Posted on: 30/10/2019
Adjusting to the new normal is something we all must do at certain junctures in our lives: seasons change and landscapes shift. And what could be more apt in this season of autumn to draw upon the eloquent musings in To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf: And all the lives we ever lived and all the lives to be are full of trees and changing leaves?If a life comprised of trees, then the changing and evolving of the landscape that the trees exist within would be continuous.And this idea of landscapes - in the literal and metaphorical sense - and adjusting to the ever-changing picture that is life is the theme of this month’s literature review. Our current political landscape, for example, is volatile and uncertain. Our global, physical landscape is under-threat, so devastating has the warming up of the ice caps and the deforestation of the rainforest been. Emotional landscapes are often tricky to navigate and some landscapes have yet to be discovered. But how can we help children to navigate new and difficult territory? How can we use books to support the development of resilience and emotional awareness? Or instil a sense of guardianship of our planet in our children? We are often asked about how we come to select texts from which to write resources and part of our usual response is that good books ask more questions than they answer. We want children to access literature that sparks curiosity, provides stimulus for discussion and supports children to adapt in times of uncertainty. So for this month’s selection of texts and with the theme of changing landscapes in mind, we bring you: Planet Rescue by Patrick George; Black Ice Bridge– a Polar Bear Explorer’s Club adventure by Alex Bell and Africa, Amazing Africaby Atinuke.
(Patrick George Ltd, September 30th2019)
We always love this type of book with acetates that show you two different possibilities and this book is no exception. This – as the title would suggest – is about teaching the youngest of our children about looking after the planet and its resources; making changes to protect our landscapes. Written as a series of commands, it is simple handbook for how to look after the planet and how to rescue it, more importantly. Some pages in particular resonate the most: the car on acetate, when turned over the page reveals a parent and child zooming along on a tandem. And the final page: with the simple command ‘Enjoy the outdoors!’, where the illustration shows children playing with a kite in the distance and birds, trees, flowers and toys. The opposite page on the transparent overlay depicts a child alone in a darkened room staring at a tablet-type device. Flip the transparent overlay however and the tablet becomes a trampoline and the indoors child is now looking at a blank page on which to create something. Powerful whilst being simple enough to share with children aged 3-5 and instil that sense of guardianship.
(Faber and Faber, November 7th2019)
Avid fans of Alex Bell’s ‘Explorers Club’ adventure series have eagerly awaited this third instalment of the adventures with Stella Starflake and her group of loyal friends and we were extremely lucky to be sent an advance copy. Upon her discovery at the end of the first novel of who Stella really is - an ice Princess - she has had to deal with a shifting landscape of her own. Her group of friends stick by her with unending loyalty and support. But that’s little comfort for the times that Stella faces judgement and prejudice.
This third novel begins with both Stella and her adoptive father Felix being thrown out of The Polar Bear Explorer’s Club and things seems bleak. Much as Stella wants to fight Felix’s corner and accept full blame for their expulsion, she knows that- so to speak- there are much bigger fish to fry: her friend Shay is in great peril. Shay, bitten by a witch wolf, can only be saved by an ice-melting spell and Stella is the only one who can use this spell. But in order to perform the life-saving act, she must first get hold of the Book of Frost and this means setting foot on the eponymous Black Ice Bridge. Then things rapidly worsen just as the group - including Felix and, this time, Beanie’s mother- pledge to all go together to the bridge: Stella is arrested. Her crime? Being an ice princess.
It has often been said just how much fans of Philip Pullman’s Dark Materials will also likely enjoy The Explorer’s Club series. And- like Pullman- Bell’s lyrical description of epic landscapes, interspersed with fast-paced action, comedy and often moments of tenderness between characters works perfectly:
Everyone fell quiet, lost in their own thoughts and concerns about what lay ahead. They’d left the lights of Coldgate far behind them now, and the dark ocean stretched out disconcertingly in every direction as far as the eye could see- which, admittedly, wasn’t all that far since it was very dark, with only the lantern at the front of the sleigh to light their way.
A brilliant read for children in year 4 and up.
(Walker Books, 3rd October 2019)
Best known for her Anna Hibiscus series, Nigerian-born Atinuke began her literary career as an oral story teller. The release of this gorgeous book has been hailed as ‘a major publishing event’ and indeed it is! A first foray into non-fiction for Atinuke, she - together with illustrator Mouni Feddag - has created a glorious guide to the continent.
In her introduction, Atinuke tells of how writing this book has been an adventure. Initially she wanted to write something through which she could share the things she finds exciting about Africa but acknowledges that along the way she ‘found out a zillion more really exciting things.’ She makes clear that at the time of writing, information is as up-to-date as it can be but, due to the vastness and diversity of the continent, recognises it is impossible to make an official decision about the actual number of African countries - the geo-political landscape is permanently evolving. In order to begin to explain the diversity, she lists that, Africa is hot, blinding deserts; wild, wet deltas; dark, dripping rainforests; white, sandy beaches; flat, grassy savannahs... Africa is donkeys and diamonds, camels and Coca-Cola, lions and Lamborghinis, oil-rigs and armies football and voodoo and more…
The main body of the book begins with a section on Southern Africa, exploring countries from Angola to Zimbabwe then continuing to East Africa then west, central and finally north Africa. No known country (at the time of writing) has been missed and each has just one page containing some key facts. But each of these pages is so beautifully written and illustrated and will likely spark curiosity in a reader to go on to discover more through further reading. Perfect for Key Stage 1 classrooms.
