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Release your  imagination......
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Save childhood

A lovely book list for KS2-not 'the' just 'a'.....

6/29/2014

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CHAPTER BOOKS WITH SPARKY ILLUSTRATIONS:
'Flotsam and Jetsam' Series by Tanya Landman-two little characters living beneath an upturned cove at the seaside who make amazing things out of 'found materials' and have a crab friend called Sainsbury. 
'Oliver and the Seawigs' by Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre'
Little boy who would really love just to settle down and have his own bedroom + go to school ends up following his adventuring parents towards some islands which appear to have floated away...they have in fact floated away. He discovers they are all after the title of best 'sea wig' to win authority over the other floating islands. There is also a short sighted mermaid too who I have every sympathy with! (not that I can swim like a mermaid at all). 
'A boy and a Bear in a Boat' by Dave Shelton
'Good dog, Bad dog' Book 1 by Dave Shelton-graphic novel, great way to entice reluctant readers especially those who are phased by a wall of text.
'The Invisible Boy' by Sally Gardner
'Fortunately the Milk' by Neil Gaiman-Dad goes out to retrieve forgotten milk for cereal and has adventures with pirates, dinosaurs, a volcano and an alien amongst others but 'fortunately the milk' is always OK!  

'Dixie O'Day in the Fast Lane' by Shirley Hughes and Clara Vulliamy
'The Charlie Small Journals' are in same vein as popular Wimpy Kid and Tom Gates in the sketchy/journal layout which appeals to everybody BUT these ones are not about school. There's a bit of a small Indiana Jones feel as there are adventures and missions a plenty.
'Ally's World' series by Karen McCrombie will probably be more for girls 9+ but popular, quick reads.

FANTASY:

Don't dismiss 'Harry Potter' by JK Rowling even if you've seen the films...books are worth reading as there's a lot more in them. Would suggest  1st 2 'The Philosopher's Stone' and 'The chamber of secrets' before 9 as it gets a bit darker with 'The Prisoner of Azkaban'.
'Warrior Cats' by Erin Hunter are a great series about cat clans. Book shops are stocking these because they're asked to by children themselves. Worth a look at, again 9+ as some scary and sad bits in there so be warned if you're an animal lover.
'The Edge Chronicles' by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell will appeal to anybody who likes reading about different worlds but they also have those wonderful illustrations by Chris Riddell just like the map header on this blog page!
'The Demon's Watch' and 'The Goblin's Gift' by Conrad Mason-heard Conrad speak last year...would be lovely for all children to hear more writers speak. These are both fantasy adventure focussing on Port Fayt and the main characters who are in the watch-on a mission to protect the Port and whoever lives there whether human or NOT.
'Spooks'  series by Joseph Delaney-starts with a boy apprentice learning to rid villages of spooks. There's enough scariness in it but it's OK for readers to be scared I think...that's imagination for YOU!
'Spiderwick chronicles' for all those fantastical creatures with a great story to go with it.Watch out for those hag stones....
'His Dark Materials' trilogy; 'Northern Lights', 'The Subtle Knife' and 'The Amber Spyglass' by Philip Pullman are a MUST READ for 10+ .EVEN if you've seen the Golden Compass.don't be lulled into not reading it because it's not a patch on the books.

'Strong Winds Trilogy' by Julia Jones - Julia is a local author and these books are set on the River Orwell+surrounding areas. Don't let the sailing put you off. You don't need to sail to enjoy the story-part adventure but also with a hard hitting social care story  which makes it very much NOT 'Swallows and Amazons' in that sense.

The Boy who Swam with Piranhas' by David Almond is a delightful and quirky must read about a boy who runs away to the circus from his canning obsessed Uncle. The warmth and the colour of the people he meets is, as always by David Almond, expressed in a spot on way for young readers + there's great humour there too.

'The History Keepers' by Damian Dibben for great adventures going back in time if you like history-I don't know many children who don't!

'Journey to the River Sea' by Eva Ibbotson,'The star of Kazan' + 'The Dragonfly pool' are great stories, all very different. The reason I'm carrying 'Journey' around is it's set in the Amazon and Manaus which I thought to be topical. Just great good from the heart STORIES. I don't want to say too much- I wish I'd come across her when I was at primary school but it's OK...found her now. 

'The Laura Marlin Mysteries' by Lauren. St. John which I'm always mentioning (pic on Recommended reads). You can't get much better than buying it as a leaving present for Yr4 then their class teacher had to read the next one and, when she left they made their next teacher promise that their class book would be the third! Good girl role model, good role model characters in a detective/mystery solver role.

'Jamie Johnson' series by Dan Freedman with the latest WORLD CUP read for interested football fans

'Itch' by Simon Mayo (yes the Simon Mayo) about a secondary school child who's nuts about chemistry. Refreshing change from all action heroes and good twist on adventure action with use of chemical elements in there too.

Talking of action adventure 'Young James Bond' series by Charlie Higson + 'Stormbreaker' by Anthony Horowitz are all ripping page turners-prob (incl Itch) 10+

'Wonder' by R. J Palacio is a 'must read' for 10+ I think...really great for transition. It's set in USA so concerns middle school but that doesn't matter. What does is the way it's written so you can see what it is like not only for August himself (who was born with a severe facial disfigurement) but also for his friend, sister etc. Really moving and though provoking. 

'The Giver' by Lois Lowry is another book to make you think-pre runner of the many  dystopian novels for young adults around at the minute and another about to be turned into a film BUT please read this first as the film looks quite different and the book is a really though provoking read in itself...for 11+ I think, worth reading at same time for some interesting discussions. Also for a thought provoking, emotionally scarring read so 11+ 

'Looking for the Stars' by Jo Cotteril. It's worth reading yourself but just to tell you that there is a very upsetting scene at the beginning which leaves 2 sisters to try and find their way to a refugee camp. This is there books play such a powerful part in widening children's minds and experiences in without (we hope) actually facing such difficulties in reality.


If you think they're a bit tricky read them to your child-better that than not at all. I think we maybe get 'hung up' on ensuring children are actually physically reading which can sometimes become a battle and is more and more away from the purpose of reading fiction which is to widen our imagination and open doors into other worlds. Don't panic if you're doing the reading....that means doors are opening  and dreams are evolving.











                                 











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'Dino King', 'The 3 eyed monster' + 'Zara's wonderful book' and many other wonderful books made by Yr 3 - 6 at Northfield St. Nicholas in their magnificent LIBRARY

6/22/2014

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What a wonderful setting and treat to be making books and creatures with children all day in an amazing library with a school reading champion. WOW! That's the stuff dreams are made of I can tell you. Northfield St. Nicholas have something quite special ( in many ways actually) but that library is a wow! A MUST HAVE for every primary school in the land it would seem to me and it's imperative we keep reading true in children's hearts. To that end I believe we have to have it true in our hearts too. It's quite tricky to develop a reading culture without reading much oneself I think. Really have to be surrounding ourselves with stories as well as our children. Hope the summer brings some respite and relaxation to pick up some of the truly special books around...there's A LOT to choose from, something for EVERYONE. 

Enough of the preaching, take a look at more fantastical books. One is a two books within one for all the facts about Minecraft you need to know. Lots of football/Pokeman card holders, scrapbooks plus wonderful titles such as the ones above.
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Back on the story shack blog with Dixie O'Day-what better way is there.....?

6/19/2014

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Comforting to be back a - blogging. Been absent for a few weeks due to us moving back into our home-HURRAH HURRAH. Have been amidst boxes, losing things, finding things and just re making our home.  I have to say my salvation-amongst lovely family and friends-has been stories and lots of them. Dixie O'Day is one of the first review sets to arrive back in the newly restored Joy Cottage so it was read in celebration last week. What a delightful read from an equally delightful pairing of Clara Vulliamy and her mum Shirley Hughes
http://www.dixieoday.com/meet-shirley-and-clara/

'Alfie' and 'Dogger' have always been favourites from my own childhood so to find a book with a Shirley Hughes story, illustrated by her daughter nonetheless, was a real treat. It is, as said above, a delightful book all round. The story is very gentle-there's some good moral fibre in it with good turns being repaid by good turns and equally unkind characters 'reaping what they have sown'. The illustrations are monochrome with lovely red and pink snippets. Just love the shapes and illustrations throughout. Look out for the wacky races page with different vehicles in the town  driven by different animals including a bath tub with a family of seals in it. It's a nice size as well- is it my age that I like a nice book size? I don't know, but this one is one you could pop into a bag -perfect for some sunny day reading and even for some picnic inspiration!
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Books for bedtime-the wonder of bedtime stories.

6/1/2014

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/hay-festival/10849403/Chris-Evans-parents-must-read-to-their-children.html?fb
Spot on piece about bedtime stories from Chris Evans. Heard him talking about this on his radio show a few weeks ago when he also interviewed Frank Cottrell Boyce on the subject. It's difficult to say how such a magical moment or 20 (!) wouldn't be helping you and your child in so many ways but it's also difficult to encourage if you can't see it. I often wondered what the answers would be if I did a survey when I was a HT-who had a bedtime story. I've certainly had many conversations with people who say I don't read to them-they read their reading book to me which is lovely but not quite the same, as reading a story to a child and costing up with a book. I also advocate the power of the chapter story later on-something you can read and wait for the next 'cling holder' .(thanks Grace, always :-) ) This is good when you might already know the book and also when you don't-both is exciting. I can remember vividly reading 'Charlie and the Chocolate factory' to my daughter and anticipating the moment when Charlie unwraps the golden ticket. I wanted to share that with my daughter because you're reading something that stirs up that imagination and sheer enjoyment of that story. When reading 'The Lion, the witch and the wardrobe' the moment when Aslan is taunted whilst tied up on the stone table and you know what happens next but your child doesn't-watching and feeling that sadness but then that joy when you get to the next bit. The ultimate naughtily reading on (can't do that too many times otherwise probably never get to sleep) when you just can't put the book down. What could draw you in to reading more than that? Probably (and I'm speaking as a head teacher here!) nothing much actually-despite having a wonderful reading culture in schools we can only just touch the surface of that feeling. I think we can absolutely try out best to do that especially when we read a whole class book to each class BUT if you're about to drop off into the land of NOD and you have a story to accompany you that really is magic. As Frank Cottrell Boyce points out it's also magic for the adult too. It's a peaceful, special time for all and it can go beyond when a child starts reading. A child is a child throughout primary school, much as we're scared off that point by education and media they are. They have a right to be treated like a child and enter into other worlds, be scared, be overjoyed, be happy, be sad, cry and laugh over a story. That is the power of reading a bedtime story-it's firmly rooted in the right to be a CHILD.
Oliver Jeffers always a winner-have 'Way back home' in Storyshack amongst many other excellent bedtime reads. Here's a few favourites in our house.

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