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Reviews

For teachers

Crafty ideas

I’m not someone with a natural interest in science but have to say I absolutely loved this book. It approaches the subjects of biodiversity and ecosystems in an accessible and engaging way.

Divided into three sections – origins, ecology and fate – the book presents a remarkable portrait of nature in its infinite diversity.

The photography is stunning and the variety of contributors ensures you get a balanced and knowledgeable view of the natural world and the challenges it faces.

I’m sure it could help to provoke debates in science and geography classes.

Lee Ryder

Fragile Web: What next for nature? Jonathan Silvertown (Ed). Natural History Museum. £14.99 p/b. ISBN 0565092618.

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Sing your way to reading

Sing Up is the Music Manifesto’s national singing programme for primary school-aged children in England. The £40 million government investment aims to ensure that good quality singing is central to young children’s lives – in school, at home and in the community.

The Sing Up Pyramid Pack is a great start. Ten start-up cards and a CD ensure you don’t have to

have all the musical skills – just enthusiasm and a group of youngsters ready to sing! All you have to do is register then choose from the myriad resources.

Once you are registered on the website you can access resources to support children with special needs, healthy schools and lots more. Start surfing at www.singup.org.

Gill Goodswen

Must read eye-opener

Eight young people, with their families, teachers and possible future employers, explore attitudes and assumptions about their individual life histories. How some young people are marginalised and disenfranchised in their complex lives will be a revelation to some.

This is a ‘must read’ for educationalists, social workers, mental health personnel, Connexions staff and policy makers. It is a profound and, at times, disturbing book which highlights the real struggles some young people have to face as they grow up.

Len Parkyn

Learning to Fail. How society lets young people down by Fran Abrams. Routledge. £17.09. ISBN 9780415483964.

For children

Ghostly goings-on

The story was funny because all the ghosties were so polite to the still-alives and couldn’t understand why the still-alives were so mean to them. They weren’t being mean, they were just scared because they are humans.

My favourite part of the story was when the priest hung all the garlic up in the house to scare the ghosts. It was really funny because the ghosties had to put clothes pegs on their noses.

I didn’t like it when the still-alives left the house because I thought it was more exciting when they lived together with the ghosties. This story was a real page-turner.

Ella Milbourne aged 7 St George’s Primary School, Westminster

Frightfully Friendly Ghosties by Daren King. Quercus Publishing. £5.99. ISBN 9781847249937.

Hearing voices

The Voices series for Key Stage 3+ involves the reader in hard-hitting, controversial issues. Designed to stimulate debate, the books are well-presented with clear facts and case studies to allow readers to make up their own minds.

The use of direct address in the books, as well as rhetorical questions, further involves the pupils in the thought-process.

A mixture of provocative facts – such as ‘every day 17 Filipino children go blind due to vitamin A deficiency’ – and powerful images encourage readers to develop their own informed opinions.

Claire Jenkinson

Voices of the World series: Aids, Child Labour, Drugs on the Streets, Gangs, Hunger, Poverty, Race Hate, Religious Extremism, Violence, Violence on the Screen, War. Various authors. Evans Books. £14.99 h/b.

Memorable tale

This political thriller is aimed at young adults and is set in early 21st century Odessa.

Set against the Ukrainian struggle to be free of Russia, the story’s main protagonist is Natasha. She is a gifted 17-year-old soccer player desperate to play for her country. Her father is a journalist who puts the whole family in danger through his investigations into government corruption.

Natasha’s problems are paralleled by Ukraine’s fight for independence. It is a remarkable story – both memorable and readable.

Liz Rhodes

Fair Game – The Steps of Odessa by James Watson. Spire Publishing. £7.99 p/b. ISBN 9781897312728.