The School Librarian 72-1 Spring 2024

TSL
The School Librarian
The Quarterly Journal of the School Library Association
Volume 72 Number 1 Spring 2024
It Takes a Community
to Raise a Library
By Leia Sands
Silence in the Library
By Alice Leggatt
Dungeons and Dragons in a School Library
By Frances Sinclair
www.sla.org.uk

Contents
TSL
The School Librarian
The Quarterly Journal of the School Library Association
Volume 72 Number 1 Spring 2024
Welcome from CEO 2
Editorial 3
SLA News 4
Features
We Need to Burn Bright, Not Burn Our Books
Richard Gerver 5
It Takes a Community to Raise a Library
Leia Sands 6
Weeding: Questions of Truth and Engagement
Helen Currie 8
Silence in the Library
Alice Leggatt 10
Dungeons and Dragons in a School Library
Frances Sinclair 12
Ventures into Inquiry-Based Learning
Rachel Huskisson 15
Bridging Information and Digital Literacy Gaps
Through Cross-Cultural Collaboration
Pavey and Goldstein 16
A View From... 18
Frequently Asked Questions 21
Curriculum Links 22
Research Highlights 25
Steve Antony Interview – Rainbowsaurus 27
Digital
ThingLink in Education by Kojo Hazel 28
Transforming School Librarians into Technology
Leaders by Jonathan Viner 29
Bev’s Helpdesk: Magic Write by Beverley Humphrey 30
OU Podcast Review by Barbara Band 32
The Children’s Poetry Archive Review by Sharon Corbally 32
SLA Website 33
SLA Training Through the Website: On Demand Courses 34
Wellbeing Through Reading 36
Book Reviews
7 & Under 36
8-12 44
Dates for Your Diary 48
13-16 60
17-19 69
Professional 71
Book Review Index 72
6
It Takes a Community to
Raise a Library
10
Silence in the Library
12
Dungeons and Dragons in
a School Library
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 1

Welcome from the CEO
A
s I write this I am under the
weather – with a temperature and
full of cold – but the view from my
window promises spring is on its
way, with sunshine, blue skies, and green shoots
and snowdrops flowering, so it’s hard not to
be optimistic. This year promises to be one of
change, especially internally at the SLA as we
review our strategy within the changed landscape
we’re working in, and as we get used to the new
Association Management System and website we
implemented at the end of last year. Externally
things are also changing as we lose an advocate
for school libraries in CILIP CEO Nick Poole.
Nick has been a great colleague to me personally
throughout my six years as SLA CEO: always
warm and welcoming, always creating space for
different ideas and thoughts, and never wavering
from his dedication to school libraries. Regardless
of whether we were agreeing, disagreeing,
or making plans together, he has been kind,
thoughtful and a true partner in the fight for
school libraries. I look forward to working with
him in his new role, and to continuing the SLA/
CILIP relationship with Jo Cornish and whoever
CILIP appoint to replace him permanently.
Our advocacy work continues: I was delighted
to speak at the Association of School and
College Leaders Literacy conference in January,
highlighting the impact a school library can have
and how senior leaders can support their school
libraries and library staff. I was delighted that Gill
Furniss MP secured a debate on school libraries
in the House of Commons, but felt compelled to
write a letter to Damian Hinds MP highlighting
that while the role of school libraries in providing
access to books is key, there are also many other
services and benefits they provide. You can read
my letter in full here: www.sla.org.uk/Public/
Members/MembersEngage/Forum.aspx (or
from your ‘Welcome’ page go to ‘Engage’ then
‘Forum’). All such correspondence will be posted
to the SLA forum in future, so do follow the SLA
Community.
We are delighted to be welcoming Gill Furniss MP
to our Weekend Course in June as our pre-dinner
speaker and to host the announcement of the
Excelsior Award shortlist.
We continue working on the Great School Libraries
campaign – we are currently developing a vision
for school libraries in the future, and a framework
to support all schools take a step closer to being a
great school library. We will be building this vision
with input from both school library staff and senior
leaders – making it a viable, ambitious plan to lead
the sector forward.
There’s much going on, partnerships, projects,
development work, services review – make sure
you’ve set your preferences to hear
about all the things you’re interested
in on the ‘My Email Preferences’ tab on
the ‘My Account’ page: www.sla.org.
uk/Public/Contact_Management/
AccountPage.aspx
This cover is our fifth by
Swindon author and
illustrator, Steve Antony.
Alison Tarrant
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.
Published four times a year by the School Library Association: spring, summer, autumn and winter.
Cover illustration by Steve Antony. Copyright © 2024 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
2 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024

Editorial
The first edition of TSL each year
encourages a moment of reflection.
What do you want to achieve in the
next 12 months? What challenges
might you face? And how can you
overcome them to make 2024 a
great year for you and your school library?
We hope that this spring issue offers an array of
content to help you with this fresh start. It explores
many of the things you may find yourself dealing
with this year through a wide-ranging collection of
articles that ultimately champion the importance
of resilience, innovation, and collaboration.
We know that school libraries are not independent
entities. Just as their impact is felt throughout the
school community, it also takes a community to
ensure their success. For this reason, I enjoyed
gaining a glimpse into Leia Sands’ primary school
library in an inspiring feature celebrating the
collaborative efforts that breathe life into our
library shelves. She shares an example of a library
renovation reliant on the support and engagement
of staff, pupils, and their families. The importance
of this community is central to Leia’s approach to
her library, and the benefits are significant. We are
always stronger together.
This edition also examines the worldwide issue
of book banning and censorship. Book bans in
American libraries are reaching unprecedented
levels, with the American Library Association
reporting record-breaking numbers of book
challenges – predominantly in school libraries
– and our members around the world are no
strangers to this ongoing concern. Alice Leggat’s
‘Silence in the Library’ feature offers hope amidst
this too frequently bleak-feeling landscape,
telling us how librarians are rising from the tide
of censorship with the support of the wider
community. In the face of adversity, remember
that school libraries remain crucial safe spaces for
diverse literature and freedom of expression.
In the face of adversity, remember
that school libraries remain crucial
safe spaces for diverse literature
and freedom of expression.
Other useful highlights from this issue’s features
include:
• Ideas on how to best tackle the often-dreaded
task of weeding, ensuring that you maintain a
library collection that serves the needs of its users
• How communication and collaboration allow the
library to play a key role in nurturing curiosity
and supporting information literacy across subjects
• The ways that hosting D&D games in your
library align with learning outcomes – including
reading, numeracy, communication, creativity,
and independent thinking – alongside
promoting social skills and benefiting wellbeing
• The importance of school library staff “opening
doors”, by using curriculum texts as a springboard
for other, engaging book recommendations
In his regular column, SLA President Richard
Gerver writes about the solace and empowerment
to be found in libraries. He shares how access to
books and the conversations and curiosity that
accompanies them can be transformative in
combating ignorance and division, drawing on
his own childhood experiences to advocate for
libraries as essential in overcoming adversity and
fostering hope for the future.
Make sure you check out our digital section to dive
into exciting advancements in AI, including the
recent feature to help you write copy in Canva,
and for discussions on the new literacy skills that
students need to develop to make effective use of
AI both now and in the future.
As always, we extend our gratitude to all who have
contributed to this issue. We hope you continue to
be inspired by the contents within its pages.
Alison Tarrant is the Chief
Executive of the School
Library Association, and
is Co-Chair of the Great
School Libraries campaign.
She was named a Bookseller
Rising Star in 2018.
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 3

SLA News
Join us for the SLA
Weekend Course 2024
Proudly sponsored by Accessit
Taking place in Sheffield on 7th and
8th June, this year’s theme is ‘Libraries
Unleashed: Beyond the Shelves’.
We can’t wait to welcome delegates back
in person for an invigorating weekend that
will focus 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,
giving you the opportunity to build your
own individual course programme to suit
your interests and budget. This means
you can enjoy anything from one day of
training to two full days of learning plus
our conference dinner.
We're thrilled to be welcoming the
following speakers:
• Darren Chetty (UCL)
• Dr Andrew Cox (Senior Lecturer on AI,
University of Sheffield)
• Frances Hardinge (author of Unraveller
and winner of the Costa Book of the Year)
• Nicola Morgan (internationally
acclaimed author and authority on
teenage wellbeing)
• Patrick Ness (author of Different for Boys
and two-time winner of the Carnegie Medal)
• Paul Register (comic and graphic novel
specialist)
And there are plenty more sessions yet to
be announced.
Combined with our biggest exhibition
space yet, interactive sessions, and a city
with much to offer, this is an event not to
be missed!
To view the most up-to-date programme
and secure your place, visit:
www.sla.org.uk/wc24
SLA Awards
Updates
Entries for the SLA Enterprise, Primary School Library, and
Secondary School Librarian of the Year awards closed in
January. Thank you to everyone who entered. We can’t wait
to find out who will be chosen for the shortlists and share
some examples of outstanding school library work!
Our 2024 Information Book Award submissions have also now
closed, and we have had an abundance of exciting children’s
non-fiction titles arrive in the office. We will announce our
longlist for this in April, with the shortlist following in June and
the winners being crowned in November.
We are delighted that The Authors’ Licensing and Collecting
Society (ALCS) have kindly agreed to fund our 2024 IBA
Book Club, which means we can continue to provide free
packs of the shortlisted books to schools across the country.
This gives those who would otherwise not be able to take
part due to a lack of budget the opportunity to get involved.
Make sure you visit the dedicated awards page of our
website (www.sla.org.uk/awards) or update your SLA
communication preferences to keep up-to-date with the
latest information and announcements for all our awards,
including the launch of IBA Book Club applications and
Children’s Choice voting!
Remember, once logged in to the SLA website you can
update your communication preferences by visiting the
‘My Account’ page.
Become an
SLA Trustee
If you’re looking for opportunities to get more involved in
the SLA and make a real difference to the school library
sector, we have good news! We are delighted to announce
that we are recruiting new SLA trustees.
The Board of Trustees are responsible for overseeing the
running of the SLA and ensuring that we fulfil our strategic
goals, charitable aims, and all our legal, financial, and
moral obligations.
In general, being a trustee means attending as many board
meetings as possible, being engaged, asking questions,
reading the papers, and contributing your thoughts on the
issues being discussed. You’ll be working closely with the
SLA staff, who are knowledgeable and responsible for the
day-to-day running of the organisation.
The SLA Board can have between five and twelve trustees,
and we’re proud that this enables a wide range of skills
and experience from various sectors and regions to
represent the diversity of the UK. New trustees are therefore
appointed with any skills gaps in mind.
If you’re interested in contributing your expertise to the
success and development of the SLA, make sure you keep
an eye on our website, social media, and newsletters for the
latest trustee recruitment news.
If you’d like more information about becoming a trustee, get
in touch with us at info@sla.org.uk
4 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024

Feature
We Need to Burn Bright,
Not Burn Our Books
Richard Gerver
Richard Gerver shares his early memories of the school library
and the safe haven it provided, emphasising how important it
is that children today have access to these ‘dream factories’.
Iwas bullied at school. Two main
reasons: I had thick, national health
glasses and I was Jewish; both were
seen as my weaknesses and so both
were ruthlessly exploited. I was
away at boarding school, something
my grandparents and great grandparents had
dreamt of, when they had first risked everything
to establish a new, safer life as immigrants, fleeing
a war torn and extremist mainland Europe. On
the afternoons when the ‘normal kids’ were taking
to the rugby pitches, I found refuge in the school
library. My vulnerable optic nerves and severe
short-sightedness meant I was not allowed to play.
Looking back on that painful time, I realise how
lucky I was to have had access to such a magic
place filled with books, newspapers, magazines,
and a librarian who was my salvation!
On those winter afternoons, I devoured the fiction
at my disposal; I fell in love with Shakespeare, F
Scott Fitzgerald, Daphne du Maurier, and many
others. I read the newspapers, discovered a love
of Hockney and art, lost myself in the travel
books and atlases, made friends with history, and
discovered a passion for politics.
I look back on those days now and realise that
despite the horrors I was subjected to, that library
helped me become the person I am today. I was
also incredibly lucky that my home was also filled
with books and conversation.
As I look at the world we live in today and perhaps,
more importantly, the one our children will inherit
from us, there is so much to trouble us – a world
that is turning so fast, so unpredictably, and
apparently so out of control. We are all struggling,
a feeling of powerlessness born out of a sense
All children everywhere must have
access to the dream factories that
are our libraries.
of disenfranchisement. We are seeing a world
fragmenting with polarisation and hate, not just
geopolitically but in our everyday lives.
We are seeing the powerful develop those fractures
and manipulate them to their own ends.
Maybe this is a simplistic view, but access to the
opportunity to dream, to question and to know, to
challenge, to explore, and to be curious have never
been more important.
Ignorance kills – this we know.
Richard Gerver is President of
the School Library Association,
and a world-renowned
speaker and author. He was
previously a headteacher.
The 2020 pandemic has taught us many things: it highlighted to those who
don’t work with our children every day the incredible divide in opportunity,
resource, and access that so many of our student’s face. We have heard a great
deal over the last few years about the digital divide, but I want to highlight what I
call the analogue one. In my early challenges, I had access to a library: to books,
conversations, hopes, and dreams. Like the fortunate students I meet today, who
tell me similar stories of libraries and librarians who have helped them make
sense of their own complex and confusing lives.
Fortunately, I was eventually rescued from that school after my mum saw a
swastika carved into the pillow on my bed. I had never lost hope though; I
was empowered by what I read, what I learnt, what I began to know. It’s why
I chose to be a teacher, and it’s why, now, I am so proud to be a champion of
school libraries everywhere.
Our schools are oases for so many of our children. Education cannot just be about
the mechanistic process of memory; it needs to be driven by helping our young
to dream and then to convert those dreams into aspirations: ladders of skills and
knowledge that allow their dreams to become tangible, attainable. Education
needs to be about empowerment, about the celebration of opportunity for all.
We need to use education to fight ignorance, manipulation, and powerlessness.
All children everywhere must have access to the dream factories that are our
libraries. They need to see the beauty of what could be and how it could be theirs.
There is a reason why dictators burn books and censor what people can and
can’t have access to, and that should be the most powerful incentive we need
to do everything we can to ensure that our children don’t just survive in their
future but thrive in it.
I am no longer bullied but I do still dream … I have the courage to question,
the confidence to discover, and the empowerment to believe that I can
overcome adversity.
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 5

Feature
It Takes a Community
to Raise a Library
Leia Sands
Leia Sands works as a
School Librarian at two
state primary schools in
West Sussex - Steyning C
of E Primary School and
Swiss Gardens Primary
School. Alongside this, she
is a commitee member of
the Great School Libraries
campaign.
6 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024
Swiss Gardens Primary School shows us how schools can work
closely with families, local business, and local organisations to
engage with the community and achieve great things.
S
wiss Gardens Primary School in
West Sussex has recently celebrated
the opening of a brand-new
school library. The success of the
library rebuild was reliant on the
collaboration and engagement of
staff, children, families, and wider school support.
The library has become an incredibly special place
for the whole school community.
The aims were for the library to be:
• a place where reading for pleasure could be
promoted;
• integral to the school’s existing curriculum,
supporting teaching and learning within the
school;
• a safe, warm, and welcoming space for the pupils
and their families to use.
The school believes that working closely with
families and the wider community is key to
enabling pupils to achieve the best possible
outcomes. In the school’s recent OFSTED
inspection it was recognised that ‘there is an
exceptionally strong sense of community between
the pupils, staff, parents and carers at Swiss
Gardens Primary School’.
The pre-existing school library was underused.
The stock was dated, and the environment was
unappealing. The headteacher was aware of this
and allocated funding from the existing school
budget to start to refurbish the library. In July 2022,
the school and PTA organised a whole school
sponsored walk, with staff, parents, and pupils
taking part. The sponsored walk raised awareness
of what the school was trying to achieve, along
with much needed funding. Enthusiasm spread
throughout the school’s family-like community.
Something extremely exciting began to happen ...
In September 2022, a working party – made up of
staff, members of the PTA, and the wider school
community – was formed with the aim of opening
a brand-new school library in September 2023.
Over the course of the year, they met on a regular
basis to share ideas, make and monitor plans, and
drive the library rebuild forward in a cohesive way.
Once the designs and aims had been finalised,
the school shared them with parents via school
communications and social media. More and
more members of the school community began to
volunteer their time and skills to ensure that this
exciting vision became a reality.
The PTA were proactive in sourcing materials and
encouraging volunteers to take part: a parent who is
an artist designed and painted a large mural; a parent
with carpentry skills made a large bookcase/reading
nook; two parents offered their time to support by
withdrawing and cataloguing stock and helped the
school to run a second-hand book sale to raise more
funding. Two grandparents volunteered their time
to refurb the existing library shelves and assist with
putting up displays. Parents purchased additional
new stock and fulfilled the school’s wish list.
Alongside this, school staff worked hard to ensure
that the library opening stayed on track. The
More and more members of the school
community began to volunteer their
time and skills to ensure that this
exciting vision became a reality.

It Takes a Community to Raise a Library
headteacher employed a parent volunteer with
school library experience to be a school librarian for
6 hours a week. Importantly the librarian’s contract
started the term before the library opened, which
allowed her to work closely with staff to grow the
vision and make practical decisions about the
library’s stock and furnishings.
The support of the wider school community also
played an important part in the preparations to
open the library. The local independent bookshop
organised a ‘Pay it Forward’ campaign where
members of the local community could donate
money to the school to purchase new books for
the library. Countless professional discussions
with members of West Sussex SLS, SLA, and SLA
network members helped to inform the vision for
the new school library and answered practical
questions. West Sussex SLS also supported the
school to audit stock and provided additional new
books to top up the collection.
It is ALL the above people’s hard
work which enabled the school to
successfully open an attractive,
well-stocked school library.
It is ALL the above people’s hard work which
enabled the school to successfully open an
attractive, well-stocked school library.
In September 2023, the library opened, and an
official opening celebration was held in October
2023. All volunteers were invited and were joined
by children’s author Julia Donaldson to officially
open the library. The event was attended not only by
pupils, families, governors, and volunteers but also
by members of the School’s Library Service (SLS),
SLA locality network members, local bookshop
staff, public library staff, and local councillors. Julia
Donaldson commented on how you could feel the
buzz of the school library and how wonderful it was
to have so much community support.
In the first term, over 1700 books were borrowed
from the school library. The school librarian has
taught 37 whole class library sessions, and teaching
staff have brought their enthusiastic and excited
classes to the library for 62 browsing sessions. The
school library has opened after school for family
book sharing sessions on a regular basis. During
these sessions, families have the chance to share
and borrow books and take part in book related
quizzes and craft activities. Parents have left
positive feedback about the new library, such as:
‘My daughter has really enjoyed her visits to
the school library. After a bit of a static summer
of not reading much, she has been inspired to
start again after borrowing some books of her
choice from the school library, and now she just
won’t stop reading! She says “I like the library
because there are lots of interesting books, and
it is really colourful. Some of the books are the
books we bought the school from the wishlist
and I really want to read them.”’
The library is also being used for a weekly story
session with the local pre-school to aid in transition,
a weekly Year 1 book club to support targeted
children, and has been used for pop-up events
aimed at Pupil Premium families. The Pupil
Premium teacher commented on how she thinks
the library is a safe space for some of those families.
Importantly, work to engage the community
continues: The school is collating a list of volunteer
In the first term, over 1700 books were
borrowed from the school library.
parents with the aim that the library can open at
lunchtimes, so that children can continue to access
the library outside of whole class sessions. Several
parents/grandparents have offered to support in
sessions by running craft activities or rhyme time
events. The PTA has donated additional funding to
the school, to ensure sufficient funding for books
going forwards. The school continues to work with
the SLS to ensure access to additional up-to-date
and appealing texts. The librarian is hoping to work
with the PTA to run book themed events to raise
further funds for the library when needed.
For me, it is a privilege to work as a school librarian
with this wonderful school community and to have
played a part in this team, to open and continue to
coordinate this incredibly special library.
Swiss Gardens
Primary School
would like to give
particular thanks
to the following
individuals/
organisations for
their support:
Ben Hillman
(@benhillmantv)
for providing
initial designs for
the library; Rosie
Shepherd
(@roses_sheps)
for designing and
painting the mural;
Barry Roberts
(@hornbeamhuts) for
making the bespoke
bookcase; C. Brewer
and Sons Decorator
Centres for donating
paint towards our
project; and Chapter
34 bookshop
(@chapter34books)
for organising the ‘Pay
it Forward’ scheme.
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 7

Feature
Weeding: Questions of
Truth and Engagement
Helen Currie
Should it stay or should it go? Helen Currie explores the
dilemma of choosing which books deserve to stay on
shelves and how the SLA guidelines can help in this situation.
Helen Currie is a School
Librarian at Prior Park College
in Bath as well as an English
teacher with Bristol Hospital
Education Service.
It was always going to be a big task, but
we thought that a couple of CPD days
would suffice. My fellow librarian and I
had to take every one of the 10,000 or so
books in our collection off the shelves,
scan each one onto our new system, and
then reshelve them. Two days turned into a week
turned into a month. The dust rose, as did the pile
of weeded books; our backs ached from carrying
piles of books to and fro; a shelf collapsed; and
the metallic sound of the scanner tapped out the
rhythm of our days.
The hardest part of the job was the weeding –
getting rid of the books we no longer considered a
suitable or relevant part of our stock. We all know
what want on our shelves – books and resources
that reflect the diversity of the wider world; but
what do we want off our shelves? I was mindful
of the notion that every book contains the blood,
sweat, and tears of the author, and any book
could offer the idea, the information, or the turn
of phrase that a particular student might need at
a particular time. Placing a book on the “weeded”
pile felt at best as though we were disregarding the
endeavour of the author and at worst like we were
exercising a kind of censorship. The responsibility
of being a gatekeeper lay heavily on me. Who, after
all, was I to decide which books no longer deserved
their place?
The SLA guidelines on stock selection are very
helpful in this situation. From these we developed
our weeding criteria, and I found myself applying
them more confidently as I went along. Is the book
in good condition? Are there other books in our
collection that do the job better? Is the content still
relevant? Does it reflect the values of our school?
Does the resource contribute towards a stock that
represents different viewpoints and perspectives?
It seems that time catches up with a library very
quickly, and some non-fiction books published
even just ten years ago seemed from a different
age. Publishers of non-fiction for young people
take note: any photographic imagery you use to
spice up a tricky page of info on solar power or
human rights will be out of date after five years.
After ten years the haircuts and fashions will do
nothing but provoke mirth and disdain from your
young readers.
Indeed, in a world full of false news,
books – produced by reputable
publishers – would appear to be
one of the best ways to ensure we
are getting the truth.
Of course, it’s not just the sniggers caused by dodgy
hair and 90s fashions that we should be worried
about. Society’s attitudes and values have moved
on, along with its fashion sense. This must be
reflected in what we choose to leave off our shelves
as well as what we leave on. A book we found in
our history section on Life in a Georgian Country
House, depicted an enslaved African happily
tending to the garden, with no insert offering
information on the horrors that lie behind such an
image. The SLA guidelines were invaluable here.
We felt that this book didn’t belong on our shelves
because it didn’t present a complete truth. It didn’t,
to quote the SLA’s guidelines, ‘present accurate and
authentic factual content’. It glossed over, perhaps
whitewashed, the issue of slavery which is so
central to the subject matter it was purporting to
explore.
On the other hand, the SLA guidelines fully
support the notion that a school library should
‘represent differing viewpoints on controversial
issues’. When considering this we should
remember that as school librarians we aren’t
simply responsible for stocking shelves. We are
in the happy position of being able to help young
8 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024

Weeding: Questions of Truth and Engagement
We are in the happy position of being
able to help young people develop
as critical readers with questioning
minds and an awareness of bias.
people develop as critical readers with questioning
minds and an awareness of bias. If we do this part of
our job well, we can worry less about the dangers of
our young people being influenced by viewpoints
that we might consider undesirable. Our students’
online world can be seen, to quote Hamlet, as ‘an
unweeded garden/That grows to seed’. No wellmeaning
school librarians are weeding out the bad
stuff or controlling what our students have access
to online. It is therefore more important than
ever that we equip them with the skills to judge a
resource’s credibility and to be comfortable with
challenging what they read.
Indeed, in a world full of false news, books –
produced by reputable publishers – would
appear to be one of the best ways to ensure we
are getting the truth. As always, all is not always
straightforward. Our weeding led us to consider
the significance or otherwise of authorship.
Amongst the books we have sorted through are
some aged but beautiful art history books edited
by Sir Anthony Blunt, eminent art historian and,
as it turns out, Soviet spy. Does the discovery of
the latter have any bearing on his scholarship? Our
biography section holds Lance Armstrong’s It’s Not
About the Bike which charts his incredible journey
Who, after all, was I to decide which
books no longer deserved their place?
Computers. A 1970s
book by Ladybird
from a serious cancer diagnosis to winning the
Tour de France in 1999. Does his confession in
2013 to taking performance-enhancing drugs
mean that his biography is no longer worth the
paper it’s written on?
The job was eventually completed. Several
hundred “weeds” were taken away by Oxfam and
now we have a leaner library and one that we hope
serves our students well. As we restock the shelves
with new books, it’s fascinating to consider which
ones will remain and which will be the weeds of
the future.
And as a final reminder that one person’s weed is
another person’s flower, a boy came in to return
his book yesterday. It was Top Gear 100 Fastest
Cars, published in 2005. How had it escaped the
weeding process? It features old pictures of out-ofdate
cars, and it hadn’t been loaned to anyone for
years. ‘Best book I’ve ever read,’ he said. ‘I’ve read it
five times over.’
Left: Guinness Book
of World Records
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 9

Feature
Silence in the Library: School
Librarians in America are at
Risk of Losing Their Voices
Alice Leggatt
Alice Leggatt explains the effects of book bans and censorship
in the US – and why we should all be taking notice.
Alice Leggatt is the Library
Manager at Oaks Park
High School in South West
London. She is a member
of the CILIP SLG committee
and a recipient of the
CILIP 125 award. She has a
special interest in issues of
censorship and intellectual
freedom.
The current state of book bans in
American schools and public
libraries is, in a word, bleak.
PEN America prefers the word
‘supercharge(d)’ when describing
the new laws being brought
in across the US to supress books about race,
gender, American history, and LGBTQ+ identities,
and they’re not being hyperbolic. The American
Library Association’s Office for Intellectual
Freedom reports that 2022 was the worst year ever
for book challenges since tracking began twenty
years ago; there were 1269 demands to censor
books, with censors targeting 2,571 unique titles
(this is a 38% increase from 2021); 41% of these
challenges took place in school libraries; 17% of
challenges came from political or religious groups;
the top thirteen most challenged titles were all
Young Adult books and were all targeted for being
‘sexually explicit’, most often in their representation
of LGBTQ+ relationships.
The data is stark, but more upsetting still is the
vitriolic language (and in some cases, actions) used
by those seeking to ban books. School librarians
have been doxed, called ‘groomers’, ‘paedophiles’,
‘predators’ and even ‘the arm of Satan’ for stocking
books that feature romantic/sexual relationships
or sexual health education, and they have been
threatened with being fired, jailed, injured, and
even killed for attempting to defend the rights of
their students to read freely. The Tampa Bay Times,
reporting on a recent school librarian conference
in Florida (‘ground zero’ of book challenges due
to Governor Ron De Santis’ explicit anti-LGBTQ+
policies) describes librarians worrying that
‘radicals could break in to the building and hurt
them’, and adds that the ‘Right to Read’ rally had
to be held inside the convention centre as it was
considered unsafe to do it outside.
The reasons behind this moral panic and upsurge
in book challenges vary depending upon who is
reporting on it, but the fact remains that in the
land of the free, children are no longer reading
freely. Books have been removed from school
libraries and classrooms in their droves by anxious
administrators, and stressed and heartbroken
librarians are beginning to follow the books out the
door. The New York Times, in a piece describing
the unprecedented attack upon librarians, quotes
one debating their decision to leave: ‘There were
comments about library staff, calling us groomers
and paedophiles and saying … that all the books
needed to be burned … It got to a certain point
2022 was the worst year ever for book
challenges since tracking began.
where I thought … Is this something I can subject
myself to?’ The Washington Post followed a Florida
school librarian during her last day in her role; her
difficult decision to leave had been prompted by
the sheer impossibility and misery of navigating
hundreds of new laws passed in her state which
affected library access – she left a folder for her
successor containing copies of the seventy-nine
laws alongside a note reading ‘You might find this
helpful’.
Librarians have long been valued as one of the
most trusted professions, so seeing them attacked
in this way is shocking. However, there are signs of
hope, with the wider community joining the fight
to protect intellectual freedom and defend libraries
and librarians from the rising tide of censorship.
Last year PEN America, Penguin Random House,
authors including John Green and Jodi Picoult,
a student, and teachers filed a federal lawsuit in
Iowa, challenging law SF 96 that would have led
to books being banned from schools if they were
not considered ‘age-appropriate’. In January of
10 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024

Silence in the Library
In the land of the
free, children are no
longer reading freely.
2024, Iowa law Act 372, which would have made
it a crime (punishable by up to a year in jail and a
fine of up to $2500) for librarians to loan ‘harmful’
books to minors, was blocked by a judge who
called it ‘a violation of free speech rights under
the first amendment to the US constitution’. In a
further show of solidarity, Penguin Random House
have launched a $10,000 Freedom of Expression
writing award for high schoolers, which asks them
to write about a banned book that changed their
life and why.
In the face of fierce opposition, individual
librarians are also taking a stand – Amanda Jones,
a librarian from Louisiana who was targeted by
a far-right group after speaking out at a school
board meeting, is suing for defamation while
also writing a book about her experiences. Kelly
Jensen, a former school librarian, author, and
editor of Book Riot, tracks and reports on book
challenges all across the US, and is calling on the
ALA to make professional ethics a mandatory part
of librarianship MAs. Authors are joining the fray
more publicly, with Scholastic author Kelly Yang
admonishing her publishers in a video entitled
‘Hey Scholastic, we need to talk – I need you to
be brave’ after the US school book fair supplier
launched a scheme which segregated books so that
they could still be sold in states that had enacted
book bans (the scheme has since been reversed).
In the UK, many of us were working or being
educated during Section 28, the law which banned
schools from ‘promoting homosexuality’. We know
well the damage it did and are happy that we can
now stock books which reflect the lives of all our
students. However, we must not be complacent.
Whilst America is several steps ahead of us in the
book banning stakes, the same methods, the same
abusive language, the same moral panic, can, and
has, affected UK school libraries. Last year CILIP
reported that a third of UK librarians have been
asked to censor materials, and Sean McNamara in
The Herald (Scotland) reported that ‘More than
four out of five librarians in the UK said they were
concerned this will increase as more culture war
battles are fought’.
The Human Rights Campaign recently found
that, while half of LGBTQ+ youth reported feeling
unsafe in school, almost nine out of ten said that
they feel safe in their school library.
In these challenging times we must be vigilant,
show solidarity, and remember the words of the
wonderful Judy Blume: ‘For that one kid, finding
themselves in a book can be a lifesaver’.
For that one kid, finding themselves
in a book can be a lifesaver.
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 11

Feature
Dungeons & Dragons
in a School Library
Frances Sinclair
Frances Sinclair explains the myriad advantages of setting up
a role-playing game from the library. From improved social
skills to practising geometry, Dungeons and Dragons can do
more than simply entertain.
Frances Sinclair has been
at Stromness Academy
for 32 years. She has run
D&D for nearly 20 years
both on timetable and
extra-curricular, supports
a miniature painting club,
Wellness Wednesday, as well
as classes, and manages the
school website. Interests
currently include inclusion,
LGBT+ awareness, and
whole school literacy.
Dungeon Master (DM): ‘The
door creaks open as you step
into the library. The smell of
parchment and leather reaches
your nostrils. Wooden tables
and chairs fill the central space.
Tall shelves reach for the ceiling, filled with old
books and scrolls. Some monks are at desks and
the scratch of quill on parchment reaches your
ears. As you shut the door behind you, it creaks
again and a loud tut, and then, “Shhhh!” comes
from the sturdy desk at the end of the room, where
you see a human looking sternly at you over halfmoon
glasses.’
‘What do you want to do?’
Player Character (PC): ‘We walk quietly up to
the man at the desk.’
DM: ‘Roll a Stealth check.’
The four characters roll a d20 dice (20-sided dice).
All but one pass the check.
DM: ‘Arnor, as you look around, feeling the
anticipation of ridding the forbidden section of
the creature that haunts it, a monk pushes his
chair back from his desk and you walk straight
into it.’
‘Roll a Dexterity saving throw.’
PC (Arnor): ‘I roll a 3, plus my Dex bonus of plus
2. That’s a 5.’
DM: ‘With a clatter, you, the chair, and the monk
end up in a heap on the floor. From the end of the
room, you see the librarian now coming towards
you with a stern look on his face.’
DM, as the librarian: ‘So you are the loons the
Abbot has hired to clear out our little trouble? You
may not get far making that sort of noise. Come, I’ll
take you to where you need to go.’
D&D at Stromness Academy
In 2003 pupils requested to play Dungeons &
Dragons in the library. A group was set up on
Tuesdays after school, with seven regular players.
Before long, another session was timetabled during
Friday activities. We shifted to 4th edition in 2007.
In 2014, 5th edition was launched. D&D exploded
in popularity through exposure online via YouTube
and Twitch, with Critical Role and Dice, Camera,
Action! run by celebrity DMs: voice actor Matthew
Mercer and Chris Perkins, senior producer for
Wizards of the Coast. Watching D&D games online
is big, and there is a plethora to choose from.
The Friday activity often had over 10% of the
school roll involved, spread across two floors in six
groups led by enthusiastic pupil DMs.
Other tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGS) were
also played: Pathfinder (fantasy), Starfinder (Scifi),
Call of Cthulhu, Warhammer Fantasy RPG,
Dark Heresy, Vampire the Requiem. The activity
also included the card games Magic the Gathering
and Warhammer 40k.
What is Dungeons & Dragons?
D&D is a collaborative storytelling game where a
group of people – using imagination, creativity, and
dice rolls – create a story with endless possibilities.
The players take on the role of a hero (e.g. elf,
dwarf, human, dragonborn, etc.), known as a Player
Even as a leisure activity, it’s a
method of sneaky teaching,
where participants are not only
learning the game but also other
skills in the process.
12 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024

Dungeons & Dragons in a School Library
Character (PC), who has to battle monsters, fight
villains, solve mysteries and puzzles, explore ruins,
and avoid traps.
‘I like the role-playing bit and getting to create
characters and I like the freedom of the game
and the way you and the other players get to
create the world and the action.’ (S1 pupil)
A Dungeon Master (DM) runs the game,
controlling creatures and NPCs (non-player
characters); describing events, actions, places,
and landscapes; and giving options and outcomes
players could choose from. More often than not
players decide on their own course of action. The
DM is storyteller, narrator, adjudicator, creator of
worlds, improviser, rules guru, and referee. A DM
can create their own adventures, but it’s best to
start with a module – an adventure that is already
published.
‘The most fulfilling feeling is when you are
talking about the story and running the story
and you see the players’ faces as they are
completely roped in and taking it seriously.’
(S3 pupil DM)
Moving Online (COVID-19)
In 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic put a stop to
everything, forcing learning to move online and
stopping extra-curricular activities. Permission was
given for an online D&D game to go ahead.
In terms of safeguarding, only the visuals (maps and
virtual miniatures) were done through the platform.
Voice communications were done through Teams
in the Glow VLE. Later, Teams enabled video
which allowed a webcam to be used (optional). It’s
preferable to have face-to-face interaction in a game
with heavy emphasis on social interaction in terms
of listening, talking, and verbal and non-verbal
communication.
‘I’m most happy for [pupil] to take part in the
virtual D&D games. It’s absolutely super that
you are organising for the D&D club to continue
to play – a great event to look forward to and to
keep folk feeling connected.’ (A parent)
Pupils had to show parents information about the
online games. Parents emailed confirmation they
were happy to allow their child to play online as
they would have to set up a free account in Roll20 1 .
We started playing Dragon of Icespire Peak, part
of the Essentials Kit. I’d made a cheeky request to
Roll20 to get this module free; however licensing
meant they couldn’t do that. To my surprise, I was
given a free Pro-for-life account.
‘We think what you’re doing (and have been
doing) is incredible, and we want to help
support that to the utmost. We understand
exactly how hard this has been, for you and
yours, and for many people. Which is why
we’re delighted when we have the chance to
help out in a direct and meaningful way. We’re
only too happy to welcome you and yours to
the table, and we wish you all the best during
what are surely going to be some difficult times
ahead. But surely – if you and your students
are so incredible as to defeat dragons and the
like, who’s to say your party can’t then defeat a
terrible quarantine? I know where I’m betting
my gold, at any rate.’
Pupils valued the continuity of the D&D activity.
‘It’s been WONDERFUL to be able to actually
talk and play games with people when I’ve been
feeling really alone over the past year.’ (S4)
‘It’s a little bit difficult not being able to see
people properly and sometimes there are
internet issues which makes it quite tricky, but
it hasn’t really been too difficult!’ (S4)
Benefits of D&D
There are many documented benefits of D&D – and
other role-playing games (RPGs) – for learning,
1
Roll20. (2021). Roll20.
[online] Available at: https://
roll20.net/ [Accessed 09 Feb.
2023].
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 13

Dungeons & Dragons in a School Library
Memories and friendships are
made, sometimes lasting well
beyond their school years.
2
Stromness Academy
Library. (2020). D&D and the
Curriculum for Excellence.
[online] Available at: https://
blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/
or/stromnessacademylibrary/
activities/dungeons-dragons/dd-and-the-curriculum-for-excellence/
[Accessed
9 Feb. 2023].
3
Krieger, L. (2021). How
role-playing games can give
your kid a mental health
boost. [online] Family.
Available at: https://www.
nationalgeographic.com/
family/article/role-playinggames-can-give-kids-a-mental-health-boost?fbclid=IwAR0X8t7Jx0Fn9l_ponPfYpyq5yHMAyKxMN-GW-
6w1ls9zkHGC-w-htoeAZBI
[Accessed 15 Sep. 2021].
social skills, and health and wellbeing. Do an
online search for D&D or RPGs in the classroom
and you will see that there is a plethora of
information available.
Even as a leisure activity, it’s a method of sneaky
teaching, where participants are not only learning
the game but also other skills in the process.
Within the context of Scotland’s Curriculum
for Excellence, 2 a number of benchmarks and
learning outcomes can be met through the use of
role-playing games.
As a social experience, it helps
pupils learn, and further develop,
social and communication skills.
Literacy
D&D involves reading, listening, talking, and
writing to communicate ideas and thoughts
contributing to the story. Pupils are encouraged to
take notes of adventures, and some write detailed
backstories for their characters. Participants
have to think creatively and independently, often
making up stories on the spur of the moment.
Learning – Numeracy
With the use of polyhedral dice, numeracy is
brought to the fore, especially when in combat:
additions, subtractions, negative numbers
when calculating attacks, damage, and health
points. We can even do some sneaky geometry:
volume and area are relevant when determining
how far area effects reach, for instance a 20
ft radius Fireball or 15 ft cube Entangle spell.
(Measurements are in feet in the game, which we
translate to squares on a grid.)
Health and Wellbeing
The benefits of D&D for health and wellbeing
became especially clear during the pandemic. 3 At
its broadest, escaping the real world into a fantasy
world is enough to forget worries for a few hours.
‘I’ve discovered a lot of new interests and
made a lot of new friends through D&D! It’s
also helped me become more confident! :)’ (S4)
‘It’s helped me to become more confident!! It’s
also lead to me discovering other new hobbies
and interests which have all really helped to
lift my mood and help me feel better in times
of stress.’ (S4)
As a social experience, it helps pupils learn, and
further develop, social and communication skills.
Over the years I’ve seen socially isolated pupils
become communicative and make good friends
through the activities group in the library. In terms
of health and wellbeing, D&D supports with:
• social interaction
• inclusion
• building & maintaining positive friendships
• taking responsibility
• decision making
• being part of a group – teamwork & partnership
• resilience – dealing with ‘setbacks’ within
the game
• learning to express feelings & emotions
through roleplaying characters
• critical thinking
• problem solving
• leadership
• making friends
• confidence
Conclusion
D&D is only one of many RPGS available and
is the main focus of our groups in the school
library. However, it has proved to be one of the
biggest successes I have had in the 31 years I’ve
been in post. It has made me grow as a person,
but to see how the pupils learn and develop
through playing D&D and being part of the
group is a delight. Memories and friendships
are made, sometimes lasting well beyond their
school years. Pupils with additional support
needs, particularly ASD, have blossomed and
found an activity where they fit in and can be
themselves. The shy, the lonely, the gregarious,
the social person, have all found their place in
life through role-playing games.
For further information about setting up a D&D or
RPG group in your school library, please visit the
library blog, where you can find recommended
resources and weblinks: tinyurl.com/
DnDSchoolsetup
14 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024

Feature
Ventures into
Inquiry-Based Learning
Rachel Huskisson
Rachel Huskisson shares her experiences of integrating inquirybased
learning into library lessons and discusses the practicalities
of using the FOSIL framework to construct a project task.
The library lessons in my school are
linked to the English curriculum
and are a mixture of reading and
researching. During my second year
in post, I ended up leading library
lessons on my own due to staff
shortages. I used this as an opportunity to reshape
a research unit that Year 7 did on pirates. Usually
asked to ‘research pirates’ I felt this could lend itself
to reframing as inquiry, and I endeavoured to use
the FOSIL 1 framework to do just that.
After some discussions on the forum, 2 I settled on
the question ‘Is it a pirate life for me?’ I spent some
time planning and putting together resources,
including a dashboard full of websites and videos
on my LMS. With three classes, running these
lessons on my own was exhausting; at times it felt
like herding cats – the students needed a lot of
support, and the technology was constantly letting
me down. Time had also been an issue: with just
four single lessons to complete the project, there
just wasn’t enough time to do the project justice.
The following year, the English teacher was back
– great, as far as class management. I knew that
collaboration was vital for this kind of teaching
approach to work, but time with the teacher to
explain the project had not happened. Instead
of trying to do a whole inquiry, I introduced the
project differently, getting the students to talk
about what they knew and what they might want
to find out (the connect and wonder stage); I
reduced the number of websites they had to
explore and chose just one skill to teach them.
We asked them to reference one book and one
website, and I talked to them about how and why
we needed to do it. The final presentation was a
They came out with some great
work which demonstrated they
had engaged with the topic.
poster: either a recruitment advert or a warning
of the dangers, depending on how they answered
the original question. They came out with some
great work which demonstrated they had engaged
with the topic. I did, however, discover that one
class had been asked by their English teacher
(different to the library lesson teacher) to create
a poster for homework too! A classic case of not
communicating. If I had known this, I would
have suggested they create their final poster as
homework, giving us a lot more time for the actual
‘investigate and construct’ stage of the project, and
I will certainly be suggesting this for next year.
It’s helped me to see my position
in the school community going
beyond reading promotion to being
seen as the information specialist I
have worked hard to become.
I will also produce a rubric of what needs to be
included in the final work to include the reflection
stage of the FOSIL cycle. Whilst this project may
not have been perfect, it also enabled me to notice
other skills that showed gaps, such as note-taking
and keywords. I can build these into further
research projects later in the year.
By developing this project, I have learnt much
more about the process of inquiry and teaching
information literacy. This has given me the
Rachel Huskisson is a
chartered, CILIP125 librarian.
Based in the East Midlands,
she has been working in
secondary school libraries for
8 years and is a committee
member for the Great School
Libraries campaign.
1
https://fosil.org.uk/
2
https://fosil.org.uk/forums/
topic/year-7-inquiry-projecton-pirates/
confidence to talk about information skills with other members of staff. It’s
helped me to see my position in the school community going beyond reading
promotion to being seen as the information specialist I have worked hard to
become. I find myself looking for chances to talk about my role in lessons and
how the library is a place to nurture ideas and curiosity. Just this week I have
had three opportunities to highlight areas where I can support information
literacy within subjects beyond English, so whilst they are small steps, they are
steps in the direction I want to travel.
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 15

Feature
Bridging Information and Digital
Literacy Gaps Through Cross-
Cultural Collaboration: A New Free
Resource for Primary Schools
Sarah Pavey and Stephane Goldstein
Sarah Pavey (SP4IL) and Stephane Goldstein (InformAll)
give us an overview of the exciting BRIDGE project and
how we can use its invaluable open-access portal to
promote information and digital literacy.
Sarah Pavey an education
consultant, trainer and author
has over 20 years' experience
as a teacher librarian. She
specialises in information,
digital and media literacy
courses for schools home
and abroad.
Stéphane Goldstein is
Executive Director of
InformALL, a research
consultancy which he
founded in 2016, specialising
in information literacy.
He is the Advocacy and
Outreach Officer for the
CILIP Information Literacy
Group and coordinates the
new Media and Information
Literacy Alliance (MILA).
In an increasingly interconnected world,
cross-cultural collaboration has become
essential for innovation and progress. An
inspiring model of this is the BRIDGE
project, a multilingual, multinational
initiative funded by the European
Erasmus+ programme (European Commission,
2024) to enhance information and digital literacy
skills among primary school students (aged 8–11
years) by creating a free resource for teachers and
librarians.
Bringing together partners from Spain, Italy,
Finland, Turkey, Greece, and England, the
project considered the challenges of embedding
information and digital literacy competencies in
each nation and looked for commonalities and
differences in approach. The research formed the
basis for a selection of picture books and online
resources for classroom use to be added to the
resulting BRIDGE portal which is now freely
available (BRIDGE Partnership, 2024). Beyond
these tangible outcomes, the experience enabled
invaluable cross-cultural bonding. By exchanging
ideas and forging relationships, participants
learned from diverse viewpoints, laying
foundations for future solidarity.
Information and digital literacy at the
heart of learning
The BRIDGE project had three key goals
underpinning its research: firstly, prioritising
information and digital literacy in the curriculum,
emphasising critical thinking, ethics, and
equality values – this meant encouraging the use
of appropriate activities in the classroom and
highlighting the school librarian’s essential role in
developing these competencies; secondly, fostering
reading enjoyment through contextualised print
materials and digital documents; finally, examining
existing national educational policies and
suggesting enhancements to embed information
and digital literacy across the curriculum. With
clear objectives, the project generated practical
recommendations and resources for the primary
classroom and library.
Outcomes for primary school educators
The project yielded three distinct outcomes:
1. An online portal with picture books and
databases supporting competency development
in information and digital literacy, emphasising
equality and diversity.
2. A training seminar and booklet of best practices
for utilising the resources within the portal.
3. A detailed research report scrutinising
information and digital literacy policies in
each country, with suggestions to strengthen
connections. This states that BRIDGE partners
carried out a survey in each participating
country to find out how information and digital
literacy is perceived and taught in practice.
All these products can be accessed via the
BRIDGE website.
Contrasting national approaches
By studying legislation and government policies
in each country, BRIDGE revealed unique
frameworks surrounding information and
digital literacy. Thus, Spain relates this subject
to overarching digital competence, Greece
16 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024

Bridging Information and Digital Literacy Gaps Through Cross-Cultural Collaboration
aims for comprehensive digital integration,
and Finland emphasises transferable life skills
in the context of multiliteracy. In Turkey, the
curriculum incorporates information literacy to
develop problem-solving abilities and manage
information. Italy focuses on digital literacy
as a priority competency. The curriculum and
legislation in England mostly relates to tackling
online dangers.
Some commonalities also appeared. Several
countries, including England, focus more on
functional rather than critical information and
digital literacy. However, some of Spain’s regional
policies explicitly link information and digital
literacy to critical aspects like analysis and ethics,
similarly to the approach in Turkey and Finland.
Although specifics differ, improving teacher
capabilities through better training emerges as
a recurring priority amongst all participating
countries.
Strategies to enhance engagement with
information and digital literacy
The BRIDGE project, from its research findings,
was able to suggest numerous strategies for
engaging primary school students with information
and digital literacy competencies involving both
teachers and librarians but also highlighting the
need for government legislative support and
recognition:
• Teacher training and development
• Robust school libraries with specialised staff
• Cross-sector partnerships
• Policy reform and advocacy
• Tailored curricula, resources, and practices
• Continuous evaluation
Implementing these internationally validated
techniques could help drive information and
digital literacy engagement in UK primary
schools. Use of the BRIDGE portal could be a
starting point.
The BRIDGE portal: a wealth of resources
Drawing on this extensive research, the BRIDGE
project provides an invaluable open-access portal
packed with multilingual picture books and digital
materials that support the project criteria. The
content aligns with the UN Sustainability Goals,
making this a vital tool for global citizenship
education, too, and underpinning diversity and
inclusivity.
To use the resource, visit the website
bridgeinfoliteracy.eu/portal/. From each
relevant column select the criteria for what you
wish to find, then search.
The results are displayed with basic information,
front cover, title, and languages.
Once selected, resources offer more details such as
publishing information, content summaries, and
library availability.
To fully utilise the portal, the BRIDGE project’s
online seminar and brochure provides pedagogical
ideas tailored for primary-age learners.
Looking ahead
BRIDGE demonstrates the deep value of inclusive,
borderless collaboration and invites all primary
educators to explore this peer-reviewed portal and
see information and digital literacy engagement
thrive. As the team welcomes suggestions, your
feedback can help this tool continue bridging
divides across Europe. Please comment via the
BRIDGE website and enjoy using the database.
Figure 1 BRIDGE Portal
home page
Figure 2 examples of BRIDGE
portal results display
Figure 3 BRIDGE portal
detailed record view
References
BRIDGE Partners (2024)
Information and Digital
Literacy at school. A bridge
to support critical thinking
and equality values for
primary education using
children’s literature and
transmedia. Available at:
https://bridgeinfoliteracy.eu/
European Commission
(2024) Erasmus+: EU
programme for education,
training, youth and sport.
Available at: https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 17

A View From ...
… a Primary School
Some time ago I recall a child standing by the library shelves,
looking weary. Quietly he said, ‘Mrs Le Marquand, I just don't
know what to choose’. Action stations! Since that encounter, I have
been reflecting more deeply about the role our library plays in
supporting children’s book choice skills.
Our new five-year School Development Plan includes, for the
first time, a goal to see all our children become volitional readers
by the end of Year 6. I see this as a crucial victory for Reading
for Pleasure (RfP), but what are we doing to realise it? After the
pandemic I introduced a RfP programme in Key Stage 2. Its aim
was to combat negative reading attitudes, and although there was
an element of book choice, it did not go far enough.
Evidence tells us that book choice skills for children are one vital
part of the jigsaw that creates volitional reading, but I am struck by
how little attention it gets and how often as adult readers we take
for granted how easy choosing a book is. Yet in my experience this
is resoundingly not the case for children. Becoming a confident
book chooser is a journey in school which ebbs and flows, stalls,
often overwhelms, needs constant monitoring, and continues
throughout KS2.
Last term we put book choice at the heart of the RfP programme.
The changes mean our support for children is now more focused
as every child has a direct link with
the library rather than just those
children that liked to come. By
devoting more time to practice book
choice and monitoring, this enables
me and the teachers to target those
children that might need more
guidance than others. For example,
if they choose a book that is beyond
their reading skill, I can explain that
this is OK; that book choice skills
take time to master and sometimes
they’ll get it wrong. Or perhaps
they don’t know where to start.
We also keep track of their reading
momentum. Are they actually
reading at home? Have they had a
Sally Le Marquand is the
school librarian at Bishop
Gilpin Primary in South
West London.
book in their bag or drawer for weeks? How do we know they are
actually engaging with it?
Of course, creating volitional readers also requires other
aspects to be squeezed into the curriculum, such as
independent reading time and book talk. But as we all know,
that is a much harder nut to crack.
… a Secondary School
I’ve just spent a few hours de-Christmassing the library, and it
looks so different without all the decorations. Decorating the
library for Christmas has been a highlight for several years now.
Library monitors work together to create a paper chain long
enough to go all the way round the library, Christmas trees are
decorated, and book piles magically become Santa, Rudoph, and a
snowman. Involving students in how the library looks is important
to me. It’s their environment, and having some input in how it
looks increases their sense of ownership.
This year’s Christmas display was built around the Dumbledore
quote about wanting socks for Christmas, but everyone keeps
giving him books. Two trees were created, and students could then
choose whether they would like a book or a sock for Christmas,
colour it in and stick it on the tree. Results were 50/50 between
books and socks and generated some interesting discussions.
This half term’s display uses New York Public Library’s
#libraryshelfieday for inspiration. I’ve created bookshelves on my
main display board and printed some blank book piles. Students
can add titles to their book piles to add to the display shelves.
By not insisting on photos, all students can be involved whether
they own the books or not. Students can write the titles of books
they enjoyed reading or that they are looking forward to reading.
I’m also asking staff to list 5 books on their shelves which we’ll
add to the shelves for students to guess who they belong to. It’s
always a battle with some students to
encourage them to read more widely,
and I’m hoping the display will
generate some discussion of book
choices.
New Year Reading Resolutions are
part of our Year 7 reading journals
this half term. Students will be
encouraged to set themselves
some reading targets for the year.
Suggestions range from finishing
a book or passing an Accelerated
Reader quiz to reading a whole
series or reading books over 300
pages. There are also options to
widen reading choices, including
Helen Smith – "I've been
working in school libraries
for longer than I care to
remember, but still not sure
I'm doing it right. Here's to
learning as we go".
read a book by an author you’ve not read before or read a book
published before you were born. I’ve tried to include something
so that every student (active readers and reluctant readers) can
easily identify targets for themselves that are challenging yet
achievable.
In other news, we’re moving school management systems. This
feels like a steep learning curve, and the first few weeks of term are
likely to be full of questions. Watch this space!
18 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024

A View From ...
… a Schools Library Service
Facing Facts: Engaging Readers With Non-Fiction
At Creative Learning Services, we are not your traditional Schools
Library Service. There are three elements to our service: Library,
Artworks, and Museum Learning. For each we offer resource
loans, professional support, and sessions with staff, parents,
and pupils. We offer paid-for subscription packages to primary,
secondary, and special schools in Leicester, Leicestershire, and
Rutland. Our subscription packages are tailored to the needs
and budgets of each school and can save schools considerable
amounts of time and money.
In recent years, we’ve seen a trend in schools thinking about, or
heavily editing, their non-fiction collections because they aren’t
well used. We, however, have other thoughts on this matter. For
the librarian team, our most popular sessions are our Booktalking
sessions, which we offer to all ages and abilities. These sessions
are bespoke and are designed to generate excitement about
reading for pleasure – whether that’s encouraging able or avid
readers to try something new or hooking reluctant readers in with
exciting extracts, facts, and anecdotes.
We’ve begun to include more non-fiction titles in our sessions,
and the impact of this is evident in the engagement, borrowing,
and feedback from pupils and staff during and after these
sessions. Series that we’ve found particularly popular are potted
biographies such as the Football Superstars series by Simon
Mugford, the FACTopia series published by What On Earth Books,
and the Fact or Fake series published by Wayland. Books like
… a Sixth Form Library
September and October arrived with their usual whirlwind of
inductions and training sessions taking place across all our college
sites. After being so successful at induction last year, we reused our
locked box puzzle, with students having to use the library catalogue
to solve and open it, with clues hidden around the library.
We took a brand-new approach to our Freshers Fair this year.
Previously we’ve handed out leaflets about the library, which
although important was also very dry; this year we were more
interested in the conversations we could be having with our
students. So, we ran two competitions which proved to be very
popular, resulting in lots of lovely book chats with our students,
both new and returning. One competition was ‘Sweet or book?’
where students chose a piece of paper from a lucky dip, showing
their prize. The lure of free sweets drew in the crowds, even those
who claimed not to enjoy reading. We used good quality secondhand
books as the prizes to fit in with College’s sustainability drive.
The other competition was a ‘guess how many pages in this pile
of books’ where we gave away six TikTok Book Award winning
books, with the closest guess winning the whole pile. Students
used all manner of ways to work out the number of pages, from
trying to remember those that they had read to working out the
thickness of a page in relation to the angle of the sun (no, this
student didn’t win!).
these play to pupils’ interests and
often capture the attention of the
more reluctant readers.
We’re not the only ones noticing
this trend in reading habits. We
were delighted to read about Alison
David’s research that herself and
the team at Farshore have done on
‘Reading for Pleasure and Purpose’.
This found that one in five young
people prefer to read non-fiction
books. We’ve carried this statistic
with us ever since, surprising pupils
and staff and opening the door of
reading to more and more young
people, and a few reluctant staff
members too!
From what we’ve learnt with our booktalking sessions, there is still
a place for non-fiction collections in school libraries, and perhaps
we just need to promote them differently. Every reader’s journey
is different and maybe by encouraging them to consider reading
around their interests, we can set more young people on the path
to developing a lifelong reading habit.
www.farshore.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/46/2022/03/
Reading-for-Pleasure-and-Purpose-Report-Farshore.pdf
This term we’ve also somehow
managed to fit in a ‘Spooky
Day’ with the Student Union,
including storytelling around a
(fake!) campfire, holding our first
meeting of the library committee
resulting in the recruitment of two
volunteers, and introducing The
Travelling Library, a custom-made
bookcase on wheels to take out to
our different campuses.
Cassie Kemp is a librarian at
Creative Learning Services
in Leicester who works with
primary, secondary and
special schools in an advisory,
training and delivery capacity.
Abby Barker is a librarian
at Barbnsley College.
I’m sure Christmas will be a long
distant memory by the time you
read this, but we were so delighted
with our take on Jolabokaflod that
I’m going to share it. We’ve noticed that although our students
love to read, many of them don’t borrow books from the library,
and so we piggybacked on the Icelandic tradition of books and
hot chocolate on Christmas Eve and wrapped 60 new books and
sachets of hot chocolate to give away at the college’s Christmas
market.
Now to spend the New Year turning that love of reading into a love
of the library!
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 19

A View From ...
… a Specialist School
Treloar’s is a specialist school and college for 170 children and
young people aged 4–25 years with severe physical disabilities
and varying levels of cognitive ability. We offer day and boarding
provision (in one of our five residential houses) with full teaching,
therapy, pastoral, and medical support. The library is part of the
Technology Hub which provides PC access, learning resources,
interactive learning, and a toolkit of resources that support our
students’ learning and development.
I have worked at Treloar’s for nearly 13 years, starting as a parttime
librarian in a team of five to six staff, then progressing to
my current position as Learning Resources Manager six years
ago, with a much-reduced team of myself and support from one
administrator.
When I first started, we did a lot more core reading support, but
as the cognitive abilities of our students have changed so has
the support we provide. Now, the emphasis is more on sensory
resources or alternative formats to support teaching and reading,
in addition to sourcing books which are age appropriate, have
right interest levels, and are inclusive. This has become easier in
the last few years with the developments in technology; however,
with such a diverse range of students, it can be very difficult to
find the right resource as it needs to be individually tailored to
their requirements in terms of format, accessibility, and level.
My role is very varied and may be
different from other school/college
librarians. The day-to-day running
of the Technology Hub means that
my library focus often has to take a
backseat, to the extent that some staff
may have no idea that I am a librarian
by profession. At times it can seem
like I am the hidden librarian: my true
profession becomes lost as I maintain
day-to-day operations.
Louise Harding is LR Manager
in a specialist school and
college, who believes that
every student should have the
opportunity to access books
to discover the power and
magic that they can bring.
This year will bring some muchneeded
changes, not only in my
ability to dedicate myself to my role
but also as we are creating a brand
new bespoke Interactive Learning
Zone (ILZ), centrally located in the
site, with a custom designed library
space, an immersive learning zone, a gaming room, and an
interactive area. Our aim is for the ILZ to be a centre of excellence
and innovation for our students and the wider community, with
students also being able to access resources outside of the school
day. It also shows that we acknowledge the importance and need
for a designated reading space.
… an International School
It is a Wednesday morning at Southbank International School
and the library is buzzing with students. Grade 7 students browse
the fiction shelves for a book to read for their library lesson. They
are reading Refugee Boy by Benjamin Zephaniah and looking for
inspiration amongst the display I have introduced them to, which
includes graphic novels, memoirs, and other literature exploring
similar themes. We discuss how reading helps us to build empathy
through putting ourselves in the shoes of others. They begin to
read and I open my own book alongside them.
As students move on to their other lessons, I visit four classes of
Grade 6 who are comparing the use of search engines such as
Google with library subscription databases such as Britannica.
This is the first of a series of lessons on research skills that I have
designed to be taught by classroom teachers as part of the new
Core Wednesday. Interestingly, students intuitively recognise
the value of using trustworthy sources of information such as
Britannica, and next week they will begin the process of learning
how to evaluate information using the SIFT method (Caulfield &
Wineberg, 2023).
Implemented this academic year in the MYP campus and
spearheaded by our MYP Coordinator, Angela Johnson, Core
Wednesday lessons focus on developing IB Approaches
to Learning (ATL) including critical thinking, research,
communication, problem solving, and time-management.
Students also have library lessons, work on interdisciplinary units
(IDU), projects such as the Personal Project and Service As Action
(community service).
20 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024
Although reading and literature
remain at the heart of the library
program, this Wednesday timetable
also allows me to complement
the learning activities that are
occurring across the curriculum.
For example, if I know that
students are researching ancient
civilisations for their ‘Individual
and Societies’ project, I might use
a lesson to teach students how to
use the library catalogue, locating
print resources on the shelves,
and use an index to find specific
information on their topic.
Although I continue to collaborate
with teachers to integrate
information literacy and research
skills into their subject lessons, I am
Erin Patel is a Teacher
Librarian from Sydney,
Australia. Since relocating to
the UK two years ago with
her family, she has been
the MYP Teacher Librarian
at Southbank International
School, an IB school in
London.
also able to expand on these skills without rushing or repeatedly
focusing only on referencing due to time constraints (although
this is essential and admittedly needs constant teaching and
reinforcement).
This process has been incredible professional development for
me, and led to exciting conversations about how the library can
play an important role in the development of skills essential to
learning.

Frequently Asked Questions
answered by Dawn Woods
1. I am not employed to work the
whole week in the library. How can
the space be used to its full potential?
If you are not in a position to have a daily
member of staff dedicated to the library,
there are ways others can devote some
time to the library.
• The library in a primary school is a
whole school responsibility. Can you
set aside an INSET afternoon to discuss
a plan?
• What do you need each year group/
class to do within the school year to
ensure every child visits the library?
And how frequently?
• How can you include use of the
library for each class so that it is part
of curriculum teaching rather than an
add-on?
• Can you open the school library to
parents at the end of the day so that
they can help their children choose
books?
• Invite a librarian from your local public
library or SLS.
• Is there remote access to the Library
Management System from classrooms?
This is possible with systems hosted
online. This way classes can search the
catalogue and even issue and discharge
loans.
The above will share responsibility
among all class teachers, which ensures
all children have a library experience
throughout their primary school years
and brings reading to the fore.
2. What are the benefits of Pupil
Library Assistants?
You have returned to your school library
in the new year with many resolutions
to maintain order and be completely on
top of all tasks. But your hours haven’t
increased, so why not think about
recruiting Pupil Library Assistants to
whom you can delegate tasks to help you
in the library?
A Pupil Library Assistant programme:
• gives pupils a voice in school
• develops pupil knowledge, skills and
personal qualities in a real-life context
• provides role models for other students
• contributes towards embedding a
Reading Culture in school
• raises the profile of the library
• supports the library staff
Pupils gain from helping in the library
through:
• increased confidence and self-esteem
• opportunities to take on responsibility
• rewards for a positive contribution
• the opportunity to assist other students
The SLA have a toolkit, available for
download to members, which has
templates of job advertisement posters,
interview tasks, outcome letters, and
a detailed training programme which
makes the process less arduous.
• Pupil Library Assistant Toolkit
www.sla.org.uk/Public/
Resource_Directory.aspx
• Badges for Pupil Library Assistants
via the Shop www.sla.org.uk/
Services/Public/Shop.aspx
• PLAA www.sla.org.uk/
Public/About-Us/Awards-Pages/
Pupil-Library-Assistant-of-the-
Year-Award.aspx
3. My stock is looking a bit tired, but I
don’t want to throw away books when
we have so few.
Outdated stock is masking the problem of
sufficient relevant titles.
• By editing stock, leaving just the
attractive, useful titles, pupils can see
what they are looking for (and some
they aren’t but that catch their eye).
• A stock edit allows for room to display
the remaining attractive looking
books which is less confusing,
especially important for neurodiverse
children who may be overwhelmed by
crowded shelves.
• It also enables you to spot any gaps in
coverage. This then eases submitting a
case for additional funding to cover X
and Y subjects to meet pupil needs.
• It is better to have nothing on the
shelves than books which feed children
the wrong information.
• Libraries are curated collections of
books, brought together for the needs of
that community at any one time –
times, and the curriculum, change.
• SLA recommend using a rough guide
of no books over 10 years old on your
shelves. However, some subjects should
be closely examined after five years
and discarded if there have been major
changes.
• If books to be removed were added to
the library management system (LMS),
they need to be removed to keep the
LMS current and correct.
The SLA have guidelines on stock
purchase and editing stock and what to
do with withdrawn books afterwards.
Search in the Resource Library.
Dawn Woods is the Member
Development Librarian at the
School Library Association.
She has spent all her career
mainly with a Schools' Library
Service, moving to include
children's libraries, then back
as a manager of an SLS.
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 21

Curriculum Links
Primary – Dual/Bilingual
Video: 50 Simple Signs in British Sign
Language for Kids by Kids
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=YtAi0R83qzU
10-minute snapshot to help learn 50
simple signs in British Sign Language
with demonstration by Finlay (aged 9)
and Tyler (aged 7).
Book: Amery, Heather, Mackinnon,
Mairi & Cartwright, Stephen
First Hundred Words in Russian
Usborne, 2017, 32pp, £5.99,
9781474938297
Series: First Hundred Words
Everyday words for common items and
phrases, with pronunciation guide in
simple layout.
Book: Budgell, Gill & Halford, Katy
Language Around the World
Dorling K, 48pp, £9.99, 2023, 9780241617144
Introduces young readers to the most
interesting aspects of languages and how
they evolve and change over time.
Website: Duolingo
https://schools.duolingo.com/
Duolingo for Schools is free, although
requires a sign in, and teaches children
via games and challenges.
E Book: English–Ukrainian Dual
Language Mixed Readers Pack
https://www.badgerlearning.co.uk/englishukrainian-dual-language-mixed-readers-freeebook-pack.html
Learning resources for children to build
fluency in reading in English supported
by dual-language vocabulary list.
Website: Muzzy BBC
https://www.muzzybbc.co.uk/
A range of language options with games
and songs to help. Suitable for home or
school with different pricing models.
Product: Scanning Pen
https://www.scanningpens.co.uk/
Scan the text of any reader and translate
into read aloud speech to enable all
learners to participate alongside one
another.
Website: Storyweaver
https://storyweaver.org.in/
Home to high quality, openly licensed
multilingual storybooks sourced from
global publishers. Books can be read
online or downloaded and printed.
Book: Walter, Anne, Dillana-Kendall,
Patricia and Axworthy, Ann
Goldilocks and the Three Bears:
Ricitos de oro y los tres osos
Franklin Watts, 2021, £4.99, 9781445158372
Series: Dual language readers with other
languages available
Parallel text on every page, these are
perfect tools for children learning a new
language, or those with English as an
additional language.
Secondary – Languages
Video: Annie Long, How To Learn A
Language On Your Own As A Busy
Student (Self-Study Guide)
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=kQXLHcqJbcQ
13-minute guide of reasons why this
young person started to learn new
languages and strategies she found
useful.
Website: BBC
https://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/index.shtml
Although no longer updated, this
archived site has useful pointers to help
language learning, offering multiple
languages.
Video: Bella, How I Learn Languages |
8 Tips for Success
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=gmm2b0KFg9g
15 minutes from Bella on how she learns
new languages, which may help other
young people.
Book: Cameron, Sophie
Away with Words
Little Tiger, 2023, 288pp, £8.99, 9781788953924
Moving from Spain to Scotland, Gala has
to learn a new language as well as fit into
a new life and school.
Book: Dent, Susie
Interesting Stories about Curious Words
John Murray, 2023, 320pp, £14.99,
9781399811675
An enjoyable presentation of the stories
and etymologies of everyday and obscure
words and phrases in our language.
Podcast: Laura
https://germangrammarpod.blogspot.com/
German grammar explained, broken
down into episodes on specific elements,
different lengths according to subject.
Website: Massachusetts Institute of
Technology Library
https://libguides.mit.edu/flnewspapers
News sites selected especially for
language students, some content
available freely, other requiring
subscription to read full text.
Website: Open Culture
https://www.openculture.com/
freelanguagelessons
Pointer to lessons on websites or
podcasts in 48 languages, offering
different levels according to need.
Website and App: Tandem
https://www.tandem.net/
Language learning app to connect people
to chat in other languages, helping one
another at their own pace. Website says
for over 16 years.
22 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024

Research
Highlights
Reading on paper increases understanding compared
with digital print
Many of us instinctively feel we understand more of a text
when reading from paper instead of a screen. Now this is
backed up by science.
The American Educational Research Association has published
a meta-analysis looking at the relationship between digital
reading habits and reading comprehension. The research,
carried out by the University of Valencia, concludes that:
• reading for pleasure has a much stronger relationship with
reading comprehension when the reading material is printed
on paper compared with reading from a screen;
• in younger readers, digital reading habits negatively affect
reading comprehension, although this is no longer true by
late secondary school or university age;
• since the studies included in the analysis used very different
ways to measure reading comprehension, more research
needs to be done.
tinyurl.com/4evn7hxr & tinyurl.com/26sk2zff
School libraries are nurturing tomorrow’s media producers
The International Council for Media Literacy has published
a literature review exploring the role school libraries play in
media education in the UK. In An honest tale speeds best,
being plainly told: Media Literacy and the Role of the School
Library, Rachael Brennan concludes that:
• there is a growing list of skills young people need to navigate
the digital world;
• there is a need for media literacy to be well defined within
the curriculum;
• the school library provides a great opportunity for students to
gain the skills needed to both analyse and produce digital media.
tinyurl.com/2kes8459
Media Literacy Intervention in the School Library
Research carried out by Bournemouth University in
collaboration with the SLA and TASIS: The American School
in England has been published; this research investigates how
to foster resilience in teenagers when engaging with media. A
small cohort of Year 10 students who had reported negative
online experiences were recruited to take part in a series of
interventions to increase their digital wellbeing, led by the
school librarian. The research found that:
• a school librarian who is both an expert in media literacy
and experienced in pastoral care can help the participants
feel comfortable and able to engage;
• the age of participants is crucial – they need to be old enough
to understand and talk about the concepts and risk but
young enough so that digital habits are not as entrenched;
• it is very hard for young people to convert what they have
learned into a change in action online.
tinyurl.com/ydssnfkm
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 25

Feature
Steve Antony Interview –
Rainbowsaurus
We spoke to Steve Antony about his fantastically colourful
new book, Rainbowsaurus. Read on to find out more about the
inspiration and process behind what is sure to be a family favourite.
C
ongratulations on your brand-new
book, Rainbowsaurus! Tell us a bit
more about this vibrant story and
where your idea for it came from?
Thanks so much! I was working
on another dinosaur book but
felt it was missing something so, just for fun,
I made my dinosaur super colourful. I called
him Rainbowsaurus and wondered where he
lived. I loved the idea of writing a rhyme about
a family who go on an adventure to find the
Rainbowsaurus. It was so fun to develop. Once I
had finished writing Rainbowsaurus, I couldn’t
wait to start illustrating all of the colourful
animals who also appear in the book. Before
long I had written and illustrated the first draft of
Rainbowsaurus.
The colour palette for the book is very interesting.
Could you tell us a bit more about your use of
colours?
Due to being red–green colour-blind I tend to prefer
limited palettes. Initially I was going to use the seven
colours of the rainbow, but then I decided to add
pink and brown. Rainbowsaurus is actually quite
similar to my first book The Queens Hat in that I
referenced a flag for my palette. For The Queen’s
Hat I used red, white, and blue: the colours of the
Union Jack. For Rainbowsaurus I used red, orange,
yellow, green, indigo, violet, black, brown, blue, pink,
and white. Once I’d chosen my palette, the rhythmic
story began to unfold.
What is your favourite illustration in the book?
My favourite illustration is the one of the family
and all the colourful animals sliding down the
rainbow. I love the idea of climbing up and sliding
down a rainbow.
What would you like readers to take away from
this book?
I would simply like people to have fun reading
Rainbowsaurus aloud. Its rhythmic pace and
all the animal sounds make it such a fun read,
especially as a group.
Seeing children engrossed in a book
I’ve written and illustrated is priceless.
Why do you think it’s important to see a book
like this in school libraries?
I like to focus on writing, drawing, and sharing
stories. No one ever points out that the Tiger
had tea with a mum–dad family or that it was
a mum–dad family that went on a bear hunt.
Rainbowsaurus, at its heart, is a simple, funny,
and hopefully satisfying tale that celebrates the
joy of reading aloud, sharing stories, and creating
uplifting moments, because that’s what picture
books can do.
What is the best thing about being a picture book
author and illustrator?
Seeing children engrossed in a book I’ve written
and illustrated is priceless. I’ll never forget the first
time I saw a child read one of my books. I don’t
have kids, but it’s absolutely amazing and quite
mind blowing to know that my books are read by
millions of children around the world, especially
because children’s books often become the fabric
of one’s childhood. I don’t think about that
too often because it’s so hard to
fully comprehend. But when I
do think about it, I feel truly
blessed and grateful to be
a children’s book author
and illustrator.
Steve Antony is author and
illustrator of Rainbowsaurus
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 27

Digital
ThingLink in Education:
Enhancing Learning
Through Interactive Media
Kojo Hazel explains some of
the main features of ThingLink
and how it can help transform
the education experience.
Kojo Hazel
Teacher of Esports & IT, and
Diversity & Inclusion Fellow
for Microsoft Education UK.
@kojohazel
ThingLink stands out in the educational
tech sphere with its interactive capabilities.
Beyond basic annotations, it supports 360°
image integration, creating immersive learning
experiences. Customisation tools allow you to
adjust the look and feel of the interactive elements,
aligning them with specific educational goals or
themes. ThingLink also supports VR, making it
possible to create virtual tours and simulations.
The drag-and-drop interface is user-friendly,
ensuring ease of use for all proficiency levels.
ThingLink has integrated AI tools to enhance
content creation, allowing educators to explore
new ways of creating engaging and interactive
learning materials.
Uses for Educators:
ThingLink’s versatility shines in various
educational contexts. For example, in my esports
lessons, we have used it to dissect gameplays.
I have been able to overlay strategic points
on game maps and annotate video replays to
discuss tactics with my students. Virtual walkthroughs
and tours provide access to real-world
environments and situations that are otherwise
out of reach. Interactive 360° images and videos
help develop contextual understanding and
skills in diverse areas such as remote locations,
cultures, or social situations. Educators can
overlay audio files, which is particularly useful
for language classes or for providing detailed
explanations.
Uses for Students:
ThingLink allows students to become fluent
in using multiple forms of media to express
themselves both inside and outside the
classroom. Its mobile app is ideal for saving notes
and observations with direct audio recording
to images, while the desktop editor supports
collaborative editing and creating presentations
and assignments. ThingLink is a gateway to
creative expression and in-depth learning.
They can create interactive reports or projects,
embedding videos, links, and annotations
directly into their work. This hands-on approach
encourages exploration and research, enhancing
critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Training Materials:
ThingLink’s commitment to education is evident
in its comprehensive training materials. It offers
detailed guides and lesson plans to help educators
integrate the app into their curriculum. The
community forums and FAQs provide additional
support, ensuring educators can maximise the
tool’s potential. The ThingLink Certified Creator
Course is a free course designed for all content
creators in digital learning and communication,
providing essential skills to educators in creating
engaging interactive experiences.
Compatibility with Microsoft and Google:
The seamless integration with Microsoft and
Google platforms is a significant advantage.
Educators and students can incorporate
ThingLink into Microsoft Teams, OneNote, and
Google Classroom effortlessly. This compatibility
facilitates a streamlined workflow, allowing for
easy sharing and collaboration within these widely
used educational ecosystems.
ThingLink redefines the educational landscape.
With ThingLink, education is transformed
into an experience that is both engaging and
transformative, heralding a new era of interactive
learning. Well worth a look in my opinion.
28 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024

Digital
Transforming School Librarians
into Technology Leaders
Jonathan Viner
Librarians are at the forefront of the work to ensure that students
can survive in a digital age. Jonathan Viner explains how.
In our new AI age, the role of school
librarians is rapidly changing as they
become more than just keepers of books
and learning resources. They are (quite rightly!)
evolving into technology leaders, supporting
students and other teachers in their use of
these innovations.
At the heart of this shift lies the recognition, as Dan
Fitzpatrick (the AI Educator) puts it, that literacy
skills are AI skills and vice versa. He uses a broad
definition of literacy: ‘The ability to read, write,
speak, and listen in a way that lets us communicate
effectively and make sense of the world.’ But this
helpfully reiterates that building literacy skills is
vital for students to make effective use of AI now
and in the future.
In my opinion, there are four new literacy skills
that students need to develop:
1. Critical thinking and problem-solving: To
evaluate the accuracy and reliability of AIgenerated
information, students need to be
able to think critically and solve problems. They
should be able to identify bias in AI algorithms
and recognise when AI is not the best way to
solve a problem.
2. Media literacy: Students also need to
understand how AI works and how it is used in
their daily lives. They should be able to evaluate
the quality and credibility of AI-generated
content as well as identifying fake news and
other forms of misinformation.
3. Data literacy: Students should understand how
to collect, analyse, and interpret data. They
should be comfortable in using AI tools to
collect and analyse insights in order to solve
problems and make informed decisions.
4. Coding and programming: Coding is also a
form of literacy, empowering students to interact
with technology at a fundamental level. Why not
collaborate with computer science teachers to
offer coding clubs or workshops in the library?
School librarians can become
catalysts for innovation and
change across their schools.
Of course, to best support students, librarians
must first develop their own skills to evolve
into technology leaders. This is not just about
embracing new tools but also building their
understanding of their impact on education.
Developing a personal learning network as well as
attending workshops and webinars can be good
ways to do this. There’s also a wide range of useful
courses and resources available from Code.org,
Coursera, and Google’s AI Hub for Education.
Here are a few ideas that school librarians could
use to develop their students’ new literacy skills
and demonstrate their own tech leadership:
• Creating a Tech Hub: Transform the library into
a tech hub where students can explore and
interact with cutting-edge technologies. Invest
in devices like VR headsets, coding kits, or AI
tools, making them accessible to students during
designated library hours.
• Promoting digital citizenship: Host workshops
on digital citizenship to educate students on
responsible and ethical use of technology.
Discuss topics such as online privacy,
cybersecurity, and the implications of AI,
fostering a generation of responsible digital
citizens.
• Collaborating with other educators: Partner
with teachers in other subjects to develop AIthemed
projects that integrate key skills.
School librarians are in a unique position to be
leaders in the integration of AI into education.
Most importantly, by embracing AI and its
potential to transform learning, school librarians
can become catalysts for innovation and change
across their schools.
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
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 29

Digital
Bev’s Helpdesk:
Canva and Magic Write
Beverley Humphrey talks us through some of the
practical benefits of Magic Write, an AI writer and
text generator tool from Canva.
Canva is the most essential tool in
my digital kit, and I really don’t
know how I would cope without it
now! However, in a busy school library you
seldom have the time to play and work out
how to use things to your best advantage,
so hopefully this column will give you some
practical pointers. Canva refers to their suite
of AI facilities as Magic Studio but there are
different parts to their offer, and this time I
am focusing mainly on Magic Write.
Bev Humphrey is a
Literacy and Digital Media
Consultant with specialisms
in the use of digital media,
reading promotion, and
event organisation.
I wanted to create a social media post
showcasing a book I have read recently. The
first place AI comes in is on the front-page
search box where you can now enter at least
five words to describe what you want in
order to obtain more targeted suggestions of
templates that might work for you. I entered
‘book review social media post’ and within
seconds Magic Studio found some templates
I might like to use, and I selected one I thought I
could work with. Having opened the template, I
realised that I needed help writing the review; this
would save time, so I added a text box then clicked
the star icon in the bottom right of the screen (this
is the Canva Assistant which works much in the
same way as the old paperclip in Word). Clicking
on Magic Write I then entered a brief description of
I love the Fix Spelling option –
no more posting in haste with
spelling mistakes!
what I wanted, including the title and author. The
review that was then created for me was pretty good,
but I wanted it to be a little less formal as that’s more
my writing style, so with the text box selected, I
clicked on Magic Write and was then presented with
a range of options: Continue Writing, Summarise,
Rewrite, More Fun, More Formal, Sprinkle Fairy
Dust, and Fix Spelling. I went for More Fun and you
can see the difference in the text in the images on
this page. I could now edit this text, adding more
detail, etc., and I love the Fix Spelling option – no
more posting in haste with spelling mistakes!
Oops – I promised to write a report on the benefits
of reading for pleasure, but my brain has gone
completely blank – Magic Write to the rescue!
I’ve opened a document and clicked the plus
sign/Magic Write. I’ve asked for a discussion on
the importance of reading for pleasure in young
children and, “hey presto”, within seconds I have
three short paragraphs that will hopefully spark
some ideas in my tired brain. To give me more food
for thought, I have clicked the plus button again,
but this time asked for ‘the benefits of reading for
pleasure on future work prospects’; this has now
given me a further four paragraphs, so the bones of
my report are created within just a few minutes.
I hope you enjoy using Magic Write – look out for
more top tips in future columns.
30 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024

Digital
The Children’s Poetry
Archive Review
https://childrens.poetryarchive.org/
The Children’s Poetry Archive offers users the
chance to ‘listen to the world’s best poetry read
out loud’ through its collection of written and
audio recorded versions of almost 300 poems. The
website also contains profiles of 52 poets – from
young award winners to established writers – and
10 interviews. The site is suitable for poetry readers
of all ages, with an additional ‘Teach’ section for
educators.
The archive design is bold and attractive, with
pages clearly laid out and the search bar easily
accessible on each page. Pages from each type of
result – poem; poet; interview; themed collection
– are colour-coded and consistently formatted,
making the site very easy to navigate and use.
One of the best features of the archive is the poets’
audio recordings of poems. As the site states, ‘when
we read poems out loud, we breathe life into them
and we can picture them in our imagination’. It
is a privilege to hear the poet’s original emotion,
intention and expression in their reading – which
will also enhance students’ understanding of
the pieces. Unusually, the user can also click the
‘distraction free’ button to dim the website page for
an improved listening experience.
The number of poems and poet profiles available
at the archive is currently very limited. In contrast,
a large range of material is available via the ‘Teach’
section, both linked to specific poems and to the
teaching of general poetry skills. This makes the
site particularly suitable for schools taking part in
Poetry by Heart or other national competitions
and for use in the approach to National Poetry Day
on the first Thursday in October.
The Children’s Poetry Archive is engaging and
useful, but with limited content. If additional
resources, particularly audio recordings, continue
to be added to the website, it has great potential to
help every reader find a favourite poem.
Sharon Corbally is a
secondary librarian powered
by lifelong learning, reading,
tea and (nearly) all things
green.
OU Research and Practice
Podcast: Informal Book Talk
http://tinyurl.com/mtzhj42e
We already know that informal book talk is a lot of fun, but
it’s also a cornerstone of Reading for Pleasure pedagogy.
Barbara Band reviews the OU podcast that tells us more.
Research conducted by the Open University (OU)
and the United Kingdom Literacy Association
(UKLA) in 2019 found that a ‘robust Reading
for Pleasure pedagogy’ must be planned for and
contain four practices: reading aloud; informal
book talk; independent reading time; and a social
reading environment. One of these elements,
informal book talk, should be learner-led, informal,
social, and involve texts that tempt (easy to
remember via the acronym LIST).
In this podcast of approximately 20 minutes, Lisa
Hesmondhalgh, Director of English at Aspire
Educational Trust, Mike Tuckwell, Year 6 teacher
and English lead at Woodlands Park Primary, and
Brittany Evans, Assistant Headteacher at Lea Forest
Primary, discuss how they have developed a LIST
approach to book talk within their primary schools.
Initially, most book talk was quite formal in order
to model to children good practice; over time, this
has evolved into a more informal approach, with
increased social interaction, spontaneous book chat,
and increased book talk amongst pupils with peerto-peer
recommendations. ‘Reading for Pleasure’
has been renamed ‘independent reading time’ as a
means of valuing all texts and to remove a ceiling on
what the children were reading. Time for talking was
mentioned as a challenge and that teachers’ book
knowledge was also important.
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.
This short podcast is useful for anyone who wants to encourage book blether
within their school and reassures the listener that strategies to promote this
activity will gradually have an impact. The OU website that supports the Reading
for Pleasure and Teachers as Readers initiatives has some useful resources
linked to informal book talk, including research summaries, examples of best
practices, videos from primary practitioners, and a free poster. Although aimed
at primary schools, it is definitely worth exploring as many ideas can be adapted
for older students as well as library lessons.
32 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024

SLA Website
We hope that you've all been enjoying
exploring our new SLA website and
have managed to find everything you
need. 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 make
the new site live before Christmas.
We 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:
• the ability to manage your own details and
preferences at any time
• a Members’ Directory to allow you to connect
with other school library staff
• a Member Forum to discuss topics that are
important to you
• an extensive and searchable Resource Library
• the ability for you to renew your own
membership up to 3 months in advance
and much, MUCH more!
As part of this change, you will need to make sure
that you update your communication preferences
in order to receive our SLA newsletters. Although
we’ve carried on sending our newsletters as normal
so far, this will soon stop and you won’t receive any
further marketing communications from us unless
you opt in to do so. This not only includes our
regular monthly newsletters, but also our special
interest newsletters.
We're pleased to have extended the range of
special interest newsletters on offer to help keep
you updated with all the SLA and sector news and
deals that may be of interest. So, in 2024, these
will include not just our TSL, primary focused and
Leading School Libraries newsletters, but also new
newsletters for events and training opportunities,
job updates, latest awards news, and shop
promotions.
Once logged in to the website, you can set your
preferences by visiting the ‘Your Membership’
tab, clicking ‘My Account’, and selecting the
‘Preferences’ tab.
Thank you to all who have provided feedback on
the new site. We’re so pleased to hear how much
you’ve been loving it. This is what some members
have been saying:
“I am SO impressed! There's so much to love,
from the simpler things like Moment of the
Month and the volunteer sign up form, to big
things like how much easier it is to find what
you're looking for and how well everything is
grouped.
Having so much research under Why Do
School Libraries Matter is wonderful and will
make our lives much easier! The resources
page is great too (such a helpful keyword
search function), as is the Shop, and I love
the look of the forum, I think it'll be great for
members to be able to communicate in this
way and support each other.”
– Alice Leggatt
"It is great to be able to choose my
communication preferences so I hear about
what I am interested in"
– Fleur Cannadine
Any feedback of your own? We'd love to hear what
you think of the new site – whether that’s good or
to tell us about any areas we could improve. Please
feel free to share your feedback using this online
form: forms.office.com/e/g2LaHrrURa
If you haven’t done so already, discover all the new
website has to offer by visiting: www.sla.org.uk
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 33

Digital
SLA Training
Through the Website:
On Demand Courses
The new SLA website provides much
easier access to purchasing and utilising
our on-demand courses. They can be
purchased from the shop and then accessed
via the ‘My On Demand Access’ tab on the ‘My
Account’ page once logged in.
On Demand Courses
We offer on-demand courses which are taken
completely online, at your own pace, and with a
year to complete.
On the SLA website, navigate to the ‘Shop’ page
and then apply the ‘On Demand Courses’ filter to
browse the courses available. Most of the courses
are equivalent to a day’s training, giving you a solid
foundation in the topic. They will have reading,
links to other websites and videos, and also some
activities and reflection points – some courses
have discussion points to complete as you progress
through the course.
The on-demand courses are split into modules –
usually 6 but some courses have fewer units – to
help you navigate through.
On Demand (equivalent of 6 hours training)
Building a Whole School Reading Culture
Cataloguing
EPQ Course
Information Literacy
Leading School Libraries
On Demand (equivalent of 2 hours training)
Positive Behaviour in the School Library
Short Course for Senior Leaders Who Line
Manage a School Library
Line Managing a School Library
Webcasts
Our online training offer also includes webcasts.
These are recorded webinars which you can play at
a time to suit you. As well as the recording, you have
access to any handouts mentioned in the course of
the webcast.
The webcasts tend to be between 40 and 60 minutes
long and include the Q&A from the session so that
you can gain from colleagues’ questions.
Webcasts available:
Boosting Library Use: Clubs and Activities
Boosting Reading at Key Stage 3 through Reading
Interventions – Webcast
Censorship Series: Activating Your Policy*
Censorship Series: Being Legally Aware*
Censorship Series: Building Your Policy*
Does the Perfect Stock Arrangement Method Exist?
From Dewey to Genrefication and Back Again
EPQ: Tips and Tricks
Library Leaders: Machine Thinking: Artificial
Intelligence and Its Impact on School Libraries
Library Leaders: Media Misinformation
Library Leaders: Reimagining Reading in a Digital Age
Mission Impossible: Engaging Readers at Key Stage
4 – webcast
Using Books to Talk about Death and Bereavement
* This series is available to SLA and CILIP SLG
members free of charge. Please get in touch with
info@sla.org.uk to find out how to access the
webcasts.
34 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024

Books: 7 & Under
Ahlberg, Allan
Under the Table
Illustrated by Bruce Ingman
Walker Books Ltd
2023, pp.38, £12.99
9781406395266
Animals. Family. Holidays
From the partnership which brought us the modern
classic The Pencil, and revisiting the characters and
setting from that, this new title is likely to prove just
as irresistible to the audience. It all starts when little
Elsie Cannon runs outside to tell her dad that not
only has an egg mysteriously appeared in her egg
cup ... but there’s a big grey thing hiding under the
table! The elephant is only the first of many animal
friends to appear, and somehow the only solution
is to pile into the family caravan and have a holiday.
The apparently simple childlike illustrations skilfully
evoke a child’s imaginative view of the world, and
the inspired silliness of a tale full of talking ketchup
bottles and runaway cutlery is perfectly pitched
for the pre-school audience. Children will really
enjoy pointing out all the different characters
in the expressive background illustrations, too,
particularly how often they can spot that egg! While
undoubtedly zany, this is also a joyous celebration
of family fun and togetherness.
Joy Court
Bettridge, Emma
Red Is Home
Illustrated by Josephine Birch
Graffeg
2023, pp.40, £8.99
9781802585346
Moving House. Change. Anxiety
Red is a big bouncy dog who has two homes. He
lives in the town with Chino and Maude, and he
also lives on a canal barge with Sita and Claude.
Josephine Birch’s illustrations are fantastic. They are
bright and colourful, exude the energy of Red, and
carry the text and the story through this charming
book about change and adaptation. The page
layouts are varied – small box illustrations create
a cartoon type impression on some where there
is action, while whole colour wash pages are used
to convey the emotions Red feels on others. Red
has his special places in both home locations – he
knows where to jump and sniff and hide – so when
Sita and Claude are relocating he becomes anxious
and confused. Those who love him are there for him
and he faces moving day with apprehension but an
inner confidence. Soon he is ‘at home’ again in his
new place. Diversity is embraced throughout this
story with subtlety; I recommend this as an excellent
addition to any book collection for ages 3–7.
Janet Sims
Bryon, Nathan
Speak Up!
Illustrated by Dapo Adeola
Puffin
2023, pp.32 , £7.99
9780241345870
Libraries. Activism. Reading
Naturally the inimitable Rocket loves books and
reading; moreover, she especially looks forward
to her weekly visit to the library with her family. It’s
at the library that she’s read all about inspirational
figures such as Rosa Parks, so she’s heartbroken to
discover that it will soon be closing down for good.
Motivated by the activism she’s read about, Rocket
decides to speak up by sharing her passion and
knowledge about libraries with her classmates who
soon rally round to organize a peaceful protest.
Their campaign isn’t always straightforward, but as
hope starts to waver, the local mayor arrives with
thousands of letters of support. People around the
world saw their protest and were moved to donate
money – enough to keep their library open. In this
third collaboration, Bryon and Adeola have written
a love letter to libraries and community spaces that
will empower young readers to believe that they too
can make a difference to the world around them.
A book which deserves a space on every school
library shelf!
Lizzie Ryder
Chim, Wai
Last-Place Lin
Illustrated by Freda Chiu
Allen & Unwin
2023, pp.32, £7.99
9781761180576
Inclusivity. Resilience. Sports
It’s Sports Day and Lin is finding it a challenge. No
matter what she does, she keeps coming last, earning
chants of ‘Last-Place Lin’ from her classmates. But
she keeps on trying her best, and although she still
comes last in the final race, she and her classmates
realise that trying your best and keeping going means
that sometimes winning is about finishing, even if
you finish last. This is a book brimming with positivity
and inclusivity, with a message that is so important to
young children. The illustrations have a rich warmth
to them and support the text perfectly. A really lovely
picture book and one that is an excellent addition to
our empathy collections.
Annie Everall
Coyle, Sarah
A Superhero + Dragon
+ Mermaid Adventure
(Pick a Story)
Illustrated by Adam Walker-Parker
Farshore
2023, pp.32, £7.99
9781405299060
Game. Adventure. Fantasy
Davy is on his way to school with his picture of a bike
for ‘Show-and-Tell’, when it suddenly disappears. He
needs to find it. Has it been stolen by a superhero, a
mermaid, or a dragon? Davy begins an adventure to
find out what has happened to his picture and to get
it back. But where should he start? This is the third
title in a picture book series that enables readers to
pick their own adventure. There are three different
plots (superhero, dragon, mermaid) that the reader
can follow by choosing to go to particular pages.
These decisions can help to finish the story or send
the reader in a different direction to follow a new
adventure. This picture book follows the same format
as a game book but is aimed at younger readers. It
is interactive, engaging, and fun, but its complexity
makes it advisable for an adult to help the young
reader with finding the pages to build the story.
Andrea Rayner
Davies, Nicola
The Star Whale
Illustrated by Petr Horácek
Otter-Barry Books
2023, pp.96, £16.99
9781915659095
Poetry. Animals. Environment
POETRY
This marvellous author and illustrator duo are back
with a stunning poetry picture book. Their roles have
been reversed, with Davies writing poems inspired by
Horácek’s astonishingly rich, colourful, and textural
illustrations. As I read the poems, I could think of so
many children at school who would love particular
ones and gasp at the drawings the words came from.
It is impossible to choose a favourite as every time
I think I have decided, I turn the page to discover a
fresh entry on to the top of list. But the one about
the hippo will be the children’s favourite! The cover
is enticing. The Star Whale and its constellations leap
out. I know this will be constantly picked up and
explored in my library. I will also be recommending it
to our teachers when they study environmental issues
as a curriculum topic. Climate change is a vital theme
in most of Davies’s books, so I hope her poems and
Horácek’s illustrations spark discussion and debate
and inspire our pupils to move even more towards
tackling this world-changing issue.
Jenny Griffiths
36 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024

Books: 7 & Under
Growth
Editor's Picks
Donaldson, Julia &
Sandoy, Victoria
The Oak Tree
Alison Green Books, 32pp, £12.99,
9780702324345
Lifecycles. Nature. Trees
From acorn to enormous oak tree –
the life within and underneath and
the changes it sees in hundreds of
years until at last it topples and a
new acorn falls.
Edmonds, Sarah
Sunshine Pie
Welbeck, 2023, £7.99, 32pp,
9781801301077
Communities. Families. Friendship
Olive and her aunt want to make a
special sunshine pie for their picnic,
but how do they capture the sun?
Donnelly, Peter
Little Wolf
Hodder, 2024, £7.99, 3200,
9781444967708
Animals. PSHE. Self-Esteem
The grown-up wolves are howling,
but Little Wolf is afraid to join in until
encouraged by Big Wolf. Lots of
opportunities for children to join in
with wolf howls.
Faris, Paula &
Madanasinghe, Bhagya
Who Do You Want to Be
When You Grow Up?
Little, Brown, 2023, £14.99, 32pp,
9781546003762
Identity. Kindness. Values
‘What do you want to do when you
grow up?’ is a question often asked
of even young children, but isn’t
who do you want to be the more
important question?
Jorden, Brooke,
Kitchen Connection &
Widdowson, Kay
How Does Our
Food Grow?
Familius, 2023, £14.99, 40pp,
9781641709910
Biodiversity. Crops. Farming
Informative, rhyming text teaches
about biodiversity, food waste, and
ethical cultivation of different crops,
all designed to feed us delicious fruit
and vegetables.
Moyler, Charlie &
Stanev, Martin
The Tree Next Door
Little Tiger Press, 2023, 32pp, £12.99,
9781788956239
Communities. Friendship. Trees
Moving into a new house, a little girl
grows to love the tree next door and
sees its importance through each
season.
Rooney, Anne & Lan, Qu
Tiny Tadpole Series:
Amazing Animal Tales
OUP, 2023, 32pp, £7.99,
9780192780850
Frogs. Lifecycles. Habitats
One tiny tadpole growing up in the
rainforest and experiencing change
– with lots of facts about frogs and
habitats.
Wilde, Sam & Horne, Sarah
How to Feed an Elephant
OUP, 2023, 32pp, £7.99,
9780192786555
Elephants. Humour. Pets
Keeping an elephant as a pet and
how unsuitable it is for pet status.
But the rules of looking after animals
still apply.
Donaldson, Julia
The Oak Tree
Illustrated by Victoria Sandoy
Alison Green Books
2023, pp.32, £12.99
9780702324345
Nature. Wildlife. Trees
Delving into the enchanting world of nature, this book
revolves around the captivating life of an oak tree.
The narrative gracefully unfolds as the tree becomes
a provider of food and shelter for a diverse array of
creatures, from badgers and squirrels to birds and
beetles. The story traces its roots back a thousand
years when a humble acorn took root, growing
steadily through the passing years until a storm finally
brings down the colossal oak. Julia Donaldson’s
poetic verses weave a magical thread throughout the
narrative, complemented by the beautiful illustrations
of Victoria Sandøy. Together, they breathe life into
this extraordinary story, making it an ideal choice
for reading with children. The book concludes with
fascinating oak tree facts, providing an educational
twist to the tale. The collaborative efforts of Donaldson
and Sandøy make this book a delightful story and also
an opportunity for families to connect with nature,
appreciate the cycles of life, and explore the wonders
of trees. This well-crafted book is a charming addition
to family reading, seamlessly blending the magic of
storytelling with educational elements.
Helen Robinson
Emmett, Catherine
The Dodo Who
Dreamed She
Could Fly
Illustrated by Claire Powell
Simon & Schuster Children’s
2023, pp.30 , £7.99
9781398517158
Flight. Resilience. Rhymes
This is a delightful picture book with rhyming text
that begs to be read aloud; it is in the vein of Rachel
Bright and Jim Field’s popular series. Delilah the Dodo
dreams she can fly, but her efforts end in failure,
causing others to laugh at her. But she is determined
to follow her dream, and with some reassurance from
her dad, finally succeeds. The message is lovely and
will be perfect for using with children to encourage
them to keep trying at something they find difficult,
and the bright illustrations are very appealing.
Jo Sennitt
Ferreira, Marcela
The Queen Next Door
Illustrated by Sally Agar
Orchard Books
2023, pp.28 , £6.99
9781408366134
Friendship. Fairness. Kindness
When a happy Queen rules over her land, she treats
people with respect and kindness. When a little
jealousy sneaks in, her attitude and behaviour begin
to change. At first, her people continue to try to help
but over time and poor treatment, they get fed up
and decide to quit. The Queen wonders if her people
know her at all. When the children in the land try to
help, they create something wonderful, something
the Queen loves. It is only then that she sees the error
of her ways. Can we work through her jealousy and
make amends with her people? This book is perfect
to help readers understand grace and humility, both
of which can be challenging. This beautiful book is
colourful, bright, and filled with messages of being
thankful and grateful.
Erin Hamilton
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 37

Books: 7 & Under
Gibb, David
Two Wheels
Illustrated by Brizida Magro
Walker Books Ltd
2023, pp.32, £12.99
9781529500172
Picture Book. Bicycles. Family
The rest of the family have their own bikes, and a
little boy feels that he has outgrown the baby seat
and should have wheels of his own. Dad is the best
person to offer advice on where to start. He starts
him off with his brother’s old tricycle, progressing to
a balance bike, then finally the most beautiful bicycle.
However, it has four wheels instead of just two, and
the young lad is a little embarrassed to ride it in front
of the big children, but they are admiring. The day
comes when Dad says it’s time to take off the little
wheels. His first ride is a mixture of trepidation and
delight, but Dad is there to offer encouragement,
advice and hugs. Expressive illustrations complement
the positive text, in this delightful picture book,
narrated by the young protagonist, as he grows in
confidence, reassured and supported by his father.
Ideal for sharing with young readers and riders
who may be just starting on their own two wheeled
adventures.
Jayne Gould
Hale, Shannon &
Hale, Dean
The Princess in Black
and the Prince in Pink
(The Princess in Black)
Illustrated by LeUyen Pham
Walker Books Ltd
2023, pp.91 , £6.99
9781529512717
Celebrations. Magic. Superheroes
This is part of a series about Princess Magnolia, aka
The Princess in Black. In this story a very destructive
emu and her ostrich friends threaten to spoil the
Flower Festival Ball for Magnolia and her friends. The
Prince in Pink arrives on the scene and promises to
save the day. As he is a superhero, he has a splendid
pink costume, complete with cloak and tiara. He
manages to repair the disco ball and decorate the
ballroom in record time. Even when Emu and her
flightless bird friends turn up and once again threaten
to spoil everything, the Prince in Pink decides that
everyone should be friends, so he transforms the
grumpy birds into fancy birds, ready for dancing
rather than kicking. Superheroes come in all
shapes and sizes. This story does have perhaps the
stereotype of a prince saving the day, but our princess
is also a superhero who equally works her magic to
rescue the situation. This book is full of colourful
illustrations to bring the fun plot to life.
Sarah Seddon
Halls, Smriti
Stop! That's Not
My Story
Illustrated by Erika Meza
Simon & Schuster Children’s
2023, pp.31, £6.99
9781471193224
Inclusion. Fairy Tales. Female Hero
‘A brilliant rhyming picture book that will help
children see themselves at the centre of a story’ as
Joseph Coelho described it, Stop! That’s Not My
Story will delight young readers and grownups alike.
The joyful story by Smriti Halls and vibrant illustrations
by Erika Meza make for an empowering picture
book. Young readers will easily identify with the epic
hero — a little girl who reads traditional fairy tales
but quickly realises that they are very old fashioned,
indeed, and might well need a modern rewriting.
What will she do about it?
Océane Toffoli
Hanaor, Ziggy
The Egg Incident
Illustrated by Daisy Wynter
Cicada Books
2023, pp.68 , £14.99
9781800660434
Humour. Fairy Tale. Independence
This is an unusual graphic novel which will appeal to
early readers with a sense of humour. Humphrey the
Egg lives with his cautious and protective mum and
dad. After all, his uncle was Humpty Dumpty, and you
know what happened to him! When Humphrey goes
out, he has to learn the rules (never run, never jump
and never, ever, EVER sit on a wall). He arrives at the
park where he meets Princess Jane. She wants to
play but it’s not much fun – Humphrey won’t run or
hide – and he tells PJ about his uncle. When they find
the park gates locked, poor Humphrey has to climb
the wall! He survives and is taken to the palace where
he discovers that his uncle was not totally broken at
all. Humphrey has had so much fun and he has learnt
that you can be too cautious. This is a wonderful
take on a well-known nursery rhyme and will make
you laugh out loud. In the words of my 5-year-old
grandson “I give this book 10 out of 10 – I love it!”.
Sue Bastone
Heikkilä, Cecilia
Finding the Way to
Faraway Valley
Floris Books
2023, pp.40, £12.99
9781782508540
Conservation. Adventures. Hope
Grandpa and Little Bear bravely leave home and
set off for the Faraway Valley, an enigmatic place
remembered from long ago. When it seems their
adventure has come to a sorry end, it is Little Bear
who wisely remarks, ‘we learned much to come
here, but we always have more to learn’. Indeed,
and not just about navigation or survival, but about
themselves, about pursuing dreams, and about
navigating life. This is a very special book which I
will enthusiastically share with young children in
key stage 1 – Parents and teachers too, especially in
settings with forest schools. Not only is the message
a powerful one – about caring for the planet’s
remaining wild places – but the way it is conveyed is
gentle and sensitive, matched perfectly by painterly
illustrations. ‘Inspiring’ is an over-used word, but I
think this book could inspire children to really value
the natural world, not just faraway but locally, and
perhaps ready themselves for whatever adventure
their guiding star leads them on.
Jane Rew
Hill, Elizabeth F.
Cotton Cloud
Refuses to Rain
Illustrated by Hannah George
Five Quills
2023, pp.32 , £7.99
9781912923335
Friendship. Water Cycle. Weather
In this tale readers are introduced to Cotton Cloud,
a cloud that just wants to make people happy. She
enjoys spending her days shaping herself into various
forms to entertain and captivate the people below,
reluctant to bring rain that might dampen their spirits
and make them sad. As the story unfolds, Sun and
Wind plead with her to change her mind, but her
refusal to rain leads to unforeseen repercussions. The
people who she had brought such joy to were now
hungry as their crops would not grow. Nimbus steps
in to make Cotton Cloud see that the blame is all
hers, and she realises the error of her ways. This book
not only entertains but also imparts important lessons
about the interconnectedness of nature and the joy
found in fostering meaningful friendships. This is an
endearing tale with a gentle moral, with illustrations
that help young readers learn about these elements
of the water cycle. Ideally aimed at children aged 3–7
years and would enhance a topic about the weather
and also circle time discussions.
Rebecca Simpson-Hargreaves
38 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024

Books: 7 & Under
Hill, Lorna
Swift
Illustrated by Lorna Hill
Wren & Rook
2023, pp.32, £6.99
9781526365255
Birds. Community. Conservation
Swift is torn between staying in the safe nest alone
or joining the migration journey. Bravely, he decides
to take wing and try to catch up with the other birds.
It’s his first flight and he will see many wonderful
sights, but he also faces the dangers of weather,
environment, and other – larger – creatures along
the way. Will Swift finally feel the warmth of the
sun and of being at home with his flock? A picture
book about the epic journey that swifts undertake
each year, showing the diverse landscapes they
cross and the perils they can face. The author has
looked after swifts and includes some interesting and
important facts about them at the end of the book.
Although a story to encourage the understanding
and safeguarding of nature, Swift also shows the
importance of courage, care, and teamwork when
facing a challenge.
Sharon Corbally
Hopgood, Tim
The Happy Hut
Walker Books Ltd
2023, pp.25, £12.99
9781529502336
Grandparents. Seaside. Bereavement
This vivid and evocative story is all about the loving
relationship that three young children share with
their Grandpa Martin. They visit Grandpa at his
‘happy hut’ throughout the year, in spring, summer,
autumn, and even winter, with each season having
special adventures and repeated experiences.
Poignantly it goes on to depict the family coping
with Grandpa Martin’s failing health, and while
death is not depicted, his absence points this out
in a very gentle and uplifting manner as the family
restores the happy hut after storm damage and
understandable neglect. It now stands as a lasting
and much-loved reminder of all the memories they
made together with their beloved grandpa. The
gorgeous illustrations are particularly effective in
capturing the seaside landscape and skies and the
closeness and warmth of the family bonds. The
sensitive text is equally descriptive and vivid, as
when the child narrator notes Grandpa did know the
beach like the back of his hand because ‘his hands
were all wrinkly and looked just like the beach does
when the tide is out’.
Joy Court
Ho-Yen, Polly
The Girl Who
Became a Fish
Illustrated by Sojung Kim-McCarthy
Knights Of Media
2023, pp.128, £5.99
9781913311452
Change. Swimming. Family
Ita and her family have just moved house, and Ita
is afraid: afraid of talking to her new classmates at
school, afraid of walking through the new town, and
most of all, afraid of the river which flows through it.
She is very afraid of water and, despite her mum, dad,
and brothers swimming like fish, she hates the very
feel of water on her skin. But one day she realises that
the flowing river water turns her skin into fish scales,
and she begins to face her fears. The water makes
her feel alive and natural, and so Ita faces her fears
and learns to swim. This is a gentle story for young
readers, exploring change, relationships, and fear. It is
well written though some odd changes of tense are a
bit jarring at times. However, with its simple language
and appealing illustrations, it will appeal to those who
are enjoying the freedom to read more challenging
texts for themselves.
Sue Bastone
Hudson, Katy
Waiting for Mr Sloth
Raintree
2023, pp.32, £6.99
9781398250161
Friendship. Difference.
Slowness
Just how do you cope with a best friend who
inhabits a world with a different time scale? Mr Sloth
doesn’t seem to have a problem living at his own
slow pace, nor with Sasha’s impatient speediness.
Sasha, on the other hand, has to live with frustration,
disappointment, and annoyance at his delays and
incapability of moving at her pace. Through gentle
practice in self control, exercises, and mindful use
of the five senses, it is possible for Sasha to be ready
and waiting for Mr Sloth. The wait is worth it when
they finally enjoy the best swim together. This is
a delightful, lighthearted, and charming book for
young children to help learn patience with others
(or themselves!) The characters are beautifully
illustrated, with engaging facial expressions (which
themselves will provide useful PHSE starting
points). The text is very well planned, with extended
vocabulary choices. This is a very useful book for
literacy; it would make a great teacher-read text
for class teaching and will be enjoyed in paired and
individual reading aloud.
Stephanie Barclay
Kim, Jaime
Ready for the
Spotlight!
Walker Books Ltd
2023, pp.33, £12.99
9781529503487
Competition. Sisterhood. Movement
This book was a massive hit with the budding
ballerinas in my class. They were completely
captivated by the pictures which certainly express
the joy of movement with warmth and charm.
The book tells a story of a little girl who has been
learning ballet for a whole month now. The problem
is her big sister Maya, who always seems to be in
the spotlight. Tessie has the support of her loving
family, but she wants to be like her sister and doesn't
appreciate that her sister is older and has had longer
to practice. However, her big sister is super clever
and points out that Tessie is better at freestyle. They
practice and work together, which results in them
both shining in the spotlight. This book carries an
important message that hard work always pays
off, but that it’s also lovely and special to have your
sister by your side whilst you aim high and strive to
achieve your goals.
Becky Taylor
Mabuse, Oti
The Lion Samba
(Dance with Oti)
Illustrated by Samara Hardy
Walker Books Ltd
2023, pp.30, £7.99
9781529508765
Confidence. Dance. Interactive
This is a heart-warming story based on a dance,
the Lion Samba, created by Oti from Strictly Come
Dancing. Even without the video, the book is lively
and fun, and you can almost feel the beat with
Umaira and her friends dancing across the page. It
is a sensitive story, demonstrating that the dance
teacher does not just notice the lively children who
put themselves forward. The class is preparing for
a performance of the Lion Samba and needs a very
special person to be the surprise roaring lion as the
grand finale. Mrs Oti picks shy Umaira for this role and
is confident that she will not disappoint. In taking part
in this performance, Umaira learns so much about
her inner confidence and strength. At the end of the
book is a step-by-step guide to dancing the Lion
Samba. There is also a QR code link to a video for an
even more animated guide.
Sarah Seddon
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 39

Books: 7 & Under
Manushkin, Fran
The Mystery of the Fishy
Canoe (Katie Woo and
Pedro Mysteries)
Illustrated by Tammie Lyon
Raintree, 2023, pp.25, £7.99
9781398250277
Friendship. Adventure. Mystery
The Mystery of the Fishy Canoe sets the stage for a
riveting adventure, as Katie, Pedro, and their mums
gear up for a leisurely afternoon of canoeing. But
when Pedro and his mum lose sight of the other
canoe, concern grows for their safety. Where could
they have disappeared to? Readers are thrust into
the mystery as Pedro and his mum embark on a
search for their missing companions. The storyline,
tailored to young readers venturing into independent
reading, offers an engaging mystery from the
Katie Woo and Pedro Mysteries series. As Pedro
and his mum encounter difficulties in their canoe,
they use their senses to find their missing friends,
highlighting problem-solving skills and teamwork.
At the end of the story, readers are encouraged to
participate in the investigative process, encouraging
them to look for breadcrumbs in the story to
unpick the mystery. The Mystery of the Fishy Canoe
is a delightful addition to the series, providing an
immersive and educational reading experience
while empowering young minds to enjoy the thrill
of solving mysteries alongside Katie and Pedro.
Nicki Cleveland
Martineau, Susan
Sharks! Sharks! Sharks!
(Nature Investigator)
Illustrated by Vicky Barker
b small publishing
2023, pp.35, £12.99
9781913918729
Sharks. Lives. Behaviour
This is the book for young researchers seeking the
facts about sharks that really matter. It is organised
in fifteen double-page spreads with a one-page
glossary of ‘shark words’, such as ‘denticles’. The
spreads comprise precisely drawn and imaginatively
created illustrations laid on muted backgrounds.
Each spread has an introductory passage and
each illustration an explanatory sentence or two
lightened by speech bubble such as ‘Happy 150th
birthday Mum’. The spreads include ‘Sharks have
super powers’, ‘Sharks don’t really want to eat us!’,
and ‘Mystery sharks’ where the introduction explains
that huge sharks live in the North’s icy oceans who
swim ‘VERY, VERY slowly’ and ‘VERY, VERY deep’.
This book deserves a place in every school library
looking to satisfy the abiding fascination of children
with sharks. The text is clear and precise but newer
readers may need help with a few of the words,
perhaps ‘sieve’ or ‘scavengers’, when encountering
them for the first time.
David Mallett
McGann, Erika
It's Too Dark, Puffling
Illustrated by Gerry Daly
O'Brien Press
2023, pp.32, £13.99
9781788493796
Animals. Family. Night-Time
A new edition to the beautifully illustrated series
about Puffling, who lives on Skellig Michael and has
lots of friends. In this story, one of her friends called
Little Puffling is afraid of the dark. So, Puffling takes
Little Puffling on a journey, visiting lots of the other
animals, and between them they tell Little Puffling
what they love so much about the dark. Can they
help Little Puffling realise that the dark is not so bad
after all? This is a lovely story and would be especially
good for bedtime or story-time. As well as beautiful
illustrations, there is an educational glossary at the
front of the book.
Angela March
Morris, Jackie
The Panda's Child
Illustrated by Cathy Fisher
Otter-Barry
2023, pp.64, £16.99
9781915659057
Pandas. China. Merchants
A week after he goes missing from his mother’s
side, a baby is found beside a panda. The villagers
are grateful for the panda’s care of the boy and will
not reveal the she bear’s whereabouts to anyone.
They remain silent when merchants come seeking
a gift for Emperor Alexander. Having trapped the
panda’s cub, the merchants cage him and take him
westwards. The boy, now nine, goes with the cub
to ensure that he is taken care of – and helps in an
escape. Prose poetry combines with Turneresque
illustrations in a superb picture book. A sense of
mystery and wonder emanate from the pages.
Both human and animal faces reflect emotions of
love, anxiety, awe – a single tear trickling down the
panda’s cheek, the blazing eyes of the tiger, the trust
between boy and cub as he lifts the bear from the
bamboo cage. Insects and birds are camouflaged,
scarcely visible against similarly coloured
backgrounds; the merchants’ caravan snakes into
the distance; the tiger-headed cliff faces that snarl at
the sky – spellbinding.
Peter Andrews
Newson, Karl
Snug as a Bug?
Illustrated by Alex Willmore
Happy Yak
2023, pp.30, £7.99
9780711274846
Bugs. Bravery. Escape
A bug is snuggled down cosily in his bed when the
doorbell rings. Unfortunately, the visitor is a snake
who thinks that the bug would make a tasty dinner.
Wisely, the bug runs away, but it is into a world
where every creature seems determined to eat him.
Though the bug tells himself that he’s snug in all
the terrible situations, when he is finally swallowed
by an alligator it is clearly time to reevaluate his
situation. At last, he finds his courage, escapes,
and returns home only to find a very unwelcome
surprise. Snug as a Bug is an admirable example of a
picture book. The pictures complement, reinforce,
and add a different dimension to the written story.
The text itself has a great balance of repetition
and inventive phrasing which ensures each new
situation is memorable. There is also a spread in
which the story so far is reviewed, encouraging
readers to recall and talk about the story. Inventive,
funny, and warm-hearted, this is a book which will
appeal to young children and their adult reading
companions.
Jaki Brien
Nicholls, Sally
Godfather Death
Illustrated by Julia Sarda
Andersen Press
2023, pp.48 , £12.99
9781839131417
Death. Doctors. Fairness
In the best tradition of fairy and folktale, this new
but timeless story follows the adventures of a poor
fisherman. Upset because he is too poor to give his
newborn son a christening present, the fisherman
sets out instead to find an honest man to be the
boy's godfather. On the clifftop path he first meets
God. God won’t do: he may love everyone but he
tolerates unfair riches and poverty. Next comes the
Devil who won’t do because he makes everyone
unhappy. Finally, there is Death, whom he chooses
to be godfather because he treats everyone equally
in the end. Sadly, this proves an unwise choice.
Death’s christening present for the boy brings no
end of trouble to the fisherman, no matter how
clever and wily his tricks to escape it. He is left on the
clifftop to learn his lesson, and any child who has
ever complained, ‘It's not fair’ will enjoy watching this
grown-up caught out.
Peter Hollindale
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 41

Books: 7 & Under
Patrick, Kat
The Spectacular Suit
Illustrated by Hayley Wells
Scribble
2023, pp.32, £8.99
9781915590152
Individuality. Identity. Family
The brightly coloured front cover of this story about
being yourself just entices you to pick it up and read
it, and the illustrations throughout, in fluorescent
colours, are just amazing. Our main protagonist,
Frankie, has a special event coming up and her mum
has picked out three lovely dresses for her to choose
from, but Frankie doesn’t want to wear a dress, she
wants to wear a suit – a spectacular suit – but where
will she find one? Luckily mum and her sewing
machine come to the rescue (as mums do) and
Frankie is able to be her own spectacular self on her
birthday. The way her whole family come together
to help her feel comfortable and authentically
her on her special day is so heartwarming. This is
a positive story about individuality, identity, and
family, and looking at the finished suit – I want one!
Bev Humphrey
Ramadier, Cédric &
Shugaar, Antony
What’s That, Jack?
Illustrated by Vincent Bourgeau
Gecko Press
2023, pp.37, £10.99
9781776575008
Adventure. Dogs. Imagination
This is a very simple and colourful picture book.
Doggy friends Jack and George have their quiet rest
interrupted by the arrival of a strange big ball that
lands BOOM! Beside them. Too soft to be a rock,
it rolls the two friends right off a cliff! But now it
becomes a parachute and when they land in a river,
it morphs into a raft. What a brilliant adventure Jack
and George have, although they still don’t know
what it was, even as at the end of the day it returns
back to the sky where it arrived from. The bright
colours, plain backgrounds, and simple shapes
that make up the illustrations are ideal for very
young children as they would support emerging
visual literacy skills. The simple text gives plenty
of room for further discussion and encourages
children to talk about what they think the object is
or what it might become next – great for promoting
imagination.
Isobel Powell
Rosen, Michael
Not-So-Little Red
Riding Hood
Illustrated by David Melling
HarperCollins Children’s Books
2023, pp.32, £12.99
9780008509934
Interactive. Traditional Tales. Wolves
Little Red Riding Hood (who is not so little anymore)
gets a letter from her granny, inviting her for a picnic
and a surprise. She and her pony Pebbles set off and
are very wary of meeting the Big Bad Wolf again – but
where is he hiding and what is the surprise? A brilliant
re-working of this traditional tale, adding humour,
freshness, and a wonderful play on language. Text
and illustrations really complement each other well
and David Melling’s illustrations cleverly draw out
the humour of Michael Rosen’s words and at the
same time add details to the story that are only visible
through the pictures. Children will love this, and it is
great fun to share.
Annie Everall
Saunders, Karen
The Wind in
the Willows
Illustrated by Robert Ingpen
(A Robert Ingpen Picture Book)
Welbeck Editions
2023, pp.32, £7.99
9781803380919
Classic. Animals. Adventure
Robert Ingpen has illustrated an acclaimed series of
classic stories, including a full-length version of The
Wind in the Willows. This adaptation for younger
readers uses a selection of his pictures which glow
on the page, suffused with the warmth of the
summer sun or the lantern and firelight in Badger’s
burrow. The reader is drawn into the illustrations,
with expressively drawn characters and detailed
interiors, in the artist’s painterly, immediately
recognisable style. The text condenses the original
tale to its main elements, from the meeting of Ratty
and Mole to the battle with the Wild Wooders via
Toad’s obsession with motorcars and his escape
from jail. This would make a good introduction,
either as a read aloud shared with a group or for a
confident solo reader.
Jayne Gould
Shoard, Emma
Life on the Thames
Illustrated by Emma Shoard
Child’s Play
2023, pp.68, £12.99
9781786285706
Birds. Animals. Environment
EDITOR'S PICK
This stunningly beautiful book celebrates Thames
wildlife and exhorts us to look after it. Broad is an
illustrator who lives on a houseboat on the Thames,
whence she has prepared the artwork for this book
over ten years. Although she has illustrated other
books, this is the first she has written. She takes us
from rural Gloucestershire to beyond the Isle of
Sheppey, showing us, and telling us, about otters,
kingfishers, avocets, fish, insects, bats, seals, and
lots of plants on the way. There’s a lot of attractively
presented information. It’s marketed at ages 4–9
and although it’s a wide format, two-laps book, the
information in it would work right into key stage 3,
especially as Shoard’s language is commendably
unpatronising. Ultimately, it’s a plea for conservation
and environmental awareness. She tells the reader
how pollution has lessened, allowing some wildlife
to flourish once more. At the same time the reader
is told what individuals can do to help to make sure
that improvement continues.
Susan Elkin
Tinn-Disbury, Tom
Brian the
Dancing Lion
Raintree
2023, pp.32, £6.99
9781398237384
Individuality. Empathy. Animals
Brian the lion has a secret passion for dancing, but
he is afraid to admit this to his friends in case they
are disappointed or ridicule him. They expect him
to be a typical lion – brave, strong, and fierce! So he
leads a double life, behaving as expected in public
but privately practising his dance moves. Hearing
about a dance competition, Brian sees this as his big
chance. If he can win, then everyone would see that
it was okay for lions to love dancing! Brian sees the
other animals practising for the competition; this is so
infectious he has to start dancing too, and the other
animals stare at him in astonishment. Overcome with
embarrassment, Brian flees and hides away mortified.
Amazingly Brian’s friends love his dancing. They even
admit to having their own secret passions! They plan
for Brian to pursue his dreams and still be brave,
strong, and fierce! The illustrations are fun, colourful,
and engaging, complementing a story where the
author uses gentle humour to dispel stereotypes and
show the value of true friendship.
Lee Giddings
42 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024

Books: 7 & Under
Wilde, Sam
How to Feed
an Elephant
Illustrated by Sarah Horne
Oxford University Press
2023, pp.30, £7.99
9780192786555
Animals. Humour. Science
A young boy desperately wants an elephant for a
pet, so he designs an advertisement for ‘an elephant
to come to live with me at my house’. Unbelievably,
an elephant answers. They love playing with each
other, but the boy soon realises that having an
elephant is an awful lot of work. For example, they
drink twenty-two litres of water a day. Eventually,
reluctantly, they decide that the elephant will be
better living with his family, so the elephant leaves.
This is a mix of fiction and non-fiction in that there
are facts about elephants at the back of the book. I
can imagine this being used in key stage 1 science
and geography.
Rebecca Butler
Willmore, Alex
Spyceratops
Farshore
2023, pp.31 , £7.99
9780008505479
Dinosaurs. Picture Books.
Recycling
The publicity material describes Spyceratops
as ‘Mission Impossible meets Scooby Doo in a
Flintstones-esq dinosaur world’. Who wouldn’t be
intrigued by those words? Spyceratops reckons
that she is the greatest secret agent in the world:
she has all the skills and the kit, including an
awesome spymobile. She has the opportunity
to share her spy skills with YOU, the reader.
However, her grandad is acting very suspiciously.
Can he be trusted? Spyceratops employs all her
skills to uncover Grandad’s secret plotting. The
illustrations are brilliant and enhance the amusing
story. Everyone loves a challenge and Spyceratops
takes the reader along with her as she seeks to
discover Grandad’s secret.
Carolyn Copland
Wilson, Jennie
Becoming Brave
Illustrated by Tomekah George
Little Tiger Press
2023, pp.30, £12.99
9781838914646
Bravery. Courage. Imposter Syndrome
Becoming Brave is the author’s autobiographical
story. Jennie was born in Malaysia and, as she grew
up, she became fearful of trying new things in case
she failed at them or wasn’t good enough. Abram
lived on the other side of the world in New Orleans
and his passion was music, taking every opportunity
to play his trumpet and never being afraid to follow
his heart. They met by chance and fell in love but,
sadly, Abram died a few years later. Jennie was lost
and lonely but realised that it was now her turn to be
brave so that she could share Abram’s love of music,
and so she set up a charity for disadvantaged and
minoritised musicians in his name. With gorgeous,
vibrant, flowing illustrations, this book explores how
courage and fear often go together and that trying
new things is frequently scary. I love the reminder that
sometimes, even when you try really hard, you never
feel good enough. A valuable note about imposter
syndrome that many adults would also find useful to
take on board.
Barbara Band
Wilson, Naira
Hello Me!
Young, Tasy
A Lost Kite
Zephaniah, Benjamin
People Need People
POETRY
Illustrated by Elisa Paganelli
Little Tiger Press
2023, pp.27, £12.99
9781801044844
Love. Self-Acceptance.
Kindness
Written by a child psychologist and subtitled ‘A
children’s book of well-being’, this beautifully
illustrated book follows a young boy as he develops
and interacts with life around him. ‘Sometimes I think
my mind is like a house. Just like a house, I need to
treat my mind with love and care.’ And, like a house,
we all need to be able to weather the storms. The
child is gently introduced to examples for developing
good mental health and learning to love and accept
oneself. Paganelli’s illustrations are expressive,
humorously detailed, and heart-warming. The book
ends with a double-page expansion of the concepts
mentioned in the book which would be useful for
adults sharing the book.
Carolyn Boyd
Starfish Bay Children's Books
2024, pp.60, £15.99
9781760361662
Wordless. Imaginative. Fantasy
Kites are the predominant theme in this amazing
wordless picture book, but the illustrator has
also managed to create a world where little else
seems entirely familiar. Yes, there is a boy in there
who makes and then loses a kite. His attempts
to reclaim it see him showing other creatures he
encounters how to create their own until a host
of kites are streaming through the sky. As a lover
of illustration, I was instantly drawn to this book.
The publisher and the book’s creator are both new
to me, and there is a clear investment in design
and production values, including two beautiful
fold-out sections. Animation would seem to be an
influence and I could detect something of Saun
Tan in the illustrative style in a world assembled on
huge tree-like growths. The use of colour is also a
joy throughout. Overall, this is an exciting piece of
world building that leaves plenty of space for the
reader to decide where the pictures take them. The
journey is an exciting one and well worth it.
John Newman
Illustrated by Nila Aye
Orchard Books
2023, pp.32, £6.99
9781408368169
Inclusivity. Diversity. Rhyming
This was not an easy review to write following his
recent passing. For many years Zephaniah’s voice
and presence was felt in Newham. He was a regular
visitor to our bookshop, and countless children
would have grown up hearing his poems recited
by him. Taken from the original collection Wicked
World (still available from Puffin) this could work as
both a soothing and reassuring bedtime story, but
more vitally perhaps a gentle but still radical call for
recognition of our basic need for others. The words
embrace our commonality, regardless of who we are
or where we call home. The delightful illustrations
both underpin and emphasise this by being fully
representative of differences of all kinds. It was
Zephaniah’s great gift to bring people together and
remind them of their shared humanity. He was the
real deal because he believed in everything he wrote
and lived the life he urged others to. It was never a
pose, and his voice will be sorely missed.
John Newman
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 43

Books: 8 – 12 | Fiction and Poetry
Adébísí, Maria
Kòkú Àkànbí and the
Heart of Midnight
(A Jujuland Book)
Illustrated by Simone Douglas
Orion Children’s Books
2023, pp.286, £7.99, 9781510111431
Fantasy. Superhero. Sickle Cell Disease
After unintentionally destroying a museum exhibit
during a school trip, Koku is sent away to Olori
for the holidays. So begins a quest to retrieve the
Heart of Midnight, a powerful talisman required
to restore Night to the sun-scorched land. As the
last living descendent of a darkness-controlling
tribe, Koku is the only one able to stop the total
destruction of night. Although he has the help
of two new superpower-endowed companions,
he has yet to discover his own powers and is
initially only motivated by the hope of a magical
cure for his sickle cell disease. Inspired by African
mythology, this is set in a world of ancient tribes,
man-eating monsters, and vengeful mermaids,
brought to life by Simone Douglas’s strong
graphic-novel style illustrations, with a map and
character guides. Narrated by the 13-year-old
hero, the language is full of slang and (maybe for
some) unfamiliar teenage speak. However, it is a
fast-moving, action-packed fantasy, which is likely
to particularly appeal to children straddling British
and African identities, while giving a welcome
voice to young people with sickle cell disease.
Chris Routh
Balen, Katya
Foxlight
Bloomsbury
2023, pp.272, £12.99
9781526640444
Sisters. Nature. Identity
EDITOR'S PICK
With the exquisite prose that one has come
to expect from the Carnegie Medal-winning
author, this is a mesmerising tale of twin sisters
abandoned as babies but who find love and
security in the Lighthouse. Run by the gentle Lyssa,
this orphanage is a happy place, but unlike the
other children, Rey and Fen have no origin story
to cling to and they yearn to discover one. They
feel an affinity to the Wilderness (the setting is
never specified but some sort of environmental
catastrophe is implied) where they were
discovered and to the foxes apparently found
with them and believe that a visiting fox is trying
to lead them to their truth and hopefully to their
mother. Their perilous journey and the natural
world that they discover is vividly evoked, and the
girls discover just as much about themselves. Their
complementary yet different qualities help them
to survive and eventually to reconcile themselves
to not finding exactly what they are looking for
but confirming their love for each other and their
found family. A stunning, lyrical, and moving read.
Joy Court
Bass, Guy
Scrap
Illustrated by Alessia Trunfio
Little Tiger Press
2023, pp.256, £7.99
9781788955973
Robots. Friendship. Environment
On Planet Somewhere 513, humanity is outlawed
by robots who now occupy the planet. K1-NG is
the only robot who stayed loyal to humans and
paid a high price. Once a powerhouse of robotics,
K1-NG was stripped of his impressive case and
now is a robot made of scrap, living on the piles
of discarded robot cases. But when two humans
suddenly appear asking for his help to take them
off the planet, K1-NG will have to decide whether
to confront his past and help humans once more or
simply remain a piece of scrap. What an interesting,
page turning yet thought-provoking novel, full of
action and adventure that whizzes along, with an
excellent anti-hero in K1-NG/Scrap. There are cliff
hangers aplenty to keep readers hooked, peppered
with fantastic illustrations by Alessia Trunfio. As well
as the issues around AI, there is an environmental
theme running through the book with the discarded
robot cases just thrown away as they upgrade to the
last version – a comment on our throwaway society
and a good stimulus for discussion.
Stephen Leitch
Bond, Ash
Peregrine Quinn and
the Cosmic Realm
Piccadilly
2024, pp.336, £12.99
9781800786806
Magic. Mystery. Mythical
This is a great book for anyone who likes the
combination of Greek gods and Olympus with the
modern world. Our heroine is Peregrine who, with
the help of a magical plant, Rowan the dryad, and
Cal the faun, finds herself on a quest to save her
uncle, the inventor of the cosmic portals. There
are plenty of twists and turns that keep the story
moving at a fast pace. The story entwines well with
some elements of Greek mythology and looks set
to be the making of a great new series. Will appeal
to those who like Percy Jackson.
Kate Keaveny
Braddock, Paige
River Rescue (Peanut
Butter and Crackers)
Nosy Crow
2023, pp.302, £6.99
9781839949913
Comic. Adventure. Animals
Peanut, Butter and Crackers: River Rescue is a
fabulously funny graphic novel told through the
eyes of pets who are on a camping adventure and
who get lost, which was never part of their grand
plans. But things go from bad to worse when Butter
and Peanut fall into the river … Can Crackers rescue
his friends and get everyone back home safely? This
is the second installment in this wonderful comic
series and is perfect for lovers of pets/animals and
the film The Secret Life of Pets. The illustrations
are simple and bright and really help to bring this
story to life. This book is perfect for all readers but
especially reluctant readers and will be a great
addition to your school library.
Emma Suffield
Bradford, Chris
Lunar
Illustrated by Charlotte Grange
Barrington Stoke
2023, pp.68, £7.99
9781800902299
Adventure. Space. Survival
Written in the present tense, this is a first-person
narrative tale of perilous survival on the moon
before a rescue against time. The narrator is a moon
miner’s daughter, Luna, a feisty and determined
young girl, who talks the reader through the
accident which strands her on the moon until – and
with nail biting suspense – a rescue is confirmed.
Tantalisingly, the book closes her narration signing
out, in awe of the beauty of the night sky seen from
the moon, as she awaits the rescue. This is very
engaging for young independent readers – the
science underpinning the story is outlined in a
chatty, easy-to-understand way, with the problems
of toileting/nappy wearing explicitly mentioned,
which will delight some children! This is a great text
for multipurpose teaching, including good material
for use across the curriculum. It would be a valuable
addition for personal independent reading, as well
as group or paired sessions.
Stephanie Barclay
44 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024

Books: 8 – 12
Sport
Editor's Picks
Broadbent, Rick
Illustrated by Alexander
Mostov
Super Sports Stars Who
Are Changing the Game
Series: People Power
Walker Books, 2024, 45pp, £8.99,
9781529516449
Activism. Biographies. Change
20 stories of sportspeople who
through their achievements and
action on and off the pitch have
changed the world for the better.
Butchart, Pamela
Illustrated by Becka Moor
The Sports Day Chicken
Series: Wigglesbottom Primary School
Nosy Crow, 2023, 112pp, £6.99,
9781839940767
Competition. Humour. School
Year 2 at Wigglesbottom Primary
have an eventful year culminating in
sports day at the end of the summer
term.
Maddox, Jake
Illustrated by Eduardo
Garcia and Berenice Muniz
Hot Shot Ice Hockey
Raintree, 2023, £8.99, 72pp,
9781398251175
Series: Sport Stories: graphic novels
Families. Graphics. Skating
Robyn Ray is an ice hockey player,
but she can’t score a goal. Her
formerly famous ice hockey star
grandpa helps her build her skills in
this graphic novel.
Mugford, Simon
Illustrated by Dan Green
Verstappen Rules
Welbeck, 2024, £6.99, 128pp,
9781804535769
Series: Sports Superstars
Biography. Cars. Racing
Packed with fun illustrations, this easyto-read
fan guide follows Verstappen
from a go-kart racing champion to
his F1 championship wins.
Thomas, Valerie
Illustrated by Korky Paul
The Witches’ Sports Day
OUP, 2024, £12.99, 32pp,
9780192787798
Competitions. Determination.
Weather
Our favourite witch and her cat
are taking part in the local witches’
sports day and have trained hard.
Can they finally win?
Troupe, Thomas Kingsley
Strikers and Scarves
Raintree, 2023, £13.99, 32pp,
9781398251137
Series: Sports Illustrated Kids
Business. Football. Sports
Explores what goes on in and
around the stadium on the day of a
football match from player arrivals
to groundskeepers preparing the
pitch and broadcasting logistics.
Velcovskoy, Tom &
Sekaninova, Stepanka
Illustrated by Matej Ilcik
The Origins of Sports
Albatros Media, 2023, 40pp, £12.99,
9788000067964
Encyclopaedia. History. Sport
Covers 10 of the most popular sports
and how they developed during
their history, including the rules,
equipment, and the star players.
Illustrated Sports
Encyclopedia: The
Ultimate Guide to Sports
from Around the World
Dorling K, 2023, £14.99, 160pp,
9780241601617
Leisure. Recreation. Sports
Packed with information and great
photographs of more than 100
top sports from around the world,
grouped into categories.
Brown, Matt
A Most Mysterious
Monster: Kevin the
Vampire
Illustrated by Flavia Sorrentino
Nosy Crow
2023, pp.224, £7.99
9781839945403
Monsters. Humour. Friendship
Having an older brother and sister who are already
stars of the Carnival Monstromo doesn’t help Kevin
the Vampire have much confidence. Nor does his
inability to change into a bat. Living in a travelling
show means that it is hard to make friends. So, when
the Carnival accidentally arrives in Lower Drudging,
Kevin wonders if humans are really that different
from monsters, and if there’s a chance that he’ll
find friendship. Meanwhile, Susie Cabbage wakes to
another boring day of drudgery in the house of her
two horrible aunts. When the two children meet,
each finds that they have amazing unappreciated
talents which will change their lives forever. Kevin the
Vampire is a hugely inventive novel with sympathetic
central characters surrounded by a gorgeously
grotesque cast of humans and monsters. The plot
hurtles forward with a pace which is going to hold
the attention of most children and includes enough
familiar scenes and conventions to reassure while
breaking away from the predictable with great gusto.
Jaki Brien
Cham, Jorge
Oliver’s Great Big
Universe
Illustrated by Jorge Cham
Simon & Schuster
2023, pp.256, £12.99
9781398520219
Science. Diary. Humour
Very clearly tapping into the Wimpy Kid vibe, told
in diary form with cartoon illustrations peppering
every page. We meet Oliver near the end of fifth
grade, when he becomes fascinated by the universe
following a visit to his class by Dr Howard (his
teacher’s husband). The rest of the book consists
of funny explanations to illustrate various theories
and facts, nestled within tales of family and school.
When Oliver starts middle school, he makes the
mistake of telling his new teacher about his planned
book, and suddenly he’s committed to sharing it
with the whole class when he finishes writing it!
Funny and engaging, packed with information, a
useful section on further reading, and an index so
that readers can go back to areas of interest, this is a
lovely book for younger readers. This is a genuinely
entertaining introduction to physics and will find an
appreciative audience.
Helen Thompson
Clark, Emily-Jane
Attack of the Vampire
Sheep (The Beasts of
Knobbly Bottom)
Scholastic
2023, pp.212, £7.99
9780702325106
Adventure. Friendship. Mystery
This is the first in a new series for younger readers.
We meet Maggie McKay as she, little sister Lily, and
their mum move to a new house in a new place,
aptly named Knobbly Bottom. Maggie is dreading
her new life here until she discovers a secret. It’s
not just fields, grass, and farms. There is something
strange happening with the sheep – they are
growing fangs, and their eyes are red. Will anyone
believe these strange happenings in Knobbly
Bottom? Perhaps with help from Nan Helsing and
new friend Fred, Maggie can save the world from
this terrifying turn of events. This fantastically
funny story will have readers wishing the sheep in
their own village were acting strange. Maggie is a
wonderful character, full of life and personality. She
will immediately become an instant favourite with
new readers. With another book in the series due
in 2024, there is still much to discover in Knobbly
Bottom!
Erin Hamilton
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 45

Books: 8 – 12 | Fiction and Poetry
Clayton, Dhonielle
The Memory Thieves
(Marvellers)
Bonnier Books
2023, pp.416, £7.99
9781800785502
Magical School. Adventure.
Friendship
This is the second instalment in the adventures of
a group of children who attend a magic school
in the sky known as the Arcanum Institute for
Marvellous and Uncanny Endeavors. In the sequel,
Ella and her friends discover there’s more to the
institute than meets the eye, and that the secrets
of its past are crucial to its future. After the success
of the first instalment on this series, this is another
pacy adventure filled to the brim with all sorts of
twists and turns that keep you hooked from the
beginning of the novel till the very last page. With
an engaging cast of diverse characters, this book –
and series – is bound to appeal to young boys and
girls who love a gripping fantasy adventure.
Marzena Currie
Denny, Natalie
Keisha Jones Takes
on the World
(Keisha Jones)
Illustrated by Chanté Timothy
Little Tiger Press
2023, pp.138, £6.99
9781788955980
Animal Rights. Bravery. Power
Keisha is a passionate young girl who is determined
to stamp out injustices and stand up for what she
believes in. In this story Keisha’s grandpa tells her
about her Great Aunt Bee, who is a lawyer and
activist. Keisha is inspired by her relative and wants
to follow in her great aunt’s footsteps to make a
difference in her own community. Together with
her friends, Paisley and KD, they form the Bee
Squad to end inequality around them. It’s not
long before they stumble upon their first case
when they hear about a local pet shop selling
male rabbits for more than female rabbits. After
confronting the shop owner, it’s now time for the
Bee Squad to get to work. However, mixing up
the rabbits brings its’ own consequences! In this
action-packed book for younger readers, we are
introduced in a fun way to the concept of standing
up for your rights and speaking out when we
experience injustice.
Helen Robinson
French, Jess
Race to Frostfall
Mountain (Beastlands)
Bonnier Books
2023, pp.352, £7.99
9781800784062
Fantasy. Adventure. Animals
The island of Ramona was once luscious and
populated with mighty beasts. Now it is home to
barren cities, where nature is locked out and the
realms have never been more divided. Kayla is a
Sky Cadet with an attitude and no friends. Rustus
is the son of an elite warrior, burdened with the
responsibility of protecting his city. Alethea is a
young healer, determined to put an end to the
disease sweeping across the realms. But the search
for a cure to the Scourge isn’t straightforward;
their questions point to the forbidden Beastlands.
Will they make it out alive? And what secrets will
they find? A brilliant new middle-grade fantasy
adventure series that readers are going to love;
the characters are so likeable and I loved following
them on their journey. It is full of imagination,
twists, magical creatures, and was a joy to read.
I couldn’t put this book down and am looking
forward to reading more in the series in the future.
This will be a huge hit with fans of the Dragon
Realm and Fireborn series.
Emma Suffield
Gaiman, Neil
What You Need
to Be Warm
Bloomsbury
2023, pp.32, £12.99
9781526660619
Empathy. Refugees. Safety
POETRY
In 2019 Neil Gaiman asked his Twitter followers
‘What reminds you of warmth?’ From the thousands
of replies he created a poem which has been used
to raise money for UNHCR. This book builds upon
the poem: different lines are illustrated by a range
of illustrators, some well-known, others refugees
themselves who have escaped cold, dangerous
situations into warmth. They all have space to
give their thoughts at the back of the book, which
is great to read. The book uses only the colours
black, white, and orange – suggesting coziness and
danger with the splashes of colour as a focus for
each illustration. Whether displacement or flight
from conflict or memories of objects, the book
welcomes everyone and endeavours to convey a
feeling of safety for all. Useful to use as a prompt
for empathy and consideration for others as a quick
skim by children will not do this book justice.
Dawn Woods
Graham, Craig &
Stirling, Mike
Minnie’s Mission of
Maximum Mischief
(Beano)
Illustrated by Laura Howell
Harper Collins
2023, pp.192, £7.99, 9780008603977
Funny. Sport. Divorce
Fans of the Beano and their Boomics will leap on
this funny and heartwarming story about the hugely
popular Minnie the Minx. This is a celebration of
Minnie being in her 70th anniversary year, and
it is a joy to see her be the star of her own story.
Minnie is in the Super Epic Turbo Cricket (not
actually cricket at all) Bash Street team, and they
have made it through to the European Tour of
Mischief knockout stages. Minnie has surprisingly
been made Team Captain, but her parents are quite
distracted, and she realises this has been the case
for a while … Nothing makes them laugh anymore,
and with Dennis’ help, she plans her biggest prank
ever, making a new friend from Ireland along the
way, too. This book is very funny, with fabulous
illustrations, including ‘how to draw a comic diary’
at the end. It will be particularly helpful for children
whose parents are separating and experiencing
divorce but appeals to all Beano and comic fans.
Jenny Griffiths
Halpin, Samuel J.
The Midnight Switch
Usborne
2023, pp.352, £7.99
9781474970655
Fantasy. Adventure. Magic
When Lewis and his family move to Barrow, he
doesn’t think much of the stories at first. Until weird
things start happening at midnight. Realising they
are in grave danger, Lewis and his new friend Moria
must unearth old secrets and follow clues to break
the curse. But the Bogwitch is stirring again … and
she has eyes everywhere. This is a wonderfully
spooky middle-grade story full of fantasy and
adventure, curses and magic, and is a dark thrilling
fairytale that young readers are going to love and
not want to put down. A perfect Halloween read
that isn’t too scary but will chill readers to the bone.
I absolutely loved it, with the spooky atmosphere
and fabulous character building throughout, and
I also enjoyed the mystery element incorporated
into the plot. I look forward to reading what the
author writes next. The Midnight Switch will make
a wonderful addition to any upper primary library/
classroom and is perfect for fans of the Perfect
series by Helena Duggan and the Malamander
series by Thomas Taylor.
Emma Suffield
46 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024

Books: 8 – 12
Harrold, A. F. &
Conlon, Dom
Welcome to Wild Town
Illustrated by Korky Paul
Otter-Barry Books, 2023, pp.96,
£8.99, 9781915659125
Poetry. Animals. Funny
POETRY
Welcome To Wild Town invites adventurous readers
to an enthralling realm of poetic marvels. Within
its pages, the vivid imagery of Herbivoreville’s
dancing zebras and the enigmatic Chrysalis Hotel in
Fluttertown unfold, beckoning readers into a world
where imagination knows no bounds. This captivating
collection, penned by esteemed UK poets A.F. Harrold
and Dom Conlon, is a mesmerising journey through
streets teeming with life. From the pulsating energy of
Bengal Street’s tigers to the daring warnings of Danger
Close’s piranhas and electric eels, each poem paints a
vibrant picture, capturing the essence of Wild Town’s
diverse inhabitants. Illustrated with the whimsical flair
of Korky Paul, the verses come to life with verve and
wit, enhancing the magical experience. The bustling
Wolf Park, the lively Wild Town Rec, and the tranquil
dormice-filled corners resonate with vivid details,
creating an immersive reading adventure. With its
astonishing storytelling and brilliant illustrations,
this book is a testament to the wild wonders of
imagination, ensuring that the essence of Wild Town
lingers long after the final page is turned.
Nicki Cleveland
Hendrix, Isi
Adia Kelbara and
the Circle of
Shamans
Usborne
2023, pp.336, £12.99
9781803706542
Cultures. Fantasy. Identity
Adia Kelbara lives with her aunt and uncle, and as
a child of the Zarian Empire she must complete an
apprenticeship for a year of practicality where she
will learn a new skill. Adia’s aunt wants her to work
on their land full time for the year harvesting agrias,
but Adia has other plans and is offered a placement
in the kitchens at the Academy of Shamans. Adia’s
uncle doesn’t understand her aspirations or why she
has a thirst for knowledge and casts her an Ogbanje
– a child demon that brings the family misfortune.
Adia accidentally causes an earthquake in her town
and despite her aunt and uncle not consenting
to her leaving, she flees with the worry that she
may well be the ogbanje they think she is. Adia
encounters more than she ever thought possible
and finds herself on a whirlwind adventure where
she must learn how to be herself as she finds the
fate of the world is in her hands.
Charlote Cole
Hickes, Phil
The Whispering Walls
(Shadowhall Academy)
Usborne
2024, pp.256, £7.99
9781805314905
Ghosts. School. Friendship
Lilian isn’t keen on the idea of going to boarding
school, but then Shadowhall Academy isn’t just
any boarding school. It’s an old country estate
with a dark past involving mysterious deaths and
disappearances. When Lilian and her roommates
start hearing noises in the middle of the night,
they decide to investigate, even if it means putting
themselves into the greatest danger! Shadowhall
Academy is a gripping story about friendship,
ghosts, and growing up. It is perfect for pupils
in Years 6–8, who may empathise with Lilian’s
discomfort in starting a new school and making
new friends. And while the book has spooky
elements – a scene in which the girls explore a
mausoleum comes to mind – the happy ending is
sure to allay any fears readers experience.
Matt Cowie
Kenny, Padraig
Stitch
Walker
2024, pp.208, £7.99
9781529517781
Gothic. Belonging. Friendship
From the moment we meet Stitch, marking the
days – five hundred and eighty-five and counting
– since his First Day, the day he was woken by
the Professor, we are drawn into his strange
and insular world. Living in a dark, dreary castle,
Stitch has only his friend and fellow creation
Henry Oaf and the Professor for company. Except
the Professor has been asleep for a long time …
When the sudden arrival of the Professor’s cruel
nephew puts Henry in danger, Stitch’s life is torn
apart. With the help of Alice, the new Professor’s
assistant, Stitch must venture into a society that
considers him a monster. Will Stitch’s kind heart
and optimism be enough to save his friends? With
its decrepit castle, flashes of lightning, and mob
of angry villagers, Stitch shrouds readers in the
creepy trappings of the gothic genre while telling
a heartfelt story of friendship, goodness, and what
makes a person a person. Stitch is ideal for lower
key stage 2, with Kenny’s writing (re)animating
Stitch’s story with humour, darkness, and a
powerful moral message.
Samantha Lockett
Larwood, Kieran
Carnival of the Spider
(The Carnival Series)
Illustrated by Sam Usher
Faber & Faber
2023, pp.347, £7.99
9780571364541
Magical. Historical. Adventure
This is the white-knuckle adventure of Remy
(Remiel) and the friends he makes while fleeing
from his and his mother’s captors and attempting
a daring rescue. As he journeys from 19th Century
Paris to London and back again, he comes to see
these friends as ‘family’. Why is it that ‘genteel’ folk
cannot seem to see past appearances, consigning
these people with their special abilities to a freak
show? At least, in setting up their own Carnival,
Sheba, Inji, Sil, and Pyewacket (my favourite
character) entertain on their own terms and
celebrate their being different. This solidarity, plus
the power of friendship and magic combine to win
them victory over the enigmatic ‘Spider’ and her
villainous accomplices. But will it last or will there
be a sequel? Many readers will certainly hope so
and many school librarians will want to have this
on their shelves.
Jane Rew
Lihou, Gavin
Rise of the Zombie
Chickens
Illustrated by Patrick Coombes
Candy Jar Books
2023, pp.126, £7.99
9781915439550
Chickens. Battles. Animal Welfare
Rise of the Zombie Chickens sees the return of
Dougy and Dermot, the hero chickens who first
appeared in Revenge of the Cannibal Chickens.
This time they are in Mexico battling the world
of vampire chickens and the plight of battery
chickens. This is a wacky, action-packed story with
the structure and vibe of a computer battle game.
The illustrations, in cartoon animation style, reflect
this. The narrative is created through dramatic
description, constant action, and a significant
amount of dialogue. There are many jokes,
especially through invented words. At intervals there
is factual information about chickens and especially
about their mistreatment. It appears to be an easy
read and the writing style is conversational and
modern with much banter. But there are references
and vocabulary which might need to be explained
to an independent reader. Boys in particular would
relate to this book and find it to be a roller-coaster
of hilarity.
Annie Pattison
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 47

Dates For Your Diary
MARCH 2024 APRIL 2024 MAY 2024
7th WBD
8th International Women’s Day
8th–17th British Science Week
Theme: Time
13th CKG shortlist and shadowing
20th World Storytelling Day
Theme: Building Bridges
18th–24th National Shakespeare Week
21st World Poetry Day
23rd Earth Hour
25th–27th LILAC: Information Literacy
conference
2nd International Children’s Book Day
(IBBY)
7th World Health Day
5th–7th FCBG Conference Woldingham
School. Theme: Saving the World –
One Book at a Time
11th Jhalak Prize shortlists
17th Poem in My Pocket Day
23rd World Book Night
End of April SLA Information Book
Award shortlist
National Share-a-Story Month
Theme: A Feast of Stories
6th–12th Deaf Awareness Week
4th Star Wars Day
13th–19th Mental Health Awareness
Week
23rd May to 2nd June Hay Festival
23rd May to 2nd June Edinburgh’s
International Children’s Festival
25th Elmer Day
48 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024

Books: 8 – 12
Linton, G. M.
Sunshine Simpson
Cooks up a Storm
Illustrated by Fuuji Takashi
Usborne, 2023, pp.304, £7.99
9781801313353
Bereavement. Family. Friendship
Sunshine Simpson’s second book is absolutely
bursting with all the complexities of family,
friendship, school, and growing up. Sunshine is
in her final year of primary school and her class is
set the challenge of organising a charity bake sale.
Sunshine soon learns that working in a group has
its ups and downs. On top of that, Sunshine’s family
is grieving the loss of her beloved grandfather
whilst her dad starts a new job far from home.
So, Sunshine decides on a risky plan involving a
surprise visitor to help bring some joy. Sunshine
has the best intentions, but where will she turn
when everything starts to go wrong? This novel is
about endings and beginnings – also forgiveness
and healing. Linton doesn’t shy away from complex
issues like bereavement, abandonment, and racism
which are balanced beautifully with slapstick
comedy, loveable characters, and celebrations of
family culture and history. Reading the first book
beforehand is not essential – but I certainly want
to read it now to meet Grandad Bobby. Linton has
created a wonderful cast of characters; it really is
middle-grade fiction at its best.
Bridget Hamlet
Martin, Pedro
Mexikid: A Graphic
Memoir
Guppy Books
2023, pp.320, £14.99
9781916558069
Own Voices. Heritage. Family
Mexikid is an own voices graphic novel memoir
which has a lot to say about traditions and the
importance of family. It offers a fascinating
glimpse into Mexican history and is written in a
fun, accessible way sure to appeal to middle-grade
children. The story is based on real life events when
the author (US born) travelled in a motor home with
his family to bring their aging grandfather back to
the United States to live with them. The journey
proves to be a learning experience for everyone,
with the children learning skills and strengths they
didn’t know they had, and the author discovering
that one doesn’t have to be a superhero to have
an effect on people’s lives. There is a section of
personal family photos at the back that are just
charming and add so much context and veracity to
the novel. There is a thread of love and pride that
runs through the story that adds real heart to this
excellent graphic novel.
Bev Humphrey
Moriarty, Jaclyn
The Astonishing
Chronicles of Oscar
from Elsewhere
(A Bronte Mettlestone
Adventure)
Illustrated by Karl James Mountford
Guppy, 2023, pp.435, £7.99, 9781913101787
Adventure. Fantasy. Magic
Oscar is hanging out in his local skatepark when he
suddenly finds himself transported to another world.
There he meets a group of children, all of whom
have some kind of magical power. Oscar discovers
this world doesn’t have the things he is used to like
– skateboards, Netflix, pizza, or planes – but Elves,
witches, water sprites, Gnome Radishes, and magic is
real. He learns that the children (along with the young
Elf Gruffudd) are on an urgent and dangerous quest
to find the Keepers of the Keys to solve the puzzle and
prevent the Elven Kingdom from being destroyed –
can he help them, and can he also find his way back
to his own world? Human and magical characters
are well drawn, the plot twists and turns and cleverly
draws the reader in, the inter-play between characters
is done very well, and there is lots of humour in the
misunderstandings of language between the worlds.
This is a title in the Kingdoms and Empires series and is
a great read and would really appeal to children who
enjoy magic and fantasy.
Annie Everall
Morpurgo, Michael &
Shakepeare, William
Michael Morpurgo’s
Tales from
Shakespeare
HarperCollins Children’s Books
2023, pp.304, £20.00
9780008352226
Shakespeare. Family. Love
Michael Morpurgo is the latest in a long line of
accomplished authors to write prose versions
of Shakespeare’s plays and, of course, he does it
very well. In these ten stories, each illustrated by
a different artist, his authorial voice is variously
amused, perceptive, inclusive, and unequivocal. He
acknowledges that Henry V was a war criminal and
Prospero a slaver but tones down some stories and
spares young readers the blinding of Gloucester and
the murder of the McDuff children. Morpurgo uses
little of Shakespeare’s language, although one quote
from each play captions a double-page illustration.
Instead, he paraphrases to create a compelling,
flowing story. One of the ways in which Morpurgo
has ensured directness is by omitting subplots such
as the Nurse’s role in setting up Romeo and Juliet’s
wedding night and the porter in Macbeth. I’d happily
read these stories aloud in key stage 2 or 3 classes or
to my younger pair of grandchildren (12 and 9) and
am certain they’d be totally absorbed.
Susan Elkin
Moses, Brian
The Incredible
Shrinking Ghost
Candy Jar Books
2023, pp.203, £7.99
9781915439703
Ghosts. Friendship. Bullying
This chapter book is perfect for confident readers.
It is a story about ghosts but is not scary or
morbid; however, it may raise a few questions
about whether ghosts do get trapped in the living
world. Alex and Phoebe have a lot of questions
about ghosts – understandably because their
mum and dad are the local undertakers. They
meet a 300-year-old boy ghost called Walter in
the local graveyard. His superpower is to shrink
himself, which comes in handy when the school
bully starts to take an interest. Walter introduces
his ghost friends and, in an effort to help the
ghosts, Alex and Phoebe head off on an adventure
to Stonehenge. All goes to plan until the school
bully and a photographer turn up. They show
that a bully can be tolerated if you stand together
and they even share their sandwiches. Thankfully
nearly all the ghosts get back to their rightful
place, except Walter who returns home with them
– but I guess that is a great start to another story.
Becky Taylor
Mühle, Jörg, Translated
by Melody Shaw
When Dad’s Hair
Took Off
Gecko Press
2023, pp.61, £7.99
9781776575213
Humour. Quest. Road Trip
This most unlikely story displays a wonderful sense
of the absurd. Dad, the central character, is on
a quest to find his hair which has suddenly and
unexpectedly left, seeking a life of its own. Chasing
after it takes him to a department store, a restaurant,
a zoo, over hills and dales, and around the world,
chaos ensuing wherever he goes. The story is told
patiently and indulgently through the eyes of Dad’s
child, who has heard it told many times before. It is
full of witty expressions and puns about hair. The
illustrations, in a gentle but energetic cartoon style,
are equally humorous. It’s fun to see how the hair
camouflages itself in different ways and to spot
the characters and incidents illustrated alongside
the main action. Fun to read out loud, it will be
enjoyed by a wide age range. Good for sharing with
all the family, this is a story that will become a firm
favourite. A delightful book all round.
Annie Pattison
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 49

Books: 8 – 12 | Fiction and Poetry
Nolan, Alan
Molly Malone & Bram
Stoker in Double
Trouble at the Dead Zoo
(Molly and Bram)
The O'Brien Press
2023, pp.238, £8.99
9781788494342
Crime. Treasure. Taxidermy
The legendary Bram Stoker and his best friend,
streetwise Molly Malone, are back to solve another
mystery! Taking a stroll around the Natural History
Museum in Dublin, Molly and Bram meet a young
boy called Sanjit and soon become embroiled in
an adventure involving kidnapping, pirate treasure,
and a lot of taxidermied animals. Backed up by
their lovable gang, the Sackville Street Spooks,
Molly and Bram are in a race against time to solve
an old pirate’s clues before a shadowy villain gets
their hands on the treasure first. The second of
Alan Nolan’s mysteries starring the famous author
as a young boy, Double Trouble at the Dead Zoo
is another rollicking adventure packed with quirky
and unusual characters. Dublin is a refreshing
setting for a middle-grade mystery, and Nolan’s
attention to detail really brings the Victorian city to
life. Overall, this is a highly entertaining read, and
perfect for fans of middle-grade mysteries, from
Wells and Wong to Enola Holmes.
Becca Watts
Rathje, Christopher
Wheelchair Rugby
Rush (Sport Stories)
Illustrated by Eva Morales
Raintree
2023, pp.63 , £6.99
9781398251212
Sport. Inclusion. Perseverance
A short sport story centered around wheelchair
rugby. Robinson learns about wheelchair rugby
at a trial session and is hooked, but the family
move away and Robinson fears that he will never
be able to join a team. But he discovers there is
a team near his new home and is keen to join
up. He soon finds out that wheelchair rugby is a
challenge, and he has to build his skill and strength
to be good enough to get onto the team. With
regular training, perseverance, and advice from
skilled player Charlie, he does just that and proves
himself a valuable member of the squad. With just
63 pages of very accessible text and black-andwhite
illustrations, this is a great book for an early
independent reader. The subject offers lessons in
perseverance, learning from mistakes, the value of
good communication, and general lessons in life.
A glossary, discussion questions, reading prompts,
and information about wheelchair rugby at the
end of the book all assist with the accessibility and
opportunities to learn.
Michelle Armstrong-Harris
Reddy, Nicola ed.
Tread Softly: Classic
Irish Poems for
Children
Illustrated by Erin Brown
O'Brien Press
2023, pp.78, £17.99
9781788494113
Poetry. Fun. Magical
POETRY
This is an anthology of selected Irish poems, which
include well-known classics by Oscar Wilde, James
Joyce, W.B. Yates, Jonathan Swift, among others.
The subjects vary from joyful daily experiences (‘Les
Balloons’), to animals (‘Lambs’) and nature (‘The
Heart of the Wood’ and a few others), with each
and every one of them sprinkled with a little bit of
magic. With lovely, full-colour illustrations by Erin
Brown, this would make a lovely addition to any
school library, as it gently introduces young readers
to poetry. I really liked the selection, which I found
age-appropriate, uplifting and enchanting, the kind
that will allow young readers to let their imagination
go wild. The fact that this anthology consists of Irish
poems can be highlighted to enhance a lesson in
Irish culture and literature, but can also simply be
presented as a selection of some of the most
child-friendly poems that children of any
background are bound to enjoy.
Marzena Currie
Robinson, Paul W. &
Russell, Shaun
Six Kids Save
Planet Earth
Illustrated by Martin Baines
Candy Jar Books
2023, pp.214, £7.99
9781915439734
Adventure. Families. Aliens
The Chan children are home educated in their
family home in rural Yorkshire. When lockdown
happens, life didn’t change much for them till
the day they came down for breakfast to find
Mum wasn’t being, well, like Mum! After careful
observation, it becomes clear something strange
is going on with their parents, and the siblings
become determent to get to the bottom of this
situation. But can aliens really be to blame? In
another adventure, Mitzi buys a doll from a toy
store only to discover it’s an alien princess in need
of protection, while in the third story the siblings
find a Viking girl from the past and realise they
have got to get her back to her own home. These
are a great trio of stories, all set in summer, with
great outdoor adventures and settings, family
dynamics, and siblings saving the day! Each story
can be read and enjoyed independently.
Stephen Leitch
Said, S. F.
Tyger
Illustrated by Dave McKean
David Fickling Books
2023, pp.278, £7.99
9781788452915
Mythical. Family. Animal
I was very lucky to read a proof copy of the
astonishing Tyger a while ago, and I am thrilled to
see it now in glorious fully illustrated paperback.
This multi award-winning modern-day classic
is loved and treasured by everyone I know who
has also had the pleasure of reading it, and when
it is borrowed from my library, I know it will be
a long while before it returns, as it is regularly
read together as a family. S. F. Said has created an
alternate world, which you instantly feel drawn into
and feel passionate about, especially with regards
to the injustices on display there (which make you
think about our world and the horrors here). On
his discovery, Tyger helps friends Adam and Zadie
harness their hidden powers to save their home.
This magical tale inspires hope in us all to want to
fight for a better world. Dave McKean’s mesmerising
illustrations make the story soar to even higher
heights, especially when you open up the cover to
get the full impact of the beautiful Tyger.
Jenny Griffiths
Scott-Elliot, Robin
Sweet Skies
Everything with Words
2023, pp.266, £8.99
9781911427322
Historical. Friendship. War
Although the World Wars are usually covered in
schools, the aftermath is often not. I personally
knew very little about the Soviet Blockade of Berlin
and subsequent airlift during 1948, and so I enjoyed
not only learning about it but learning about it
through the unique perspective of the children
it affected. Through believable characters and a
gripping plot, Sweet Skies follows a group of friends
who are trying to survive among the ruins of a
destroyed city. Although the ways in which WWII
has damaged these young lives – both physically
and emotionally – are clear, it’s admirable that
the children do not see themselves this way. They
are strong, courageous, and determined, with big
dreams and even bigger hearts. This is an engaging
story that explores what it’s like to come of age in
exceptional circumstances, and what some people
must risk in order to survive.
Hannah Groves
50 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024

Books: 8 – 12
Seigal, Joshua
Who Let the
Words Out?
Illustrated byChris Piascik
Bloomsbury
2023, pp.128, £7.99
9781801992091
Poetry. Playful. Humour
POETRY
A playful and imaginative collection of poetry,
imagining pets in class, walking in other’s shoes
(literally!), and how ideas creep into your mind at
night. An engaging collection that will be sure to
delight young lovers of word-play.
Cari Lake
Tijani, Davina
Yomi and the Fury
of Ninki Nanka
(The Nkara Chronicles)
Illustrated by Adam Douglas-Bagley
Little Tiger Press, 2023, pp. 162,
£6.99, 9781788956123
Quest. Mythology. Dragons
Whilst on holiday in The Gambia visiting their Uncle
Olu, Yomi and her brother Kayode witness the mighty
Dragon King, Ninki Nanka, being plucked from the
sky and are plunged into a quest to free him from his
evil kidnappers, the Beast Hunters. They encounter
the magical world of the Nkara, meet amazing
mythical creatures, and learn that their uncle is more
than just an expert researcher on Nkara mythology.
He is part of the Sacred Beast League, committed to
protecting Nkara from those who mean them harm.
Both siblings will have to use all their courage and
wits to work together to battle the challenges ahead
and save this magnificent water dragon, whose
demise would have catastrophic effects on the wider
world. Illustrated throughout and seeped in rich
African folklore, this adventure also delves into the
exciting and colourful locations and customs of The
Gambia. First in a new series, it is a story that would
appeal to readers who love magical quests whilst
also introducing the fantastical creatures from African
myths and legends to new audiences.
Sue Polchow
Vulliamy, Clara
The Newshound
(The Dog Squad)
HarperCollins Children’s Books
2023, pp.109, £6.99
9780008565336
Friendship. Dogs. Investigation
Meet The Dog Squad – three friends reporting on
local events for their newspaper The Newshound.
When a scared and hungry dog follows Eva home,
she knows there is a story to uncover. Along with
her friends Simone and Ash, she starts to investigate
who this dog is and where it has come from. They
ask at the shop, where Eva first spotted the dog;
they visit the vet who checks for a microchip – there
is none; the friends ask customers at Eva’s mum’s
diner – nobody has seen or heard anything that
could be helpful. But then someone remembers
something about a dodgy local whippet breeder.
With time running out, could this be the lead they
are looking for? This is the start of what I’m sure will
be a lovely series about friendship, family, dogs, and
investigations! It contains good moral messages,
including the concept of not worrying about what
others think, or being the same as everyone else.
It also introduces the term non-binary to younger
readers with the introduction of one of Eva’s friends
– Ash. Great read.
Angela March
Williamson, Victoria
Norah’s Ark
Neem Tree Press
2023, pp.298, £8.99
9781911107996
Homelessness. Illness. Animals
Norah is eleven and she is used to being bullied.
She doesn’t have a mother and she and her
dad regularly have to move home as they live
in temporary accommodation. Her clothes are
often dirty because they don’t have the money
for the launderette, and she has always found
learning difficult. Adam is also eleven, has two
doting parents, and is dealing with the fallout
from his recovery from leukaemia. He does not
go to school and is only allowed to go to the end
of his family’s garden. How will these two people
in very different circumstances meet? And what
will they do when their town is flooded? This is a
deeply compassionate look at the realities of being
homeless. Victoria Williamson’s novel also tackles
the question of how to re-assert your identity after
a period of serious illness.
Rebecca Butler
Williamson, Lisa
Best Friends Forever
(Bigg School)
Illustrated by Jess Bradley
Guppy
2023, pp.256, £7.99
9781913101558
Friendship. School. Adolescence
A great read for fans of Jacqueline Wilson, with
cartoons throughout very reminiscent of those in
her books. Lola and Evie have been best friends
since their mothers met when they were babies.
Now they are moving to secondary school, and
they are disturbed when they are put in different
classes. Gradually they develop different hobbies
and friends, and they are no longer at the same
stage of adolescence. One girl still enjoys fooling
around, and the other starts to enjoy clothes,
make-up, and meeting boys. In addition, Lola’s
parents are divorcing, and she has to move to a
smaller house, luckily in the same school area. I
thought this a refreshing story, because so many
others have friends who are truly devoted to
one another, and in this novel the girls gradually
develop separate paths. There will be more in
the series – the second one focuses on a minor
character in this book, Daniel. I know that these
will be hugely popular.
Alison A. Maxwell-Cox
Wolstencroft, David
The Magic Hour
Scholastic
2023, pp.393, £7.99
9780702324260
Fantasy. Adventure. Magic
Blending mythology and fantasy with a good dose
of reality, this is a refreshing and engaging novel.
Ailsa Craig has a problem with time – she is always
late, so much so that it interferes with her life, until
she stumbles upon the availability of an extra hour
to the day in a parallel Edinburgh. An hour to finish
and improve her schoolwork and become friendly
with her nemesis Credenza. When Ailsa starts to
notice that her father’s hair is turning white, she
realises that there is something sinister and dark
about this magic hour. Together with Credenza’s
brother and her new friend Toby, Ailsa has to battle
dark forces to find the answer. Fast paced, infused
with humour, and with a brilliant plot, this is a book
with the moral that everything comes at a cost.
A quirky black-and-white character map, textual
variations, and a sketch that helps Ailsa navigate her
way to safety add to the reading experience, making
this novel one that is hard to put down.
Judith Palka
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 51

Books: 8 – 12 | Information
Abdel-Magied, Yassmin
Stand Up and Speak
Out against Racism
Illustrated by Aleesha Nandhra
Walker
2023, pp.128, £9.99
9781406393712
Racism. Friendship. History
It’s a friendly, chatty, accessible book, which has
lots of colourful pages, breakout boxes, and integral
illustrations, whose purpose is to help young people
to understand what racism is – and then, obviously,
to combat it. Race, Abdel-Magied explains, is a
social device which allows one culture to dominate
another. It has no basis in biological fact. And since
Europeans (and Chinese and Russians) have been
invading and stealing from other countries for
centuries, this has led to a prevailing concept of
white supremacy. She argues fiercely that racial
justice is rarely applied. Slave owners, for example,
got compensation when they “lost” their slaves,
but the freed slaves got nothing. She gives the
young reader lots of ideas to help them work
out what racism is – with metaphors relating to
mountaineering and swimming pools – and offers
strategies for dealing with it. She suggests, for
instance, that young people should tackle incidents
of racism they witness, and provides sample scripts
whilst stressing the importance of staying safe.
Susan Elkin
Adams, Tom
A Miscellany of
Mischief and Magic:
Discover History's
Best Hoaxes, Hijinks,
Tricks, and Illusions
Illustrated by Jasmine Floyd, WideEyed Editions,
2023, pp.64, £17.99, 9780711280588
Magic. Illusions. Historical
A fun and engaging book for budding magicians, as
well as those interested in pranks and deceptions;
with its bright, eye-catching illustrations that fill
the pages, it introduces the reader to a world of
trickery through history’s greatest hoaxes, hijinks and
illusions. Beginning with well-known classics such as
pulling a rabbit from a hat or sawing a person in half,
we are taken on a wondrous journey and introduced
to a myriad of stories from around the world, not
only taken from the stage but also from real life.
Meet Adelaide Hermann, one of the first female
magicians and George C. Parker, who convinced
people he owned, and thus could sell, famous New
York landmarks. Hilarious historical hoaxes, great
illusionists, notorious pranksters, science scams, and
clever disguises can all be found within the pages.
There’s lots of information to absorb, the text is
well laid out and accessible, and there are several
sections where readers are encouraged to learn and
try out their own tricks. As an added bonus, five of
the stories are not true – can you spot them?
Barbara Band
Altarriba, Eduard
Economics
Button Books
2023, pp.56 , £9.99
9781787081406
Economics. Capitalism.
Globalization
This well-written, concise book offers a clear and
logical introduction to the complex subject of
economics. The varied, humorous, and colourful
graphics add value to the explanations and provide
an informative narrative of their own that aids
readers’ understanding of the differing aspects of
economics. The layout is clear and offers a good
balance between text and illustrations which will
appeal to visual learners. The coverage of shares,
bonds, and investments and the stock exchange
is both logical and useful and will help students
to understand the modern world of finance.
The double-page spread on multinationals and
globalization is fair, well balanced, and objective.
The politics and economics of capitalism, wealth,
and poverty are covered sensitively and positively.
This is a resource that can be used in history,
economics, and politics – and art due to the vibrant
graphics. It will answer a lot of questions that
children have about economics and help them to
learn valuable life skills and to understand how the
complicated world they live in functions. It should
be in all school libraries.
Judith Palka
Clarkson, Giselle
The Observologist:
A Handbook for
Mounting Very Small
Scientific Expeditions
Illustrated by Giselle Clarkson
Gecko Press, 2023, pp.120, £16.99
9781776575190
Minibeasts. Habitats. Science
This highly engaging book is a brilliant blend
of factual and hilarious, with speech bubbles,
comic labels, and cartoons alongside unique and
technically impressive visual representations of over
100 small creatures and genuinely fascinating facts
with clear explanations of scientific terminology.
It has the appearance of a journal with a font
that resembles handwriting, giving an illustrated
guide to creature-spotting or ‘observology’ (the
study of looking). After suggestions on improving
your powers of observation and what to take on
your ‘expedition’, the book focuses on everyday
accessible locations: a damp corner, pavement, a
weedy patch, and behind the curtains. The tone of
the book speaks directly to the curious child in us
all and clearly indicates the author’s passion, care,
and compassion for the natural world. This will be a
fantastic and popular addition to any school library.
Joy Court
52 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024
Conlon, Dom
Matilda Meets
the Universe
Illustrated by Heidi Cannon
UCLan Publishing
2023, pp.226, £7.99
9781915235381
Universe. Alien Life. Physics
Matilda is on a mission to discover how likely
it is that life exists on other planets. Written in
the form of a journal (think Wimpy Kid or Tom
Gates style of presentation), in the voice of a
young space enthusiast, this is an entertaining
and informative piece of narrative non-fiction.
The level of information is well beyond basic,
but the explanations are easy to understand (at
last I understand what ‘red shift’ means!), and the
humorous asides help to keep the book grounded
in the everyday. (See also Meet Matilda the Rocket
Builder, Uclanpublishing, 2021)
Chris Routh
Crumpton, Nick
How to Chat Chicken:
Gossip Gorilla, Babble
Bee, Gab Gecko and
Talk in 66 Other
Animal Languages
Illustrated by Adrienne Barman
What on Earth Books, 2023, pp.128, £12.99
9781804660423
Animals. Science. Interactive
How to Chat Chicken is a book that tells us about
the behaviours and communication of a variety
of animals, including chimpanzees, chickens,
horses, bees, dolphins, and meerkats. The book is
separated into sections covering species in various
groupings, such as primates, sea animals, insects,
and birds. Each double-page spread contains a
paragraph about behaviour, followed by the various
noises an animal makes and their meanings, for
example, gorillas saying ‘AAEEEIII’ means ‘Stop
being annoying!’ At the back of the book, there is a
glossary, index and selected sources as well as an
explanation of ‘The Science Behind the Sounds’.
The clear and informative text is accompanied
by colourful and humorous illustrations which
bring the animal characters to life. The author
communicates the science of animal languages
in an extremely enjoyable way. Finally, the animal
sounds have been researched using recordings and
data from scientists in the field.
Andrea Rayner

Books: 8 – 12
Darwin, Sarah &
Sadowski, Eva-Maria
Evolution
Illustrated by Olga Baumert
What on Earth
2023, pp.64, £16.99
9781912920532
Science. History. Investigations
Produced in association with the Natural History
Museum and written by two experts, this book
is part of a series concentrating on curiosity and
learning. A coauthored edition, it looks in detail at
the story of how our planet was created, searching
deep into the history of the Earth and Darwin’s
theories. The authors, Sarah Darwin – his greatgreat-granddaughter
– and Eva-Maria Sadowski,
look at what this all means to us. A beautiful
creation, it is full of information that will fascinate
children of all ages. Having a great knowledge
of the Jurassic coast, I was particularly interested
in the section entitled ‘Fantastic Fossils and the
different geological stages’. A former geology
student, I remember vividly going out on field trips
and collecting samples from the many geological
periods. This colourful book includes an excellent
glossary at the back and a comprehensive index. An
impressive addition to any classroom, it is ideal as
a springboard for further investigation or support
for an existing project. I can therefore thoroughly
recommend it as a valuable educational resource.
Godfrey Hall
Davies, Nicola
The Magic of Flight
Illustrated by Lorna Scobie
Hodder, 2023, pp.64, £14.99
9781444948424
Bioscience. Flight. Animals
This comprehensive account of flight biology,
spans the aerofoil, spiderling silk, and birds’ superior
lungs. This attractive hardcover uses over 130
‘creatures as diverse as mosquitoes and albatrosses’
to explain how the ‘balance between body weight,
wing size and muscle strength is a puzzle that
evolution has solved in different ways’. Scientific
names follow English names unless ‘no-one
has thought of a common name yet’. Charming,
labelled illustrations of flying animals populate 24
double-page subject areas. Precise, engaging text
explains complex topics in accessible language:
predator/prey evolution in ‘Great Escapes’ (that
contains a bat/moth page), commences with ‘With
each hunt a predator stands to lose a meal, but
their prey could lose their life’ – and doesn’t claim
omniscience. ‘Migration Mysteries’ include the
Pacific murrelet’s trans-Pacific migration between
identical habitats. Final pages cover human aspects
(agriculture, disease transmission, endangered
animals, mythology, and religion), and a glossary.
An invaluable bioscience reference for ages 8–12
and a useful high school crib) – all ages will enjoy
this lovely book.
Henrietta Price
Dent, Susie
Roots of Happiness:
100 Words for Joy
and Hope from
Britain's Most-Loved
Word Expert
Puffin
2023, pp.128, £16.99, 9780241573198
Words. Vocabulary. Language
Language is powerful, the words we use every day
enrich not only our lives but the lives of the people
we interact with through the mediums we use. Susie
Dent describes herself as being on a mission to
bring forgotten positive words back to enrich our
vocabularies and counteract the fact that a lot of
the words used these days tend to be negative. This
is a fascinating, entertaining, and uplifting book that
can be read from the beginning to the end, dipped
into, or used to find words that enhance students
writing. The colourful illustrations are magical
and bring the words to life. The word nidificate,
with its playful bird nest illustration, quiddle,
which is something we all do when we want to
do something important, and gongoozler are lost
words that I found fascinating. Not being arranged
in alphabetical order adds to the reading and
reference experiences of the text, inspiring readers
to explore and consider using some of these words
in their everyday lives.
Judith Palka
Durkin, Frances
What is Technology?:
The Who, Where,
Why and How!
Illustrated by The Boy Fitz Hammon
b small publishing
2023, pp.32 , £8.99
9781913918699
STEM. Information. History
This book looks at the people and places behind
13 major inventions that changed the world, such
as the printing press, the camera, the microchip,
the wheel, zips, and much more. Each invention
is aesthetically presented across a double-page
spread with illustrations, diagrams, captions, text
boxes, and a timeline. Perfect for dipping in and out
of or looking up information. We learn about the
key figures associated with each invention, what
they did, when they did it, and often what problem
they were inspired to solve. A brilliant companion to
What’s Science? by the same author. An accessible
and well-presented non-fiction book that will
appeal to independent readers who like to know
how things came to be. A glossary helps the reader
understand any unusual vocabulary associated with
the subject matter and the ‘take it further’ section
encourages readers to invent something themselves
to change the world and make it a better place.
This book would be a valuable addition to a school
library/classroom and a family bookcase.
Michelle Armstrong-Harris
Factology 1: Space:
Open Up a World
of Information!
(Factology)
Edited by Susie Duff et al.
Button Books
2023, pp.95, £12.99
9781787081352
Space. Information. Science
I really enjoyed the broad range of topics that this
new book about space introduces to its readers.
Instead of solely looking at standard space facts,
Factology: Space includes fascinating information
about the history of the space race, from the first
men on the moon to the current investigations
about making the journey to Mars. Readers can
learn all about the practicalities of being on the
International Space Station and learn about the
influence space has had on our life on Earth,
including the types of shoes we wear and the
food we eat, and the impact of incredible space
inventions and experiments. The book contains a
comprehensive glossary and quiz at the end for
those who want to test themselves on what they
have read. It is the first book in a new series. It is
packed full of beautiful illustrations and enticing
facts, with lots of humour, including how a toilet
works in space. I am looking forward to seeing the
other books in this series.
Jenny Griffiths
Factology 3: Ancient
Egypt: Open Up a
World of Information!
(Factology)
Button Books
2023, pp.96, £12.99
9781787081314
Ancient Egypt. History. Civilisations
This book offers detailed information about Ancient
Egypt in jaunty text and with colourful illustrations.
It covers much of the usual content of books of this
kind, such as the pharaohs, gods, mummies, the
Valley of the Kings, and more, but it is laid out in a
graphic way and includes lots of interesting detail.
The contents page is appealingly jocular, e.g. ‘King
Tut’, ‘Shop ‘til ya drop’ and the text itself is chatty in
places but covers a wide range of information. After
a timeline, the spreads use a mixture of ‘Fast Fact’
boxes, large illustrations, and shortish paragraphs/
captions, each thematic section laid out differently. I
liked the section on medicine and diets, battles, and
the gods, where the information is displayed on fact
cards, how animals were embalmed, how to create
a mummy in eight easy steps, and the diagram
of the stairway to heaven. There is a chapter on
archaeology, on present-day animals, and a quiz
at the end. A key stage 2 or 3 child interested
in Ancient Egypt will find much fascinating
information and food for thought here.
Lucy Chambers
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 53

Books: 8 – 12
Factology 4: The
Human Body:
Open Up a World
of Information!
(Factology)
Button Books, 2023, pp.95,
£12.99, 9781787081345
Science. Biology. Humans
A visually stunning introduction to the human body.
Information is presented in a variety of appealing
ways, including diagrams, timelines, maps,
illustrations with captions, activities, and statistics.
Explanations are clear and accessible, and the book
moves at a fast pace. The author really does ‘Open
up a world of information’ and ‘peels back every
layer’ to show what is underneath. We see ‘Body Bits’
and learn ‘How Our Body Works’. Did you know that
15% of your total body weight is your skin? Or that,
unlike some other senses, smell completely shuts
down when you sleep? Find out how much DNA you
share with a banana. I was especially interested in the
‘Dive Into DNA’ section and the explanation of how
DNA helps us. The history of medicine is thought
provoking, especially ‘Life-saving Machines’, ‘Tropical
Terrors’ and the ‘Fearsome Five’. The book ends
with the splendid ‘Big Body Quiz’ which gives page
references to where the answers can be found. There
is also a glossary and an index. Highly recommended
– this splendid book will inform and inspire.
Brenda Marshall
Hawkins, Emily
An Atlas of Afterlives:
Discover Underworlds,
Otherworlds and
Heavenly Realms
Illustrated by Manasawii
WideEyed Editions
2023, pp.96, £20.00
9780711280854
Afterlives. Religions. Multiculturalism
A large-format extensive work about afterlives
from beliefs all around the world and in different
religions. The multicoloured artwork is different for
each belief described and is a pleasure to look at.
There is not much text on each page, but I think the
right amount to interest readers up to the age of 16.
A real asset for school libraries.
Alison Maxwell-Cox
Lawston, Rachel
My Nature Trail
Nature Connection:
Activities for Every
Season
Illustrated by Paul Lawston
Pikku Publishing
2023, pp.80, £10.99
9781838365189
Activities. Habitats. Nature
This is a lovely book for encouraging curiosity
about the natural world. Organised by season and
beautifully illustrated throughout, it is a great mix
of facts and activities to get children outdoors and
exploring. The activities cover the very simplest
things, such as cloud and leaf spotting or hunting
and hiding nuts like a squirrel, to the more complex,
e.g. building a bug hotel and creating a small pond.
However, they are all very doable and mostly don’t
require much in the way of specialist equipment
(apart from a willing adult!). The issue for libraries
is that it does have several lined pages for taking
notes throughout the book which children will be
tempted to fill in. For schools it could have uses in
the classroom to support topic work on seasons,
local habitats, etc., and the activities would be great
to give teachers ideas for forest school sessions or
just outdoor learning.
Isobel Powell
Leader, Michael &
Cunningham, Jake
An Unofficial Guide
to the World of
Studio Ghibli
Welbeck Children’s Books
2023, pp.128, £12.99
9781803381220
Film. Animation. Japan
Michael Leader and Jake Cunningham, who make
the podcast Ghibliotheque, guide us round Studio
Ghibli, the Japanese animation company. First we
meet heroes and learn how to dress up as some of
the characters. Then we encounter some magical
creatures and are shown how to draw a totoro. Next
is ‘Glorious Ghibli Food’ including a recipe for ramen.
‘Ghibli on the Move’ covers transport and ‘How to
Build a Paper Glider’. ‘Ghibli and Nature’ reminds
us of moments that make us appreciate the world
outside and teaches us the ‘dondoko’ dance. We meet
people behind the films in ‘Who’s Who at Studio
Ghibli’ and learn how to make a flipbook. ‘Ghibli’s
Japan’ explores what we can learn about Japan
from the films and teaches us some handy Japanese
phrases. ‘Around the World with Studio Ghibli’
reminds us that the films ‘embrace culture from all
over the world’. The book ends with quizzes and an
index. The visual aspect of the book is stunning, with
many beautiful images. Informative and interactive,
this is perfect for fans of Ghibliotheque.
Brenda Marshall
Liu, Shan Woo &
Gormley, Kaili Liu
Masked Hero
Illustrated by Lisa Wee
Walker
2023, pp.32 , £12.99
9781529515510
Fact. Medicine. Biography
Written by his great granddaughter, Masked Hero
tells the story of Wu Len-teh, a doctor of mixed
Chinese/Malaysian heritage who grew up in
Malaysia, studied medicine in the UK, and became
fascinated by germs and bacteria. In 1910 his
expertise were called upon in China to help stop
the spread of an infectious disease. It was here he
designed a highly effective face mask which, along
with other measures, helped reduce infections and
stopped the disease spreading. His mask became
the basis for future face masks, including those used
in the recent pandemic. This is a very interesting and
well-written book highlighting the work of Wu Lenteh,
which I knew nothing about before reading this,
and it’s a fascinating story. The illustrations work
well with the text, making it a very accessible read.
There’s a handy timeline at the back of the book
and further details about the author’s inspiration
for writing the book. A great addition to any STEM
book collection and for highlighting scientists and
inventions from around the world.
Stephen Leitch
Lloyd, Christopher
Absolutely Everything!
A History of Earth,
Dinosaurs, Rulers,
Robots and Other
Things Too Numerous
to Mention
Illustrated by Andy Forshaw, What on Earth Books
2023, pp.416, £20.00, 9781804660751
Narrative Non-Fiction. World History. Real World Stories
Spanning ages and continents, from the beginning
of the universe to the unknowns of mankind’s future,
the second edition of Absolutely Everything! takes a
more global approach, adding recent events, such as
the COVID-19 pandemic and Ukraine war, that have
reshaped our world. While the sheer breadth of the
book may lessen its usefulness as a curriculum topic
book, it will be a popular addition to any upper key
stage 2 or secondary school library, with its clear and
attractive design, enhanced by graphic timelines for
each chapter and an excellent glossary and index,
making it easy for inquisitive young minds to browse
through. Accompanied by high-quality photographs,
paintings, and primary source materials, as well as
Andy Forshaw’s brilliant illustrations, Christopher
Lloyd’s informal yet knowledgeable writing style
makes the history, geography, culture – and
absolutely everything else – of our world all the
more accessible and awe-inspiring.
Samantha Lockett
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 55

Books: 8 – 12 | Information
Long, David
What It Was Like to Be
an Ancient Roman
Illustrated by Stefano Tambellini
(What It Was Like to Be …)
Barrington Stoke
2023, pp.96 , £7.99
9781800902138
Ancient Romans. Roman Empire. History
Written by Blue Peter Book Award winner David
Long, this is the second title in the ‘What was it like
to be a …’ series. Tracing the history of its people,
from the beginnings of Rome as a small village to
the eventual downfall of the vast empire, this book
describes how Roman society functioned and how
the lives of the rich and poor were very different.
In a relatively short book Long manages to cover
many facets of Ancient Roman life, including work,
agriculture, entertainment, education, and religion,
and explains the legacy of systems, inventions,
engineering, architecture, and language that
still influence our lives today. Fascinating facts
and interesting explanations are all presented in
an entertaining and easily understood narrative
style that encourages young historians to imbibe
information without realising they are learning.
With the usual Barrington Stoke trademark features
of concise, accessible text, clear, informative
illustrations, and short chapters to help build reader
confidence, this is a very useful resource for topic
support and for general reading for key stage 2.
Lynn Marshall
Mushin, Steve
Ultra Wild
Allen & Unwin
2023, pp.80, £14.99
9781760292812
Cities. Rewilding.
Transformation
This book is without a doubt the most engaging
and ambitious children’s book that I have ever read.
The premise is quite simple: how can we change
our cities to reverse the damage that humans
have caused to our planet? However, this book
moves away from what we already know and sees
beyond the barriers to change, instead suggesting
audacious contraptions, and quite frankly some
bonkers solutions, which have the power to
radically change life on earth. Could it be possible to
convert abandoned sewers into rich underground
rivers, where humans travel in submarines or to
turn skyscrapers into vertical farms for livestock
as well as plants? Steve Mushin’s imagination is
phenomenal, and he has used brilliant illustrations
interwoven with informative annotations to capture
endless possibilities for transforming our planet. Yes,
there may be some issues with a compost-firing
cannon, but I defy anyone not to adore this book,
which will draw even the most reluctant readers
back time and time again.
Georgia Ramsay
Brenda Marshall
56 VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024
TSL
McCann, Jackie
If Our World Were
100 Days
(If the World)
Illustrated by Aaron Cushley
Harper Collins
2023, pp.32 , £7.99
9781405299824
Facts. Fun. History
Part of the series ‘If the world were 100 ...’ this
breaks down timelines of history, with a day
representing 100 years, with figures of 7 million
people on the planet 100 days ago, but just 1
minute ago there are 8 billion. 100 days ago we
heated our homes with clay ovens, but 12 hours
ago solar energy was first used to heat homes.
More than 100 days ago clothes were made from
skins and linen and just 20 hours ago nylon was
first used in clothes. 54 days ago the first writing
was used, and the first text message was sent 6
hours ago. Other inventions and observations
on climate are made, with the intention that this
makes it easier for children (and adults) to place
history in context. Accompanied by drawings
which are appealing and fun, this book prompts
discussion.
Dawn Woods
Owen, David
Ancient Egypt
Illustrated by Steph Marshall
NQ Publishers
2023, pp.42 , £10.99
9781912944613
Egypt. Pharaohs. The Nile
An excellent introduction to Ancient Egypt. We
start with a timeline and a description of life on
the Nile. Then we meet the farmer’s children,
Kia aged 8 who picks vegetables and Woser,
her 13-year-old brother. Captions tell us about
agriculture and the annual flood. Next we meet The
Boy Pharaoh Kawab and his wife Maia and learn
about their daily lives. The book introduces many
young Egyptians, including The Vizier's Assistant,
The Scribe Who Couldn't Spell, The Baker Who
Burned the Bread, Young Musicians, The Fisherboy,
The Peaceful Soldier, The Student Doctor and the
New Baby, Apprentice Jewellers, Young Weavers,
The Merchant's Son, Young Priestesses and The
Squeamish Embalmer's Apprentice. This approach
works well as readers can relate to the young
people and learn about aspects of Egyptian life.
At the end of the book is an attractively presented
multiple choice quiz that helps us reflect on and
reinforce our learning and an index. Information is
perfectly pitched for 7-year-olds and is presented in
bite-sized digestible portions. Attractive illustrations
enhance the text. Highly recommended.
Mucha, Laura
Celebrate!: Discover
50 Fantastic
Festivals from
Around the World
Illustrated by Hannah Tolson
Nosy Crow
2023, pp.112, £18.99
9781839940415
Celebrations. Festivals. Culture
EDITOR'S PICK
Published in collaboration with The British Museum,
this beautiful book is a joy to behold. As well as
learning about the well-known celebrations of
Christmas, Easter, Halloween and Diwali, we are led
through a discovery of many of the lesser-known
celebrations and festivals across the world, from
the Argungu Fishing Festival (Nigeria) to the Iditarod
Trail Sled Dog Race (Alaska) and many more besides.
The vibrantly colourful illustrations really enhance
the accessible ‘dip in, dip out’ style text. This will be
a very valuable addition to many a school library
and will also make a wonderful gift for a special
child in your life.
Ellen Krajewski
Pettie, Andrew &
Quilty-Harper, Conrad
Britannica's Encyclopedia
Infographica
Illustrated by Valentina D’Efilippo
2023, £25.00, 9781913750459
Science. Space. Investigations
A cornucopia of information, this encyclopedia is
packed full of incredible facts about our universe.
Combining images and text in a formula that works
extremely well, there are around 200 maps charts
and timelines which provide primary age children
and older with an endless array of mind-boggling
facts, from the biggest creatures that lived on this
planet to what might happen in a second. Up-tothe-minute
illustrations and photographs help
explain how smart AI can be, how long animals
sleep, and your body’s control centre, the brain. I
was most impressed by the research that has gone
into this publication and how fascinating it is. A
global leader in this kind of publication, Britannica
Books have come up with a real winner. This is great
for dipping into, and I was most impressed with
the credentials of the various contributors, from
top journalists to the award-winning data designer
Valentina D’Efilippo. Ideal for inspiring children’s
curiosity and their desire to find out more, I can
thoroughly recommend this book for use as a
springboard for further investigations in primary and
lower secondary classrooms.
Godfrey Hall

Books: 8 – 12 | Information
Phillips, Sarah
A Whole World of Art:
A Time-Travelling
Trip Through a
Whole World of Art
Illustrated by Dion MBD
Wide Eyed Editions
2023, pp.64, £14.99, 780711265363
Art. History. Geography
This large-format book introduces global art history,
including paintings, sculpture, and architecture.
Colourful spreads briefly describe the country’s
history and feature detailed illustrations and
thoughtful captions concentrating on specific
works of art. Readers ‘visit’ 25 countries in different
eras, starting from Ancient Egypt. The idea of a
journey brings the book up to the present day,
discussing the importance of being open-minded
and welcoming to all travellers and of appreciating
the global perspective. I found many insights,
including mention of returning historical items to
their country of origin, a description of the Mayan
calendar, and early African libraries. This book
provides a snapshot of the art world and cannot be
comprehensive, but it provides interesting insights
and food for further independent research, with a
glossary, further reading, and websites to explore.
This book provides a very interesting approach to
global art and is well written for key stages 2 and 3.
Lucy Chambers
Rutherford, Adam &
Norry, Emma
Where Are You Really
From? Our Amazing
Evolution, What Race
Really Is and What
Makes Us Human
Illustrated by Adam Ming
Wren & Rook, 2023, pp.192, £9.99
9781526364241
Evolution. Racism. History
Not surprisingly, Adam Rutherford’s story of
evolution is both amusing and informative.
There are illustrations and cartoons throughout.
It’s clearly written for a mainly British audience
and aims to explain the history of migration of
the human species through the centuries. I was
unaware of how and why human beings and
their ancestors left Africa and colonised the entire
planet, and why we developed different skin
shades, body shapes, talents, like long-distance
running, and other differences. I was fascinated
to learn that modern day Europeans have some
Neanderthal DNA present, and those from Eastern
Asian backgrounds have some from another
group known as Denisovans! Also, that we are all
descended from royalty, and that some mammals
were alive at the same time as dinosaurs (but not
unfortunately the Flintstones!).
A great resource for the library.
Alison Maxwell-Cox
Smith, Miranda
An Animal a Day
Illustrated by Kaja Kajfez
Red Shed
2023, pp.224, £22.00
9780008534295
Animals. Conservation. Habitats
Such a beautifully presented and substantial book,
with a lovely fabric bound spine. Every day of
the year (including 29th February – I checked!)
details a different animal. There are many wild and
wonderous and unusual species featured, from
mammals and birds to reptiles and insects. Scattered
throughout the book are themed double-page
spreads covering aspects of animal life and features
such as those who migrate, those who are desert
dwellers, and those who make use of mimicry to
survive. At the end of the book there is a focus on
endangered animals, some stories of successful
conservation, and a quiz. This is a lovely book to
share; I can imagine using it in the classroom to
discover a different animal each day.
Stacey Matthews
Sorosiak, Carlie
A World of Dogs
Illustrated by Luisa Uribe
Nosy Crow, 2023, pp.96,
£16.99, 9781839948497
Dogs. Animals. Canines
Author Carlie Sorosiak discovered that the dog
she had adopted was an American Dingo, and this
inspired her to find out more about her pet and
dogs in general. She shares her findings in this 96-
page book, with a wide range of information such as
‘The Origins of Dogs’, ‘Can Dogs Really Understand
Us?’, ‘Dogs’ Noses’, ‘Can A Dog Smile?’, ‘Barking,
Yipping and Yapping, Doggy Language’, ‘Talking
Without Words’ and ‘How Clever Are Dogs?’ She
includes the first breeds, rarely seen dogs, dogs in
ancient history and art, and stories of working dogs
and dogs in the movies. I particularly enjoyed the
sections on how dogs support us and other animals
in important ways. ‘Pampered Pooches’ is thoughtprovoking,
and ‘Best Friends’ describes some
surprising relationships. Information is presented in
bite-size chapters. Sorosiak’s enthusiasm is evident
throughout. There is a glossary and index. The
book is a visual treat, with colour illustrations by
Luisa Uribe; I love the cover and the endpapers. A
wonderful celebration of the brilliance of dogs that
will be enjoyed by dog lovers of age 7+.
Brenda Marshall
58 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024
Towler, Paige
History FACTopia!:
Follow Ye Olde Trail of
400 Facts (FACTopia)
Illustrated by Andy Smith
What on Earth Books
2023, pp.208, £10.99
9781804660409
Facts. History. Knowledge
Follow the trail that links fascinating facts like pearls
on a necklace, albeit pearls of wildly differing sizes
and colours. The premise is that each fact is linked
to the next, each being no longer than a single
sentence. This keeps things snappy, and it’s a great
book to dip into. However, although the facts were
linked – for example ‘Books & Libraries’ – they leap
around the timeline, going from the 9th century, to
612 BC, to the 8th century, to 20AD, to 2012, and
so on. Some pages offer the option to branch off
(stay with tombs & burials or zoom off to look at
skeletons), and the illustrations are lively and clever.
The contents page shows how the trail is arranged,
and every now and again there is a double-page
‘Fact frenzy’. At the end of the book we have a
compact glossary of historical terms and a glossary
of cultures, civilisations, people, and periods. There
is a list of sources so that readers can explore in
more depth, and finally the book ends with an index.
Helen Thompson
Vegara, Maria Isabel Sanchez
Olive Morris (Little
People, BIG DREAMS)
Illustrated by Aurelia Durand
Frances Lincoln
2023, pp.32, £9.99
9780711285668
Biography. Diversity. Politics
As a life-long Londoner I am perhaps too often
surprised and embarrassed at the gaps in my
knowledge of significant citizens of my city. Olive
Morris is one such person, and I am now fully
aware of a woman who was a determined and
key activist in standing up for Black and Women's
rights during the 1970s. The fact she died aged
only 27 may be an accountable factor, and the
book succeeds in sharing her achievements during
her short life which is now fully recognised and
celebrated by an archive in Lambeth. Her family
moved to England and Olive joined them and lived
in Brixton from the age of nine. The book clearly
and simply describes experiences which led to her
radicalisation and explains how she went on to
participate in developing key organisations such
as The Brixton Black Women’s Group. Olive also
turned a former squat into Sabarr, the first Black
community bookshop. Thanks to Francis Lincoln
for another important addition to their Little People,
BIG DREAMS series. This is another must-have for
school libraries everywhere.
John Newman

Books: 8 – 12
Wilsher, Jane &
Daviz, Paul
My First Space Atlas
Weldon Owen Children’s Books
2023, pp.32 , £14.99
9781915588258
Space. Solar System. Planets
This full-colour, large format information book
promises to take the reader into Space for an
exciting journey through the Solar System and
beyond. Written with the help of Space Consultant
Professor Ben Maughan, it is divided into 13
chapters, with a contents, index, and glossary. Each
double-page spread has a bold-coloured border
containing a mix of things to look out for, extra
information, and timelines, plus a circle containing
additional ‘Spot It’ challenges. The text addresses the
reader, inviting them to ‘look’, ‘imagine’, and ‘think
about …’ All of these features are designed to spark
conversation and engage with the subject. The
information is very much geared to a young interest
level – find out what happens to astronauts’ wee, for
example, or why biscuits aren’t allowed on a space
craft – with some additional mind-blowing facts
including ‘you cannot feel it, but Earth is spinning at
1,000 miles per hour as you read this!’ My First Space
Atlas will spark curiosity and lead to further research
and is an ideal book for a home or school library.
Chris Routh
Wilson, Jamia
Young, Gifted and
Black, Too
WideEyed Editions
2023, pp.64 , £14.99
9780711277007
Biography. Diversity. Inspiration
Following the success of the original, Young Gifted
and Black, Too presents biographies of 52 more
black icons from around the world. Arranged
chronologically from the 1500s to the present day,
it covers the stories of people from a variety of
fields, including sport, music, and science. Some
are very famous, others less so, reflecting the
hidden nature of black history. It’s an absolutely
inspiring book that can easily be dipped in and
out of. The text is long enough to give the main
information about each life and could be used as
a starting point for further research. The star of
the book, however, is the illustration. The text is
brought to life by the vibrantly coloured cartoonstyle
illustrations that are featured throughout.
Many of the pages are also printed on coloured
paper, again bringing a vibrancy to the book. A
contents page lists all the lives covered, while
a comprehensive glossary helps with any tricky
terms. A must-buy for any school library!
Shona Page
Zommer, Yuval
The Wild
Oxford Children’s
2023, pp.32 , £12.99
9780192782625
Environment. Habitats.
Sustainability
In this oversize book with wonderful illustrations the
‘Wild’ is depicted as a beast, welcoming all animals,
vegetation, and people to its vast areas of forests,
deserts, and shores. It allows animals to use twigs to
build nests and people to cut wood for their homes.
People look after the wild and respect the lands. But
as time goes on they look after it less and take more
and more from it until it is ravaged and looking very
sorry for itself. Then one small boy has the courage
to speak up and tells everyone they have to stop.
More and more people take notice and start to treat
it better, not being greedy and giving back until it
slowly recovers. This can still happen, but only if we
act now for the sake of future generations.
Dawn Woods
Marie Curie (Great
Lives in Graphics)
Button Books
2023, pp.32, £9.99
9781787081338
Science. Biographies. Feminism
This biography of the only woman to win two Nobel
prizes tells the fascinating story of Marie Curie,
putting her discoveries into the context of her time
and giving detailed insights into the long-term
influence of her scientific work. The graphic format
works well. Stylistically, this includes a visually
colourful timeline covering Curie’s life and impact
on science; large, colourful headlines in different
typefaces, with detailed sequential captions telling
her story; activities for the reader; and infographicstyle
explanations of technical terms. This book is
much more than a visual feast; there is also much
interesting detail on textually tightly-packed pages
about Curie’s education at the so-called Flying
University, her nationalism, how female scientists
suffered prejudice, and the history of the study of
radiation and its dangers. A couple of brief pages
cover subsequent developments in the science of
radioactivity and other female firsts, as well as a
glossary. This book is about female empowerment
as well as the history of science, a welcome insight.
I look forward to reading subsequent biographies in
this series. Recommended for key stages 2 and 3.
Lucy Chambers
Mandela (Great
Lives in Graphics)
Button Books
2023, pp.32, £9.99
9781787081369
Apartheid. Mandela.
Revolution
Laid out in double-page spreads of colourful
graphics, this is a snappy, well-designed, and
attractive presentation of Nelson Mandela’s life
and political career. It is uncritically admiring in a
way that recent historians of post-apartheid South
Africa might question, but the strength of the book
is its range of reference and its eye for parallels and
contexts. A spread on working for revolutionary
change, for instance, brings in comparisons with
the French Revolution, the October Revolution
in Russia, and Greta Thunberg's activism against
climate change. Mandela’s life story sparks handy
tips on keeping up physical and mental health when
under physical duress, and going underground and
in disguise without detection. The strengths and
limits of peaceful protest are honestly shown, using
as headings the contentious terms ‘freedom fighter’
and ‘terrorist’ in ways that will make good sense for
young readers. The book brings to life a piece of
essential modern history, and what one individual
can do to change it.
Peter Hollindale
Coco Chanel (Great
Lives in Graphics)
Button Books
2023, pp.32 , £9.99
9781787081383
Biographies. Fashion.
Famous People
This is a brilliant infographic biography on the
renowned French fashion designer Coco Chanel.
What I particularly liked about the format of the
book was that rather than following her life in a
purely linear, chronological style, these spreads
focus on different times or themes from her life to
give you more detail on her life and works. These
include sections on her inspirations from across
the world, the infamous Chanel no.5 perfume and
the invention of the ‘Little Black Dress’, her time as
a Hollywood costume designer, and her rumoured
career as a Nazi spy. The layout is eye-catching and
accessible and would work for both leisure and
study purposes, for those interested in fashion and
history, and for those simply curious to learn about
an influential female figure. There are many more
titles available in this series on other notable figures
from history.
Cassie Kemp
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 59

Books: 13 – 16 | Fiction and Poetry
Badoe, Yaba
Man-Man and the
Tree of Memories
Illustrated by Joelle Avelino
Head of Zeus
2023, pp.192, £14.99
9781837930074
Family. Race. Community
Published during Black History Month 2023, this
beautiful volume would surely inspire the most
reluctant reader. Colourful illustrations on every
page power the narrative forward. It is the story of
Man-Man who lives in a part of London ‘famous
for its carnival’. Could it be Notting Hill? His mother
is very ill with an unknown sickness. The spirit of
carnival pervades the events which unfold and
Man-Man, while he dances and celebrates, is
desperately concerned for his mother. His cries for
help are heard by the Queen of Revels who whisks
him from London to Africa and reveals to him the
Tree of Memories and, with it, facts of history about
captivity and how freedom was stolen from his
ancestors. A cast of colourful characters form a
background to an enthralling storyline. Valuable in
its own right as a tale with magical appeal, it also
focuses on questions of race, equality, freedom
and justice. It deserves a place on the shelves of
all school libraries as an enriching read for young
readers of all ethnicities.
Elizabeth Finlayson
Black, Holly
The Prisoner’s Throne
(Elfhame)
Hot Key
2024, pp.384, £16.99
9781471411403
Fantasy. Faeries. Vampirism
Fans of the Elfhame series will welcome this seventh
full-length novel which follows on from The Stolen
Heir. Prince Oak, reluctant heir to Elfhame, is
imprisoned by Queen Wren of the Court of Teeth.
Once childhood friends, the two are now enemies,
engaged in a battle of wits that will inevitably end
in disaster for one or other of them. Oak is bound
by the iron bridle that subjects him to Wren’s
commands. The longer he wears it the deeper it will
become embedded in his cheeks. Prisoner’s Throne
cannot stand alone: it’s the second of the duology
that began with The Stolen Heir. There’s a great
deal of recapitulation of events and relationships
between characters in the previous books, essential
if readers are to understand the story. The books
could have been combined into one volume, albeit
the result would have been a fairly long novel. This
is the old faerie world, not the modern, sanitised
version: these faeries are maliciously mischievous,
often cruel, and vindictive.
Peter Andrews
Blake, Kendare
Champion of Fate
Rock the Boat
2023, pp.480, £9.99
9780861547500
Myths. War. Destiny
Ever since she was rescued
from the massacre that saw her whole family perish,
Reed has been destined for something great. Taken
on by the Aristene, a legendary order of women
who guide heroes to glory, this has been what
Reed has trained for, and now it is time for her to
prove herself worthy. Once she embarks on her
quest, she soon finds herself in the midst of a battle
waged by powers she can’t even comprehend. And
she will be forced to make an impossible choice:
her order or her hero. With all the trappings of a
classic Greek myth and a hearty dash of Wonder
Woman, this new series from bestselling Blake is an
exciting, feminist take on the heroic tropes of old.
Although a bit of a slow burner, the pace ramps up
to a heartstopping conclusion. For any readers who
have moved past Rick Riordan’s series but still want
something with a mythical flavour, this would come
strongly recommended.
Becca Watts
Bowling, Nicholas
The Undying of
Obedience West
Chicken House
2023, pp.304, £8.99
9781912626687
Dark. Gothic. Mystery
A fantastic story based loosely on Frankenstein,
we see Obedience, a gifted scientist, fall into
experimenting with the mystery of life. Ned and his
grandpa are grave diggers; when graves start being
dug up, Ned is determined to find out what is going
on. At the same time, Obedience is being forced
to become engaged to a rich scientist, Phineas
Mordant, who is also engaged in experiments of
life. There is a great twist at the end that makes the
story all tie together nicely. I thoroughly enjoyed
this book.
Kate Keaveny
60 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024
Colfer, Eoin &
Donkin, Andrew
Global
Illustrated by Giovanni Rigano
Hachette
2023, pp.144, £14.99
9781444951912
Globalisation. Global Warming. Graphic Novel
This lovely graphic novel follows two children:
Yuki in northern Canada and Sami in the Bay of
Bengal. Both their stories are driven by the results of
global warming. In Sami’s fishing village, the coast
is eaten away by storms; the fish get ever scarcer;
and refugees arrive from flooded areas. Yuki and
her dog Lockjaw lead a more westernised life, but
she treks to the Arctic wilderness near her home
to photograph grolar bears (a grizzly/polar hybrid
caused by loss of polar bear habitats). Both go on
quests which lead them into danger. The artwork is
action-packed: storms at sea, attacks from charging
bears, collapsing ice bridges. But it also captures the
warmth of Yuki and Sami’s families when they are
reunited. The ‘global’ of the title means connections
as much as global warming. Sami often sees
passing container ships, and their contents from the
consumer world sometimes wash up. But one piece
of global debris – an umbrella with a carved ivory
stick – saves his life and finally links him with Yuki. A
beautiful book, in which North meets South.
Anna Quick
Crossan, Sarah
Where the Heart
Should Be
Bloomsbury
2024, pp.400, £8.99
9781526666598
History. Ireland. Love
EDITOR'S PICK
Most people have heard of the potato famine in
Ireland during the 1800s, but most of us never
really considered the impact on the individual
or their day-to-day lives, it’s just history. Nell is
a Scullery maid employed at the big house; her
meagre earnings help supplement the family
income. Her best friend Rose is in love and soon to
marry her childhood sweetheart Eamon. Johnny
has been sent over from England; he is to inherit
the estate one day, from his uncle, Lord Wicken.
The relationship between nephew and uncle is
not a loving one. In his heart, Johnny Browning
is an artist, but he must think about supporting
his widowed mother and five sisters. Nell and
Johnny, both feeling alone, begin to talk. As their
relationship blossoms, the potato crop fails, and
month by month the villagers begin to starve.
Lord Wicken is not a man that empathises with
his tenants. Sarah Crossan tells a great story of
friendship, love, and family with the historical
background of the famine where many thousands
emigrated or lost their lives.
Tanya Henning

Books: 13 – 16
4 Nation Authors
Editor's Picks
Aldhouse-Green, Miranda J.
Enchanted Wales:
Myth and Magic in
Welsh Storytelling
University of Wales, 2023, £18.99,
168pp, 9781915279187
Customs. Morals. Traditional Tales
Key stories of Welsh literature
and their roots – entertaining and
answer questions of good versus
bad and life and death.
Conaghan, Brian
Treacle Town
Andersen Press, 2023, £8.99, 304pp,
9781839133619
Deprivation. Gangs. Poetry
A young man sucked into a town
life with few prospects is offered an
escape through poetry. But can he
evade the violence which is vividly
described?
Davies, Nicola, Carter,
James, Conlon, Dom and
Catchpole, Diana
Out There in the Wild:
Poems on Nature
Pan Macmillan Childrens, 2023,
£14.99, 208pp, 9781035004065
Adaptation. Nature. Poetry
A wide range of poetry styles, linking
humans to nature led by Davies who
has a great love of the countryside
and has adopted Wales as her home.
Fisher, Tia
Crossing the Line
Hot Key, 2023, £7.99, 256pp,
9781471413049
Control. Drugs. Poverty
Showing a huge problem in English
life and the ease with which young
people can be sucked into drugs
with the resulting difficulties to
escape this trap.
Gray, Keith
The Den
Barrington Stoke, 2023, £7.99, 120pp,
9781800901919
Adventure. Countryside. Friendship
It’s the start of the school summer
holidays, and two friends discover
a bomb shelter they decide will
become their den. But when one lets
others in on the secret, friendship
is tested.
McCaughrain, Kelly
Little Bang
Walker Books, 2023, £8.99, 304pp,
9781406375725
Choice. Pregnancy. Relationships
Mel and Sid – the most unlikely
couple – fall for one another, and
immediately Mel finds herself
pregnant. But this is Northern Ireland
in 2018 where abortion is illegal.
McMillan, Shirley-Anne
Grapefruit Moon
Little Island, 2023, £8.99, 272pp,
9781915071422
Friendship. PSHE. Relationships
Teens navigating strict expectations
forced on them by their elite
secondary school as well as peer
pressure. Reference to sex, drinking,
and homophobic abuse.
Williamson, Victoria
Feast of Ashes
Series: Feast of Ashes
Neem Tree Press, 2023, £8.99, 327pp,
9781911107873
Dystopia. Family. Survival
It’s the year 2123 with communities
living within protected bubbles
sealed from what they are told is
the toxic air outside. But one group
needs to venture out for survival.
Dalcher, Christina
The Sentence
Harper Collins
2023, pp.336, £16.99
9780008559472
Death Penalty. Philosophy. Justice
Having previously loved Vox by
this author I had high expectations and I’m very
pleased to say that they were more than met. The
main premise is that an Act has been passed – the
Remedies Act – in a US state that says if a prosecutor
imposes the death penalty on someone who is
later found to be innocent, then they face the death
penalty themselves. The subject matter of the book
is naturally a contentious one, but the way that
Dalcher tells the two first person narratives that run
through the book is masterly. There is a real sense
of urgency throughout and the plot is fast paced
and really makes you question your own views.
Not sure how I feel about the open-ended finish
of the book, but I’m not even sure which proposed
ending I would have liked most. The Sentence is a
philosophical read rather than the legal thriller that
I was expecting, but it is extremely well written and
will definitely get the little grey cells working as you
mull over your own views.
Bev Humphrey
Dunn, Kat
Bitterthorn
Andersen Press
2023, pp.368, £8.99
9781839132957
Loneliness. Supernatural.
Bereavement
A love story in a dark and gothic setting. The
heroine, Mina, lives in the village of Blumwald,
over which there hangs a fearsome curse: every
fifty years the Witch of Blumwald has the right to
demand a companion. Successive generations see
the loss of young man after young man; taken and
never to be seen again. The village is becoming a
village of women. Mina loses her mother at the age
of 12 and, submerged in grief and loneliness and
seeing no hope for the future, she offers herself as
a companion to the Witch. Describing the book as
‘as much a labour of pain as of love’, the writer has
dug into her own personal experience to present
insights into important issues: death, bereavement,
loneliness. Presenting the story in the first person,
she seems to be telling her own story as much as
that of her heroine – so much wisdom couched
in vigorous prose writing which is refreshingly
conventional in terms of language, punctuation,
paragraphing; full of impact, it powers the reader
forward. A remarkable book.
Elizabeth Finlayson
Earle, Phil
Northern Soul
Harper Collins
2024. pp.104, £7.99
9781800902039
Music. Relationships. Romance
Marv is only concerned with
football and the odd video game, both played with
his best mate – until new girl Carly walks into class
and his life and he falls in love instantly, becoming a
gibbering wreck around her. He is encouraged in his
quest to get himself noticed for the right reasons by
Otis Redding, a ghost Marv summons after hearing
his dad’s music. But Otis is from the 1960s and his
ideas of chat up lines are rather dated. Otis does
help by ensuring when playing ’spin the bottle’ at a
party that it lands on Carly. However, an unfortunate
incident with Marv’s braces results in a painful and
embarrassing accident. Marv swears off love ... until
one day on a bus a girl sits next to Marv and shares
her Airpods with Otis Redding playing. Amusing and
light-hearted, but devastating at the time, this is
teenage life.
Dawn Woods
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 61

Books: 13 – 16 | Fiction and Poetry
Forde, Patricia
The Girl Who Fell
to Earth
Little Island Books
2023, pp.186, £8.99
9781915071439
Dystopian. Environment. Thriller
Aria was developed in a lab and lives on Planet
Terros – a superior planet inhabited by Terrosians.
Every year the Terrosian students are paired with
senior scientists to visit other planets for science
and research projects. The Shadow Planet (Earth)
is the planet that nobody wants to be sent to. This
is the planet that all Terrosians have been raised to
believe is full of destructive, careless, and selfish
human beings. Aria has been selected to go the
Shadow Planet with her father, but it is actually for a
secret mission to release a deadly virus and to wipe
out the human race! Although she is apprehensive
about going, Aria is also looking for answers after
she makes a frightful discovery that she has, in fact,
got human DNA. This could only have come from
the Shadow Planet! During the mission though, Aria
begins to question whether everything she has been
forced to believe about the planet is actually true. An
exciting dystopian story for all teens with thoughtprovoking
messages about looking after our planet.
Angela March
Gardner, Sally
The Weather Woman
Head of Zeus
2023, pp.464, £9.99
9781786695260
Feminism. Gender. History
Historical fiction is far from my
favourite genre, but for Sally Gardener I will always
be willing to make an exception. Main protagonist
Neva is a strong, intelligent woman, qualities that
in Regency times were definitely not valued in
‘the fairer sex’, which forces Neva to dress as a
man in order to pursue her interest in science and
mechanics. The story reminded me once again
how much society has changed for the better for
women (although still not perfect by any means),
and at times I was angry on behalf of this intensely
clever, quick-witted protagonist who was constantly
underestimated when dressed as the gender she
was born with. I am fascinated by the London frost
fairs that feature in the story, and I found the book
to be fast paced, with strong themes of feminism,
family (both blood and found), and nature versus
nurture. A top read in my opinion.
Bev Humphrey
Halliwell-Horner, Geri
Rosie Frost and the
Falcon Queen
Scholastic
2023, pp.464, £7.99
9780702328695
School Story. Self-Belief. History
This is an exciting adventure in the well-loved,
boarding school story tradition. There’s an
orphaned heroine, a historic school building on
a mysterious island, a ghost, a group of mean
girls, a menacing schoolmaster, and a quest. The
island is also a zoo with a collection of endangered
animals. Inspired by self-belief, Rosie triumphs
to overcome threats and wins the Challenges of
the Falcon Queen games through being logical
and independent. Against this background, the
time-setting is contemporary: Rosie texting, a
character’s obsession with phones, and a fellow
pupil describing the school as being for ‘all genders’.
It’s a story that engages and is fast moving from an
author who is clearly passionate about passing on
her personal convictions to girls today. Rosie Frost
is presented as a new kind of hero. She succeeds by
following the four rules of Anne Boleyn. A strong
call for those who feel like outsiders to empower
themselves, find the courage they didn’t know they
had, and be their true selves.
Annie Pattison
Landy, Derek
Bad Magic: A
Skulduggery Pleasant
Graphic Novel
Illustrated by Matthew Soffe
and P. J. Holden
HarperCollins Children’s Books
2023, pp.144, £14.99
9780008585785
Diversity. Equality. Action
I was almost nervous about starting to read this
graphic novel – I am a real fan of the Skulduggery
Pleasant books, and with this being the first comic
book written with the main characters, I wasn’t
sure if it would match up to my own imaginings.
I’m happy to say that such fears were unfounded;
Bad Magic is of course of the oeuvre, but works
very well as a standalone and would make a good
introduction to the series for any new readers. The
storyline is scary, diverse, and a little bit political
as it features a small Irish village where anyone
who is ‘different’ is being killed off. Skulduggery
and Valkyrie save the day eventually of course, and
there is a very strong equality message throughout.
Do the characters look how I imagine them? No,
of course not, but Derek Landy himself has said
this is entirely to be expected – in his mind they are
full human beings so there is no way they would
match up!
Bev Humphrey
62 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024
Lapite, Shade
Goddess Crown
Walker Books
2024, pp.304, £8.99
9781529503715
Fantasy. Feminism. Romance
Described as ‘romantasy’,
Goddess Crown combines the two genres in the
story of Kalothia, newly arrived at the royal court
of Galla. The young woman struggles to balance
tradition and expectations against her strong will
and desire for equality. She will need the courage
and skills from those who raised her – and her
friends close by – in order to survive. A pacy
story which achieves a good balance of action,
fantasy, romance, and courtly intrigue. The drama
is better judged than in other novels with similar
themes, keeping the reader engaged. Kalothia is an
independent, strong lead surrounded by likeable
and sympathetic characters – and believably flawed
enemies. Her frustration at her prescribed place in
the world and aspirations to achieve change from
within a powerful system will resonate with many
readers. Great for fans of Legacy of Orisha and a
thoroughly enjoyable read, I hope there will be
sequels from the Court of Galla.
Sharon Corbally
Lin, Ann Sei
Rebel Fire (Rebel
Skies Trilogy)
Walker Books Ltd
2023, pp.345, £7.99
9781406399608
Fantasy. Japanese Culture. Power
With Rebel Skies Lin created a fascinatingly original
fantasy world containing a mix of Japanese
culture, folklore, magic, and origami. Returning
to Mikoshima, with its floating cities, flying ships,
and magical paper creatures, Rebel Fire continues
the story of Kurara and her friends following their
escape from power-hungry Princess Tsukimi.
Believing that paper crafted shikigami creatures
could be sentient beings, Kurara aims to release all
of the enslaved paper creatures from the control of
their creators, the Crafters. Haunted by dreams that
hold clues to her own true identity and the secret
history of shikigami and Crafters, Kurara seeks
the most powerful paper monster, a legendary
phoenix that could hold the key to all shikigamis’
freedom. But Kurara is not the only one seeking
the phoenix and faces many dangers, both human
and supernatural, on her quest. Exploring themes
around power, freedom, empathy, friendship, and
trust, Rebel Fire is perfect for fans of anime and
Japanese culture. A helpful glossary explains terms
used in the story, but to aid understanding it is
recommended that the books are read in order.
Lynn Marshall

Books: 13 – 16 | Fiction and Poetry
Macx, Logan
Undercover
(Swift and Hawk)
Walker Books Ltd
2023, pp.345, £7.99
9781406394948
Action. Technology. Diversity
Am I alone in being concerned by the reduction
in new books specifically targeting male readers
twelve plus? The Swift and Hawk books were
clearly designed to fill part of an identified market
gap while featuring a strong lead female character
in the shape of undercover agent Zen Rafiq. This is
the second book in the series from two reputable
authors for adults writing under a pseudonym. It is
of course, chock full of new technology and fastpaced
action both in real time and in game form.
The plot involves a race to identify and infiltrate
a group of anti-war hackers and to prevent the
takeover of Caleb’s Terraform game, with Caleb
utilising AI support via the voice of Sam. London
is used well as a recognisable setting, including
a hectic aerial battle over the Bank of England.
I found it an enjoyable romp despite my almost
complete ignorance of gaming, and it looks as if
there is more to come this year.
John Newman
McCaughrain, Kelly
Little Bang
Walker Books
2024, pp.304, £8.99
9781406375725
Choice. Decisions. Pregnancy
Sid and Mel are an unlikely
couple. He regularly misses school and has no idea
of his future. Mel is the smart, quiet girl in school
with designs on doing science at Cambridge.
Yet they find they can talk to one another very
easily. When, a few weeks after unprotected sex,
it eventually dawns on Mel that she is pregnant,
she is immediately horrified at what her parents
will say. This is 2017 Northern Ireland, just before
a referendum on abortion in Southern Ireland. Her
parents are completely anti-abortion and once the
truth comes out are adamant that she will continue
to live at home and keep the baby. Sid is being
supportive and gets a job to earn money to keep a
baby he is happy to support and love. But no one
has asked Mel what she wants, and does she know?
Dawn Woods
McCaw, Amy &
Kuzniar, Maria
A Taste of Darkness
Scholastic
2023, pp.448, £8.99
9780702329173
Horror. Short Stories. Chilling
Horror novels are always in demand in my library!
With thirteen chilling short stories covering the
gamut of horror, including vampires, ghosts, and
creepy dolls, there is something for everyone in
this anthology. As well as being engaging stories
in their own right, it’s a great way for students to
discover new authors. This collection is sure to
prove popular with students and hits at just the
right level for them to enjoy.
Shona Page
McKenna, Skye
Woodwitch
(Hedgewitch)
Illustrated by Tomislav TomiÔc
Welbeck
2023, pp.419, £7.99
9781801301091
Magic. Friendship. Faerie
The story of The Hedgewitch continues with
Woodwitch. Cassie has begun her training and
is determined to earn more badges. Even more
importantly, she wants to know what happened to
her mum. This is a story of magic and friendship,
with lots of adventure and trouble. The trio of
friends decide to take matters into their own hands
to find the spear before the Erl King. This leads
to them learning new skills and having a greater
understanding of faeries, especially when Aoife
comes from Ireland, encouraging them to view
some faeries in a different way. The illustrations
really enhance the story with a high level of detail.
Kate Keaveny
Murphy, Cynthia
Welcome to
Camp Killer
Barrington Stoke
2023, pp.128, £7.99
9781800902282
Horror. Mystery. Scary
This is not a book for the faint-hearted! If you enjoy
horror and mystery stories, then this will be an ideal
read. Barrington Stoke is a highly regarded publisher
for dyslexia-friendly books such as this. The layout,
paper, and font used are all perfect to help the
reader. This is a novella so is a fairly quick read,
and the reading age is set at 8. The plot involves a
group of older teenagers who are helping out at a
summer camp in the grounds of a stately home in
northern England. This is modelled on a typical US
holiday camp. Without giving too much of the story
away, there are strange occurrences in the night as
the counsellors settle into their cabins before the
students arrive. The action involves ghosts, deaths,
and weird happenings which unsettle the older
teenagers. Most readers will not guess the ending
which ties up some loose threads in the story. I am
sure school and public libraries would welcome this
in their collection to encourage teen readers who
enjoy murder mysteries.
Janet Syme
Namey, Laura
A British Girl’s Guide
to Hurricanes and
Heartbreak
Simon & Schuster Children’s
2023, pp.320, £8.99
9781398524439
Grief. Loss. Photography
Flora Maxwell is lost. Her mother has recently died
after a long battle with early onset dementia, and
Flora did something unforgivable on the day she
died … Ashamed, confused, and vulnerable, she
escapes the UK for Miami to stay with a friend’s
family whilst she gathers herself and comes to
terms with what’s happened. While she’s in Miami,
she meets a boy called Baz, son of a famous
photographer, and the two agree to a fake dating
situation to save both their faces. Flora throws
herself into learning more about photography, and
herself. But what about her best friend Gordon
who she left at home – why does she feel different
when she talks to him now? Has their relationship
grown into more than just a friendship at last?
An engrossing YA novel full of teenage romance
dramas, an interesting insight into photography
as an artform and a career choice, and a heartfelt
exploration of loss and grief.
Cassie Kemp
64 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024

Books: 13 – 16
Paige, Danielle
Wish of the Wicked
Bloomsbury
2023, pp.384, £8.99
9781526636461
Fantasy. Magic. Friendship
An interesting version of a
Cinderella story. As I began to read Wish of the
Wicked it didn’t feel like I was reading a fairy story,
it just felt like a well-written fantasy story. I liked
the character of Farrow; believing that she is the
last of her kind, she sets about seeking revenge for
the killing of her mother and all the other sisters
of the Entente. But her soul is kind and caring; she
struggles to do harm, even when she needs to. If
you’re thinking, not another Cinderella adaptation,
don’t be put off; Cinderella only appears towards
the end of the story, while Farrow and the Entente
(witches) are the central characters – it is their story.
An easy read, ideal for key stage 3 and those who
like fantasy without violence or too much romance.
Tanya Henning
Pierce, Nicola
In Between Worlds:
The Journey of the
Famine Girls
The O'Brien Press
2023, pp.288, £8.99
9781788493468
Sailing. Famine. Adventure
Readers follow Maggie as she reminisces about
her childhood back in the 1840s with Sarah as they
sail for Australia. Having been given a chance of a
new life, the girls are escaping from famine-struck
Ireland and the Great Hunger, where they have
encountered struggle and heartbreak, even in
the workhouse. However, on board ship they are
trapped between the two worlds of home in Ireland
and a new adventure in Australia. With relatable
characters and expressive and engrossingly
descriptive text, young readers will thoroughly
enjoy this gripping tale as the two girls find strength
and courage to take on anything. Themes such as
female friendship, forgiveness, and betrayal are
explored in a sensitive manner. This is a fantastic
introduction to 19th century life, emigration, and
colonialism, and to this heart-breaking period in
Irish history, highlighting sacrifice and survival.
However, some readers may find the themes of
hunger and 19th century attitudes to emigration,
although rightly included, triggering.
Margaret Barclay
Reyes, Sonora
The Lesbiana's Guide
to Catholic school
Faber & Faber
2023, pp.400, £8.99
9780571373765
Cultures. Families. LGBTQ+
Yami and her brother Cesar are making a fresh
start at Catholic School. Their very traditional
mother wants them to have a better education,
and both Yami and Cesar have their own reasons
for wanting to move on. Yami feels the pressure of
expectations most because since her father was
deported back to Mexico, she has supplemented
the family income with part-time jobs and tried
her best to keep Cesar out of trouble. But Yami
feels like an outsider; her fellow students are rich,
white, and conventional – except for Bo. Bo is
beautiful, confident, and openly gay, challenging
Yami’s resolve to adopt a straight identity. Yami
soon realises that in order to be fully herself, she
has to re-negotiate her relationships with her
family and her new school. Initially, she pays a
heavy price: when she tells her father she is gay,
he rejects her. But her mother becomes a strong
ally, and Yami’s relationship with Bo flourishes.
The novel’s portrayal of marginalized identities is
sensitive and Yami’s ironically humorous narration
counterbalances the emotional intensity of events.
Sandra Bennett
Sampson, Ana
Gods and Monsters
Illustrated by Chris Riddell
Pan Macmillan Children’s
2023, pp.304, £14.99
9781035023011
Poetry. Myths. Legends
POETRY
This is a beautiful book. Multi-award-winning
illustrator Chris Riddell brings his style to enhance
an anthology of poems linked to myths. The art
largely eschews caricature, instead depicting gods,
heroes, and monsters with elegance and flair. It’s
no secret that young people have an appetite for
myth, as shown by the success of Rick Riordan’s and
Madeline Miller’s books, among others. The poems’
source myths are drawn from many cultures, not
just ancient Greece (although this canon does
predominate). Many poems come with a short
explanation that will hopefully motivate readers
to find the original legend. A few are short extracts
from primary texts such as Ovid and Homer. Rather
than one poem per myth, some myths are given
a set of contrasting verses, such as the three on
Beowulf. There are myths both familiar (Persephone)
and unfamiliar (King Duffus). Some poems are more
general, such as Benjamin Zephaniah’s ‘Heroes’
and Philip Gross’s lovely ‘Daughter of the Sea’. This
would be a great resource for primary or secondary
(key stages 2 and 3) classrooms, especially for
reading aloud, and a lovely gift book.
Anna Quick
Stickland, Andrew
Escape to Midas:
Book 2 of the Mars
Alone Trilogy (The
Mars Alone Trilogy)
Lightning Books
2023, pp.336, £9.99
9781785633638
Adventure. AI. Sci-Fi
The protagonists Leo and Skater are branded as
interplanetary terrorists as at the beginning of the
book, Skater breaks into a university to steal an AI
device with the hope that Leo can make it into a
fully functioning AI. However, Carlton Whittaker, first
president of the new independent Mars, wants the
AI for himself as its mind contains the knowledge
of an ancient alien civilisation. It’s not long before
Whittaker finds out their whereabouts and a price
is put on their heads when they become aware of
Whittaker’s dark past. An easy read, whatever your
knowledge of sci-fi, that is fast paced and will keep
you on the edge of your seat. This is the second
book in a trilogy but can be read as a stand-alone.
Suitable for students in key stage 3 and above.
Charlotte Cole
Weston, Danny
Postcards from Valhalla
UCLan
2023, pp.256, £8.99
9781915235657
Norse Legend. Shetland. Family
What happens when imagination
becomes reality? One minute 15-year-old Viggo is
an Edinburgh schoolboy, playing Dungeons and
Dragons and watching Marvel films. The next he
is en route with his mother to Shetland, where his
elder brother has disappeared, as his father had
done five years earlier. A reluctant companion in
his mother’s quest, Viggo soon finds himself drawn
into a world part reality, part Norse legend. Strange
waking dreams, a mysterious fellow traveller, and
physical discomforts show Viggo that this time the
games are all too real. When they reach Unst, the
northernmost British isle, a further threat comes
in the person of a Musk-like American billionaire
out for glory. Luckily there is something playful as
well as menacing about Norse legend, and this
fast-paced, gripping story is never too far from
comedy, whatever the perils Viggo faces. He is an
engaging character and a reluctant hero, and many
teenage readers will find him a fellow spirit. A fast,
enjoyable read, complete with QR codes to access
some extras.
Peter Hollindale
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 65

Books: 13 – 16 | Information
Atinuke
Brilliant Black
British History
Illustrated by Kingsley Nebechi
Bloomsbury Children’s Books
2023, pp.64 , £12.99
9781526635716
British Empire. History. Racism
Brilliant Black British History is a large-size hardback,
beautifully and colourfully illustrated by Kingsley
Nebwchi. Author Atinuke’s experience in storytelling
is very evident throughout; she has a way of
presenting facts that is attractive and easy to read.
Not all of the history covered is particularly positive
– it would be impossible to cover topics such as
slavery or colonialism in a favourable way – but the
facts are presented in a straightforward way without
emotive language. A last page that highlights Black
Lives Matter reminds us that the battle against
racism still rages and there is definitely much still to
be done even now. I learnt a lot from this title and I
enjoyed the fact that it is very easy to dip in and out
of to allow for reflection time.
Bev Humphrey
Lawrence, Stuart &
Hickson-Lovence, Ashley
Growing up Black in
Britain
Illustrated by Simone Douglas
Scholastic
2023, pp.224, £10.99
9780702315855
Motivational. POC. Race
EDITOR'S PICK
Growing Up Black in Britain is a collection of
recollections from some of the most prominent
or influential citizens in Britain who are proud to
be Black, such as Allison Hammond and Patrice
Lawrence. These recollections are not at all long
and instead serve as pieces of motivation for those
who love to read about humble beginnings and the
winning life. Whilst not necessarily biographical,
these prominent contributors are exploratory in
what makes them Black and the positives that
come with embracing your race in today’s age. It is
uniquely positive in its affirmations that race should
not play any factor in the decisions you make in life,
nor should it hinder you in any way. With captivating
typography to make bold the most motivational of
quotes alongside different typesets, Growing Up
Black in Britain is certainly a book that is enjoyable
to read and ponder.
Rabia Arif
Minchin, Louise
Fearless: Extraordinary
Adventures with
Courageous Women
Bloomsbury USA
2023, pp.240, £18.99
9781399401180
Courage. Women. Adventure
A fantastic read! To read this book is to go on an
exhilarating journey with a diverse mix of women
who all display great courage and have an amazing
sense of adventure. Eighteen women (including
world record breakers) and their energetic pursuits
are recounted by Louise Minchin in seventeen
chapters. Louise is a television presenter, writer, and
athlete and will likely be familiar. She was also chair
of judges for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2023, and
her writing is both clear and concise as well as lyrical.
She thanks those women who encouraged her to
write this book to provide much needed role models
for young women everywhere. Sports covered in
this gem of a book include triathlon, wild caving,
mountaineering, freediving, cycling, paddleboarding,
and rugby. I found the most frightening chapter to
read was when Louise accompanies Christine Grosart
wild caving in the Mendip Hills. Cyclist Sophie Storm
Roberts’s motto: ‘One life, live it. One day I will not be
able to do this. Today is not that day’ (p.81) sums up
this wonderful volume.
Janet Syme
Natarajan, Radhika &
Tayiana, Chao
Hear Our Voices
Illustrated by Alexander Mostov
WideEyed Editions
2023, pp.64, £14.99
9780711266933
British Empire. Countries. History
This book looks at the countries that formed the
British Empire and how the people that lived in
the ruled countries were affected by British rule. It
begins by describing how the British Empire was
formed and what the means and motivation were; it
also looks at five key figures and how they benefited
from the empire. The rest of the book looks at
the perspectives and lives of 20 people that lived
during the time of British rule and how it affected
their lives and that of their people. The end of the
book explains how the British Empire came to an
end, and there is also a comprehensive glossary
and index. There are full colourful illustrations on
every page, with the text set out in small, numbered,
bitesize chunks. An informative and well set out
book explaining the British Empire from a different
perspective. This is suitable for students that are in
key stage 3 and above.
Charlotte Cole
66 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024
Norris, Alex
How to Love
Walker Books
2023, pp.224, £12.99
9781406397345
Information. LGBTQ Friendly.
Wellbeing
Well, isn’t this a pleasant surprise?! That is what I
thought to myself as soon as I opened the first page.
Unlike many other ‘guide to relationships’ books
(and trust me I read quite a few for both teaching
and myself), this guide is set out like a comic strip.
Illustrated throughout, and with bold colours and
accompanying texts, How to Love is a graphic guide
that sets out to simplify the many feelings of love
that the growing teen may be experiencing as they
are growing up. The guide does not throw terms
and labels at the reader; instead, it breaks down
each feeling, thought, and crisis into digestible and
understandable sentences. It is a well-thought-out
guide that empowers the reader through positive
actions and mindset towards their own emotional
needs and complexities.
Rabia Arif
Sandbrook, Dominic
The Fall of the Aztecs
(Adventures in Time)
Particular Books
2023, pp.208, £14.99
9780241552193
History. Empire. Conquest
The work of a historian and author of eight books
for adults, this latest addition to the Adventures in
Time series transports readers to the early sixteenth
century and the Aztec Emoire. The Emperor,
Montezuma, is all-powerful but is challenged by
the Spanish explorers who invaded his territories
seeking their fortunes. A detailed map fixes the
setting and place and, aided by appropriate
illustrations, introduces the subject matter. Based
on detailed research, this is the true story of the fall
of the greatest civilisation in the world at the hands
of the Spanish. Conquistadores are presented and
brought to life. A prologue describes the excitement
and the tension attendant upon the invaders’ arrival.
The narrative begins as it will end, ‘with the world in
darkness’. An enthralling account, and the author’s
enthusiasm is evident throughout. Interesting
historical details and facts relating to the Spanish
Empire which arose out of the ashes of the Aztec
Empire are presented in the epilogue and in the
author’s note. Potentially a most valuable addition
to the history section of the library.
Elizabeth Finlayson

Books: 13 – 16 | Information
Warner, Andrea
Rise Up and Sing!:
Power, Protest, and
Activism in Music
Illustrated by Louise Reimer
Greystone Books
2023, pp.200, £14.99
9781771648981
Activism. Music. PSHE
Do you have readers who love to create playlists?
If so, they’ll love this! This book is an exploration of
how music can be, and has been, used for activism
and protest. It focuses on different themes and
movements, such as climate justice, civil rights,
ableism, LGBTQIA+, gender issues, anti-war, and
equality. Each section discusses a wide range of
artists and songs – some of which may be familiar
to readers and some new – and concludes with
a ‘Top 10’ list of songs. These in themselves are a
great starting point for discussions – Do they agree?
Which is their favourite? Do they think any songs
or artists are missing? and so on – and they can be
used as a catalyst for creating their own playlists.
There is a slight US bias in the content, but this
shouldn’t stop your curious readers from learning
more about the world and the power of music. It’s
an empowering and insightful book that will be a
great addition to leisure reading, social history, and
empathy collections in secondary schools.
Cassie Kemp
Wells, Stanley &
Fry, Stephen
What Was Shakespeare
Really Like?
CUP
2023, pp.130, £14.99
9781009340373
Non-Fiction. Shakespeare.
Tudor Life
A clever and concise volume that brings together
Dr. Wells’s lifetime of scholarship of, and curiosity
about, the enigmatic playwright. The book is
formed of four essays, given by Wells as online
lectures during lockdown, and cover topics
such as what sort of person Shakespeare was,
including his outward appearance and his likely
friendship groups; how he wrote his plays and
how they were put together with his company
and into production; and what his sonnets reveal
about his personality, discussing the private or
even confessional nature of his sonnets. The final
essay concerns Shakespeare’s humour and what
made the playwright laugh, bringing his plays and
more notably, his poetry, to life. Wells ends the
volume with a reflection of his own eight-decade
relationship with Shakespeare and shows how, in
searching for Shakespeare, we discover more of
humanity and more of ourselves.
Cari Lake
Young, Caroline
Friendship Survival
Guide (Usborne
Life Skills)
Usborne Publishing Ltd. 2023,
pp.208, £6.99, 9781803704616
Friendship. Guidance. Support
This is an accessible, practical guide to navigating
friendships for 11-year-olds and up. It will also be a
useful resource for parents and carers, teachers, and
others who work with children. It provides valuable
guidance, support, and reassurance on all aspects
of friendship, including making and keeping friends,
dealing with the fallout when friendships sour, and
recognising fake friends and toxic relationships.
There are plentiful illustrations and lots of quizzes
and tips, for instance on overcoming shyness, on
being kind to oneself as well as others, on listening,
on patience, on coping with anxieties, on spotting
and dealing with peer pressure and bullying, on
honesty and integrity, on self-esteem and resilience.
Definitions are clear and helpful, whether about
what constitutes true friendship – respect, kindness,
and loyalty are identified as paramount – or about
empathy. The tone throughout is, appropriately,
very friendly. The approach is inclusive and nonjudgemental.
Social media is explored in terms of its
benefits as well as its pitfalls. The text is easy to read
and well spaced on off-white paper. Recommended.
Anne Harding
68 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024

Books: 17 – 19
Campbell, Jen
Please Do Not Touch
This Exhibit
Bloodaxe Books
2023, pp.64, £10.99
9781780376615
Disability. IVF. Magic
POETRY
As well as the quality and originality of the poetry,
this collection should be read by students for the
insight it gives to the experience of disability. The
title reflects the sense of objectification which
disabled people can experience, continuing in a
sequence of impersonal medical memos which
punctuate the book and climax in a horrifyingly
insensitive medical interview about the possibility
of IVF. Much of the imagery is of shapeshifting, the
poet seeing herself in stages of metamorphosis,
depicting different aspects of her physical self.
Aware that once, ‘anyone with a disfigurement was
medically called a monster’, she references Victorian
freak shows and watching horror films with friends,
calling herself ‘sea-faring little Lobster Girl’. Pieces
on alopecia strike hard – ‘I feel the skeleton skin
with the tips of my hands. Think a song for the
leaves that are falling’. One sequence explores the
poet’s experience with hospitals, another describes
her as a house in changing moods and tones. A
powerful and moving collection rewarding study in
different areas of the curriculum.
Frank Startup
Conrad, Courtney
I Am Evidence
Bloodaxe Books
2023, pp.32, £7.50
9781780376561
Jamaica. Immigration. Windrush
POETRY
This short pamphlet is a
white-knuckle ride through Caribbean migration
from Jamaica to Britain and raw accounts of
violence and corruption in Kingston, culminating
in the docking of the Windrush in Essex where ‘spit
and slurs unwelcome me’. It opens with a beautifully
sensuous visit to Coronation Market, after which, off
we go. The use of demotic adds urgency to rhythm
and imagery as ‘Madda drives yutes round wid gas
tanks swirling droplets like beer keg’, and the threat
of violence: ‘from doo-doo plaits to relaxed hair,
my little girl turns house keys into knuckle rings for
her walk home’. The variety of forms is dazzling as
the poet incorporates classified ads, recipes, and a
range of structures. The account of the immigrants’
reception after the Queen ‘seh, mi fi come wid mi
whole family’ beautifully catches the indignation
and disappointment of people whose expectations
were raised and then so cruelly dashed. This is a
vivid, visceral collection with relevance to many
areas of the curriculum. Copies should be available
in every library.
Frank Startup
Devon, Natasha
Babushka
Uclan
2023, pp.322, £8.99
9781915235633
Ambition. Families. Relationships
Cerys knows she wants more to
her life than marrying safe boyfriend Rhys and
settling down to life with babies. She swaps her
Welsh village for college in London where she
envisages leading a glamourous life – her favourite
magazine telling her life in London is cool and
sophisticated. However, at first it is confusing and
busy, made worse by the fact that the resident art
college cool girls seem to have taken an instant
dislike to her. After an incident when Cerys’s drink
is spiked and she loses consciousness on the
pavement, she wakes to find herself in the flat
of an art lecturer who is young, attractive, and
an apparent gentleman, very different from the
immature boys Cerys is accustomed to. From then
on Cerys lives in a bubble until she is hit by not just
one but two devastating pieces of news she must
deal with. This is a young, naïve woman on the brink
of adulthood. The book is a prequel to Toxic but
does not require prior reading.
Dawn Woods
Hill, Kaycee
Hot Sauce
POETRY
Owen, Margaret
Painted Devils
Oyemakinde, Tomi
The Changing Man
Bloodaxe Books
2023, pp.72 , £10.99
9781780376370
Urban. Woman. Maturation
Hodder & Stoughton
2023, pp.384, £16.99
9781399702188
Deception. Fantasy. Legends
Macmillan Children’s Books
2023, pp.352, £8.99
9781035003082
Thriller. Speculative. YA
This collection from a young
poet is a masterclass in close observation and
biting imagery. She inhabits a contemporary, urban
environment, moving through it with a sharp,
critical eye, examining her life and surroundings
with precision. Dance halls, raves, playgrounds are
all exposed to her rather mordant vision, by turns
cynical and fascinated. A Catholic church ‘coughs
up two dull, dissonant gongs’; a bike’s indicator light
is ‘pulsing out of the depths like plasma’. Observing
the natural world, her responses are equally spiky:
a sky ‘sits flat as the residue of a dream’ and the
sun, slowly setting ‘over estates crammed in like
uneven teeth’, is portrayed in terms of a strip
tease. Relationships with parents run through the
collection, and underneath, it pulses with music of
the time and place, as does a burgeoning sexuality.
An amazing central poem sees her breakfast with
the Devil – a woman – and feel ‘one hundred
hymens breaking like birds’ skulls’. This is, almost
literally, one hell of a debut. Students will love it.
Frank Startup
As a thief, Vanja knows that you
have to keep lies simple; it’s the details that catch
you out. So when she has to persuade unsuspecting
villagers to retrieve her lost rubies from a lake,
she improvises the legend of the Scarlet Maiden,
who will reward the village with prosperity once
the rubies are found. It works, but too well. The lie
appears to call a supernatural being into existence,
who declares Vanja to be her prophet. A further
complication occurs when Vanja’s boyfriend
Emeric, a trainee Prefect, is tasked with establishing
the authenticity of the Scarlet Maiden, a task made
far more challenging when she claims him for a
sacrifice. Vanja can only save Emeric by collecting
the blood of seven brothers before midsummer, a
quest which may require Vanja to choose between
her long-lost family and her lover. Meanwhile, the
Scarlet Maiden rapidly morphs into a cruel and
exacting deity and Vanja has to bargain with ghosts,
gods, and monsters before finally uncovering the
terrible truth of the Scarlet Maiden’s identity and
defusing the threat she poses.
Sandra Bennett
An atmospheric thriller set in
the prestigious Nithercott School, The Changing
Man is a story of a young girl’s investigation into
the school’s mysterious legend. Ife is an outsider
at Nithercott, who does not fit into the school’s
cliques or find her way into the teacher’s good
graces. But with more pupils disappearing from
the school, Ife becomes embroiled in the mystery
of the shadowy figure that seems to haunt her and
discovering the truth behind the strange goings
on. Oyemakinde’s debut novel is a mystery that will
interest fans of Dark Academia and clever twists.
Cari Lake
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 69

Books: 17 – 19
Palmer, Luke
Play
Firefly Press
2023, pp.260, £8.99
9781915444318
Friendship. Masculinity. School
EDITOR'S PICK
Play centres on four childhood
friends and the joys, struggles, and expectations
experienced as part of growing up. Matt navigates
his own sexuality through conflicting pressures and
relationships in school. Luc views straying away
from a ‘winner’s mentality’ as an insurmountable
failure, while both Mark and Johnny, in different
ways, come to terms with familial neglect and the
consequences it has. Palmer’s writing is instantly
engaging and moving, inviting the reader to identify
with the four protagonists and, more importantly,
track how their words, attitudes, and motivations
shape their ever-changing relationships with each
other. The title refers to the games the four boys
play with each other, building dens and classroom
pranks, but quickly Palmer asks us to consider the
societal games we play with others and ourselves:
is ‘time known’ the most important factor in a
friendship? What’s expected of me from my friends,
teachers, and parents? Does it even matter? Like all
good coming-of-age stories, Palmer leaves these
questions unanswered; it’s for the reader to decide.
This book includes adult content, e.g. underage
alcohol, drugs, and sex.
Ben Lunn
Sealey, Nicole
Ordinary Beast
Bloodaxe Books
2023, pp.72, £10.99
9781780376653
Race. Gender. Injustice
POETRY
The collection begins with a
catalogue of ills in ‘medical history’ and ends
with an affirmation of love, albeit tinged with an
awareness of mortality – ‘o how we entertain the
angels with our brief animation’. Between, come
observations on race and racism, sex and sexuality,
life and death in a wide variety of tones and moods.
Race is central, as when the poet stands in an
‘overpriced Equinox’ waiting for ‘a white woman
to mistake me for someone other than a paying
member’, or in the horrifying ‘candelabra with
heads’ and its images of lynchings, amplified later
in a ‘defense’. Elsewhere, bleakness – ‘everything
aspires to one degradation or another’ – or
wryness – ‘only amateurs imagine Harlem leads
to Hollywood’ – are leavened by humour, as in a
letter to Brad Pitt and an ‘underperforming’ sonnet
which is ‘the only poem entirely imageless’. There is
also a wonderful re-imagining of a Cluedo murder,
followed, ironically, by a redacted version. Original
and powerful.
Frank Startup
Ó Tuama, Padraig (editor)
Poetry Unbound:
50 Poems to Open
Your World
Canongate
2022, pp.367, £20.00
9781838856328
Literature. Poetry. Reflection
POETRY
This beautifully bound book is a collection of
poetry alongside Ó Tuama’s anecdotes, personal
interpretations, and even a bit of literary analysis.
The format of the book is like Ó Tuama’s very
popular Poetry Unbound podcast – each poem
is briefly introduced, then there is the poem itself,
and it is followed by a comprehensive yet concise
and accessible commentary. In the podcast the
poem is then read again, inviting the listener to
view the poem through Ó Tuama’s lens, and there
is nothing to stop the reader from turning a few
pages back to do likewise in the book. Ó Tuama
has curated a collection that is diverse in the
widest possible sense whilst maintaining a steady
hand on the rudder, steering us towards poems
of contemplation and reflection. It is a book that
welcomes repeated readings and encourages
relaxed browsing when the mood strikes. It would
be perfect for unseen poetry revision for literature
students – a gem of a book that would make both a
thoughtful gift as well as an excellent addition to a
secondary school library collection.
Bridget Hamlet
Booker Alternatives
Editor's Picks
Catton, Eleanor
Birnam Wood
Kuang, Rebecca F.
Yellowface
The Borough Press, 2023, £9.99,
336pp, 9780008532819
Theft. Publishing. Rivalry
O’Farrell, Maggie
The Marriage Portrait
Headline, 2023, £9.99, 448pp,
9781472223883
Mental health. Power. Relationships
Smith, Zadie
The Fraud
Penguin, 2023, £20.00, 400pp,
9780241336991
Deception. Discrimination. Justice
Granta, 2023, £20.00, 432pp,
9781783784257
Activism. Corruption. Trust
Five years ago, Mira Bunting
founded a guerrilla gardening
group: Birnam Wood. The friends
plant crops wherever no one will
notice until they spot the potential
of a bigger plot of land.
Kingsolver, Barbara
Demon Copperhead
Faber & Faber, 2023, £9.99, 560pp,
9780571376483
Ambition. Family. Poverty
Demon is born to a single mother
in a trailer, looking ‘like a little blue
prizefighter’. He needs that fighting
spirit, along with charm and a quick
wit, to survive.
Juniper Hayward has harboured
jealousy of Athene Liu’s literary
success. When Liu dies, Hayward
steps in to save her unpublished
masterpiece.
Moyes, Jojo
Someone Else’s Shoes
Michael Joseph, 2023, £22.00, 432pp,
9780241415535
Humour. Relationships. Self-Worth
Two women, strangers to one
another, find their lives intertwined
when one accidentally takes the
gym bag of the other.
Winter, 1561. Lucrezia, Duchess of
Ferrara, is only 16, yet she is married
off to Alfonso, a powerful man. She
suspects he is about to kill her.
Saint, Jennifer
Atalanta
Wildfire, 2024, £17.99, 384pp,
9781472292179
Feminism. Myths. Survival
Born to the King of Arcadia, Atalanta
is left to die before being saved by
a mother bear. When she leaves
to join Jason’s band of Argonauts,
Atalanta must carve her place in a
man’s world.
Based on real historical events, a trial
poses two conflicting stories from
Jamaica and from Britain. Will the
truth be revealed?
Zevin, Gabrielle
Tomorrow, and
Tomorrow, and
Tomorrow
Vintage, 2023, £9.99, 432pp,
9781529115543
Betrayal. Historical. Romance
Sam and Sadie meet in a hospital in
1987. On discharge they must return
to their normal lives until they meet
again eight years later and start to
collaborate.
70 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024

Books: Professional
Abrams, Fran &
Solomons, Mark
What Makes Teachers
Unhappy, and What
Can You Do About It?:
Building a Culture of
Staff Wellbeing
Routledge, 2023, pp.246, £18.99, 9781032325903
Leadership. Management. School
Described as ‘a powerful, thoughtful book that goes
beyond treating symptoms, towards looking at the
root causes of poor wellbeing’(Dame Alison Peacock),
this is a book that goes to the heart of school staff
wellbeing: leadership and management –including
driving out unnecessary work (amen to that!) but
importantly focused on how the management is done.
The authors acknowledge that the current system
needs changing, but also outline how leaders can act
to support wellbeing despite the system. They spell
out the need for competent behaviours (consistency,
honesty, trustworthiness) and provide practical
strategies to support these (such as ‘Managing by
Walking Around’ in order to engage and praise, not to
interfere or catch-out). The book is research based, and
the authors outline the need for full engagement of all
staff – and Governors – to create a positive workplace
that will support a virtuous circle of student learning,
relationships, and sense of belonging. This is a very
useful resource for any school; they are not static but
dynamic institutions and building strong collective
identity is ongoing.
Stephanie Barclay
McGill, Ross Morrison
The Teacher Toolkit
Guide to Questioning
Bloomsbury
2023, pp.144, £12.99
9781472989383
Questioning. Teaching. Classroom
This is a comprehensive guide to questioning
techniques for teachers to use in the classroom, as
well as looking at the impact such questions can
have on pupils and their learning. Aimed at both
primary and secondary teachers, this will certainly
support any teacher looking to use questioning
more effectively in the classroom, for example to
develop their pupils thinking, identify any knowledge
gaps, check understanding, stimulate curiosity, and
develop recall and memory. Clear tables, diagrams,
and visuals clearly delineate complex concepts and
the latest research around questioning. Practical
and common-sense approaches are offered, with
worked examples and ready-to-use templates that
can easily translate into the classroom. This will be a
useful starting point resource for any teacher looking
for some CPD on such classroom techniques and
to develop their confidence and skills when using
questioning in their lessons.
Margaret Barclay
Bushnell, Adam
100 Ideas for Primary
Teachers: Daily
Reflections(100
Ideas for Teachers)
Bloomsbury
2023, pp.128, £15.00
9781801992923
Reflection. Philosophy. Wellbeing
Daily Reflections is another excellent resource in the
100 Ideas series from Bloomsbury. Highly appropriate
to our current times with unpredictable events in
life, Bushnell provides targeted ideas for primary
teachers, supported by references and teaching tips
to support young children in practising mindfulness
in its broadest sense, to develop empathy, resilience,
insight and other ‘virtues’ to support mental health.
Inspirational references include Anne Frank (for
hope), the NHS (for cleanliness), and Buddha (mindful
colouring); ‘taking it further’ tips extend the ideas into
taking the learning into the wider world, such as food
bank donation (community), online support sites
(choose words carefully). The ideas can be dipped
into as and when a situation arises or used routinely
in a PSHE programme. This is an invaluable resource
for primary schools and a good starting point for
developing and promoting a culture of kindness
through self- (and other-) awareness, so badly
needed in schools and beyond into society.
Stephanie Barclay
Merga, Margaret K.
Creating a Reading
Culture in Primary and
Secondary Schools
Facet Publishing
2023, pp.222, £50.00
9781783306381
Professional. Education. Literacy
For those who are interested in or leading a
schoolwide approach to improving literacy, reading,
and engagement with reading in school, this
guide does a great job of explaining the benefits
of advocating such activities. The guide goes indepth
on how engaging early on with students on
reading and – most importantly – understanding,
appreciating and applying reading skills will be
enjoyable as well as beneficial to the students as well
as educators. Not only does it reinforce this message,
but it does bestow some application examples that
can be implemented within schools today. These
applications are not exhaustive by any means, but
they certainly get the ball rolling with some useful
tips and ideas on how to even start to create a
reading culture. Whilst I did find some of the
information on implementation and managerial
aspects of this book a little dry, the core message
remains intact and vitally important for all educators
who want to create a community of eager readers.
Rabia Arif
Hillman, Rachel & Horrie, Clare
Diverse Histories: A
Source Book for
Teaching Black, Asian
and Minority Ethnic
Histories at Key Stage 3
Illustrated by various, Bloomsbury,
2023, pp. 176, £24.99, 9781801990509
Teacher’s Guide. Multicultural Education. British History
As established in its introduction, Diverse Histories is
not intended to be a textbook. Instead, it uses a variety
of authentic historical sources, many from the National
Archives, as the basis for 60 lessons designed to help
teachers widen the scope of the National Curriculum,
introducing students to diverse histories – the events,
movements, and lives of people whose stories have
been largely hidden or untold. Aligned with the key
stage 3 history curriculum, these lessons are carefully
structured, with each source having a clear and
illuminating connection to the curriculum. Divided
into four key questions, the accompanying teacher’s
notes are concisely written, with ample information
given to enable teachers to confidently deliver material
and guide discussion. Incorporating group and class
activities, the lesson ideas are varied and interesting,
the follow-up tasks and suggestions for further reading
providing additional learning opportunities via trusted
sources. Diverse Histories encourages students to
question the context of sources, along with the role that
archives can play in preserving and presenting a more
representative and nuanced view of British history.
Samantha Lockett
Pinkett, Matt
Boys Do Cry: Improving
Boys’ Mental Health and
Wellbeing in Schools
Routledge, 2023, pp. 180, £16.99
9781032168692
Mental Health. Toxicity. Wellbeing
This is an essential and timely guide that navigates
the often overlooked terrain of boys’ mental health.
Underpinned by sound research, Pinkett offers a guide to
support educators in helping their pupils overcome the
trials of masculinity and patriarchy by covering a broad
range of issues, from anger and friendships to the more
challenging areas of eating disorders and pornography.
Each chapter is written with sensitivity but also depth, and
is well structured where the issue is looked at through
personal lived experience. This is followed by the research,
and then clear solutions and tools to move forward. There
is also a helpful reference list at the end of each chapter.
Whilst this is an academic book, Pinkett's engaging writing
style ensures that this book is an accessible resource that
would be revisited in any staffroom. Suitable for those
who teach adolescents, this can also be read by those who
teach in the primary phase. This indispensable guidebook
prompts reflection, encourages dialogue, and offers a
pathway toward nurturing a generation of emotionally
resilient young men.
Rebecca Simpson-Hargreaves
TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024 71

Books: Review Index
A
Abdel-Magied, Yassmin – Stand Up and Speak Out against Racism 52
Abrams, Fran & Solomons, Mark – What Makes Teachers Unhappy, and
What Can You Do About It?: Building a Culture of Staff Wellbeing 71
Adams, Tom – A Miscellany of Mischief and Magic: Discover
History's Best Hoaxes, Hijinks, Tricks, and Illusions 52
Adébísí, Maria – Kòkú Àkànbí and the Heart of Midnight
(A Jujuland Book) 44
Ahlberg, Allan – Under the Table 36
Aldhouse-Green, Miranda J. – Enchanted Wales: Myth and
Magic in Welsh Storytelling 61
Altarriba, Eduard – Economics 52
Atinuke – Brilliant Black British History 66
B
Badoe, Yaba – Man-Man and the Tree of Memories 60
Balen, Katya – Foxlight 44
Bass, Guy – Scrap 44
Bettridge, Emma – Red Is Home 36
Black, Holly – The Prisoner’s Throne (Elfhame) 60
Blake, Kendare – Champion of Fate 60
Bond, Ash – Peregrine Quinn and the Cosmic Realm 44
Bowling, Nicholas – The Undying of Obedience West 60
Braddock, Paige – River Rescue (Peanut Butter and Crackers) 44
Bradford, Chris – Lunar 44
Broadbent, Rick – Super Sports Stars Who Are Changing the Game 45
Brown, Matt – A Most Mysterious Monster: Kevin the Vampire 45
Bryon, Nathan – Speak Up! 36
Bushnell, Adam – 100 Ideas for Primary Teachers:
Daily Reflections (100 Ideas for Teachers) 71
Butchart, Pamela – The Sports Day Chicken 45
C
Campbell, Jen – Please Do Not Touch This Exhibit 69
Catton, Eleanor – Birnam Wood 70
Cham, Jorge – Oliver’s Great Big Universe 45
Chim, Wai – Last-Place Lin 36
Clark, Emily-Jane – Attack of the Vampire Sheep
(The Beasts of Knobbly Bottom) 45
Clarkson, Giselle – The Observologist: A Handbook for
Mounting Very Small Scientific Expeditions 52
Clayton, Dhonielle – The Memory Thieves (Marvellers) 46
Coco Chanel (Great Lives in Graphics) 59
Colfer, Eoin & Donkin, Andrew – Global 60
Conaghan, Brian – Treacle Town 61
Conlon, Dom – Matilda Meets the Universe 52
Conrad, Courtney – I Am Evidence 69
Coyle, Sarah – A Superhero + Dragon + Mermaid Adventure 36
Crossan, Sarah – Where the Heart Should Be 60
Crumpton, Nick – How to Chat Chicken: Gossip Gorilla,
Babble Bee, Gab Gecko and Talk 52
D
Dalcher, Christina – The Sentence 61
Darwin, Sarah & Sadowski, Eva-Maria – Evolution 53
Davies, Nicola – The Magic of Flight 53
Davies, Nicola – The Star Whale 36
Davies, Nicola, Carter, James, Conlon, Dom and Catchpole,
Diana – Out There in the Wild: Poems on Nature 61
Denny, Natalie – Keisha Jones Takes on the World (Keisha Jones) 46
Dent, Susie – Roots of Happiness: 100 Words for Joy and
Hope from Britain's Most-Loved Word Expert 53
Devon, Natasha – Babushka 69
Donaldson, Julia – The Oak Tree 37
Donnelly, Peter – Little Wolf 37
Dunn, Kat – Bitterthorn 61
Durkin, Frances – What is Technology?: The Who, Where,
Why and How! 53
E
Earle, Phil – Northern Soul 61
Edmonds, Sarah – Sunshine Pie 37
Emmett, Catherine – The Dodo Who Dreamed She Could Fly 37
F
Factology 1: Space: Open Up a World of Information! 53
Factology 3: Ancient Egypt: Open Up a World of Information! 53
Factology 4: The Human Body: Open Up a World of Information! 55
Faris, Paula & Madanasinghe, Bhagya – Who Do You Want
to Be When You Grow Up? 37
Ferreira, Marcela – The Queen Next Door 37
Fisher, Tia – Crossing the Line 61
Forde, Patricia – The Girl Who Fell to Earth 62
French, Jess – Race to Frostfall Mountain (Beastlands) 46
G
Gaiman, Neil – What You Need to Be Warm 46
Gardner, Sally – The Weather Woman 62
Gibb, David – Two Wheels 38
Graham, Craig & Stirling, Mike – Minnie’s Mission of
Maximum Mischief (Beano) 46
Gray, Keith – The Den 61
72 TSL VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2024
H
Hale, Shannon & Hale, Dean – The Princess in Black and
the Prince in Pink (The Princess in Black) 38
Halliwell-Horner, Geri – Rosie Frost and the Falcon Queen 62
Halls, Smriti – Stop! That's Not My Story 38
Halpin, Samuel J. – The Midnight Switch 46
Hanaor, Ziggy – The Egg Incident 38
Harrold, A. F. & Conlon, Dom – Welcome to Wild Town 47
Hawkins, Emily – An Atlas of Afterlives: Discover Underworlds,
Otherworlds and Heavenly Realms 55
Heikkilä, Cecilia – Finding the Way to Faraway Valley 38
Hendrix, Isi – Adia Kelbara and the Circle of Shamans 47
Hickes, Phil – The Whispering Walls (Shadowhall Academy) 47
Hill, Elizabeth F. – Cotton Cloud Refuses to Rain 38
Hill, Kaycee – Hot Sauce 69
Hill, Lorna – Swift 39
Hillman, Rachel & Horrie, Clare – Diverse Histories: A Source Book for
Teaching Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Histories at Key Stage 3 71
Hopgood, Tim – The Happy Hut 39
Ho-Yen, Polly – The Girl Who Became a Fish 39
Hudson, Katy – Waiting for Mr Sloth 39
I
Illustrated Sports Encyclopedia 45
J
Jorden, Brooke, Kitchen Connection & Widdowson, Kay –
How Does Our Food Grow? 37
K
Kenny, Padraig – Stitch 47
Kim, Jaime – Ready for the Spotlight! 39
Kingsolver, Barbara – Demon Copperhead 70
Kuang, Rebecca F. – Yellowface 70
L
Landy, Derek – Bad Magic: A Skulduggery Pleasant Graphic Novel 62
Lapite, Shade – Goddess Crown 62
Larwood, Kieran – Carnival of the Spider (The Carnival Series) 47
Lawrence, Stuart & Hickson-Lovence, Ashley –
Growing up Black in Britain 66
Lawston, Rachel – My Nature Trail Nature Connection:
Activities for Every Season 55
Leader, Michael & Cunningham, Jake –
An Unofficial Guide to the World of Studio Ghibli 55
Lihou, Gavin – Rise of the Zombie Chickens 47
Lin, Ann Sei – Rebel Fire (Rebel Skies Trilogy) 62
Linton, G. M. – Sunshine Simpson Cooks up a Storm 49
Liu, Shan Woo & Gormley, Kaili Liu – Masked Hero 55
Lloyd, Christopher – Absolutely Everything! A History of Earth, Dinosaurs,
Rulers, Robots and Other Things Too Numerous to Mention 55
Long, David – What It Was Like to Be an Ancient Roman 56
M
Mabuse, Oti – The Lion Samba (Dance with Oti) 39
Macx, Logan – Undercover (Swift and Hawk) 64
Maddox, Jake – Hot Shot Ice Hockey 45
Mandela (Great Lives in Graphics) 59
Manushkin, Fran – The Mystery of the Fishy Canoe
(Katie Woo and Pedro Mysteries) 41
Marie Curie (Great Lives in Graphics) 59
Martin, Pedro – Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir 49
Martineau, Susan – Sharks! Sharks! Sharks! (Nature Investigator) 41
McCann, Jackie – If Our World Were 100 Days (If the World) 56
McCaughrain, Kelly – Little Bang 64
McCaughrain, Kelly – Little Bang 61
McCaw, Amy & Kuzniar, Maria – A Taste of Darkness 64
McGann, Erika – It's Too Dark, Puffling 41
McGill, Ross Morrison – The Teacher Toolkit Guide to Questioning 71
McKenna, Skye – Woodwitch (Hedgewitch) 64
McMillan, Shirley-Anne – Grapefruit Moon 61
Merga, Margaret K. – Creating a Reading Culture in Primary
and Secondary Schools 71
Minchin, Louise – Fearless: Extraordinary Adventures
with Courageous Women 66
Moriarty, Jaclyn – The Astonishing Chronicles of Oscar
from Elsewhere (A Bronte Mettlestone Adventure) 49
Morpurgo, Michael & Shakepeare, William –
Michael Morpurgo’s Tales from Shakespeare 49
Morris, Jackie – The Panda's Child 41
Moses, Brian – The Incredible Shrinking Ghost 49
Moyes, Jojo – Someone Else’s Shoes 70
Moyler, Charlie & Stanev, Martin – The Tree Next Door 37
Mucha, Laura – Celebrate!: Discover 50 Fantastic Festivals
from Around the World 56
Mugford, Simon – Verstappen Rules 45
Mühle, Jörg – Translated by Melody Shaw 49
Murphy, Cynthia – Welcome to Camp Killer 64
Mushin, Steve – Ultra Wild 56
N
Namey, Laura – A British Girl’s Guide to Hurricanes and Heartbreak 64
Page numbers in italics indicate a book that features
in the Editor’s Picks highlight box on that page.
Natarajan, Radhika & Tayiana, Chao – Hear Our Voices 66
Newson, Karl – Snug as a Bug? 41
Nicholls, Sally – Godfather Death 41
Nolan, Alan – Molly Malone & Bram Stoker in Double
Trouble at the Dead Zoo (Molly and Bram) 50
Norris, Alex – How to Love 66
O
O’Farrell, Maggie – The Marriage Portrait 70
Owen, David – Ancient Egypt 56
Owen, Margaret – Painted Devils 69
Oyemakinde, Tomi – The Changing Man 69
Ó Tuama, Padraig (editor) – Poetry Unbound:
50 Poems to Open Your World 70
P
Paige, Danielle – Wish of the Wicked 65
Palmer, Luke – Play 70
Patrick, Kat – The Spectacular Suit 42
Pettie, Andrew & Quilty-Harper, Conrad –
Britannica's Encyclopedia Infographica 56
Phillips, Sarah – A Whole World of Art: A Time-Travelling
Trip Through a Whole World of Art 58
Pierce, Nicola – In Between Worlds: The Journey of the Famine Girls 65
Pinkett, Matt – Boys Do Cry: Improving Boys’ Mental Health
and Wellbeing in Schools 71
R
Ramadier, Cédric & Shugaar, Antony – What’s That, Jack? 42
Rathje, Christopher – Wheelchair Rugby Rush (Sport Stories) 50
Reddy, Nicola ed. – Tread Softly: Classic Irish Poems for Children 50
Reyes, Sonora – The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic school 65
Robinson, Paul W. & Russell, Shaun – Six Kids Save Planet Earth 50
Rooney, Anne & Lan, Qu – Tiny Tadpole 37
Rosen, Michael – Not-So-Little Red Riding Hood 42
Rutherford, Adam & Norry, Emma – Where Are You Really From? Our
Amazing Evolution, What Race Really Is and What Makes Us Human 58
S
Said, S. F. – Tyger 50
Saint, Jennifer – Atalanta 70
Sampson, Ana – Gods and Monsters 65
Sandbrook, Dominic – The Fall of the Aztecs (Adventures in Time) 66
Saunders, Karen – The Wind in the Willows 42
Scott-Elliot, Robin – Sweet Skies 50
Sealey, Nicole – Ordinary Beast 70
Seigal, Joshua – Who Let the Words Out? 51
Shoard, Emma – Life on the Thames 42
Smith, Miranda – An Animal a Day 58
Smith, Zadie – The Fraud 70
Sorosiak, Carlie – A World of Dogs 58
Stickland, Andrew – Escape to Midas:
Book 2 of the Mars Alone Trilogy (The Mars Alone Trilogy) 65
T
Thomas, Valerie – The Witches’ Sports Day 45
Tijani, Davina – Yomi and the Fury of Ninki Nanka
(The Nkara Chronicles) 51
Tinn-Disbury, Tom – Brian the Dancing Lion 42
Towler, Paige – History FACTopia!: Follow Ye Olde Trail of 400 Facts 58
Troupe, Thomas Kingsley – Strikers and Scarves 45
V
Vegara, Maria Isabel Sanchez – Olive Morris
(Little People, BIG DREAMS) 58
Velcovskoy, Tom & Sekaninova, Stepanka – The Origins of Sports 45
Vulliamy, Clara – The Newshound (The Dog Squad) 51
W
Warner, Andrea – Rise Up and Sing!: Power, Protest,
and Activism in Music 68
Wells, Stanley & Fry, Stephen – What Was Shakespeare Really Like? 68
Weston, Danny – Postcards from Valhalla 65
Wilde, Sam – How to Feed an Elephant 43
Wilde, Sam & Horne, Sarah – How to Feed an Elephant 37
Williamson, Lisa – Best Friends Forever (Bigg School) 51
Williamson, Victoria – Norah’s Ark 51
Williamson, Victoria – Feast of Ashes 61
Willmore, Alex – Spyceratops 43
Wilsher, Jane & Daviz, Paul – My First Space Atlas 59
Wilson, Jamia – Young, Gifted and Black, Too 59
Wilson, Jennie – Becoming Brave 43
Wilson, Naira – Hello Me! 43
Wolstencroft, David – The Magic Hour 51
Y
Young, Caroline – Friendship Survival Guide (Usborne Life Skills) 68
Young, Tasy – A Lost Kite 43
Z
Zephaniah, Benjamin – People Need People 43
Zevin, Gabrielle – Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow 70
Zommer, Yuval – The Wild 59