 "My eldest has really enjoyed working his way through this brilliant book, it’s provided hours of fun and learning!
Full of crosswords, puzzles, word-matching games and more, all of the activities are engaging and designed to boost comprehension, build vocabulary, broaden knowledge and deepen understanding. It’s really helped us to make quick progress, strengthen skills and work on problem solving. As a home educating family it’s proved to be an invaluable resource. Great to complete at home or on the go, it’s photocopiable and is perfect for teachers, home educators and parents. Could not recommend this one enough 🙌🏻" Via Instagram
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 Three of my all-time favourite tried and trusted poetry books to keep children reading over summer. Great fun for parents too!
I often reach out to authors of books we study in Book Club, in the hope of a little encouragement for the children - often to no avail! However, the wonderful Andy Shepherd sent not only exciting goodies to my Book Club children - but a personal letter and postcard! I can't wait to share this with them. They have loved studying her books with me, and their imaginations have been sparked to create diaries, dragon descriptions, TV news reports and more. https://youtu.be/nP-Lmd1PM6Q?si=uTCYM3RUNUvS0qgQ #sharethemagic #childrenwriting #childrensbook #childrenswriting I'm delighted to see the first reviews of my new book. Find out more, see sample pages and order here: https://amzn.eu/d/5Nf9BsX   
 As part of my research to find high-quality, engaging texts for my Book Clubs, I read countless reviews and books. I look for stories with that special spark - something that I hope will appeal to most children’s tastes - along with sophisticated language to inspire their writing and expand their vocabulary. Very few books make the cut, but here are a few I almost selected this half term. I think they’ll make fantastic summer reads!
The Secret Animal Society, Luke Gamble Dungeon Runners: Hero Trial, Kieran Larwood & Joe Todd-Stanton Beastlands: RAce to Frostfall Mountain, Jess French My Life as a Cat, Carlie Sorosiak  In case you're looking for some ideas for Christmas, here are a few thoughts that might be useful.
The Story Museum, Oxford - Well worth a trip to Oxford, if this doesn't make your child fall in love with books then Santa will eat his hat! It's an experience I loved with my children. We made a weekend of it and went to the Ashmolean Museum too which is particularly child-friendly. Mine had just read Beetle Boy when we visited and there is an awesome beetle collection. It's cooler than it sounds! The 'Ology' books - possibly the most stunning book series I have come across. The detail is outstanding and they contain all kinds of pop-outs, envelopes of secrets and hidden treasures. One of these would make a special gift and keep your child busy for several hours. Other book suggestions - I have reviewed several books over the years (scroll down) and I also like the lists on this page which are compiled by children, teachers and parents. Books2door offer great deals on book collections and I recommend all children read some of the easy classics. Finally - make sure you have a pack of playing cards at home for these maths games or you can also use a pair of dice for these games. Was this useful? Let me know! Happy shopping. Three super gift ideas that both children and parents will appreciate!  1. A book in 24 and a half chapters... Pop this gorgeous new book into a special box, alongside some snuggly treats (hot chocolate sachets and fluffy socks?). 'Discover' it with your children on December 1st and hunker down every day to enjoy a chapter together right up until December 25th. What better way to instil a love for books (and make some precious memories as you do)?  2. Inspiration from a master storyteller “Invite me in,” she says, outside my tenth storey window... Every beautifully illustrated page contains a tale told in just ten words. I can't think of a better way to spark a child's imagination and kick off some entertaining conversation over the Christmas dinner table! You might find your child slinking off to write their own little tales too... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVWWivfMRsE  3. A short course in creative writing for your child Book a 6-week creative writing class for your child with me. Specialising in sparking enjoyment in reading and writing, I bring the excitement and magic back into English. Find out about my weekly Creative Writing and Book Club classes here. www.mrsoshtutors.co.uk  Some of my favourite reads from the last couple of months. I read many more but these were my top 10! My favourite discoveries were Hotel Flamingo, Rani Reports and Dragonology (so grateful to a student for introducing me to the wonderful world of dragons!).
If you are looking for further suggestions, this link has a wonderful round-up of some recent award- winning books. I am excited for every one of them - a brilliant list. I would love to hear what your children have enjoyed recently - please add any suggestions to the comments below. Thank you! I enjoy reading children's books; they are a great deal more engaging than you might assume! But importantly, I've found I can help children make good book choices if I have read them too. Here are my recent favourites...  The One and Only Ivan, Katherine Applegate Recently made into a film (Disney+), I loved that this retelling of a true story is written in the gorilla's voice. Ivan, the might silverback gorilla, has only ever known life as an attraction in a US shopping mall. After 27 years, he fights for his freedom, along with the other animals inlcuding Bob, the stray dog and Ruby, the baby elephant. However, alongside that struggle is an endearing and gentle tale of friendship and inspiration. I watched the film straight afterwards but, as usual, the book was better! Y4 and above (or confident Y3). This is not a huge book and, because it is written in the style of a gorilla, it has simple sentence structures and is therefore accessible to most of KS2.  How to Win a Nobel Prize, Barry Marshall This is a clever book. Written by a Nobel prize winner, it takes the reader on a journey with a young girl (a keen scientist) to meet major science Nobel prize winners through history. The author Barry Marshall was once approached by a girl who asked him how to win a Nobel prize. This sparked the idea for his book - how could the next generation be shown some of the key qualities good scientists need? Beyond a unique idea though, this is an enjoyable story. Even better - at the end of each chapter is a science experiement that children can undertake to prove some of the theories for themselves. Y4 and above. Brilliant for children with an interest in science (or for parents who are trying to encourage their child's scientific curiosity).
 The Ship of Doom, M A Bennett
A mystery set aboard the Titanic with time-travelling young sleuths navigating the many plot twists with courage and friendship. This is a proper lose-yourself-until-you-reach-the-end adventure book. It is engagingly written to hook interest and the characters have real depth. I am particularly pleased to see one of the main characters is a transgender child who is just living their best life without drama surrounding their choice. Well done to the author for representing this marginalised sector of society with care and positivity. Y5 and above. For fans of mysteries and adventure...and who doesn't love those?! |
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