Vlad and the Great Fire of London by Kate and Sam Cunningham

This is one of a fantastic historical series in which Vlad, the flea, narrates key events that he happens to have the misfortune, in this case, to be present for. Along with his friend, Boxton the Rat, he finds himself in the middle of one of true disasters that London has faced.

Placing Vlad and Boxton right in the middle of the fire from the start adds an element of peril to keep the reader on the edge of their seat. The artwork is quite dynamic with explosions and raging flames throughout.

My little boy has recently learned about the Great fire of London so it was great to share this as a bedtime story with him. His excitement at Samuel Pepys burying his diary during the fire just shows how building on a child’s own knowledge is worthwhile.

Now for the teacher bit. Of course the subject matter makes this ideal for any primary school as the Great Fire of London features on many History curriculums. There is a handy fact file at the back that can be used to add detail to the unit when you teach it. Did you know that 87 churches were destroyed during the fire?

I was very Vlad to read this. (Sorry for the poor rhyming pun!)

Beneath by Cori Doerrfeld

Finn can’t face the world. Everything is wrong and all he wants to do is hide away from the world beneath his bed cover. However, regardless on how Finn feels, his Grandpa wants to help and this leads to an adventure into the ordinary.

Sometimes, to appreciate your own situation, you need to go slower and notice the world around you. As Grandpa takes Finn on a walk away from his worries, he explains how everything has a ‘beneath’ to consider. No one can see inside a person so sharing you feelings is a must to a positive outcome.

Cori Doeerfeld has a gentle illustration style that switches the focus from the boy and the grandpa to the wider world with ease. I particularly enjoyed the skyline colours that changed in subtle ways throughout.

Now for the teacher bit. So many valid learning conversations can be generated just through sharing this book. Skeletons, habitats, tree roots – all of these and more are explored as the pair make their journey. This is what great books can do; make you ask more and more questions about the world around you.

Beneath the cover lies a fantastic tale – delve inside and enjoy!

The Wintermoor Lights by Dan Smith

Dan Smith is a Great British Bookworm favourite with the likes of The Wall Between Us, The Invasion of Crooked Oak and The Beast of Harwood Forest. He is a master of pacy books that grip the reader and excels with bringing the scares. The Deadsoul Project kicked off The Night house Files series and The Wintermoor Lights is a welcome follow-up.

In 1984, a school is plagued by a mysterious light that is only seen by a select few; who they change overnight. Caught in the middle of this is Tara, a girl who has witnessed her friends slowly become distant, slowly displaying behaviours that seem odd. slowly she comes to fear the worst.

The pace of the story is spot on with each eerie section ramping up the uncertainty of the lives of the students. Each character seems to be up for grabs to be turned and this leads to Tara unravelling more and more as fear grips.

Dan Smith has created a series that investigates disturbing events that unsettle the survivors long after most have forgotten what actually happens. The framing of interviews to present the creepy goings on in a retrospective view is an interesting approach to hint at the tension that the reader will encounter.

Now for the teacher bit. As a book from Barrington Stoke, The Wintermoor Lights is ideal for schools due to being highly accessible, authored by a quality writer and always a perfect page count for a bust classroom. Stack your class library with these brilliant books and watch the children grow as readers.

Another blockbuster of a book!

How Many Animals Can Fit In This Book? by Natalia Taskina

Natalia Yaskina has created a lovely book that any young child would adore. It all starts with a content ant more than happy with his lot.

The story quickly descends into crowded chaos as more and more animals decide to make the book their habitat. Penguins and ladybirds alike start to fill the space, each to the annoyance of the solo ant. The simple art style and bold colours make each page a vibrant splash of colour to enjoy for the reader.

Now for the teacher bit. As a teacher, any book that explicitly encourages counting is an absolute must. Developing a love of stories with such a simple way to engage with the children makes books like this a true must for the classroom.

How many times can you read this book!

The Escape Artist: A True Story of Octopus Adventure by Thor Hanson & Galia Bernstein

I’m a sucker for a weird true tale likes Duck Overboard so I was instantly drawn to this unlikely story of an octopus that finds its way back home.

Inky is a thoughtful creature. He spends his time in his tank observing his friends; the turtles and sealions. He also watches the humans intently – his keepers and those faces that peer through his tank. Yet the one thought he ponders over the most is can there ever be a tank without walls. A tank to stretch to his fullest and explore to his own delight. And one day, he spots his chance…

The way Thor Hanson using rhyming couplets to tell the story makes this an ideal reading aloud tale to share. Fantastic rhythm to each and every word.

Now for the teacher bit. This book would be ideal for inspiring a range of text types: news report, narrative and non-chronological reports all come to mind. The weird, wonderful world of animals is always a great source for generating writing. Kids love learning all the odd facts about the creatures and want to find ways to add them to their work. The fact file about octopuses is a handy guide and you could use it alongside Obsessive About Octopuses .

Like a real life Finding Nemo escape from the dentist’s fish tank!

The Wild Robot on the Island by Peer Brown

To fans of The Wild Robot children’s books, it may come as a pleasant surprise that Peter Brown is the author and illustrator of great picture books. I really enjoyed Fred Gets Dressed and was looking forward to seeing The Wild Robot in picture book form.

A small, remote island has an odd visitor – a visitor that seems to think they belong. Over time, the robot known as Roz learns the ways of the island by carefully watching the animals. As a sense of community grows for the robot, so does a sense of responsibility when Roz adopts a gosling. Through patience and nurture, the gosling grows into the strong-willed Brightbill. This is a touching tale of what it means to be a parent and why you have to have faith to allow your young to fly free.

Essentially, a stripped back version of the novel by the same name, this tale would still stand proudly on its own two feet.

Peter Brown’s produces some stunning artwork that has some real contrasts to the likes of Fred Gets Dressed. I adore the use of colour in one autumn scene as well as the framing of a nest when we first meet Brightbill. In fact, the tone of the colours used throughout are pitch perfect.

Now for the teacher bit. Having a fantastic set of illustrations to link to a brilliant class novel is a teacher’s dream for producing high quality writing. If you’re considering using The Wild Robot with your class then this is a must as a companion text. The additional learning that can be prompted by this book would be animal habitats and migration. I’d recommend linking any work to Migration by Mike Unwin and Jenni Desmond.

A wonderful picture book based on a wonderful children’s novel.

The Lost Robot by Joe Todd-Stanton

Joe Todd-Stanton is a firm favourite for his fabulous picture books that always delight. I’m a huge fan of the Brownstone series and always re-read the likes of Arthur and the Golden Rope, Leo and the Gorgon’s Curse, Kai and the Monkey King as well as his stand alone stories: A Mouse Called Julian, The Secret of Black Rock and The Comet. Basically, if you have never read a Todd-Stanton before please, please, please do ASAP!

That leads onto his latest picture book, The Lost Robot. This is yet another cracking read that will captivate children and draw them further along on their journey as a reader.

Mio ‘wakes up’ on a mountain of obsolete machines – rusted, broken, left to rot away. He explores his surroundings wondering where he is and why. His memory isn’t functioning well and his system can’t decide his next steps. A great wall limits his horizons until he finds a way to break free and find himself again.

As always, the artwork is top class. Joe Todd-Stanton is the master of the splash page with multiple representations of the same character making their way across a landscape. Luckily for Mio, when he takes a tumble on such a page he doesn’t have the same fate as The Iron Man. Fans of Star Wars might latch onto the vibes of space junk collection and trading of worn-out tech, I could easily imagine this to be a short droid tale.

Now for the teacher bit. This would be ideal for a PHSE unit about moving on and starting new friendships. Being rejected for something or someone new is a challenge for anyone and this book highlights that it isn’t always down to the person to actually change. This is a great life lesson!

Another gem from a master story teller.

Over the Shop by JonArno Lawson & Qin Leng

Wordless picture books are things of wonder. Each page has to draw the reader in and move the story on. Over the Shop by JonArno Lawson and Qin Leng is a great example of how to do this so well.

Over the Shop tells a tale of connections that grow and evolve through helping each other. A young girl lives with her grandmother who owes the shop. Running the shop is hard work and extra money is needed. This leads to reluctantly renting out the flat above the shop to a young couple – one act begins the forming of friendships that enriches the lives of everyone involved.

The artwork by Qin Leng is amazing. The way the watercolours add character to each image and the panel design that tells the tale step by step is something to adore.

Now for the teacher bit. Wordless picture books are amazing for writing. The opportunity to describe the detailed images in a book like this is one to exploit. With a simple narrative structure that the children can use as a framework, using Over the Shop would lead to some fantastic writing outcomes.

Over the Shop needs to find it’s way out of the shop and into your classroom.

The Spectacular Space Loop by Javi De Castro

Cosmo is propelled through space due to a jetpack problem. As he spins into the vastness, it seems as though this will be his last adventure. No way to contact his team, no way home, no hope. Like all good space adventures, Cosmo encounters all kinds of dangers from aliens who might be friends or foes to mutants in sewers.

Javi De Castro has created a quirky, fun book that flips upside down when you reach the end so you get to enjoy the second part of a space peril. The skill level to tell two ‘stories’ using one image is impressive. Because of this, not everything is as it seems on Cosmo’s return journey home.

Now for the teacher bit. I am a huge graphic novel advocate! It is an ideal format to create a new generation of readers – interesting visuals, cool characters and lots of action will always grab young readers.

A cosmic wonder for kids to enjoy!

Captain Danger and the Stupid Shadow by Victor Engbers

Pushkin is a fantastic publisher as they find little golden nuggets from far away and bring them to the UK to share. Captain Danger and the Stupid Shadow is a great find and one that kids here will love.

It starts off as a standard day for Captain Shadow giving pants, socks and shadow a wash. It all starts to go wrong when his shadows decides it has had enough and wants to go on its own adventure. Of course, Captain Danger needs his shadow so off he goes in hot pursuit. Then it reads like all the madness of a hyperactive mind tossed onto a page – this is part of the charm. Mermaids, giant insects, dragons are just some of the creatures he encounters on his quest to retrieve his beloved shadow.

In this, Victor Engbers displays a style that has the feel of a self made comic made on a rainy Sunday by an excited child. It is perfect for the surreal story that it weaves and will appeal to all.

Now for the teacher bit. There is no real teacher tip beyond this: always have silly books for children to encounter. Having fun in life is key! Being able to read is key! Being able to have fun reading gets the biggest thumbs up!

Bonkers brilliance!