reviews


and bedroom noises, the final of which is dad’s reading a story and then singing a song in his ‘deep quiet voice’. It is a lovely story for any child, but is particularly so for a child with a sight impairment who is even more aware of the noises both small and large around the home and will enjoy a book aimed particularly at her world. Inclusive because all children will enjoy the book and talking about the various home noises, it is also


inclusive because it specifically includes those who see the world in a rather different way. The illustrations are simple, bright and colourful, and the white background will help those with partial sightedness to be able to see them. Altogether, a highly successful,


simple story that will


appeal to all children learning about their home environment. ES


Under 5s Pre - School/Nursery/Infant contd. A Perfect Day


The story, of atmospheric


illustrations, HHHHH


Lane Smith, Two Hoots, 36pp, 978 1 5098 4055 7, £11.99 hbk


few words and begins


in the warmth of a tranquil spring garden. The sun shines hazily. A cat dozes in the flower beds, a dog cools in his paddling pool, a bird pecks at seed on the feeder and a helpful boy throws out a corncob for the visiting squirrel. A perfect day. But not for


Ed’s Choice Virginia Wolf HHHHH


Kyo Maclear, illus. Isabelle Arsenault, Book Island, 978-1-9114-9603-8, £9.99 hbk


‘One day my sister Virginia woke up feeling wolfish’. Nothing can change her mood, though sister Vanessa


tries and tries. When


Virginia finally admits there is something – or rather a somewhere – that will make her feel better, it is up to Vanessa to create it. This


is an outstanding


5 – 8 Infant/Junior Ballerina Dreams


HHHHH


Michaela and Elaine DePrince, ill. Ella Okstad, Faber & Faber, 64pp, 978-0-5713-2973-1, £6.99pbk


Aimed at newly independent readers, this short,


illustrated book tells the


inspirational, true story of Michaela DePrince, a war orphan from Sierra Leone whose dreams of becoming a ballerina were realised when she was adopted and taken to a new life in America. There, she worked hard to overcome doubts to become a black ballerina and role model to other young girls. The short, clear text, pink, sparkly


picture


book on all levels. While the adults reading it may recognise the literary background, this is not the sum total of the story. It deals with the relationship between two sisters and tackles imaginatively the problem of depression. The author doesn’t preach, rather young readers will be able to sympathise and empathise as the characters face a difficult situation. Maclear’s text with its puns and direct voice is perfectly complemented by Arsenault’s exceptional illustrations that capture


Little Lemur Laughing HHHH


Joshua Seigel, Bloomsbury Education, 96pp, 9781472930064 £5.99pbk


This is a little gem of a poetry book, perfect for any household and school. Joshua Seigel is definitely my new favourite poet. I have some ‘go to’ books in a poetry collection built up right from when I started teaching so to make it in to here you have to span the poetry gambit of the whole primary age. Little Lemur Laughing certainly does this. The poems are a great mixture with


many animal poems, especially of course involving lemurs. The first one what is a poem? is really beautiful and would be a wonderful stimulus for writing with a


the bleakness of Virginia’s state and the desperation of Vanessa until the breakthrough. Then the bare white spreads populated by silhouettes – look at those spiky wolfish ears – become transformed as flowers, birds and animals burst into the pages in lovely lollipop colours. And guess what? Those ears become a beautiful blue bow. This is a book that that should be shared. It has so much to offer. Originally published in Canada, we must rejoice that it has arrived here. FH


class, there is no end to where you could go with that one. However the others are a jam packed variety of shape poems, verse poems, rhyming, not rhyming which would be great to inspire and are fabulous for reading out loud. The play with words continues throughout. The way some of the poems are connected is really clever, for example Fruit Bat and Bat’s Fruit. I’ve already tested them out with KS2 and they loved them. Fruit Bat especially appealed. Poems likes these give everybody that extra encouragement to perhaps keep to simply playing with words and enjoy language. Just a riotous


romp of poetry


with funny drawings to appeal to independent readers. Definitely one for any collection. SG LS


cover and very appealing, lively illustrations by Ella Okstad all combine to give the impression of a traditional beginner


reader for ballet loving


girls, but this book has a lot more to offer. This is the UK publication of a carefully-adapted younger reader edition of Michaela DePrince’s memoir Hope in a Ballet Shoe. It is an inspiring autobiography with a story of dreams achieved against all odds. It is co-authored by Michaela’s adoptive mother, an inspirational woman in her own right, and a positive message about the power of adoption can be added to such other important themes as having dreams, overcoming obstacles, friendship and the importance of hard work, dedication and encouraging others. This is a beautiful, simple and emotionally powerful story; it packs a big punch for a little book whilst never losing accessibility for its intended age range. Highly recommended. SR


When I Coloured in the World HHH


Ahmadreza Ahmadi, illustrated by Ehsan Abdollahi, Tiny Owl, 32pp, 978 1 910328 22 4, £7.99pbk


This colourful Iranian


writer picture book Ahmadreza from Ahmadi


follows a simple concept – a child is given a box of crayons and using each colour they cover something bad in the world and replace it with something beautiful. Darkness becomes light when the yellow crayon makes all the light come on. Hunger


Books for Keeps No.224 May 2017 21


long. Enter a bear, striding out of the wide white page margin, stage left. And now, for everyone else, it is a perfect day no longer, as bear guzzles the corncob, tips the bird seed down his throat, pours the paddling pool water over his head, rolls gloriously in the flower bed and falls contentedly asleep. A perfect day for bear. With great economy and huge enjoyment, Lane Smith conveys both the familiar joys of garden life in the sun and the excitement of its unlooked-for rumbustious disruption. CB


becomes a field of wheat growing from a green crayon. Children might enjoy trying to fill in this template with their own colourful ideas on how to make the world a better place. The illustrations


are bold and original


and the book would work well in a classroom setting. KC


The Covers of my Book are Too Far Apart (and Other Grumbles)


HHHHH


Vivian French, illustrated by Nigel Baines, Picture Squirrels, 32pp, 978-1-7811-2602-8, £6.99 pbk


This is an enjoyable picture book about all the excuses made by children – and grown-ups - who aren’t convinced they like reading. On each


double-page spread


there’s a grumble such as “reading is hard” or “I can’t find a book I like” or ‘I don’t have time to read’, but for each one there


are characters.


with advice and recommendations from a fun range


counter-arguments, of


There’s a book-eating panda, a pony librarian, twin chimps, and a flying superhero, just to name a few! The advice is supportive for anyone


who perhaps struggles with reading. Reading in all its forms is encouraged – joke books, e-books, comics, audio books, information books – and there are lots of ideas about how to find books that you will enjoy. Importantly, there’s a challenge to publishers to make books showing diverse cultures, people


with disabilities, so


family types and that


readers can recognise themselves in the books they are reading. It’s a dyslexia-friendly text, great for adults to read with children.


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