Where the World Ends

Oh this book! Sometimes a book is so Right that it feels like it couldn’t possibly be anything other than it is. No other author could have done it justice. No other subject matter or writing style could have improved it. 'Every time a lad came fowling on the St Kilda stacs, he went home...

The Ghosts and Jamal

I want to share my love for this one far and wide because it has filled my heart on many levels. The Ghosts and Jamal is a beautifully written and important story that deserves to be read and celebrated widely. Reading this book has also introduced me to a new-to-me independent publisher, HopeRoad, who I...

Across the Divide by Anne Booth

Perfect for topic work around war and pacifism and understanding diversity, Across the Divide belongs in every school library. 

Elise and the Second Hand Dog

If you like your humour on the dark and quirky side then Elise and the Second Hand Dog is for you. A hidden gem, this middle grade adventure about a lonely child and her talking dog was an honour title in BookTrust's In Other Words initiative, a project set up to promote great writing from...

Herstory: 50 women and girls who shook the world

Herstory - 50 women and girls who shook the world by Katherine Halligan and Sarah Walsh (Nosy Crow) is an absolute must have. This book is perfect. Beautiful illustrations, engaging text and a wonderful selection of women to inspire children. I particularly like the layout of the book. Split into five sections - Believe and...

Running on Empty

This is a very special book. Full of heart and honesty it perfectly expresses a child's view of an unfair world. AJ's parents have learning difficulties and his grandfather, who used to keep everything going, has died, leaving it up to AJ to be responsible. He is a young carer with the weight of adult...

Politics for Beginners – a book that will change the world

Parent & teacher friends... You need this book. Your kids NEED this book. Perfect for year 4 and above, it is going to help the next generation save the world. 💪📚 Politics for Beginners by Alex Frith, Rosie Here, Louie Stowell and illustrated by Kellan Stover. Published by Usborne. 'An informative guide to political systems,...

Wild World by Wide Eyed Editions

I've been quiet on the blog front for a while now, concentrating on website reviews - GoodReads, Toppsta, Hive and the like - but there have been some real stunners through the letterbox recently that I want to shout about. First up is a book that has had me poring over its pages. Wide Eyed...

We Travel So Far

We Travel So Far by Laura Knowles & Chris Madden. (Words & Pictures) ‘From the epic migration of the huge humpback whale to the unbelievable determination of the tiny hummingbird, come on a trip around the world and learn the story of each animal's migration and the reasons why they travel so very far.’ This...

A Change is Gonna Come

This book is a stunner! Twelve fresh, fun and beautifully written YA short stories by new and established BAME authors, written around the subject of change.  I forgot how much I love short stories. The immediacy, the focus, the variety. I first fell in love with short stories reading Jon McGregor and then Lucy Wood's...