Primary and Early Years Research

Ending the Reading Wars: Reading Acquisition From Novice to Expert – Anne Castles, Kathleen Rastle, Kate Nation, 2018 (sagepub.com) Castles, A., Rastle, K., & Nation, K. (2018). Ending the Reading Wars: Reading Acquisition From Novice to Expert. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 19(1), 5–51. https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100618772271 This paper is a comprehensive overview of what is…

Kind written and Illustrated by Jess Mc Geachin

This book, written by one of Australia’s most talented picture book writers, is a reminder that we should be kind to all creatures. The author has written an excellent introduction for readers aged 3 to 6 years old about the diversity of the animal kingdom. Double page spreads allow the reader to meet and encourage…

A Seed Grows by Antoinette Portis

Although this might appear an expensive purchase for a hard back simple book, it can offer quite a lot to the early years and early key stage 1 classroom, (aged 2 -6 years). With simple text Reception children, (aged 4-5 years), will be able to read/decode the important words linked to the growth of a…

The Ride! written and illustrated by Guilherme Karsten

When a surfer decides to drive to the beach, he does not imagine that he will pick up so many passengers on the way.  From Superheroes to Alligators and Criminals to Police, they all want a lift to the seaside.  Eventually the inevitable happens and the tyres burst on the car; leaving them all stranded…

The Lipstick by Laura Dockrill

This is a story that will be familiar to many parents and children captured in a delightful, comical, and accepting way. On finding his mum’s lipstick, a little boy does what all children do and applies it to himself. Liking what he sees he is led astray by the lipstick which has a mind of…

The Goody written and illustrated by Lauren Child

Chirton Krauss and his sister Myrtle are burdened by the labels their parents have given them. Chirton eats his broccoli, washes his hands properly, goes to bed without argument and cleans out the rabbit regularly even when it isn’t his turn; he is ‘a good child, the very goodest’. Myrtle, however, is a lost cause both…

The Fussy Flamingo by Jonnie Wild

The Fussy Flamingo is a very well and boldly illustrated book that tells the story of a baby flamingo who does not like flingo weed, which its parents eat in the African Lake. So it sets off to the forest where it meets different wildlife eating different foods.These foods have caused it to become a…

Thank You by Joseph Coelho

This is a story inspired by the UK’s weekly clap for carers during the Covid 19 pandemic in 2020. It tells of young Tatenda, who is innately polite and thanks everyone he comes across each day for all they do. Gradually he is aware that people have become so fearful and worried that they no…

Spark by Mitch Johnson

An explosive action-packed adventure story which will grip the reader. This book will make the reader laugh, be angry and want to do something about the messed up world. People’s actions and inaction provide the background to the story. The world is unbearably hot, with drought and life being hard. Ash, accompanied by Bronwyn, sets…