I’ve never come across any work by Jonty Howley, however I will be keeping a keen eye out for his work after reading the brilliant Cub.
One day, Magnus finds himself taken to his grandparents. The car journey ends in a place that has to be his new home and this turn of events makes his heart heavy. His Grandma has an idea – perhaps a friend will help Magnus settle and this is how he comes to meet Cub.
Magnus and Cub become inseparable, each needing the other. As the story develops, it tells us how the young boy needs to start to feel safe in his new surroundings.
I love the way that Jonty Howley takes the toy that is meant to be a comfort and give it a real sense of power, the tiny Cub becoming a huge lion as Magnus becomes more confident and finds his voice again.
Now for the teacher bit. As a teacher, I have come to learn that far more children that you think are placed in the care of their grandparents. Due to that, Cub is a very important book to have in schools as it tells the story of some of the children in our settings. This alone makes it a must have in school.
Read this book and find your roar!
The Great British Bookworm 