Issue No. 77 - November 1992
Cover Story
Articles In This Issue
Ebeneezer Scrooge, insists a friend of mine, was no hater of Christmas; his tolerance threshold for cliche was just abnormally low. This is a savage diagnosis, admittedly, but tempting all the same as we re-enter the season of chestnuts roasting on an open fire, sleighbells tinkling in the snow. Prolonged exposure to the full range of Xcessmass, especially in these drear days, is enough to make anyone chime in with Tom Lehrer's famous lament `Brother, here we go again'. Sister, too.
MORE »Jan Pienkowski, a Catholic, and Jane Ray, an atheist each describe their approach to the Christmas story.
MORE »Edward Blishen on the pleasures of being read to aloud ... equalled only by those of the reader.
MORE »Chris Powling looks at new hardbacks with a Christmas theme.
MORE »Alison Leonard declares
All I want for Christmas is a pile of high-quality books for my children and your children. High quality not just in the paper, the artistic and literary quality of the illustrations - but in the values that adults pass on to children via books, the excitement of story and culture and history, the challenge of opening minds and developing awareness. Everyone in the world wants that.
MORE »Peter Collington tells the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about his wordless picture book which this year becomes a TV film.
MORE »Interviewed by David Bennett
MORE »Mary Hoffman ruminates on food in children's books ... all the year round, not just at Christmas!
MORE »Adele Geras writes:
I have been very interested in the Great Series Books Debate, and I hope it's not too late to join in. I'm speaking here as a writer whose first book ever was a Hamish Hamilton Gazelle, and who has since written another 13 series books, of one length or another.
MORE »Shakespeare - the animated tales offers the work of our greatest playwright in an entirely new form as complementary book, video and network, television programme. Leon Garfield describes his approach to writing the scripts.
MORE »Obituary
Mary Norton
10 December 1903 - 29 August 1992
MORE »Margery Fisher takes her pick' of new publications.
MORE »Reviews In This Issue
Striking jacket designs give these titles immediate visual impact. Inside, generous double-page spreads feature not only the usual blend of artist's impressions and photos, but equally colourful acetate cutaway pictures which enable us to 'see' both the exteriors and interiors of a range of buildings from temples to town houses.
The rubber-tappers of Brazil are the guardians of the rainforest - a fact which the rest of us are beginning to recognise. For many years they were exploited both by their employers and by profit-greedy forest clearers, but now the formation of tappers' co-operatives, with leadership from people like the late Chico Mendes and some government backing, seems to be promoting a better understanding of the forest and of the protective role of the tappers.
'In keeping with the post-Maastricht spirit, Red Fox have resurrected from the cultural memory bank a figure who will show the foreigners just what we Britishers are capable of when we're pushed too far: yes, along with phonics, skinheads and compulsory formal grammar, Biggles is back!'
'In keeping with the post-Maastricht spirit, Red Fox have resurrected from the cultural memory bank a figure who will show the foreigners just what we Britishers are capable of when we're pushed too far: yes, along with phonics, skinheads and compulsory formal grammar, Biggles is back!'
'In keeping with the post-Maastricht spirit, Red Fox have resurrected from the cultural memory bank a figure who will show the foreigners just what we Britishers are capable of when we're pushed too far: yes, along with phonics, skinheads and compulsory formal grammar, Biggles is back!'
'In keeping with the post-Maastricht spirit, Red Fox have resurrected from the cultural memory bank a figure who will show the foreigners just what we Britishers are capable of when we're pushed too far: yes, along with phonics, skinheads and compulsory formal grammar, Biggles is back!'
'In keeping with the post-Maastricht spirit, Red Fox have resurrected from the cultural memory bank a figure who will show the foreigners just what we Britishers are capable of when we're pushed too far: yes, along with phonics, skinheads and compulsory formal grammar, Biggles is back!'
'In keeping with the post-Maastricht spirit, Red Fox have resurrected from the cultural memory bank a figure who will show the foreigners just what we Britishers are capable of when we're pushed too far: yes, along with phonics, skinheads and compulsory formal grammar, Biggles is back!'
Over ten years ago I co-researched the Roots in Britain exhibition, an extensive photo-history of black settlers in Britain from Elizabeth I to Elizabeth II. This book usefully covers some of that ground. It also ambitiously spans three continents and four centuries, exploring the roots of contemporary African-Caribbean communities in Britain.
This book will haunt the reader. The children found it hard going, but returned to it again and again. It is tough for it's based on the experiences of a real Charlie, who lived for six years in a leaky iron shelter in a South African township.
Big Bertha located on Saturn! Not a headline from the Sunday Sport but a revelation from Brewer's book about the planet. We all know Saturn, the one with three rings and a moon or two. That's enough for most of us but for those for whom it isn't, this book is a real treasure.
Changing schools is traumatic for anyone, but when you have partial hearing things can get tricky. Aware that he has to cope, Simon works hard at being 'one of the boys'. The class nuisance becomes a welcome friend and together they set out to get Sam into the football team and defeat the school gang.
A painful, sad story where the troubled personal and family relationships, plus the stormy school life, of Mick are told through a skilful blend of flashback, a teacher's letters to a friend, the boy's own notes and sympathetic narrative.
Nine stories set in south-east London vividly recount episodes from the home and school lives of the mixed race Satchwell children. Kath is the family storyteller, and her love of story is the theme underlying their adventures.
Comparing a range of recently published books on volcanoes proved to be an interesting experience. Would the figures quoted be consistent? Would the same library photographs be used? Would the same events be seen as significant? Would they be readable and useful? Answers: No, Yes often, Not always, and Yes generally.
Although published as a craft activity book, the excellent factual back-up means that this title could equally well be promoted on its merits as a good introduction to the Egyptians which also includes some fun-to-make ideas. Either way, what you get is an attractive volume with full colour photos and artwork and a format that gives the conventional well-trodden topic path an alternative route.
When Eyewitness first came out I found them to be excellent samplers - the book equivalent of sporting highlights. Now the publishers have teamed up with the Science Museum to produce this silver-wrapped series, the effect is much the same - not much of an end-to-end read but fascinating browsing.
Flip captions and superficial descriptions don't always endear the texts to me but the photographs are what always made Eyewitnesses special and here they are a triumph. For with the Science Museum on hand to supply the examples we can see all manner of scientific firsts - Geiger's original counter (like a bean-tin on a stick), Swan's original light bulb (and you thought he only invented matches), the whistling mail-rocket which posed a serious threat to carrier pigeons in World War I, and my old mentor James Chadwick's original neutron detector and fag-packet toolkit, grimy with use.
All this demonstrates that science is, first and foremost, a human activity and not just a set of laws and principles; and while I can't agree with the publisher's claim that the series is 'indispensable' (sic) it's a grand introduction to the museum - which is.
This is a useful and entertaining book full of information with modern. brightly coloured pictures. The simple sentences convey fish-related vocabulary (like 'gills' and 'scales') and much is made of the shapes and patterns of different kinds of fish.
When Eyewitness first came out I found them to be excellent samplers - the book equivalent of sporting highlights. Now the publishers have teamed up with the Science Museum to produce this silver-wrapped series, the effect is much the same - not much of an end-to-end read but fascinating browsing.
Flip captions and superficial descriptions don't always endear the texts to me but the photographs are what always made Eyewitnesses special and here they are a triumph. For with the Science Museum on hand to supply the examples we can see all manner of scientific firsts - Geiger's original counter (like a bean-tin on a stick), Swan's original light bulb (and you thought he only invented matches), the whistling mail-rocket which posed a serious threat to carrier pigeons in World War I, and my old mentor James Chadwick's original neutron detector and fag-packet toolkit, grimy with use.
All this demonstrates that science is, first and foremost, a human activity and not just a set of laws and principles; and while I can't agree with the publisher's claim that the series is 'indispensable' (sic) it's a grand introduction to the museum - which is.
This is a follow-on from Rags and Riches told alternately by Seb and Sam, offspring of a dizzy second-hand clothes dealer mother and an unreliable aristocratic father. Their varied, incident-filled lives take in an assortment of unusual characters - a battle-axe granny, a mad grandfather ith a decaying castle and their own school mates.
There's life and humour in the stance and expression of every animal and member of Noah's family in this version of the renowned Old Testament story. Judy Brown's ability alone makes this a highly successful visual account.
A story about Anna who sets off for her first day at playgroup a little tentatively. After a while she begins to enjoy all the experiences on offer - sticking, cutting, the rabbits, the slide, the bookshelf, the home corner and more. By the end of her first morning she's made a friend and asks keenly 'Will it be playgroup again tomorrow?'. This book is certain to reassure parents and children facing similar anxieties about a new phase in their lives.
Bereft of his long-term best friend, Grady is lonely. As if that wasn't enough, Grady's new neighbour, Burgess, appears to be a pushy pest too eager to be accepted. To make matters worse, Burgess is a detective and has discovered Grady's super-plan, a big secret that can only be kept by Grady retending to be friendly.
Here are four expressively and crisply narrated unabridged stories with a Christmas theme. Ursula Moray Williams' 'The Good Little Christmas Tree' about come-alive fir trees takes up one side whilst on the other are three real-life stories by Tony Bradman, Pamela Oldfield and Elizabeth Laird.
This story begins very whimsically with a couple of extra-terrestrials gate-crashing Earth's ecology and grating two cats the gift of flight. The ramifications of this episode, however, make much tougher reading.
A stunning post-Holocaut fantasy in which a group of friends - of whom Lissa is the narrator - attempt to survive in a society which needs neither their skills nor their aspirations. They rally determinedly behind their talents and inventiveness and are rewarded for their efforts with an invitation to what appears to be an escapist, hypnotically-induced Game.
From the absurd to the ridiculous, from the real to the imaginary, from the nasty to the charming, this is a book which touches on the important aspects of life as experienced by the young child. Interestingly, school does not feature which is why the children clearly felt it referred to pre-schoolers.
The Wolf has some really cunning ideas in this collection of new stories. It seems such a pity that they all go wrong . . . except the last one which finally gets him what he wants, but by then what he wants isn't Polly after all! Entertaining and witty, these stories are recommended for experienced readers and for reading aloud.
When Eyewitness first came out I found them to be excellent samplers - the book equivalent of sporting highlights. Now the publishers have teamed up with the Science Museum to produce this silver-wrapped series, the effect is much the same - not much of an end-to-end read but fascinating browsing.
Flip captions and superficial descriptions don't always endear the texts to me but the photographs are what always made Eyewitnesses special and here they are a triumph. For with the Science Museum on hand to supply the examples we can see all manner of scientific firsts - Geiger's original counter (like a bean-tin on a stick), Swan's original light bulb (and you thought he only invented matches), the whistling mail-rocket which posed a serious threat to carrier pigeons in World War I, and my old mentor James Chadwick's original neutron detector and fag-packet toolkit, grimy with use.
All this demonstrates that science is, first and foremost, a human activity and not just a set of laws and principles; and while I can't agree with the publisher's claim that the series is 'indispensable' (sic) it's a grand introduction to the museum - which is.
The lack of suitable books on mapping and mapwork for the junior school library has been highlighted by the demands of the National Curriculum. These two titles should help to fill the gap.
Maps and Mapping has clear illustrations, useful D-I-Y blocks which illustrations the theory of the text, some helpful explanations (e.g. how a map is a bird's eye view) and well chosen, unusual examples to exemplify points (the chosen tube map is Tokyo's). The least successful element is the section on map projections-a complex subject not examined in the necessary depth.
The lack of suitable books on mapping and mapwork for the junior school library has been highlighted by the demands of the National Curriculum. These two titles should help to fill the gap.
Maps and Mapping has clear illustrations, useful D-I-Y blocks which illustrations the theory of the text, some helpful explanations (e.g. how a map is a bird's eye view) and well chosen, unusual examples to exemplify points (the chosen tube map is Tokyo's). The least successful element is the section on map projections-a complex subject not examined in the necessary depth.
When Eyewitness first came out I found them to be excellent samplers - the book equivalent of sporting highlights. Now the publishers have teamed up with the Science Museum to produce this silver-wrapped series, the effect is much the same - not much of an end-to-end read but fascinating browsing.
Flip captions and superficial descriptions don't always endear the texts to me but the photographs are what always made Eyewitnesses special and here they are a triumph. For with the Science Museum on hand to supply the examples we can see all manner of scientific firsts - Geiger's original counter (like a bean-tin on a stick), Swan's original light bulb (and you thought he only invented matches), the whistling mail-rocket which posed a serious threat to carrier pigeons in World War I, and my old mentor James Chadwick's original neutron detector and fag-packet toolkit, grimy with use.
All this demonstrates that science is, first and foremost, a human activity and not just a set of laws and principles; and while I can't agree with the publisher's claim that the series is 'indispensable' (sic) it's a grand introduction to the museum - which is.
A welcome return for Monty, the dog who wears glasses and just can't seem to help getting into trouble. He's been a favourite character for a long time and I'm sure this book will not disappoint his fans.
Comparing a range of recently published books on volcanoes proved to be an interesting experience. Would the figures quoted be consistent? Would the same library photographs be used? Would the same events be seen as significant? Would they be readable and useful? Answers: No, Yes often, Not always, and Yes generally.
Dogs and cats are not usually friends, so this story starts with a surprise because it's about a big dog, called Clarence, and a tiny kitten, called Mr Bill, who enjoy each other's company. The beautifully drawn pictures are very true to life and the bold text adds much to the book.
A cautionary tale about a compulsive competitor whose dreams of victory inflict a nightmare on her family. Angie's mum's obsession fills the house with tin cans stripped of their labels and mountains of useless prizes, but these irritations are as nothing compared to the catastrophe which hits the family when she wins an evening out with her favourite film star.
A lively concept - detective stories, or, more correctly, stories in which there's a problem to be solved, each by well-established authors. This is a consistently strong selection, especially appropriate for KS3 pupils.
Over 70 poems by no less than 50 different contributors who include Jenny Craig, Judith Nicholls, John Betjeman and Michael Rosen . . . together with poets as young as 7 and 9 years old. This is another highly successful Jennifer Curry anthology which cleverly invokes every smell from cowpats and cabbage to fish and chips and talc.
A book of poetry and pictures celebrating the magic, comforts and dreams of childhood. The poems are rhythmic explorations of song, speech and wordplay. Many echo the cadences of nursery rhymes and playground games, and they have a great potential for performance.
Two children explore a rock pool and empty it of its organic riches, leaving only pollution. Then they clean up the pollution, repopulate the pool and walk away as the tide comes in to reunite it with the ocean.
Like some kind of other world imp, Kathleen Mary O'Hara leads Darcy Webster through the end of childhood into adolescence. The nature of denominational faith, miracles and a personal creed by which to live get aired in a tale that somehow feels as though it ought to be longer to do justice to the magnitude of the theme.
A book of two halves, two points of view in a flip-over form. 'What do boys think of girls?' starting from one end and the reverse starting from the other. A neat device for a lovely range of poems, poets and perspectives.
Ten stories linked by India and the struggle between humans and creatures, frequently tigers. My favourites (including the title story) have Indian children and village life at their heart, so we see and feel the patterns of their lives while being absorbed by the dramas of the plots.
Mary Dyer doesn't really fit into her family or male-dominated culture; for one thing, she, a girl, loves her father's racing pigeons and when he must go away to find work, Mary knows enough to carry on managing the loft and winning prizes, despite increasing conflict with her harassed mother.
Big Bertha located on Saturn! Not a headline from the Sunday Sport but a revelation from Brewer's book about the planet. We all know Saturn, the one with three rings and a moon or two. That's enough for most of us but for those for whom it isn't, this book is a real treasure.
This book is one of the 'Jets' series so far offered as book-and-cassette packages: complete books with plenty of illustrations and speech balloons to encourage 6-8 year-olds. Here we have the funny story of Russell Fussell who just can't help speaking in rhyme which leads him into all sorts of trouble, even though his impromptu rhyming saves the school play from disaster.
An excellent, compelling read. Being a paperback original, its price is entirely justified but may prohibit purchase by many schools. Gin and her friends formed Thakers, their own exclusive 'gang' which met during the school summer holidays.
A must as a present for any older brother or sister of a baby. Normally Billy is a delight, but one day he wakes up roaring and no matter what they try nobody in the family can make him feel better. It's only when he smiles on the following morning that the mystery is solved.
Four simple sketches from the life of a young girl, her overworked mum and her marvellously realised singing grandfather. We visit grandma's grave with this family, hear stories from grandad's childhood, including one that teaches Rosa hw to defy the darkness, then follow them to the hospital when grandad falls, ill.
A huge comfort to anyone who's been subjected to bullying or who cares about the bullying problem in schools. Many a child must long for the protection of such bears, which appear to Rosie when she stamps on the pavement cracks en route to school.
Getting used to Mum being involved with a new baby must be hard for the child who arrived first. In this warm-hearted picture book. Rosie is the big sister who talks all the time the baby is being put to bed and finally manages to get her mother's total attention.
Big Bertha located on Saturn! Not a headline from the Sunday Sport but a revelation from Brewer's book about the planet. We all know Saturn, the one with three rings and a moon or two. That's enough for most of us but for those for whom it isn't, this book is a real treasure.
A new story about Sebastian the kitten who travels through his garden and through the pages of the book exploring and learning about everything he meets. The listening child can be helped to anticipate what might come next by looking through the hole carefully positioned in every picture.
A glittering collection of short stories, all very individual and reflecting the style of each author. With such an array of talent (Aiken, Ashley, Cresswell, Cross, Fine and Fisk to name six of the thirteen authors) my expectations were great and I was not disappointed.
'Cheeky and cheerful, friendly and fun' by day, perfectly named Slinky Malinki turns 'wicked and fiendish and sly' by night. Lynley Dodd creates a rare opportunity to witness cat movements on a moonlit night and Slinky Malinki is a particularly 'rapscallion' cat with superlative characteristics.
An unusual story - very short, beautifully illustrated and magical - about a little boy, his strange neighbours and their even strange back garden, the path of which leads to the rest of the world. Plenty for young children to think about here, both in the plot and in the details.
At the poor, shambling, noisy end of the family there's Sam, fat, over-talkative and awed by his super-cool and sophisticated cousin, Lisa, from the apparently rich end of the clan. When Lisa's privileged world crumbles, it's Sam who helps her to find some balance, out of which both gain a better sense of reality and the value of family.
Even such recent history as this may not be part of young readers' memories, but the images of the overthrow of the Ceausescus in Romania are still vivid in my mind and Trease skilfully shows the way fiction can get inside documentary fact in a way that gives it powerful new life.
On her fifth birthday on Christmas Day, Sophie gets a model farm because she's determined to grow up to be a farmer. What she really wants is a real live animal, like Tom the stray cat she befriends and feeds - but Sophie's dad doesn't like cats.
Barry Faville writes with assurance and humour, vividly evoking his New Zealand setting and creating an intelligent and likeable first-person narrator. Robbie takes a gardening job for elderly Stanley, finding him at first fascinating and later repellant; when she finds out what he keeps in his aquarium and what he plans to do with them, the book takes on a thrillerish twist without losing its sharp insight into character and relationships.
This collection has a good deal to offer the rather saturated market of love stories for young adults. What marks it out is the sharpness of humour and strong characterisation. 'The Flea' is particularly affecting - sacrifice and betrayal for a friend's illicit love.
This book already falls open in favourite places, almost begging to be read in poetry sessions. Ann Marie Linden opens our eyes wide with wonder at the world we live in. crinkles them up in humour and makes us bounce with delight as we share her sheer joie de vivre.
Endorsed by RoSPA, this is actually a very Educational book intended to teach small children about road safety. The illustrations are bold and attractive and mr Toad's attempt to cross the main road is cheerfully written and stands up quite well as a story in its own right.
This is a typical Robert Westall story where the past entwines dramatically and enticingly with the present. Tim's Uncle Geoff is one of those passionate enthusiasts and together they discover a model galleon.
Duncan Williamson, a Scottish traveller, has spent a lifetime collecting stories about seal people, or silkies. They are recorded here in a conversational, colloquial style which reflects the oral tradition of storytelling.
This is the first of a series about Caroline and her brother JP which promises to enchant young readers. Although the plot is predictable, the author has created a range of well-drawn characters and amusing situations.
Reprints of the popular children's classics, the first in which Peter Rabbit consistently outwits Reddy Fox and the second in which Reddy Fox has many narrow escapes from Farmer Brown's boy. The constant scheming and action make them gripping tales of intrigue with a funny and mildly moralistic tone.
Reprints of the popular children's classics, the first in which Peter Rabbit consistently outwits Reddy Fox and the second in which Reddy Fox has many narrow escapes from Farmer Brown's boy. The constant scheming and action make them gripping tales of intrigue with a funny and mildly moralistic tone.
Striking jacket designs give these titles immediate visual impact. Inside, generous double-page spreads feature not only the usual blend of artist's impressions and photos, but equally colourful acetate cutaway pictures which enable us to 'see' both the exteriors and interiors of a range of buildings from temples to town houses.
We all know about the Tooth Fairy, but the Birthday Fairy is a different thing altogether. You might get hold of her if you dial your birthdate . . . on the other hand you might not! Here the idea makes an entertaining and original story with a charming and unsentimental ending.
In a series of wonderful comic episodes, we have life with the Narmos: parents, five children and two dogs. Eccentrics all - except perhaps the dogs - so that merely being together is a drama before they ever come up against the outside world.
A sequel to King of the Vagabonds, this is hugely enjoyable in its own right. Sammy has become leader of the cats and feels secure in his position, but while scavenging for food he and Pinkie, his mate, are foolishly curious.
Wyvern Copse, which sounds suspiciously like everyone's local comprehensive, is the expected hotbed of gossip, manipulation and intrigue. Firstly there's the roaring and lucrative trade in sandwiches a la carte and then the amazingly talented chameleon of a new girl who simultaneously delights and ridicules her teachers with effortless ease.
This picture book is a game of looking, finding and naming the animals who have escaped when a new zoo keeper forgets to lock their cages. Seeing into the town from overhead the child needs time, and a keen eye, to search each spread for the individual animals who've gone missing.
This one is a real mind-bender with huge scope for discussion and thought. Two little children both have comfort blankets and both make up magic about them. The two different stories begin from opposite ends of the book, meet in the middle and cross over so that each one finishes the other.
Another addition to the growing collection of history information texts that are accurately researched and then empathetically written. This one is based on the early settlers in Australia in the late eighteenth century.
This powerful script was adapted from the original text by Raymond Briggs himself. Michael Palin is the miniature man who appears on the boy's bed one morning. Real dramatic tension is created with the man's increasing over-bearing selfishness as his three-day visit wears on.
A Guardian Children's Fiction Award winner, this is a gripping story of Julia and Nathan's escape from threatening questions after they'd found a cache of money. To begin with it's all an exciting adventure as they stay in a Brighton guesthouse and camp on Exmoor; but the sense of entrapment increases as the police search widens.
In this conclusion to the 'Daymaker' trilogy, magician Zanne has to leave Inland, where technology is a thing of the past and supernatural powers are used for the benefit of all, to act as tutor to the captive child king of Magia, where magic is manipulated by one person and used to evil ends.
Victoria Wood is a good, cosy, but unpatronising, reader, her northern vowels adding to the intimacy of her storytelling. The Jonathan Langley illustrations in the book are full of funny and lively details - the sort children pore over whilst listening.
A wonderfully dense plot which makes putting the book down difficult and finishing it a real loss. There's the shock of the opening as Sally Lockhart, an unmarried mother, is sued for divorce, and for custody of her child, by a man she's never heard of.
It's impossible to do justice to this brilliant, complex novel in a few words. The main characters variously seek identity, signified by each using an assumed name. 'Janus' leaves home and girlfriend to work as a tollbridge-keeper, a device which permits the use of thematic as well as literal bridges; a fugitive, 'Adam', proves catalyst to Janus and others.
The adventure starts when Henry discovers the coffin of Count Alucard (spell it backwards!) washed up on the beach and finds out what a gentle, good friend the vegetarian vampire inside really is. The delight of this spirited story is Victoria Wood's animated narration and accents - the Sea Captain who opens the story is a dramatic Scot while Henry Hollinson and his family at the seaside resort are from Yorkshire.
As part of a positive effort to feature a collection of books reflecting our multicultural society, this story represents some of the more sensitive material that's on the market. Mohini's family prepare to enjoy their holiday in the hills, escaping the heat of Delhi.
There are faint overtones of Maurice Sendak, echoes of The Night Kitchen, and a touch of Max about this book. Oliver flies to the Wish Factory to protect himself against the Bad Dream which he defeats just as 'morning came quite soon'.
Togg, a caveman, finds an enormous egg and plans to share it with his friends for supper. When he finds the eggshell is empty he goes hunting for the contents and eventually, after a hilarious chase, discovers it's a leftover dinosaur.
These four updated fairy tales are lively and witty. Tony Ross is good on details like a contemporary Little Red Riding Hood helping her woodcutter father cut trees with her own little axe! The Big Bad Wolf in each story is traditional, but enlivened with funny details about his stupidity and his inflated ambitions to eat baby goats, slender grannies, hens or little boys.
A book depicting pitbulls and pumpkins, lost friends and imaginary friends, glimpses of Crete and of Skye. Jackie Kay's poems reflect the experiences of an adopted black child growing up in Scotland and entering adulthood with an appetite for humour, fantasy and travel.
Comparing a range of recently published books on volcanoes proved to be an interesting experience. Would the figures quoted be consistent? Would the same library photographs be used? Would the same events be seen as significant? Would they be readable and useful? Answers: No, Yes often, Not always, and Yes generally.
Comparing a range of recently published books on volcanoes proved to be an interesting experience. Would the figures quoted be consistent? Would the same library photographs be used? Would the same events be seen as significant? Would they be readable and useful? Answers: No, Yes often, Not always, and Yes generally.
A super book for young children. It offers a simple verse as a clue and the children have to guess the answer before they turn the page. The only disappointment is that the paper is so thin the answer can be seen through it...
This is really a game 'dressed up' as a book. It's a mix-and-match book with every page divided into three, allowing the child to decide which clothes go with which activity... what would bear wear to go swimming, or to work in the garden and so on? A very good way of learning vocabulary and finding topics for discussion.
A comfortable yarn with Mother out at work and Father in charge. While Father's back is turned a red track suit finds its way into the washing machine alongside the family wash which includes Mother's new white skirt.
Dark, rich, night-time colours and a repetitive rhyme asking 'Where does the bear/monkey/stray dog/seagull go?' is the them of this book and, as the reader travels through it, he/she wonders where all these animals do go.
The Quaggy river, 'no more than a gap in the city's city-ness ... a wild streak people had forgotten to tame', is involved in almost every aspect of Chris Powling's tale. Narrator Skip finds himself ranked with his new friend Nimi against the local bullies, in an attempt to protect a vulnerable old man; ultimately, it's the girls - sister Ren, a crack shot with a catapult, and quiet, intelligent Nimi, with whom Skip finds a deepening friendship - who outwit the aggressors.
This is based on the TV series and is set in a Lake District outdoor pursuits centre. A number of teenagers spend a week canoeing, sailing, abseiling, etc., although these activities take second place to the intrigues, romances and rivalries which develop.
Unusually, Robert Westall uses the viewpoint of a mature woman for this chilling story of rural prejudice and persecution. Rose, to escape from her yuppie, Richmond life and her smug husband, rents Sepp Yaxley's abandoned Norfolk cottage with her two children.