P38: Reviews

Rhyme nor reason

This charming little book should cell well, wheather bought inn a bookstore, or ordered buy ESOL providers.

Yes, English can be confusing. Film maker Mike Dibb had a lot of fun writing Spellwell. Collaborating with actor/artist Roddy Maude-Roxby, they’ve turned something painful into something playful, bringing humour to bear on what can seem a bewildering free-play between rhyme and reason, sound and sense.

And check it out on YouTube.

Jan Woolf

 Spellwell by Mike Dibb. Muswell Press. £5.99. ISBN 9780954795993.

Reading heroes

I loved Monster Island. Really fast paced and I raced through it and didn’t want it to end. I liked the way there was a twist in the book and it was brilliant all round. I want to read more of Justin Richards’ books for sure.

Tom Webb-Jones, aged 10

Monster Island by Justin Richards. One of the Heroes series of books from Pearson Schools. ISBN 9780435045975.

The Heroes series includes novels and plays featuring epic stories of villains, crime and adventure that are dark, daring and heroic – perfect for reluctant KS2/3 boy readers. All hardback, all £6.99. See the full range of the series, teaching aids, and offers at: www.pearsonschools.co.uk/HEROES.

Wrong place, wrong time

Joe and Ash are ordinary teenagers and best mates. One night after a party they come across a bag on the side of the road. Inside they find £20,000. The boys consider handing it in to the police – but all that money is too tempting. Whoever has lost it won’t notice if a bit goes missing, will they? But that’s when the trouble starts, with the boys making a handful of wrong decisions.

Jim Carrington has created a story that grips the reader – and shows how easy it is to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Akvei Mariano, Year 10 South Camden Community School

In The Bag by Jim Carrington. Bloomsbury. £6.99 p/b. ISBN 9781408802700.

Bog-standard brilliance

It’s a pleasure to read this book. Early on the author states his case simply, to be a ‘bog- standard classroom teacher’. His book reflects this attitude with a common sense approach to the world of teaching.

It’s a useful book for any teacher because it truly reflects the day to day issues that bother us all. It’s a good reminder of a teacher’s true role. His ideas are practical and useful. There’s a lack of jargon and a very welcome dose of humour.

Lee Ryder

The Bitter Root by James Andrews. Haven Books. £7.99 h/b 148 pp. ISBN 1903660096.

That vision thing

Capturing the passion Will Ryan feels for teaching and creativity, this book draws us in from the start, giving a vision of what education could and should be.

It provides a scaffold to take us through the practical steps of developing an exciting new curriculum, tailor made for our own schools. Each chapter is grounded in sound principles, and the whole is peppered with thought- provoking and inspirational anecdotes.

Any teacher would gain from reading this book – and pass it on to the senior manager!

Nicky Illsley

Inspirational Teachers, Inspirational Learners by Will Ryan. Crown House Publishing. £18.99 p/b 266pp. ISBN 9781845904432.

Breaking down barriers

An informative, thought-provoking publication exploring barriers to educational and associated provision for pupils that can challenge services.

Vital matters, including transition to the different forms of educational provision, diagnosis, programmes, working with agencies and how to secure a statement of special needs, are covered. The law is also considered in some detail.

Len Parkyn

Securing Appropriate Education Provision for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Guide for Parents and Professionals by Allison Hope-West. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. £14.99 p/b 144pp. ISBN 9781849051538.