Two girls, a century apart. Together they’ll find freedom. This story is told in two parts, over two different time periods: the present day and 1891. The present day: we meet Semira, an Eritrean refugee who undertook a long a dangerous journey across desert and sea with her mother, accompanied by a man who has … Continue reading ‘The Closest Thing to Flying,’ by Gill Lewis, cover by Paola Escobar.
If the stories in the news are to be believed, it would seem that people are more divided and more at odds with each other than ever. Authors, illustrators and publishers are trying to counteract this by producing beautiful books which show actually just how similar we all are. ‘Under the Same Sky’ by Britta … Continue reading We Are All the Same…
It’s important that all children find themselves and their beliefs reflected in the books they see around them. This blog post is showcasing two books based in the Muslim world. ‘Night of the Moon - a Muslim Holiday Story’ by Hena Khan, illustrated by Julie Paschkis (Chronicle Books) This beautiful picture book follows the story … Continue reading Tales to Embrace Muslim Culture
Lantana publish a beautiful, diverse range of picture books in the belief that all children deserve to see themselves in the books they read. ‘Sing to the Moon,’ is no exception. I’m very lucky to also have a brilliant guest post by Nansubuga about the importance of viewpoint when writing. This adventurous Ugandan boy has … Continue reading ‘Sing to the Moon,’ by Nansubuga Nagadya Isdahl and Sandra Van Doorn.
Little Mole is covered in labels: tiring, useless, ADD, loud, wriggly. But who is he really? From the second Little Mole wakes up, he storms through the burrow like a whirlwind. Everything’s a distraction. He can’t sit still in class or listen to instructions. No one wants to play with him and Little Mole is … Continue reading ‘Little Mole is a Whirlwind,’ by Anna Llenas.
During my time as a teacher, there have been many occasions where the children I’ve been working have struggled to express how they’re feeling, often resulting in meltdowns or acting out. One of the best ways I found to help in these situations was to encourage the children recognise how different emotions felt and to … Continue reading Books to Foster Emotional Literacy
This beautiful collection of illustrated biographies from Lantana Publishing is inspired by Nobel Peace Prize Laureates and endorsed by Amnesty International, and marks Lantana’s first foray into the world of non-fiction. What does peace mean to you? This illustrated collection of biographies focuses on some of the people who have had the most inspirational ideas … Continue reading ‘Peace and Me,’ by Ali Winter & Mickaël El Fathi.
This beautiful story was originally published in Syria and has been translated from Arabic by author and illustrator Nadine Kaadan. Everything around Yazan was changing. He never went to the park, he never saw his friends, his mum never painted any more. All she did was watch the news. Yazan was so bored - he … Continue reading ‘Tomorrow,’ by Nadine Kaadan.
My next holiday read was actually a re-read ahead of a workshop I’m doing in September about how funny books can be in-roads to discussing more serious issues with children. ‘Who Let The Gods Out’ certainly does just that. Elliot’s life has changed a lot over the past year - following the death of his … Continue reading Holiday Re-Read #5: ‘Who Let The Gods Out,’ by Maz Evans, characters by Aleksei Bitskoff.
Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for the gorgeous ‘The Garden Of Hope’ which is the work of author, Isabel Otter and new illustrative talent, Katie Rewse. Things hadn’t been the same for Maya, Dad and Pip since Mum had been gone. They were a mess, the house was a mess and the … Continue reading ‘The Garden Of Hope,’ by Isabel Otter, illustrated by Katie Rewse.
One of the things I love most about children’s authors, is the seamless way they blend challenging and sensitive issues with humour to make the subject matter approachable for children. ‘Walls’ fits brilliantly into this category with its main character Ned struggling to come to terms with his parents’ divorce and break-up of peer friendships. … Continue reading ‘Walls,’ by Emma Fischel, cover by Sarah Darby.
It’s encouraging to see a more diverse range of main characters appearing in children’s books at the moment. It’s in this way that we can help develop empathy and understanding of those different to ourselves. That’s why I was very happy to be invited to take part in the blog tour for Double Felix. Felix’s … Continue reading ‘Double Felix,’ by Sally Harris, illustrated by Maria Serrano.
One day, when Julian is on the way home with his Nana, he spots what looks like the most beautiful mermaids. Their long flowing hair and shimmering tails spark something inside Julian. When he gets home, Julian styles his hair, make-up and clothing to transform himself into one of those dazzling creatures. But what will … Continue reading ‘Julian is a Mermaid,’ by Jessica Love.
Empathy Day was founded in 2017 by Empathy Lab who believe in using the power of stories to help us understand each other better and make us more empathetic. This year, Empathy Day 2018 is on 12 June so if you’d like to get involved, download a school pack or the free Read For Empathy Guide Of … Continue reading Celebrating Empathy Day with ‘Perfectly Norman,’ by Tom Percival.
”All girls should read The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis.” Malala Yousafzai. This novel centres around eleven-year-old Parvana and her family, who live in one room of a crumbling, bombed out apartment block in Kabul, Afghanistan. Her father was a history teacher before he was injured and would tell Parvana stories of their country’s past whilst … Continue reading ‘The Breadwinner – A Graphic Novel,’ based on the novel by Deborah Ellis.
It’s currently Mental Health Awareness Week in the U.K. With record rates of mental health referrals amongst children, this seems like the perfect time to introduce you to two books which might help children express and regulate their emotions. Mind Hug by Emily Amber and Vanessa Lovegrove (Circus House) This story was developed to help … Continue reading Supporting Mental Health in Children
It’s vital that children see themselves and their cultures represented in books. That is why publishers like Lantana Publishing are so important. I’m thrilled to have two of their lead Spring titles to share with you. Nimesh the Adventurer by Ranjit Singh, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini (available April 2018) For Nimesh, even the journey home … Continue reading Lantana Publishing – Spring Titles
After ‘THE EVENT THAT MUST NEVER BE SPOKEN OF AGAIN,’ Sam has gained the unfortunate nickname of ‘Scaredy-Cat Sam.’ He needs a plan to clear his name! Following an unfortunate incident during a school trip to the space museum, the class bully, Ralph Philip Zinkerman the Third, christened Sam with his much-hated nickname. Sam decides that … Continue reading ‘Sam Wu is NOT Afraid of Ghosts,’ by Katie and Kevin Tsang, illustrated by Nathan Reed.
In today's society, with not only peer pressure but the pressures of social media to contend with, children can sometimes struggle to have the courage to be themselves. 'Perfectly Norman' is a story about a boy who felt exactly the same way, until one day something extraordinary happened to him... Norman had always been perfectly … Continue reading ‘Perfectly Norman,’ by Tom Percival.
In today's political climate, we are constantly being told how different we all are from each other. That's why I was delighted to be sent this clever book which not only celebrates our differences but also points out how we are all the same. This book was inspired by Matt Lamothe's own experiences as he … Continue reading ‘This Is How We Do It – one day in the lives of seven kids from around the world,’ by Matt Lamothe.
Library Girl and Book Boy 