Contemporary Children's Literature: Years 5-6 - Book 5 in the Developing Reading Comprehension Skills series is available now! Featuring some of the best recent middle grade publications, it is packed full of reading lessons that are sure to capture children's imaginations and leave them wanting to read more. Developing Reading Comprehension Skills is a series of… Continue reading Contemporary Children’s Literature for Years 5-6 (from the Developing Reading Comprehension Skills series)
Already a huge Karen McCombie fan, I couldn't wait to read Fagin's Girl. With Barrington Stoke's manageable length, accessible print and vocab, and incredibly high quality stories, this Victorian adventure is a must-have for Key Stage Two classrooms and libraries. Ettie's life has never been easy, especially since her father died, but on her tenth… Continue reading Fagin’s Girl by Karen McCombie
A heart made from nature... The best kind. The Lost Whale is a beautifully crafted story of hope and healing. The empowering symbolism of the beach, the sea and the whale is woven throughout bringing comfort and renewal to a troubled soul. Rio's mother is ill. He's done what he can to care for her… Continue reading The Lost Whale by Hannah Gold & illustrated by Levi Pinfold
Yo ho ho and a ... ghost! The great pirate detective Flyntlock Bones and his crew are back for the final instalment of this fantastic trilogy for readers age 7+! From the blurb: The Countess of Bohemia’s jewels have been stolen by a ghost. Not just any old ghost, but the ghost of Captain Scarletbeard,… Continue reading Flyntlock Bones: The Ghost of Scarletbeard by Derek Keilty & Mark Elvins ~ Blog Tour
Kelly Barnhill tells stories that stay with readers long after the book has ended. I loved The Girl Who Drank the Moon with its exploration of kindness, strength and positivity so when I was asked to take part in this blog tour for The Ogress and the Orphans, I jumped at the chance. What is… Continue reading The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill ~ Blog Tour
For my stop on the FCBG Children's Book Award Blog Tour, I'm thrilled to be sharing one of the shortlisted titles in the Young Reader category - The Griffin Gate by Vashti Hardy & illustrated by Natalie Smillie! You're in for a treat as I have an exclusive interview from FCBG with Natalie Smillie about… Continue reading Children’s Book Award Blog Tour ~ The Griffin Gate by Vashti Hardy & Natalie Smillie
Emotional and honest, Katya Balen's The Light in Everything is a beautiful story of the storms of life. Cleverly told from two completely different yet wonderfully similar points of view, readers are taken right into the heart of Zofia and Tom's journey to find peace and family. Zofia is wild and stormy. She lives life… Continue reading The Light in Everything by Katya Balen
Libby and the Parisian Puzzle by Jo Clarke is an absolute delight. Full of spark and intuition, it celebrates the fact that kids can do anything – including outsmarting the adults who think they’re more clever. This fast-paced mystery overflowing with clues took me back to my love of Nancy Drew mysteries as a child. Libby… Continue reading Libby and the Parisian Puzzle by Jo Clarke ~ Blog Tour
The Tide Singer is a stunning intertwining of Welsh folklore and gripping adventure. Written by the incredible Eloise Williams, we'd expect nothing less, but combined with the powerful style of Barrington Stoke, this is a one-of-a-kind story of the wild unknown. Morwenna is no ordinary girl. She and her father live near the sea, running… Continue reading The Tide Singer by Eloise Williams & illustrated by August Ro
Heart-warming, inspirational and empathy-building, The Boy Whose Wishes Came True is a book every child and every teacher needs to read. When Archie Crumb was little, his mum used to tell him to make a wish every chance he got - birthday candles, a rainbow, a snowflake, everything was wish-worthy. He had no idea the… Continue reading The Boy Whose Wishes Came True by Helen Rutter
Scope for Imagination 