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World Book Day 2023

This year's celebration had a Science twist. The English and Science leads teamed up for a joint World Book Day and Science event. The theme for the day was 'beetles, bugs and butterflies'. Each Year group spent the morning exploring and enjoying a new bug-themed text, followed by an afternoon of Science that continued the themes of the book. Thank you to everyone that brought in their home-made bugs and accessories. We were really impressed by your creativity!

World Book Day 2023

Outdoor reading at the Juniors

The children at the Junior site have been enjoying the beautiful new 'quiet area', particularly the cupboard chock full of books and magazines. We are adding brand new books this week, with a selection of the latest popular graphic novels. 

Book Reviews

Have you heard of Toppsta? Toppsta.com was set up by a mum to help children recommend books to each other. With no photos, no forums and no real names, it provides a space where children can give their opinion. It has over 100,000 reviews from young reviewers, parents and teachers. Parents can set up a free profile and enter book giveaways on behalf of their children. There are usually more than 10 copies of each book to win.

Children's Book Reviews | Toppsta

Still not sure what to read next? Find out which books our staff love. 

Mrs Harris - Ladybirds teacher

‘I recently enjoyed Orphans of the Tide by Struan Murray. It's a mysterious fantasy adventure that opens with a whale marooned on a city church roof. It's fast-paced and is full of jaw-dropping twists and turns. There are some chilling moments that literally sent shivers down my spine! I would recommend this book for children in years 5 and 6. Read this if you like His Dark Materials or Brightstorm.’

Orphans of the Tide is available to borrow on the Library's free app 'Libby'.

If you have been in my class, then you will know that I love Science. I am also very fond of cats. So, when I discovered the book Cats React to Science Facts by Izzi Howell, I was thrilled. This book is jam-packed with interesting facts from key Science topics, such as the human body, materials and astronomy. There are also cats... LOTS of cats! On each page, a furry friend measures the facts on a 'react-o-meter' to decide if they are Wow! Or Gross! Or Mind-Blowing! With bright and bold images, hilarious jokes and puns, and cute kitties throughout, this is a great book for any age, but I particularly recommend it for children in Years 1-3. 

Mr Wardroper - Year 5 teacher

 'As a lover of action and adventure, the Alex Rider books from Anthony Horowitz are the perfect reads for me. There are a number of books in the Alex Rider series, and all of them are fantastic; I started with ‘Stormbreaker’ and worked through the series chronologically. However, you can pick up and read them in any order. In Stormbreaker, main character Alex is a schoolboy who is suddenly thrust into a life of danger, thrills and espionage when he realises that his family aren’t quite as normal as he thought. Horowitz magnificently describes Alex’s emotional journey as he transforms from “every-day-kid” to the next James Bond. I recommend this book for year 5 and 6 readers who enjoy action and adventure.'

The Alex Rider series is available to borrow on the Library's free app 'Libby'.

Mrs Stephen - Year 6 teacher

'The main character in this book is called Hector who makes unfortunate choices most of the time. He’s got so little understanding of the world that he has no sympathy for a local homeless man called Thomas (who is taking up space in the park, and sleeping on a bench that Hector would like to sit on!).

When a spate of London landmark sculptures are suddenly stolen, including Paddington Bear and the Eros statue in Piccadilly Circus, Hector is convinced the crimes have been carried out by homeless people led by Thomas – but not long after he reports Thomas to the police, he realises that he's got it horribly wrong. Hector then has to undertake a race against time to make sure that justice is done.

This book really made me think about the real human beings whose lives are impacted by homelessness - and about the power of kindness, friendship, and empathy. By the end of the book, Hector shows us how everyone has the potential to change for the better. This is a gripping tale with a strong moral at its heart and I found learning about the homeless code absolutely fascinating. Although it started off a bit slowly, once it got going, I didn’t want to put it down. I would definitely recommend this book, which is most suited to children in Years 5 & 6.'

Mrs Munro - TA and resident artist. 

'Framed, by Frank Cottrell Boyce is a little gem of a book. It’s the story of a sleepy little town in Wales called Manod where nothing seems to happen, until one day something wonderful changes everything.  The story is told by young Dylan Hughes, the only boy left in town, whose family runs the Manod gas station.  Through his innocent, friendly voice we get to know his family and lots of the town’s people.  Just when Manod seems about to fall off the map and the family is in deep financial trouble, the National Gallery in London decides to store all its paintings in an abandoned mine in the little town, to protect them from local flooding. As one by one, the people of Manod get exposed to the beautiful artwork, gradual changes take place that will warm your heart and save the town. This book is about people and a town discovering not only who they are, but who they can be.'

If you would like to find out what the paintings mentioned in the book look like, follow this link: 

https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/learning/teachers-and-schools/teaching-english-and-drama/framed

 Click below to see which books The Reader Teacher is excited about in March.

David Keyte: Teacher & Book Vlogger - YouTube

Click here for age appropriate book recommendations.