Book recommendations
The Wall
Giancarlo Macrì and Carolina Zanotti
Illustrated by Sacco & Vallarino
Nui Nui
ISBN 9782889754328
£16.99
The Wall tells the story of a king who notices how his kingdom, once populated by blue faces, is now inhabited by faces of all colours. He decides to go back to the past and separate his people from the ‘foreigners’, expelling them and ordering the construction of a wall. Soon, however, he realises that all his wishes can only be achieved with the help of the different faces he had driven away. He therefore orders the wall to be torn down and succeeds in recreating a kingdom where people live in harmony, recognising the value of integration between people.
King Alfred and the Ice Coffin
Kevin Crossley-Holland
Illustrated by Chris Riddell
Walker Books
ISBN 978-1-5295-0333-3
£14.99 hardback
Alfred the Great, one of the most famous rulers in British history, was also a keen collector of stories. He welcomed travellers with a tale to his court. The intrepid sailor Wulfstan dazzles the court with a story of shipwrecks, horse-racing and a ruler buried in ice. Wulfstan’s tale has been translated from the Anglo-Saxon into a rhythmic prose poem and lavishly illustrated to create a magical book. Become totally immersed in this bygone age. For readers aged: 9+
Recently published reports
Brenda Marshall, member of the Primary and Early Years Education Committee, says:
I found the World Book Day impact report thought-provoking especially some of the comments about reading:
- 1 in 5 children said they felt judged for what they read: “Adults think proper reading is… non-fiction, thick books, books with only words.”
- Over a third of children say they cannot choose what they want to read at home (34%) or at school (35%). “I have had a child in the classroom and they had the book that they thought they wanted me to see they were reading, and underneath that, the book they wanted to read. They’re hiding them away.”
- 17% said they would find reading more enjoyable if they saw their parents reading – only a quarter (25%) say their parents relax by reading in the home compared to scrolling on their phone (56%), watching TV (52%) or watching their phone or tablet (40%). “Adults usually tell you to read but then they don’t read and go on their phones. My teachers and my dad do that!”
Award-winning books
Books Are My Bag Readers Awards The winners have been announced! These awards are voted for by both booksellers and readers. The winner of the children’s category was I am Rebel by Ross Montgomery. Explore the shortlist
The 2024 winners of the Diverse Book Awards have been announced:
- Best Picture Book: To The Other Side by Erika Meza (Hodder Children’s Book)
- Best Children’s Book: Steady For This by Nathanael Lessore (Hot Key Books)
The Readers’ Choice Awards were created in 2023 in response to the years of requests from schools to have a say. From over 200 titles in the longlists these winners have been chosen entirely by public vote. They are:
- Picture Book: Thunderboots by Naomi Jones
- Best Children’s Book – Safiyyah’s War by Hiba Noor Khan (Hodder Children’s Books)
Upcoming CPD
Goal Getters live author event Wednesday 4 December 2024 09:30 – 10:15. Join Premier League Primary Stars and the National Literacy Trust for a free, exciting online Workshop that connects football and literacy. The National Literacy Trust and the Premier League are excited to invite you to meet authors Emma Juhasz (What Football Job Can You Do?) and Dan Freedman (50 ways into Football and Jamie Johnson) with TV host Kenzie Benali. Book now
Opening Doors to cultivating a GDS English curriculum at UKS2: taking a closer look at narrative Thursday 30 January 2025 09:00 – 15:00. Principled and practical professional development for leaders and teachers of English in Year 5 & 6 with Opening Doors author and consultant Angela Jenkins in partnership with Penn Wood Primary and Nursery School. Find out more
Useful resources
Book Squad: “Inspire your pupils to become the next generation of readers. Discover all the books, resources, advice, case studies, tips and tricks to encourage every child in your class to love reading.” Book Squad is a new collaboration with Farshore, HarperCollins Children’s Books, Barrington Stoke and Collins which aims to support reading for pleasure in primary schools. Book Squad will give free access to unique content about children’s literature, in-depth research, guidance, reading recommendations for all ages and interests, and free resources for use in the classroom. Visit Book Squad
Book Trust’s Great Books Guide for 2024-5 Book Trust has published their Great Books Guide for 2024-25. To quote their CEO:
“We create this guide for primary school teaching professionals because your aim to get all children reading for pleasure is also our aim as a charity. Our particular focus is on helping children from low-income or vulnerable family backgrounds reap the many benefits of reading, but we know that every child can gain from discovering the magic of reading. We also know that you are short on the time it takes to be across the large number of children’s books published in the last year. So we’ve worked with teachers and book experts to create this guide of top picks for you, including links to the curriculum for every book.”
And also…
The Little People, BIG DREAMS Advent Calendar Book Collection includes 24 mini books from the best-selling kids’ biography series. Inside each envelope, children will find stories about inspirational people from across the world: Charles Dickens, Dolly Parton, Amelia Earhart, Aretha Franklin, Martin Luther King, Stephen Hawking, Jane Austen, David Bowie, Albert Einstein, Elton John, Ernest Shackleton, Malala Yousafzai, Taylor Swift, Frida Kahlo, Astrid Lindgren, Muhammad Ali, Jane Goodall, Lewis Hamilton, Neil Armstrong, Steve Irwin, Anna Pavlova, Zaha Hadid, Marie Curie, Nelson Mandela. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.
