BfK 5 – 8 Infant/Junior continued
mistakes him for somebody else but that somebody else saves the day but you’ll have to wait to meet them when you read the book. There is an appropriate ending for
intercepting the wolf which, again, contains lots of humour. There are some great alternative Three Little Pigs and Red Riding Hood stories but this one is up with the best of them and would be a funny one to share with not only 5 - 8 but older children too as they would see the more subtle
humour in the language and the details in the illustrations. SG
Imagine
John Lennon, ill. Jean Jullien, Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, 32pp, 978-1-8478-0896-7, £12.99, hbk
Each school I’ve been in as a Headteacher has amassed the latest Amnesty publications and I would certainly add this beautiful book to
Secret of the Stones
Tony Bradman, illus Martin Remphry, Barrington Stoke, 72pp, 978-1781127544, £5.99
This fast-paced story of Bronze Age adventure and discovery will bring the period to life for young readers and far more vividly than even the best history book. The story begins at Stone Henge, already a place of wonder to the people who live nearby. Maglos is the son of the High Priest and his father Daguno is preparing summer festival. But Daguno’s brother Tigran is jealous and at the moment of his brother. Maglos is saved only when two strangers in the crowd take him as a slave. In the depth of his misery, Maglos feels as though he too is already dead, but his life is about to take a new turn. The two foreigners who saved him are kind and take care of him while he grieves for his father. They are travelling metal-workers, criss-crossing England making and selling copper weapons, jewellery and other items. Maglos is fascinated by the process of making copper and readers will be too. Eventually, armed
return to Stone Henge and take his rightful place at the altar.
The story unfolds through the eyes of Maglos, who in Tony Bradman’s skilful telling comes across as a living, breathing boy. There’s a great deal of historical information for readers, but cleverly woven into the story so that it is fully part of the adventure. It’s real page-turning stuff, and will be for even the most reluctant readers. MMa
The Secret Diary of Jane Pinny: Victorian housemaid (and accidental detective)
Philip Ardagh; illustrated by Jamie Littler. Nosy Crow, 192pp, 9780857639035,£6.99, pbk
This is a story of the downstairs staff in a country house and the solving of the mystery of a missing jade necklace. Jane Pinny is a housemaid who gets a new job in the large household of Mr. Kirby-Trott. Coming from a small town the house is quite a shock but Jane is determined to get on and the frightening looking butler, Mr. Pritchard. Jane’s diary, which tells this story, is written for her by the pigeon Plump and he is instrumental in mistress’s missing necklace.
This is great fun as one would expect from Philip Ardagh and Jane is an endearing and spirited heroine. There is a goodly amount of information about the life in a Victorian house below stairs, and the black and white wash illustrations add to the fun of the story. There are a lot of footnotes giving the historical background though I am not sure they are necessary: the skill of an historical novel for any age, is that the background information is imparted within the frame of the story and this happens within the text of this one. But the yellow sticker on the cover states ‘only the facts are true’ so maybe the author/editor thought them a necessary gimmick. This is the second in a series and I for one, would hope that there would be more tales of Jane Pinny. JF
26 Books for Keeps No.227 November 2017
about the text itself – this is one of the most famous peace songs in existence. However the pictures and will hopefully help to bring the words to a whole new audience. The book should place John Lennon’s abstract ideas in children’s minds and help them understand them. The illustrations are simple: bright, bold and eye catching.
All of them
feature a little pigeon with a little messenger bag making sense of the world. He spreads peace and love and understanding on his travels and the pictures show that throughout.
8 – 10 Junior/Middle Witch for a Week
Kaye Umansky, illus Ashley King, Simon and Schuster, 192pp, 978- 1471160905, £6.99 pbk
A new book from Kaye Umansky is always cause for celebration. She’s one of our funniest and most accomplished authors for children and Witch for a Week has all the hallmarks of a Umansky classic: a of all kinds, much of it arising from the characters’ close proximity to one occasional sideways dig at modern mores. Young readers will love it and it at bedtime or storytime.
Elsie Pickles lives with her family in the town of Smallbridge, a place where life, like its river the Dribble, ‘trickled on with a calm monotony’. She spends lots of time helping in the family shop but Elsie is a girl with a sense of adventure and readers will feel she local witch Magenta Sharp arrives looking for someone to house-sit her tower for a week and offering more gold than the shop’s made in years, Elsie puts herself forward. Before you can say Three Little Spells for Beginners, Elsie is settled in the tower keeping an eye on it and the witch’s somewhat curmudgeonly talking raven, Corbett. The Pickles rules of customer service stand Elsie in good stead, particularly the ones about using a soothing tone and always being helpful.
The
witch’s neighbours include Sylphine Greenmantle (also known as Aggie), given to barefoot dancing in the forest glades and swooning over woodcutter boy who delivers the ingredients for Magenta’s potions, and letters of complaint from customers to her mail Elsie inadvertently adopts the town’s stray dog Nuisance as well. Soon, despite her vow not to try magic, Elsie is conjuring up frogs and storms in teacups, and trying to concoct the love potion Sylphine wants to use on Hank.
Readers will feel they themselves
are part of the gang and Elsie’s calm, when her spells work, we can’t help feel it’s as much down to her kind nature as to her growing magical powers. The relationship between the protagonists and Elsie’s development too are both described with an extraordinary lightness of touch, and this is a charming mix of magic, comedy, character and adventure. MMa
Read our interview with Kaye Umansky Professional Crocodile
Giovanna Zoboli, ill. Mariachiara di Giorgio, Chronicle Books, 25pp, 978-1-4521-6506-6, £12.99,hbk
The story of this wordless picturebook begins with the main character, a crocodile, asleep in a city apartment dreaming of basking in a tropical pool. The alarm clock rings and a familiar morning routine follows, as the crocodile decides which tie to wear, follow him on his commute in the busy city, splashed by a passing car and squashed on a crowded tube train. He greets familiar faces and buys a roast mysteriously delivered later to a lady
There is a moving introduction from that the book is very important at the present time, her passion for spreading John Lennon’s message is still as strong as ever. It is a book to grace an assembly or display shelf in school and certainly one to appreciate and share at home. The style and layout are lovely for children to enjoy by themselves but also for a class to enjoy - seeing the story of the pigeon’s travels in front of them and then perhaps listening to the song again which will then have a more powerful meaning as those pictures will help them IMAGINE. SG
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