Journey Back to Freedom

Snatched from Essaka in Africa, Olaudah Equiano was captured and enslaved at the age of 11. Having spent time in Barbados and Virginia, he then spent the next eight years travelling the world as slave to a British Royal Navy officer, who renamed him Gustavus Vassa. His final master allowed him to buy his freedom for £40 which Equiano had raised through trading himself. Back in England, he eventually became a prominent member of the abolition movement, publishing his autobiography in 1789.

In ‘Journey Back to Freedom’, Catherine Johnson focuses on Equiano’s early life, although she adds further information in her afterword. Well known for her excellent historical writing and attention to detail, Catherine has used Olaudah’s autobiography as the basis for her work, imagining dialogue except in places where he states he is quoting from life.

This is a disturbing and emotive subject, but Catherine Johnson’s concise and matter of fact style means it is accessible to a younger audience. The horrors of slavery are evident throughout from Olaudah’s initial capture to the barbarity of the voyage, from his life at sea to the cruelty of the West Indies, but Catherine has managed to maintain a fine balance between including this information and being overly descriptive.

Throughout his sufferings, Olaudah’s determination to regain his freedom is incredible and this is a book which will encourage and initiate conversations, developing children’s understanding of the slave trade through Olaudah’s lived experiences. In her afterword, Catherine recognises that he was a complex character. He was against slavery yet he was involved in the trade. This moral ambiguity, the awful situations he found himself in - all of this will lead to thought-provoking, challenging discussions about this very difficult period of history.

Barrington Stoke once again proving their books are for everyone!

Journey Back to Freedom: The Olaudah Equiano Story

Catherine Johnson, illustrated by Katie Hickey

Barrington Stoke ISBN: 978-1781129227

You can read my review of ‘Race to the Frozen North: The Matthew Henson Story’ here.

Fire Power

It's not easy being an accidental superhero. Aidan (aka Fire Boy) and the circus are in trouble, once again. Aidan's nemesis, the billionaire Clayton Jones, is spreading fake news throughout the world, painting Aidan as the bad guy.

With circus fans dwindling and the world turning against them, Aidan knows it's once again up to him to save the day. But to do see, he'll have to reveal the truth about Clayton Jones - and it looks like Clayton might have some special powers of his own...

The ‘Fire Boy’ books have been incredibly popular in school with children delighting in their quirky humour and very relatable superhero, Aiden.

Jay uses a number of devices- lists, notes from readers, emails- and differing typography to break up the text as well as fairly short chapters to make the book both accessible and appealing to readers whilst keeping the plot moving at a pleasing pace. The tone of the story is light and chatty which adds to this.

Aiden is an appealing main character. Often impulsive- that’s how he became Fire Boy in the first place- he is lucky to have good friends by his side. Sadie, Hussein and he might be very different personalities, but they balance each other well, making a good team whose bond is sure to endure whatever life brings. Granny continues to be my favourite character: cantankerous and dangerous, she is a match for anyone, ‘a freak of nature’.

In addition to the story bursting with humour, it has a generous scattering of facts throughout- bibliosmia is liking the smell of old books, burnt orchids flower in early summer- which add to the overall enjoyment. The book ends with a fact or fiction ‘quiz’ by Miss Spatchcock, focusing on some of the details included in the story and encouraging the reader to find out more about Peru, where part of the story is set, and the Incas.

Every bit as enjoyable as the first two, ‘Fire Power’ is a fitting conclusion to this series.

Fire Power J M Joseph

Hodder ISBN: 978-1444954722

You can find out more about Jay and what he will be writing next in my Q and A session with him here.

Meet J M Joseph

Fabulously funny, ‘Fireboy’ and the sequel, ‘Pants on Fire’ have been hugely popular at school and I had the great pleasure of meeting Jay when I organised some visits for him where the children were very engaged and excited. The ‘flaming finale’ of the series, Fire Power’ came out in August and is sure to be every bit as popular! These books are fast-moving, hilarious - and full of friendship.

I am delighted to welcome Jay to the Bookshelf today and ask him a few questions.

1.       An idea comes to you for a book. Do you:

a)       Jump for joy and rush to your notebook/laptop to instantly capture it?

b)      Run around shouting ‘Hallelujah’ until you realise you have forgotten what it was?

c)       Throw yourself on the floor, gnash your teeth and sob, ‘Why me?’ because you know you now have to write the thing?

(This is the only ‘Fire Boy’ style quiz question, I promise!)

When ideas comes (which isn’t often), I spend weeks writing neat Three-Act plans in new notebooks or drawing narrative arcs in heroic colours. And then ignore them all as soon as I start writing.

I hate plotting.

Characters, however, get me excited – their voices, their reactions, what motivates them or makes them angry. Inserting characters into scenes and watching what they do – that’s what I enjoy most about writing.

2.       ‘Fire Boy’ is Aiden’s alter-ego. What superpowers would you choose to have- and what would your super-name be?

As a writer of a super-hero series, I get asked this question a lot.

My choice would be to control time. Travelling forwards and back through time or making it stop when deadlines near is my ideal super power. The opportunity to play practical jokes on people is endless. And the things I’d do at press conferences at No. 10! If only! Such mayhem would require secrecy, so no name allowed. But it would be a small price to pay.

3.       Is Lemon, cat-that-can-turn-into-a-tiger, based on a cat that you know?

I have two dogs (Winnie, a golden retriever, and Rose, a spaniel-mix) who my children adore. They spent a good part of the Fire Boy series at my feet while I wrote it – the dogs, not my children. Lemon, you might say, is “channelled” through Winnie and Rose. For comedy purposes, I needed a pet who would occasionally walk away from Aidan with her bum in the air so a cat seemed a better fit.

4.       I am fascinated by teaching teachers who are authors. When do you find the time to write and do you think teaching helps shape your writing?

I spent 30 years as a class teacher, a nursery teacher and lecturer before I began a part-time MA in Writing for Young People at Bath Spa University. I dropped a day a week to attend classes and complete that. When I got an agent (the wonderful Becky Bagnall of the Lindsay Literacy Agency), I dropped another session. I am currently down to .5, but still teach four days a week.

I had my first break from teaching/writing in five years this summer when I was between books. Previously, if I wasn’t teaching, I was writing. Every school holiday was spent behind a laptop.

I’m not sure if teaching shapes my writing, but the children I teach certainly do. I currently teach English to children aged 10-13 so we talk about stories, poems and plays most days. It’s why I carry on teaching, really. I just enjoy it.

5.       I read the opening of ‘Fire Boy’ as part of an assembly on reading and the children were instantly hooked by the original, and very engaging, idea of starting the book with a quiz. What made you think of this idea?

Flann O’Brien’s At Swim-Two-Birds is one of the funniest books I have ever read. It was written in 1939 and opens with a narrator addressing his reader about possible ways to open a novel. It contains parodies of extracts, a medieval Irish poem, “biographical reminiscences” and characters who imprison their author because they resent what he forces them to do.

I wanted to write a book in a style similar to At Swim, but for children. That’s where the idea of a quiz originated.

6.       What can we expect from you next?

I have two projects on the go at the moment. One is about a little white dog that wants to be a wolf. It’s aimed at 6-9 year-olds and owes a lot to three girls I teach who insisted that my next book should contain a wolf at all costs. The other is a thriller set in the future which I am struggling to plot (See answer to Q1 above).

7.       And lastly- and most importantly according to my niece- what is your favourite cake?

My favourite cake is my mother-in-law’s Chocolate Biscuit Cake. For any Irish readers out there, that name alone might suffice. For the rest of you, Chocolate Biscuit Cake is a little like Tiffin but without the cherries or raisins and it is absolutely scrumptious.

Many thanks to Jay for agreeing to take part in this Q and A session. I’m really looking forward to reading both of your up-coming projects!

I will be sharing my review of ‘Fire Power’ tomorrow- it’s one not to be missed.

The Arctic Railway Assassin

Hal is flying off to Sweden to meet his Uncle Nat. Together, they are going to make a special Christmas trip to the Aurora Sky Station to see the Northern Lights. Uncle Nat’s friend, Mortimer, has just won a Nobel Prize, and has been scared by a series of inexplicable events since the announcements. Although she is supposed to be accompanying them on the Narvik train, Morti has a sudden change of plans, leaving Hal and Nat to board alone.

But as they leave Stockholm, Hal and his uncle realise that they are being followed and things take a sinister turn as Uncle Nat’s past returns to haunt him, putting them both in danger.

This is definitely the most tense and fast paced trains adventure yet- and my new favourite! In this story, we learn more about Uncle Nat’s mysterious past and it seems that danger is catching up with him. There are moments of real peril and suspense as the action builds, raising serious concerns for the safety of all involved.

As readers have come to expect, ‘The Arctic Railway Assassin’ is full of wonderful descriptions of the trains and railways- a gift for any railfan. This attention to detail really makes you want to visit the locations involved- Kungsträdgården Station and the metro, Stockholm, the journey north to the Arctic Circle- leaving you with a strong sense of wanderlust, a longing to see the Northern lights and stay in the Ice Hotel! A section of notes at the end of the book offers more information about these places if the reader is interested.

Hal’s art work continues to be central to each story, but in this one, I feel there is a real sense of the development of his talent. The reader is told that he has been practising drawing at speed and is now ‘able to get down all the important lines at a breakneck pace’, loosely sketching in ‘a series of eggs for heads’ and other marks to guide his drawing. The addition of these details really adds to the story as it is through Hal’s considerable skill that the crimes are solved. Elisa Paganelli’s wonderful illustrations continue to give life to his sketches, allowing the reader to see each scene Hal captures and glean the same clues- if they can!

I love the face that the Sámi people have been included in this story. Katarina, who Hal meets on this trip, is a great character with observational skills and courageous spirit to match Hal’s. Details about the fascinating culture of her people, including clothing, food and their reindeer, add great interest to the story. I have been lucky enough to visit Sápmi and am ashamed to say that I did not know the Sámi people find ‘Lapland’ offensive. You really do learn - and should learn- something new every day.

The success of this series is not at all surprising as every book not only introduces the reader to a new location- and a new train- but also a brilliant new mystery to solve. I can’t wait to see what Hal gets up to next!

The Arctic Railway Assassin

M G Leonard and Sam Sedgman, illustrated by Elisa Paganelli

Macmillan ISBN: 978-1529072761

Published 13th October 2022

You can read my review of ‘Sabotage on the Solar Express’ here and ‘Epic Adventures: Explore the World in 12 Amazing Train Journeys’ here.

You can read a multi- review of each of the other four books here.

Pause for Poetry: Let’s Chase Stars Together

‘Let’s Chase Stars Together’ is a stunning collection of poems, reflecting a whole range of emotions. Matt Goodfellow is an exceptionally talented poet who has the knack of selecting just the right words to capture and reflect feelings and thoughts which we all share and giving them voice and energy.

Every poem is worth pausing at and commenting on. For a teacher, there is a wealth to draw on, adding poetry to story times or to provoke thoughtful discussions in other subjects. For children reading independently, there are many which will resonate with their personal experience and feelings.

‘Callum’ is a particularly poignant poem which I had the great pleasure of hearing Matt perform and many teachers will recognise pupils of their own in Matt’s words. There are poems about difficult aspects of home life- ‘A Thousand Hours’, ‘The Wolf’, ‘Hey, Mum’ and ‘Jake’; school life- ‘It’s Always the Same’, ‘I Hope It Rains Today’ and ‘Transition’; poems about feelings, relationships, life and love. Yet Matt manages to achieve a delicate balance of emotion and humour, ensuring the broadest appeal for his poems- and surely encouraging others to express themselves through this form.

I could enthuse about this collection for hours- but the best thing is for others to enjoy it for themselves. A couple of my favourites are ‘The Democratic Republic of Me’ and ‘The River’- you might like to start there!

Let’s Chase Stars Together Matt Goodfellow

Bloomsbury ISBN: 978-1472993847

Originally reviewed for Reading Zone. Make sure you investigate Matt’s other poetry collections- you won’t be disappointed.

Blog Tour: Gender Swapped Greek Myths

The myths and legends that the Ancient Greeks created are amongst the best known and most retold. Elements of these stories have permeated our everyday life and language- Achille’s heel, Herculean strength, having the Midas touch. These are stories which have stood the test of time- stories of heroes, monsters, gods, goddesses and mortals filled with tragedy, mystery, adventure, envy, courage, vengeance and love.

Although the versions written for children are generally sanitised and simplified. It is not often, for example, that Medusa’s rape in the temple of Athena is included, nor the fact that Athena then punished Medusa for this. Rooted in a patriarchal society, women in these stories are depicted in accordance to the beliefs and values of these times. Whilst the men are generally portrayed as heroic and powerful, women tended to their needs and gave birth to their children or waited passively to be rescued- with the stories emphasising the dire consequences for any who might think otherwise.

In this new collection of re-tellings, the roles are literally reversed. With each of the myths presented here, the gender of each character has been switched, making the reader pause and reflect not only on the original tales, but on how this bias affects our everyday lives. It is amazing how a different name and pronoun impacts the reader and changes perceptions.

So, here we meet Pandorus as he opens his casket ‘just to peep inside’ and releases all the ills of the world; it is Thesea who kills the Minoheifer, Queen Aegea whose death names the Aegean Sea; Arachnus who is transformed into a spider. The book starts with an authors’ note which explains the ‘story behind the story’ with both Karrie and Jonathan contributing. In this, they discuss their reasons for this work, the sources they drew on and explain any adaptations they had to make.

The book- a beautiful hardback with a red ribbon bookmark- is full of colour illustrations, bringing these new characters to life. This would make a welcome addition to school libraries and classrooms, perfect for generating discussions and challenging thinking about the role of different characters and relationships are altered in the different versions.

Gender Swapped Greek Myths

Karrie Fransman and Jonathan Plackett

Faber ISBN: 978-0571371327

Many thanks to Bethany at Faber for inviting me to take part on this tour.

Make sure you read the rest of the tour posts over the next few days.

Blog Tour: The Shadow Order

Today, I am delighted to be taking part in the Blog Tour for ‘The Shadow Order’ by Rebecca F John. This is a story you will not want to miss!

Friends Teddy James, Betsy Blue and Effie Hart live in Copperwell, a city which has lived for a year under The Shadow Order, a law passed to prevent its citizens from seeing their shadows which have changed and now reflect each person’s true self. It’s been a long dark year in which only the Constabulary- law enforcement- are allowed to move outside in daylight hours.

When the three children decide to break the rules and climb to the top of the Observatory to see the sunrise, they witness the arrest of a woman who is shouting about the government, accusing them of being responsible for the change in the shadows and telling anyone who will listen to ‘find the orrery!’ Determined to find out what the government is really up to, the friends set off on a quest brimming with peril, excitement and adventure.

‘The Shadow Order’ is a gripping read, perfect for those children who like to be challenged in their thinking. Darkness lurks in Copperwell, not only because of the Order, but because the population are being controlled and manipulated by those in power. They are constantly being fed misinformation to make them behave in a way which suits their leaders- sounds familiar? Stories like this are so important to encourage children to think for themselves and question things, looking for a balanced view rather than blindly accepting the ‘party line’, whatever your party might be!

As with the other hosts on this blog tour, I have a snippet of exclusive content to share. I am delighted by this as it allows me to ‘show, not tell’ Rebecca’s skill in both world building and character development.

Limpet’s Lane
Swindler’s Quarter is the poorest part of Copperwell. And the poorest part of Swindler’s Quarter is Limpet’s Lane. On Limpet’s Lane, each room houses at least two families, who cram top-to-toe into beds six or eight people at a time. One early morning, Teddy and his father collected a fare from Limpet’s Lane in the cab. Teddy could tell his father was nervous by the way he kept glancing over his shoulder, wrapping his hands tighter around Jim’s reins. The tall narrow houses blocked out the rising winter sun. ‘Stay alert,’ Teddy’s father said. ‘Desperate people do desperate things sometimes.’ Teddy clamped his gloved hands together. ‘Then we shouldn’t be here,’ he said. ‘It’s frightening.’ His father replied in a murmur. ‘It’s impossible to live a life without fear.’ And clicked Jim on into the shadows.

The three children- Teddy, Betsy and Effie-are very different children, each with their own secrets and challenges. The strength of their friendship and their loyalty to each other supports them through the many challenges, emotional and physical which they face whilst trying to expose the truth. I have a particular fondness for Teddy and am delighted to see a sensitive, caring male character who doubts himself for not being brave enough, yet when needed, finds the courage to do what needs to be done.

‘The Shadow Order’ is the perfect book for the ‘moving on’ stage of readers- those able readers around Year 6/7/8 who are looking for something to challenge them, but are not ready perhaps for the content of novels aimed at older readers. I really hope there will be more books so we can follow Teddy, Betsy and Effie further as their lives continue.

The Shadow Order Rebecca F. John

Firefly Press ISBN: 978-1913102951

Many thanks to Rebecca and the lovely Karen at Firefly- it was a pleasure to meet you at the YLG Conference!- for inviting me to be part of this tour. Make sure you catch the rest of the posts about this brilliant book.

Meet Martin Brown

It is a joy to welcome Martin Brown to the Bookshelf today! The ‘Horrible Histories’ books have been engaging, entertaining and informing children (and adults!) for many years now and the series owes much of its success to Martin’s illustrative genius. I first met Martin at a FCBG Conference and was delighted when his ‘Lesser Spotted Animals’ won the NSTBA 2017 Information Category.

Photo: Emily Beale Photography

1.       You are probably best known for illustrating the incredibly popular ‘Horrible Histories’ books, but have you illustrated many books for other writers as well as having written and illustrated books of your own?

I’ve only illustrated a few books with other authors. Before the Horrible Histories I was doing similar cartoony things with Peter Corey for the Coping With… series. And I was lucky enough to illustrate the re-issue of Philip Pullman’s The Adventures of the New Cut Gang. More recently I’ve illustrated a sort of fairy story all about chess for Mark Price and worked with John McLay on the Dragon’s Dentist series of early reader books.

2.       The ‘Lesser Spotted Animals’ books are hugely popular with children I have taught. How did you decide which animals to include? Are there any you haven’t written about which you would like to?

Growing up in Australia I knew about lots of animals that were unfamiliar here, so that was a start. But I’ve always had a love of wild creatures, and over the years I’ve heard about all sorts of wonderful beasties. That’s one of the reasons I wrote the book. I couldn’t understand how some of these beautiful and amazing animals could be so unknown. Then it was books and the internet to learn about even more. The trouble is, I’d like to write about them all – and just for mammals, that would be 237 more books!

3.       Tell me a little about the next adventure for Nell and Cave Bear.

Hmm, I’m not sure if I’m allowed to. OK then, just a bit… It starts just after the last book ends. Nell and Cave Bear are living with the Sea Clan – but it’s time to head back to the Cave and then on to the hunting grounds on the Great Plain. And Nell’s not sure if she wants to go. Meanwhile the bear-hunting Woodland Clan are plotting revenge. Once more Nell and her bear best friend are thrown into danger. However, this time, there’s help.

4.       Which artists/ illustrators inspire you and your work?

When I was starting out my heroes were cartoonists like Jeff MacNelly, Pat Oliphant and Johnny Hart. These days I am constantly inspired by just about every illustrator I have ever met or who’s work I have ever seen. We are so lucky to have approximately a gazillion wonderful artists working in the Children’s Book world at present. Chris Riddell, Sophy Henn, Shaun Tan, Helen Stephens, Sarah McIntyre, Oliver Jeffers, Adam Stower, Axel Scheffler, Helen Oxenbury, Ian Beck, Alex Latimer, Lauren Child, Jim Field… the list is endless.

5.       Which of your pictures/illustrations are you the most proud of?

As a lot of my work is really cartooning rather than illustration, to me, some of my best drawings are gags I’ve done for the Horrible Histories books – like for Angry Aztecs. It was considered good luck to attach a severed finger from a dead person to your shield before a battle. So how do you attach a severed finger to your shield? With a finger nail of course!

6.       It’s the 30th anniversary of Horrible Histories next year. Do you have plans to celebrate this?

Yes, wonderful plans are afoot. But no-one’s told me what they are yet. However, there will be a special new Horrible Histories book to go with the anniversary. And after that it’ll be back to writing the next adventure for Nell and the Cave Bear.

7.       And lastly - and most importantly according to my niece - what is your favourite cake?

Um… I haven’t got a particularly sweet tooth – coffee and walnut perhaps? But honestly, I think I’d rather a Portuguese custard tart.

Many thanks to Martin for sharing his answers with me. I am very excited about the new Nell- I believe the cover is being released today- and am looking forward to the special Horrible Histories 30th anniversary book.

You can read my review of Nell and the Cave Bear here and Lesser Spotted Animals here. You can also read about Martin’s exhibition at Weston Museum here.

My guided reading notes for Nell and the Cave Bear are here and I will be adding my notes for Lesser Spotted Animals soon.

Pause for Poetry: Courage in a Poem

It’s no secret that I love poetry and relish savouring a new collection. ‘Courage in a Poem’ is not only a beautifully presented book, but also offers words of wisdom, comfort and hope. In the introduction, the poems are described as ‘little parcels of empowerment’ and it is easy to see why as they offer such a range of empathetic and inspiring words.

In ‘Your Epic Self’, Kate Wakeling fills the reader with positivity, reminding them that although this ‘epic self’ might not surface every day, it is always there, just beneath the surface. The words of Chief Dan George sing of all the beauty of life which made his heart soar, reminding us to look at the world around us and find inspiration and joy in nature.

‘Afro Hair Haiku’ is formed from a series of haiku, exploring the beauty of Afro hair and the importance of letting ‘it grow the way it wants to grow: confident again.’ whilst in ‘The Cancan’, Mandy Coe celebrates the amazing feelings of empowerment and freedom which dancing gives. Each poem needs dwelling on and lingering over- and each could be used with classes as the focus for discussion, to enhance a lesson or as a thought to end a day.

There are also poems which would work well as models to inspire children’s own writing. For example, Laura Mucha’s ‘You’re Never Too…’ is an absolute gift for adding additional lines to either individually or as a class, encouraging children to think about both Laura’s ideas and those that they are building.

Containing work from a wonderful range of poets, I am delighted to see that Little Tiger have chosen to keep the work rooted in the places they were written by preserving the subtle differences between British and American English, allowing children to appreciate how language reflects culture, place and time.

Bursting with vibrant artwork from four talented and creative illustrators, every page is a joy to look at, with colour and energy framing the words. This is a collection which will resonate with many, offering words of comfort, wisdom and courage.

Courage in a Poem: Poems About Empowerment

Cecilia Knapp, Debjani Chatterjee, Valerie Bloom, Mandy Coe, Naomi Shihab Nye, Kate Wakeling, Elizabeth Acevedo, Victoria Adukwei Bulley, Joe Cook, Jason Reynolds, Nikita Gill, Laura Mucha, Janet Wong, Nikki Grimes, Mahogany L. Browne, Matt Goodfellow, Sophia Thakur, Rachel Plummer, Jay Hulme and Chief Dan George

illustrated by Annalise Barber, Mariana Roldan, Masha Manapov and Nabila Adani

Little Tiger ISBN: 978-1838914394

The Blue-Footed Booby

A mystery is afoot! Desmond and his fellow red-footed boobies have been following their passion and baking up lots of treats. However, when Desmond’s frangipane tart disappears, he sets off, following a trail of mysterious blue footprints and is soon joined by the other boobies. When the footprints lead to a blue door, Desmond, Maureen, Rod and the others come face to face with a booby with BLUE feet. Although this booby protests his innocence and claims he only eats greens, Des is suspicious until he spots a trail of tart crumbs. Everyone hurriedly follows this new clue which leads to the discovery of the real culprit. Mystery solved…or is it?

Every book by Rob Biddulph is guaranteed to be an absolute joy- and this is no exception! The title alone is sure to be met with giggles galore despite the inclusion of a definition of the word on the opening end paper- which might encourage children to find out more about these charming birds with brightly coloured tootsies. Desmond and his friends are a loveable bunch with their oversized red feet and each sporting their own style of baker’s hat. There is so much to notice and enjoy in Rob’s wonderful illustrations, including a list of things to find which you can tick off at the front of the book. And one of them is quite tricky to locate (I had to enlist the support of my husband)..! Indeed, eagle eyed children (and adults) may well notice a hidden clue to help solve the final mystery as the story develops!

The wonderful illustrations are accompanied by bouncy rhyme with plenty of interesting words to investigate and enjoy! Sections of the text are perfect for joining in with…in fact, it’s almost impossible not to! I can almost hear classes of children having the best time learning left and right without even meaning to as their quick-thinking teacher encourages them to act out ‘Left footprint…right footprint…’ Desmond learns that he should not jump to conclusions about others and yet, there is a further surprise to end this delightfully silly tale. There is even a QR code included which will lead you to an episode of ‘Draw with Rob’, which shows the reader what a real blue-footed booby looks like as well as teaching how to draw one.

Another triumph from Mr Biddulph! Make sure you take off the dust jacket so you can enjoy the illustrations beneath.

The Blue-Footed Booby Rob Biddulph

Harper Collins ISBN: 978-0008413392

You can read my review of ‘An Odd Dog Christmas’ here.

Meet Frances Durkin

Today, it is a joy to welcome Frances Durkin for a chat! I first met Frankie when ‘The Histronauts An Egyptian Adventure’ won the NSTBA Information Category in 2018. This series of history based adventures quickly became favourites in school, combining adventure, history and a graphic novel approach and making the adventures both accessible and enjoyable. There are four books in this series- apologies that ‘A Greek Adventure’ is missing from the photos (I have lent it someone)- each supporting an area of the curriculum. Many thanks to Frankie for answering my questions.

1.       Your ‘Histronauts’ series make history accessible and fun, allowing children to enjoy the benefits of a great story with plenty of historical detail. Did you enjoy history lessons at school?

Thank you so much. We did set out to make the books as accessible as possible while conveying loads of information and being fun to read. I think it’s so important to nurture curiosity about the past at a young age. I really enjoyed history as a child, but I was home educated so I didn’t quite have the conventional school experience of history lessons. I was a voracious reader and I worked through so many books on different subjects. I also had the advantage of living in an area that was full of historical places to visit, and I think it was the sheer number of day trips that really made the greatest impact. York was always a favourite place to go and the smell of the Jorvik Viking Centre (if you know, you know) is really evocative even today. Grace (Cooke) and I visited it when we were researching our Histronauts book about the Vikings and it brought back so many childhood memories

I also used to develop obsessions with certain subjects and would devour as much as I could about that one thing. My first biggest passion was ancient Greece, so it was amazing to revisit something I once knew so well for the latest Histronauts book.

2.       If time travel were possible, which period of history or which historical event would you most like to visit?

Oh, that’s such a good question! There are lots of events that I’ve written about that I would love to see with my own eyes. It would have made my PhD a lot easier if I could have just popped back to France in 1095 to see the crowd’s reaction to Pope Urban II announcing his idea for what we now call the First Crusade. And I would love to watch the craftsmanship that went into building somewhere like York Minster with its beautiful stonework and amazing stained-glass windows.

There are also lots of people I’d love to sit and chat with. Can you imagine sitting down with Marie Curie or Alan Turing and just asking them about their work when they had no idea about the impact that they would go on to have on the world?

But I would definitely only want to visit and not to live in the past. I love hot, running water and the internet far too much to stay.   

3.       If you could change one thing at any point in history, what would it be?

Eek! Where to start? I don’t know! Is it arrogant of me to want to try to do something that made an impact for the good? But I have no idea what I would choose. I could stop a war. But why just that war? Or save people from a catastrophe. But why that particular catastrophe? Or prevent global warming. But which one thing would do that? As a historian I only hope that I can share the information about the past that stops people from repeating the same terrible mistakes.

4.       Grace Cooke illustrates the books wonderfully, bringing both characters and setting to life. How did you come to work together?

Isn’t she amazing?! I used to work with her sister and when I was creating some education resources and looking for an illustrator, she suddenly said ‘My sister can draw’. So, it was meant to be. And it’s always important to point out that we are co-creators of The Histronauts. Once we met and started sharing ideas, that first idea for education resources turned into The Histronauts books. That’s because of her amazing creativity. We make a great team and it’s a pleasure to work with her!

5.       Richard III (I am a huge fan!) needs someone to write an excellent, child-friendly novel about him. Would you like to do this and if not Richard III, which historical figure would you choose to write a novel about?

That’s a very interesting question! And I would definitely read a novel about Richard III, but I don’t think I would be the right person to write it. I like to look for more unusual narratives and I think there’s so much room for looking at subjects outside of the monarchy or ruling classes of any particular time period. There will always be new information about, or new ways to interpret the histories of kings and queens, and there are amazing historians doing exactly that right now. But I want to share the forgotten or hidden stories that get lost when we focus on a handful of individuals.

6.       What can we expect from you next? Are there more adventures for the Histronauts on the way or are you working on something else?

I have two new books out with b small in 2023 but I’m not sure if I can shout about them yet. You’ll know about it when I can. There is also talk of doing more with The Histronauts and I can’t wait to work with Grace again.

7.       And lastly- and most importantly according to my niece- what is your favourite cake?

All the cake! Any cake! Actually, I’m not a particular fan of lemon drizzle. But one of the great advantages of being a historian is the wonderful range of tea shops in museums, so cake is always a very big part of my research trips.

Twitter: @HistoriaFrankie

Instagram: @historiannextdoor

 Thanks very much, Frankie! I can’t wait to find out more about your new books- and I’m very excited to think that the Histronauts will be off on their adventures again!

You can read my review of The Histronauts: An Egyptian Adventure here.

Beyond the Frozen Horizon

In 2030, the world leaders pledged a coordinated and unprecedented response to the Climate Crisis, introducing strict Climate Laws and establishing World Wilderness Zones, including the High Arctic. Rory’s mum is an environmental geologist whose new job with Greenlight, a company which claims to have developed new ways of ‘mining’ in the Arctic using bacteria, offers mother and daughter the chance of a lifetime opportunity to travel to Svalbard- and Rory the chance to escape the misery of school.

On arrival, instead of a ghost town, they find a tiny community still inhabiting Pyramiden, living in harmony with nature and its wildlife. Initially, Rory is treated with suspicion and shunned by the locals until she makes friends with MIkkal, and together, they uncover some disturbing truths about the Greenlight project.

Nicola Penfold has quickly become one of my favourite authors. Her writing is completely absorbing, superbly crafted and thought provoking- and I think ‘Beyond the Frozen Horizon’ is her best work yet.

The importance of caring for our world is at the absolute core of this book and yet nothing about it is ‘preachy’ or patronising. The respect and care shown for the natural world by Mikkal and his people stands in harsh contrast to the real actions and purpose of those in charge of the Greenlight project. Rory stands between these two camps- she longs to believe in the company her mother is working for and yet is forced to face the realities of what she is seeing, taking the reader on a thought-changing journey about climate crisis, human impact on the planet and the need for change.

Evocative descriptions of the stark, yet stunning Arctic environment create a dramatic backdrop to the story. The perils of this environment, the fragility of human existence amid the cold and creatures which make it their home, is captured so vividly as Rory explores her new home, encountering danger and beauty in equal measure.

‘Beyond the Frozen Horizon’ is a compelling adventure with a hint of the supernatural- I love the reference to Michelle Paver’s ‘Dark Matter’ (which gave me nightmares) another stunning novel set in the Arctic. Any of Nicola’s books would make an excellent key text to study and enjoy, but ‘Beyond the Frozen Horizon’ is an absolute gift to any UKS2/ KS3 teacher in many ways. At story time, it would keep a class completely enraptured and absorbed; as a guided reader, it offers endless possibilities for rich, challenging work both guided and independent; as a class key text, it has the power of an engaging plot, the richness of language, interesting characters, links to other curricular areas and a satisfying conclusion to keep children absorbed and to inspire them to produce quality work in response. It is a fabulous book deserving great success!

Beyond the Frozen Horizon Nicola Penfold

Little Tiger ISBN: 9781788954471

Originally reviewed for Reading Zone.

Pause for Poetry: And Everything Will be Glad to See You

Nosy Crow have set a real precedent for beautifully presented poetry anthologies and this is no exception. The striking cloth bound cover with its stunning illustration is both tactile and tempting.

The collection contains a wealth of poems from well-loved, familiar voices to newer poets whose work is a treat to discover. However, this anthology only contains poems from women and girls. Ella Risbridger, the writer who selected these works, offers a full explanation for her reasons for this in a passionate, enthusiastic introduction (and afterword) to the reader so I will not dwell on this here, but will focus on the poems!

Although not organised into sections, there is a cohesive feeling to the anthology as the poems seem to flow from one to the next. Each spread glows with Shepeta’s beautiful illustrations which capture the essence of the words they accompany. A number of the poems are not only by women, but about women such as Rosa Parks, Malala Yousafzai and Harriet Tubman. Readers can discover the power and beauty of poems such as ‘Carving’ (Imtiaz Dharker), ‘Stars and Dandelions’ (Misuzu Kaneko), ‘Dancing’ (Yang Kuei-Fei) and ‘Remember’ (Joy Harjo) alongside the classic joy of Eleanor Farjeon’s timeless ‘Cats’.

There are many poems here which teachers could thread into their teaching or share as part of a story time, exposing their classes to the wonderful range of poets and their work. The beautiful presentation of the collection makes it the perfect gift to pass on the love of poetry.

And Everything Will be Glad to See You: Poems by Women and Girls

Selected by Ella Risbridger, illustrated by Shepeta

Nosy Crow ISBN: 978-1788009218

Originally reviewed for Reading Zone.

Festergrimm

When evil villain, Sebastian Eels, returns to Eerie-on-Sea, Herbie and Vi are convinced that he has some sinister purpose. He claims he is going to re-open Festergrimm’s Waxworks which will bring more tourists to the town, but as the children investigate, they discover another Eerie tale, full of family secrets and mechanical monsters, leading them into dark and dangerous places as they try to foil another of Eel’s dastardly schemes.

This is my favourite trip to Eerie-on-Sea so far! Full of all the familiar faces fans of the series have come to know and love, ‘Festergrimm’ is told with all the humour and charm of the previous books- and yet has a slightly different edge to it somehow.

Threads from the previous stories are drawn together in this one and it feels as if we are tantalisingly close to discovering more about the mysterious past of both Herbert Lemon and Violet Parma. These two make an incredible pair- brave and impetuous Vi often taking the lead, but Herbie (although starting with the intention of doing NOPE-vember and saying ‘nope’ to everything remotely adventurous!) rising to every challenge in his determination to defeat Eels.

I love the way Thomas Taylor refers to stories like the Gollum of Prague and Frankenstein as the children learn of the legend of Festergrimm’s metal giant, opening doors for children to discover new stories should they wish to as he builds on these to create his own. There are some quite chilling and tense moments in the book, but these are well balanced by the strength of the children’s friendship and the strong bonds they have with Jenny Hanniver, Dr Thalassi and Mrs Fossil as well as some more poignant events.

 ‘Mermedusa’ is, I believe, to be the fifth and final book in this series. Whilst I shall be sorry to make just one final visit to Eerie-on-Sea, Thomas Taylor has done such an excellent job of setting things up for an incredible conclusion to Herbie and Vi’s adventures that I can’t wait to read it!

Festergrimm Thomas Taylor

Walker Books ISBN: 978- 1529502121

Originally reviewed for Reading Zone.

The Little Match Girl Strikes Back

Bridie is one of the many youngsters selling matches on the streets of Victorian London. Her mother works long hours in dangerous conditions as a dipper in the Bryant and May Match Factory and even her six-year-old brother, Fergal, spends long hours making matchboxes in their tiny home. When trouble strikes and leaves Bridie hurt and alone, with just three matches left, magic happens when she strikes each one, allowing her to see visions of a different, brighter future. Realising she can change the future, the little match girl leads the factory workers out on strike and to achieve remarkable things.

Based on the real-life events of the matchgirls’ strike, this is a re-working of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic ‘The Little Matchgirl’. Like the original matchgirl, Bridie is cold, poor and hungry, but that’s where the similarity ends. Flame haired Bridie sparks with life, using her skill as a storyteller to charm people into buying her matches. Her determination and street savvy attitude, essential to her survival on the streets of Victorian London, make her a far more rounded, appealing character than Anderson’s ‘little child’. Her indignation at the injustices she sees all around her – the appalling conditions her mother works in, the bullying pettiness of the male supervisors in the factory, her mother’s encroaching illness to name a few - is infectious, leading the reader to empathise with her situation, but unlike the original, to feel a genuine – and justifiable- anger targeted at those responsible.

The story is sure to inspire some readers to investigate Annie Besant’s role in these events and research further into the events of this historic occasion. The newspaper article written by Annie, for example, can be seen on-line. Reading the story instantly made me want to know more about the girls involved and I have tried to locate those who are named as part of the Union committee in the census returns for 1881/91, but have had limited success in the short time I have been searching, finding only one possible entry for Mary (Polly) Driscol.

Taken from the 1891 Census

Emma has done a wonderful job of including elements from the original- the loss of the mother’s over-large slippers, the boy who takes them (although very different in this telling), the danger of carriages, the longing for goose- but has transformed the story into so much more. Books like this are essential for broadening children’s historical knowledge to events not taught in school and sparking their interest. Additional information from both author and illustrator is included at the end, accompanied by photographs, adding to the reader’s understanding of these events. In addition to being an excellent independent read, the book would work well as a guided reading or whole class text. It offers so many opportunities for discussion, role play and debate, leading to quality writing in a wide range of forms and enriching the curriculum, allowing children to make links with other areas of learning, deepening their understanding of living conditions in Victorian England and making them question how things have changed- or not.

Lauren’s illustrations and the use of varied typography add to the appeal of the story and the elliptical breaks within chapters will support children who feel overwhelmed by lengthy chapters, offering natural places for them to take a break in their reading should they need to do so. The accessible format does not prevent the story from containing plenty of challenge.

I have reviewed the book for someone else, but love it so much that I had to add some more here! Definitely one I will be planning for as a guided reading text, ‘The Little Match Girl Strikes Back’ is an excellent read.

The Little Match Girl Strikes Back

Emma Carroll, illustrated by Lauren Child

Simon and Schuster ISBN: 978- 1398512818

Published 15th September 2022

You can read my review of ‘Escape to the River Sea’ here.

Arabic Folktales

It is no secret that I love traditional tales, myths and legends. For me, there is something really special about reading stories which have been enjoyed and treasured by those before us whatever their culture or where they live in the world. The similarities which can occur between stories from different places are fascinating and each new re-telling offers a different slant as each teller breathes a little of themselves into the telling. So I was delighted to discover this on one of my trips to Bath.

‘Arabic Folktales: The Three Brothers of Serendip and Other Stories’ is a beautifully presented book. The dust jacket is handsome enough, but the actual cover shows an explosion of the paper cut flowers which can be found throughout the book. Geertje Aalders, the master paper cutter responsible for the art work throughout the book, has greatly contributed to making this a very appealing book to be treasured. The title page of each story has a paper cut surround and further illustrations accompany each tale.

The author describes himself as a ‘sort of gatherer of tales’ who has tried to rewrite them in his own style, but encourages the reader to change elements as he says ‘stories are the best migrants and the finest travellers. Let these stories become your own.’ And this is a delightful collection with a story for every occasion. ‘Soup’ is a wonderful story about the importance of having enough love in your heart to help others whilst ‘The Man Who Was Never Satisfied’ teaches the importance of appreciating what you have. Many of these stories would be perfect to use as the starting point for an assembly or for sharing as part of a PSHE session as they contain wisdom a-plenty! However, the book would also make an excellent text for guided reading, allowing children time to discuss the stories and explore them further with the stories being short enough to allow a sense of satisfaction and achievement for those put off by longer texts.

Translated from Dutch by Laura Watkinson, ‘Arabic Folktales’ is an essential collection for anyone who shares my delight in traditional stories and for anyone who hasn’t yet discovered just how delightful they can be!

Arabic Folktales:

The Three Princes of Serendip and Other Stories

Rodaan Al Galidi, translated by Laura Watkinson, illustrated by Geertje Aalders

Walker Books ISBN: 978-1529506006

If You Read This

When her Nana throws a surprise party for her twelfth birthday, Brie is embarrassed by all the attention. Her final present is from her mother- who died three year’s ago- a series of letters leading Brie on one final treasure hunt like those they used to enjoy together. The first letter guides Brie to a special place, but her father, manager of the resort where they live, works long hours and seems disinterested in his daughter and her quest. Will her mother’s treasure hunt help bring them together?

Beautifully told, ‘If You Read This’ is a heartwarming, sensitive story, full of love and hope. Brie is trying to cope with the grief of losing of her mother and the complex emotions surrounding this. She is also struggling in her relationship with her father who has been distant and focused on his work, leaving her feeling neglected and hurt. Ultimately, her mother’s treasure hunt helps her come to understand both her father and mother better and learn more about herself.

The story is full of appealing characters set against a vivid Caribbean background, full of colour and energy. The constant in Brie’s life, her Nana, is just wonderful and the strength of her friendship with Smiley and Femi is heartwarming. Brie herself is endearing and readers are really able to empathise with her mixed feelings as the story develops.

‘If You Read This’ is a powerful and emotional story which is a joy to read. As with any story dealing with such emotive issues, the content should be considered before recommending, but it offers much to enjoy!

If You Read This Kereen Getten

Pushkin Children’s ISBN: 978-1782692812

Meet Cath Howe

It is wonderful to be joined by Cath Howe for today’s Q and A session. Cath won the NSTBA 2018 Moving On Category with ‘Ella on the Outside’ and has continued to produce powerful and enjoyable books which are very popular with children in both primary and secondary schools. If you are not familiar with her writing, I strongly recommend that you read everything she has written!

1.   You are well known for writing heart-warming, insightful stories. Do you think being a teacher helps you with how you present your characters and the situations they find themselves in?

Yes, I spend time with my chosen age-group every week and get to know them throughout the year, teaching small groups creative writing and performance. I love this work. I get lots of story ideas and I think it helps me write believable contemporary characters. I also really like the company of children. They make me laugh.

2.  When you’re writing, do you start with an idea of a character or a situation?

Usually I start with a character. I need to write that character’s voice for a while with bursts of writing about their life, family and home world. Once they begin to feel alive in my head, I write monologues of other characters who will appear in the story- incidents and opinions. The monologue work means I write thousands of words that never appear in the story. But that’s OK.

Unusually, The Insiders started with the idea of a school at night and wondering if anyone might be inside it. It’s rare for me to use a situation first and characters second but this plot really interested me right from the start and I loved writing three viewpoints.

3.       Your characters are hugely relatable and easy to empathise with so the reader really feels they know them by the end. Although your books are stand alone, would you ever think about writing another story about any of them?

I’d love to. I’d like to tell the story of Ella in Ella on the Outside when she visits her Dad.

I’d like to revisit Lucas in How To Be Me and see how he has changed in the months after the summer ended.

I’d love the group of friends in The Insiders to discover more weird situations in school.

I have often carried on writing a story after the book has ended. Some of the minor characters have intrigued me too. I wonder if one of them could switch to being a central story.

4.  Have you ever thought about writing something completely different - like historical fiction for example?

I’m not someone who loves to do research. I really like writing for different age-groups. I’m busy working on something for a younger age group. I’m not able to give details right now but…very exciting!

5.  Do you think you have you been influenced by any authors whose work you read as a child?

Yes, definitely. I read a lot as a child- a wide range of books from Alan Garner and Tolkein to Noel Streatfield. And I was lucky to be read to a lot.

6.   What can we expect from you next?

My next MG book is nearly complete. It’s a firecracker of a theme and a book I really wanted to write. The story is told by two children. It starts with a very dramatic event in the life of one of them. I have absolutely loved writing it and exploring the psychology and behaviour of the main characters.

And younger fiction on the horizon- this is a great joy.

7.  And lastly- and most importantly according to my niece- what is your favourite cake?

I love a good carrot cake with cream cheese icing- my idea of perfection.

Website: www.cathhowe.com

Twitter: @cath_howe

Many thanks to Cath for joining me today. I’m really excited about the next book- can’t wait to read it! You can read my review of ‘The Insiders’ here

Blog Tour: Safe

Today, I am thrilled to be starting the Blog Tour for this wonderful book. ‘Flight’, the first book in which we meet Kizzy and Jakob, is a stunning story which I highly recommend and so I was delighted to learn that ‘Safe’ was to be the sequel.

This guest post from Vanessa offers a fascinating insight into her writing, showing how she adds such life and texture to her work.

When writing a novel you have to have credible characters and a viable plot which all has to happen within a believable setting. Obviously, when writing historical fiction you have to get the details of the setting right within the appropriate period. You have to watch for anachronisms. No microwaves or mobile phones in your story is an extreme way to prove a point in the instance of Safe.

With both Flight and Safe, nature has been an important element. Whether it is the trees, flowers, or the birds and animals surrounding them. This is because in both stories they spend a lot of time living outside so are aware of them. I also wanted to remind children of nature. To make them think about trees and the world beyond the screen I suppose.

But setting is so much more than geography, flora and fauna. Setting encompasses where they live, what they might eat, how they get about, how they communicate and with Safe details of the war – guns, transport, uniform. This then takes us back to research. We must do enough research to get the details right but not overwhelm the narrative. The story must always wear the research with a light hand.

When creating setting the ideal is to visit the place you are situating your story in. Sometimes this is not always feasible. For me, for example, as a disabled author, this is not always that simple and I confess it is where I love Google maps and the facility where you can ‘walk’ around to see what is there. Allowing me the freedom to ‘visit’ a place. Yes, it allows you to visualise it, but what it can’t do is enable you to hear the sounds or the smells in a place, which is a distinct disadvantage, particularly for me who loves to use the senses in her writing.

Smell can be very powerful and evocative. We can all think of a smell that immediately takes us back to a memory or a place. The smell of burnt toast immediately takes me back to holidays with my family on the Welsh coast when I was between 2 and 3. Very happy times. Using all these senses in your writing can lift the narrative and just add that depth. However, as with everything, there is a fine line between adding the perfect detail and overwhelming the reader with too much detail. It’s a cliché, but something that I stand by – less is more.

When you are writing a scene that is emotionally wrought and powerful, I have a habit of doing lots of research and writing it ‘big’ first. This might mean I will write a whole chapter based on the scene away from the manuscript so that I can get all that research in – doing everything that I have said above that you shouldn’t do. Once I have done that and got the emotion in there that I want. I will distil it down and down, by rewriting it, shorter and shorter, until it ends up at the length I want it to be in the actual manuscript. It will have all the emotion and power that I wanted because it has been informed by the work I did beforehand. I did this in Flight with the mass grave scene and also in Safe with the death of Anna’s parents and brother.

Getting the setting right is important because if you get that wrong the reader may lose faith in your story and put it down, wondering what else in the story is inaccurate. I’ve seen that with my grandson, who stopped reading a book when he found an issue with a historical book he was reading. It put him off.  When I am researching my settings, I will create a document where I list all the websites and books that I use so I know if there is a query during the editorial process I can check it quickly.

Like research, the setting is something that I love to create and understand. It is one of the main foundation stones of your story and you need to be aware of it so that your readers can get the most out of your story.

Vanessa Harbour  

Social Media:

Instagram @NessHarbour

Twitter @VanessaHarbour

Many thanks to Vanessa for sharing this with me today- and thanks to Amy at Firefly Press for inviting me to take part. I will be posting my review of ‘Safe’ early next week with a link to my previous review of ‘Flight’, but I highly recommend them to everyone!

Make sure you follow all the stops on the Safe Blog Tour to find out more.

Pause for Poetry: Yapping Away: Poems to Fill the World with Laughter

Joshua Seigal is well known for his humorous and inspiring poems and his most recent collection is every bit as wonderful as the others. Full of excellent poems, it is perfect for sharing at home, school or for curling up with on your own. With the start of the new school year rapidly approaching, it is well worth having to hand for those odd moments which need a poem or two!

The poems are playful, drawing on the everyday and inviting the reader to look at things differently. Like many, ‘Fill the World’ would be great fun to perform, adding actions – and/or creating new verses and performing these. The use of word play and pattern mean that children will pick many of the poems up without any effort, joining in with repetition- Icky Sticky Choccy Biccy, Happy or Sleepy Dust, for example, and thoroughly enjoying deciding how to present them. ‘Magic!’ is another which is calling out to be shared and which children would really enjoy using the structure to create their own versions.

These really are poems which will fill the world with laughter, but Joshua Seigal also offers places to pause and think. Drawing my Grandma is full of lovely images, but ends with a poignant thought.  Sad perfectly encapsulates that inexplicable feeling of sorrow which hit us all from time to time- great for initiating discussions and exploring feelings.

Many of the poems here would be perfect for inspiring children to create their own and Joshua Seigal has included ideas at the end of the book for the reader to try. Some of these would make great getting-to-know-you activities for the first days back to school.

Although aimed at a younger audience, these poems would work well with children of any age, helping them to explore poetic techniques and offering enjoyable examples. Even the subjunctive seems less hideous when in a poem! Other poems like ‘Lots’ are just perfect for PSHE for exploring ideas and encouraging discussion in these lessons or as the basis for an assembly.

With illustrations by Sarah Horne adding to the humour of the poems, Yapping Away’ is a wonderful collection- a must have addition to any teacher’s collection!

Yapping Away: Poems to Fill the World with Laugher

Joshua Seigal, illustrated by Sarah Horne

Bloomsbury ISBN: 978-1472972743