April 2021 Featherlight is a beautifully magical adventure from the wonderful Peter Bunzl and the amazing Barrington Stoke. Deryn’s father is the lighthouse keeper on Featherstone Island. When he and her mother have to go to the mainland, Deryn is left alone to keep watch. As the only people who live on the island, it… Continue reading Featherlight by Peter Bunzl
Empathetic author Gill Lewis has teamed up with Barrington Stoke to create a story where children who don’t fit in or who need something different are able to hear their own voice and feel valued for who they are. Dylan is a Year 8 boy who is struggling at school. Lessons are hard, teachers don’t… Continue reading Swan Song by Gill Lewis
Daisy and the Unknown Warrior is a powerful and important story commemorating the centenary of the burial of Britain’s Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey in November 1920. Tony Bradman tells the story from the point of view of Daisy, an 11-year-old girl, who lost her father in the First World War. “Missing, presumed dead”, he… Continue reading Daisy and the Unknown Warrior by Tony Bradman & illustrated by Tania Rex
Queen of King Street is a laugh-out-loud satire of the British Royal Family and their relationship with the rest of the country. When Bertie, the Queen’s younger brother, gambles away absolutely everything in a game of Happy Families, the Royal Family has to give up the crown and everything else. They move to King Street… Continue reading Queen of King Street by Tom McLaughlin
Noodle the Doodle is a brilliantly fun summer story! There’s a new member of the class – Noodle the dog. He’s a bit silly and a bit of a troublemaker but the class loves him. He joins in with all of their adventures and makes everyone laugh. When a class trip to the seaside is… Continue reading Noodle the Doodle by Jonathan Meres & illustrated by Katy Halford
Young readers will love this new take on the traditional story, The Princess and the Pea. Pete is 11 years old and his mother, the Queen, has decided it’s time to find him a suitable bride. Pete is horrified! All he wants to do is play football and have adventures around the castle. Apparently, the… Continue reading The Peculiar Thing with the Pea by Kaye Umansky & illustrated by Claire Powell
Lose yourself in this chilling mystery of an abandoned fracking site, unusual smells and adults behaving strangely. As soon as readers pick up this engaging book, they will be pulled in by the intensity of the cover, the very first chapter title, “Something Strange”, and the characters’ interest in the intriguing “Mystery Shed” website. Pete… Continue reading The Invasion of Crooked Oak by Dan Smith & illustrated by Chris King
After the War is the book every teacher of the Holocaust needs. This carefully researched and accurate retelling of the horrors and hopes of the Second World War pulls readers in to the reality faced by three brave Polish Jewish boys who find themselves in the serene beauty of the Lake District in the days… Continue reading After the War From Auschwitz to Ambleside by Tom Palmer
Vashti Hardy has done it again! The Griffin Gate is exactly the kind of story children are looking for: adventure, mystery and a strong sense of family – with a bossy robotic raven thrown in! Teaming up with talented illustrator Natalie Smillie, this story jumps off the page and dares readers to go with Grace… Continue reading The Griffin Gate by Vashti Hardy & illustrated by Natalie Smillie
It’s the summer of 1914 and there is news of assassinations and potential war coming from far away. For the children at Longbarrow House, it’s incredibly exciting but also incredibly frightening. They dread the thought of their fathers having to go away to war but every sign seems to say it’s going to happen. When… Continue reading The Ghost Garden by Emma Carroll
Scope for Imagination 