We hope you all enjoyed World Book Day yesterday, especially those of you who were running activities with children or dressing up as book characters!
World Book Day is also the day that the winners of the Blue Peter Book Awards are announced. Congratulations to the 2019 winner of the “Best Story” which was The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q Rauf and the winner of the “Best Book with Facts” which was The Colours of History by Clive Gifford.
For those of you looking for new reading material, we have recently added some picture books to our collection. Here is a quick look at a selection of them.
The Wall in the Middle of the Book by Jon Agee
This story which celebrates freedom of movement and thought is endorsed by Amnesty International. The knight in this story explains that there is a wall in the middle of the book which divides the left hand side of the page from the right hand side. Directly addressing the reader, the knight begins to explain why it is such a good thing to have a wall in the middle of the book. It makes his side of the page (the left hand side) so much safer. After all, there are all sorts of misfortunes lurking on the right hand side of the page.
The illustrations, however, tell a very different story and reveal the danger that is unfolding. By the time the knight realizes that he is in danger, it is too late for him to escape – but is he doomed? Challenging prejudice, stereotypes and preconceived ideas, this picture book should be read in every school.
Red and the City by Marie Voigt
A clever contemporary retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. Red is heading off accompanied by her dog Woody to visit Grandma and bring her some cake. Although she initially follows her mother’s advice to “stay on the path”, she inevitably strays and gets swallowed up by the city. Shadows/images of a wolf lurk everywhere, including at the bus stop where people are busy engaging with their mobile phones, the fast food restaurant where people are enjoying their meal deals, the cashpoint which is a real bargain at 99% APR and at the stands selling newspapers and magazines on cars, money and looking good. Luckily for Red, Woody comes to her rescue and she eventually arrives safely at Grandma’s house.
Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love
Julian is inspired when he sees three women dressed in mermaid costumes, as he makes his way home with Nana. His imagination runs wild and when Nana goes to take a bath and he sets to work creating his very own mermaid costume. With sparse text and vibrant illustrations, this picture book celebrates individuality, creativity and acceptance.
Amazing by Steve Antony
A story that draws attention to the wonderful bond that exists between a child and their pet. In this case, the pet is a wonderful small dragon called Zibbo. The main character uses a wheelchair, but this is not referred to in the text at all, and we see them both having so much fun. An entertaining, uplifting, positive story that includes diverse characters.