http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/14/sats-adults-escape-rat-race-inflict-it-on-kids
When I happened to be in two sets of schools for this year's SATS I did ponder on the rights of the child and really did ponder on the messages we are sending to our primary aged children AND whether this is actually morally right. The article above raises, I think, the issues we are all thinking about at the minute. How right is it to create these situations when children are visibly upset and stressed because they feel they're not going to achieve the required level. How right is it in the light of the pretty widespread, accepted knowledge that secondary schools undertake their own testing and take little if any notice of results any way.  All I would like to advocate is that these are still CHILDREN and, to this end, we must help them flourish, imagine and create.
Storyshack is open with this in mind. Nobody is too old to play so come and imagine this holiday, read a book, make a book, play and RELAX with drinks and new and old friends. As one visitor also discovered you can also bounce up and down on the trampoline to your heart's content if that's what you enjoy too :-) OR you can just CURL UP WITH A BOOK which is what I will mostly be doing when I'm not meeting lovely new people LIKE YOU!

Lovely lovely RANDOM HOUSE book choices for this month including these little sparklers. "Aren't you lucky" by Catherine and Laurence Anholt is perfect for anybody who is about to have a new arrival in the family.  A sweet little story covering feeling very left out and then becoming 'left in' with beautiful illustrations. Then there is the third Dixie O Day adventure called "Up, Up and Away!" by mother and daughter Shirley Hughes and Clara Vulliamy. Have commented about the style of the illustrations before with the mostly red and black colouring it has this 50s style. This time there is a parrot trying to escape the clutches of his rather dastardly owner Lou Ella who probably should be reported to the RSPCA. This lovely set are great little chapter books with an enticing layout and not too much off putting heavy text. The characters have their usual quirks. One of my favourite pages is when the hot air ballooners land and are trying to 'survive' : " 'I wish I'd paid more attention when we learned this kind of thing in the Didsworth Forest Folk Fellowship' said Percy.
'Though I did get commended for my egg custard,' he added.
'I'm afraid that's not much help to us now ,' said Dixie rather shortly.' " 
It just tickled me !


My last lovely pick is Mini Grey's "Space Dog" which, again, is full of quirky humour and 'lots to look at' illustrations. Like 'Hermelin' I'm sure there is plenty of thematic work one could do in a classroom with all the ideas in this book. There's the age old premise of cats, dogs and mice not getting on very well of course but also some very funny new galaxies such as the 'Breakfast cluster' and the 'Dairy Quadrant'.  
Sorry I have been away so long. Will have more time to blog over the coming months but more exciting for me is hopefully will be more time TO READ :-)