The launch of the new website is also the launch of a new free 

membership option. This is perfect for those people who want 

to stay informed or support school libraries, but without the full 

range of benefits members get. Let people know there’s now this 

option to engage with the SLA. You can read more about the 

Weekend Course on the SLA website. 

We have been working on other projects – both solo and in 

partnership with other organisations – and we’re looking forward 

to telling you more about them in 

due course. 

We are looking forward to the spring 

term, and seeing how we all continue 

to move forwards; discussion, support 

and good-natured challenge will help 

us all to take the sector forwards. 

Thank you to everyone who helps 

make the SLA the lively community it 

is; you’re all appreciated. 

Alison Tarrant 

This cover is our third by Swindon author and 

illustrator, Steve Antony. 

Published four times a year by the School Library Association: 

spring, summer, autumn and winter. 

Cover illustration by Steve Antony. 

Copyright © 2023 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 No. 313660. 

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 queries and 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, TSL, 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 2024. 

2 

VOLUME 71 NUMBER 4 WINTER 2023

Editorial 

As I write this, we’re holding our 

most successful online event ever: 

over 170 people signed up to take 

part in our New Developments 

Day, finding out more about new 

research in, about, and involving 

school libraries. It’s a proud moment for us and 

helps us meet our strategic aim of increasing 

awareness of research in the sector. I hope it will 

also encourage some individuals working in 

school libraries to produce their own research, 

case studies, or reflections and share this with 

colleagues and more widely. 

This issue we have a range of articles from members 

on the ground: bilingual libraries, supporting 

neurodiverse pupils, the wellbeing benefits of 

reading, inclusive myths and legends, escape 

rooms in action, and starting a primary school 

library. We’ve also got an article from Megan, the 

winner of the Pupil Library Assistant of the Year 

Award; thanks and congratulations go to her and 

Gareth, her librarian. 

Richard Gerver’s regular article asks us to consider 

how we can empower our pupils, and I’ve 

recently been having conversations about how 

empowerment is the other side of the censorship 

coin. All pupils will come across content they are 

not comfortable with – this is the world we live 

in – and the recent terrorist attack in Israel and the 

content flooding social media have highlighted this 

problem. A school library is a great place to teach 

empowerment: how to identify if you’re feeling 

uncomfortable, what to do, and what to do about 

it. We cannot protect children from everything bad 

in the world; but we can teach them what to do 

when it happens – whether with books, websites, 

or social media. It is ‘a reader’ who will put down a 

book because it’s not for them – this is something 

we should be encouraging and building with the 

children we work with. It is the nature of a school 

library that you will have some content which isn’t 

suitable for everyone who uses it – the curriculum 

alone makes this the case without adding in 

personal development, personality, attitudes, and 

beliefs. But it is also the nature of a school library 

that choice and respect are at the heart of the 

service, which differentiates it from a class read, a 

set text, or a curriculum topic. 

A school library is a great place to 

teach empowerment: how to identify if 

you’re feeling uncomfortable, what to 

do, and what to do about it. 

By the time this issue lands, our new website will 

be up and running. In the forum there will be a 



Supporting Neurodiversity in the 


By Derek France 

Escape the school library 

By Rebecca Campling 

Collecting our thoughts about AI 

By Andrew Cox 

www.sla.org.uk 

It is the nature of a school library that 

choice and respect are at the heart of 

the service. 

discussion about this issue – let us know what you 

think and what you’d like more of. There’ll also be a 

separate discussion about digital – so let us know if 

you try something as a result of the digital section, 

if you have something you’d like us to review, or 

who you’d like to hear from in this section. 

As this is the last issue for the year, you will find 

our annual topic index at the back, alongside the 

usual book reviews index. We’ve had some great 

contributors over the year, both regular and single 

articles, and our thanks go to them all. This issue 

sees the last FAQs column from Lucy Chambers, 

and all our ‘A View from …’ contributors will change 

for the new year as well – thanks to you all. 

You may be aware that the costs of paper, ink and 

postage have increased significantly over the last 

two years. We continue to seek better agreements 

to secure the production of TSL in its current form, 

but we may also have to explore other avenues to 

ensure its long-term sustainability. Any ideas on 

this are welcome – perhaps via the new forum, or 

by email to info@sla.org.uk. 

Alison Tarrant 


3

SLA News 

IBA Winners Announced! 

Now in its thirteenth year, we’re proud that the SLA 

Information Book Award continues to recognise the 

importance of children’s non-fiction titles, highlight the 

wealth of impressive resources available, and support 

school libraries to get the most out of them. 

We hope that all who attended our recent 2023 awards 

ceremony enjoyed a wonderful evening of celebration, 

where we announced the following winners: 

Age 13–16 category: Medicine: A Magnificently 

Illustrated History by Briony Hudson, illustrated by 

Nick Taylor, published by Big Picture Press 

Age 8–12 category: A World Full of Journeys and 

Migrations by Martin Howard, illustrated by Christopher 

Corr, published by The Quarto Group 

Age 0–7 category and overall winner: ABC Pride by Dr 

Elly Barnes MBE and Louie Stowell, illustrated by Amy 

Phelps, published by DK Children 

Alongside the judges’ winners, each year we’re also pleased to 

provide pupils with the chance to have their say and vote for their 

favourite titles to crown a Children’s Choice Winner in 

each age category and overall. This year, the Children’s 

Choice Winners are: 

Age 0-7 category: Do Bears Poop in the Woods? By 

Huw Lewis Jones, illustrated by Sam Caldwell, published 

byThames & Hudson 

Age 13-16 category: An Illustrated History of Ghosts, by 

Adam Allsuch Boardman, illustrated by Adam Allsuch 

Boardman, published by Nobrow 

Age 8-12 category and overall Children’s Choice winner: 

The Big Book of Mysteries, by Tom Adams, illustrated 

by Yas Imamura, published by Nosy Crow 

For more information on this year’s award, visit the 

SLA website. 

Nominations for 2024 are now open to publishers. 

For more information visit the SLA website or get in 

touch with us at info@sla.org.uk 

Weekend Course 2024 

Great news – planning for the SLA 2024 

Weekend Course is well underway! 

This is an annual highlight for anyone involved 

in reading, information literacy, or the school library. Taking place 

in Sheffield between 7th and 8th June 2024, our theme is ‘Libraries 

Unleashed: Beyond the Shelves’ and we’re looking forward to welcoming 

delegates back in-person for an invigorating weekend that focuses on 

creating opportunities to unlock the full potential of school libraries, 

extending their reach into the wider curriculum and collaborating with 

others to successfully achieve this. 

This time, we’ll be condensing the same amount of quality CPD into 

two days and giving you the opportunity to build your own individual 

programme. Take part in anything from one day of training to the full, 

residential delegate experience – we want you to enjoy a weekend that 

suits your interests and budget. 

This weekend course will be in-person only, maximising the impact from 

face-to-face interaction, and ensuring we’re able to put on the quality of 

event that we want, and you expect. Our online offer will continue with 

our weekly webinars, member meetups and more, but the content from 

this weekend course will only be available live at the weekend. 

Featuring our biggest exhibition space yet, rousing keynotes, interactive 

sessions and a city with much to offer, this is an event not to be missed! 

Mark the date in your diaries and register your interest via this short, 

online form to be the first to hear the latest news and updates: 

forms.office.com/e/vLxL0SJsKV 

Launch of New 

SLA Website 

The SLA team have been working hard behind the 

scenes for a significant amount of time on this vital 

project, and we were pleased to recently make the 

new site live. 

We have tried hard to listen to all your helpful 

feedback over the years in order to bring you an 

improved website that we hope will serve as a 

valuable tool for helping both you and your school 

library to be the best it can be. 

Our website now includes plenty of exciting new 

features, including the ability to manage your own 

details and preferences at any time, a Members’ 

Directory to allow you to connect with colleagues, a 

Member Forum to discuss topics that are important 

to you, an extensive and searchable Resource 

Library, and much, much more! 

See for yourself and discover all the SLA have to 

offer by visiting: www.sla.org.uk 

4 


Feature 

Who is Talking to Them? 

Richard Gerver 

Richard Gerver gets us thinking about the power of 

conversation and how we can use it to help children and 

young people understand our world. 

When I first accepted the role of President 

of the SLA, some will remember that 

I wanted to encourage our schools, 

through our librarians, to play a much 

more proactive role in helping our 

children understand the misinformation 

and manipulation that pervades so many aspects of our 

digital lives. 

Unsurprisingly, the two years of the pandemic – the lockdowns 

and schools closing physically to most pupils – meant that there 

has been an amplification. Whether it’s characters like Andrew 

Tate, or networks supporting eating disorders or even suicide, the 

situation is becoming more complex and more pertinent to us 

as educators. Governments are trying to have an impact through 

legislation, but we all know that it will take a great deal more than 

that, and maybe the answer lies in the good old-fashioned art 

of conversation. 

An interesting provocation I heard recently regarding Tate 

and his misogynistic messaging was the question, was he the 

problem or a symptom of the problem? In other words, why were 

so many of our boys so susceptible to his material, why did it 

resonate for so many of them? Maybe, just maybe, it’s because 

so many of our young people feel overawed, confused, and, dare 

I say it, disenfranchised by the world they are being asked to 

inhabit. They clearly want help and support, and in the vacuum 

go looking online and find toxic characters like Tate who, is 

of course a skilled and manipulative communicator, and who 

professes to have the answer and help they need. 

So many of our young people feel overawed, 

confused, and, dare I say it, disenfranchised. 

When I first started my headship at Grange, it was just after 

the horrific events of 9/11. The school was on the flight path 

for the nearby East Midlands Airport, and as a result, planes 

have for many years flown low over the school, and for as many 

years, the children ignored them – the planes were just part of 

their everyday – until the planes flew into the towers on that 

late summer’s day in New York. All of a sudden, children were 

reacting to the flights overhead: many were visibly distressed, 

some believing that the aircraft were going to crash into them. 

We realised that no one had talked to the kids about the events 

they had seen unfold on their screens; many parents didn’t 

know how, some didn’t want to upset them by exposing them 

to what had happened. As a result, the children had assimilated 

the information and formed their own responses without 

understanding, leaving them frightened and confused. 

When I was a child, I remember having weekly current affairs 

lessons in school, where we would discuss and debate the news. 

Not only did I really enjoy those sessions, but I believe it gave me a 

lifelong interest in politics, world events, and the news in general. 

At Grange, we reacted by timetabling what we called ‘Our 

World this Week’. A 30-minute lesson, deliberately scheduled 

at the end of the school week. It ran in every classroom, from 

Nursery to Year 6. The session was chaired by the teacher to 

ensure that conversations and issues were age appropriate 

and sensitively handled. The children were encouraged to look 

out for news that interested them during the week and bring 

stories to the ‘Our World’ lesson. To that end, our librarian 

would print out news items from the internet, find stories in 

newspapers, and leave high-quality magazines and papers on 

racks in the library. She would also help the children research 

and find stories that they were interested in in preparation for 

the Friday conversations. 

The impact of the sessions was profound, the youngest children 

captivated by stories like whales swimming down the Thames, the 

older students wanting to get involved in local eco projects and 

debating serious national issues. Some 

of those children have gone on to study 

politics or journalism at university. 

For me the achievement was most 

potently demonstrable in the fact that 

our students could talk confidently 

about the world and how they could 

be actively involved in it. If we are to 

counter the evil of those who seek to 

manipulate and misinform, we need 

to empower our young people, to 

listen to them and to their concerns, 

and to fill the vacuum of ignorance 

that is so ruthlessly and cleverly 

exploited by others. 

Richard Gerver is President 

of the School Library 

Association, and a worldrenowned 

speaker and 

author. He was previously a 

headteacher. 


5

Feature 

Benefits of a Bilingual School 

Library 

Benedicte de Rancourt 

Across the world bilingualism and plurilingualism are on the rise. 

Here, Benedicte de Rancourt explains the benefits of bilingual 

education and a bilingual library. 

Bénédicte de Rancourt 

has been working in 

school libraries since 2004 

in the UK, within British, 

French and international 

environments. Lifelong 

learner, book lover, 

married and mother of 

bilingual children, she lives 

at the heart of London’s 

multicultural community 

(and wonderful libraries). 

‘In whatever context they are to be found, a 

library acts as the anchor point and platform for 

the creative and cultural life of the community it 

serves.’ – Nick Poole, CILIP CEO 

Knowing that half of the world 

population was bilingual or 

plurilingual in 2015 (Barbara 

Abdelilah-Bauer, 2015), and 

that it is now reaching two 

thirds, with the multiplication of 

multicultural families, it’s clear that bilingualism 

is here to stay and will only expand. Therefore, 

it seems right that educational systems adapt 

to the reality of the people they serve, leading 

to the emergence and development of bilingual 

education in schools. 

It seems right that educational 

systems adapt to the reality of the 

people they serve. 

Interestingly, bilingual education offers cognitive as 

well as non-language benefits, such as: 

• increased cognitive development 

• better academic achievement 

• improved memory 

• resistance to dementia 

• increased economic opportunities 

• cross cultural appreciation 

• improvements in the executive function of the 

brain 1 

Simultaneously, reading (for learning) brings 

knowledge and structure to our thinking, and 

reading (for pleasure) benefits include: 

• reading attainment and writing ability 

• text comprehension and grammar 

• breadth of vocabulary 

• positive reading attitudes 

• greater self-confidence as a reader 

• pleasure in reading in later life 

• general knowledge 

• a better understanding of other cultures 

• community participation 

• a greater insight into human nature and 

decision-making 2 

As a consequence, unsurprisingly, a bilingual 

school library can help offer access to a joint set of 

benefits for everyone – students, members of staff 

and families – from reading and from bilingualism. 

However, ‘as any linguist will tell you, 

understanding the literal meaning of a word 

through translation is one thing, but appreciating 

another culture and frame of mind is quite 

another […]’. 3 

Indeed, ‘exposure to two languages encourages 

students to develop an appreciation for the 

differences in cultures. Bilingualism is more than 

just the ability to speak more than one language – 

it’s a multicultural approach to interpersonal 

interactions that can dramatically improve an 

individual’s social skills’. 4 

It’s a multicultural approach to 

interpersonal interactions that can 

dramatically improve an individual’s 

social skills 

In this respect, bilingual library projects are doubly 

exciting because they aim to offer resources across 

the whole curricula, in both languages, to students 

from varied backgrounds who learn to live together 

and get on well, supporting the educational 

team. At the same time, it can be challenging as it 

multiplies the opportunities, curricula, official texts 

of reference and guidance, supplier channels, and 

6 


Benefits of a Bilingual School Library 

ways of communicating, and the need to choose 

what is achievable in a set timeframe. The IFLA 

guidance may be helpful in setting a framework. 

What is fascinating with the teaching of a double 

curriculum is that it broadens the horizon and 

gives a deeper understanding of a situation or 

a topic by adding complementary information 

and points of view; one of the most eloquent 

examples is explaining what happened during 

world wars. It helps us see other perspectives and 

teaches cooperation. 

A school library in general is not 

always the most remote and quiet 

place one could imagine, and this is a 

joy to see the diversity in action. 

A school library in general is not always the most 

remote and quiet place one could imagine, and 

this is a joy to see the diversity in action, the mix of 

generations, of forms, of status – everyone blends in 

in the library, in their own style, around knowledge, 

critical thinking and imagination. For bilingual 

libraries, this is even more symbolic. 

In this context, adopting a growth mindset – a 

concept defined by Carol Dweck in her book 

(The Growth Mindset: Changing the Way You Think 

to Fulfil Your Potential, 2017) as the belief ‘that 

ability and intelligence can be achieved through 

effort’ 5 – is an essential starting point, as there is 

always hope and scope for improvement. This is the 

case for communication, in various 

ways, including in another 

language – it is never too late. 

Another technical aspect to be 

taken into consideration 

is the choice of the Library 

Management System, as 

this has a huge impact on 

the way our readers find 

what they want for their 

studies and interests. 

It will necessarily be 

in one of the main 

languages and have a set 

bibliographical format. 

The International 

Baccalaureate, or IBDP, is 

taught in English, French, 

and Spanish around the world 

and ‘As of September 2023, there 

were over 8,000 programmes 

being offered worldwide, 

across over 5,700 schools in 159 

countries’. 6 The French Educational system 

also offers a large network via AEFE (Agency for 

The idea is not to rub out one’s identity 

to solely blend into the international 

community, but to value it as well as 

value that of others. 

teaching French abroad) across the globe and 304 

International Sections are counted in over 140 

AEFE schools of 59 countries [AEFE | Les sections 

internationales]. These are only two examples, but 

the audience for bilingual school libraries is very 

much growing. 

Bilingual education fosters global understanding to 

support students as they develop into responsible 

citizens of the world. As CILIP CEO Nick Poole puts 

it, indeed, ‘a school library is a place to discover 

your own identity and to learn about the identities 

of others’. 7 The idea is not to rub out one’s identity 

to solely blend into the international community, 

but to value it as well as value that of others – which 

is at the heart of building a sought after, better, and 

more peaceful world. 

References 

1. https://www.nordangliaeducation.com/bvis-hcmc/news/2022/04/02/ 

the-benefits-of-bilingual-education] 

2. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/ 

system/uploads/attachment_data/file/284286/reading_for_pleasure. 

pdf 

3. https://harvardpolitics.com/the-monolingual-presidency/ 

4. https://online.tamiu.edu/articles/education/why-bilingualeducation-is-important.aspx 

5. https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/growth-mindset-vs-fixed-mindset 

6. https://www.ibo.org/about-the-ib/facts-and-figures/ 

7. CILIP special interest group, SLG, School Libraries in View: 

A Celebration of 40 years of School Libraries and services, 

issue 46. 

Photo: oksix - stock.adobe.com 


7

Feature 


Catherine Stack 

Catherine Stack explains how six little minutes can make all the 

difference to our mental health and how this inspired a new 

school reading initiative. 

Catherine Stack, Librarian, 

Loreto College. 

We are all too familiar with 

research which shows 

‘children who engage with 

reading are 3 times more 

likely to have high levels of 

mental wellbeing than those 

who do not’ (National Literacy Trust 2018), but do 

we all know they only need to do it for six minutes? 

According to a study by the University of Sussex 

(2009)*, silently reading fiction for only six 

minutes reduces stress levels by 68% – more than 

listening to music, having a cup of tea, or going for 

a walk. 

Silently reading fiction for only 

six minutes reduces stress levels 

by 68%. 

Intrigued, I delved deeper and came across 

Scotland’s Keep the Heid and Read** initiative 

which encouraged readers to pledge to read for 

just six minutes on one day during Mental Health 

Awareness Week. Brilliant, I thought, how can I 

use this in school? Our pupils regularly read in 

registration and should always have a book with 

them. But what if we could get pupils reading 

fiction for six minutes at the start of each lesson on 

one day? It could be a really good way to emphasise 

the link between reading fiction and improving 

mental wellbeing, especially during Mental Health 

Awareness Week. 

Our head teacher agreed, and we chose to run the 

initiative when Sue Wallman visited our Year 9 

pupils to talk about her latest book, Such a Good 

Liar. I promoted the day at assemblies, sharing 

research such as ‘what your brain looks like on 

fiction’ and how reading is linked to improved 

mental health. 

The initiative wasn’t limited to pupils; we also 

encouraged teachers to take part, and we received 

positive feedback on the day from them both. 

Feedback from teachers 

• I found that it very much calmed the whole class 

and even the trickier students. They were more 

focused and ready to work and there was an air 

of calm. 

Students were more focused and ready 

to work and there was an air of calm. 

• It was positive. My year 10s were moaning about 

it, but when they started reading, they couldn’t 

stop. And the other classes were really into it. 

Also, the fact that I was reading had an impact 

(positive as well). 

• I really enjoyed the experience. It’s something I 

always used to do in my teaching, but stopped 

over time, so it was nice to go back to it. 

• Year 7 were really engaged in the process. They 

talked about their books afterwards and were 

really animated. 

Feedback from pupils: 

• I really enjoyed having the six minutes reading 

time before each lesson because it really helped 

calm my mental health for a bit especially a week 

before exams! It put me in the right mindset 

for the lesson and made me feel more positive 

about it. It also meant I had a chance to get lost 

in my book so I was looking forward to lessons I 

wouldn’t normally look forward to! Really lovely 

experience! (Year 9). 

• It was great as we got to have an extra 42 minutes 

of reading time over the whole day! (Year 7) 

• I found that reading for six minutes before each 

lesson was useful in helping me to ground myself 

and relax before absorbing the vast abundance of 

information in the lesson ahead. It helped me to 

clear my mind of all the stressors of A levels and 

thus allowing me to gain more from each lesson, 

rather than being consumed by other worries of 

8 



deadlines or exams. Fiction is especially useful 

for this as I find it helps me detach myself from 

my current reality, even if only for a few minutes. 

This means that when the lesson does begin, I can 

centre my focus entirely on the current lesson. 

(Year 12) 

What have we learned? 

Teachers enjoy reading too! The more we do it, the 

more there is the expectation for opportunities for 

pupils to read. 

Although pupils were told about the initiative, 

some did forget their book and were encouraged to 

visit the library! Obviously, it is more successful if 

pupils choose a book they are interested in. Some 

just grab the nearest one, usually not the best 

option, while others resort to all-time favourites, 

even books they may have read before reminding 

them of the “feel good feeling” they experienced 

when they were younger and had more time for 

reading for pleasure. 

Another bonus of this initiative is that it encourages 

key stages 4 and 5 to read fiction. Most of their 

reading time is focused on curriculum reading. 

We have also extended Readathon (our annual 

sponsored read during Reading Week) to both 

these key stages. They are not expected to read 

a whole book, just set themselves the target of 

reading six minutes of fiction per day. The main 

aim is to help them find ways to de-stress. 

The main aim is to help them find ways 

to de-stress. 

We now run Just 6 Minutes! twice a year on World 

Mental Health Day in October and again, in Mental 

Health Awareness Week during May. 

I am grateful to Scotland’s Keep the Heid and Read 

initiative for inspiring Just 6 Minutes! 

*Study conducted by researchers at the University of Sussex: Dr. 

David Lewis “Galaxy Stress Research,” Mindlab International, 

Sussex University (2009) 

**For more information on “Keep the Heid and Read”, visit: www. 

keeptheheid.scot. Scotland’s Reading Moment 2022 is a public 

libraries initiative, in partnership with mental health charities, 

publishers, booksellers, authors and others. 

Photo credit: 

Hannah Freeman 


9

Feature 


Derek France 

‘Neurodiversity recognises differences are not defecits’. 

Derek France shares information and personal experiences 

about supporting neurodiversity in a school library. 

Derek France is the School 

Librarian at Preston Lodge 

High School in Prestonpans, 

East Lothian, Scotland. 

He won the First Minister’s 

Reading Inspiration 

Challenge Award for 

Secondary Schools in 2021, 

and the SLA’s UK Secondary 

School Librarian of the Year 

Award in 2022. 

Most people are familiar with 

the term neurodiversity. It 

was conceptualised by Judith 

Singer 1 , a sociologist who is 

autistic, in 1998 to describe 

ADHD, autism and dyslexia 

while writing her thesis. Essentially, there is no 

normal brain function: differences are part of the 

variations in the human brain and neurodiversity 

recognises differences are not deficits. To 

visualise this, I like the 

Neurodivergent Umbrella 

created by Sonny Jane 2 . 

I am a school librarian 

who has ADHD and, like 

everyone, my personal 

experience feeds 

into my professional 

practice. Now, this is my 

experience, and what 

works in my library 

may not work in your 

library. And I can’t 

speak on behalf of every 

ND (neurodivergent) 

person navigating a NT 

(neurotypical) world. But 

I can start with my own 

experience and build 

from there. 

Building Relationships & Pastoral Support 

This is something every school librarian does, 

and we usually get to the stage where we can 

recommend the right book, for the right student, at 

the right time. The dynamics of our relationships 

with students can differ from other school staff: we 

can simply be present and available for students. 

These relationships develop with congruence, 

and students can feel comfortable with me and 

the library space with authenticity and empathy 

towards their needs and difficulties, usually 

through informal and ad hoc conversations. 

When the topic of ND was first mentioned, I 

slowly disclosed my ND to students. Responses 

This is where we can give ND students 

a sense of belonging, connection, 

and safety. 

varied: some said “yeah, obviously”, some didn’t 

respond or treat it as an event, but some wanted 

to ask questions and explore further. This is where 

we can give ND students a sense of belonging, 

connection, and safety: 

a place where they feel 

secure to talk without 

being judged. And for me 

to respond responsibly 

and appropriately 

about being ND. These 

open conversations 

are affirming and 

supportive, and they 

empower students. 

Of course, students need 

access to the library 

without interacting with 

me. Social interaction 

can be an anxious and 

debilitating experience 

for some ND students. 

Some prefer to have 

their books issued silently without eye contact, 

and have expressed their need to be left alone 

while in the library. I created an interactive book 

recommendation display for those who prefer 

not to interact directly with me, which has led to 

students becoming more comfortable. We need 

to remember not all communication is verbal: 

observing students, where they sit, how they 

respond to others, the space they choose to be 

in, and where they like to read. We can adapt the 

library space for, and with, students. 

Library Environment & Student Involvement 

Creating an inclusive, empowering, and nurturing 

environment is essential for student wellbeing. 

The library IS a safe space for students just TO BE: 

10 



Elle McNicoll visiting Preston 

Lodge High School. 

Photo taken by staff member. 

It isn’t MY library: it’s OUR library 

– a place to foster belonging and 

sanctuary 

there are no expectations, no judgements – it’s 

not a classroom, a teacher’s office, and it isn’t MY 

library: it’s OUR library – a place to foster belonging 

and sanctuary while building reading engagement 3 . 

Students are involved in almost all library planning 

and decision making – from pupil librarians to 

the different clubs on offer, and a high percentage 

of these students are neurodivergent. Student 

voice is fundamental, and their involvement has 

empowered our young people to implement 

changes which include: 

• Reorganising the layout of the library with 

a clear separation of the study area and ‘the 

book space’ 

• Shelving, tables and seating rearranged for 

social and private reading areas 

• Reintroducing beanbags for comfortable 

seating (discovered in a storage room!) 

• Furniture – what works/doesn’t work for them: 

looking at fabric, texture and colour 

• Lighting: switching off the main fluorescent 

light and using fairy lights and natural light 

when possible 

• Face out book displays (dynamic shelving) for 

ease of access 

• A selection of fidget toys, Lego, noisecancelling 

headphones, coloured overlays, 

doodling pens and paper 

• An idea borrowed from Barrington Stoke – a 

listening station: an iPad with headphones and 

a selection of library eAudiobooks. 

Many students now feel comfortable enough to 

unmask when in the library, allowing themselves to 

stim or to talk about their special interest. 

Many of the library clubs and activities have been 

initiated due to ND students’ special interests, e.g. 

Anime & Manga, Dungeons & Dragons, The Owl 

House Club, Lego, Miniature Painting/Wargaming, 

and a ‘What If?’ Club (exploring alternative 

histories). Or, students have used an existing club 

to explore their special interests, e.g. exploring a 

genre or topic as part of a book group and themed 

days or activities for the creative writing club. All of 

our clubs are provided on a ‘drop-in’ basis, with no 

pressure to attend every meeting. 

Collection Development & Health Literacy 

A high percentage of ND people have coexisting 

conditions such as sensory issues, anxiety, 

depression, bowel and bladder issues, muscle 

and joint problems 4 all of which can affect mental 

health and sense of wellbeing. There is a swathe 

of international research 5 on the benefits of 

reading for pleasure: increasing attainment and 

a young person’s sense of wellbeing, self-esteem, 

social skills, and deepening empathy. As one of 

our students says, reading is ‘a way to escape the 


11


Pupil Librarians reviewing 

and labelling their chosen 

books for the library 

Titles chosen by pupils. 

Labels attached by librarian. 

stresses of daily life. It’s a way to stop becoming 

overwhelmed’. Students are involved in collection 

development through a mixture of simple book 

requests, voting sessions on what to buy, and bookbuying 

trips. One of the more popular activities is 

visiting independent bookstores – I tasked the pupil 

librarians to choose books for the library on the 

proviso their chosen titles were not in stock, and 

to provide a paragraph or short talk ‘selling’ their 

book of choice to me. We make displays of their 

chosen books and I add ‘This book was chosen for 

the library by …’ stickers. 

Many of the books bought developed into a 

‘Shelf-Help’ section: fiction and non-fiction titles 

exploring characters or issues students and their 

friends or families may be experiencing. This 

led to the inclusion of health literacy as part of 

the information literacy lessons I provide. The 

misinformation on TikTok and other social media 

platforms regarding ND and health issues are 

troublesome 6 and I support students to access 

appropriate health resources. 

After conversations with students, we have 

displays for awareness weeks and days celebrating 

everything under the ND umbrella, developing 

awareness and conversation between students, 

staff, and also parents when visiting school or 

attending a book cafe. One of the most important 

points ND students raised was the need for stories 

that accurately reflect ND experience. 

Having nuanced neurodivergent 

characters that accurately reflect 

neurodivergent life offers students 

connection and empowerment. 

Neurodivergent Representation 

The importance of own voice authors and authentic 

representation in children’s and YA literature is 

essential to both ND and NT students. Having 

nuanced neurodivergent characters that accurately 

reflect neurodivergent life offers students 

connection and empowerment, and helps them 

feel less alone: the value of seeing yourself in a 

book is immeasurable. ND representation is also 

important for NT readers, offering perspectives 

otherwise unknown, developing empathy and 

exposure to multidimensional ND characters. 

Building a collection of own voices titles 

encourages staff, students, and their families to 

ask questions and develop empathy. Empathy is 

inherent to storytelling. And stories make us who 

we are. 

References 

1. https://www.bbk.ac.uk/about-us/fellows/judy-singer 

2. https://www.livedexperienceeducator.com/resources 

3. https://doi.org/10.1080/01930826.2021.1947056 

4. https://neurodiversity.be/comorbidities/ 

5. https://natlib.govt.nz/schools/reading-engagement/ 

understanding-reading-engagement/reading-for-pleasure-adoor-to-success 

6. https://www.bacp.co.uk/bacp-journals/therapy-today/2023/ 

april-2023/the-big-issue/ 

12 


Feature 

Megan Urmston: UK Pupil Library 

Assistant of the Year 2023 

Megan Urmston shares her experiences of winning UK Pupil 

Library Assistant of the Year and talks to us about her projects for 

the library. 

This year Megan Urmston from 

Abbeyfield School (Chippenham) 

won UK Pupil Library Assistant of 

the Year. The ceremony took place 

on Friday 30 June at Pearson Offices 

in London. Megan had competed 

against seven other amazing finalists before being 

announced as the winner of the award by children’s 

author Steve Cole. 

We catch up with Megan a few months after 

winning the award to share her experience and 

thoughts on winning the award and working as a 

pupil library assistant at her school: 

What is it like being a pupil library assistant and 

what do you enjoy about your role? 

I think becoming a pupil library assistant was 

the best decision I ever made. It’s given me an 

amazing group of friends with the same love for 

books and the library as me, helped me develop 

my communication skills and made me realise 

how much I love libraries (more than I did before I 

started secondary school!). 

What was it like attending the award ceremony 

and winning the award as well? 

It was an amazing day attending the award 

ceremony, one that I know I will remember forever. 

When I met the other finalists and heard about 

what they had done in their libraries, I honestly 

thought that one of them would win, which made 

the announcement that I had won the award even 

more of a surprise. The rest of the day felt like 

I’d been swept up in this incredible whirlwind, 

with lots of people asking me for photos or to 

tell them about my project, and then, eventually, 

coming home with a huge selection of books for 

me to escape into, one of which I started the very 

next day. 

Can you give us an overview about your project 

for your school library and what will be the 

outcomes from this project? 

My project is split into two parts. One of them 

is a Zen Zone, a sensory reset space inspired 

by my experience as an autistic student, which 

will be open to anyone who needs some time to 

decompress from the hustle and bustle of everyday 

school life. The other part of the project is LRC Live, 

a new school community podcast to allow students 

to engage with the library in a different way, with 

a group of students running the podcast and 

coming up with ideas for content. The outcomes 

from these should be to encourage people who 

would not normally come into the library to engage 

with it in different ways, both as a virtual library of 

content through the podcast, and a space to relax 

and decompress (and hopefully with a good book!) 

through the Zen Zone. 

As a result of Megan winning the award, the school 

was awarded £500 by The Worshipful Company 

of Arbitrators to make Megan’s project a reality. 

Over the course of the last few months the library’s 

old storage room has been converted into the Zen 

Room, which was officially opened by children’s 

author Joffre White with headteacher Mr Nick 

Norgrove on 3 October. The school will also be 

starting a new podcast club very soon to develop 

their new school community podcast. 

For more information about the UK Pupil Library 

Assistant of the Year Award, please visit their 

website at: libpupilaward.co.uk 

PLAA winner Megan, Joffre 

White and Headteacher, 

Nick Norgrove opening the 

Zen Room 


13

Feature 

Collecting Our Thoughts About 

Artificial Intelligence 

Andrew Cox 

A useful tool or a threat to accurate information sharing: 

Andrew Cox talks us through the realities of AI for information 

professionals. 

In the last few months it has been hard to 

avoid the topic of Artificial Intelligence 

(AI). News headlines have talked about 

the threat to jobs, to democracy, even to 

human life on the planet. The Times had 

a headline on 20th May 2023: ‘AI “is clear 

and present danger to education.”’ It was reporting 

an open letter from school leaders calling attention 

to the risks of AI for learning. 

But the newspapers have also reported stories of AI 

being used to improve medical treatments and to 

combat climate change. 

Much of the fear and excitement around AI in 2023 

has been linked to ChatGPT, the AI driven site 

that can draft documents, write computer code, 

compose recipes, and solve maths problems. 

It is not surprising that there is a swirl 

of emotions around AI. 

So, it is not surprising that there is a swirl of 

emotions around AI. The word cloud below is from 

the September SLA members meetup, showing a 

wide range of feelings about AI: from excitement 

and intrigue, to confusion and worry. 

I think it’s important to acknowledge our own 

feelings as information professionals about AI. 

They are probably shared by our students and by 

teachers. And it’s important to open up a reasoned 

discussion about current AI, sensitive to the 

feelings that revolve around it. It’s time to collect 

our thoughts about AI. 

Firstly, we should recognise that AI has been 

with us for a long time in functions such as spam 

filtering, plagiarism detection, transcription 

and captioning, translation, search and 

recommendation, and predictive text. The 

informational problems of these applications, such 

as inaccurate recommendations and filter bubble 

effects are something we have been educating users 

about for years. While ChatGPT raises the debate 

to another level, we should realise that as librarians 

we already have a lot of insights into the key issues. 

Having acknowledged this, the current AI we 

need to come to terms with is ‘generative AI’ like 

ChatGPT, Bard, and the New Bing and the tools to 

generate images such as Stable Diffusion. 

There is a long history of development behind these 

tools but their sudden rise to the news headlines, 

has caught us all out, and it’s hard to respond 

quickly, especially as school libraries need to align 

to school policy, which could be slow to appear. 

Nevertheless, there is little doubt that students are 

already using these services. Actually, it is fair to say 

that they need to get to grips with AI because by the 

Andrew Cox, Information 

School, University of 

Sheffield. 

a.m.cox@sheffield.ac.uk 

14 



Photo: Emiliano Vittoriosi on 

Unsplash 

time they enter the world of work it will probably 

be widely used. Microsoft are trialling Copilot, an 

application of ChatGPT functionality to Office. 

And there is no doubt that ChatGPT is genuinely 

extremely useful. Participants in the September 

meetup said they were using it for tasks such as: 

• Planning a class 

• Drafting presentations 

• Summarising a topic 

• Creating revision questions 

• Search 

• Drafting emails 

Other ideas I have encountered include: 

• Checking grammar 

• Providing translations 

• Generating questions about a text 

What is clear, though, is that ChatGPT, 

while very useful, needs human input. 

What is clear, though, is that ChatGPT, while very 

useful, needs human input. We might ask ChatGPT 

to brainstorm a lesson plan, but we would want to 

adapt it based on our own research and to our own 

students’ specific needs. 

Indeed, ChatGPT poses many problems: 

• It “hallucinates” information which is 

inaccurate, fails to give its sources and even 

fabricates citations. 

• It only has data up to September 2021. 

• It makes biased statements, e.g. studies have 

shown it has political bias and also reproduces 


15


sexist and racist stereotypes (Deshpande et 

al., 2023). 

• It is currently impossible to identify whether 

material was machine generated. 

• It can be used to create misinformation or even 

harmful information. 

• It could accelerate the content creation 

explosion – leading to even more challenges of 

information overload. 

• It could create lazy and superficial learning by 

making learning tasks like writing too easy. 

• It is unexplainable because it is far from open 

about what data it is based on or how it works. 

• Privacy is at risk if you share your data with it. 

• It may violate copyright by using copyright 

material in its training without permission. 

• It is available to people with money to 

subscribe, creating inequality in access. 

Even more fundamentally, there are question 

marks about the ethics of how it was developed: 

• Very low paid Kenyan workers were asked to 

view unpleasant material as part of the process 

of “detoxifying” data that was being input to 

train ChatGPT (Perrigo, 2023). 

• GPT technologies have a huge environmental 

impact (Ludvigsen, 2022). 

I think many student (and staff) users have 

realised from experience that ChatGPT can be 

quite inaccurate. Hopefully they should turn to the 

library for advice about fact checking and wider 

good research practice. 

How can school librarians respond to the 

possibilities and pitfalls of generative AI? 

Ultimately, we may have to wait to see how 

our school develops a policy, and this in turn 

could be determined by the position taken by 

the exam boards. Here are a few thoughts about 

the issues reflecting what was discussed at the 

September meetup: 

• Can we ban generative AI use in assessed 

work, or even all use? The problem here 

is that currently there is no reliable way to 

check whether generative AI has been used 

to produce some writing. Ultimately, though, 

existing policy on plagiarism does establish the 

basic principle that assessed work must be the 

student’s own. 

• Can we change assessment tasks so they are 

things that ChatGPT cannot perform? Do 

we need to return to more exams, or at least 

handwritten assignments? 

• Can we allow its use but include a reflective 

element that prompts students to explain how 

they used and adapted AI content? How do we 

ensure that students take a critical approach to 

these services and not become lazy learners? 

• Can we explain how to cite generative AI as 

a source? 

• Can we build awareness of AI in general as a 

new topic into training sessions? 

School librarians have a lot to 

contribute to the discussion at 

school level. 

It’s probably impossible to resolve these issues on 

an individual basis, but school librarians have a 

lot to contribute to the discussion at school level. 

And there are a lot of benefits to collaborating with 

others working in the sector to share knowledge. 

For example, at the members’ meetup there was a 

lot of interest in shared learning materials to use 

to teach AI literacy to students and staff, as well as 

training in AI and generative AI in particular. As 

usual, professional collaboration is a good response 

to change. 

References 

Deshpande, A., Murahari, V., Rajpurohit, T., Kalyan, A., & 

Narasimhan, K. (2023). Toxicity in chatgpt: Analyzing personaassigned 

language models. arXiv preprint arXiv:2304.05335. 

Ludvigsen, Kasper. (2022). The carbon footprint of Chat GPT. Last 

updated December 21, 2022. https://towardsdatascience.com/ 

the-carbon-footprint-of-chatgpt-66932314627d 

Perrigo, B. (2023). “Exclusive: OpenAI Used Kenyan Workers on 

Less Than $2 Per Hour to Make ChatGPT Less Toxic.” Time, 

January 18, 2023. https://time.com/6247678/openai-chatgptkenya-workers/ 

Some useful resources 

Cox, AM (2021) The impact of AI, machine learning, automation 

and robotics on the information professions: A report 

for CILIP https://www.cilip.org.uk/general/custom. 

asp?page=researchreport 

Department For Education (2023) Generative artificial intelligence 

in education -Departmental statement, https://assets. 

publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/ 

uploads/attachment_data/file/1146540/Generative_artificial_ 

intelligence_in_education_.pdf 

Dunne, Evan (2023) ChatGPT for teachers, https://www. 

computingatschool.org.uk/resources/2023/january/chatgptfor-teachers-a-guide-by-evan-dunne 

IFLA Special Interest Group on AI, 23 resources to get up to speed 

on AI in 2023, https://www.ifla.org/g/ai/23-resources-to-getup-to-speed-on-ai-in-2023/ 

Joint Council for Qualifications (2023) AI Use in Assessments: 

Protecting the Integrity of Qualifications https://www.jcq.org. 

uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/JCQ-AI-Use-in-Assessments- 

Protecting-the-Integrity-of-Qualifications.pdf 

McAdoo, T. (2023) How to cite ChatGPT, (blog post) https:// 

apastyle.apa.org/blog/how-to-cite-chatgpt 

SQA, Generative Artificial Intelligence - information for centres 

https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/106648.html 

Taylor, S. (2023) (If You) USEME-AI https://sjtylr.net/if-youuseme-ai/ 

16 


Feature 

Using Fairy Tales to Celebrate 

Cultural Diversity 

Sophie Anderson 

Sophie Anderson shares her experiences of hearing Eastern 

European fairy tales as a child and how this has inspired her 

own writing. 

All the books I’ve written have 

been inspired by the Slavic fairy 

tales my grandmother told me. 

These were the first stories I fell 

in love with. I was captivated 

by the beautiful language; the 

enchanting and often eerie atmosphere; the magic 

and wonder; the balance of light and dark; the 

I was captivated by the beautiful 

language; the enchanting and 

often eerie atmosphere; the magic 

and wonder 

Sophie Anderson is a 

Swansea born author 

whose writing is most often 

inspired by her Prussian 

heritage. Sophie has won 

and been nominated for 

numerous awards and 

her novel The House with 

Chicken Legs has been 

adapted for stage. 

larger-than-life characters; and the way the tales 

explored universal hopes and fears surrounding 

life, love, death, and finding our way in the world. 

But perhaps most of all, I loved that the tales were 

from my grandmother’s homeland, so formed part 

of my cultural heritage. 

My grandmother’s tales whisked me away, from 

south Wales to eastern Europe, and made me feel 

connected to her past and my ancestry. I knew 

she was passing on an important legacy, and her 

stories, along with the foods and music she shared, 

became a treasured part of my identity. 

I knew she was passing on an 

important legacy, and her stories, 

along with the foods and music she 

shared, became a treasured part of 

my identity. 

I remember vividly the first time I saw one of “my 

grandmother’s tales” in a book. I was seven years 

old and found The Kingdom Under the Sea written 

Illustration by Melissa Castrillon from 

The Snow Girl (Usborne) 

by Joan Aiken and illustrated by Jan Pienkowski 

in my local library. I was thrilled! Until that 

moment, I had only ever heard Slavic tales told 

orally, so it felt very special to find a collection of 

them beautifully written and illustrated. The book 

contained eleven fairy tales from eastern Europe, 

and included my favourite character, Baba Yaga, 

along with the first illustration I ever saw of her 

unusual house (which many years later inspired my 

first book, The House with Chicken Legs). 

Following this discovery, I explored all the fairy tale 

books in the library. Most contained well-known 

stories by the Brothers Grimm, Charles Perrault, 

Hans Christian Andersen, and Oscar Wilde. But 

there were a few collections of fairy tales from 

around the world, with stories I had never heard 

before. I loved how these tales felt unique, yet 

contained many similarities to the ones I knew. 

They showed me how people are linked, across the 

world and through time, in a powerful way. 

18 


In recent years, many books of folk and fairy tales, 

and retellings and reimaginings, from varied cultures 

have been published that are relevant and exciting to 

young readers today. 

Using Fairy Tales to Celebrate Cultural Diversity 

I believe fairy tales are an important part of all our 

heritage, a gift from our ancestors that still holds 

the power to delight and guide us today. Fairy 

tales can provide young readers with a wonderful 

opportunity to see their own cultural heritage 

represented in literature, explore stories from 

other cultures, and trace the threads that weave us 

all together. 

In recent years, many books of folk and fairy tales, 

and retellings and reimaginings, from varied 

cultures have been published that are relevant and 

exciting to young readers today (and thankfully are 

far less likely to contain archaic, offensive terms 

and harmful stereotypes that are often found in 

older collections). Here are a few of my favourites 

that I think are perfect for school libraries: 

• A Year Full of Stories: 52 Folk Tales and 

Legends From Around the World by Angela 

McAllister with colour illustrations by 

Christopher Corr (6+) is a lovely collection 

arranged by month, with tales to celebrate 

varied cultural events and festivals. 

• Winter Tales by Dawn Casey with colour 

illustrations by Zanna Goldhawk (6+) brings 

together eighteen tales from around the world, 

sparkling with winter magic, including ‘The 

Snow Maiden’ – the Russian tale that inspired 

my latest book The Snow Girl. 

• Why the Moon Travels by Oein DeBhairduin 

with black-and-white illustrations by Leanne 

McDonagh (8+) contains twenty tales from 

the Irish Traveller community, exquisitely told, 

with insightful personal introductions. 

• African and Caribbean Folktales, Myths 

and Legends by Wendy Shearer with blackand-white 

chapter-header illustrations by 

Andrea Pippins (8+) is a vibrant collection of 

eighteen traditional tales with introductions. 

It is part of an excellent series which includes 

Irish, Scottish, Welsh, South Asian, and Norse 

tales, all retold by well-known contemporary 

authors. 

• Rumaysa by Radiya Hafiza with black-andwhite 

illustrations by Rhaida El Touny (8+) 

is an enchanting reimagining of Rapunzel, 

Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty, with brilliant, 

culturally diverse heroines. 

• Where the Mountain Meets the Moon 

written and illustrated by Grace Lin (8+) 

is a spellbinding novel inspired by Chinese 

folklore, containing magical creatures, 

stories within stories, and magnificent colour 

illustrations. 

When Usborne told me their plans to publish 

my latest fairy tale reimagining in a beautifully 

designed and illustrated edition, I was over the 

moon! The Snow Girl is a gorgeous gift hardback, 

with stunning two-colour illustrations by Melissa 

Castrillón that add to the fairytale atmosphere 

of the story perfectly and make the reading 

experience truly special. 

I hope The Snow Girl delights today’s readers and 

inspires them to seek out more folk and fairy tales 

from different cultures that celebrate the wonderful 

diversity in the world, and the ways we are all 

linked through a love of storytelling and stories. 

The Snow Girl by Sophie Anderson is out 

26th October (published by Usborne) 


19

Feature 


Rebecca Campling 

Ever thought about turning your library into an escape room? 

Rebecca Campling shares how positive the experience can be. 

Children working out the 

password to escape 

Rebecca Campling is a 

primary school librarian 

in Peterborough, 

Cambridgeshire with over 

10 years experience in 

primary education.. 

Last February I had one of those ideas 

that refuses to let go until it’s been 

seen through to completion – to run 

an escape room for World Book Day. 

I’d never run one before and with 

420 children aged between 4 and 11 

it wasn’t exactly a small undertaking, especially in 

part time hours! But the more I thought about it, 

the more excited I got and the more determined I 

was to pull it off. 

I initially looked online to see if anyone had 

done one before that I could borrow from. Book 

Riot and the Lego Librarian both yielded useful 

information, but theirs had been run for secondary 

pupils, whereas mine was for primary. What they 

did give me was a framework within which I could 

plan, and a starting point – the end! I knew that I 

wanted to have differentiation for the oldest and 

youngest pupils (after all, a puzzle a 5-year-old can 

solve is not going to be particularly challenging or 

stimulating for an 11-year-old) and so I began by 

creating two passwords: a four-letter word for key 

stage 1 and a seven-letter word with numbers for 

key stage 2. I then worked backwards to create clues 

that would lead to the letters. When the children 

reached the correct letter or number, they were 

given that letter to place in the “lock” on the library 

door. Here are a couple of examples: 

• KS1, letter clue E: I hid numbered cutouts of 

Elmer the elephant in various places in the 

library for the children to find. Once they had 

all of them, they had to turn them over and put 

them in order to make a simple sentence: What 

is my name? The answer of course was Elmer, 

which gave them the letter E. 

• KS2, letter clue B: On a table was a pile of words 

all beginning with B, F, or G. The children had to 

figure out how to group them and then choose 

one word from each group to make the title of 

a book we have in the library (The BFG). They 

then had to locate the book itself, on the front of 

which the B had been circled. 

I think my favourite clue was one that the 

children unanimously got straight away, but our 

headteacher spent ages staring at without seeing 

the solution! Some were straightforward, whereas 

others were multilayered, with the hope that in a 

team of 15 there would be something that everyone 

could engage with. 

We all know library budgets can be 

stretched – and much of what I used 

was acquired from various corners of 

the school. 

I then needed to create props. Due to working 

part time and the library often being used as a 

breakout space in my absence, it was necessary to 

be able to quickly and easily completely dismantle 

and reassemble the escape room every day. I also 

wanted to primarily use things I already had – we 

all know library budgets can be stretched – and 

much of what I used was acquired from various 

corners of the school. The KS2 clues were colour 

coded, to give the children some assistance 

connecting the dots, and much of that was 

achieved by simply printing on coloured paper. 

20 



Different clues and activities 

in the library 

For one clue the children had to find several books 

on a theme, and I marked these out with painting 

tape down the spines. I did buy a couple of things 

– a blank wooden puzzle, for example, and hazard 

tape – but it was all very budget friendly and 

low maintenance! 

The clues written and the props prepared, it came 

to delivery. I had already pre-warned the school 

that no ordinary library lessons would be taking 

place over a period of two weeks, which was how 

long I needed to get every one of our 420 pupils 

through the room. Classes were split in two and 

each group had a 45-minute window in which to 

play the escape room, and give me time to reset 

it. Posters and hazard tape went up, and the vital 

rule of DON’T TELL ANYONE ANYTHING spread 

through the school, as did the excitement of the 

children. One child, who unfortunately, was in the 

very last group to play, asked me every day when 

it was her class’s turn, and footfall in the library 

increased as children hoped to get a sneak peek 

Footfall in the library increased as 

children hoped to get a sneak peek of 

the clues. 

of the clues and try to figure them out ahead of 

time. The teachers and I tweeted daily updates 

which kept the excitement running (and spread 

to the parents), and prizes were promised for the 

fastest teams, and those who demonstrated the 

best teamwork. 

It was possibly the most fun I’ve ever 

had at work! 

The next two weeks seemed to go by in a blur 

whilst simultaneously lasting for a thousand 

years, but it was possibly the most fun I’ve ever 

had at work! The children all rose to the challenge 

phenomenally, with every group completing the 

escape room in 20 minutes or under – the fastest 

group finished in less than 10! 

In future I would probably make some adjustments 

to get the whole school through in one week 

(and maybe put some harder clues in!), but aside 

from that, I consider it to have been a resounding 

success. Next year’s World Book Day is in my 

sights already and this time I’m thinking of trying a 

murder mystery … 

https://legolibrarian.com/2018/05/05/tweenprogramming-escape-room-in-the-library-year-2/ 

https://bookriot.com/how-to-make-a-literaryescape-room/ 

The escape room proved to 

be a huge success! 


21

A View From … 

… a primary school 

A new academic year sparking lots of “firsts”! 

A new academic year brings with it new pupils, new displays, 

new books, and new opportunities to network with our 

wonderful book community! A highlight of the year, held in early 

September, is the Chiswick Book Festival. A broad collection of 

top-quality authors take part, from Clive Myrie to Jacqueline 

Wilson (who I met and introduced to her audience!), with all 

profits going to local charities and the entire festival run by 

volunteers. After a few years of volunteering, this is my first 

year as the Children’s Coordinator. It is always a delight to see 

pupils from my school at these events. Book festivals are a treat 

for librarians as we get to “try before we buy” in terms of seeing 

authors and illustrators in action before we can hopefully book 

them for a visit at our schools. 

We celebrate, study and read Black History all year round at 

RPPS. Gratefully, at this time of the year, with the start of a new 

academic year being an opportunity to access my new budget, I 

have the privilege of adding books to our burgeoning collection. 

I am delighted that many new beautiful books are about to go on 

display, including the stunning Brilliant Black British History by 

Atinuke and Kingsley Nebechi. 

I had an enlightening discussion with Louie Stowell on World 

Book Day this year about the desire by children to read scarier 

books. “Where are the scary books Mrs Griffiths?” I realised, is a 

common question across many year 

groups. Since then, I have researched 

a wider variety to suit Reception to 

Year 6, and we aim to have these books 

ready to borrow for Halloween! 

There is so much to look forward to 

this term and beyond. Having just 

appointed my new library prefects 

who, as well as teaching them their 

new responsibilities, I will take to the 

fun literary quiz CWIZZ at Emanuel 

School in November, and I hope this 

year we will do visits to the British 

Library; London Children’s Book 

Project; and the CLPE. In the library, 

we look forward to welcoming New 

York Times best-selling author 

Jenny Griffiths, 

Librarian, Ravenscourt Park 

Preparatory School, London 

SLA 2022 Primary School 

Librarian of the Year 

Twitter/X: @RPPS_Library 

Dhonielle Clayton to speak to Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 about The 

Memory Thieves, the action-packed sequel to The Marvellers; 

followed by hosting our first SLA London branch event at RPPS; 

and I will attend my first Information Book Awards ceremony 

(as one of the judges). This has certainly been a very busy term, 

with many firsts, and much more to come! 

… a secondary school 

Our New Library Catalogue a Year after the Cyber Attack 

In August 2022 our school was subject to a malicious cyberattack, 

affecting all IT systems. One casualty of this was our 

LMS, Accessit. Despite numerous attempts to retrieve it, the 

conclusion was that we really had lost everything and would 

need to start from scratch. With the support of the staff at 

Accessit, our head and leadership team, and our IT staff, I put 

together a plan to re-catalogue the library. I also enlisted the help 

of Sarah Pavey who we invited in as a consultant to support me 

in the process. By this time, we were moving towards the October 

half-term, and I had a holiday booked in Barcelona. Our head 

stepped in and found me a team of staff to scan books onto Excel 

spreadsheets over the holiday. 

I appreciate having a brand-new catalogue and tidy catalogue 

records. I have also put more thought and effort into making 

the Web App user-friendly and visually attractive. Sarah Pavey 

gave me some really good training in this area, which I have 

supplemented with further research. 

This term I have made a feature of the Web App in library 

lessons, showing students how it can be of real benefit to them 

both to support reading for pleasure and curriculum topics. I 

love the new dashboards and have already used the Roald Dahl 

and European Day of Languages options. Last term I contacted 

subject leaders to help assess our 

non-fiction stock. Despite students 

increasingly not turning to books, 

teachers have been keen to make 

sure that we do have relevant texts 

for extended reading. Accessit has 

really been key to my endeavours to 

make sure our books are up to date 

and covering topics needed. Adding 

new subject headings is extremely 

beneficial. The facility I have made 

most use of is ‘Reading Lists’. These 

I have created for curriculum topics 

as well as for genres in fiction. It is 

Sarah Seddon, Librarian, 

Gillotts School, Henley-on- 

Thames 

then a simple process to turn these into ‘Quick Lists’ which are 

searchable on the Web App by students and staff. Our head of 

English has asked me to do a short presentation to staff in a 

future literacy briefing. 

The downside to having a new catalogue is that I have no 

historical issue figures. To have built up a system that works for 

me is so positive that any negatives really are negligible. 

22 


A View From … 

… a school library service 

I write this as I am preparing to attend our local authority’s 

annual Governors’ Conference where our SLS will have a stand. 

It’s a great opportunity to present our service to individuals with 

responsibility and influence in school who may not be aware of 

the range and value of what we offer because they do not directly 

interact with us. It is, obviously, a chance to sell our service and 

to create new subscriptions, but in the current economic climate 

it is also an important opportunity to advocate not only for the 

benefit and impact of our service but for the value of the school 

library itself. 

It is extremely rare to meet anyone in school that doesn’t think 

that a school library is a good thing, but the competition for 

resources and funding in school is now at a level where we need 

to move people from passive support to active advocacy and 

championing of the library. The theme of this year’s conference is 

supporting pupil premium pupils which gives us huge scope. Our 

role will be to convert abstract ideas the delegates hear about in 

their training into examples of how these are delivered through 

the library. Then we can constructively challenge governors on 

whether this happens in their school and whether the school 

is using their library and their SLS subscription effectively, and 

in the case of SLS, achieving best value for money from their 

subscription. Our aim is to provide the 

governors with some questions that 

they take back to school to help spark 

debate, review and possibly endorse 

current practices. These questions will 

include ‘Does your school let pupils 

take books home?’ and ‘How inclusive 

are your World Book Day events?’ to 

prompt self-assessment in the context 

of the conference, and governors 

will have our contact information 

for follow-up support and advice 

as required. 

Helen Bryant, Hampshire 

School Library Service 

Manager 

Our recent summer holiday promotion to get teachers reading 

showed us that if a school genuinely has a whole school 

reading culture, then all staff and governors are engaged and 

active. Governors are a group that we have had little contact 

with previously, but this academic year we plan to provide 

more training and support to this influential group to grow 

their awareness of the impact of the school library and their 

confidence in supporting and advocating for it. 

… a sixth form library 

July brings the Island Games, a sports-fest that involves teams 

from 24 islands as diverse as St Helena and Greenland. It’s 

lovely to see some of our Year 13 leavers competing. The island 

is buzzing; visiting teams in brightly coloured uniforms fill the 

hotels and restaurants. Another summer sporting event is our 

Year 12 Fun Olympics, where groups choose a country (real 

or imagined) and dress as its symbols, to compete at Ultimate 

Frisbee and Three-Legged Race. The costumes are inventive: 

Jamaica is represented by someone dressed as a herbal cigarette, 

while Saudi Arabia’s team wear Newcastle United strip. 

A new book, Art Shaped (Darrell Wakelam, 2023), provides 

inspiration for creative displays. Techniques such as dry brushing 

and tape wrapping extend my craft skills, and Shakespeare, 

Harry Potter, and Sherlock Holmes now decorate the shelves 

(Instagram: @adhocuser). 

To kick off September term, I create a display of books trending 

on TikTok, including the Good Girl’s Guide to Murder trilogy 

by Holly Jackson. I’m tickled by the idea that the murder 

investigation is a sixth former’s EPQ project: probably this 

wouldn’t happen in real life! It’s always rewarding to help 

students doing EPQs, and to see how many have taken out free 

student JSTOR accounts. 

On the subject of new Young Adult 

fiction: while reading this year’s 

Carnegie Award shortlist, I loved The 

Eternal Return of Clara Hart by Louise 

Finch, which is definitely for older 

teens and adults. [Spoiler alert ahead.] 

It’s a gritty book about the sexual 

assault and death of a sixth-form girl 

at a drug- and drink-fuelled party. The 

male narrator is condemned to repeat 

the day he sees Clara die until he can 

change it. The teenage voices feel 

authentic, and characters who seem 

minor turn out to be crucial. 

Anna Quick, MSc, MCLIP, 

Library Manager, The Sixth 

Form Centre, Guernsey 

In this, my last column, I’d hoped to report on the fiscal debate 

on whether the sixth form gets a shiny new building, or must 

move to a 50-year-old school. Unfortunately the debate (first for 

July, then September) has now moved to October. We’ve been 

crossing our fingers for a long time! But the day’s tasks and events 

always take precedence over speculating on the future. Last 

year’s cheekiest Year 12s, now in Year 13, left a “gift” of half a pack 

of biscuits, with a note ‘HAVE THESE WONDEROUS BICCIES’, 

and all their names signed. I shared them with the staffroom. 


23

Frequently Asked Questions 

answered by Lucy Chambers 

Which organisations are the most useful 

to school librarians? 

Many literacy charities offer teaching 

resources, research reports and 

opportunities. I recommend exploring 

the SLA website for their extensive 

resources and here is a selection of other 

organisations to investigate: 

Book Trust: Bookfinder reading guidance 

tool; Book Buzz for Year 7s, Book Start for 

Reception 

Centre for Literacy in Primary 

Education: brilliant library for teachers, 

Power of Reading courses, reading lists, 

Clippa poetry award 

Children’s Book Project: a charity 

offering free books to schools 

CILIP: newsletters, networking, training, 

publications and special interest groups 

Empathy Lab: reading lists on books 

encompassing empathy, courses, 

Empathy Day 

Federation of Children’s Book Groups: 

Non-Fiction November website: resources 

for encouraging reading of non-fiction 

books 

National Literacy Trust: projects to take 

part in, research reports, newsletters, 

teacher resources 

Poetry Society: competitions, online 

poems, poets reading aloud, poetry 

resources 

The Reading Agency: run Chatterbooks - 

materials for running reading clubs, free 

books and author visits to bid for. 

For links to these organisations and others 

that can support you go the Additional 

Support page of the SLA website. 

Where can I find information about new 

and recommended books? 

It is vital to keep up to date with new 

publications. Here are some sites I find 

useful: 

Book Awards: keep tabs on the long and 

shortlists for recommended books (via the 

SLA News page) 

Browns Books for Schools/Peters 

Bookselling: Visit their websites for 

listings. Discounts for SLA members. 

Books for Keeps: online children’s 

monthly book magazine with detailed 

reviews. 

Centre for Literacy in Primary 

Education: current book lists by age and 

genre. 

CILIP’s Pen&Inc magazine. Promotes 

diversity in children’s books publishing. 

Listings of diverse and inclusive books. 

Letterbox Library: bookseller celebration 

equality and diversity. Book packs on 

various diversity topics. 

LoveReading4Kids: lists by ages, online 

bookshop. 

ReadingZone: online magazine with 

author features, reviews and lists. 

SLSs: check their websites regularly for 

recent booklists. 

Toppsta: reviews, lists by age, 

recommendations. 

The new SLA website makes more use 

of the reviews you find in this journal. 

Log on as a Full Member and in the 

Members section go to Resources, then 

Book Reviews. This will provide you with 

a database of reviews you can search and 

filter, including by age category and key 

words – making it a great starting point for 

any book lists! 

Lucy now concentrates on writing after 20 plus 

years as a primary school librarian. Answers are 

her personal opinion based on long experience. 

For my final FAQ column, I offer personal 

comments and tips on retirement 

Change brings mixed emotions: I retired 

to improve my work/life balance. I have 

now recreated my professional life in a 

more flexible manner by volunteering 

as a cataloguer in a museum and in 

an Oxfam Bookshop (sociable and 

uses my professional skills), being a 

book award judge, helping run a book 

festival, professional writing, reviewing 

books, being a CILIP mentor, advising 

a book charity about primary schools, 

and working freelance as a school 

librarian. For fun, I joined the CILIP 

RPG (retired professionals’ group) 

and go on interesting visits, see more 

friends and family and have developed 

hobbies (singing, gardening, collecting 

and researching children’s books and 

antiques). Retirement is not a full stop, 

but a chance to explore new choices. 

It’s time now to ‘retire’ again and try 

something new. 

Pre-retirement: 

1. Discuss options, finance, and 

expectations with your partner/ 

family/a mentor. 

2. Some organisations offer preretirement 

courses to explore issues 

such as money, self-esteem, and health. 

3. Pensions: contact HR to discuss your 

work pension. This may be payable 

sooner than the State Pension. Check 

your state pension forecast on the 

Government Gateway: 

https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension 

Post-retirement 

1. Try different things, as you wish/ 

can afford. 

2. Consider how to spend your time. 

Family? Travel? Write a novel? 

Change careers? Be totally flexible? 

3. Look at education options, join a 

committee, volunteer, develop hobbies. 

Make the most of your retirement in your 

own style. 

I have enjoyed writing the FAQ column 

for the past couple of years, but it is time 

to give someone else the opportunity to 

share their insights. Thanks for reading. 

24 


Between the Library and the Classroom 

Becoming Integral to the Educational Process 

The IASL Conference allowed us to demonstrate 

how the school library/ian becomes integral to the 

educational process through its inquiry-centred 

instructional program as per the IFLA School 

Library Guidelines, which included demonstrating 

how inquiry, specifically ESIFC/FOSIL-based 

inquiry, counters all four debilitating tendencies 

that rob inquiry of its educational potency (tinyurl. 

com/yc23e5yt). I then presented my chapter – 

‘Digital Literacy: Necessary but Not Sufficient 

for Life-Wide and Life-Long Learning’ – for an 

upcoming IFLA book at the World Library and 

Information Congress. This allowed me to argue 

further that a library/ian-centred educational 

process in school makes school integral to broader 

efforts to strengthen the “reality-based community” 

of “error-seeking inquirers” (Rauch, 2021), upon 

which liberal democracy depends (tinyurl.com/ 

u4m47m3j), and which requires the library/ian to 

understand themself as “a teacher whose subject is 

learning itself” (Knight, 1968). 

This, largely, is not who we are as a profession, 

although it could be aspirational, given suitable 

inspiration. This makes the recent SLA publication 

of Making School Libraries Integral to the 

Educational Process: An Introduction to the IFLA 

School Library Guidelines especially timely, given 

(1) the inspirational and aspirational force of the 

Guidelines, which derives from 50 plus years of 

international research into the effectiveness of 

school libraries, and (2) a widespread and growing 

concern with the instructional identity of a school 

librarian, or lack thereof, which the Guidelines treat 

as of fundamental importance. 

Lance and Kachel (2021) recently lamented 

mounting school librarian job losses, often 

motivated financially but more broadly driven 

by a disconnect between school librarianship 

and education. Davies (1979), perhaps more 

prophetically than intended, warned: 

Because [of the] persistent downgrading of 

education, the profession itself must make a value 

judgment as to which criticisms from without the 

profession and which criticisms from within it are 

justified. Having identified the legitimate criticisms, 

the profession must then painstakingly set about to 

correct what is wrong, to strengthen what is weak, 

and to safeguard what is excellent. “The whole aim 

is to lift the critique from a set of complaints to a 

set of purposes” (Barzun, 1978). Only then can a 

plan for action be formulated and disaster, always 

lurking in the wings, be forestalled. 

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 

The National Library of Scotland (NLS), the Scottish Library and 

Information Council (SLIC), the Chartered Institute of Library 

and Information Professionals in Scotland (CILIPS), and the 

Scottish Book Trust has launched an independent research 

project to showcase the value and impact of public and school 

libraries across Scotland. The research is open until the end of 

January 2024. 

tinyurl.com/scotlands-libraries 

Findings from Farshore’s ‘Storytime in Schools’ research study 

demonstrate the life-changing benefits of daily story time in the 

classroom: 

• Despite only 24% of children being read to daily at school, 77% 

of children want daily story time in the classroom. 

• 44% of children chose to read more as a result of experiencing 

daily story time. 

tinyurl.com/storytime-in-schools 

Kids Listener Podcast Report 

This US based study provided some interesting insights into the 

listening habits of children: 

• 23% listened to a podcast in the last week; 33% listened to 

audiobooks, 66% to Radio, and 72% to ‘Online Audio Services’ 

• 24% of kids aged 6–12 were introduced to podcasts through 

YouTube or social media. 

• 94% of those who listened to a podcast said they learnt new 

things and there were findings which pointed to the role of 

podcasts in family listening and discussion. 

• Overall, kids were found to be engaged listeners, and 65% said 

they might be interested in a podcast on books. 

Taken together, there are questions around how we can use 

podcasts, social media, YouTube, and our time in schools with 

pupils to help improve children’s reading experiences. 

The National Literacy Trust has released a report based on 

71,351 responses to their Annual Literacy Survey from children 

and young people aged 5 to 18 (carried out in early 2023). 

• Just 43% of children and young people aged said they enjoyed 

reading in their free time. This is the lowest level since they first 

asked the question in 2005. 

• Fewer children and young people who receive free school 

meals said they enjoyed reading compared with their peers 

who do not receive free school meals 

• Fewer than 3 in 10 children and young people said that they 

read daily, matching levels seen in 2022. 

• There has been a 26% decrease in the number of children and 

young people who read daily in their free time since 2005. 

tinyurl.com/hannah-groves 


25

Curriculum Support 

Story Writing Club 

Story Writing Club is a key stage 2 extra-curricular activity which 

attracts a real variety of children. Over the course of a term, we 

look at different elements of story-writing, before letting loose 

with a variety of resources to equip children in writing their 

own stories. 

Week 1: What is a plot? Can we simplify a plot down into one 

or two sentences? I use a quiz with examples like ‘red-dressed 

feline causes chaos in someone’s house’ and then challenge the 

children to come up with their own one-line book summaries, 

which the rest of the group then guess. This helps them to think 

of their own plots in simple terms. 

Week 2: How can we show what a character is like without 

making blunt statements about them? The children choose 

a category and work together to invent a character: mystical, 

animal, human (good), or villain. 

Week 3: What makes a good ending? How can we plant things in 

our stories that help our characters achieve their overall goal? We 

play a dice-rolling game which gives us a character, setting and 

problem, followed by the question ‘What happens next?’. I use 

this in my library lessons too and it’s always great fun! 

The rest of the sessions, the children work on their stories using 

comic templates, character profiles, blank book covers, and 

good old lined paper, before sharing what they’ve been writing 

in the final week. It’s always interesting to see how influences 

from their wider education have trickled in, but also the sheer 

breadth of topics that ignite their imaginations. I’ve had stories 

about bullying, magic, time travel, portals, ghosts, saving the 

environment, neurodiversity, and so much more. And, of course, 

the added bonus that their confidence in the club translates to 

greater confidence in the classroom and on the playground! 

Here are a few of my favourite 

excerpts: 

‘Are you sure you want to read on? 

DO NOT. If you have thrown what 

you know about the world away … 

let’s go then.’ 

‘The sky is a splash of vibrant 

colours.’ 

‘...the moon, now covered in clouds, 

suspended in the star filled sky.’ 

Rebecca Campling is a 

primary school librarian 

in Peterborough, 

Cambridgeshire with over 

10 years experience in 

primary education.. 

Dates for your Diary 

DECEMBER 2023 JANUARY 2024 FEBRUARY 2024 

1st December Closure of SLA Awards 

1st December Advent begins – Christianity 

2nd December International Day for the 

Abolition of Slavery 

3rd December International Day of 

Persons with Disabilities 

7th December Christmas Jumper Day 

10th December Human Rights Day 

7th–15th December Hanukkah – Judaism 

21st December Winter Solstice in Northern 

hemisphere - Pagan 

25th December Christmas Day – 

Christianity 

30th December Rohatsu (Bodhi Day) – 

Buddhism 

Term starts 

6th January Epiphany – Christianity 

18th January Winnie the Pooh Day 

(A.A. Milne’s birthday) 

21st January International Hug Day 

27th January Lewis Carroll’s birthday 

27th January National Holocaust 

Memorial Day. 

Fragility of Freedom is the theme for 

Holocaust Memorial Day 2024 

26th–28th January 

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 

SLA IBA longlisting 

LGBT History Month 

1st February World Read Aloud Day 

National Storytelling Week first week Feb 

5th–11th February Children’s Mental 

Health Week 

6th February Safer Internet Day 

8th February Empathy Lists launched 

10th February Chinese New Year 

Year of the Dragon 

11th February International Day of Women 

and Girls in Science 

14th February Ash Wednesday and 

International Book Giving Day 

CKG longlist Mid Feb 

https://yotocarnegies.co.uk/ 

take-part/timetable 

26 


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27

Digital 

The Canva Revolution 

Transforming Education with Creativity 

Kojo Hazel explains the design platform Canva. Read on to find 

out more about the platform’s main features and its uses in 

education. 

In the ever-evolving landscape of education, 

teachers and students alike are constantly 

seeking innovative tools to enhance the 

learning experience. Canva, a versatile online 

platform, stands tall as a beacon of creativity, 

offering a plethora of features to foster engagement 

and facilitate learning. Let’s delve deeper into the 

world of Canva, exploring its features, potential 

uses in the educational sector, and its compatibility 

with popular educational platforms. 

Features of Canva 

At the heart of Canva is a commitment to making 

design simple and accessible to all. The platform 

boasts a rich library of templates, an intuitive dragand-drop 

interface, and a variety of multimedia 

elements to enhance content creation. 

Canva offers a vast selection of customisable 

templates, catering to different educational 

needs and styles, enabling users to swiftly create 

professional-looking content. The user-friendly 

interface allows for easy editing and designing, 

even for those with limited design experience. 

Moreover, Canva supports the addition of 

multimedia elements such as images, videos, and 

text overlays, fostering engaging and dynamic 

educational content. Furthermore, Canva offers 

collaboration features, allowing educators and 

students to work together on projects, enhancing 

learning and creativity. 

Uses in Education 

Canva serves as a versatile tool that can 

significantly enhance teaching methods and 

student learning in various ways. 

Educators can create interactive presentations, 

incorporating multimedia elements to engage 

students and cater to different learning styles. 

They can also design educational materials such 

as infographics, posters, and newsletters to share 

with students and parents. The platform facilitates 

the creation of visually appealing lesson plans and 

educational resources, fostering a more engaging 

learning environment. 

Canva empowers students to develop essential 

skills while fostering creativity. Students can 

create visually appealing presentations, refining 

their communication and storytelling skills. They 

can also use Canva for group projects, promoting 

teamwork and organisation. Students can showcase 

Kojo Hazel 

Teacher of IT and Diversity 

& Inclusion Fellow for 

Microsoft Education UK. 

@kojohazel 

Canva in action. 

28 


their work and achievements in a digital portfolio, 

enhancing their digital literacy and self-expression. 

The recent addition of AI features such as text to 

image has proved a real hit with my students who 

now use Canva as their preferred presentation tool. 

Training Materials 

Canva provides a range of training materials to 

help users maximize the platform. Through a 

comprehensive library of tutorials, articles, and 

community forums, users can learn about the 

various features and best practices for designing 

content. These resources not only help users 

improve their skills but also inspire them to explore 

the platform’s full potential. 

Compatibility with Popular 

Educational Platforms 

Ready for any educational environment, Canva 

integrates seamlessly with popular platforms such 

as Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams. This 

compatibility allows for easy sharing of Canva 

creations, facilitating content distribution and 

class management. 

Costs 

Canva offers a free tier with basic features, which 

is a great starting point for educators and students. 

For more advanced features, Canva offers a 

premium plan at a reasonable cost. Educational 

institutions may also be eligible for free upgrade 

to the Pro version of Canva, making it a highly 

popular solution for enriching the learning 

experience. 

Canva stands as a powerful and versatile 

application that meets the needs of modern 

educators and students. Its user-friendly interface, 

extensive template library, and compatibility 

with popular educational platforms make it an 

invaluable tool for creating engaging, interactive 

content. With the abundance of training materials 

and resources available, teachers and students can 

unlock their creativity and redefine the learning 

experience with Canva. 

Digital 

Canva Updates 

Bev Humphrey talks us through the latest Canva updates so 

that we can get creative. 

Without a doubt Canva has been my go-to 

app for any design work I’ve done over 

the last few years and there’s rarely a 

day goes by when I don’t use it. There are so many 

facilities included already that you’re spoilt for 

choice really, but during an online event, Canva 

Create, in September, a number of new exciting 

features were unveiled that certainly made this tech 

geek’s heart beat a little faster: 

Canva has been my go-to app for any 

design work I’ve done over the last 

few years 

• Text to Image – if you have never scrolled down 

to the ‘More’ section when you’re making 

something in Canva, now is definitely the time 

to play. This allows you to type in the image you 

want (e.g. ‘cat in tree’, ‘primary colours’), decide 

whether you want a photo, drawing, pattern, or 

one of the other options, and Canva will bring 

your idea to life. 

• Websites – you can now turn your own content 

(PDFs, documents, presentations) into a website 

via Canva using their large library of templates. 

You can even purchase a domain name via the 

site, or opt to keep your site password protected 

or hidden from Google. 

• Video Background Remover – this was the new 

function I was most excited about; it’s a oneclick 

way to remove the backgrounds in your 

uploaded videos, enabling you to add different 

backgrounds and easily create green screen 

effects. This tool can be found if you click on ‘Edit 

Video’ when you have your video up on screen 

in Canva. 

• Presentations – this function has had an upgrade, 

and you can now add your own existing PPs or 

PDFs to work on. You can do this a couple of 

different ways: either drag your file to the ‘Create 

a design’ button on the home page or open up a 

presentation creator and then click ‘File’ in the 

top left corner, or upload files. 

• Whiteboards – this allows you to create 

a whiteboard and invite people to work 

collaboratively on it with you. There are many 

templates and I like the fact that you can set a 

timer to make sure that if you are using it in a 

meeting, for example, you can set limits – you 

could also set it as a timed task. 

• Canva Docs – is a new feature that allows you 

to create visual documents, work on them 

collaboratively, create to-do lists and convert 

your docs to presentations with ease. 

These are just the main updates that were 

announced – have fun playing! 

Bev Humphrey is a literacy 

consultant 


29

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Digital 

Safer Internet Day 2024 

Safer Internet Day takes place in February, 

coordinated by Childnet, with a different 

theme each year. Its aims are to inspire 

national conversation, especially between schools 

and children/young people, parents/carers and 

children/young people, and schools and parents/ 

carers. It also hopes to raise awareness, increasing 

knowledge and understanding around the issues 

involved in keeping people safe online. The theme 

for 2024 is ‘Inspiring Change?’ and will look at 

three aspects: 

• Making a difference 

• Managing influence 

• Navigating change online 

Safer Internet Day is an extremely successful 

initiative: in 2023 there were 5006 supporting 

organisations involved (4545 of these being schools 

and colleges); over 950,000 views of the films and 

videos; and 69% of 8- to 17-year-olds said that 

taking part increased their confidence regarding 

what to do if something online was worrying them. 

Supporters are encouraged to sign up on the 

website and populate the map with planned 

activities. You can also join the mailing list to 

receive updates and a social media pack in January. 

There are a wide range of materials available for 

different age groups: 3–7 years; 7–11 years; 11–14 

years; and 14–18 years. These comprise activities 

to start conversations, tips to engage families and 

parents, guidance for educators and quizzes – and 

many can be led by children and young people 

themselves, allowing them to get fully involved 

in the event. Help, advice and resources are also 

provided for teachers, professionals and parents/ 

carers. A new feature in 2024 will be the Childnet 

film competition for children and young people 

with the subject of ‘How Can You Make the Internet 

a Better Place?’. 

At a time when online bullying, misogyny, and 

racism are increasing, and sexually coerced 

extortion (particularly among teen boys) is 

growing, engaging with Safer Internet Day is a 

proactive way to help counteract this and provide 

children and young people with the skills they need 

when engaging with the online world. 

Safer Internet Day: 

https://www.saferinternetday.org/ 

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. 

The Best Children’s Non-Fiction Books 

Join these science explorations and discover all the words, facts, and meanings needed 

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For 

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@OxfordChildrens 


31

Magazines now available in Sora 

50+ titles at one affordable price for students of all ages 

Give your students even more reasons to love reading with digital magazines 

in the Sora app. 

From popular titles your students can’t get enough of to educational titles that 

complement your curriculum, Sora offers something for everyone. And it’s all 

available at one affordable price. 

WHY OFFER DIGITAL MAGAZINES THROUGH SORA? 

• Engaging content: Popular titles at one 

affordable price 

• Convenient access: All titles are simultaneous-use 

and most include back issues 

• One platform: Award-winning user experience 

in Sora – alongside ebooks and audiobooks 

• Insights: Leverage data on usage 

Visit discoversora.com/magazines 

or scan the QR code to learn more.

1) Tailor your account: 

Each member will have access to their own, personal ‘My 

Account’ area. This will allow you to see and edit your account 

details, discover opportunities for you to get involved with 

the SLA, set your communication preferences, renew your 

membership in advance, and view your on-demand courses or 

webcasts – all in one place! 

2) Find resources: 

As well as the ability to effectively search the website for the 

information you’re after, members also have access to our SLA 

Resource Library. This is where all of our exclusive resources 

have been collected in one place – including information 

documents, templates, posters, videos and more! – and you’ll 

be able to easily search the entire library based on resource 

title or type to find exactly what you’re looking for. 

3) Build connections: 

SLA Website 

Things to Look Out For 

Connect with colleagues in our Member Forum! This addition 

to our Member Benefits will give members a virtual space 

to seek inspiration, get advice, find reading and resource 

recommendations, and chat about topics that are important 

to you. You’ll also be able to only follow the threads that 

you’re interested in, so you can maximise your time and 

collaborate efficiently. 

4) Get involved: 

Digital 

We’re opening up your SLA experience to include new 

opportunities to get involved with the SLA community. Under 

the ‘My Account’ section of the new site, members will 

have the option to sign up to volunteer as a mentor, SLA 

Ambassador, TSL book reviewer, workshop host, blog 

contributor, forum leader, or awards judge. 

5) Extend our community: 

With the arrival of the new website, we’ll be expanding 

our Membership Packages to include the option of Free 

Membership. Don’t worry, these members won’t have access 

to any of the benefits provided to our paying members. 

What’s available to them will be the same as the non-member 

support and resources available on our previous site. The only 

difference is they’ll have to create an account to access them. 

This helps build a bigger community for you! 

The Klaus Flugge Prize 

Shortlist Sketchbook 

The Klaus Flugge Prize celebrates the most 

promising and exciting newcomer in 

the field of picture book illustration. In a 

series of concise videos, each 

spanning approximately four to 

six minutes, the 2023 shortlisted 

illustrators provide insightful 

discussions about their creative 

processes, sources of inspiration, 

and the artistic journey that led 

to their final work. This year’s 

shortlist showcases the talents of 

five illustrators: Alice Courtley, 

Mariajo Ilustrajo, Gill Smith, 

Jono Ganz, and Paula White. 

Within these videos, each 

illustrator offers a brief overview 

of their work and provides 

the backstory behind their 

illustrations. For example, The 

Baker by the Sea by Paula White 

draws inspiration from her 

grandfather’s tales of life in a 

coastal fishing village while Jona 

Ganz’s book Mildred the Gallery 

Cat finds its roots in a real feline 

inhabitant that lived in the Tate 

Modern Art Gallery reception. 

Viewers are shown an illuminating journey 

through the creation of these picture books from 

the initial exploratory sketches to various stages 

of illustration development, 

culminating in the formation 

of storyboards, scale models, 

and dummy books. The 

illustrators generously 

share examples of their 

original work, ranging 

from collections of random 

ideas through to crafted 

A3 sketchbooks and using 

cut-out shapes for collages. 

What is wonderful about 

these presentations is the 

mix of styles and techniques 

as well as the materials used, 

including watercolours, inks, 

felt pens, pencils, pastels, 

and even digital tools such 

as Procreate. These short 

but illuminating videos give 

a glimpse into the world 

of illustration as well as 

providing lots of ideas for 

further creative 

exploration. 

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. 


33

Digital 

Review: 

Inclusive Books for Children 

Beth Khalil is the LRC 

Manager/Literacy 

Coordinator Northern 

Education Trust Thorp 

Academy. She has been a 

librarian for 30 years and 

her passion is encouraging 

young people to discover a 

lifelong love of reading. 

Inclusive Books for Children is a charity whose 

mission is to get mainstream children’s books to 

be inclusive and to ensure inclusive children’s 

books are widely available. They aspire to promote 

books with minority-ethnic representation, from 

content to creators. They review books based on this 

representation to champion as many inclusive and 

diverse titles as possible. 

On opening the website, it is pleasant to browse 

with easy to navigate functions. The pages are not 

too busy, and the menu is broken down into titles 

by age groups, from 1 to 3 years, 3 to 7 years, 5 to 

7 years and 6 to 9 years. All of the books are bright 

and colourful which will appeal to young children 

and parents who love reading with their children. 

There are options to filter title searches, and I 

easily found books with themes such as Black 

representation, books which challenge gender 

stereotypes, titles on class and socio-economic 

diversity and disabled representation, just by using 

the filter option at the side of the book finding page. 

Each title has the diverse themes listed below so 

that parents, teachers, or librarians browsing the 

site can make the best choices of the titles on the 

themes they would like. The further information 

pages also indicate if a book is an IBC top pick. 

One of the books in the 7+ category is the beautiful 

Annie Lumsden, the Girl from the Sea by David 

Almond and the cover really stands out. The book 

contains neurodiverse representation which would 

appeal to many young readers. There are some 

fantastic books featuring superheroes which will 

be perfect for new readers who are starting to read 

alone, and these titles can be found using the genre 

search option. They also have a range of titles which 

are dyslexia friendly and would be perfect for any 

SEND or learning support areas in primary or 

secondary schools. 

I really liked the ‘Top 10 Books for a Balanced 

Bookshelf’ link. This would be a great starting point 

to build on a diverse collection of books as the 

choices include beginner novels, chapter books 

and anthologies. 

The company is running a book award for the 

first time, and is open for submission from 18th 

September to 27th October 2023, with the aim of 

celebrating the talent behind the best new inclusive 

children’s books published in the UK; winners will 

be announced in March 2024. 

This is definitely a company to look out for, as more 

diverse books become available with the choices all 

in one place. 

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34 


Digital 

EdTech Horizon 

Jonathan Viner talks about the importance of digital school 

libraries and discusses practical digital solutions to support 

educational settings. 

In today’s rapidly evolving online age, the 

transformation of traditional school libraries 

into digital hubs of knowledge is increasingly 

crucial. It’s vital that school libraries aren’t just 

confined to physical spaces but are accessible 

whenever and wherever learners need them. 

This transition has immense potential for 

improving students’ educational experiences and 

helps foster a love of learning and reading. 

Such digital school libraries play a key role in 

breaking down the barriers to information access. 

Freed from the constraints of access to physical 

books, students can learn from an array of digital 

texts with just an internet connection. This helps 

give every student, regardless of their proximity 

to school or socio-economic background, equal 

access to a wealth of online information. 

Students can learn from an 

array of digital texts with just an 

internet connection. 

Moreover, digital libraries can also play a key role in 

creating dynamic learning environments that cater 

to a wide range of students’ learning preferences. 

Learners are able to explore their interests and 

curiosities on their own, helping to develop vital 

independent and self-directed learning skills 

that take learning well beyond the classroom or 

library walls. 

By leveraging online data analytics and AI-powered 

recommendations, digital-savvy librarians can 

carefully tailor book and content suggestions to 

individual students. This personalised approach 

helps improve academic outcomes by enabling 

library and teaching staff to spot specific areas 

where students might need additional support. 

At the same time, providers of library management 

systems are going through their own transformation 

to respond to their customers’ changing needs. 

Companies have moved rapidly to upgrade their 

digital solutions to prioritise improvements to 

accessibility, flexibility, and personalisation. 

Reading Cloud, a leading library management 

system, now offers, for example, an online reading 

community to develop literacy skills, support 

independent learning, and promote reading for 

pleasure. Digital features such as personalised book 

recommendations, online chat, and a dedicated 

space for students to record or write book reviews 

also help build learners’ engagement with key 

library services. 

Apps for Library Management Systems 

are a simple and convenient way 

for students to access their library 

resources via smartphones or laptops. 

Apps for Library Management Systems are a simple 

and convenient way for students to access their 

library resources via smartphones or laptops. 

Perhaps most importantly, the rise of digital 

libraries plays a key role in building parental 

engagement – where adults at home are actively 

involved in helping students learn. This matters 

because it has a bigger impact on children’s 

learning outcomes than any other intervention. 

But it’s traditionally hard to deliver without giving 

teachers even more work. 

But whatever solution your school uses, digital 

technologies now offer the opportunity to 

reposition libraries as accessible, dynamic, and 

inclusive sources of information and learning. 

The chance is also there for librarians to become 

digital catalysts of change – why not work 

with your colleagues and suppliers to seize 

the moment? 

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 


35

Books: 7 & Under 

Adichie, Chimamanda 

Ngozi 

Mama’s Sleeping 

Scarf 

Illustrated by Joelle Avelino 

Harper Collins, 2023, pp32, 

£12.99, 9780008550073 

Family. Love. Comfort 

This heartwarming children’s book beautifully 

captures the bond between a mother and her 

child, following a young girl called Chino who finds 

comfort and security in her mother’s head scarf, 

which she drags around the house and garden 

as she plays throughout the day. Joelle Avelino’s 

colourful illustrations are filled with vibrant colours 

and intricate details that bring the story to life, 

perfectly conveying the emotions on the characters’ 

faces through their expressions, making it easy for 

young readers to connect with the story. In her first 

outing as a writer of children’s books, Chimamanda 

Ngozi Adichie (writing as Nwa Grace-James) uses a 

writing style that is simple and easy to understand, 

making it suitable for children of all ages. Mama’s 

Sleeping Scarf has an underlying message of love 

and security, emphasizing the importance of a 

mother’s presence and the comfort it brings to a 

child. It is a perfect bedtime story that will leave 

children feeling warm and loved. 

Georgia Ramsay 

Agee, Jon 

I Want a Dog 

Scallywag Press, 2023, pp40, £7.99, 

9781915252104 

Pets. Animals. Choices 

When a young girl walks into the 

Happydale Animal Shelter, she 

knows what she is looking for – a dog and only a 

dog! It’s the perfect pet for her. Happydale has lots 

of other creatures available, like an anteater, python, 

and a baby baboon to tempt her with, but do they 

have a dog? 

I Want a Dog is a humorous picture book about a 

precocious young girl who knows her mind. I found 

the humour a bit dead pan which I enjoyed, and 

adults will get as much from the humour as children! 

The text and the illustrations are sparse which works 

really well, focussing the eye on the characters. 

The comical illustrations are simply yet effective, 

and I found I was getting as much from the body 

language of the characters as the text. The animals 

offered to the young girl are not ones from your 

average animal rescue shelter which adds to the fun, 

but also the opportunity for discussion around what 

makes a good pet for home. A book to share and 

read out loud. 

Stephen Leitch 

Auld, Mary 

Small Speckled Egg 

(Start Small, Think 

Big) 

Illustrated by 

Anna Terreros-Martin 

Mama Makes Books, 2023, pp28, £10.99, 

9781739774875 

Nature. Life Cycles. Polar Regions 

I liked the combination of first-person narrative (still 

factual) and the snippets of information interspersed 

throughout. I also very much liked the pastelcoloured, 

whimsical illustrations and the overall 

design, including the hole in the front cover which 

gives real depth to the egg. 

By the end – and after some I-Spy fun using the 

fold-out final page – readers will be surprised how 

much they now know about Arctic terns: that they 

sleep on the wing, live for 30 years, migrate further 

than any animal on Earth, and much more. They’ll 

also understand more about conditions in the Arctic 

and Antarctic, predation, and survival techniques. 

Light-touch learning at its best, this book would 

be a brilliant addition to the school library, for 

nature lovers, as well as for teachers to borrow 

when doing topic work, e.g. polar lands and life 

cycles. Thoroughly recommended. 

Jane Rew 

Beever, Alexandra 

How to Be a Detective 

and Other Crime- 

Fighting Jobs (How to 

Be a …) 

Illustrated by Sol Linero 

Nosy Crow, 2023, pp31, £7.99, 

9781839941269 Careers. Detectives. Law 

This is an ideal guide to help young people with an 

interest in crime-fighting jobs; it is brimming with 

information and facts about a detective’s work. It is 

the latest in a series of career books by Nosy Crow: 

How to be an Astronaut and Other Space Jobs was 

shortlisted for a 2020 Blue Peter Book Award. 

Written by Detective Constable Alexandra Beever, 

this attractive book covers subjects such as the 

history of detectives, the training of detectives 

and how detectives search for clues. There is a 

particularly useful spread about, ‘What Happens 

When a Person Goes to Court?’ (pp. 20–21) which 

clearly explains some legal terms. A great variety of 

jobs are described and many of them will be new to 

children, e.g. digital forensic officers, officer safety 

trainers and forensic artists. 

The illustrations are engaging and enhance 

the informative text. This book succeeds in 

communicating lots of valuable career advice. 

I advise everyone to invest in this book to 

enlighten young people eager to learn more about 

opportunities in this exciting field. 

Janet Syme 

Benjamin, Floella 

Keep Smiling 

Illustrated by Diane Ewen 

Macmillan Children’s 

Books, 2023, pp32, £12.99, 

9781529095470 

Positivity. Kindness. Anxiety 

Vina is a happy little girl who’s generous with 

sharing her lovely smile, and her smile seems to 

be the best solution for all sorts of tricky situations 

that the people around her have to face. But when 

Vina starts at her new school, she loses her smile, 

because she’s so anxious about the new place. 

Fortunately, she runs into someone else who cheers 

her up with an encouraging smile, too. 

As the subtitle says, this book is about positivity and 

kindness, and it’s bound to be useful in any family 

or classroom environment to share, especially with 

those young children who may still struggle with 

adjusting to a new classroom or school. 

Marzena Currie 

Colfer, Eoin 

Little Big Sister 

Illustrated by Celia Ivey 

Little Island Books, 2023, pp64, 

£10.99, 9781915071057 

Family. Dwarfism. Caring 

This sensitive story is by the 

award-winning Eoin Colfer and is from the Irish 

publisher Little Island. It is the story of two sisters, 

Starr, who is the eldest, and her younger sister 

Babes. However, Starr was born with dwarfism 

and eventually her younger sister is taller than her 

and does things that Starr cannot. This knocks her 

self-esteem not just at home, but also at school; 

especially as they get older and nursery furniture is 

replaced by junior chairs and cupboards. The final 

straw is when school sports day is announced, and 

Starr knows that she cannot compete against her 

classmates. Luckily her mother comes up with a plan 

that allows Starr and other non-athletic children to 

participate in the day. 

This is a really important theme that we all need to 

be more aware of. The illustrator of the book, Celia 

Ivey, also has dwarfism, so she has been able to 

bring a real level of understanding to the story. The 

book itself is aimed at Reception and Year 1 and has 

a simple text and clear illustrations. 

Margaret Pemberton 

36 



Dalvand, Reza 

I Have the Right: 

An Affirmation of 

the United Nations 

Convention on the 

Rights of the Child 

Scribble, 2023, pp36, £12.99, 9781915590084 

Childhood. Rights. Equality 

Prefaced as ‘an introduction for kids and a reminder 

for adults’, Reza Dalvand’s book introduces readers 

to the universal entitlements guaranteed by the 

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the 

Child. Told in the first person, each double-page 

spread simply states each affirmation (‘I have the 

right to a home where I can thrive’) whilst the 

accompanying suite of illustrations challenges the 

reader to see things from the child’s perspective. 

Words and pictures combine to create a text which 

doesn’t shy away from heavy topics (‘I have the right 

to not be forced to fight wars’) but which also offers 

agency and insight. The lively, emotive illustrations 

in eye-catching bold colours showcase the lives of 

children around the globe and ably communicate 

how rights support and enable us to develop and 

prosper. A fine book for early classroom discussions 

and to cement children’s understanding of their 

own rights and the rights of others; even those 

who might take these rights for granted will gain 

perspective from realising that not everyone has the 

same liberties. 

Lizzie Ryder 

Davey, Owen 

Can I Come Too? 

Rocket Bird Books, 2023, pp26, 

£12.99, 9781915395009 

Adventure. Animals. Siblings 

This is a glorious read, that 

follows Cub and his big Brother Teddy as they go on 

a trip to catch a fish. As Teddy becomes more and 

more frustrated with Cub, who keeps trying to help, 

they both come to realise there is not always just 

one way of doing something. 

From the front cover to the back, this picture book 

has a retro feel; the unique style of illustration that 

Owen Davey uses is beautiful with a colour palette 

that really captures the story and enhances the 

reader’s experience. The bold detail, use of shape 

and perspective matched with the design of the 

pages and use of scale brings the story to life in 

a truly unique way that only the most talented 

illustrator can achieve. 

This picture book is beautifully designed with 

double-page spreads that are a joy to explore. A 

fantastic read at any bedtime or story time, a musthave 

title for any school, public or home library. 

Hopefully we can meet Cub and Teddy again soon 

on another adventure. 

Lucy Carlton-Walker 

Docherty, Thomas 

Into the Wild 

Oxford University Press, 2023, pp31, 

£7.99, 9780192784285 

Adventure. Imagination. Cities 

Into the Wild is a beautifully 

illustrated children’s book which embarks on 

an enchanting journey through the boundless 

landscapes of a child’s imagination. Authored by 

Thomas Docherty, this gentle tale weaves together 

the magic of a young boy’s vivid dreams and longing 

and his quest to connect with nature, proving that 

no matter where you live, adventure and exploration 

await those with a curious spirit. Each page bursts 

with colour and intricate details, captivating young 

readers and immersing them in the world of the 

story. From flamingos flying past viaducts, to 

foxes at play, the visuals not only complement the 

narrative but also add depth and richness to the 

reading experience. Suitable for children aged 2+. 

Rebecca Simpson-Hargreaves 

Doerrfeld, Cori 

Beneath 

Scallywag Press, 2023, pp40, 

£12.99, 9781915252524 

Feelings. Nature. Families 

Finn is in a horrible mood, but 

eventually Grandad persuades 

him to come from a walk through the woods to help 

him feel better. While on the walk, Grandad begins 

to talk to Finn about the trees, birds and lakes, telling 

him about all the things that are going on beneath 

the surface of the soil, the bird in the nest and the 

water that we can’t see – and that people sometimes 

have feelings beneath the surface you can’t see but 

may be feeling the same as you. 

Beneath is such a beautiful and tender picture 

book, combining wonderful illustrations and text 

with such an important message. In fact the book is 

almost a meditation. You can spend time exploring 

the illustrations on each page as there is so much 

to see and enjoy. The message in the book is clear 

reminding readers there is more beneath the surface 

than we can see, whether in nature, or in ourselves 

and our feelings. A book to generate discussion 

or share one to one with kids dealing with difficult 

situations. Recommended. 

Stephen Leitch 

Donaldson, Julia 

Who Lives Here? 

Illustrated by Rebecca Cobb 



9781509893966 

Rhyme. Mystery. Story Book 

An invitation to play at his new friend Dan’s house 

becomes an exciting adventure for one little boy. 

With his dad in tow, and a bit unsure as to the 

house number, he walks along an unfamiliar street, 

determined to find the right house. He discovers 

that this is an extraordinary street where homes are 

straight out of a story book and are full of surprises. 

The reader can join in wholeheartedly with the fun 

as amongst the bright and eye-catching illustrations 

there are intriguing flaps to lift up for each house, 

revealing who lives here. But which house does his 

friend live in? 

Told in an engaging rhyming style, this picture 

book is perfect for reading aloud and sharing 

with a group. My favourite encounters were when 

the boy meets a knight in his castle and spies 

a friendly ghost in a spooky house. When his 

destination is successfully reached, a jolly game 

of dressing up ensues which cleverly echoes the 

colourful characters previously met and in doing so 

encourages the reader to revisit and enjoy the story 

all over again. 

Sue Polchow 

Edmanson, Harry 

The Diabetic Dinosaur 

Matador, 2023, pp32, £9.99, 

9781803136738 

Diabetes. Dinosaurs. Friendship 

Tommy does all the things 

normal dinosaurs do – playing 

games, having picnics, going to the pantomime, but 

suddenly one day he feels unwell. Friends suggest 

he consults White Witch Doctor who is very nice. 

After a blood test, he is diagnosed with diabetes and 

given an injection of insulin. After a few minutes 

Tommy feels better and goes skipping off, complete 

with pack of supplies to manage his diabetes. 

All of this is true to life, but very simplified as none of 

this is instant. There is no weighing of Tommy to see 

how much insulin to inject, no practices, and feeling 

instantly better is not realistic. 

The story does have the doctor offering Tommy 

different sites to inject, and he does deal with a hypo 

or low blood sugar episode. The blurb describes 

diabetes as an illness, not a condition, but designed 

to help young children deal with being diagnosed 

with having type 1 diabetes, this book with its 

colourful illustrations does a good job. 

Dawn Woods 


37


Faber, Polly 

Special Delivery: 

A Book’s Journey 

Around the World 

Illustrated by Klas Fahlén 


9781839942099 

Educational. Transport. Vehicles 

Jay’s grandmother buys him a book for his birthday, 

but before he gets it, his gift must travel all the way 

from the other side of the world; Special Delivery 

shows the journey that Jay’s book has to make 

from the moment it’s printed in a factory in another 

country, and then is packed up and travelling across 

the world with various means of transport – a ship, a 

train, a lorry, to name but a few – until it is delivered 

to its young owner. 

This clever book is filled to the brim with detailed, 

simple-shapes-style pictures depicting the book’s 

journey, highlighting different forms of transport. It 

has a lovely educational but also fun angle, as young 

readers, and especially those interested in various 

vehicles and/or curious about how things are done, 

will be getting a gentle lesson about transport, 

logistics, as well as various jobs involved. It explains 

what seems to be a simple process of delivering a 

book which we can these days order by clicking a 

button, often without realising that the book’s miles 

away from its destination. 


Findlay, Rhiannon 

Don’t Disturb 

the Dragon 

Illustrated by Siân Roberts 

Puffin, 2023, pp32, £7.99, 

9780241562314 

Families. Picture Book. 

Adventure 

A little girl’s baby brother has disappeared, where 

can he be? She sets off to find him, encountering 

many magical beings, but being sure to tiptoe 

because we don’t want to wake the sleeping dragon, 

do we? The baby boy has found the fiery dragon, 

however, and he is far from fierce – just lonely and 

wanting someone to play with! The rhyming text 

of this fun picture book leads you on an adventure 

and the constant refrain of ‘don’t disturb the dragon’ 

would make this a great title to read aloud, with 

accompanying actions for young children. Siân 

Roberts’s illustrations are bright, bold, funny and 

charming; I love her bright red dragon and the visual 

tricks that are built into the story. 

Bev Humphrey 

Forshaw, Louise 

Scotland, Then and 

Now: Lift the Flap, 

See the Past 

Kelpies, 2023, pp14, £10.99, 

9781782507758 

Scotland. History. Board Book 

Part of the Little Explorers series, Scotland Then 

and Now, created in partnership with Historic 

Environment Scotland, is a sturdy board book 

with double fold-out pages. On each double page 

you have a famous Scottish landmark in present 

time; folding out each side reveals a double barrel 

spread of that place in the past. The landmarks 

covered are Skara Brae as a stone age dwelling, the 

Antonine Wall at the time of the Romans, Jarlshof 

in Shetland and a Viking longhouse, Urquart Castle 

and Robert the Bruce, Stirling Castle with King 

James V, and Edinburgh Castle under an attempted 

Jacobite siege. 

It is a very visual and simple introduction, aimed at 

very young children from three years old, and would 

greatly benefit from adult input. The historical 

information is slight and there is no real sense of 

chronology, but it does give a sense of the past and 

might arouse curiosity. 

Agnes Guyon 

Glazer, Anya 

The Selfish Crab 

Oxford University Press, 

2023, pp30, £7.99, 

9780192777812 

Oceans. Crabs. Lifecycles 

Claude has beautiful shell – he’s a hermit crab so 

they use any shell as their home until they grow out 

of it – then they all swap. But Claude doesn’t want to 

lose his lovely shiny shell! 

The other crabs all swap shells, but Claude selfishly 

hangs onto his – that is until he finds himself in 

jeopardy with Alphonso. When his now too tight 

shell causes a major problem, he depends on his 

friends for rescue! 

A delightful tale of the impact of selfishness on 

others around you told with humour in clear, bright 

illustrations. The gentle humour is lovely – plus 

the information sheet on the last spread is very 

informative about the life of hermit crabs. 

Tricia Adams 

Gravett, Emily 

10 Dogs 

Two Hoots, 2023, pp25, £12.99, 

9781529028089 

Counting. Dogs. Fun 

The simple rhymes and 

repetition make this wonderful book ideal for 

reading aloud. It is for all little children who love 

dogs and sausages! Starting with ten of each, on a 

double spread, the number of dogs with sausages 

increases and the number without decreases 

correspondingly. Apart from counting, the story 

subtly reinforces number bonds alongside number 

concepts such as half, all, more, less. 

The amusing illustrations and little details will 

captivate readers. Ten types of dog are shown, 

including terriers, dalmatians, and dachshunds, 

which children can match to their own pets or dogs 

they know. It can encourage the investigation of 

new breeds. 

Emily’s own dog, Dilys, is an energetic participant in 

all the mischief; children will enjoy picking her out. 

Hilarious details mean we join in the fun – a little 

dog trapped under a bowl, dogs pulling tablecloths, 

guarding sausages, dogs hanging on to their own 

individual sausage, then collapsing exhausted in 

a heap on the floor! The concluding end papers 

show greasy marks and sausage bits left behind 

after the pandemonium – a witty conclusion to an 

exceptional book! 

Lee Giddings 

Grist, Mark 

Rhinos Don’t Cry 

Illustrated by Chris Jevons 

Bloomsbury Children’s 


9781526628992 

Courage. Emotions. Heroes 

Rhinos Don’t Cry is the brilliantly written and 

illustrated tale of Milo. Milo is a young rhino, and his 

absolute hero is Spike-O Mcree, a movie star. When 

Milo watches a movie in which Spike-O declares that 

‘Rhinos don’t cry’, he gives up his tears and fights his 

emotions. That is until his cat Pickles goes missing. 

Fighting such strong emotions is really hard, and 

Milo is struggling to keep it all together. 

A chance encounter brings all the tears out, and 

Milo is shocked to discover that he was wrong 

to think it’s bad to cry. He learns how brave and 

necessary his tears really are. This is a fundamental 

story for children to hear, especially as we become 

more and more aware of the rise in mental health 

problems facing children now. Milo learns that tears 

are needed: both kids and adults must share their 

emotions and feelings to feel better. 

Rhyming text, amazing illustrations, and a 

wonderfully positive message make this a musthave 

story. 

Erin Hamilton 

38 



Caring for Pets 

Editor’s picks 

Bates, Amy June 

The Welcome Home 

Simon & Schuster, 2023, 40pp, £12.99, 

9781534492325 

Animals. Pets. Zoo 

Draper, Judith 

My First Horse and Pony 

Book: From Breeds and 

Bridles to Jodhpurs and 

Jumping 

Gravett, Emily 

10 Dogs 

Macmillan, 2023, 32pp, £12.99, 

9781529028089 

Colour. Counting. Dogs 

Sullivan, John & Aly, Hatem 

Ethan and the Strays 

Simon & Schuster, 2023, 32pp, £12.99, 

9781534471320 

Animals. Cats. Responsibility 

A kindly couple decide to adopt 

a pet and opt for some unusual 

choices, increasingly adding to their 

growing menagerie. 

Beech, Lucy & 

Chernyshova, Anna 

Pick a Pet 

Harper Collins, 2023, 32pp, £7.99, 

9781405299732 

Animals. Pets. Responsibility 

Inviting children to choose which of 

the big, tiny, fluffy, sleek, bouncy or 

sleepy pets are their favourite. 

Kingfisher, 2023, 48pp, £8.99, 

9780753448793 

Horses. Pets. Riding 

Easy-to-read text written by horse 

expert Judith Draper, combined 

with detailed photographs; covers 

everything about first horse and pony 

facts, care and riding. 

French, Jess & 

Beedie, Duncan 

Ava Loves Rescuing 

Animals 

Series: Nature Heroes 

Happy Yak, 2023, 48pp, £7.99, 

9780711267718 

Animal Welfare. Conservation. Pets 

Full of interesting information about 

local animal rescue and wildlife 

conservation with clear illustrations 

and diagrams. 

Energetic colourful illustrations 

showing the fun dogs can 

be whilst introducing simple 

mathematical concepts. 

Sorosiak, Carlie & 

Uribe, Luisa 

A World of Dogs: 

A Celebration of 

Fascinating Facts and 

Amazing Real-Life Stories 

for Dog Lovers 

Nosy Crow, 2023, 96pp, £16.99, 

9781839948497 

Animals. Dogs. Pets 

A simple introduction to real-life 

dog heroes: dogs with jobs, dogs as 

pets, and how dogs help humans 

every day. 

On the way to school Ethan notices 

some stray kittens, but his dad won’t 

allow any pets. 

Wilson, Troy & Coy, Eve 

Hat Cat 

Walker, 2023, 40pp, £7.99, 

9781529515527 

Cats. Freedom. Pets 

Rescued by an elderly man, Hat 

lives a spoilt life until the man is 

hospitalized. Others step in to care 

for the cat but are not as worried 

about him going outside. 

Halligan, Katherine 

National Theatre: 

Lola Saves 

the Show 

EDITOR’S PICK 

Illustrated by Guilherme 

Karsten 

Walker Books Ltd, 2023, pp30, £12.99, 9781406392647 

Theatre. Behind the Scenes. Humour 

What a brilliant idea to introduce children the areas 

of a theatre they are never likely to see – but which 

are vitally important when putting on a show – 

backstage! The National Theatre have joined forces 

with the author and illustrator to create an engaging 

picture book that explores all the backstage areas 

with a great deal of humour, colour, and fun. 

Lola is a small goat taking part in a show – but when 

she looks at the props table, she realises a vital 

prop is missing. Can Lola search all the areas of the 

theatre to find the prop? The humour issues from 

the way Lola thinks of all the different areas – there 

is a key at the end of the book! – and the fact she 

can’t explain what she is trying to do – she is a goat 

after all. 

I have never seen a book do anything similar for 

small children – a great idea for all our young 

theatre goers. 

Tricia Adams 

Harrison, Marvyn and 

Dope Black Dads 

The Best Me! 

Illustrated by Rochelle Falconer 



9781529083897 Self-Esteem. Positive. Feelings 

The author Marvyn Harrison, founder of Dope Black 

Dads, says that every day he stands in front of the 

mirror with his children and they shout out the best 

things about themselves. In this book the characters 

go about their daily routines and make similar 

affirmations which are part of ‘a self-care routine for 

healthy and happy children’. 

For each activity there is an ‘I can’ statement – I 

can keep clean, eat healthily, exercise, rest, express 

myself, be kind and say ‘No’ if something doesn’t 

feel right. A child might be reluctant to get into 

the habit of brushing their teeth, washing their 

hands, eating healthy snacks or going to bed on 

time. Smaller pictures with captions help them to 

understand why these routines are important. 

The friendly, positive characters and energetic, 

colourful, vibrant illustrations are instantly eyecatching 

and appealing. There are questions to think 

about and opportunities for discussion. 

This book bolsters self-esteem, pointing children 

in the right direction. Brilliant in a PSHE lesson, and 

the fold-out section could also be used for display. 

Writer and illustrator worked well together. 

Lee Giddings 

Hoffman, Wakanyi 

Sala, Mountain 

Warrior 

Illustrated by Onyinye Iwu 

Otter-Barry Books, 2023, pp26, 

£12.99, 9781915659064 

Kenya. Community. 

Self-Discovery 

Sala, Mountain Warrior is a captivating and 

inspirational tale that transports readers to the 

Samburu region of northern Kenya, where the 

vibrant culture and indomitable spirit of the 

Samburu people come to life. 

The story centres around Sala, a young girl who 

embarks on a school trip to conquer the mountain 

near her home, an adventure that fills her with 

both excitement and apprehension as she’s the 

only girl among the climbers, having been told by 

classmates that mountain climbing, like football, 

is not for girls. Sala’s journey up the mountain is 

one of self-discovery and empowerment, and she 

draws strength from her grandmother’s wisdom and 

stories. 

Sala, Mountain Warrior is a culturally rich and 

visually evocative story that resonates with readers 

of all ages. It serves as a powerful reminder that 

with determination, guidance from wise mentors, 

and belief in oneself, anyone can overcome the 

mountains in their life and emerge a true warrior. 

Nicki Cleveland 


39


Hogtun, Stephen 

Deep 



9781526610683 

Mothers. Love. Growing Up 

This is a beautifully illustrated and moving book 

which tells a universal story about love and family 

and will be loved by readers young and old. 

When a tiny whale calf is born, his mother raises 

him to the surface to take his first breath. She guides 

him as he grows, keeping him safe and teaching him 

all he needs to know, until he is strong enough to 

swim at her side and they set off together on a great 

journey across the oceans. He learns to face fears 

and not be afraid, to seek beauty and truth and to 

understand that ‘what matters is not how quickly 

you travel … but who you travel with’. 

A book to treasure. 

Sue Bastone 

Jones, Naomi 

Thunderboots 

Illustrated by Rebecca Ashdown 

Oxford University Press, 2023, 

pp31, £7.99, 9780192779021 

Dyslexia. Self-Belief. 

Superpowers 

Trixie is affectionately known as Thunderboots by 

her neighbours. But when she begins to struggle 

with learning letters at school, Trixie’s zippy energy 

begins to lose its spark. She becomes quieter, 

confessing to her dad that everything feels hard. 

After Trixie’s dad reassures her that people learn in 

different ways, and her teachers put together a new 

learning plan, Trixie realises that everyone is good at 

different things. Being different is a superpower! 

Written by a dyslexic author, Thunderboots is 

a refreshingly positive insight into the dyslexic 

experience for young children. The support Trixie 

receives from her dad and teachers gives her the 

confidence to embrace her talents and abilities. 

Naomi Jones’ straightforward yet empathetic text 

is accompanied by Rebecca Ashdown’s bright and 

energetic illustrations. The visual representation of 

Trixie’s dyslexia – from jumbled letters careening 

across the page to words dancing joyfully around 

her – is especially successful. The inclusion of 

classroom book trolleys, filled with an enticing 

selection of fiction and non-fiction, is a lovely 

touch, showing readers that books are for everyone. 

Samantha Lockett 

Julian, Sean 

Between Night 

and Day 

Oxford University Press, 2023, 

pp30, £7.99, 9780192780379 

Friendship. Fear of the Dark. 

Perspectives 

A warm tale of friendship and overcoming fear of 

the dark. Pongo the orangutan enjoys a juicy mango 

in the morning light of her rainforest home. When 

she accidentally finds Bulu the fruit bat attached 

to one, they help keep each other safe and share 

the pleasures of each other’s environments. Pongo 

introduces Bulu to scary but wonderful delights 

of the daytime rainforest; Bulu welcomes Pongo 

into the dark but beautiful majesty of his cave. 

Each animal learns to support the other and they 

become firm friends who meet at sunset as their two 

worlds cross between night and day. Atmospheric 

illustrations draw the reader into each animal’s 

habitat and help confirm their developing friendship. 

Carolyn Boyd 

Kaur, Sukhbinder 

Is that Paras’ 

Turban? 

Independent Publishing 

Network, 2023, pp, £10.99, 

9781789721119 

Sikhism. Turbans. Searches 

Paras has lost his turban, and along with his friend 

Pete is searching for it. Along the way they meet a 

variety of different people, all of whom are wearing 

their own distinctive headgear. ‘Is that Paras’ 

turban?’ becomes an oft repeated refrain, which 

young readers will join in with each time that it is 

asked. Produced as a sensory/touch and feel book, 

it is great fun for children to not only see all the 

different items of headgear, but to also touch them, 

thereby adding an enjoyable sensory touch to the 

story. The final scenario, when the turban is found, 

reveals that the turban was given to him by Guru 

Nanak Dev Ji – which will prompt conversation and 

help lead children to learning more about Sikhism 

along with its customs and traditions. Very well 

worth stocking in the EYFS classroom. 

Rudolf Loewenstein 

Keilty, Derek 

Ivy Newt and the 

Time Thief 

Illustrated by Magda Brol 

Scallywag Press, 2023, pp176, £7.99, 

9781915252333 

Witches. Magic. Halloween 

Ivy Newt is excited for Halloween as it means the 

return of a mysterious haunted house that only 

appears for one day every year. Determined to solve 

the mystery of the spooky house, Ivy sneaks off to 

explore it with her familiar Tom. What follows is an 

exciting race against time for Ivy, Tom, and their new 

friend Meg, who need to break a powerful curse 

and foil the plans of a dastardly sorcerer before 

midnight strikes and the house disappears again for 

another year. 

This is the second book in the Ivy Newt series, 

however it can be enjoyed as a stand-alone read 

without having read the first book. It is perfect 

for beginner readers and children starting to 

enjoy early chapter books as the story is pacy and 

highly illustrated. 

Beth Jenkinson 

Kyi, Tanya Lloyd 

What Will I Discover? 

Illustrated by Rachel Qiuqi 

Greystone Kids, 2023, pp36, 

£12.99, 9781771648615 

Science. Enquiry. Questions 

An inspiring celebration of 

scientific discovery that will prompt children 

to come up with their own questions about the 

world and indeed to aspire to becoming a scientist 

themselves. The attractive images and simple text 

convey some quite detailed information. In the first 

part of the book the unnamed child considers some 

of the amazing things that scientists know about the 

world and about space. This part is full of intriguing 

facts, such as macaws have bones inside their 

tongues to help them crack the toughest shells. In 

the second part, the child comes up with questions 

that nobody has yet answered. This usefully models 

scientific method: going from what is known to what 

could be found out through formulating questions 

and then deciding how to find out. An unusual and 

rewarding addition to picture book collections. 

Joy Court 

40 



Lee, Suzy 

The Shade Tree: 

Aldana Libros 

Translated by Helen Mixter 

Illustrated by Suzy Lee 


£13.27, 9781778400186 

Folk Tale. Nature. Greed 

A retelling of a folk tale about a traveller who 

outwits a rich and selfish man to help himself and 

the villagers. 

Villagers like to come and cool down in the shade 

of a huge, beautiful old tree, but one day a rich man, 

on whose land the tree stands, demands they leave 

because he must own the tree and shade it creates, 

as he owns the land in which it is planted. 

Thinking fast, the traveller comes up with a proposal 

to outwit the rich man and also ensure the villagers 

get access to the shade, wherever it may fall! 

With simple painted illustrations, using limited 

colour, The Shade Tree is a story about one person’s 

quest to fight against greed for the greater good. 

Helen Robinson 

Lindley, Jo 

Hello Summer 

(Best Friends with 

Big Feelings) 

Farshore, 2023, pp32, £7.99, 

9780755503438 

Emotions. Seasons. Friendship 

A book for the very youngest children. This is 

a simple story involving four characters who 

represent the seasons. Each has their own story, 

and this story is Summer’s. We see how Summer 

experiences anger and frustration, thereby upsetting 

their friends, but finally overcomes it. Lots of 

opportunity for discussing the overwhelming 

emotions of young children and how they might 

manage them. 

The story is set in summer with scenes of seaside, 

picnics, and flowery gardens. The illustrations 

are bright and bold, in the style of the cartoon 

animations with which children are so familiar. 

This is the third of what will be a set of four books, 

each focussing on a season. There are fun maps at 

each end where you can find the places that the 

characters visit, or make up your own stories, but 

my impression is that some may relate to other 

stories and that they are best read together. It does 

feel slightly incomplete on its own. 

Annie Pattison 

McGregor, Anna 

Who’s Afraid of 

the Light? 

Scribe Publications Pty Ltd, 2023, 

pp32, £12.99, 9781914484353 

Oceans. Habitat. 

Bioluminescence 

The dramatic cover of this book demands attention 

with its glow in the dark colours and large font. 

Fergus is a creature who lives in the depth of the 

ocean. He is not afraid of the dark and escorts us 

on our trip into the mysterious ‘midnight zone’. As it 

is pitch black, we cannot see him. The narrative 

consists largely of dialogue between the narrator 

and Fergus. Black pages and fluorescent colours 

create an eerie atmosphere and give an insight into 

this habitat where bioluminescence is important. 

We encounter anglerfish, spookfish, and vampire 

squid. Fergus is nervous of some of the creatures 

and there is plenty of humour. We are given clues 

about Fergus’ identity, which is ultimately revealed 

at the end of the book. The ‘Did you know?’ section 

provides additional information about ocean life. 

The book is a mix of fiction and non-fiction that 

intrigues and entertains. It is a great read, and 

ideal for sharing, with plenty of opportunities 

for inference, prediction, and further research 

into the vast unexplored areas of the deep sea. 

Highly recommended. 

Brenda Marshall 

McGuckin, Isla 

April’s Garden 

Illustrated by Catalina 

Echeverri 

Graffeg, 2023, pp36, £7.99, 

9781802583410 

Families. Change. Hope 

April and her mamma are fleeing in the middle of 

the night, packing a car, and finding refuge. The 

house is big and rambling, with other inhabitants 

who we rarely see. While they wait to be rehomed, 

they survive on the kindness of strangers, on second 

hand toys and magazines. April is confused and 

unhappy, and dreams of their own home with a 

beautiful garden and a goldfish. 

McGuckin’s sparse text tells us nothing that April 

doesn’t know, so we are left to parse meaning from 

Echeverri’s expressive illustrations in a perfect 

marriage of language and image. Dark clouds and 

lashing rain reflect April’s turmoil, while Mamma’s 

expression tells us all we need to know about the 

hope she bears for the future. A packet of seeds 

and pots of mud mirror April’s journey from despair 

to hope to happiness. An important book about 

difficult changes and the healing powers of time 

and hope. 

Helen Thompson 

Millard, Glenda 

Pea Pod Lullaby 

Illustrated by Stephen 

Michael King 

Old Barn Books, 


9781910646458 

Family. Escape. Hope 

Sometimes words and pictures come together 

with such beauty and strength that reading a 

seemingly simple picture book becomes a profound 

experience. Pea Pod Lullaby is such a book and 

deserves to be cherished, revisited, and shared 

through the generations. The narrative touches on 

the tragedies of the world: a woman, two children, 

and a dog flee on a small boat from a shoreline of 

barbed wire and explosions. Their voyage is long 

and dangerous taking them through the polar 

seas, where they rescue a polar bear and return 

it to its family. At last, they reach the safety of a 

welcoming land. 

The gentle pastels of the pictures soothe as the 

family’s lullaby develops. In short phrases and 

perfect imagery, the relationship between the family 

and the world is explored. Everything is within the 

scope of a little child to understand but still should 

have a great impact on everyone who reads this 

breathtaking, important book. This is a landmark 

book which every child should have the opportunity 

to explore several times. 

Jaki Brien 

Montgomery, Ross 

The Thing at 52 

Illustrated by Richard Johns 

Frances Lincoln Children’s 


9780711279148 

Friendship. Imagination. Loss 

The little girl had noticed 

the Thing at number 52 when she passed every 

day. One day she brought him a flower and he 

invited her (and her Mum – so all safe) inside. 

There followed a friendship between the two very 

different characters, but each gave the other time. 

One day the little girl decided to hold a party for the 

Thing and invited other Things. That made him the 

happiest she’d seen him. But then he had to leave 

her, and she had to cope without him. 

A very gentle book about loss without the explicit 

telling of a loved one dying. Seeing life go on and 

the positives which follow shows children that you 

can still be happy even after losing a friend. 

Richard Johnson’s illustrations are in soft, muted 

shades and dream-like, and I can’t think of a more 

beautiful Thing. 

Dawn Woods 


41


Pankhurst, Kate 

We Are All 

Astronauts: 

Discover What It 

Takes to Be a Space 

Explorer! 


Books, 2023, pp32, £7.99, 9781526615435 

Discovery. Space. Explorers 

Seven-year-old Luna Scope has a mission to be 

an astronaut. She has made her own rocket, has a 

snazzy helmet and is ready to go on a quest, but her 

granny, Suri Scope, knows she needs more guidance 

before she can go blasting off! 

Granny takes Luna on a fascinating journey, telling 

her everything she needs to know about becoming 

an astronaut. She will discover what astronauts 

wear, how telescopes work, how to build a rocket, 

and what it’s like to live in space. 

This book not only helps you to learn really 

interesting and ‘out of this world’ facts, but it 

showcases and celebrates female space pioneers 

from the past and present and helps any reader to 

realise that they can achieve any dream they want if 

they put their mind to it! 

Angela March 

Peckham, Hannah 

Bronty’s Battle Cry 

Illustrated by Hanna Tkachenko 

Award Publications, 2023, pp32, 

£6.99, 9781782705499 

Dinosaurs. Empathy. Powerful 

Bronty’s Battle Cry is a 

beautifully written and 

illustrated picture book, with a heartwarming 

and powerful message. Also, who doesn’t 

love dinosaurs? We are taken on a journey of 

understanding and empathy, as Bronty learns 

that it is okay to be different. Whilst all the other 

dinosaurs practise their big roars and boast about 

their bravery, Bronty experiences the world 

differently. Through gorgeous rhyming, this 

picture book teaches children positive self-talk 

and the importance of recognising that we are all 

different and excel at different things. There are 

also three wonderful activities to continue the 

incredibly important message this book explores. 

An outstanding must-read! 

Ellie Booth 

Percival, Tom 

Finn’s Little Fibs: 

A Big Bright 

Feelings Book 



9781526642479 

Fibbing. Holiday. Families 

This charming book takes readers on a journey with 

Finn to his grandma’s house where he accidentally 

breaks her clock. However, Finn panics and starts 

fibbing. Once he starts he can’t seem to stop, 

which makes him feel funny and temporarily ruins 

his holiday. All ends well when he owns up to the 

truth and learns that being truthful will avoid all 

the mess he has made for himself. This simple 

tale is very accessible and relatable for children to 

learn from, and indeed adults too; his grandma’s 

reaction is one of love and support, not punishment 

and judgement, which provides a reassuring 

and safe ending to the narrative. The text is age 

appropriate, setting the scene and conveying the 

narrative with language which will help to build 

children’s vocabulary. The illustrations are a real 

highlight which help to convey the serious meaning 

in an accessible and approachable way without 

condemning Finn for behaving the way he did. 

Overall, this work is perceptive and uplifting, and 

provides a useful example to inspire children to tell 

the truth. 

Meg Barclay 

Potter, Molly 

The Same but 

Different: A Let’s 

Talk Book 

Illustrated by Sarah Jennings 

Bloomsbury Education, 


9781801992305 

Community. Similarities. Differences 

The Same but Different book is just one of the titles 

in the Let’s Talk book series. Told and illustrated 

in a bright, simple, and accessible style, the book 

explores what it is that unites us all, but that within 

that context what is it that makes us each unique. 

Differences between each other is therefore seen 

as something that is ultimately positive and worth 

exploring. The contents page lets us know what to 

expect within the book, with each page or doublepage 

spread dealing with a different aspect of how 

we are alike and also how we can differ. Sprinkled 

throughout with nuggets of practical wisdom 

under ‘it’s good to know’, the books makes itself 

something that is readily shared with a sympathetic 

adult either at home or at school. The final part of 

the book consists of two pages of useful advice 

for any adult using the book, along with a glossary 

containing key terms and words. 


Rayner, Catherine 

Victor, the Wolf 

with Worries 



9781529051285 

Wolves. Worries. Friendship 

The author/illustrator has a wealth of titles that are 

firm favourites and has been the recipient of the 

Kate Greenaway Medal in the past. This is the story 

of Victor, a young wolf club who is worried that he 

is not “wolfy” enough. In fact, he spends a lot of his 

time being worried about things. Luckily, he has a 

really good friend, called Pablo, who listens to him 

and is always willing to give some help and advice. 

This absolutely delightful book is full of Catherine 

Rayner’s signature illustrations. Victor may be a 

wolf cub, but you definitely just want to give him a 

cuddle and reassure him that things will be fine. The 

book very cleverly deals with the way we all swing 

from being positive, to being concerned that we 

are giving a false image about our confidence. In 

this instance Pablo acts as a sounding board, and 

together the two cubs find that talking and playing 

can help them understand that everyone gets 

worried and that you can deal with it. 


Rickards, Lynne 

Maisie the 

Mountain Hare 

Kelpies, 2023, pp30, £6.99, 

9781782508410 

Camouflage. British 

Wildlife. Scotland 

This gentle story illustrates the way in which animals 

and birds use camouflage to hide themselves 

from prey. It also considers how this is affected by 

seasonal and climate change. 

The illustrations are central, using soft colours in 

restricted ranges to depict the landscape of the 

Scottish Highlands into which the birds and animals 

blend. These could be the starting point for some 

investigation into visibility and colour contrasts. 

The story could be first told simply, using just the 

illustrations and no text, allowing time for discussion 

and explanation of the setting and story and 

colours. The text is written in rhyme, in a playful 

style that encourages children to predict and join in. 

Reading the rhyming story adds further to what the 

book offers by introducing themes of friendship and 

teamwork and consolidating what has been learned. 

It’s rather unusual and refreshing to find books 

about wildlife set in Scotland. There are three other 

such by the same author. Together they would make 

a valuable classroom resource set. 


42 



Roberts, Jon 

The Torch 

Illustrated by Hannah 

Rounding 

Graffeg, 2023, pp36, £7.99, 

9781802584103 

Autism. Dogs. Adventure 

This is a very special book whose story helps small 

children understand autism. People may behave 

differently but they are still unique and valued 

human beings. 

Through the eyes of autistic Lilly we learn how 

her hypersensitivity makes her react to sights and 

sounds in untypical ways. Her heightened senses 

help her to pick out the millions of dust particles 

revealed in a beam of torchlight. She has to cover 

her ears in the cave – the echoing sounds of the 

dripping water and bouncing torch create a painful, 

overpowering noise – repeats words constantly 

to understand them, and shows excitement by 

exaggeratedly waving and flapping her hands. It is 

difficult for her to communicate what she feels. 

Lilly’s trained assistance dog, Myles, keeps her close, 

away from danger (but as a working dog should not 

be petted). He calms her when she is agitated by 

lying across her lap like a big comfort blanket! 

The colourful, fun illustrations add to the enjoyment 

of the story. It would be a great addition to the 

inclusion section of the library and PSHE lessons. 

Lee Giddings 

Robinson, Sally 

Where Is That 

Naughty Dog? 

Matador, 2023, pp32, £8.99, 

9781803137322 

Pet. Deafness. Family 

This is a delightful story of 

a family who adopted Archie, a deaf dog, from a 

rescue centre. He gets up to plenty of mischief and 

antics – is he naughty or misunderstood? 

One day Archie escapes and the family can’t find 

him, and unfortunately calling him has no effect 

at all. Archie cannot hear and so the family must 

get creative in finding him and welcoming him into 

their family. 

Luckily Archie loves his home, always wants a full 

belly and a warm bed – what more can a dog want? 

This story is a lovely new perspective on welcoming 

a dog into your family and perhaps will help to shed 

light on dogs that often go unwanted in rescue 

centres. It is charming and sweet, one for dog loving 

families to enjoy. 

Erin Hamilton 

Robinson, Michelle 

The Thunk 

Illustrated by Deborah Allwright 



9781408892855 

Picture Book. Friendships. 

Adventure 

There are Thunks out there, they are everywhere, 

and yet they are also extinct. Look out for them – 

you’ll know them by their trunk and blue-ish pink 

fur and you can often spot them in the playground. 

Explore with Hector Voltaire as he takes us on an 

adventurous trail to find the Thunks; he knows they 

are not extinct, and he is simply determined to prove 

everybody wrong by finding one. 

Will Hector find a Thunk? Follow along with Michelle 

Robinson’s delightfully rhyming text, if you can – 

there are distractions aplenty along the way in the 

form of amazing illustrations by Deborah Alwright. 

These will have every child who is sharing this book 

with you not only looking for the Thunks but calling 

out all the places that they have spotted them, 

which means of course that Hector Voltaire is quite 

simply: correct! Magic, myth, rhyme, and adventure 

– this picture book has it all and I think children 

everywhere are going to love it! 

Louise Ellis-Barrett 

Rooney, Anne 

Baby Owl 

Amazing Animal Tales 

Illustrated by Lan Qu 

Oxford University Press, 


9780192780911 

Owls. Woodland Habitat. Animals 

I have been privileged to share a garden with an 

owl and these birds are truly fascinating. Their 

huge eyes, fluffy feathers, and the ability to rotate 

their heads have seen them become a favourite 

in children’s books from Winnie the Pooh to Owl 

Babies and The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark. 

This beautifully illustrated book tells the story of 

Baby Owl, from hatching to fledging and catching 

his own dinner. Big flaps open to give accompanying 

facts about owls: this means that the book can be 

read as an engaging story but can also be used as a 

learning tool. The device of ‘hiding’ another animal 

in the picture is a clever way to encourage children 

to look carefully at the pictures and recognise 

other animals. 

The story will become a firm favourite in the EYFS 

classroom as well as at home. 

Carolyn Copland 

Sanders, Andrew 

Whose Dog 

Is This? 

Illustrated by Aysha Awwad 



9781529037104 

Humour. Dogs. Secret 

Agents 

By the same author and illustrator of Where has all 

the cake gone?, this story follows a similar premise: 

this time the house is trashed, and Albert spins a 

fantastic yarn to explain away all the chaos, whilst 

Dad is sceptical. But is next door’s dog really a secret 

agent called Jonny Waffles? 

I like the conversation between Albert and his 

dad, which children with active imaginations (and 

excuses) will relate to, and the concept can also be 

used as a framing device for story work with young 

writers. The illustrations are lots of fun and certainly 

will convince you that Albert is telling the truth! 

An enjoyable picture book to share with young 

children and they will certainly be inspired to come 

up with some wild excuses of their own! 

Jo Sennitt 

Senior, Suzy 

The Hotel for Bugs 

Illustrated by Leire Martín 

Little Tiger Press, 2023, pp26, 

£7.99, 9781801041690 

Difference. Inclusiveness. Bugs 

Who doesn’t love going 

on holiday? A wonderful story, in rhyme, about 

tolerance, acceptance, embracing difference, and 

speaking out against injustices. 

The crowd started clapping and then with an 

‘OOOH!’ 

They peeked through the entrance to get the first view 

Of huge bouncy sofas and soft, mossy rugs 

In the brand new and fabulous HOTEL FOR BUGS! 

It’s the grand opening of the hotel for bugs, 

complete with a buffet, pool and spa – the ideal 

place for bugs to go on holiday. Then a SLUG turns 

up … He’s much too squishy and slimy and is NOT 

welcome at the hotel for bugs. Until a small bug 

speaks up. A slug is no weirder than a dung beetle 

rolling poo or a butterfly tasting with its feet. 

Everybody should be welcome at the brand new and 

fabulous HOTEL FOR ALL! 

The illustrations are bright and humorous and 

the facts about bugs will spark interest in young 

children. Acceptance and tolerance make our world 

a kinder place and this story will stay long in my 

memory – a winner in my eyes! 



43

Stories to send imaginations soaring from 

ANDERSEN PRESS 

Shine Like the Stars 

9781839131516 | £7.99 

Adoette 

9781839131905 | £7.99 

Giraffe and a Half 

9781839132759| £12.99 

Luna Loves Christmas 

9781839131660 | £12.99 

The Kindest Red 

9781839133046 | £7.99 

Salat in Secret 

9781839132698 | £12.99 

Unspoken: Talking About Slavery 

9781839133404 | £8.99 

Godfather Death 

9781839131417 | £12.99 

Time Travel Twins: 

The Viking Attack 

9781839133336 | £7.99 

Time Travel Twins: 

The Roman Invasion 

9781839133343 | £7.99 

My Brother Plato 

9781839133848 | £7.99 

The Legend of Ghastly Jack 

Crowheart 

9781839133091 | £8.99 

The Witches of Pendle 

9781839133183 | £7.99 

Yours From the Tower 

9781839133190 | £14.99 

The Door of No Return 

9781839133077 | £8.99 

Treacle Town 

9781839133619 | £8.99 

@AndersenPress 

Artwork from Shine Like the Stars by Anna Wilson & Harry Woodgate


Sinha, Sarthak 

Farah Loves Mangos 

Flying Eye, 2023, pp32, £12.99, 

9781838741365 

India. Disappointment. 

Acceptance 

Who knew that there were 

so many varieties of mango? 

In this story of mango-loving Farah we see how her 

disappointment and distress at the lack of mangos 

on her tree is finally overcome when she recognises 

and embraces everything else that the tree can 

offer. She tries many ways to help the tree but to 

no avail. Her wise grandfather meanwhile quietly 

gets on with his own project until all is resolved. It’s 

a comforting, loving fable about accepting change 

and seeing things differently. 

The exotically bright, warm illustrations overflow 

with an untidy richness of detail and so much to 

explore within them. They probably tell the story as 

much as the text. But the text is important too – it’s 

gentle and uses words playfully. 

There is a great sense of being in another place here. 

Some animals, birds, and activities are peculiar to 

it and might be unfamiliar. But the emotional highs 

and lows of childhood, the play and dreams, will be 

shared by all. 


Smith, Coralie 

The Squirrel and the 

Lost Treasure 

Particular Books, 2023, pp64, 

£16.99, 9780241541975 

Conservation. Hope. Trees 

This stunning picture book, 

written and illustrated by the 

incredibly talented Coralie Bickford-Smith, is both 

an enchanting story about a squirrel’s realisation of 

the path to new life, and a book which physically 

sparks a need to be touched and held. It could be 

the most beautiful addition to your library and also a 

very special gift. 

The illustrations, including the remarkable end 

pages, make you gasp with delight. On every page, 

as the story moves through time and seasons, there 

are incredible little details to find in this charming 

tale of hope. The cloth-bound cover draws you 

in immediately, and I loved the colours used 

throughout. 

I absolutely adored this story of a squirrel spotting 

an acorn; finding the perfect place to bury it; and 

being confused when they return to find that it has 

disappeared. With the gradual realisation that they 

are in fact planting new trees, there is a heartfelt 

message that: ‘sometimes the most important and 

impactful actions we make in our lifetimes are the 

ones we’ll never reap the benefits of ourselves.’ 

Jenny Griffiths 

Stansbie, Stephanie 

This Girl Can Be a 

Bit Shy 

Illustrated by Hazel 

Quintanilla 

Little Tiger Press, 


9781801044509 

Self Esteem. Emotions. Shyness 

This is such a beautiful book, the illustrations along 

with the story are just perfect. The story tells us 

about a little girl who is shy but not all the time. It 

depicts shyness as something that you can be but 

also that you are lots of other things as well. This 

book deals really well with what can sometimes be a 

difficult emotion. 

Kate Keaveny 

Suzuki, David and 

Kyi, Tanya Lloyd 

Bompa’s Insect 

Expedition: 

A Backyard Bug 

Book for Kids 

Illustrated by Qin Leng 


£12.99, 9781771648820 

Insects. Nature. Science 

A delightful, narrative non-fiction story which 

is based upon the renowned naturalist author’s 

adventures with his engagingly inquisitive 

grandchildren, who are equipping themselves for an 

expedition. They encounter, in turn, a bumblebee, 

dragonflies, caterpillars of the monarch butterfly, 

an ants’ nest, mosquitoes, and a lacewing. During 

their exploration, Bompa imparts a wealth of 

scientific information, much of it in response to 

what the children say, taking every opportunity to 

extend the learning opportunities and modelling 

scientific enquiry. 

The story ends with a picnic and is followed by a 

page from a field journal, a peek at the contents of 

a backpack, and a final spread with some additional 

insect facts. Delicate water colour illustrations 

capture the warmth of the family relationships as 

well as the detail of the flora and fauna. A valuable 

addition to minibeast topic boxes. 

Joy Court 

Tagholm, Sarah 

Sam Francisco, 

King of the Disco 

Illustrated by Binny 

Rocket Bird Books, 


9781915395030 

Cats. Music. Dance 

As midnight strikes, feline superstar DJ Sam 

Francisco, dressed in his sparkly catsuit and platform 

shoes, sneaks out of the window and is off to the 

disco with his cool cat friends. In full swing, the 

party’s loud music keeps grumpy neighbour Buzzkill 

Bill awake so, determined to stop the noise, he sends 

all sorts of people to put an end to the disturbance. 

But his plan backfires when Sam plays different 

genres of dance music that prove irresistible, and 

they all end up joining the party instead. Even Bill 

pulling the plug doesn’t stop the fun, and soon the 

whole town is dancing the night away. 

Full of energy and humour, the vibrant illustrations 

perfectly capture the party spirit and complement 

the upbeat rhythm of the rhyming text. A lively and 

fun explanation as to why cats need to sleep all day 

that will definitely keep young readers entertained. 

Lynn Marshall 

Taylor, Stephanie 

I’m Going to Be 

a Princess 

Illustrated by Jade Orlando 

Nosy Crow, 2023, pp32, 

£7.99, 9781839944727 

Families. Diversity. 

Growing Up 

Maya’s mum learns that Maya wants to be a princess. 

Maya’s mum is proud of her ‘strong, bold, brave girl’ 

and although she thinks Maya would be a ‘brilliant 

princess’ wonders what Maya might ‘REALLY like 

to be‘. 

In this heartwarming and funny story from debut 

author Stephanie Taylor, Maya discovers the 

achievements of some incredible Black women, 

but still she insists ... she’s going to be a princess! 

Though perhaps it’s not a fairy-tale princess Maya 

has in mind ... 

This book is beautifully illustrated by Jade Orland 

and blends the story of Maya and her mum with a 

light touch of non-fiction, covering the stories of 

inspirational Black women such as dancer Misty 

Copeland, Olympic athlete Amie Coachman, and 

rocket scientist Annie Easley. 

Ruth Horsman 


45


Willis, Jeanne 

The Bear Who Had 

Nothing to Wear 

Scallywag Press, 2023, pp32, 

£12.99, 9781915252036 

Picture Books. Identity. 

Friendship 

I can safely say that I am in awe of Jeanne Willis. Not 

only does she seem to be able to write non-stop, but 

every single one of her picture books is wonderful. 

One of her latest, published with Scallywag 

Press, is The Bear Who Had Nothing to Wear. It is 

a rhyming story sharing the concept of identity 

with young children, and is gloriously illustrated by 

Brian Fitzgerald. 

Albie is the bear of the story, and he has arrived with 

nothing to wear. Rather than let his owner choose 

his outfit, Albie wants to be proud – he wants to 

choose his own. The problem is that it doesn’t seem 

to matter what outfit Albie chooses, none of them 

seem to be quite right. Fairy, pirate, cowboy, or 

gent, none of them work or suit hum. After a week 

of trying on, all Albie has to show for his efforts is 

a bedroom strewn with clothes! What is a bear to 

do? Full of humour, perfect for reading aloud and 

helping children understand identities, this book 

has it all. 


Wolters, Octavie 

The Starling’s Song 

Translated by Michele Hutchison 

Pushkin Children’s Books, 2023, 

pp32, £12.99, 9781782694076 

Birds. Detail. Nature 

This remarkable picture book, 

created using incredible linocut illustrations by 

the author and artist Octavie Wolters, draws you 

through poetic pages about a starling who wants 

to sing about the world he flies through, so that he 

doesn’t forget what he sees. On his journey, the 

starling encounters a variety of other birds, who also 

want to tell him about they have seen. They ask him 

to add their experiences to his song. 

I adored the cover and end pages, and the big, bold 

illustrations bring these beautiful birds to life. I really 

enjoyed reading their conversations, especially 

the mirroring text detail on the kingfisher page. 

Throughout, the starling is asked to look for the small 

details which we might miss each day, including 

meadows of grass and blossom blowing in the wind. 

Translated from the Dutch by Michele Hutchison, 

the lines that have stayed with me are: 

‘If you listen carefully, you will hear it. If you look 

closely, you will see it.’ And then the starling asks 

the reader, with all of the birds around him: ‘Can you 

see it too?’ 

Jenny Griffiths 

Wright, Ruby 

Animal Crackers 

Rocket Bird Books, 2023, 

pp27, £12.99, 9781915395016 

Pets. Families. Animals 

Maisie’s head is full 

of animal facts! She 

desperately wants a pet of her own. Mum says their 

flat is too small and not suitable for animals, so 

Maisie is delighted when Monkey from the Animal 

Crackers box comes alive and says he’ll be her pet. 

Soon, all the other pets come alive, and Maisie ends 

up with a pelican, chickens, penguins, a giraffe and 

lots more. 

It doesn’t take her long to realise that looking after 

animals is time consuming and messy, so she says 

the animals will have to return to their packets 

and tins. Mum has an idea that evening involving 

the packets and a pair of scissors and when 

Maisie wakes up, she finds herself in her very own 

wildlife park, with pictures of her animals on her 

bedroom walls. 

This is well illustrated and is an excellent story for 

showing that what we want is not always the most 

sensible idea but that Plan B can be just as good. 


46 


Books: 8 – 12 | Fiction and Poetry 

Ainsworth, Eve 

Finding Her Feet 

Illustrated by Luna Valentine 

Barrington Stoke, 2023, pp73, £7.99, 

9781800902022 

Football. Anxiety. Friendship 

A book about football. A book 

featuring the teacher who can make all the 

difference. A book about finding yourself and 

overcoming anxiety. Finding Her Feet is another 

perfectly timed accessible read from Barrington 

Stoke and acclaimed author Eve Ainsworth, for all 

fans of the women’s game (Reading Age 8, Interest 

Age 9+). The storyline is interspersed with facts 

about the development of women’s football from its 

beginnings over a century ago. 

Lily, who has never found school easy, has just 

moved into Year 7 and is struggling more than usual 

to fit in. Spotted in PE by Mr Allen as a girl with talent, 

he invites Lily to train in his girls’ football team after 

school. For the first time, Lily feels like she’s found a 

place where she feels comfortable – that is until she 

speaks up and seems to ruin the new-found escape 

in her life. 

This book will resonate with any reader who has 

found their friendships in crisis, fanned by the flames 

of social media. This football-themed novella’s a 

winner in the back of the net. 

Jane Broadis 

Aziz, Christine 

The Kingdom of 

Broken Magic 

Everything with Words, 2023, pp226, 

£8.99, 9781911427308 

Friendship. Magic. Adventure 

An exciting, fantastical adventure, 

this story is about two children, Maggie and 

Josh, who live in the Scribbens Home for Very 

Wayward Children, run by the evil and unkind 

Mrs Scribbens. Their very close friendship makes 

their harsh existence bearable and Maggie, the 

elder of the two, promises Josh that she will never 

leave him. However, one day, Maggie is sent out 

to pickpocket and whilst doing so, has a bad 

experience, and is rescued by a strange and sinister 

circus which is passing by. In the whirlwind that 

follows, Maggie has no choice but to stay. Within 

the circus she discovers a world of magic, and a 

mystery of performers and animals that disappear. In 

her determination to solve the mystery, she forgets 

about Josh, unaware that he has escaped the home 

and is looking for her, whilst facing his own dangers. 

This story engages the reader, keeping them 

immersed, and is enhanced by the detailed 

descriptions of the unusual, but mostly kind, 

characters at the circus. The book features 

illustrations periodically, breaking the text up for the 

younger reader. 

Linda Nash 

Amoore, Nat 

Secrets of a 

Rebel Rockstar 

The Watterson Series 

Rock the Boat, 2023, pp352, £7.99, 

9780861545711 

Music. Family. Theatre 

Mac is in his final year at primary school and is a 

very talented guitarist. His mum believes that rock 

is the only real music in the world and that her son 

is destined to be a rock legend. Mac has to keep his 

secret safe from her and from everyone else: he 

loves musical theatre. He is introduced to a secret 

society of musical theatre lovers, including Flynn, 

an amazing pianist. They come together to save the 

Arts programme at Mac’s school. 

The delight of Secrets of a Rebel Rock Star is in the 

strength of the characterisation. Mac really worries 

about letting his mum down, is kind to his little 

brother, cares about issues and becomes a very 

good friend to Flynn, learning to adapt and never 

react negatively to the tics of Tourette’s but to 

appreciate his new friend for his wit and talent. 

This sheer niceness is portrayed without 

sentimentality or over-labouring the focus on issues, 

meaning that Nat Amoore’s book is very readable. 

It is a page-turner which turns preconceptions 

upside down. 

Jaki Brien 

Baddiel, David 

Only Children: Three 

Hilarious Short Stories 

Illustrated by Jim Field and Steven 

Lenton 

HarperCollins Children’s Books, 2023, 

pp298, £12.99, 9780008222499 

Short Stories. Adventure. Fantasy 

Three short stories, all on the theme of wish 

fulfilment in some form. The first is about children’s 

perception of age and powerlessness. The second is 

about a young wheelchair user obsessed with trains. 

The third is about an alien-like creature who is very 

positive about a family’s holiday spot, which the 

children hate. 

The second story is memorable because it contains 

an element of time slip narrative but only one mode 

of transport is subject to the time slip. 

Rebecca Butler 

Anderson, Sophie 

The Snow Girl 

Illustrated by Melissa Castrillón 

Usborne Publishing Ltd, 2023, 

pp288, £12.99, 9781803704357 

Adventure. Friendship. Magic 

Sophie Anderson’s tales are 

steeped in legend, folklore, and wintery beauty. 

The Snow Girl is an exceptional story of friendship, 

facing fears, and feeling a sense of belonging 

and community. 

Tasha and her parents have moved to live with her 

grandpa who is struggling to look after the farm 

and worries about a harsh winter ahead. Tasha 

embraces her new life, but she is reluctant to leave 

the farm. There was an incident before they moved 

that has changed Tasha. She is anxious, worried, 

and unable to let herself try new things or make 

new friends. 

When the first snow falls, Tasha and her grandpa 

build a snow girl and a wish is cast for a friend. As 

the winter thickens, Tasha and her new friend 

have exciting, frozen adventures together with a 

menagerie of wild animals. 

Hearing a story of evil snow spirits, Tasha begins to 

have small doubts and worries about changes she 

is noticing in herself. She knows that she must let 

Alyana go but she doesn’t want to say goodbye. 

Sophie Anderson has wowed again with her 

wondrous tale! 

Erin Hamilton 

Baitie, Elizabeth-Irene 

Crossing the Stream 

Cassava Republic Press, 2023, pp, 

£9.99, 9781913175467 

Friendship. Mystery. Fear 

A powerful, accessible novel set 

in Ghana. A gripping adventure, 

it grabs the reader with a short prologue, and then 

develops a thrilling page turner. The characters and 

setting are richly drawn, enabling real empathy and 

understanding to happen. Ato’s mother is deeply 

influenced by a new age preacher who is turning 

the village against traditional understandings about 

life and who is poisoning people’s minds with fear. 

Ato’s nana is the voice of tolerance and kindness 

and helps him to overcome distrust and fear of 

the unknown. 

Three friends learn valuable life lessons through 

working together to help their environment and 

at the same time unveil the deceitful preacher. At 

times, the book is dark and quite frightening as 

the culture which embraces old beliefs of potions 

and witchcraft comes face to face with corruption 

and greed. Because of this, I would recommend it 

for 10- to 13-year-olds. As a novel addressing the 

importance of thinking for oneself, overcoming fear 

and mistrust of the unknown and understanding 

other people’s points of view in a cracking good 

story, it succeeds. 

Janet Sims 

48 


Books: 8 – 12 

Balen, Katya 

Nightjar 

Illustrated by Richard Johnson 


9781800901667 

Birds. Divorce. Families 

Noah’s father lives in New York 

and has come to stay for the week to help Noah 

celebrate his Bar Mitzvah. While they are both on a 

country walk, nature loving Noah finds an injured 

nightjar and decides to take it home and nurse it, 

hoping to eventually return it to the wild despite 

his father’s objections that they should let nature 

take its course. The two of them have to learn to 

find common ground and refresh their relationship. 

This is a lovely sensitive story about the rites of 

passage and what it means to take responsibility 

and to do the right thing for man or beast. The 

skilful black and white illustrations are clever and 

full of humour. The prose flows so beautifully that 

it manages to take the reader into both Noah’s and 

his father’s worlds. In only 78 pages Katya Balen has 

crafted a poignant engaging short novella that will 

make the reader want to read more of her work. 

Judith Palka 

Bernard, Dr Thomas and 

Moss, Lisa 

SuperQuesters: 

The Case of the Great 

Energy Robbery 

Illustrated by Amy Willcox 

QuestFriendz, 2023, pp32, £7.99, 

9789083294308 

STEM. Adventure. Puzzles 

Lilli, Bea and Leo are best friends who join forces to 

solve science problems using their superpowers. 

In this interactive adventure story, you’re tasked 

with helping the friends solve a series of different 

puzzles that will stretch your STEM skills to help them 

defeat Lord Grumble and bring back the energy 

to Questland. 

Part story, part puzzle book, there are eight different 

quests, and a set of reusable stickers to help you 

solve each one. Each quest is varied and aims to 

develop skills in a range of different areas, from 

coding to abstraction. 

The books also come with additional resources that 

can be found using the QR code, which include 

lesson plans, materials, and certificates. 

This series is a unique take on bringing STEM learning 

to life and is sure to be popular whether used at home 

or in school. Any child with a thirst for problemsolving 

will love the puzzles and the rewards they can 

achieve by putting their skills to use! 

Becca Watts 

Bilan, Jasbinder 

Calling the Whales 

Illustrated by Skylar White 


9781800901803 

Whales. Conservation. Care 

In the summer before starting 

high school, Tulsi and best friend Satchen look 

forward to adventures in their Scottish hometown. 

They are drawn towards a local island by noises 

and a strange shimmering in the sea. Rowing out to 

the island, they find a stranded whale, trapped by 

fishing net. Working together, they help the whale as 

best they can, before a storm leaves them needing 

help themselves. 

This adventurous but heart-warming story shows 

the important role that children can play in 

safeguarding all of nature. By understanding their 

local area, the whales, and the threats posed by 

human behaviour, Tulsi and Satchen can decide 

what action to take and how to encourage others 

to help. The children put themselves in danger 

because of the strength of their convictions but are 

ultimately saved through co-operation: their bonds 

with each other and the natural world – and maybe 

a little bit of magic. Triggers of a baby sibling ill in 

hospital, but who recovers by the end of the story. 

Sharon Corbally 

Boyce, Frank Cottrell 

The Wonder Brothers 

Illustrated by Steven Lenton 

Macmillan Children’s Books, 2023, 

pp263, £12.99, 9781529048308 

Magic. Adventure. Humour 

Frank Cottrell-Boyce is back with 

a bang in this hilarious magical mystery that takes 

readers on a whirlwind adventure from Blackpool to 

Las Vegas and back again – as if by magic! 

Magic-obsessed cousins Nathan and Middy, also 

known as ‘The Wonder Brothers’, are joined by 

Brodie and his gigantic rabbit Queenie as they 

promise to bring back the Blackpool Tower after it 

was vanished by world famous magician Perplexion. 

After accidentally ending up in Las Vegas, can the 

cousins convince the master of illusion to return 

the tower before he hangs up his magic wand and 

retires from show business forever? 

This hilarious story actually contains a surprising 

amount of true factual information about magic, 

including a glossary at the end, that is sure to leave 

you interested in trying your own hand at some of 

the tricks. The excitement and mystery woven into 

every chapter will have readers frantically turning 

the pages to find out what magical quandary the 

cousins find themselves in next, and the twist at the 

end is sure to shock and surprise – ta dah! 


Cameron, Sophie 

Away With Words 

Little Tiger Press, 2023, pp201, £8.99, 

9781788953924 

Change. Empathy. Language 

Gala and her father have moved 

from Spain to Scotland. New 

home, new country, new peers, new language. 

Gala’s struggles with the language result in her 

missing every few words which are visually depicted 

for the reader by lines instead of words so that the 

reader, too, finds it difficult to work out the sense 

from what is being said. 

Natalie is quiet – with selective mutism, mocked at 

school because of it. But Natalie watches people 

and senses what they are feeling. One day Gala sees 

Natalie picking up the spoken words of others. Once 

the reader has comprehended what she is doing it is 

easy to see connections. 

The two girls become friends despite the lack of 

language and start to make supportive poems 

from these collected words for those they feel 

need help. But this is turned against them, and they 

have to battle closed minds for their classmates to 

accept them. 

A book about the importance of words and being 

open to change. 

Dawn Woods 

Carcione, Eibhlís 

Welcome to Dead Town, 

Raven McKay 

Illustrated by Ewa Beniak-Haremska 

Everything with Words, 2023, pp263, 

£8.99, 9781911427339 

Supernatural. Scary. Adventure 

Lyricism abounds in this account of Raven McKay, 

whose third foster home turns out to be Grave’s 

Pass – where the dead and the living cohabitate. All 

she has left from her mysteriously missing parents 

is a battered suitcase with a black butterfly sticker 

and a cryptic message from her mother to open 

it when the time is right. Foster carer and distant 

relative Kitty is kind and warm but no match for the 

wickedness of Deadtown leaders Bram and Callie. 

Raven finds herself irresistibly drawn to Dead Town, 

but there is real menace here alongside a colourful 

cast of ghouls and spectres. The black butterfly that 

appears all around her holds the key, but when will 

she know the time is right? 

This book is a delight to read and the author’s poetic 

skills shine in the use of descriptive language, 

particularly similes. This makes it a useful class text 

for upper key stage two, and one which children 

would definitely enjoy hearing read aloud. 

The illustrations are exquisite: highly detailed 

pen and ink drawings that capture the unearthly, 

unbalanced world perfectly. 

Ingrid Spencer 


49


Dassu, A. M. 

Kicked Out: A Boy, 

Everywhere Story 

Old Barn Books, 2023, pp256, £7.99, 

9781910646892 

Racism. Asylum. Friendship 

Ali’s summer is looking good. He 

and his friends Sami and Mark are going to spend 

all their time playing football and lounging in and 

around the amazing swimming pool in the grounds 

of the house Mark’s mum bought after winning the 

lottery. But her new partner Callum is overtly hostile 

to them, and to their friend Aadam, who is fighting 

deportation to Syria. The boys try desperately to 

find a way to raise money to pay the lawyer’s fees 

to defend him. Things get harder still when Callum 

accuses Aadam of theft. Meanwhile, Ali is devastated 

to discover that his father, who deserted the family 

years ago, has moved back to town. The only 

bright light comes from a chance meeting with a 

famous footballer. 

This excellent and important novel lays bare the 

scourge of racism and the ills of the asylum system, 

while simultaneously being a compelling and 

enjoyable read, full of humour and tension and the 

joys of friendship – and is fundamentally hopeful. A 

great follow up to Boy Everywhere, it can be read as 

a stand-alone and is suitable for key stage 3. 

Anne Harding 

Davidson, Susanna 

Izzy the Inventor and 

the Unexpected Unicorn 

Illustrated by Elissa Elwick 

Usborne Publishing Ltd., 2023, pp121, 

£5.99, 9781474969918 

Experiments. Fantasy. Unicorn 

Izzy has no time for fantasy or imagination. She 

loves science and has the ambition to be the 

greatest inventor ever, even though her experiments 

sometimes have unexpected results. When her 

mother gets a little fed up with the inventions, Izzy 

is told to spend the afternoon playing with her fairyobsessed 

little sister. Things become even worse 

when Izzy’s fairy godmother flutters into the room 

followed by a unicorn. Soon Izzy finds herself and 

her unicorn sidekick in Fairytale land where she uses 

her science knowledge to rescue Prince Charming 

and get him to the Royal Ball. In a final twist, though, 

neither the prince nor Cinderella are at all as you’d 

expect – there is an entirely new happy ending 

for their story and Izzy is whisked back to her own 

world with a greater appreciation of the power 

of imagination. 

Izzy the Inventor is a splendid, twisty story which 

will delight everyone who feels that being a little 

bit different is a triumph rather than a problem. This 

blending of science and tradition stories has great 

appeal. 

Jaki Brien 

Davies, Nicola 

The Song That Sings Us 

Firefly Press, 2023, pp432, £10.21, 

9781913102494 

Animals. Conservation. Families 

Harlon has been raised with her 

younger siblings, twins Ash and 

Xeno by their mother, not knowing their father. The 

twins possess an outlawed power of communicating 

with animals, so the family live away from society. 

But when Automators attack their mountain home 

they must escape to survive – without Ma. 

Mayo, who comes to the rescue early on, sheds light 

on their father, but all too soon Xeno is kidnapped, 

and Harlon and Ash are separated. 

In a dangerous adventure they must try to rescue 

each other and fulfil a mysterious promise about a 

lost island made to their mother. 

With a story crafted by Nicola Davies, whose love 

for nature shines through, and internal illustrations 

by another nature lover Jackie Morris, this a story 

singing of the power of nature which affects all 

our lives. 

Dawn Woods 

Duggan, Helena 

Search for the 

Black Mirror 

(The Light Thieves) 

Usborne Publishing Ltd, 2023, pp368, 

£7.99, 9781474991100 

Fantasy. Adventure. Environment 

The sequel to The Light Thieves, it should be read 

in sequence, but does include a handy recap of the 

first novel. 

Grian, Shelli and Jeffrey have escaped from evil 

tech giant Howard Hansom, but now they are 

being hunted by the law since being blamed for the 

devastation at Quantum. They know that Hansom is 

plotting to steal the sun, so how can they save it? A 

mythological black mirror and the mysterious figure 

of the White Rose seem to hold the answers. 

This is an engaging read with likeable characters, a 

solid plot, and an intriguing idea. Part-fantasy, part 

eco-fable, it addresses some serious themes in a 

light and thrilling way. This instalment does feel very 

much as if it’s setting up the stage for the finale, but 

for young readers who enjoyed the first novel in the 

trilogy, it’s a satisfying story and they will be eager 

for the conclusion. 

Jo Sennitt 

Faturoti, Rachel 

The Boy in the Smoke 

Hodder Children’s Books, 2023, 

pp269, £7.99, 9781444963588 

Families. Food Banks. Friendship 

Isaiah always has an easy smile and 

smart answer for his teachers. He’s 

good at fixing things and making people happy. But 

ever since Mum left and Dad got ill, it’s been getting 

harder to keep all that up and to not let his friends 

know they’re struggling. To keep believing things 

will get better … 

Then Isaiah meets the boy in the smoke, a boy he 

connects with through a forgotten fireplace in his 

tower block. A boy from the past with a mystery 

to solve, who desperately needs Isaiah’s help. Can 

Isaiah change Jacob’s life for the better? And in 

doing so, can he change his own? 

The Boy in the Smoke is a wonderful middle-grade 

novel covering themes of family difficulties, 

evictions, food banks and showcasing how the cost 

of living is affecting families. It is an uplifting story 

about friendship, courage and hope and will not just 

support young readers but educate as well. 

Emma Suffield 

Fayers, Claire 

Tapper Watson and 

the Quest for the 

Nemo Machine 

Firefly Press Ltd, 2023, pp304, £7.99, 

9781915444158 

Environmentalism. Families. 

Science Fiction 

Tapper, from planet Eris, likes reading adventure 

stories but is less than happy when he finds himself 

in one, aboard a submarine, with her crew Jason 

Argo, human and from Earth, and Belladonna 

Squamous, a dragona from planet Cassini. Also 

aboard are Fern and her dad, Dr Shakespeare, who 

designed the Nemo Machine for restoring lost 

memories: unfortunately, he’s forgotten where it is. 

The submarine is being pursued by Scylla and 

Charybdis, assassin lobsters, armed with the latest 

version of a blaster gun, the Medusa Two-Thousand, 

which petrifies any target on contact. 

The quest is obviously the first in a series of science 

fiction adventures, culminating in a high-octane 

battle between malevolent octopods aiming to 

dominate the Galaxy and Tapper and his friends. 

Elements of Greek myths provide good fun in often 

ridiculous situations, exploited for all they are worth. 

Themes such as environmentalism, family and 

friendship are used without swamping the often 

fast-moving story. 

Peter Andrews 

50 


Books: 8 – 12 

Biographies 


Broadbent, Rick & 

Mostov, Alexander 

Super Sports Stars Who 

Are Changing the Game 

Series: People Power 


9781529507119 

Biographies. Leaders. Sports 

Short biographies and other interesting 

facts about 20 sportspeople – about 

overcoming adversity to change sport 

for everyone. 

Guglielmo, Amy & 

Castro, Natalia Rojas 

Frida Kahlo: She Painted 

Her World in Self- 

Portraits 

Kim, Cheryl 

Sky Brown: Skateboarding 

Phenomenon 

Series: Sports Illustrated Kids: Stars of 

Sports 

Raintree, 2023, £8.99, 32pp, 

9781398240674 

Biographies. Olympian. Sport 

At just 10 years of age, UK Olympic 

skateboarder Sky Brown became the 

youngest professional skateboarder 

in the world. 

Manning, Mick & 

Granstrom, Brita 

Women Who Led the 

Way: Great Explorers and 

Adventurers 

Mugford, Simon & 

Green, Dan 

Saka Rules 

Series: Football Superstars 

Welbeck, 2023, £6.99, 128pp, 

9781804535738 

Biographies. Football. Sports 

Life and playing career to date of 

Arsenal footballer Bukayo Saka, 

England’s Player of the Year in 

2021–22. 

William, Imogen Russell & 

Mulvanny, Sara 

HM Queen Elizabeth II: 

A Celebration of the 

Queen and 25 Amazing 

Britons from Her Reign 

Wilson, Hannah & 

Dickason, Chris 

Sir David Attenborough 

Series: Amazing facts 

Red Shed, 2023, £6.99, 96pp, 

9780008612221 

Biographies. Conservation. Nature 

Over 100 fascinating and surprising 

facts about Sir David Attenborough in 

an accessible, enjoyable read. 

Wilson, Jamia & Pippins, 

Andrea 

Young, Gifted and 

Black Too 

WideEyed Editions, 2023, £14.99, 64pp, 

9780711277007 

Biographies. Diversity. History 

Series: What the Artist Saw 

Dorling K, 2023, £9.99, 56pp, 

9780241594872 

Art. Artists. Biographies 

How Kahlo experimented with 

different ways of painting herself, and 

how she channelled her experiences 

into her art. 

Otter-Barry, 2023, £9.99, 48pp, 

9781915659088 

Biographies. Explorers. History 

Stories of 21 women explorers and 

adventurers from all over the world, 

some more well-known than others. 

Nosy Crow, 2022, £9.99, 64pp, 

9781839949470 

Biographies. Great Britain. History 

Queen Elizabeth II’s 70-year reign, 

told through life stories of 25 

amazing people who were born or 

lived in Britain. 

Second volume of a further 52 icons 

of colour from around the world, 

encouraging further research. 

Gold, Hannah 

Finding Bear 

Goodfellow, Matt 

The Final Year 

POETRY 

Gray, Catriona 

The Spirit Snatcher 

Illustrated by Levi Pinfold 

HarperCollins Children’s 


9780008582012 

Environment. Adventure. Animals 

Following the success of the 

acclaimed The Last Bear, Hannah Gold continues 

April and Bear’s story. A year after her last adventure, 

April becomes convinced that a polar bear that has 

been shot and injured is her friend and persuades 

her dad to travel to the Arctic on a mission to save 

him. Along the way, she discovers much more 

than she bargained for – a tiny polar bear cub, 

desperately in need of her help. April must navigate 

the dangerous Arctic terrain and face her deepest 

fears if she is to save him. 

Finding Bear is a timely reminder of the impact 

of climate change, and a call to action to make 

changes before it’s too late. Stunning black and 

white illustrations complement the story and help 

bring crucial scenes to life. It’s sure to appeal to fans 

of the original but can also be enjoyed by fans of 

animal and adventure stories as a standalone story. 

Shona Page 

Illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton 

Otter-Barry Books, 2023, pp288, 

£8.99, 9781915659040 

Transition. School. Friends 

A moving debut verse novel 

introduces us to 10-year-old Nate, his streets, his 

people and The Beast: the anger he struggles to 

keep under control. Throughout this powerful 

novel we share Nate’s innermost thoughts and can 

really connect with all the pain, anger and love that 

he feels. He is gutted to discover that he and best 

friend PS will be in different classes in Year 6. Nate’s 

lonely struggles and his love of reading do not go 

unnoticed. Nate needs all the help he can get when 

brother Dylan nearly dies, but that trauma proves 

cathartic, and we are vividly shown the power of 

reading. The similar themes of grief and families 

in crisis, found in the class novel Skellig, really 

help Nate to process what he is going through. 

Highly accessible, lyrical and life affirming, this is 

a must-have novel that will authentically resonate 

with so many under-represented children and which 

perfectly captures what this crucial transition period 

feels like. As such, it is a must-read for adults as well 

as the children who will devour it. 

Joy Court 


£7.99, 9781801310048 

Fantasy. Adventure. Danger 

Pip is horrified to be moving to 

London. He’s sure to stick out like 

a sore thumb and his parents’ idiosyncrasies are 

bound to be horribly embarrassing in a big city. 

His fears are magnified when he sees the weird 

alley they will be living in and the smelly, dirty flat. 

Before long he’s warned to stay away from the alley. 

Strange, scary things start happening. He discovers 

that many of the alley residents aren’t completely 

human. He encounters a harpy, some ghouls, a 

ghost, a werewolf. His parents’ spirits are sucked out 

of them, and the same fate awaits him and Fliss, the 

daughter of the pub-owner, when they both turn 

thirteen, just a few days away on 31 October. They 

must rescue his parents and save themselves, but 

how? The Spirit Snatcher gets more dangerous by 

the day. Thankfully, Pip makes friends with Fliss – 

the first time he’s had a friend – and fortunately 

her dog Splodge has protective powers. Can they 

possibly win out over malign magical forces? 

A fast-paced, atmospheric, enjoyable fantasy novel 

with some great characters. 

Anne Harding 


51


Gray, Keith 

The Den 


9781800901919 

Adventure. Friendship. Mystery 

This is a well-paced and accessible 

story that offers a mysterious 

adventure as well as an emotional exploration of 

family and friendship. Marshall and Rory cannot 

wait for their summer holidays – and freedom – to 

begin. While out on their bikes at the beginning of 

the summer holidays, adventure comes knocking 

and Marshall and Rory’s curiosity leads them into an 

underground bunker. There they discover secrets 

and reveal intrigue that keeps you turning the page, 

but they also face challenges to their friendship. 

This title from Barrington Stoke offers a dyslexiafriendly 

layout. The engaging male friendship at the 

core of the story, with arguments and compromise, 

could appeal to reluctant readers. 

Cari Lake 

Hargrave, Kiran Millwood 

In the Shadow of the 

Wolf Queen: 

Geomancer 

Orion Children’s Books, 2023, pp320, 

£14.99, 9781510107816 

Fantasy. Adventure. Nature 

Ysolda, a spirited young girl, lives in Glaw Wood with 

her older sister Hari. Spending time in the forest one 

day, Ysolda has an encounter with a strange girl, 

who angers Ysolda, even though the girl has helped 

her. Upon returning to her village, Ysolda finds it 

eerily quiet. Dragged into a neighbour’s house, she 

discovers why. The Ryders, belonging to the tyrant, 

the Wolf Queen, appear through the trees in the 

direction of Ysolda’s home. Suddenly there is an 

earthquake, and upon reaching her home, she finds 

it has disappeared into a huge rift that has formed in 

the ground. Heartbroken and sobbing, she is once 

again approached by the strange girl, who suggests 

that Hari was taken by the Ryders. Ysolda believes 

the girl and so sets out on a dangerous journey, 

with her pet sea hawk as companion, in search of 

her sister. 

Whilst fantasy is not my chosen genre, I became 

completely absorbed in the story, with its amazing 

detail, descriptive text, and fast pace. I wait in 

anticipation for the next episode of this trilogy! 

Linda Nash 

Harrold, A. F and 

Conlon, Dom 

Welcome to Wild Town 

Illustrated by Korky Paul 

Otter-Barry Books, 2023, pp96, £8.99, 

9781915659125 

Poetry. Animals. Zoos 

A collaboration between the 

brilliant AF Harrold and Dom Conlon, this collection 

of poems actually opens with illustrator Korky 

Paul’s map. Here we are introduced to the streets 

and subsequent chapter headings of Wild Town. 

However, before we can enter Herbivoreville, 

Fluttertown, or the Carnivore Quarter, we must first 

agree to the opening poem, ‘The Wild Agreement,’ 

which warns that we enter our own risk; this is a 

place ‘where wild is a fact of life / and words are 

sharpened like a knife’. 

The exciting poetry adventure which follows is a 

mix of the quirky and outright funny (‘Packed Lunch 

Poem’) with moments of quiet reflection (‘He Lives 

On Slow Lane’) as well as an invitation to look at the 

familiar anew (‘Chrysalis Hotel’). Often linguistically 

and conceptually dazzling, the collection is 

sympathetically stitched together by the equally 

untamed illustrations which offer their own take on 

the meaning of ‘wildness’. One thing is for certain – 

you will never be the same after a visit to Wild Town, 

and when you leave, the wild will go with you ... 

Lizzie Ryder 

POETRY 

Higgs, Esme 

Jessie and the Star Rider 

(The Starlight Stables 

Gang) 


9780241597729 

Horses. Friends. Diversity 

The second book in The Starlight Stables Gang 

series finds the stables in dire straights financially, 

and the gang comes up with a plan to raise the 

much-needed funds. And even when the success 

of the summer showjumping competition comes 

under threat, the resourceful team of friends solve 

the problem with yet another great idea. Written by 

equestrian influencer Esme Higgs in collaboration 

with well-known children’s author Jo Cotterill, this 

particular story in the series is told from Jessie’s 

point of view. Horse-mad Jessie comes from a 

relatively privileged family and still has a lot to 

learn about how to support her best friend without 

upsetting her. She also finds herself having to 

recover from concussion and cope with anxiety 

attacks after a bad fall from her beloved pony Angus. 

Jessie experiences a gamut of emotions during the 

story, but with some guidance from her riding star 

idol, she realises that in time everything will be all 

right again. As well as the diverse cast of characters, 

themes explored in the series include inclusion, 

empathy and friendship, and all set against the 

backdrop of the equestrian world. 

Chris Routh 

Howell, A. M. 

Peril on the Atlantic 

(Mysteries at Sea) 

Usborne Publishing Ltd., 2023, 

pp320, £7.99, 9781801316743 

Adventure. Voyage. Historical 

When Alice joins her father aboard 

the Queen Mary for the summer, she pictures a 

voyage filled with glitz and glamour. What she 

doesn’t expect is to witness an attack which sparks 

off a mysterious series of events that force her to 

uncover years old secrets, including those relating 

to herself. 

Anyone familiar with AM Howell’s previous books 

will be familiar with her knack for writing books that 

already feel like timeless classics and the first in her 

Mysteries at Sea series is no exception. In Peril on 

the Atlantic, Howell has filled the Queen Mary with 

beautiful details taken from luxury ships that really 

existed in the 1930s and any reader is bound to be 

swept up in the excitement of what it was like to race 

across the ocean while experiencing the very height 

of luxury. 

If you’ve been on the lookout for a new adventure 

series that is filled with twists, turns, and wellresearched 

historical detail, this is an easy choice 

and a must to add to your library. 

Becca Watts 

Jacobs, Robin 

The Mellons Build 

a House 

Illustrated by Nik Neves 

Cicada Books, 2023, pp36, £12.99, 

9781800660335 

Architecture. Conservation. 

Houses 

This lively book is different from other children’s 

architecture books I have seen. It follows a modern 

family as they plan and build a new home full of 

environmentally friendly features and sustainable 

materials, including wool insulation and ‘green’ 

concrete. Read about the whole process in 

child-friendly style, from architectural and design 

plans to the construction of the house, including 

details about eco materials, heating systems, 

double-glazing, water recycling and more. There 

is an interesting page about what different people 

on the building team do, with inclusive illustrations. 

The pictures are clear, colourful and appealing, 

complementing the text well. I loved the jolly 

endpapers leading to the depiction of a very 

modern family, with contemporary requirements, 

from a games room to a swimming pool, and the 

simple depiction of why houses in older styles were 

unsuitable for their needs. The glossary is up to date, 

including such technical terms as ‘cross-laminated 

timber’ and ‘first fix’. This is a very readable book on 

an important subject. 

Lucy Chambers 

52 


Books: 8 – 12 

Jones, Andy 

Bob vs the Trousers 

of Doom 

Illustrated by Robin Boyden 

Piccadilly Press, 2023, pp320, £7.99, 

9781800783508 

Time-Travel. Humour. AI 

The hilarious and unforgettable story of Bob, 

12-year-old boy and accidental time traveller. 

In this sequel to Bob vs the Selfie Zombies, Bob 

finds himself heading into 2049 to save the world 

again. The grumpy school inspector has his eye 

on Bob and detention looms, but that’s the least 

of his problems because when his science class 

experiment goes wrong, he causes a global aromavirus 

pandemic – also known as the farting flu. 

Bob must face robot gorillas, an evil computer and 

giant patrol insects to save the world from a very 

farty future … 

Full of the humour that children of this age just 

love, this is as good as the first book in the series. 

It’s a book that really engages its readers but is also 

great for capturing the interest of reluctant readers, 

especially boys, because of its style, fast pace, and 

themes. Bob is a very endearing central character 

and children love the idea of a 12-year-old trying to 

save the world. Like the first book in the series this 

will be a very popular read! 

For ages 7+ 

Annie Everall 

King, Rebecca 

Ember Shadows and 

the Lost Desert of Time 

(Ember Shadows) 

Orion Children’s Books, 2023, pp256, 

£7.99, 9781510110038 

Adventure. Magical. Mysterious 

A fast and action-packed adventure story which 

has an underlying message of the importance of 

friendship and believing in yourself, no matter 

what. You really have to concentrate when you 

read this book with its mysterious and magical plot. 

The story seems to take a different twist and turn at 

every page and at some points you can actually feel 

very lost in a strange world of spiders and threads. 

Ember Shadows tells the story of two sisters who are 

determined to crack the mystery of Mount Never. 

Not forgetting their talking clock hand, Hans, who 

plays an important part in saving the day. Ember 

discovers that someone has been cutting people’s 

fate threads and that the only way of stopping them 

is to travel back in time. She nearly risks everything 

trying to do the right thing, but she holds on to 

her values and believes in herself. It’s thankfully a 

happy ending which leads to another fast actionpacked 

adventure. The occasional black and white 

illustrations and short chapters will make it perfect 

for younger chapter book readers. 

Becky Taylor 

Klassen, Jon 

The Skull: 

A Tyrolean Folktale 

Walker Books Limited, 2023, 

pp105, £14.99, 9781529509571 

Friendship. Isolation. Thriller 

This is an old story. In a big, 

abandoned house, on a barren hill, lives a skull. 

A brave girl named Otilla has escaped from terrible 

danger and run away, and when she finds herself 

lost in the dark forest, the lonely house beckons. 

Her host, the skull, is afraid of something too, 

something that comes every night. Can brave 

Otilla save them both? 

The Skull is a wonderful, eery, dark and spooky 

adaptation of a Tyrolean folktale and for such a small 

book it really packs a punch! Beautifully illustrated 

throughout, it portrays the tale of love, care, and 

intriguing friendship but it didn’t have the ended I 

was expecting from a ‘traditional’ folktale, which I 

suppose does make it different … The language is 

simple, and the typesetting and chapters are cleverly 

designed so that the book will be accessible to all, 

including reluctant readers. 

The Skull would make a wonderful gift as the 

hardback copy is just stunning, but it would also 

make a great addition to any key stage 2 library or 

classroom. 

Emma Suffield 

Lake, Nick 

The House with a 

Dragon in It 

Illustrated by Emily Gravett 

Simon & Schuster Children’s, 2023, 

pp240, £12.99, 9781471194863 

Families. Belonging. Morality 

The title of this book describes a scenario that I wish 

could be true of my own home – I do love dragons! 

This particular dragon lives at the bottom of a hole 

that inexplicably opens up in the living room of 

Summer’s foster home overnight. Summer is given 

the gift of being granted three wishes but as we read 

on, we understand that her first wishes are flawed 

and will not make her happy. There are strong 

themes of belonging, family and friendship running 

through the story and Summer is shown to be a 

caring girl who does not yet know her own strength 

of character. The book is wonderfully illustrated by 

Emily Gravett and both the full illustrations and the 

chapter headings perfectly complement the text. 

The author also credits David McDougall for the 

stunning design of the book, and this is definitely 

well deserved; I loved the way that elements of 

the illustrations carried over across pages which 

really made the story flow. All in all, an absorbing 

middle grade fantasy read which due to the great 

production values would make a much appreciated 

gift for any youngster. 

Bev Humphrey 

Landman, Tanya, 

and Shelley, Mary 

Wollstonecraft 

Frankenstein: 

A Retelling 


9781800901773 

Fantasy. Grief. Supernatural 

This Frankenstein retelling by Tanya Landsman 

is incredibly effective in engaging the younger 

generation into reading one of the most classic and 

well-known stories of all time. It is simplified in a 

way that makes it easy to read without removing 

any of the feelings from the original. Reading this 

book makes you feel pity for both Frankenstein and 

his creation as you walk through this journey with 

them, to the point that their wrongs don’t feel as 

wrong as they should. This retelling never loses the 

true essence of the book and maintains the original 

intent of Shelley when she wrote the book – minus 

the nineteenth century English that can make it hard 

for today’s readers to understand. 

Elena Rai 

Lewis, Caryl 

The Magician’s 

Daughter 

Macmillan Children’s Books, 2023, 

pp256, £7.99, 9781529078169 

Magic. Family. Humour 

When their latest magic show 

goes wrong, Abby’s dad gives up performing and 

gets a proper job in a care home. Since her mum, 

the original partner in the magic act, passed away, 

all sparkle feels like it has gone from their lives. But 

everything changes when Abby unearths a dusty 

spell book. 

The book contains one-time only spells, and 

father and daughter decide to use them for three 

unique magic displays for their community. Using 

real magic to astound and amaze their audiences, 

they also inadvertently change everyday lives and 

routines for the better. 

The care home inhabitants and Abbie’s best friend 

Myra and her family unite to help make the final spell 

unforgettable. But will this final jaw dropping spell 

succeed and what will be the outcome for Abby and 

those she loves? 

Laugh out loud funny and heart-warming, filled with 

impactful illustrations and with a storyline dealing 

sensitively with themes of bereavement, bullying 

and self-esteem, this book which would appeal to 

many different types of reader. 

Sue Polchow 


53


Linton, G. M. 

My Name Is Sunshine 

Simpson 

Illustrated by Fuuji Takashi 

Usborne Publishing Ltd., 2023, 

pp300, £7.99, 9781801313346 

Windrush. Families. School 

Make way for Sunshine! This is an empowering and 

endearing read that is perfect for fans of Jacqueline 

Wilson. Sunshine bursts off the page and she is a joy 

to read about. At school her class has been asked 

to take part in a 50th Anniversary of the school 

celebration assembly where they are to present on 

something that they love or a talent that they might 

have. The story follows Sunshine’s struggle to find 

something suitable – the end result is adorable 

and may have brought a tear to my eye – and all 

the friendship dramas, identity crises and family 

celebrations that go along with it. 

What I enjoyed most about this book was her 

relationship with her grandad. He is of the Windrush 

generation and it’s a great story to explore what that 

means if you’re covering the topic at school. But 

trigger warning … he takes ill in the story and sadly 

dies as a result of an aggressive cancer. 

A must-have for your library – recommended for 

9+ but would also work with lower secondary. 

The sequel is out in September. 

Cassie Kemp 

McGowan, Anthony 

Dogs of the Deadlands 

Illustrated by Keith Robinson 


9780861546398 

Animals. Adventure. Nature 

Set against the backdrop of the 

Chernobyl nuclear disaster, Dogs of the Deadlands 

tells the story of a young girl, Natasha, and her 

puppy, Zoya, who are forced to part ways in the 

evacuation of the area following the disaster. What 

follows is a gritty adventure story of the animals 

having to fight to survive this tumultuous new 

landscape without humans. Zoya must learn the 

ways of pack dynamics and how to make it in the 

wild, and when it is time, her own pups, Misha and 

Bratan, take over the focus of the narrative. 

Now available in paperback, this is a brilliantly 

written novel, with naturalistic details and unsparing 

in its portrayal of the brutality of the animal world; 

Dogs of the Deadlands may be difficult for some 

animal lovers to read. Ultimately, the book is a 

celebration of resilience in nature and the circle 

of life, with a satisfying resolution to Natasha’s 

yearning and loss of her dog. 

Cari Lake 

McLachlan, Jenny 

Ghost Rescue (Dead 

Good Detectives) 

Illustrated by Chloe Dominique 

Farshore, 2023, pp288, £7.99, 

9780755503353 

Mystery. Ghosts. Magic 

This is the second in the Dead Good Detectives 

duology, but it stands alone. 

Sid Jones has always known she is different but after 

accidentally freeing a 300-year-old pirate ghost Sid 

realises that she has actual magic! She starts to use 

it to free more ghosts who have been trapped in the 

Halfway House tavern by the wicked innkeeper. But 

a mysterious sickness begins to infect the people of 

Fathom, her home town, the models from her dad’s 

model village begin to disappear or get broken – 

what is happening? Sid and her best friend Zen need 

to solve the mystery and free all the ghosts! 

This is a rip-roaring, 90 mile-an-hour read. Every 

character, from Sid and Zen to their families and, not 

least, the trapped ghosts, come alive on the page, 

as does the town of Fathom. What makes this even 

better is the MAP! I love a map and the town spreads 

across the inside front and back covers, beautifully 

drawn and pulling you into this exciting story. 

Great fun and highly recommended. 

Sue Bastone 

Moraes, Thiago 

Old Gods New Tricks 

David Fickling Books, 2023, pp288, 

£7.99, 9781788452953 

Myths. Legends. Humour 

The world has suddenly gone 

dark, and it takes the smarts of a 

young, resourceful girl called Trixie to understand 

why: the old gods are feeling grumpy because 

they’re not worshipped anymore, and Trixie knows 

that someone has to trick the gods to bring the 

light back. But outdoing the gods is no easy task, 

so Trixie turns to some of the history’s best-known 

tricksters – including Loki, Maui and the Monkey 

King – for help. 

Not surprisingly, given the author-illustrator’s 

previous publications, this is another perfect 

example of sneaking a history lesson into a full-on 

crazy and very funny adventure starring a feisty, 

good-hearted protagonist and a gang of amusingly 

confident masters of tricks from various myths and 

cultures from all over the world. Published with 

Moraes’s signature style illustrations, this is a fun 

addition to any school library, which will make 

young readers giggle, but will also support lessons 

dedicated to ancient gods, myths and legends. 


O’Hart, Sinead 

The Silver Road 

Piccadilly Press, 2023, pp320, £7.99, 

9781800785090 

Mythology. Adventure. Environment 

The Silver Road opens with an epic 

battle between good and evil as 

the forces of the Tuatha Dé Danann struggle to hold 

Cethlenn at bay. Failure will mean the destruction 

of the last of the magic. As things start to look 

grim, Sioc escapes with the tathlum; Cethlenn in 

hot pursuit. 

Rosaleen, an ordinary girl mourning her beloved 

Mamó, can’t sleep. Startled by loud hailstones, she 

grabs the nearest weapon (a wooden spoon) and 

ventures outside – where Sioc builds himself from 

hail and presents her with the tathlum. 

With the guidance of Nellie and Gracie, ostensibly 

shopkeepers but in reality something much older 

and wiser, Rosaleen must save the Seandraíocht or 

watch as the world is destroyed. 

Battling her own demons in the shape of popular 

Emer, Rosaleen is in a race against time and Irish 

myth made real. O’Hart weaves reality and magic 

together in a way that reminds me of Susan Cooper 

and John Masefield, creating a transportive tale full 

of excitement. Complete with a beautiful map, a 

pronunciation guide, and a guide to the characters 

and places, The Silver Road is utterly captivating. 


Owen, David 

Alex Neptune, Monster 

Avenger: Book 3 

(Alex Neptune) 


£7.99, 9781474999298 

Oceans. Friendship. Eco-Health 

This is the third oceanic adventure for Alex, a 

boy gifted with sea magic. Along with his friends, 

Zoey the engineer and Anil the storyteller, and his 

muscular sister Bridget, not to mention the octopus 

and otters, Alex sets sail to rescue their friend the 

Water Dragon, guardian of the seas, who together 

with most sea creatures has been attacked by 

malevolent parasites. Most sea animals have turned 

aggressive predators, and the rescuers must repel 

armies of electric eels and crabs before finding 

the key ingredient of a cure inside the Dragon 

itself. Their adventure into their friend’s interior is 

full of peril, not least when they meet an enemy 

pirate in the dragon’s intestines. The adventure is 

always exciting, often funny, and a celebration of 

bravery and friendship. The book’s eco-theme of 

oceanic health is cleverly handled. ‘Why is it left up 

to us to save the world?’ Alex asks. But it clearly is. 

Fast-paced and witty with a wide vocabulary, this is 

a riotous story. 

Peter Hollindale 

54 


Books: 8 – 12 

Packham, Simon 

Worrybot 

Illustrated by Lucy Mulligan 

UCLan Publishing, 2023, pp256, 

£7.99, 9781915235473 

School. Mental Health. Anxiety 

Josh is a worrier. He worries 

about all sorts of things, which leads to anxiety. 

The family move to Brighton after Mum gets 

a promotion and so follows all the anxiety 

associated with change, new school, new people, 

new teachers, and fitting in. Josh used to have a 

‘worrybot’ when he was younger that helped him 

to face some of his anxieties. When he starts at his 

new school, he is surprised to find Charlie doesn’t 

attend and is supported in learning by a real life 

learning robot. Charlie and Josh team up and build 

a friendship. The story follows the development 

of the friendship, Josh finding his way in his new 

school and discovering something very surprising 

about Charlie. A delightful story addressing 

anxiety associated with change, with developing 

friendships, and finding your place in your peer 

group and your neighbourhood. The book includes 

some breathing techniques for coping with anxiety 

and links for resources for children’s mental health. 

This is a great story both for supporting children 

who may be experiencing similar things but also to 

raise awareness for everyone. 

Michelle Armstrong-Harris 

Reeve, Philip 

Utterly Dark and the 

Tides of Time 


£7.99, 9781788452885 

Fantasy. Time Travel. Friendship 

This beautifully written middle 

grade tale sees master storyteller Philip Reeve work 

his magic once again. The beginning of the tale is set 

in times of long ago, where we meet Utterly, living 

on Wildsea island with her friends who she holds 

very dear. Utterly knows that her time on the island 

is up and as previously agreed, she must reluctantly 

return to her mother, who is the Queen of the seas, 

known as the Gorm. As Utterly disappears off into 

the Hidden Lands, she soon realises that she is being 

followed by someone or something from another 

time. Her friends from Wildsea try to find her to 

make a deal with the Gorm for Utterly’s return to her 

new home, but they find more to contend with than 

the sea alone. A whirlwind adventure about nature, 

family, belonging and friendship; this is the last in 

the trilogy but is perfectly readable as a standalone. 

Charlotte Cole 

Rundell, Katherine 

Impossible Creatures 

Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2023, 

pp399, £14.99, 9781408897416 

Conservation. Fantasy. Myths 


Christopher has been sent to stay 

with his grandfather in a remote 

part of Scotland. He quickly learns that the elderly 

man is the guardian of one of the ways between 

the human world and the Archipelago, a cluster of 

magical islands full of mythical creatures. 

Christopher soon finds himself in this other world, 

saving Mal and her pet griffin who are about to 

be murdered. 

Together they meet Nighthand, on whose boat 

they literally land, then later Irian, a scholar with 

‘librarian’s shoes’. They must battle an evil force to 

discover what is killing off the mythical creatures we 

know about and some we don’t. 

The book includes an absolutely beautiful cover 

by Tomislav Tomić and a detailed map by Virginia 

Allyn. In this, the first action-packed adventure in 

what will become a trilogy, Katherine Rundell has 

created the new Lyra and Will, saving the ecology of 

all our lands. 

Dawn Woods 

Rutter, Helen 

The Piano at the Station 

Illustrated by Elisa Paganelli 


9781800902183 

Turmoil. Music. Talent 

Lacey’s snarky comments to pupils 

and staff get her in constant trouble at school. 

Isolation suits her fine. Much less boring than 

lessons. Her frequent trips to the headteacher’s 

office often involve her mother, whose amusement 

at her daughter’s antics doesn’t help. As a last 

resort, the head insists Lacey has music therapy. 

She loathes the idea, but Mr Day doesn’t pry, just 

introduces her to instruments and notes and how 

to make them. She is drawn to the piano. Playing 

her own music takes away her turmoil. But Mr Day 

is leaving. Feeling betrayed, her behaviour rapidly 

deteriorates. Then she finds a piano at the station. 

She plays late at night, even though it gets her 

into trouble. Only the piano is due to be removed. 

Lacey’s quick thinking and wonderful musical 

talents save it. She realises she can reconcile the 

different sides of herself. 

A moving, funny, insightful, and inspiring book 

that packs a huge punch in under a hundred pages 

of wide-spaced text, many of them evocatively 

illustrated. Very accessible, like all Barrington Stoke 

books. Highly recommended. 

Anne Harding 

Shukla, Nikesh 

The Council of Good 

Friends 

Illustrated by, Rochelle Falconer 

Knights of Media, 2023, pp, £5.99, 

9781913311445 

Friendship. School. Individuality 

A young fiction title exploring masculinity and 

emotional intelligence amongst a group of young 

boys as they are faced with accepting a new boy into 

their group. 

Funny, insightful and with illustrative artwork, 

this story will support in helping children to 

see how challenging it can be to make friends 

and fit in, and how they can help each other in 

these circumstances. Some hilarity, pranks, and 

mayhem as well as some caring and sensitive 

moments, culminating in the friends realising what 

really matters. 


Simmons, Jo 

The Day the Hiccups 

Took Over 

Illustrated by, Lee Cosgrove 


9781800902176 

Friendship. Understanding. Humour 

A wonderfully funny title from Barrington 

Stoke. When Frank wakes up and starts hiccupping, 

he tries everything to get rid of them. His day is fully 

booked, from the dentist and a trumpet exam to 

swimming and a major speed knitting event and he 

can’t afford to be making such a loud noise. His new 

neighbour Daisy offers to help him and together 

they concoct some weird ways of stopping the 

hiccups. Will they succeed or will Frank have a total 

disaster of a day and miss his favourite knitter? 

This really is a story about being your own person 

and not being worried by what others think. Frank 

is a secret knitter and even his parents don’t know 

about this hobby. He is scared of letting others at 

school know, because it would not be ‘cool’. What 

he discovers is that there are a lot of people out 

there who share his passion, and even if they don’t, 

they believe that he has the right to choose his own 

interest. Such a fun title. 



55


Skinner, Nicola 

Crow 

Illustrated by Rebecca Bagley 


9781800902190 

Friendship. Loneliness. Family 

Hattie Mole has moved to a new 

village and a new school where she doesn’t know 

anyone. She likes her pet rat, Sid, and she likes 

making things, but she doesn’t like talking. She 

doesn’t understand that the other children are trying 

to be friendly and retreats to a tree den on the edge 

of the playground. When the other children want 

to join in, Hattie makes a scarecrow to protect her 

den. But things don’t turn out as she planned. Nicola 

Skinner’s brilliant humour brings the scarecrow to 

life which causes all sorts of problems for Hattie 

until she realises that she can make friends and the 

scarecrow can be good. 

This is a sweet story about loneliness and 

making friends. 

Ellen Krajewski 

Stegert, Alison D 

Her Majesty’s League 

of Remarkable Young 

Ladies 

Chicken House, 2023, pp384, £7.99, 

9781915026095 

STEM. Adventure. Historical 

A Victorian era romp which features intrigue and 

adventure with a multiethnic group of teenage 

female spies. Packed with historical detail and 

era-appropriate language, this ambitious debut 

takes readers through the streets of London all the 

way to Paris. Fourteen-year-old Winnie, a feisty 

free thinker and gadget maker, has been recruited 

into the covert League of Remarkable Young Ladies 

and finds herself tasked with guarding none other 

than Her Majesty Queen Victoria, whose life may 

be in danger following threats made by the sinister 

Mr Magpie. 

Drawing on real life historical people and inventions, 

this is a brilliant mix of fact and fiction which 

celebrates girls in STEM and will offer a great readalike 

for fans of Robin Stevens and Enola Holmes. 

Lizzie Ryder 

Strange, Lucy 

The Storm and 

the Minotaur 

Illustrated by Pam Smy 


9781800902473 

Mythology. History. Mining 

The Storm and the Minotaur is a beautifully 

illustrated story about life in early Victorian 

Yorkshire. Our protagonist, 9-year-old George, is a 

brilliant reader and writer, but his school days are 

brought to an end when he starts work in the mines. 

George hates the darkness and dirt of the tunnels, 

but after finding a book of Greek myths, he finds 

comfort in the story of the Minotaur, who faced a 

similar existence in the gloom of the Labyrinth. 

This book could be useful for children studying 

Victorian Britain. Events in the book, although 

fictionalised, are inspired by the real-life flooding 

of Huskar Pit in Yorkshire in 1838. The story gives 

a sense of what life was like for working-class 

children, like George, and hints at the dangers that 

people faced before modern safety regulations. 

Matt Cowie 

Sugiura, Misa 

Momo Arashima Steals 

the Sword of the Wind 

(Momo Arashima) 


9780241637999 

Fantasy. Japan. Folklore 

Momo is too old to believe the magical stories that 

mother tells whilst Momo is caring for her. Her 

ex-friend Danny has already joined the cool gang 

and barely talks to her. Now, mixing up reality with 

talking foxes, chaos demons, and an island full of 

gods is making the rest of her classmates laugh 

at her. Then, Momo discovers that her mum is a 

goddess who used to protect the passage to the 

land of the dead … 

An exhilarating fantasy, Momo’s story mixes 

elements of Japanese folklore with Sugiura’s 

imagination and influences of contemporary 

pop culture. There’s never a dull moment as the 

characters hurtle from one location and adventure 

to the next. Momo, loyal Niko, and unfathomable 

Danny learn lessons from the old magical stories 

(check out the glossary) and find new strengths 

within themselves along the way. Perfect for readers 

who know how each Pokemon evolves, have an 

early interest in manga, or just love a story packed 

with adventure. The first book in a planned series. 

Sharon Corbally 

Taylor, Sarah 

Alice Éclair, Spy 

Extraordinaire!: 

A Sprinkling of Danger 

Illustrated by, Beatriz Castr, 


9781839948855 

Mystery. Danger. Food 

Baker by day, spy by night, Alice Éclair is back 

undercover, this time trying to find the culprit 

behind a dangerous leak of national secrets. She has 

wangled her way onto a film set in the glamorous 

Palace of Versailles and needs to do some careful 

investigating of the suspects. Very careful, because 

Alice’s life is in danger from a villain with a deadly 

plan. This is the third novel in the Alice Éclair, 

Spy Extraordinaire series but can also be enjoyed 

as a stand-alone read. A multi-layered mystery with 

heaps of clues and red herrings, this book will keep 

readers guessing alongside Alice until the end. Do 

not read this book if you are hungry! The beautifully 

written descriptions of Alice’s sweet creations will 

have your mouth watering throughout. 


Unsworth, Tania 

Nowhere Island 

Head of Zeus, 2023, pp240, £6.99, 

9781804540060 

Trust. Friendship. Resilience 

Four runaway children, and a dog, 

live in one of the forgotten spaces 

that is in full view but that no-one normally takes a 

second glance at – a heavily wooded island in the 

middle of a two-lane road. 

They all have different reasons to be there – and are 

strangers to each other when they meet. They need 

to survive. This is the tale of how they do that and of 

the danger they find themselves in – and how they 

work together to save the group. 

There are numerous themes in the book: found 

families, fostering, social exclusion, survival and 

the power of the wilderness, and the human 

connections that help people heal. The novel 

has Lord of the Flies vibes in places, plus some 

violence and dishonesty – but not out of place for 

its audience. A strong, engaging, and powerful story 

about hope and survival. Completely engaging, it 

will keep you enthralled until the very end. 

Tricia Adams 

56 


Books: 8 – 12 

Webster, Hayley 

The After School 

Crime Club 


9781788006064 

Families. Bullying. Friendship 

Publicity for this novel draws 

comparisons to Jacqueline Wilson, and it’s a valid 

one as the children are truly authentic. The sly 

machinations of the antagonist are extremely 

relatable, and Webster’s writing shows respect 

for the emotional complexity of ‘tweenagers’ 

rarely shown in novels. There are wonderfully 

quirky references to old movies and the power of 

a great nanna throughout the book. Desperate to 

fit in in her new school, she doesn’t realise she is 

being manipulated and things take a dark turn for 

Willow when friendship turns out to be something 

more sinister. 

Fortunately, there are good adults looking out 

for Willow and her instincts lead to a happy 

conclusion. Webster is a very skilled writer who 

weaves together the ideas of ‘seeming’ and ‘being’ 

very effectively in her fast-moving plot filled with 

strong characterisation. 

Fans of Jacqueline Wilson will really enjoy this book 

and, like me, be eager for more. 

Ingrid Spencer 

Wormell, Christopher 

The Lucky Bottle 


£9.99, 9781788451895 

Adventure. Pirates. Magic 

This may well be my “Book of the 

Year”! It bursts with adventure, 

sparkles with magic, captivates with incredible 

characters, and is dotted throughout with masterly 

drawings – all from the pen of Chris Wormell. 

It is also very clever, not to mention funny. There 

are references to the classic text Treasure Island, 

Shakespeare’s The Tempest and even to the science 

of human/animal physiology and the practicalities 

of survival. The unlikely friendship between gentle 

giant Robinson and diminutive, homesick Jack 

is a joy; the history of their island’s inhabitants 

(including Caliban the tortoise and two unnamed 

corpses) is a mystery waiting to be solved. This is 

a book that will have wide appeal to all ages, from 

those in key stage 1 who will soak up the story 

without necessarily ‘getting’ the references, to key 

stage 2 and above who will be hooked on the plot 

and, no doubt, will be a little bereft when the final 

page is turned and eager to read more from this 

author. It would make a good class read for, say, 

Year 5, especially if Shakespeare’s The Tempest is 

being studied. 

Jane Rew 

Yang, Kelly 

Finally Seen 

Simon & Schuster Books for Young 

Readers, 2023, pp416, £7.99, 

9781913311872 

Families. Friendship. Diversity 

Lina is flying to America to join 

her parents who have, she thinks, made a new 

life for her there. She hasn’t seen them for five 

years because she was left with her much-loved 

grandmother in China. Of course she feels rejected 

and puzzled and life in the US isn’t what she’s 

expecting. Her parents are living at the edge of 

harsh immigrant economy, there are bullying issues 

at school, and she struggles with the language. This 

rich, rewarding novel often reminds me of Michelle 

Magorian’s Back Home which is also about adjusting 

back to family although the circumstances are 

different. Here we explore racism, censorship, and 

identity through the lens of a child who just wants 

to be taken seriously, just as author Kelly Wang once 

did when was newly arrived in America herself. This 

story is populated mostly with very believable lovely 

people trying to do their best for Lina, and even 

the ones who aren’t kind are gradually revealed 

as misunderstood, troubled people with issues of 

their own. 

Susan Elkin 

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57

Books: 8 – 12 | Information 

Albert, Sònia 

The Repair Shop 

Craft Book: 

Over 30 Creative 

Crafts for Children 

(The Repair Shop) 

Walker Entertainment, 2023, pp77, 

£14.99, 9781529507980 

Crafting. Creative. Upcycle 

A delightful book full of crafts and projects based 

around the experts on The Repair Shop (BBC TV). 

Nicely illustrated, with clear instructions on how 

to create a range of objects/learn new crafting 

skills. Each project includes an introduction from 

one of the repairers from the TV show. Many are 

upcycling projects supporting sustainability and 

recycling. Each project includes a crafty tip to help 

with success, and some include alternative ideas on 

the craft theme. There are enough projects using 

everyday household items to enable any young 

child to be a creator/maker. Packed full of creative, 

crafty ideas and fun facts, this book will keep 

children 7 years plus busy and should inspire a love 

of crafting. 


Alméras, Gaëlle 

Super Space Weekend 

Adventures in 

Astronomy (Science 

Adventure Club) 

Translated by David Warriner 


£9.99, 9781778401091 

STEM. Space. Astronomy 

Three friends spend a weekend together in Squeak’s 

tree house observatory, finding out about the 

amazing world of astronomy. Presented like a 

graphic novel, this is not a regular information 

book – although divided into chapters, there 

are no other traditional features to help navigate 

the content. But young readers who are curious 

about science and the sky will enjoy following 

the quirky characters as they discover everything 

about the solar system and more. Every page is 

packed with black and white cartoon-like drawings, 

speech bubble conversations, and small chunks of 

explanatory text, with the odd accent of colour to 

highlight things like the auroras, kinds of stars and 

the visible light spectrum. Readers will enjoy the 

sometimes comic interaction between the three 

friends – Orni the overly cautious worrier, Castor the 

wide-eyed enthusiast, and Squeak their space-savvy 

host. This is the first book in the Science Club series, 

which could prove to be particularly appealing to 

reluctant readers. 

Chris Routh 

Aston, Dianna 

A Beetle Is Shy 

Illustrated by Sylvia Long 

Chronicle Books, 2023, pp40, 

£5.99, 9781797215877 

A Shell Is Cozy 

Illustrated by Sylvia Long 


£13.99, 9781797212470 

Nature. Minibeasts. Wildlife 

A Beetle Is Shy and A Shell Is 

Cozy are the latest titles in The 

Nature Books series by Dianna 

Hutts Aston, illustrated by Sylvia Long. The text is 

bite sized and often poetic in its use of language. 

However, they are American and have not been 

anglicised so there are American spellings and terms 

which may confuse younger readers (e.g. ladybirds 

are called lady beetles). But the pictures that cover 

every double-page spread are beautifully done 

and are very colourful. They are naturalistic in style 

and therefore useful for showing how to create 

scientifically accurate drawings. Would make a nice 

addition for topic work on the natural world and 

minibeasts as well as a being a nice leisure browser 

as the illustrations are worth poring over. 

Isobel Powell 

58 

Barnes, Luci Gorell, 

Jones, Verity, 

McEwen, Lindsey 

and Webber, Amanda 

Learning to Live 

with Fog Monsters 

Illustrated by Luci Gorell Barnes 

UWE, 2023, pp32, £0, 9781860436079 

Social Isolation. Covid-19. Pandemics 

Over eighteen months the University of the West of 

England (UWE), Bristol studied the long-term effects 

of the Covid-19 lockdown on children aged 6–11 in 

socially deprived areas. They created this to support 

discussions about intangible, unseen threats and 

have produced resource material based on the book 

and freely available online. 

Ten-year-olds Layla and Arlo cannot leave their 

families’ flats; they imagine what it will be like 

once the monsters have disappeared – they will go 

out to play, to visit their grandparents, to buy ice 

creams. They might have a pet: a cat appears and 

accompanies them wherever they go – the cat hides 

in each picture, if you can spot it. 

The resource materials are grouped around specific 

themes highlighted in the illustrations, accompanied 

by teacher’s notes and downloadable resources 

of the subjects covered. There’s an introductory 

presentation about the project and suggestions of 

ways in which the resource sets might be used. 

Peter Andrews 


Barr, Catherine and 

Williams, Steve 

The Story of 

Conservation: 

A First Book About 

Protecting Nature 

Illustrated by Amy Husband 

Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, 2023, pp40, £12.99, 

9780711278035 Conservation. History. Geography 

Readers are introduced to the idea of the need for 

conservation through being shown the everincreasing 

effects, throughout history, of humans’ 

world-wide impact upon our environment. 

This is illustrated by a series of examples from 

different times and places. Each shows a threat to 

the environment which is carefully explained, but 

gently balanced by the describing and championing 

of actual projects and actions that are achieving 

positive change. The sequence is chronological but 

each of the examples would stand alone for study or 

as a starting point for discussion and research. The 

glossary supplies a useful vocabulary. 

The fun and colourful illustrations suggest the 

kinds of drawings and collages which children 

make themselves and relate to. Animals feature 

prominently and there is strong visual appeal. 

The writers are active scientists and conservationists 

who speak with authority and humour to raise 

soundly informed awareness of ways in which we can 

seek to live in greater harmony with the natural world. 


Barr, Catherine 

The Tigers’ Tale 

Illustrated by Tara Anand 



9781526626554 

Animals. Nature. Conservation 

The tiger is an iconic animal which naturally 

attracts the interest and wonder of us all. This 

book is informative, beautifully illustrated, and 

engaging. The message of the book is clearly the 

necessity of conserving the remaining species of 

tigers; yes, some species are already extinct. The 

book is centred on a particular reserve in India. 

The narrative unfolds of success in developing 

a breeding family in the reserve and then the 

failure as they all disappear before once again new 

tigers are brought and successfully placed in the 

reserve. Interspersed with the story are a variety of 

opportunities to explain what is required to build 

success and what the many dangers are. Amazingly 

there are still tiger farms, supplying pet tigers to 

rich individuals who of course keep them in poor 

conditions, particularly as they grow larger and 

more dangerous. Even a zoo cannot offer a tiger the 

range it needs to travel and fend for itself in a natural 

manner. The reader is directed to useful activities 

and is given links to conservation charities which 

can give more information. 

Nick Hunt

Books: 8 – 12 

Bedoyere, Camilla de la 

Size Wise: From 

Colossal Squids to 

Snowflakes, a Life- 

Sized Look at Nature 

Illustrated by Vasilisa Romanenko 

Buster Books, 2023, pp96, £12.99, 

9781780558240 Animals. Plants. Oceans 

Fascinating and beautifully presented, this book 

offers a new insight into the lives of the world’s 

wildlife through their relative sizes. The introduction 

is important as it explains the symbols that indicate 

when an image has been zoomed in or out. There 

is a useful glossary highlighting some of the words 

that may be new to the reader and the units of 

measurement used in the text. Divided into doublepage 

spreads devoted to a species or size of plants 

or animals and occasionally a stunning illustration, 

it will keep the reader hooked and wanting to learn 

more about our wonderful world. The spreads 

include ‘Colossal Blossom’ which mentions 

parasite flowers and buds that stay open for nine 

months before changing; and ‘Jungle Plants’ 

and ‘Ocean Soup’ which talks about the amazing 

creatures inhabiting our oceans. The illustrations 

are captivating, colourful and remarkably realistic. 

‘The Secrets of Sand’ spread is illuminating and a 

definite eye opener, making the reader appreciate 

just how wonderful nature is. This is a book to 

treasure, dip into and enjoy. 

Judith Palka 

Broadbent, Rick 

Super Sports 

Stars Who Are 

Changing the Game 

(People Power) 

Illustrated by Alexander Mostov 

Walker Books Ltd, 2023, pp48, £14.99, 9781529507119 

Sport. Society. Biography 

This latest in the People Power series is a fantastic 

tribute to 20 remarkable athletes who are not only 

excelling in their respective sports but also making 

a significant impact beyond the playing field. This 

book is a treasure trove of inspiration for young 

readers, showcasing how sports can be a powerful 

catalyst for positive change in the world. 

Each athlete’s story is presented with a perfect 

blend of captivating facts and vibrant illustrations, 

making it engaging and accessible for children. 

Readers will be enthralled by the incredible 

journeys and accomplishments of these sports 

stars, ranging from their early lives to their 

groundbreaking achievements. 

Whether it’s Ludwig Guttmann’s dream of an 

Olympic Games for everyone, or Marcus Rashford’s 

drive to ensure no child goes hungry, it emphasises 

that everyone, regardless of age, sex, race, or religion 

has the potential to create a positive lasting impact 

beyond the pitch the play on. This positive and 

uplifting book is a must-have for every school library, 

showcasing the incredible potential within us all. 

Nicki Cleveland 

Bunting, Philip 

The World’s Most 

Atrocious Animals 

(Quirky Creatures) 

Happy Yak, 2023, pp80, £12.99, 

9780711283664 

Animals. Fun Facts. Information 

I find this an odd book to review. On the one hand I 

am quite sure many children will really enjoy dipping 

in and out of this book; they will giggle and perhaps 

tease each other about the ‘fearsome’, ‘atrocious’, 

and even weird animals selected. For this is a curious 

collection, in the manner that Victorian gentry 

collected odds and ends that caught their fancy. But 

as an adult teacher I ought to criticise it because it is 

not organised into any particular order – there is no 

theme, there is no “message”. But perhaps because 

of that lack of structure it’s all the more fun. It’s 

not predictable; it’s not like a text book. However, 

a child, once their fascination has been grabbed, 

will learn things. Although those bits of knowledge 

will be random as is so much of our memory. 

After all how else do we answer all those “General 

Knowledge” questions? 

Nick Hunt 

Cox, Beth and 

Meredith, Samantha 

All Bodies Are 

Wonderful: 

An Inclusive Guide for 

Talking About You 

b small Publishing, 2023, pp36, 

£9.99, 9781913918583 

Bodies. Science. Inclusive 

Clearly written and beautifully illustrated, this is 

an essential book for everyone. Starting with an 

explanation of atoms, it goes on to explain about 

DNA and chromosomes and how the human 

foetus develops. So far so standard. However, this 

wonderful book takes the time, every step of the 

way, to explain that some bodies develop differently. 

That’s just science! We hear from children with 

differently developed bodies and discuss how to 

embrace those differences, rejecting the label of 

“normal” because EVERYONE is different! 

As the title suggests, a lot of time is given to how 

we feel about ourselves and our bodies, and how to 

celebrate our ‘unique perfections’. Stereotypes are 

discussed as well as ways to counter and challenge 

them if we feel comfortable doing so. There is a 

clear contents page, illustrating how the book is 

arranged into three sections: Science, Society, and 

Taking Action. There is a useful glossary at the back. 

Absolutely brilliant! 


Dave, Raksha 

Lessons from 

Our Ancestors 

Illustrated by Kimberlie Clinthorne- 

Wong 

Magic Cat Publishing, 2023, pp64, 

£14.99, 9781913520946 

History. Myths. Reality 

It takes scholarship and bravery to uncover and 

then share the truth about what really happened 

so many years ago, and this is achieved with 

notable success by Raksha Dave, who starts us off 

with an introduction, highlighting how important 

archaeology is to a study of history. Then 14 

different ancient civilisations are examined, with 

myths being exposed and thereby showing us what 

uncovered objects can lead us to find out. Each 

civilisation is treated to two double-page spreads, 

the first explaining the true version of a fact or myth, 

and the second showcasing the evidence that led 

to this discovery or story. Illustrated throughout 

by Wong, the book is engaging and will prove 

to be a treasure chest of interesting and useful 

information that should prompt children to ask deep 

questions when learning history. Two pages about 

archaeologists and a helpful glossary finish off a 

book that should be in every key stage 2 classroom. 


Davidson, Susanna 

King Charles III 

(Young Reading Series) 


£6.99, 9781805314707 

Royalty. Biography. Family 

Here is a well-researched, 

biographical account of our new King Charles III, 

which is sure to interest curious students. The 

attractive volume begins with the birth of Charles 

and gives details about his early life, school days, 

university life and beyond. I think young people will 

enjoy learning about his close relationships with the 

Queen Mother and Earl Mountbatten and how these 

adults gently guided him as he grew up. 

Charles’ marriage to Princess Diana and their 

subsequent divorce are handled sensitively, as are 

family life, Diana’s accident, Harry and Meghan’s 

move abroad, and the late Queen’s death. 

The photographs are very attractive and work well 

with the text. Charles’s interests in the environment 

as well as his hobbies (painting, polo, gardening, 

etc.) are well documented. I enjoyed following the 

usual Quicklinks to access websites and worksheets 

for children to complete; this is a huge advantage of 

these publications. 

This is a timely information book to mark the 

coronation of King Charles III and an ideal gift or 

addition to a library. 

Janet Syme 


59


Holland, Michael 

Smart Animals: 

Clever Creatures in 

the Animal Kingdom 

Illustrated by Daniela Olejnikova 

Die Gestalten Verlag, 2023, pp64, 

£18.95, 9783967047233 

Animal Intelligence. Ethology. Evolution 

‘You’re a smart animal! … you have learnt at least 

one language …’ Early chapters in this mediumlarge, 

well-illustrated 60pp hardcover for 8–11 

years deploy intriguing examples, including fungal 

networks, leeches, and sperm whales to introduce 

intelligence, learning, ‘evolutionary’ (inherited) 

behaviour, and relative brain to body size. Minimizing 

anatomical bias, chapters on 23 studied animals 

aren’t taxonomically ordered. The chapters instead 

explore aspects, such as raccoon dexterity without 

opposable thumbs, dolphin self-awareness (in 

mirrors), drongo and squirrel deceitful behaviour, 

crows and chimpanzees making tools, honeybee 

spatial memory, social insect ‘superorganism’ 

behaviour, elephant and whale grief, squid 

co-operative hunting, parrot Alex understanding 

categorisation (‘same’ vs ‘different’), a wolf spider 

mimicking tangled prey to catch a web spider. 

A snapshot of a fast-moving field, including its ethics 

which are mentioned – the author cannot entirely 

answer his opener ‘is intelligence the same as being 

smart?’ A useful reference also for older readers. 

Henrietta Price 

Humphreys, Alastair 

Against the Odds 

Illustrated by Pola Mai 

Templar Books, 2023, pp92, £16.99, 

9781787410169 

Adventures. People. Challenges 

This is a wonderful compilation 

of extraordinary adventures completed by men and 

women who have been successful, often against all 

the odds. There is a good spread of both men and 

women, across history, and from different countries 

across the globe, making this both inspiring 

for readers and a text that will support learning 

about different cultures and peoples throughout 

history. Each adventurer’s section is set out like 

a journey logbook and/or encyclopaedia entry, 

with illustrations, use of comic strips, highlighted 

quotes and maps which help bring each adventure 

to life. They also have a personal section from 

the author explaining why they inspired him 

personally. A directory of adventurers is included 

at the beginning – including a section to inspire 

readers to go on their own adventures, guided by 

‘an adventures packing list’ or the essential qualities 

needed to succeed. My only criticism is that there 

are no discussions around the ethics of such 

adventures; no reference to ecological damage or 

increased carbon emissions that accompany such 

adventures, for example. However, overall this will 

certainly inspire and engage readers. 

Meg Barclay 

Lerwill, Ben 

Stone Age Beasts 

Illustrated by Grahame Baker- 

Smith 


pp47, £14.99, 9781529505436 

Prehistory. Animals. Leisure 

Information 

A beautifully illustrated book showing the incredible 

giant beasts that roamed prehistoric lands. From 

the familiar woolly mammoth and sabre-toothed 

cat to the much less well known giant short-faced 

kangaroo, Gigantopithecus and Siberian unicorn! 

The text is interesting with an engaging style and 

the amazing pictures by Greenaway medal winning 

illustrator Grahame Baker-Smith raise this to another 

level. The page layout is accessible for a range of 

reading ages as there is a larger print introductory 

section and useful additional text and scientific fact 

boxes. A useful book for supporting curriculum 

work as well as being an enjoyable leisure read. 

Isobel Powell 

Reid, Jen and Joy, Angela 

A Hero Like Me 

Illustrated by Leire Salaberria 

Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, 

2023, pp40, £7.99, 9780711270411 

Heroism. Slavery. Activism 


Every day a little girl passes 

a statue of slave trader Edward Colson. He is 

considered a hero, but she doesn’t agree. Others in 

her community pull down the statue. The girl tries to 

think of worthier people who could be heroes: those 

who have fought for kindness, courage, justice and 

peace. When she joins her family in a protest, she 

sees a hero, someone like her who stands up for 

their beliefs and empowers others. 

Bold illustrations enhance the poetical text which 

reads well aloud. The book was inspired by events 

in Bristol. Co-author Jen Reid was the protester who 

climbed onto the empty plinth and raised her fist 

above her head. Later, a statue of Jen was added. It 

was removed after 24 hours. 

The book offers opportunities to discuss what 

heroes are; ways of celebrating them; why the 

concept of a hero changes over time; methods 

of demonstrating, protesting and bringing about 

change; and how to have a voice in a community 

and stand up for what is right. 

Powerful and inspirational, it is highly recommended. 

Brenda Marshall 

Roth, David and 

Shah, Rinee 

LOL 101: A Kid’s Guide 

to Writing Jokes 

Illustrated by Rinee Shah 


£11.99, 9781797213927 

Humour. Careers. Jokes 

Children love sharing jokebooks, but in my 

experience often don’t understand humour, 

whether it is word play or slapstick. Nothing kills 

a joke more than having to have it explained. Yet 

stand-up comedy is very popular and might be a 

career option for some. The book lists jobs where 

comedic skills are useful, such as podcaster, 

advertising writer, actor and writing greeting 

cards. This book could help and encourage children 

(and adults) to have a go at being a comedian 

themselves. It covers different types of jokes and 

how to perform them, the importance of rehearsal, 

mime/acting techniques, how to become a 

comedian and visual jokes too. I learned about ‘The 

Power of Three’ statements in telling jokes, that 

the question is always a serious statement, which 

makes the answer funny and why some jokes don’t 

work. The book presentation is colourful, and 

pages are uncluttered. The lists of word and phrase 

suggestions are very useful tips and encourage 

creativity. This is a (US spelling) self-help/careers 

book with a difference. 

Lucy Chambers 

Royal Botanic Gardens 

Kew 

Arboretum: Welcome 

to the Museum 

Illustrated by Katie Scott and Tony 

Kirkham 

Templar Publishing, 2023, pp112, 

£25.00, 9781800782198 Trees. Biology. Illustration 

Kew’s excellent contribution to this large size 

hardcover series summarises the world’s trees in 

under 100 illustrated, matte cream pages, mostly 

in facing page format. After introducing readers to 

tree biology, major taxa, human use and impact, and 

distribution (including a double-page world map of 

climatic biomes), chapters break down into regions 

within each climate, for example, African / Asian 

rainforests vs the Americas. They include pages on 

individuals, e.g. cork oak or yellow meranti, and 

topics such as tropical nuts and spices, flowers, 

and historical plant collection. The selection of 

exemplars follows the trees: a tenth of temperate 

species illustrated are European, whereas two thirds 

of ‘Mediterranean’ trees depicted are from this 

biodiversity hotspot. In a grown-up tonal and colour 

palette, well-printed illustrations do more than 

their job – they are exquisite. Relevant to biology, 

geography, and art curricula, and supported by 

a thorough index, this informative and stylish 

reference will be enjoyed by all ages (and also be 

treasured at home). 

Henrietta Price 

60 


Books: 8 – 12 

Saunders, Claire 

Live Like a Roman 

(Live Like a …) 

Illustrated by Ruth Hickson 

Button Books, 2023, pp56, £12.99, 

9781787081260 

Romans. Ancient History. Roman 

Empire 

I enjoyed learning about Roman civilisation in this 

readable, informative book. Chapters cover the 

whole gamut of Roman life, including a timeline, 

map of the Roman Empire, a breakdown of Roman 

society, women’s rights (not many), life as a slave 

(no rights at all), children and families, feasting, 

entertainment, life in the army and more. The 

information is presented nugget-style with 

appealing illustrations in matt watercolour format. I 

learned that the Roman alphabet had 23 letters, 

they invented concrete, and that they worked until 

they died, seven days a week, apart from festivals. I 

liked the clear illustrations, for example of Roman 

city life, with Latin-captioned locations such as 

the Thermopolium (snack bar) and the Peristylium 

(garden) in a house. Children will love the creative 

activities, including making a mask, panpipes, a wax 

tablet, an abacus and how it works, and cooking 

using simple recipes from a Roman cookbook. At 

the end is a useful illustrated glossary. 

Lucy Chambers 

Stead, Emily 

Mead: From the 

Playground to the Pitch, 

(Ultimate Football 

Heroes) 

Dino Books, 2023, pp173, £6.99, 

9781800786363 

Non-Fiction. Football. Heroes 

Women’s football, women in football is becoming 

increasingly popular. What better way to support 

it, to support the players, show young people what 

it is all about than with some biographical books. 

Emily Stead has written 4 Ultimate Football Heroes 

titles now. Mead is one of them, and there are also 

Williamson, Smith, and Kirby. Even if you have no 

idea who these players are, the books will both 

introduce you to them and inspire. Maybe to play 

football, maybe to try out another sport. 

Mead was a teenager when she joined Sunderland, 

by the age of 21 she was signed to Arsenal, earning 

her spot by playing in the 2019 FIFA Women’s World 

Cup – that in itself shows how far women’s football 

has come. She was able to find a way to balance her 

education with her love of the sport, all the practice 

that it entailed, and working too. She has quite a 

few achievements under her belt, including the 

WSL Golden Boot, and her story is sure to prove an 

inspiration to young girls who love their sport. 


Stead, Emily 

Williamson: From the 

Playground to the Pitch 

(Ultimate Football 

Heroes) 

Dino Books, 2023, pp175, £6.99, 

9781800786370 

Non-Fiction. Football. Heroes 

Leah Williamson was born into a footballing family. It 

could perhaps be said that football was in her blood 

from the start. She was fortunate enough to follow 

in the footsteps of her mother who allowed her a 

short haircut so as to play with the boys! Starting 

out in Scot Youth, a boys’ team, she soon became 

their star striker, moving on to join Rushden and 

Diamonds Centre of Excellence and then Arsenal 

at the tender age of just 9. She has been there ever 

since, and Emily Stead shares her story with us in this 

latest addition to the Ultimate Football Heroes series 

celebrating women in football. 

Williamson has been playing at international level 

since the age of 13; she made her senior team debut 

at the age of 17 and has represented England for 

over ten years. Last year she was made permanent 

captain of the Lionesses. That is quite a number 

of achievements! Her versatility and skill have 

been key to her success, as has perseverance. 

Learn more about her in this fascinating and 

enlightening biography. 


Sullivan, Kathryn D. 

and Rosen, Michael J. 

How to Spacewalk 

Illustrated by NASA & Michael 

J. Rosen 


pp48, £12.99, 9781529512137 

Space. Science. Adventure 

The closest I have ever come to a spacewalk was my 

trip to Cape Canaveral in Florida and my subsequent 

visit to the Smithsonian National Air and Space 

Museum in Washington DC. 

My only other encounter with an astronaut was a 

meeting many years ago with Helen Sharman, the 

first British person and privately funded woman 

in space, as well as the first woman to go aboard 

the Mir space station in May 1991. 

I was therefore impressed when a review copy of 

How to Spacewalk by Kathryn Sullivan, America’s 

first woman in space, dropped through my letter 

box. A guide to training for a spacewalk, the amazing 

photographs and illustrations drawn by Michael 

Rosen take you through the different processes of 

training and an actual spacewalk. Holder of three 

Guinness World Records, Katheryn has not only been 

into space but also travelled to the deepest part of 

our oceans in a specially adapted submersible. This 

easy to navigate book will enthral primary children 

and beyond as they investigate the real world of 

astronauts and their search for the stars. 

Godfrey Hall 

Taylor, Barbara 

The Magnificent Book 

of Monkeys and Apes 

Weldon Owen Children’s 


9781915588302 

Animals. Monkeys. Apes 

Part of the Magnificent Book of series, this title 

showcases 36 of the world’s extraordinary monkeys 

and apes, ranging from the tiny pygmy marmoset to 

the huge lowland gorilla. Discover which monkey 

is the loudest land mammal, or can dive and swim 

underwater, or even has snowball fights! 

Each species is afforded a double-page spread 

with stunning, almost photographic illustrations, 

5–7 bullet points of easily managed information, 

and a fact file box providing quick access to key 

information such as location, habitat, diet, and 

size. An introduction page gives a brief but useful 

and interesting overview. However, there is a 

disappointing lack of information retrieval tools – no 

index or glossary, and the contents page is simply a 

list of featured animals in no discernible order and 

with no categorising into chapters. A world map 

on the last page indicates where monkeys live, but 

the animal images are too tiny to be distinguished. 

Despite these downfalls, this is a great book for 

browsing and no doubt young readers will love 

finding out fascinating facts about our closest 

animal relatives. 

Lynn Marshall 

Thermes, Jennifer 

The Indestructible 

Tom Crean: 

Heroic Explorer of 

the Antarctic 

Welbeck Editions, 


9781803380957 

Exploration. Adventure. Survival 

The format of this book is deceptive. At first 

glance, this looks like a picture book. It is actually a 

graphic biography which contains some scary and 

potentially dangerous scenes. It would be brilliant 

to use in Year 5 or Year 6 for science and geography. 

Author and illustrator Jennifer Thermes manages 

to take the reader directly into Tom Crean’s mind 

and explores some of the psychological effects of 

his Antarctic expedition. A truly immersive book. 

Thermes’s illustrations in full colour, double-page 

spreads, make the reader fully conscious of the 

inhospitable Antarctic landscape. It almost feels as 

if you are really there. Thermes manages massive 

historical time spans with ease through the use 

of timelines. 

Rebecca Butler 


61


Waterworth, Lizzie 

How to Talk So People 

Will Listen: Tricks for 

Sounding Confident 

(Even When You’re Not) 

Dorling Kindersley Limited, 2023, 

pp176, £7.99, 9780241623459 

Public Speaking. Confidence 

Building. Relaxation Techniques 

This an excellent guide to public speaking, useful 

not only for children but also for adults. 

Lizzie Waterworth is a voice actor, well known as 

Henry in the Horrid Henry cartoons, and uses her 

experiences, good and bad, as well of those of other 

celebrities, among them Stephen Fry and Harry 

Styles, to good effect. 

She provides tips on breathing, voice control, 

preparation for speaking, communicating with 

audiences, storing the tips in her imaginary 

confidence toolbox. A cartoon character called ‘What 

If?’ is a pest that needs to be controlled at all times. 

No matter how experienced public speakers are, they 

always need to hone their skills – nobody is free from 

embarrassment: Lizzie Waterworth’s meeting with Sir 

David Attenborough illustrates this perfectly. 

All told, with its cartoon-like illustrations, an 

enjoyable introduction to an important subject/skill. 

Recommended for ages 9 and above. 

Peter Andrews 

Weiss-Tuider, Katharina 

Mission: Arctic: 

A Scientific Adventure 

to a Changing 

North Pole 

Illustrated by Christian Schneider 


£16.99, 9781771649568 

Science. Ecology. Geography 

Designed for older primary and lower secondary 

students, this fascinating book follows a real-life 

Arctic expedition on board the incredible ice breaker 

Polarstar. During a dangerous expedition the ice 

breaker was frozen in a sea of ice and left to drift 

towards the North Pole. Written by Kate Weiss-Tuider 

who was onboard the ship and includes intricate 

details about the mission and issues surrounding 

it. It has been beautifully illustrated by Christian 

Shneider and there are plenty of maps and diagrams 

explaining what went on and suggestions of ways 

in which you can help. The ship travelled for a year 

in the Arctic Sea, coming back with some amazing 

tales of polar bears and some of the superheroes 

of the oceans such as phytoplankton, microscopic 

algae which make up the basis of the ocean’s food 

web. Packed with new and exciting discoveries, 

this impressive book is a must for any school or 

class library and ideal as a springboard for further 

investigations into our fragile ecosystem. 

Godfrey Hall 

Wilson, Jamia 

A Year of Black Joy: 

52 Black Voices Share 

Their Life Passions 

Illustrated by Jade Orlando 

Magic Cat Publishing, 2023, pp112, 

£14.99, 9781915569028 

Historical. Nature. Science 

An exploration of Black joy from 52 contemporary 

Black voices, curated by author Jamia Wilson. This is 

an uplifting anthology that explores joy and what it 

means to follow your passion. 

Divided into months, each joyful piece is tied to 

a particular season, event, international day, or 

week, taking a subject such as poetry, space, or 

photography and an expert in that field, who then 

shares why it brings them so much joy. 

It’s a beautifully illustrated book which brings 

together an inspiring group of well-known 

figures from the world of science, sport, politics, 

architecture, art, and music, among others. 

Each entry comes with tips or activities, so after 

reading about the joy of autumn food, there’s a 

recipe for a delicious savoury porridge from chef 

Andi Oliver, plus lessons in democracy from David 

Lammy, and even a masterclass in joke writing from 

comedian Inel Tomlinson. 

A fun book to dip into, with some inspirational 

career ideas! 

Ruth Horsman 

62 



Barr, Emily 

This Summer’s Secrets 

Penguin Books, 2023, pp421, £8.99, 

9780241481905 

WWII. Timelines. Class 

This is the first time I came across 

this author and found myself 

pleasantly surprised. As a book aimed at young 

adults, I personally found this an enjoyable read 

that contains thought-provoking characters, an 

immersive plot, and well-executed timelines. 

The story revolves around three timelines: the 

present, 1980s, and the 1940s, in which Barr 

guides us through the present summer day and the 

juxtaposing summer of wartime. Essentially there 

are many major themes present throughout the 

novel such as class, gender, ignorance, but which 

are linked intrinsically through the characters the 

reader meets along the way. I would push this book 

towards mature students as the timelines may be a 

complex read, but an enjoyable one. 

Rabia Arif 

Bates, Laura 

Sisters of Sword and 

Shadow 


pp400, £16.99, 9781398520042 

Adventure. Medieval. Feminism 

Laura Bates presents an immersive 

story that is filled with the magic of King Arthur’s 

tales and the riches of the medieval period. 

Many have labelled this as a simple retelling, but 

I can’t entirely agree. We follow Cass – our main 

protagonist – as she ventures into the world that we 

all know and love, with a feminist touch but with its 

own fantastical world of battles, rivalries, allies and 

history. Bates does a clever job of luring the reader 

easily into this world without overcomplicating 

either the plot or the characters. Certainly, Sisters 

of Sword and Shadow is a book for the classroom 

as there are many passages that can be taken to 

analyse or to inspire creative writing. 

Rabia Arif 

Blake, Kendare 

Champion of Fate 


9780861547500 

Romance. War. Fate 

This romantic fantasy is the story 

of Reed, a girl orphaned by war 

who is chosen to join the Aristene, an order of 

immortal female warriors who serve Kleia Gloria, 

the goddess of glory. Their role is to sponsor and 

fight alongside their allotted mortal heroes. This is a 

mixture of classical and medieval, a world of horses, 

swords, and battles, and the Aristene are similar to 

the Fates of classical legend. Reed must serve her 

long apprenticeship to the order, but when she and 

her first appointed hero fall in love, the divergent 

destinies of mortal and immortal can never be 

escaped, no matter how hard they try. And Reed 

tries very hard. But her long desperate struggle to 

protect and save her first hero is partially successful, 

at much cost. This tumultuous story is a modern 

take on some of the conflicts and crises of classical 

legend, bringing girls and women into heroic and 

decisive roles in the male terrain of warfare. A fast, 

compelling read. 

Peter Hollindale 

Daniels, Sarah 

The Exiled 


9780241508053 

Dystopian. Relationships. Injustice 

Set in a dystopian future, on the 

coast of the former United States, 

this sequel to The Stranded relates events following 

the sabotage of the rebel ship Arcadia by Esther, one 

of the rebel leaders. Refugees from the Arcadia have 

made a temporary camp on the fringes of legitimate 

society, where they live in terrible conditions. 

Admiral Janek, the would-be presidential candidate 

for the new Federated States, wants to imprison 

the refugees in work camps and eliminate the rebel 

command. Although a ceasefire has been negotiated 

by fellow rebel General Lall, Esther does not trust 

her, and when people start disappearing from the 

camp her suspicions seem justified. When Nik, 

General Lall’s son resurfaces, Esther initially finds 

it easy to suppress her feelings for him. But when 

she discovers that the general is actually involved 

in a daring plan to save the rebels, Esther has to 

re-evaluate both her loyalty to the general and her 

feelings for Nik. Narrated by four alternate POVs, 

this is a fast-paced and absorbing thriller, weaving 

contemporary issues into a vision of a near-future 

which seems all too recognisable. 

Sandra Bennett 

Dunning, Jan 

Mirror Me 

Scholastic, 2023, pp384, £8.99, 

9780702323751 

Mystery. Romance. Fashion 

This is well-written tale for 

teenagers, with light-touch 

exploration of relationships, including LGBT, 

morals, and personal decision making. Dunning 

uses her own experiences of the world of fashion 

modelling to craft a mystery story with a wicked 

stepmother, magic mirror, and cunning plot. The 

pace is engaging – it is not a fast-paced pageturner, 

but keeps the reader’s interest in what is 

going to happen next. The young female narrator 

is believable and shares some vulnerabilities that 

most young people can relate to, especially in her 

relationship with her father. He does resemble 

some of the rather gullible and perhaps ineffective 

fathers of old fairy tales; the stepmother very much 

resembles those found scheming and manipulating 

for their own vanity. With elements from Cinderella 

(a ‘Buttons’ type character who provides a useful 

balancing dialogue) and Snow White (magic mirror) 

this book could be a very useful English text for 

discussing traditional tales, and elements that persist 

deliberately or naturally, in the modern novel. 

Stephanie Barclay 

Guron, Ravena 

Catch Your Death 

Usborne, 2023, pp384, £8.99, 

9781803705422 

Crime. Murder. Mystery 

A wealthy family, a housekeeper 

and her assistant, and two teenage 

girls who end up stranded due to the weather, 

staying at a house overnight. In true crime tradition 

there is no mobile phone signal, the power fails, 

and during the evening there is a murder with every 

character a suspect. You think you have guessed 

the killer, then change your mind a couple of times 

because of the number of twists. Written from 

multiple viewpoints, fans of Karen McManus and 

Holly Jackson will love this novel full of suspense 

with characters who are unexpected and a family 

who completely disregard the truth. 

Dawn Woods 


63


Knox, Xena 

Sh!t Bag 

Hodder Children’s Books, 2023, 

pp295, £8.99, 9781444972054 

Illness. Romance. Humour 


Freya is a sporty, popular sixth 

former at a private school. One 

day she collapses, and wakes up in hospital wearing 

an ostomy bag. (As the book explains, a bag is 

used when the bowel is surgically shortened and 

solid waste can’t exit in the usual way. A surgical 

opening called a “stoma” is created instead and the 

bag receives the waste.) Freya hates her new reality 

and goes into denial, refusing even to change the 

bag (Mum gets that job). But when she’s sent on 

an Outward Bound-type camp for young ostomy 

patients, she realizes she’s not alone, and finds 

romance with a rugby player who convinces her to 

resume playing hockey. 

The author has ostomy experience herself, and 

explains the practicalities and future options for 

the condition. The book would naturally be very 

useful for any teenager with an ostomy, or with an 

affected family member. Freya as narrator is snarky 

and abrasive (initially, a figurative as well as literal 

sh!tbag) and finds humour in unlikely situations. A 

sharp, funny book that addresses a hidden issue. 

Anna Quick 

Kroon, Oskar 

Rhubarb Lemonade 

Hot Key Books, 2023, pp224, £7.99, 

9781471413124 

First Love. Family Break Up. 

Mental Health 

This is a gentle and lyrical work set 

on a hot Swedish island which explores navigating 

the end of childhood against themes of first love, 

loss, family breakup, new blended families, mental 

health, and trauma. Readers follow Vinga through 

an empathic journey navigating the struggles 

of her homelife with the challenges of entering 

adolescence whilst she visits her grandfather at 

his island home. Filled with heartfelt emotions and 

relatable situations, descriptions and characters, the 

narrative gently spins on, absorbing readers with 

poetic language which will keep readers engaged 

throughout. The wider island and its wildlife are 

also portrayed beautifully, and readers will enjoy 

the nautical references and imagery that come from 

sailing and navigating the seas. It should be noted 

that characters do swear, and the often negative 

reality of many situations is not shied away from, 

which some readers may find triggering; this work 

may not be appropriate for younger readers without 

supporting discussions. However, overall this is 

a beautiful work which many readers will get a 

lot from. 

Meg Barclay 

Lawson, Liz and 

Glasgow, Kathleen 

The Night in Question 


9780861545698 

American. School. Murder 

Subtitled ‘An Agathas Mystery’ 

this very American teenage detective story bears 

no resemblance to a traditional Agatha Christie, 

although some chapters are headed with her 

quotations. The story is set in a very affluent 

private school context, with celebrity-rich pupils 

and the many stereotypes that go with that (think 

Gilmore Girls). Alice and Iris manage to solve the 

gruesome murder of a fellow pupil – the “locked 

room and only one person present” theme is 

cleverly unravelled by the two girls, and the reader 

is given all the clues along the way. The girls narrate 

the story using the present tense and disarmingly 

think aloud their ideas, mistakes, inspirations, 

and thoughts. 

Subplots include some romantic developments 

and the inevitable squabbles and rivalries between 

teens. It may not suit everyone’s taste but the reader 

will warm to the characters, and the plot deserves 

respect as the truth is uncovered. This would be 

useful as a comparison with similar UK-based 

authors of the same genre. An entertaining read. 


Lewis, Kayvion 

Thieves’ Gambit 


pp308, £8.99, 9781398522121 

Thriller. Heists. Family 

Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis, 

published by Simon & Schuster, 

is a fast-paced delve into the lives of high-end 

thieves and heists in a thriller that takes the reader 

on a roller-coaster of a trip around the world. Join 

Rosalyn, AKA Ross, on her journey of self-discovery, 

where she must weigh up the needs of her 

family, those around her, and her own personal 

ambitions. She’s been taught to trust no-one outside 

her family, but she finds herself in situations where 

she must abandon this mantra to survive. Lewis 

keeps readers in a state of tension and suspense, 

and you never know when the next unexpected plot 

twist will crop up. 

This new young adult novel with such a strong 

female lead is sure to be a hit, and the film rights 

have already been bought. The characters are 

diverse, but without diversity being a key theme 

of the book. Billed for readers of 14+, the novel 

could be enjoyed by confident readers across the 

secondary school age range, especially if they are 

fans of Suzanne Collins. 

Jo Leighton 

Lu, Marie 

Stars and Smoke 


9780241646533 

Spies. Celebrity. Romance 

This book is quite different 

from Marie Lu’s usual style, but 

it was a very pleasant surprise. Despite the two 

main characters’ very different backgrounds, they 

somehow seem to fit very well and have much more 

in common than you’d think. The two of them find 

their own families to replace the gap that their own 

blood families can’t fill. 

Elena Rai 

MacGregor, Maya 

The Many Half-Lived 

Lives of Sam Sylvester 

Astra Young Readers, 2023, pp360, 

£9.99, 9781662620508 

LGBTQ+. Mystery. Friendship 

Sam is non-binary, asexual, and 

autistic. They were adopted at the age of seven 

by Julius Sylvester, a Black American who is also 

asexual and an aromantic. However, although 

this book is full of representation – there are 

multiple side characters who are LGBTQ+ and 

minority ethnic – it is a gripping and engaging 

murder mystery with supernatural elements and 

a romantic sub-plot. Sam and Julius have moved 

to a new house and new school due to a violent 

transphobic attack. However, Sam collects stories 

of children who have died before reaching their 

nineteenth birthday due to their own traumatic 

near-death experiences and, when they discover 

that such a child died in the house, they can’t resist 

investigating the story, even though they start 

receiving threatening notes. The plot is easy-tofollow 

and well-paced, the characterisation is 

skilfully handled – the relationship between Sam 

and Julius is wonderful – and Sam ultimately 

learns to love and trust themself. Trigger warnings: 

reference to self-harm; recounting of violent hate 

crime; misgendering. 

Barbara Band 

64 


Books: 13 – 16 

Self-esteem 


Day, Elizabeth 

Failosophy for Teens: 

A Handbook for When 

Things Go Wrong 


9780008582616 

Emotions. Life Skills. Resilience 

A guide for teens that celebrates the 

resilience of surviving failure, with 

exercises for teens to try to change 

their perception of failure. 

Elman, Michelle & 

Tomate, Sara 

How to Say No 

Puffin, 2023, 336pp, £12.99, 

9780241634097 

Confidence. Ourselves. PSHE 

Presents practical advice for young 

people on understanding and 

reinforcing their own personal 

boundaries and feeling confident 

about it. 

Grylls, Bear 

You vs the World: The 

Bear Grylls Guide to 

Never Giving Up 

Dorling K, 2023, 160pp, £12.99, 

9780241589779 

Mental Health. Ourselves. Resilience 

A guide for children to help them 

develop their potential to the full, 

with examples from a name with 

whom young people will be familiar. 

Middleton, Ant 

Mission: Total Confidence 


9780755503803 

Life Skills. PSHE. Self-Help 

Empowering guide by Middleton 

to challenge and motivate teens to 

realise their potential with strategies 

to help. 

Morgan, Nicola 

No Worries: How to Deal 

with Teenage Anxiety 


9781529512564 

Emotions. Mental Health. PSHE 

Morgan’s practical helpful 

advice aimed at young people, 

with strategies for common 

teenage worries. 

Robertson, Shauna Darling 

You Are Not Alone 

Troika Books, 2023, 96, £8.99, 

9781912745173 

Loneliness. Mental Health. Poetry 

Discover a collection of poems 

with various topics, from diagnosed 

mental health conditions to the 

everyday personal challenges faced 

by young people. 

Sheibani, Jion 

The Silver Chain 

Hot Key Books, 2023, 352pp, £8.99, 

9781471411526 

Families. Mental Health. Music 

Azadah is a talented musician trying 

to live up to her parents’ expectations 

and negotiate teenage life. 

Winter, Tamsin 

Bad Influence 

Usborne, 2023, 352pp, £7.99, 

9781474979078 

Bullying. Friendship. Social Media 

Amelia tries very hard to fit in, and 

by doing so makes a serious mistake, 

losing her self-esteem. 

Omotoni, Aleema 

Everyone’s Thinking It 

Scholistic, 2023, pp356, £8.99, 

9780702314735 

Mystery. Friendship. Secrets 

Everyone’s Thinking It is a mystery 

romance set up similarly to a 

murder mystery novel where the protagonist 

Iyanu is trying to find out who has spread her 

classmates’ secrets in her name around school. 

While following Iyanu’s and (the second protagonist) 

Kitan’s footsteps, themes such as being part of 

the LGBTQ+A community and part of an ethnic 

minority are being cut into which gives the book a 

very personal feel. It is captivating through its many 

twists and turns and gives deep insights into the 

feelings of the main characters. The book is very 

modern and includes topics that young readers are 

interested in such as being part of a multicultural 

society and maintaining one’s reputation at school. 

I would very much recommend Everyone’s Thinking 

It to teenagers and secondary schools. 

Luise Hocke 

Roberts, Alice 

Wolf Road 


pp320, £14.99, 9781398521339 

Adventure. Prehistory. Animals 

Set in a prehistoric ice age, this 

beautifully written, beautifully 

presented novel is the work of an acclaimed 

academic, author, and broadcaster, who draws 

on her own research to provide an authentic 

background to an enthralling adventure story. The 

heroine, Tuuli (12) sets off with her tribe travelling 

through the seasons, facing countless dangers from 

both climate and wild animals. 

Differences in Iifestyle between her community and 

today’s world are obvious, but even more striking 

are the similarities: rivalries, friendships, variations 

in character and personality are very familiar. Life, 

both human and animal, evolves physiologically, 

environments evolve, but human nature retains its 

basic features. Tuuli’s father, Remi, for example, 

seeing ‘a unique creative spark’ in human beings 

believed in innovation and improvement, while her 

mother wants things to remain unchanged. Remi 

recognised that objects could mean more than their 

utilitarian value. Abounding in wise reflections – 

‘Sadness can drag a person under the ice as surely 

as any river’ – this is a valuable acquisition enhanced 

by Keith Robinson’s extremely beautiful and 

evocative illustrations. 

Elizabeth Finlayson 

Shea, Jamison 

I Feed Her to the Beast 

and the Beast Is Me 


9781471414862 

Ballet. Horror. Myths 

What would you sacrifice to 

achieve your ultimate dream? Shea’s harrowing 

and horrifying novel asks a simple question but 

the answer, it appears, is far more complicated. 

We follow Laure, a black ballerina trapped in the 

relentlessly unjust and partisan world of ballet. A 

world where hard work and talent mean little, and 

wealth and connections mean everything. Pushed 

to the brink of despair, Laure journeys into the 

catacombs beneath Paris and strikes a deal with 

a primordial river of blood named Acheron. In a 

monkey’s paw-esque transaction, Laure’s world 

becomes dominated with violence, blood, and 

murder. Laure is willing to sacrifice everything – 

her friends, her autonomy, and ultimately her 

sanity – to achieve her dream. Fans of horror 

and monsters will enjoy Shea’s twist on Grecian 

and mythic elements. What’s more, fans of ballet 

will appreciate Shea’s appreciation and in-depth 

knowledge of the art form. 

Ben Lunn 


65

Books: 13 – 16 

Song, K. X. 

An Echo in the City 


9780861547388 

Family. Belonging. Love 

This is the perfect book for anyone 

who enjoys the star-crossed lovers 

trope. Set in Hong Kong, it tells the story of Phoenix 

and Kai falling in love to the backdrop of the 2019 

protests. Both characters are living their life on other 

people’s terms. Phoenix is set to follow her parent’s 

dreams of attending Yale and Kai is moving away 

from art to becoming a police officer in an attempt 

to appease his father. 

This is a story of love, hope, and 

community, showing that love can grow even when 

the lead protagonists are on opposite sides of a 

protest. Both protagonists feel the weight of family 

expectations. Phoenix has grown up between Hong 

Kong and America and is effectively torn between 

the two. She doesn’t feel any connection to either 

place until she attends the protests. Kai comes from 

a less affluent background, has lost his mother, 

and is attempting to connect with his father. After a 

mix up with their mobile phones, Kai finds a way to 

infiltrate the protests but falls in love instead. Can a 

relationship built on lies and deception really have 

any chance of survival? 

Erica Dean 

Wallman, Sue 

Every Word a Lie 

Scholastic, 2023, pp312, £8.99, 

9780702324062 

Mystery. Social Media. Thriller 

Amy, Hollie, Stan, and Aden 

have been friends throughout 

secondary school. Hollie is the outgoing, daring 

one, playing harmless pranks on the others, so when 

she signs up Stan and Amy for litter picking they are 

not surprised. Whilst they do their eco duty, they 

consider how they can repay Hollie. An opportunity 

occurs when Stan’s mum secures a job and is 

handed the logins to the social media accounts of 

a local teen tennis star on whom Hollie has a crush. 

When Stan gets hold of the logins they catfish Hollie 

by setting up a date at the nearby park. But when 

this goes horribly wrong, they immediately feel very 

guilty and blame themselves. 

Thankfully Amy comes clean to the police to avoid 

being immersed in a whole web of lies but then Amy 

starts to receive creepy messages from the account. 

Is a real catfisher finding other targets, and if so, 

who is behind this? 

Sue Wallman has written another teen thriller where 

everyone suspects everyone else and anything 

is possible. 

Dawn Woods 

Wellington, Joelle 

Their Vicious Games 


9780241590553 

Racism. Classism. Aspiration 

The heroine, Adina, recounts her 

experience as a student, funded 

by scholarship, at Edgewater Academy, a school for 

the very rich in Massachusetts. Highly intelligent, 

Adina has everything going for her except one 

major disadvantage: Adina is not only Black but, 

unlike her friend Toni who is also Black, she comes 

from a working-class suburb. She soon comes to 

realise that ‘there is no place for me here, and there 

never was’. To survive she knows she must never 

make a mistake and she never does, except for one 

momentous occasion when she becomes involved 

in an altercation with Esme, daughter of a highly 

influential family. Overnight Adina’s acceptance by 

Yale is withdrawn and she is blacklisted by all other 

Ivy League institutions. Initially distraught, Adina 

earns her happy ending and in the process acquires 

knowledge and experience which will potentially be 

of value in her future life. 

A lengthy read, this book focusses on several 

important themes – racism, classism, sexism – and 

their consequent inequalities. Inspirational, too, in 

terms of aspiration and determination to succeed. 


Bissett, Alan 

Lads: A Guide to 

Respect and Consent 

Wren & Rock, 2023, pp199, £9.99, 

9781526365026 

Respect. Relationships. Behaviour 


A worthy attempt at addressing 

an important issue in society today. This paperback 

uses a variety of font sizes and typefaces to 

eradicate any stuffiness in an attempt to attract 

teenage readers to read what is a challenging and 

potentially embarrassing subject. 

Aimed primarily at teenage boys, it speaks to them 

‘bloke to bloke’ in a chatty style. ‘Don’t be that 

guy’ Alan Bissett exclaims throughout the text. 

Exclamation marks abound and rhetorical questions 

demand self-awareness. 

The subject matter is important, covering flirting, 

pornography, locker room talk, objectification 

and ways one can recognise toxic masculinity 

and develop the ability to call it out. The changing 

values in society, the long-overdue developing 

self-confidence of young women, alongside 

the ever-present internet have led to a loss of 

understanding around social behaviours, etiquette 

(such an old-fashioned word) and decency. This 

book really does try to address many of these issues. 

As a resource for parents, teachers, and youth 

workers, I highly recommend it. 

Janet Sims 

Royal Botanic Gardens, 

Kew 

Fungarium: Welcome 

to the Museum 

Illustrated by Katie Scott and Ester 

Gaya 

Big Picture Press, 2023, pp64, £9.99, 

9781800784239 Fungi. Plants. Nature 

This pocket-sized version from the large-sized 

series Welcome to the Museum, is very attractive. I 

prefer it to the larger original, as it will fit easily on 

a library shelf, although the 2020 chunkier version 

has greater visual impact. The information is almost 

as detailed but there is less of it. The illustrations 

are stunningly clear, colourful, and informative, 

in an old-fashioned, scientific-drawing style. The 

complexity of the language, with sections listing 

the major groups, sexual and asexual reproduction 

details, mathematical measurement terms and the 

Latin names, makes this a recommendation for 13+ 

but under 13s might love studying the colourful 

illustrations and captioned diagrams. The book 

includes edible and poisonous fungi, talking about 

their history and the impact of studying their DNA, 

which has led to the discovery of even more species 

across the world, including the UK. At the end there 

is a detailed index, glossary, further information, 

and museum links. Fungi are fascinating organisms, 

closer to animals than plants, large and tiny, and this 

book provides a worthy, short introduction to them. 

Lucy Chambers 

Légère, Julie and 

Whyte, Elsa 

Secrets of the Vampire: 

A Supernatural 

Sourcebook of Our 

Legend and Lore 

Illustrated by Laura Pérez Granell 

Wide Eyed Editions, 2023, pp76, £14.99, 9780711285064 

Vampires. Folklore. Supernatural 

This handsomely produced book about vampires, 

first published in France, purports to be written by 

a vampire who has grown tired of hunting mortals 

and is trying authorship instead. (Interestingly, the 

illustrator and second author describe themselves 

as witches in the publicity materials.) It’s packed with 

information about the history of the vampire myth, 

covering medieval, Renaissance and Enlightenment 

contributions to the legend. It brings the topic up to 

date with profiles of modern vampire films (though no 

mention of Hammer Horror?). Attractive illustrations 

on every page mostly stick to a muted greyscale 

palette, with details of (of course) blood red. 

This book would make a great gift for an able 

reader interested in the supernatural. The text is 

quite sophisticated, with a wide vocabulary suited 

to advanced key stage 3 students. The page design 

makes use of white-on-black text, as well as headings 

in Gothic font, which means it’s not plain sailing for 

lower-ability readers. There is a useful glossary; I think 

an index would have been helpful, too. 

Anna Quick 

66 


Books: 17 – 19 

Arnold, David 

I Loved You in Another 

Life 


9781471414329 

Love. Grief. Family 

This novel which comes with a 

health warning – it ‘contains references to panic 

attacks and alcoholism’ – is a story of teenage love. 

The narrative opens with the protagonists, Evan and 

Shosh, being deflected from their exciting personal 

plans by major life experiences. Evan has to come 

to terms with both his father leaving the family for 

another woman and his mother being diagnosed 

with cancer. In addition he has a younger brother 

who is neurodivergent and of whom he is very 

fond and protective. Shosh resorts to alcoholism to 

assuage the grief of losing a dearly loved sister, who 

is also her best friend, as a result of a road accident. 

They are united by a song which only they can hear. 

The fact that the author is a musician and composer 

may account for the lyrical quality of the writing 

coexisting with very strongly worded teenage 

dialogue. The storyline moves from contemporary 

Britain to plague-ridden Paris (1832), to Tokyo 

(1953), to Oslo (2019) as Evan and Shosh re-emerge 

in previous existences. A challenging structure 

which is handled extremely well. 


Casale, Alexia 

Sing If You Can’t Dance 

Faber & Faber, 2023, pp332, £8.99, 

9780571373802 

Disability. Relationships. Romance 

Ven is confident in herself, has 

great plans to dance with her 

dance group she drives to work hard, then at a 

crucial point on an important stage she collapses. 

In hospital, Ven discovers that she has a medical 

condition which makes even walking painful, with 

her joints becoming dislocated easily. Ven is as 

angry with herself as she is with others who pity her. 

But she has to perform somehow for schoolwork, 

so reluctantly turns to singing although she is 

talented there too. Then she sees the new boy – 

really sees the new boy – through his scars even 

though he attempts to hide behind his hair. Ren 

too is struggling to adjust to his new life with family 

problems at home. There are female friendships and 

rivalries and blooming love depicted, all while Ven 

learns to manage her constant pain and frustration. 

This is realistic and positive and a great read. 

Dawn Woods 

Conaghan, Brian 

Treacle Town 

Andersen Press, 2023, pp304, £8.99, 

9781839133619 

Tragedy. Gang Warfare. Deprivation 


An eye-opener into a world of 

gang warfare, unemployment, 

and tragic death. A town that traps young people 

unless they have enough talent, money, and the 

will to leave. This moving novel opens at Connor’s 

mate’s funeral and explores his friends and families 

hopes and fears. His deceased friend’s mum does 

not want any more deaths or violence, Nails wants 

to find her way out through sport, but Trig wants 

revenge. When Connor discovers a poetry slam 

group in Glasgow, he begins to see the world 

through the eyes of other poets and starts realising 

there is a way out for him and his friends if they are 

willing to take it. The powerful prose is interspersed 

in parts with engaging slam poetry. The characters 

bring the town to life and are so realistic that you 

could imagine them walking down the street. This 

is a book that should be read by older teenagers 

as it will give them an understanding of what life is 

really like in the ‘Treacle Town’ lookalikes that exist 

throughout the UK. 

Judith Palka 

Dean, Benjamin 

How to Die Famous 

Forbes, Jonathan 

Transitus 

POETRY 

Fox, Simon 

Deadlock 


pp368, £8.99, 9781398512573 

Relationships. Toxicity. 

Manipulation 

Abel Miller has landed a lead part 

in the reboot of teen drama Sunset 

High. He arrives in Hollywood and is catapulted into 

the spotlight with the other stars, Ella Winter, Ryan 

Hudson, and Lucky Tate. Unknown to the others, 

Abel has an ulterior motive. He wants answers. And 

he wants justice for the death of his brother. Abel 

has a partnership in place with a celebrity journalist 

and they intend to expose the dark secrets of the 

Sunset High production company Omnificent. 

Abel soon discovers that the reality of Hollywood 

and Sunset High is darker and more dangerous 

than he could ever have imagined. He sees at first 

hand the effect that manipulation and control 

have on the other stars. The toxicity of Hollywood 

and the machinations of the PR people are blown 

wide open. 

This is a fast-paced young adult thriller with an 

epilogue that will leave you stunned. 

Ellen Krajewski 

Amazon, 2023, pp90, £7.95, 

9798850857042 

Journey. Time. Visions 

In Christian eschatology, ‘Transitus’ 

is the passage between death 

and eternal life. Through this enigmatic collection, 

beautifully illustrated by the poet, we follow 

Gilliam’s similar journey in a sequence of short 

poems designed to be read as a narrative. A major 

theme is the illusory nature of time and experience, 

expressed in mystical terms: ‘One is the other 

and the other one. Thus it ends as it began’, and 

philosophical: ‘Life as you perceive it is merely a 

collection of events … bound in human constructs.’ 

The collection begins where it ends, in water, 

and the journey along the way is signposted with 

recurring images which the reader must keep in 

mind. References to change occur throughout, and 

‘all things end. Then begin’, even if ‘the beginning 

and the end are much the same’. The fatalistic poem 

‘Sequence’ recognises ‘the obvious biological 

imperative of your fecund nucleic acids’, and the 

last words of the collection are ‘Exit program. 

Okay’, before a surprising prose conclusion sends 

the reader back to the beginning. Intricate without 

being obscure, accessible without being obvious, 

enjoyable and stimulating. 

Frank Startup 


9781839944420 

Family. Corruption. Justice 

Deadlock is written in the first 

person of 13-year-old Archie Blake. 

His father is a detective inspector in the Metropolitan 

Police who has been arrested for stealing a valuable 

diamond necklace, and Archie recounts his struggle 

to clear his father’s name. 

He begins with little information, but he does have a 

list of names, which proves to be important. He also 

has his father’s warning to trust nobody, including 

the police. 

Despite a massive police search for him, Archie 

avoids capture, and his inquiries begin to yield 

results. However, he experiences many difficulties, 

including an attempt on his life. 

On several occasions the reader must suspend 

disbelief, such as when Archie disables the burglar 

alarm system in a jeweller’s shop in a matter of 

minutes. The unconvincing explanation given is that 

he supposedly learnt the necessary skills by playing 

competitive games with his father. 

Nevertheless, an interesting tale with several 

unexpected twists and an ending which clearly 

leaves room for a possible follow up volume. 

Martin Baggoley 


67

Books: 17 – 19 

Hill, Selima 

Women in Comfortable 

Shoes 

Bloodaxe Books, 2023, pp256, £12.99, 

9781780376677 

Boarders. Parents. Ageing 

This, from the first winner of 

The King’s Gold Medal for Poetry, is a constant 

delight, its eleven sections full of short pieces 

stripped back to essentials. The brevity and lack of 

complicated imagery heighten their poignancy and 

capacity to surprise, an aphoristic quality which 

provokes laughter – a father is ‘like God’, but ‘I 

imagine God to be more tolerant’ – and sympathy, 

as when a girl sent to convent school to give her 

mother a break says ‘the house my mother lives 

in is not suitable for little girls and so I’m living 

here’. Observation is precise: throughout there are 

portraits of strangers in various places containing 

worlds of impressionistic insight and startling 

images – a group of mothers in a swimming pool 

‘throwing rosy babies around like little parcels in a 

sorting office’. A central section deals powerfully 

with death and grief. Parents loom large, as does 

a love of swimming, while hamsters, rabbits, 

and potatoes weave through the collection in 

various guises. The sequences concerning life and 

relationships in boarding schools would particularly 

reward study by young adults. 

Frank Startup 

POETRY 

Ravinthiran, Vidyan 

and Seneviratne, Seni & 

Trevett, Shash (editors) 

Out of Sri Lanka: Tamil, 

Sinhala and English 

Poetry from Sri Lanka 

and Its Diasporas 

Bloodaxe Books, 2023, pp448, £14.99, 9781780376738 

Asia. History. Conflict 

As the ‘first ever anthology of Sri Lankan and 

diasporic poetry’, this collection, featuring over 

a hundred poets covering their history from 

independence in 1948 to the present day, is of 

huge importance. The introduction addresses 

‘the absence of Sri Lankan from both British and 

American understandings of what it means to 

be (South) Asian’. It begins with essays relating 

the turbulent history of Sri Lanka following 

independence in 1948, emerging from colonialist 

power into struggles for supremacy between 

factions leading to oppression, persecution, 

and civil war, with the Tamil people particularly 

suffering. The relationship between Tamil, Sinhalese 

and Anglophone is explained, but the collection 

is immersive and does not group poets into 

language sections. A vast range of subject matter 

is covered, from landscape-pastoral to the horrors 

of conflict. Valuable not just as a collection of 

admirable poetry, but also as a historical record, this 

should be on the shelf of every library. 

Frank Startup 

POETRY 

Sullivan, Deirdre 

Wise Creatures 


9781471411205 

Ghosts. Family. Trauma 

Daisy is not normal, no matter 

how much she wishes she were. 

Since she was a toddler, she has been able to hear 

‘Their’ voices, telling her the truth. For years now, 

since a traumatic car accident tore her family apart, 

she has been able to ignore Them. However, when 

her cousin Nina starts complaining about ghosts 

haunting her, Daisy fears They may be returning. 

Wise Creatures is a gripping story about secrets, 

spirits, family, and friendship. It makes you question 

what it means to be haunted and how much it is 

right to give up to help the people you love. While it 

is a thoroughly enjoyable book, readers should be 

aware that it covers difficult topics such as the death 

of a parent and sexual relationships between minors 

and adults, which some may find upsetting. 

Matt Cowie 

Takayanagi, Mari and 

Hallam Smith, Elizabeth 

Necessary Women: 

The Untold Story of 

Parliament’s Working 

Women 

The History Press, 2023, pp288, 

£22.00, 9781803990156 

Women. History. Politics 

Spanning the period from around 1800 to 1960, 

Necessary Women tells the untold stories of the 

women who have worked behind the scenes in 

Parliament. From an orange seller in the Old Palace 

of Westminster in 1792, to library workers in the 

1950s, the book spans a wide variety of roles and 

social classes. It is sure to be of interest to those who 

are interested in social history as well as those who 

are more specifically interested in women’s history 

or UK political history. Interestingly, the Commons 

Library was one of the trailblazing employers of 

women in the immediate post-war period! 

Obviously well researched, the book contains 

an extensive sources list and further reading 

suggestions for each chapter. Despite the academic 

nature of the text, it is far from a dry read thanks to 

its accessible style of writing. It is possible to dip in 

and out, and the chapters do not have to be read 

in chronological order. There are some black and 

white illustrations in each chapter and eight pages of 

coloured plates. 

Shona Page 

Turnbull, Lindsay 

Biology: 

The Whole Story 

Illustrated by Cécile Girardin 


£24.99, 9781788451932 

Biology. Evolution. Life 

This substantial book (304 pages) is too good to 

be confined to schools. Author Lindsay Turnbull, 

Associate Professor of Plant Sciences at Oxford, tells 

the story of life as the fascinating narrative that it 

is. Life is indeed a story, running from the time of a 

lifeless earth to today’s huge diversity – chemistry 

and physics just can’t compete in terms of a yarn to 

spin. Too many textbooks manage to make biology 

dull, and this book is the perfect antidote. It’s not a 

history of science, but a progress from simple life 

(bacteria) to complex life (plants and animals), and 

thence to modern ecological concepts. The first 

chapter rightly covers the crucial role of DNA, from 

which all else flows. 

The reading level is fairly high, and I would 

recommend this book to an able key stage 3 or 

4 reader, a sixth former or an adult who wishes 

to know more about biology, from the basics up 

to the latest fundamental discoveries. Attractive 

illustrations throughout clarify information given in 

the text. I wish this book the success it deserves! 

Anna Quick 

Waldron, Mark 

A Straight Up Giant 

Bloodaxe Books, 2023, pp112, 

£12.00, 9781780376691 

Humour. Fairytales. Surreal 

Early in this collection comes 

‘Eleven Grim Tales’ referencing 

fairy stories, one beginning ‘time a upon once’, 

which encapsulates the world-turned-upside-down 

quality of Waldron’s verse. While we recognise 

princesses and peas, woodman princes and 

‘chinny chin chin’, the contexts and details are 

surreal. Absurdities and paradoxes are abundant: 

cows working on building sites, ‘a rollup stuck to the 

bottom lip like an inch of smouldering straw’, whales 

rising through asphalt and a strangely chilling piece 

beginning ‘when you were dead you were not alive 

so life must have slipped inside you’. Elsewhere, 

there is the sexuality of the Marcie sequence and 

anger at the destruction of the familiar: ‘toerags 

have taken the citadel … the town dismantled brick 

by brick’, which morphs into violation of the poet’s 

life and work, ‘hammers chipping away at what 

roots my stuff to the ground’. The collection is 

punctuated by short prose passages which lead to a 

shocking record of bereavement, making the reader 

reflect on all that has gone before, leaving us on 

the Hackney Marshes while the ‘old sun hung still a 

while longer’. 

Frank Startup 

POETRY 

68 


Books: 17 – 19 

Myths 


Avery, Annaliese 

The Immortal Games 

Scholastic, 2023, 400pp, £8.99, 

9780702306099 

Dystopia. Fantasy. Romance 

Ara is chosen as Hades’ Token for the 

Immortal Games where she seeks 

revenge on Zeus for allowing her 

sister to die in a previous games. 

Bear, Lauren J. A. 

Medusa’s Sisters 

Titan Books, 2023, 352pp, £8.99, 

9781803364728 

Conflict. Fantasy. Siblings 

Everyone knows Medusa, but she 

had two sisters who also have their 

own stories, albeit reimagined in 

Bear’s novel. 

Burton, Jessie 

Medusa 

Bloomsbury, 2023, 224pp, £8.99, 

9781526662408 

Families. Fantasy. Myths & Legends 

A twist on the Medusa myth, of the 

ill-fated love between the cursed 

Medusa and mysterious Perseus. 

Corr, Katharine & 

Corr, Elizabeth 

Queen of Gods 

Series: House of Shadows 

Hot Key Books, 2023, 352pp, £8.99, 

9781471411281 

Ancient Greeks. Fantasy. Myths & 

Legends 

To save the one she loves Deina has 

bound herself to the Underworld and 

a future of darkness. 

Dawson, Juno 

Her Majesty’s 

Royal Coven 


9780008478544 

Fantasy. Myths & Legends. Witches 

First in a series centred around a 

secret government agency tasked 

to protect Britain from supernatural 

threats by use of magic. 

Fitzgerald, Bea 

Girl, Goddess, Queen 

Penguin, 2023, 496pp, £14.99, 

9780241624272 

Fantasy. Historical. Romance 

Retells the Greek legend of Hades 

and Persephone from the perspective 

of Persephone as she seeks to 

escape an arranged marriage by her 

father, Zeus. 

Johnson, Alaya Dawn 

The Library of 

Broken Worlds 


9780008612351 

Dystopia. Fantasy. Myths & Legends 

As daughter of a Library God, Freida 

thinks she knows the library layout 

until she takes on an ancient war god 

to avoid full scale conflict. 

Roberts, Ellie Mackin 

Heroines of Olympus: 

The Women of Greek 

Mythology 

Welbeck, 2023, 208pp, £10.99, 

9781802795233 

Ancient Greeks. Classics. Feminism 

Fifty well-known and lesserknown 

names offering the female 

perspective of tales with which we 

are familiar. 


69

Books: Professional 

Chatterley, Graham 

Changing Perceptions: 

Deciphering the 

Language of Behaviour 

Crown House Publishing, 2023, 

pp240, £19.99, 9781785836756 

Professional Development. Trauma- 

Informed Practice. Behaviour 

This excellent book delves deep into the psychology 

of children’s behaviour through a trauma-informed 

and inclusive lens. The author’s experience in 

responding to challenging behaviour is very 

enlightening and he gives concrete strategies which 

work in both primary and secondary settings, 

alongside case studies which are truly moving. 

The book is informed by a wealth of research – 

Bomber, Dix, Golding, Perry, Siegel, and Van Der Kolk 

to name but a few – much of which I’ve read, but I also 

learnt new things from Graham and have highlighted 

many passages to quote; this is a book to return to 

again and again. His practical and compassionate 

approach combined with his accessible style makes 

this book stand out; it is both a practical manual and a 

clear statement of a pedagogical philosophy. 

Changing Perceptions is essential reading for all 

teachers at any stage in their careers, and will help 

create schools which are truly inclusive, safe, and 

happy places. If schools wish to be transformational 

for the young people in their care, this is an 

excellent place to start. Inspiring! 

Jo Sennitt 

Cowley, Sue 

How to Survive Your 

First Year in Teaching: 

Fully Updated for the 

Early Career Framework 

Bloomsbury Education, 2023, pp208, 

£20.00, 9781801991834 

Teaching. School. Strategies 

This really is a useful book! Cowley writes as one 

who knows the manifold difficulties, challenges, 

and the unexpected when entering the real world of 

teaching; she outlines many carefully thought-out 

strategies to support the newly qualified teacher, 

now called Early Career Teacher (ECT). She does 

indeed ‘expertly distil[s] every high-impact practical 

strategy’ (Dr Ennion, reviewer) but describes the 

challenges in a way that ECTs will recognise in the 

situations they face themselves – it will help them 

feel they are not alone and there are sensible ways 

to tackle the realities that work. This is a wellconstructed, 

easy to read and digest handbook. 

Thoroughly recommended, and this edition has 

been updated – this will be a useful addition for 

ECTs in any school context. 


Hutchinson, Elizabeth 

and Toerien, Darryl 

Making School 

Libraries Integral to 

the Education Process 

School Library Association, 2023, 

pp43, £15.00, 9781911222309 

IFLA Guidelines. Practical. School 

Libraries 

Hutchinson and Toerien provide a clear and 

accessible overview to the IFLA School Library 

Guidelines which are of use to every school 

librarian. Their text allows for a closer reading 

of the key aspects that these guidelines explore 

from a school library’s mission and purpose to 

its resourcing and activities. Each of the different 

guideline chapter groupings are examined through 

selected extracts from the executive summaries 

and recommendations, followed by observations 

on this material. These observations help to place 

the guidance in a practical context in addition to 

providing points for further consideration and 

exploration. A very useful text to help assist any 

school librarian in implementing these guidelines 

in their own school setting as well as leading 

conversations with senior management around 

library provision which, in the current educational 

climate, is especially pertinent. 

Ella Taylor 

Macfarlane, Rachel 

Unity in Diversity: 

Achieving Structural 

Race Equity in Schools 

Routledge, 2023, pp226, £16.99, 

9781032230160 

Diversity. Racism. CPD 

Though many of the initiatives require senior staff 

buy-in, this is a wealth of information beneficial 

and useful for all school staff. Section 1 looks at the 

evidence of race inequality within education via facts 

and hard data; section 2 considers the development 

of racial literacy and safe spaces including 

addressing language, biases, and stereotypes; 

section 3 investigates how to diversify and 

decolonise the curriculum and why this is important; 

and section 4 deals with underrepresentation on 

staff and boards. Each chapter is well referenced, 

with strategies underpinned by research. There 

are numerous case studies from across all school 

sectors, and activities and reflections to engage the 

reader engendering them to consider both the text 

and next steps. The mix of theories and exercises 

support both learning and reflection. School libraries 

and librarians – and the important role they can play 

in race awareness and education – were mentioned. 

Very readable and relatable, with a wealth of ideas 

to consider – an excellent book that deserves to be 

in every school staff library as a tool for addressing 

institutional racism. 

Barbara Band 

Paramour, Zoe 

The Writing Book: 

How to Develop Young 

Writers 

Illustrated by Timothy Paramour 

Bloomsbury Education, 2023, pp176, 

£20.00, 9781801991452 

English. Literacy. Writing 

Nobody wants writing by children and young 

people to become formulaic, but we do need to 

find ways of encouraging them to write well with 

as much originality as possible. And this accessible, 

useful book is full of ideas for doing exactly that. It’s 

also practical, with lots of exercises which can be 

presented as enjoyable. There’s a whole chapter on 

techniques for varying sentence length and another 

on direct and reported speech with ideas and advice 

which would inform anyone’s writing at any age. 

Informed by decades of teaching, the authors even 

point how the dreaded fronted adverbial can be 

used to vary word order – as I did at the beginning 

of this sentence. Even the chapter on literary devices 

is fun. Yes, we can call anaphora repetition if we 

prefer, and triplication is a handy thing for a young 

writer to be aware of. The book covers a wide range 

of writing genres, including poetry, drama, and 

non-fiction as well as fiction, and the examples 

are strong. 

Susan Elkin 

Woods, Dawn 

Establishing a Primary 


School Library Association, 2023, 

pp63, £15.00, 9781911222293 

Development. Direction. 

Guidance. 

Establishing a Primary School Library is an invaluable 

resource to anyone who is starting out as a primary 

school librarian, or who is wanting to put forward 

a case for a school library to school leaders. It pulls 

together evidence, research, and data to support 

the undeniable fact that a school library is not only 

desirable, but necessary in primary settings. It also 

provides guidance on every aspect of the process; 

from building a room to choosing bookshelves, 

to stocking those shelves, to planning the library’s 

output. The booklet gives templates for school 

paperwork such as development plans or funding 

requests, as well as games and activities that can 

be used, and where to find resources, ideas or 

support – with information that can be picked out 

as required or adapted for a number of settings and 

contexts. The best thing that this publication does, 

however, is answer the head-scratching questions of 

“where on earth do I start?” and “how do I actually 

make that happen?”. 

Rebecca Campling 

70 


Article Index for 2023 

AI 

Robot Wars – The Unleashing of Information Literacy 

ii 12 

The Opportunities that AI Presents for School 

Librarians iii 26 

Enhancing Educational Experiences: How Can 

Generative AI Tools Support School Librarians? 

iii 30 

Collecting Our Thoughts about AI iv 14 

Awards 

SLA Awards 2023 iii 10 

Pupil Library Assistant of the Year 2023: 

Megan Urmston iv 13 

Careers 

Moving from Primary to Secondary i 10 

COVID 

Rejuvenating the School Library after COVID ii 8 

Copyright 

Review: The Education Platform from the Copyright 

Licensing Agency iii 28 

Cross curricular 

Social Media Accounts – Spanish i 30 

Story Writing Club iv 26 

Three from YouTube – Drama i 31 

Three Websites – Computing i 32 

Using Drama to Inspire Young People i 14 

Cultural Diversity 

Inclusive Books for Children iv 31 

Using Fairy Tales to Celebrate Cultural Diversity iv 18 

Digital 

Anton Primary School Learning App ii 28 

Begin with Canva by Kojo Hazel iv 28 

BookTok Book Awards iii 33 

Canva Updates by Bev Humphrey iv 29 

Digital Empowering Educational Creativity with 

Adobe Express iii 24 

EdTech Horizons i 29, ii 29 

Features of Genially: A Comprehensive Tool for 

Teachers and Students ii 24 

Future of EdTech: Future Opportunities for Education 

Technology in England, Government Report June 

2022 ii 26 

How to … Use Flip – The Video Discussion Tool That 

Opens Up the Classroom i 27 

Made By Dyslexia Online Training ii 35 

Remus Magazine Review ii 35 

Review: Booklet iii 32 

Review: The Island of Brilliant iii 28 

Safer Internet Day 2024 iv 31 

Engagement 

Escape the Library iv 20 

Illustrators 

Social Media Accounts and Hashtags: 

Illustrators iii 27 

YouTube – Illustrators iii 38 

Induction 

Three from YouTube – Induction and New School 

Settings iii 34 

OFSTED: ‘Now the whole school is reading’ i 8 

Neurodiversity 

Supporting Neurodiversity iv 10 

Media and Information Literacy 

Behind the Headlines: Media Literacy Activities and 

Resources for Librarians i 28 

Libertas Veritas: Freedom and Truth i 26 

Media and Information Literacy Alliance ii 16, iii 20 

Why an SLA Member Needs to Write a Book About 

Media Literacy i 12 

Poetry 

A Tribute in Poetry: “Keeping up with the Librarians” 

By Karl Nova i 22 

Pupil Library Assistants 

Pupil Library Assistant of the Year 2023: 

Megan Urmston iv 13 

Reading 

A Community World Book Day: Hosting a World 

Book Day Festival for All of the Schools in 

Our Trust iii 6 

Closing the Reading Gap through Literacy 

Support iii 36 

Inclusive Books for Children iv 31 

Inspiring Teachers to Read for Pleasure i 6 

Just 6 Minutes iv 8 

Klaus Flugge Prize Shortlist iv 33 

OFSTED: ‘Now the whole school is reading’ i 8 

Reading Leader Initiative ii 6 

Summer Reading/Reading Role Models on Social 

Media ii 30 

Research 

Research Highlights i 18, ii 15, iii 14, iv 25 

Unequal Futures: An Imbalance of Opportunities ii 5 

Storytime in School Research by Farshore ii 22 

Love to Read: Six Principles to Promote Reading for 

Pleasure iii 6 

Role of the School Library 

Between the Library and the Classroom i 18, ii 15, 

iii 20, iv 25 

Benefits of a Bilingual School Library iv 6 

Safeguarding 

Crossing the Line: The County Lines Pandemic iii 5 

Sixth Form i 5 

Transition 

Three from YouTube – Transition ii 32 

Wellbeing 

Wellbeing in the School Library ii 10 

Just 6 Minutes iv 8 

Writing 

A Short Story Winner: “A Crime for Your Community” 

By Florence Byrne i 25 

Curriculum Links: Story Writing Club iv 26 

Authors 

Anderson, Sophie iv 18 

Bavington, Jo i 10 

Bowler, Tim ii 14 

Brennan, Rachael ii 10 

Campling, Rebecca iv 20 

Chambers, Lucy i 19, iii 15, iv 24 

Cox, Andrew iv 14 

David, Alison ii 22 

Davis, Lucy iii 6 

Dawson, Julie ii 6 

de Rancourt, Bénédicte iv 6 

Edmonds, Olivia i 5 

Fisher, Tia iii 5 

France, Derek iv 10 

Gerver, Richard i 16, ii 17, iii 16, iv 5 

Khalil, Beth iv 34 

MacGloin, Niamh ii 8 

McDougall, Julian i 12 

McGeown, Sarah iii 8 

O’Hanlon, Jacqui i 14 

Pavey, Sarah ii 12 

Smith, Rebecca i 6 

Stack, Catherine iv 8 

Tarrant, Alison ii 5 

Viner, Jonathan iv 35 

Books: Review Index 

Page numbers in italics indicate a book that features 

in the Editor’s Picks highlight box on that page. 

A 

Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi – Mama’s Sleeping Scarf 36 

Agee, Jon – I Want a Dog 36 

Ainsworth, Eve – Finding Her Feet 48 

Albert, Sònia – The Repair Shop Craft Book: 

Over 30 Creative Crafts for Children (The Repair Shop) 58 

Alméras, Gaëlle – Super Space Weekend Adventures in 

Astronomy (Science Adventure Club) 58 

Amoore, Nat – Secrets of a Rebel Rockstar 48 

Anderson, Sophie – The Snow Girl 48 

Arnold, David – I Loved You in Another Life 67 

Aston, Dianna – A Beetle Is Shy & A Shell Is Cozy 58 

Auld, Mary – Small Speckled Egg (Start Small, Think Big) 36 

Avery, Annaliese – The Immortal Games 69 

Aziz, Christine – The Kingdom of Broken Magic 48 

B 

Baddiel, David – Only Children: Three Hilarious Short Stories 48 

Baitie, Elizabeth-Irene – Crossing the Stream 48 

Balen, Katya – Nightjar 49 

Barnes, Luci Gorell, Jones, Verity, McEwen, Lindsey and 

Webber, Amanda – Learning to Live with Fog Monsters 58 

Barr, Catherine – The Tigers’ Tale 58 

Barr, Catherine and Williams, Steve – The Story of 

Conservation: A First Book About Protecting Nature 58 

Barr, Emily – This Summer’s Secrets 63 

Bates, Amy June – The Welcome Home 39 

Bates, Laura – Sisters of Sword and Shadow 63 

Bear, Lauren J. A. – Medusa’s Sisters 69 

Bedoyere, Camilla de la – Size Wise: From Colossal Squids 

to Snowflakes, a Life-Sized Look at Nature 59 

Beech, Lucy & Chernyshova, Anna – Pick a Pet 39 

Beever, Alexandra – How to Be a Detective and Other Crime- 

Fighting Jobs (How to Be a …) 36 

Benjamin, Floella – Keep Smiling 36 

Bernard, Dr Thomas and Moss, Lisa – SuperQuesters: 

The Case of the Great Energy Robbery 49 

Bilan, Jasbinder – Calling the Whales 49 

Bissett, Alan – Lads: A Guide to Respect and Consent 66 

Blake, Kendare – Champion of Fate 63 

Boyce, Frank Cottrell – The Wonder Brothers 49 

Broadbent, Rick – Super Sports Stars Who Are Changing the 

Game (People Power) 59 

Broadbent, Rick & Mostov, Alexander – Super Sports Stars 

Who Are Changing the Game 51 


71

Books: Review Index 

Bunting, Philip – The World’s Most Atrocious Animals (Quirky 

Creatures) 59 

Burton, Jessie – Medusa 69 

C 

Cameron, Sophie – Away With Words 49 

Carcione, Eibhlís – Welcome to Dead Town, Raven McKay 49 

Casale, Alexia – Sing If You Can’t Dance 67 

Chatterley, Graham – Changing Perceptions: Deciphering 

the Language of Behaviour 70 

Colfer, Eoin – Little Big Sister 36 

Conaghan, Brian – Treacle Town 67 

Corr, Katharine & Corr, Elizabeth – Queen of Gods 69 

Cowley, Sue – How to Survive Your First Year in Teaching: 

Fully Updated for the Early Career Framework 70 

Cox, Beth and Meredith, Samantha – All Bodies Are 

Wonderful: An Inclusive Guide for Talking About You 59 

D 

Dalvand, Reza – I Have the Right: An Affirmation of the 

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 37 

Daniels, Sarah – The Exiled 63 

Dassu, A. M. – Kicked Out: A Boy, Everywhere Story 50 

Dave, Raksha – Lessons from Our Ancestors 59 

Davey, Owen – Can I Come Too? 37 

Davidson, Susanna – Izzy the Inventor and the Unexpected 

Unicorn 50 

Davidson, Susanna – King Charles III 

(Young Reading Series) 59 

Davies, Nicola – The Song That Sings Us 50 

Dawson, Juno – Her Majesty’s Royal Coven 69 

Day, Elizabeth – Failosophy for Teens: A Handbook for 

When Things Go Wrong 65 

Dean, Benjamin – How to Die Famous 67 

Docherty, Thomas – Into the Wild 37 

Doerrfeld, Cori – Beneath 37 

Donaldson, Julia – Who Lives Here? 37 

Draper, Judith – Ava Loves Rescuing Animals 39 

My First Horse and Pony Book: From Breeds and Bridles to 

Jodhpurs and Jumping 39 

Duggan, Helena – Search for the Black Mirror 

(The Light Thieves) 50 

Dunning, Jan – Mirror Me 63 

E 

Edmanson, Harry – The Diabetic Dinosaur 37 

Elman, Michelle & Tomate, Sara – How to Say No 65 

F 

Faber, Polly – Special Delivery: A Book’s Journey Around 

the World 38 

Faturoti, Rachel – The Boy in the Smoke 50 

Fayers, Claire – Tapper Watson and the Quest for the 

Nemo Machine 50 

Findlay, Rhiannon – Don’t Disturb the Dragon 38 

Fitzgerald, Bea – Girl, Goddess, Queen 69 

Forbes, Jonathan – Transitus 67 

Forshaw, Louise – Scotland, Then and Now: 

Lift the Flap, See the Past 38 

Fox, Simon – Deadlock 67 

G 

Glazer, Anya – The Selfish Crab 38 

Gold, Hannah – Finding Bear 51 

Goodfellow, Matt – The Final Year 51 

Gravett, Emily – 10 Dogs 38, 39 

Gray, Catriona – The Spirit Snatcher 51 

Gray, Keith – The Den 52 

Grist, Mark – Rhinos Don’t Cry 38 

Grylls, Bear – You vs the World: The Bear Grylls Guide to 

Never Giving Up 65 

Guglielmo, Amy & Castro, Natalia Rojas – Frida Kahlo: 

She Painted Her World in Self-Portraits 51 

Guron, Ravena – Catch Your Death 63 

H 

Halligan, Katherine – National Theatre: Lola Saves the Show 39 

Hargrave, Kiran Millwood – In the Shadow of the Wolf 

Queen: Geomancer 52 

Harrison, Marvyn and Dope Black Dads – The Best Me! 39 

Harrold, A. F and Conlon, Dom – Welcome to Wild Town 52 

Henrietta Price – Higgs, Esme – Jessie and the Star Rider 

(The Starlight Stables Gang) 52 

Hill, Selima – Women in Comfortable Shoes 68 

Hoffman, Wakanyi – Sala, Mountain Warrior 39 

Hogtun, Stephen – Deep 40 

Holland, Michael – Smart Animals: Clever Creatures in the 

Animal Kingdom 60 

Howell, A. M. – Peril on the Atlantic (Mysteries at Sea) 52 

Humphreys, Alastair – Against the Odds 60 

Hutchinson, Elizabeth and Toerien, Darryl – Making School 

Libraries Integral to the Education Process 70 

J 

Jacobs, Robin – The Mellons Build a House 52 

Johnson, Alaya Dawn – The Library of Broken Worlds 69 

Jones, Andy – Bob vs the Trousers of Doom 53 

Jones, Naomi – Thunderboots 40 

Julian, Sean – Between Night and Day 40 

K 

Kaur, Sukhbinder – Is that Paras’ Turban? 40 

Keilty, Derek – Ivy Newt and the Time Thief 40 

Kim, Cheryl – Sky Brown: Skateboarding Phenomenon 51 

King, Rebecca – Ember Shadows and the Lost Desert of Time 

(Ember Shadows) 53 

Klassen, Jon – The Skull: 

A Tyrolean Folktale 53 

Knox, Xena – Sh!t Bag 64 

Kroon, Oskar – Rhubarb Lemonade 64 

Kyi, Tanya Lloyd – What Will I Discover? 40 

L 

Lake, Nick – The House with a Dragon in It 53 

Landman, Tanya, and Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft – 

Frankenstein: A Retelling 53 

Lawson, Liz and Glasgow, Kathleen – The Night in Question 64 

Lee, Suzy – The Shade Tree: Aldana Libros 41 

Légère, Julie and Whyte, Elsa – Secrets of the Vampire: A 

Supernatural Sourcebook of Our Legend and Lore 66 

Lerwill, Ben – Stone Age Beasts 60 

Lewis, Caryl – The Magician’s Daughter 53 

Lewis, Kayvion – Thieves’ Gambit 64 

Lindley, Jo – Hello Summer (Best Friends with Big Feelings) 41 

Linton, G. M. – My Name Is Sunshine Simpson 54 

Lu, Marie – Stars and Smoke 64 

M 

Macfarlane, Rachel – Unity in Diversity: Achieving Structural 

Race Equity in Schools 70 

MacGregor, Maya – The Many Half-Lived Lives of 

Sam Sylvester 64 

Manning, Mick & Granstrom, Brita – Women Who Led 

the Way: Great Explorers and Adventurers 51 

McGowan, Anthony – Dogs of the Deadlands 54 

McGregor, Anna – Who’s Afraid of the Light? 41 

McGuckin, Isla – April’s Garden 41 

McLachlan, Jenny – Ghost Rescue (Dead Good Detectives) 54 

Middleton, Ant – Mission: Total Confidence 65 

Millard, Glenda – Pea Pod Lullaby 41 

Montgomery, Ross – The Thing at 52 41 

Moraes, Thiago – Old Gods New Tricks 54 

Morgan, Nicola – No Worries: How to Deal with 

Teenage Anxiety 65 

Mugford, Simon & Green, Dan – Saka Rules 51 

O 

O’Hart, Sinead – The Silver Road 54 

Omotoni, Aleema – Everyone’s Thinking It 65 

Owen, David – Alex Neptune, Monster Avenger: Book 3 

(Alex Neptune) 54 

P 

Packham, Simon – Worrybot 55 

Pankhurst, Kate – We Are All Astronauts: Discover What It 

Takes to Be a Space Explorer! 42 

Paramour, Zoe – The Writing Book: How to Develop Young 

Writers 70 

Peckham, Hannah – Bronty’s Battle Cry 42 

Percival, Tom – Finn’s Little Fibs: A Big Bright Feelings Book 42 

Potter, Molly – The Same but Different: A Let’s Talk Book 42 

R 

Ravinthiran, Vidyan and Seneviratne, Seni & Trevett, Shash 

(editors) – Out of Sri Lanka: Tamil, Sinhala and English 

Poetry from Sri Lanka and Its Diasporas 68 

Rayner, Catherine – Victor, the Wolf with Worries 42 

Reeve, Philip – Utterly Dark and the Tides of Time 55 

Reid, Jen and Joy, Angela – A Hero Like Me 60 

Rickards, Lynne – Maisie the Mountain Hare 42 

Roberts, Alice – Wolf Road 65 

Roberts, Ellie Mackin – Heroines of Olympus: The Women of 

Greek Mythology 69 

Roberts, Jon – The Torch 43 

Robertson, Shauna Darling – You Are Not Alone 65 

Robinson, Michelle – The Thunk 43 

Robinson, Sally – Where Is That Naughty Dog? 43 

Rooney, Anne – Baby Owl 43 

Roth, David and Shah, Rinee – LOL 101: A Kid’s Guide to 

Writing Jokes 60 

Royal Botanic Gardens Kew – Arboretum: Welcome to the 

Museum 60 

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – Fungarium: Welcome to the 

Museum 66 

Rundell, Katherine – Impossible Creatures 55 

Rutter, Helen – The Piano at the Station 55 

S 

Sanders, Andrew – Whose Dog Is This? 43 

Saunders, Claire – Live Like a Roman (Live Like a …) 61 

Senior, Suzy – The Hotel for Bugs 43 

Shea, Jamison – I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me 65 

Sheibani, Jion – The Silver Chain 65 

Shukla, Nikesh – The Council of Good Friends 55 

Simmons, Jo – The Day the Hiccups Took Over 55 

Sinha, Sarthak – Farah Loves Mangos 45 

Skinner, Nicola – Crow 56 

Smith, Coralie – The Squirrel and the Lost Treasure 45 

Song, K. X. – An Echo in the City 66 

Sorosiak, Carlie & Uribe, Luisa – A World of Dogs: 

A Celebration of Fascinating Facts and Amazing Real-Life 

Stories for Dog Lovers 39 

Stansbie, Stephanie – This Girl Can Be a Bit Shy 45 

Stead, Emily – Mead: From the Playground to the Pitch, 

(Ultimate Football Heroes) 61 

Stead, Emily – Williamson: From the Playground to the Pitch 

(Ultimate Football Heroes) 61 

Stegert, Alison D – Her Majesty’s League of Remarkable 

Young Ladies 56 

Strange, Lucy – The Storm and the Minotaur 56 

Sugiura, Misa – Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of 

the Wind (Momo Arashima) 56 

Sullivan, Deirdre – Wise Creatures 68 

Sullivan, John & Aly, Hatem – Ethan and the Strays 39 

Sullivan, Kathryn D. and Rosen, Michael J. – 

How to Spacewalk 61 

Suzuki, David and Kyi, Tanya Lloyd – 

Bompa’s Insect Expedition: A Backyard Bug Book for Kids 45 

T 

Tagholm, Sarah – Sam Francisco, King of the Disco 45 

Takayanagi, Mari and Hallam Smith, Elizabeth – 

Necessary Women: The Untold Story of Parliament’s 

Working Women 68 

Taylor, Barbara – The Magnificent Book of Monkeys 

and Apes 61 

Taylor, Sarah – Alice Éclair, Spy Extraordinaire!: A Sprinkling 

of Danger 56 

Taylor, Stephanie – I’m Going to Be a Princess 45 

Thermes, Jennifer – The Indestructible Tom Crean: Heroic 

Explorer of the Antarctic 61 

Turnbull, Lindsay – Biology: The Whole Story 68 

U 

Unsworth, Tania – Nowhere Island 56 

W 

Waldron, Mark – A Straight Up Giant 68 

Wallman, Sue – Every Word a Lie 66 

Waterworth, Lizzie – How to Talk So People Will Listen: 

Tricks for Sounding Confident (Even When You’re Not) 62 

Webster, Hayley – The After School Crime Club 57 

Weiss-Tuider, Katharina – Mission: Arctic: A Scientific 

Adventure to a Changing North Pole 62 

Wellington, Joelle – Their Vicious Games 66 

William, Imogen Russell & Mulvanny, Sara – HM Queen 

Elizabeth II: A Celebration of the Queen and 25 Amazing 

Britons from Her Reign 51 

Willis, Jeanne – The Bear Who Had Nothing to Wear, 46 

Wilson, Hannah & Dickason, Chris – Sir David Attenborough 51 

Wilson, Jamia – A Year of Black Joy: 52 Black Voices Share 

Their Life Passions 62 

Wilson, Jamia & Pippins, Andrea – Young, Gifted and 

Black Too 51 

Wilson, Troy & Coy, Eve – Hat Cat 39 

Winter, Tamsin – Bad Influence 65 

Wolters, Octavie – The Starling’s Song 46 

Woods, Dawn – Establishing a Primary School Library 70 

Wormell, Christopher – The Lucky Bottle 57 

Wright, Ruby, – Animal Crackers 46 

Y 

Yang, Kelly – Finally Seen 57 

Thank you for reading TSL this year. 

See you in March for the Spring issue of 

volume 72. 


Volume 72 Number 1 Spring 2024 

72 


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The School Librarian 71-4 Autumn 2023

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