September and October Literature Review

We are back to school this month and so we’ve picked three books we think will make great class reads (or bedtime books!). As always our aim is to find ones that you should enjoy as much the children. They may or may not fit in with a class topic/curriculum area but they are sure to inspire, excite, engage and create some great discussions. Our age guides are just that – guides. Where you would like to read a book to an older or younger group, feel free and enjoy. Let us know how you get on.

The Boy in the Tower by Polly Ho-Yen (To read to Y5/6 class)

One of those books you genuinely can’t put down because you have to know that everything will turn out fine (we won't tell you if it does!). Not only does it remain with you, but you want it to continue – a long time after you turned the last page.

This book explores the ‘What if?” factor that fascinates children and adults alike in many literary traditions. What if everything we knew, the school we went to, the people we spoke to started to mysteriously disappear? What if there was a threat, far bigger than the bullies at school, a threat on our lives that seemed out of control? What if the people you love can’t help you? How can you help them? The ‘boy’ in the story (and the tower) is Ade. He lives with his mother, in a tower block in Camberwell, South London who finds it hard to leave the block, and so when they are told they need to leave London because of Bluchers – the poisonous invasive plants that have appeared – he has to stay, and try to survive.

Although slightly apocryphal in its vision, this is not a scary story and actually the real story here is not so much the plant invasion (although this would make for some wonderful scientific discussions - evolution of plants, comparisons with plants that are predators etc) but it is in the acts of kindness from the characters he meets, and the heart-warming relationships he forms with them.

This is the first offering from Polly Ho-Yen, but we are sure there will be more, and hopefully of this genre.

The Cat Who Came in off the Roof by Anne M. G Schmidt (To read to a Y3/4 class)

Unlike the other books that normally appear on our literature review, this is not a new book but this is the first time that the story has been published in English translation, which is wonderful as it's such a great read and already regarded as Dutch children's classic. We were initially drawn to this book by the classic illustrations but the quality of the publication, by Pushkin Children’s, makes this a real joy to hold and read.

David Colmer has translated this from the original by
Annie M.G. Schmidt (1911-95) who is regarded as the Queen of Dutch Children's Literature; her books have been an essential part of every Dutch childhood for the last fifty years.

This story is perfect for all ages - for anyone who loves a well-crafted tale, and particularly those who love tales about cats! However what this books does best is observe people and their interactions –much of the story is told through direct speech – and this makes for a fast paced story with shortish chapters, which are perfect for read alouds or sharing.

We meet Tibble, a journalist, who is obsessed with cats and unless he finds something of greater public interest to report upon, is about to lose his job. Fortunately at this point he encounters a strange young woman stuck up a tree (petrified by a dog), called Minou. Rather mysteriously she claims to be a cat, which has suddenly been turned into a human. A purring human, with cat-like instincts. As mysteries unfold, Minou’s cat contacts are invaluable…

We loved this book and can’t wait to read some more of Schmidt’s work.

Cakes in Space by Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre (To read to (Y1/2 class)

We actually think children (and adults) of all ages will laugh out loud reading this book from the duo that brought us Oliver and the Seawigs. But this book isn’t just for laughs – it is apparent how brilliantly written it is from the first chapter – we loved phrases like ‘slicing through the clouds’ and ‘the clutch of Earth’s gravity’ - with descriptions of space so vivid you may want to board a spaceship yourself. However, you may just be put off when you follow Astra’s exploration of her spaceship on the night she can’t sleep, when she meets a threat that is not as sweet as it would seem in the form of some sinister morsels, parading as cakes! Children who have lapped up stories of aliens and explorations into space, but who are ready to start exploring the genres of fantasy and/or science fiction will love this.

The balance of illustrations and text is just perfect in this book for high interest level and the hardcover copy is robust enough to stand the test of time in any book corner.