Posted on: 01/12/2019
We genuinely think there is no better gift than that of a book at Christmas. It can allow you to choose something so personal and thoughtful for a treasured friend to reflect your friendship or relationship, or can allow you to choose the perfect publication to mirror the experiences or planned adventures of an acquaintance, colleague or family member. Whether you're a message-writer or not, books serve as tokens of friendship. Books bought for children are no exception and in our Christmas Bibliotherapy this year, we have chosen a wide variety of brilliant books for younger and older readers - a variety of poetry, picture books, non-fiction, novels and novellas. We hope you enjoy giving them as much as we have reviewing them and that this helps you to find the perfect gift (or three) for a loved one.
This stunning debut novel by Katharine Orton is a tale of contrasts: hope and despair; love and hatred; warmth and cold and loyalty and betrayal. Born into a prison-camp in Stalinist Siberia, there is a sense from the very beginning of this beautifully written coming-of-age story that the main protagonist - Lina - is somehow ‘the chosen one’. When given the chance to break free, she takes it and finds herself at the mercy of untrustworthy Alexei and Vadim. There is also Gleb - taken on the escape mission only because of his survival skills. Lina has been chosen only because she works the Commander’s vegetable greenhouse and so they know she can supply all on the mission with food. But when Lina’s best friend Bogdan appears and joins the now-escaped group and then it become apparent that Lina’s Mamochka, Katya won’t be joining them, Lina senses that she must keep her own counsel. And she’s not wrong for the two men - Alexei and Vadim - are plotting to kill Lina and Bogdan. They somehow escape but then run into the jaws of a fierce creature… but nothing is there! Could these be the spirits that old Gleb is so convinced exist? And the necklace - once a treasured possession of Lina’s now-dead grandfather seems to rather mysteriously be able to warn Lina of danger and keep her warm at night. Could this be the key to Lina’s true purpose in life? Could there really be a life of magic and wonder in this vast Siberian waste-land? And could Lina be the one to unlock secrets from her past in order to save herself and Bogdan? The perfect book to guzzle in one sitting with a mug of hot-chocolate in hand, I will be giving a copy to my friend’s daughter who, like Lina, is fearless and tenacious.
Dedicated to her twin sister and all the other junior doctors in the NHS, this is an absolute gift of a book. The intricate patterns that Mistry has created using artwork reminiscent of Rangoli patterns that might be created during the Hindu festival of Diwali (The Festival of light) creates a sense of charm and elegance. And the fisherman’s daughter leads a charmed existence, it would seem. By day, she dances and plays ‘weaving in and out of the sun’s rays’; by night she gazes at the inky blackness of the sky while her father fishes. Only the sun by day and the moon by night light the earth but when the moon’s guiding light disappears - as it tends to do for those few days each month when the earth has come between it and the sun, her father is plunged into darkness. Worried, the sun finds the girl weeping and has the most brilliant solution in more ways than one. Dashing one of his rays to the ground, the shattered pieces gleam and the fisherman’s daughter knows just what to do. Polaris - the North Star- comes to be first and then come the others with an unexpected twist. And the significance of the North Star at Christmas - being that it is of both navigational anchor-like and spiritual hope-giving importance has not gone unnoticed. I will be gifting this work of art to my mum this Christmas, without whom I would not have come to be and who has always been my guiding, anchoring star.
This is a book with deep messages written and illustrated with effective simplicity. It is the story of a sad, little, blue, fuzzy fact who finds itself disbelieved and accused of being a fraud. When it would not renounce itself, it is sent underground by The Authorities, finding itself locked away with many other facts whilst above ground The Authorities create untrue ‘facts’. The world gradually grows darker. Thank goodness there are fact finders digging hard with a need to know the truth to ensure the facts are found and returned to the world again!
This modern day fable seeks to remind us that it is important to tell the truth, and that the truth will ultimately come out if we work hard enough for it. I would recommend this as a strong picture book to spark debate with Upper Key Stage 2 children about the important of truth and the power of fake ‘truths’ and lies.
In this warm and inclusive book a group of differently abled children seek to plant a community garden, with each one contributing in their own way. Each child narrates the part they play and tells the reader a little about themselves. We learn, for example, that Rafael has asthma and paints beautiful rocks for the garden to stay calm and help his breathing, Anthony moves super fast in his wheelchair to get around as he helps and Madison, who is blind, notices the beautiful details of the garden as she helps by using her ears, nose and hands.
The main message of this book is that the world is made up of different people with different skills and strengths, just like a beautiful garden is made up of different plants and flowers. When we come across someone who is different from us but we’re not sure why, all we have to do is ‘Just Ask’.
I would recommend this book for children in Upper Key Stage 1 and Lower Key Stage 2 as a conversation starter about celebrating people’s differences and learning about others.
White Bird, the debut graphic novel from RJ Palacio of Wonder fame, follows the story of the Grandmère of Julian, who we first met as Auggie’s tormentor in Auggie and Me.
Our narrator is Sara, a Jewish child growing up in France as the reach of the Nazis widens. At the beginning of the story this impacts on her life in small ways, but escalates rapidly when the Nazis arrive at her school to round up Jewish children. As Sara’s fate seems sealed, she is rescued and hidden by one of her classmates and his family.
This story is one of kindness, courage and hope, in times of hatred and division. One of things that I particularly liked about the story is that it has a different narrative to other stories set in this period of history because, although there are references to concentration and labour camps, it is not where the story happens for Sara. Instead we are immersed in the world of the resistance, and the bravery and compassion that was necessary to save lives.
At the end of the story there is reference made to the rise of intolerance and hatred in the world today, with a clear message: Never Again # We Remember.
This powerful book for 9 and ups will give pause for thought and be long remembered.
The Greta in the title is a little girl who lives in a beautiful forest. One morning she is greeted by sad and tired woodland creatures, who report that Giants are destroying their homes in order to build cities full of houses, factories and pollution. The huge lumbering oafs are too busy to see the damage they are causing, and too greedy to notice how beautiful the forest is. Greta decides to act to save the forest. At first she goes unnoticed, but then as others join her, she becomes a force to be reckoned with – a force that the giants can’t ignore.
This beautifully illustrated picture book tells the story of Greta Thunberg’s determination and commitment to raise awareness of the world’s climate crisis, using allegory. This makes it an accessible and gentle way to talk to young children about the movement that she is leading around the world. The last pages in the book tell the story of the real Greta, and offer some ideas of the changes that we can all make to help save our world.
A touching tale for 4-7 year olds, with a hugely important message.
I’m a sucker for holiday literature and needing to immerse myself in a time or place, but at this particular time of year, I am also drawn in by ‘seasonal literature’, with the lure of wintery landscapes and magical creatures. Both of these book choices fully fitted the bill and the covers alone gave me permission to light the fire and sneak under a blanket to read these.
North Child was first published in 2003 and yet it feels incredibly current, despite it being a retelling of a Norwegian fairytale ‘East of the Sun, West of the Moon’. Such is the current appetite for reworkings of traditional tales of late (House on Chicken Legs is a good example) that the main character, Rose, feels ever so slightly familiar in character and tone. Ballsy and brave, she endeavours to save her family from the brink of poverty and her sister from death by giving herself up to the a white bear who takes her to a castle to live. Themes of destiny and hope permeate this book, with some similarities to fairytales Beauty and the Beast and Rumpletsiltskin.
The story is told through the eyes of all the characters as they all each take their turn in telling the story which is wonderful for showing perspective and building empathy.
Recommending this for anyone who is needing a wintery fix this holiday. I'm gifting it to my youngest daughter who would love to ride on the back of a white bear.
The Snow Dragon is Abi Elphinstone’s first foray into the picture book world, having previously penned The Dreamsnatcher series, Sky Song and the recently published Rumblestar (previously reviewed by us for our summer bibliotherapy). The snow dragon comes at the just the right point in Phoebe’s life, when, yet again, she’s not picked at the orphanage to go home with a family. And so she embarks on a magical moonlit tour with the dragon who shows her that the world is not such a dark place and he appears to casts a spell on her life which means that Christmas is not sad as it was looking to be.
Though sad in parts (I may have had a little dust in my eye at one point) this a is a tale of hope and belief. Something we need a little of at this time year to see us through.
This is a picture book for all ages and for adults it will be sure to evoke childhood memories of the magic of The Snowman as well as the cleverness of Matilda. One to share and talk about with others and so I'm gifting this to my friend who is a Y1 teacher who will share this with her class in storytime in the last week of school.
Look Up at the Stars is a beautifully written lyrical poem by Katie Cotton and brought to life by the gorgeous, labyrinthine illustrations of Miren Asiain Lora. It is the story of a mother and child who, one night, go on an adventure together to reach the stars. The poem begins as the child is being tucked into bed:
Mum, look at the stars
That shine above me
If I could hold one
How happy I’d be!
Together, they go on a journey to catch the stars. As they venture forth through ‘shadows and rustles’ and the ‘crash and roar’ of waves, the poem unfolds in call and response stanzas between mother and child. The mother travels alongside her child through often hostile but no less exquisite landscapes. The poems and illustrations become an allegory for the journey of life itself and the journey of parenthood. This dreamlike book is perfect for bedtimes as adult and child can take turns to recite the stanzas and truly appreciate the beauty and comfort of home, wherever that may be.
From multi-award-winning author and New York Times bestseller Renee Watson, comes this subtle and poignant story of a girl discovering her roots.
Amara is eleven and has grown up in Beaverton, Oregon. Her parents are successful, supportive and she has lived a contented, comfortable life. However, as her twelfth birthday approaches, her father is preparing to go on a business trip to New York City, the place where he grew up and the home of his estranged father Grandpa Earl. And after much haranguing and persuading on her part, her father finally but reluctantly agrees to take her with him and to visit her Grandpa Earl for the first time.
This also coincides with holiday homework she is set by her teacher – the Suitcase Project. She is tasked to find out about her family history and present this as a suitcase to the rest of her class.
“Is this suitcase a symbol for my heart, my memories?” Grandpa Earl asked. I hadn’t thought about it this way until he said it. “Yes,” I answer.”
Every family has its secrets and in every family the relationship between the future and the past can become strained. I would recommend this book to any child in KS2 who has a growing interest in the lives of those who came before. A profound story to read at Christmas to help us reflect on our families and our heritage.
This stunning book reads just as the author intended: a love letter to the wonders of Planet Earth. It truly is a masterpiece from a detail-obsessed illustrator. The drawings beautifully capture and celebrate the diversity of hidden species living amongst our planet. The creatures look so real it is hard to believe that they are hand drawn.
The words which accompany each illustration show that Rothery has a real knowledge and passion for the natural world.His detailed descriptions and facts provide an insight into what’s happening beneath the fur and feathers of well-known and less familiar species. Each chapter provides a glimpse into the unexpected relationships, abilities, habitats and behaviours of creatures we already think we know.
The large crossover format and oversized appearance of this book makes it ideal for young children who love to hold and experience things close up. This book would be the perfect choice this Christmas for any budding naturalist who is keen to explore the diversity of the creatures we share our planet with and help bring their secrets to life!
Frostheart is a tale perfect for the Christmas season shimmering with wintery wonder, adventure and mystery. It follows the story of Ash, a young boy, who lives in an isolated stronghold surrounded by the Snow Sea. Deep below the surface resides menacing monsters lurking with the intention of hunting and harming the Fira people. The only way these creatures can be controlled is through a forbidden lullaby sung by a Song Weaver. Ash possesses this rare yet reviled ability and is banished from his homeland once his secret is revealed. A chance of escape is offered when Ash and his yeti guardian, Tobu, secure passage on the Frostheart: a Pathfinder Sleigh crewed by a team of daring explorers. Together they take on an epic adventure and begin to unravel the mystery of Ash’s long-lost parents.
This fast-paced book is full of adventure, magic and humour; however, this does not detract from the meaningful themes of friendship, family and self-belief which are intertwined throughout. The beautiful illustrations and Nordic colours of navy and silver within the book help bring the frozen world to life.
This debut novel is described as a perfect read for lovers of Nevermoor, Frozen and How to Train Your Dragon. Hopefully there will be another opportunity to join the Frostheart Crew on further adventures…
This absolute stunner of a book is both a visual and literary treat. Not so much a story, more a fable or parable about how to live our lives. The tale of a boy, a mole, a fox and a horse, as the title suggests, it explores our relationship with others and, perhaps most of all, our relationship with the world itself. It explores how friendships can come in the most unlikely of places and how kindness, compassion and love are above all the most important attributes we can possess. Posed as a series of questions between the characters, it explores how we have the capacity to change, learn and grow at all stages of life.
In a world filled with stories of fear, hatred and untruths, this is the book we didn’t know we needed until we read it. Every page in this book feels like it could be framed and exhibited, containing a range of ink-drawn shapes and outlines as well as more detailed colourful prints - often a combination of both. The book ends with the line; “Home isn’t always a place, is it?” And this really serves to sum up the profoundness through simplicity that resonates throughout this book.
We would strongly recommend this book to anyone, young or old, who would enjoy an opportunity to reflect on the good in the world, their relationships with others and to ponder on some of the bigger questions. Oh, and cake.
We are huge fans of poetry compilations, especially those that are so beautifully and pertinently illustrated, and we have pored over collections of poems for every day, night and week of the year in the past. So, to stumble upon this new collection penned by our favourite poet Joe Coelho and artist Kelly Louise Judd, we knew we were on to something stunning!
Set out as a poem for every month of the year, each poem begins with a paragraph of prose to set the scene, which is wonderful as the subject matter draws upon some beautiful archaism such as ‘scrumping’ and ‘fly agaric toadstools’ - as word geeks and etymology fans, this appealed! Each poem is also vividly illustrated with bright and varied colours that take us to the intended season so acutely yet subtlety. Background colour is used to perfect effect too. Finally, the poems themselves are, as always with Coelho, so beautifully and lyrically crafted, yet so accessible to a younger reader (though never lost on a more mature pair of eyes!). They called out to be read over and over again and this book is already a coffee-table staple in our home.
We would recommend this book to any poetry lover, word geek or any lover of the seasons and nature as well as anyone who harbours a yearning to go and explore the outdoors.
‘Don’t judge a book by its cover…’ How many times do we tell this to children, only to completely ignore the rules when choosing books ourselves? Seriously though, I defy anybody to overlook the beauty of Frozen Sea on a trip to a bookshop. It’s quite simply, impossible. Luckily for us though, this book more than lives up to its front cover credentials.
This is the second instalment of Piers Torday’s fantasy adventure, following the remarkable journey of Jewel Hastings through the magical world of Folio to save her missing aunt. And what a miraculous journey it is. Accompanied by her talking pet hamster Fizz and robot assistant Pandora, we follow the unlikely trio through marshes, mountains and meetings of monsters, mythical beasts and magic. Intertwining fiction, non-fiction, sci-fi and fairytale, Piers Torday’s clever storytelling takes us across time zones and backwards and forwards through genres, all in the company of a fierce female protagonist. Jewel is a brilliant role model, demonstrating the power of standing up for what you believe and finding out who you really are when pushed to the absolute limit.
The most enjoyable element of this book is its balance of modernity and heart-warming nostalgia in equal measure. References to the all-seeing stampstone allude to the controlling force that technology has over our modern existences, while blasts from the past come thick and fast. How recently did you think about Noddy, Rupert Bear and Barbie, or wish you were ‘back at home under the duvet with a Curly Wurly and reading The Beano by torchlight’? Perhaps now is the time to go back…
I would recommend this book to readers from Year 4 and up, and maybe those adults who are not quite done with the past.
Shirley Hughes’ Angel on the Roof is a heart-warming tale of what can happen if you dare to believe. Although not strictly a Christmas story, the pages of this exquisitely illustrated tale are sprinkled with gold dust and conjure up all the warm, fuzzy feelings this time of year can bring.
For Lewis Brown living in the basement flat of 32 Paradise Street, everyday life is what happens outside of his window where he sits watching the footsteps of those passing by. Having an underdeveloped leg and not wanting to venture outside himself for fear of being laughed at, instead he carefully observes the lives of those around him. And not all appears to be well for the neighbours living above him. Until one day, when hope flutters down in the form of a golden feather from the heavens above. You guessed it…the angel on the roof.
In the angel Lewis finds a confidante who quite literally takes him under his wing and becomes the friend he wishes he had always had. As they talk and stroll through town (under the disguise of dad’s old overcoat), the spirit of friendship begins to quietly soften the lives of those around them. The final crescendo had me thinking of Raymond Briggs’ classic The Snowman and the bond that can develop between two unlikely heroes. The angel brings hope for Lewis, just as the snowman brought to life the dreams of the pyjama-clad little boy. Flying unseen through the skies above, sparkling with hopes and dreams and spreading the magic of belief - for me, that’s just about as close to perfect as you can get in a Christmas tale.
This story is for anyone who have ever wished upon a star and would go down perfectly snuggled up on the sofa, tree lights on and filled with the festive spirit.
Posted in: Literature Review
