February Reads

Here is a round up of what I read throughout February and my thoughts on each. Enjoy! :-)

The Light Jar - Lisa Thompson

In the dead of night, Nate and his mum run away to a tumbledown cottage in the middle of a forest. When Mum heads off for food and doesn't return, Nate is left alone and afraid, with shadows closing in all around him. But comfort comes from the most unexpected of places - a mysterious girl on a cryptic treasure hunt, and the surprising reappearance of someone from his past.

I absolutely adored The Light Jar. Lisa Thompson addressed an incredibly tough and tricky subject in such a sensitive matter. Sadly there is no image of the book in this post as a year 5 child is currently borrowing it, however I have already reviewed this book in more detail which you can read here.

Tin - Padraig Kenny

Christopher is a real boy with a real soul who was orphaned in a fire. He works for Mr Absalom who is an engineer of mechanical children. These eccentric, loyal and totally individual mechanicals become Christopher's family. But after a devastating accident, a secret is revealed and Christopher's world is changed forever. Christopher goes missing and it is up to his loyal mechanical family to try and rescue him.

As someone who loved the Wizard of Oz as a child (even receiving a Tin Man costume for Christmas one year 😂), I adored the narrative of this story. The characters are absolutely brilliatnt and have such individual personalities. I have already reviewed this book in more detail which you can read here.

The Ice Garden - Guy Jones

Jess is allergic to the sun. She lives in a world of shadows and hospitals, peeking at the other children in the playground from behind curtains. Her only friend is a boy in a coma, to whom she tells stories. One night she sneaks out to explore the empty playground she's longed to visit, where she discovers a beautiful impossibility: a magical garden wrought of ice. But Jess isn't alone in this fragile, in-between place...

I inhaled this beautifully written book at the beginning of February. The descriptions are vivid and I love the mixing of real life hospital visits and the fantasy of the ice garden. It is a beautiful story of hope and belief which is perfect for KS2 children.

Uncle Gobb and the Green Heads - Michael Rosen

The second adventure of Michael Rosen and Neal Layton sees Malcolm and the peculiar Uncle Gobb go to America, each with a cunning plan ... Even though Malcolm managed to bamboozle and confuzle Uncle Gobb in the last book,  it was only temporary. Uncle Gobb is still living with him and still roaring at him about peas and poetry and Peter Parker. This time the plan to get rid of Uncle Gobb has to be mega. It has to be epic. It has to involve America, the Jumblies, the Genie, Aunty Brenda the Mender and Malcolm's long-lost dad. But Malcolm doesn't know that Uncle Gobb also has a plan. A plan to get rid of Malcolm once and for all... 

This was a quick and easy read one night after school. It is both hilarious and silly, and I've got to say I do love the interruptions of the weasels (maybe because I call my boyfriend a weasel). A perfect book for LSK2 with some child friendly silliness.

Piggy Hero - Pip Jones

Piggy Handsome is a very confident guinea pig with a hugely inflated ego - he hails from a long line of very famous guinea pigs. But sadly Handsome still hasn't achieved world renown. Well, now he has a new plan to get his name on the telly - he'll be someone's hero! When pushing Jeff Budgie off a roof and 'saving' him fails spectacularly, Handsome is at his wits' end. Little does he know, however, that the dastardly Dixons have escaped prison and are seeking revenge for their capture. What's more, Dan and Dolly's ghastly greed has led them to kidnapping, and now someone really does need saving! Can Piggy Handsome save the day for real? And will it earn him the fame he desperately desires?

I absolutely adore anything by Pip Jones and I adored this read. I devoured this in one evening and became convinced that Piggy Handsome is my fictional twin! My year 2 class loved Piggy Handsome and Piggy Hero was quickly borrowed from my reading corner. A perfect read for year 2 and above.

A Man of Good Hope - Jonny Steinberg

When Asaid was eight years old, his mother was shot in front of him. With his father in hiding, he was swept alone into the great wartime migration that has scattered the Somali people throughout the world. Serially betrayed by the people who promised to care for him, Asad spent his childhood in a bewildering number of places, from the cosmopolitan streets of inner-city Nairobi to towns deep in the Ethiopian desert. But by the time he reached the cusp of adulthood, Asad had made good as a street hustler, and, buoyed by success in work and in love, he put $1,200 in his pocket and made his way down the length of the African continent to Johannesburg, whose streets he believed to be lined with gold.

A Man of Good Hope is the true story of Asad, a Somali child who was swept up in the civil war in Mogadishu, Somalia. South African Jonny Steinberg befriended Asad when he was living in a South African township and two years later he wrote Asad's story following a series of extensive interviews with him. This book gave me compelling glimpses into a world to which I have no knowledge of and is a true story of resilience.

Dog - Andy Mulligan

When Tom meets Spider he knows he's found a friend for life. Sadly, the friendship doesn't run smoothly. The puppy has instincts of his own and Tom has so much on his plate: a new school, his parents' separation and some serious bullying... But when Tom and Spider become separated, they learn that they are far braver and more determined than anyone could have imagined. And in losing each other, they discover an unbreakable bond.

Dog is such a lovely, quirky story about a fantasy animal adventure. I love the way it addressed the issue of bullying both in terms of the bullying endured by Tom, but also the bullying inflicted by Spider the dog. It is a perfect book for UKS2 about friendship and identity. I loved it!

Stella by Starlight - Sharon Draper

Stella lives in the segregated south in Bumbleebee, North Carolina, to be exact about it. Some stores she can go into. Some stores she can't. Some folks are right pleasant, others are a lot less. To Stella, it sort of evens out, and heck, the Klan hasn't bothered them for years. But one last night, later than she should ever be up, much less wandering around outside, Stella and her little brother see something that they're never supposed to see, something that is the first flicker of change to come, change not welcome by any stretch of the imagination.

This story is told through the perspective of Stella and gives you a glimpse into the anguish that envelops a black community during an era when segregation was at the forefront. It is a powerful book for children about many issues which you could discuss.

Keep Stepping! - Joy Marsden

First, lead yourself. Leading yourself and others during turbulent times can be tricky, but great self-management and self-leadership doesn't come by accident, it requires focused attention. The need to manage and lead yourself is necessary if you want to consistently make the right choices and take the right actions. Mastering these skills will serve you well, both personally and professionally, and will help you to be at your best when you encounter challenges of change and uncertainty.

Just before half term, I had the privilege of listening to Joy Marsden speak for over an hour... and I wish she had spoken for longer! She was witty, comforting and relatable, but she also shared advice which really resonated with me. This book is a perfect read if you want to increase your resilience, keep motivated and engage more effectively.

 

Exit West - Mohsin Hamid

In a city far away, bombs and assassinations shatter lives every day. Yet, even here, hope renews itself, welling up through the rubble. Somewhere in this city, two young people are smiling, hesitating, sharing cheap cigarettes, speaking softly then boldly, falling in love. As the violence worsens and escape feels ever more necessary, they hear rumour of mysterious black doors appearing all over the city, all over the world. To walk through the door is to find a new life - perhaps in Greece, in London, in California - and to lose the old one forever...

I saw this book when in Waterstones over the half term holidays and felt like I needed it based purely on the cover. It is a story about migration told differently to the more common hiding on trains or chancing it on a boat, instead people use doors that can take you elsewhere. I did enjoy this book, but something about the end left me feeling a little disappointed.

The Nothing To See Here Hotel - Steven Butler

Welcome to the Nothing to see Here Hotel for magical creatures, where weird is normal for Frankie Banister and his parents who run the hotel. When a messenger arrives announcing the imminent arrival of the goblin prince Grogbah, Frankie and his family rush into action to get ready for their important guest. But it soon becomes obvious that the Banister family are going to have their work cut out with the demanding prince and his never-ending entourage, especially when it turns out the rude little prince is hiding a secret...

I read this one rainy Saturday morning and as a 27 year old I found it absolutely hilarious. There are lots of quirky characters and the illustrations are wonderful. I can't wait to share this book with my year 2 class.

The Phantom Lollipop Man - Pamela Butchart

Izzy and her friends are shocked when they find their lollipop man has disappeared! Maisie thinks he's gone to Rome but if that's true, why do they keep seeing a weird white wispy cloud around the school? And why do Izzy's legs feel cold even though she's got tights on? Could it be that the lollipop man is a phantom and he's come to spook them all?! Laugh-out-loud fun from Blue Peter Award winners Pamela Butchart and Thomas Flintham.

I absolutely love anything that Pamela Butchart creates and this is no different. I read this one Sunday morning during half term and adored it. The characters are as wonderful as ever and the story is really quite heartfelt. I put this book in my reading corner on Monday morning and it was snapped up immediately by the biggest PB fan in my class - fab read for Y2!