Posts by melissacreate

Blog Tour: Wilderness Wars, a conversation with Barbara Henderson

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I am delighted to have Scottish author Barbara Henderson back on my blog, having interviewed her about her first book Fir for Luck on my blog almost two years ago. Her third book is Wilderness Wars, an eco-thriller set on a remote Scottish Island. Which is a wonderful twist of several genres, survival on a remote island, family, and the developers ignoring the environment set the scene for what follows. The environment fights back and takes on a supernatural force of its own.  In all three of Barbara’s books she has shown that she clearly knows the natural environments of Scotland and has the skill to take her reader there. But, in Wilderness Wars she has absolutely nailed it. Striking a beautiful balance between character led prose and spot on description that you really feel like you are there, which combined with twist and turns and suspense is quite something.  The laying as the two main characters Em and Zac learn about themselves and begin to work out what is happening on the Island and the hints that perhaps something more than unlucky mishaps is going on is superb. I highly recommend it for everyone aged 9 years and above, including adults.

When I talked to you on my blog two years ago about your debut book Fir for Luck. You said one of your family holidays inspired the story, as you discovered a remote clearance village, which was the inspiration for your story.

  1. How have your family holidays to the Scottish Wilderness helped to inspire Wilderness Wars?

I am so lucky in that I live close to a lot of the types of places which helped to create the island world in Wilderness Wars. My base in Inverness can be annoying at times – any city is 2-3 hours away –  but you can drive for a very short time before you reach the sea, or the wilderness, or both. It’s one of the factors which drew us to the region. Holidays on Harris, with its white beaches and turquoise seas, Lewis, Mull, Iona, Skye, Islay, Assynt and Sutherland… all these played into the world I tried to create, and each memory contributed a little.

Some observations, such as seeing the seal move elegantly underwater from a hilltop, coral beaches and being dive-bombed by gulls are all directly lifted from holiday memories. I defy anyone not to be inspired by places like these – there is awe, but also a certain vulnerability as you realise how far you are from anywhere. Both are natural responses, and I hope that Wilderness Wars features a little of that balance.

In both Fir for Luck and Wilderness Wars there is a close connection with the characters to the land and they and their families depend on it for their survival. But, the context of Wilderness Wars is very different. It is not the people that are trying to stop them but nature itself.

  1. Tell me a more about the ways that nature fights back and how you selected the ways it does?

There is a lot more I could have done, a lot more facets of the wild world I could have included. The bottom line is, I wanted a slow escalation, so that initially, the setbacks for the building project would look like mishaps and accidents, before, without the reader realising it, we have moved into something a little bit more supernatural: the wilderness as a sentient force. So initially, the workforce on Skelsay have to contend with small accidents, freak weather, rodents, an inconvenient site for a protected species. If they run roughshod over these, as they do, there is an escalation until we are looking at the inevitable life or death showdown. I liked the fact that it begins with small, explicable things and I wanted to ask myself the question – if nature, as a whole, could fight back against our blinkered, short-sighted, selfish little meddling – what would it do?  It’s the classic Man-versus-Nature conflict, but with a bit of a moral twist.

In your opening chapters of Wilderness Wars you cleverly balance Em’s curiosity about the new environment she is going to live in, with another less friendly side, such as being pecked by seal gulls on the ferry and wild whether resulting in container being dropped in the sea.

  1. Can you explain more about how you balanced building up a picture of a ‘conspiring, sinister nature’ with Em and her friend Zac developing their understanding of the Island and a respect for the wilderness on the island?

It was really important to me that both sides should be shown – nature, respected and left to its own devices, is not a threat in the book. I love the wild landscapes and am definitely at my happiest and most peaceful when I am in such places. But in the book, the wilderness, threatened by thoughtless development and needless interference, certainly is dangerous.

It’s an element of the supernatural, designed to make a wider point about the way we make choices, questioning rather than scaremongering, I hope. The book ends on a very positive note, although I have to admit to terrifying myself with the chapters near the end.

But maybe Wilderness Wars can also be read as whatever you want it to be: a love letter to the wilderness, an adventure story in its own right, a book about integrity, isolation, friendship and finding your place in the world.

Goodness, that sounds a bit ambitious, but that’s my hope! Judge for yourselves readers…

 

Tomorrow by Nadine Kaadan

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Already a fan of the illustrator and author Nadine Kaadan I was delighted to receive a copy of her new book Tomorrow to review from Lantana Publishing. I have a particular interest in picture books that help children understand others experience of war and about refugees. This story is unique in a number of ways. Instead of focusing on people fleeing their country it focuses on the experience of a boy in his home as it is besieged by war.

Tomorrow tells the story of a small boy called Yazan who lives in war torn Syria. It is told from a unique perspective as you don’t actually see the war. Instead you get to feel what the immediate effects are for Yazan, as everything changes around him. Changes include no more trips to the park, not being able to see his friends, no school (which he actually begins to miss) and his mother becomes withdrawn. The boys experience is sensitively portrayed and great attention is given to gradually building up all the small things Yazan is not able to do because of the war.

The message of the story is beautifully supported by the authors own drawings, which help to convey powerful emotions and to reflect the boys feelings and experiences in a way that is meaningful to children. A simple colour palette of black, yellow and read is very effective. Black for sadness, fear and anxiety, red for happy memories and red and yellow for hope.

There are some lovely messages in this story. It is a powerful story of a family supporting each other in the most difficult of circumstances and in the power of imagination and art to bring hope to the darkest of moments. Towards the end of the story Yazan’s mother draws a picture of the park he can not play in and says:

“But let’s paint a park in your bedroom – an amazing park with everything you’ve ever dreamed of. And soon you’ll be able to go outside and play again.”

In some ways the messages in this story are very simple, helping readers of all ages to build empathy with the young boys experience of living through war. Yet the pictures convey some powerful emotions that some children may find upsetting and need help to understand. When using with a group of children I would be tempted to start with the last picture first and ask, what they liked about their local park and how would they feel if they could not go to it.  My 7 year old son initially found some of the pages ‘quite dark’. But when we explored the use of red and yellow colours in the story he could also see there was hope in the story too.

Whilst not shying away from powerful emotions it protects the reader from the worst of the war in several ways. For example: Whilst, his mum does become sad and withdrawn at the beginning, Yazan doesn’t loose either of his parents in the story, they are still together at the end. Another example is you learn about the war outside from a little distance, through a TV Screen, which I thought was really clever.

I would highly recommend this for children aged 6+ and young people and adults. It is a great story which encourages empathy and offers multiple opportunities as springboard for discussion.

Another of Nadine Kaadan’s wonderful picture books Jasmine Sneeze, would make a great contrast to this story as it is set in a peaceful Syria.  You can read my review here.

The book can be published direct from the Lantana publishers here.

It is also available from me through Readers that Care 

Jasmine Sneeze – a heartwarming and fun story

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There is so much I love about the story of Jasmine Sneeze. It has been one of my son’s favourite picture books since he was 5 years old. He is now 7 and I am sure will be enjoying it for many more years to come

It is set in Damascus Syria in more peaceful times. Nadine Kaadan’s narrative and vivid colourful illustrations bring the beautiful cobbled streets of this ancient city to life. You almost feel like you are there.  I chose it from Lantana publishing books because it features a cat and ‘something that grows’, both of which my son was really interested in at the time, and still is.

  

The story is about a cat called Haroun. who loves his life in the courtyards of Damascus.  The only thing he doesn’t like is the jasmine plants, that are outside everyone’s front door, because they make him sneeze. One day Haroun tries to get rid of the sweet jasmine smell by putting fish and chicken bones In the Jasmine pots. However, the Jasmine Spirit takes revenge in her own creative and humorous way. And Haroun learns that the jasmine plan was more important to others than he thought it was. A story that grows with your child is one of my favourite kind of picture books and this is certainly one of them.

My son seems to have empathy with the character of Haroun. Being cat crazy certainly helps but so does the great story and pictures. I remember when we first started reading it how he felt sad for Haroun when Jasmine started to grow out of his nose. It is fascinating to see how the book has grown with him. When I asked him this week which were his favourite pictures, one of them is below.

       He says:  “I like it because it is happy and sad and the Jasmine plant is growing straight up out of his nose, you don’t usually see that.”

He also likes all the jasmine plant illustrations that are intertwined with the story.

There are several layers to this story and these intertwine with the central message. Such as: the importance of the jasmine plant to each family in the neighbourhood where Haroun lives and the idea of a plant that has a spirit. Through the narrative and colourful illustrations, the reader is introduced to the sights and sounds of a ‘different’ place and culture.

I highly recommend this story for children aged 4 to 10 years.

You can learn more about Lantana Publishing here. 

Lantana publishing has created some great free resources for this book.

Available to buy from me at Readers that Care

 

 

Kaya’s Heart Song

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It was fantastic to be given a copy of Kaya’s Heart Song to review from the publishers Lantana Publishing. It is about a girl called Kaya, who lives in the Malaysian rainforest. This is her story of how she finds her own heart song. It is a heartwarming, joyful and beautiful story created by the combined talent of author Diwa Tharan Sanders and illustrator Nerina Canzi. As some of you may know I am quite used to reading and sharing wonderful stories with stunning illustrations, but there are few books I have read where the interplay between the two is so seamless it is as if they were one and the same thing.

At the start of the story Kaya has a conversation with her mother in which she explains if you quieten your mind you will find your heart song. Then she runs off to the rainforest.  This instantly reminded me of how spending time in nature helps me to quieten my own mind and to centre me. I was excited by the rainforest setting of this story which were so beautifully brought to life in vibrant colour by Nerina Canzi’s illustrations. As about 20 years ago I spent 3 months in the rainforest of Borneo (Eastern Malaysia), and it brought back some memories. However, what surprised me was how this story also reminded me of our family visits to local woodlands and of being in nature, when everything else is forgotten and you are just in the moment.

         

Kaya follows a butterfly and it takes her into a part of the rainforest she has not been to before. Where behind closed doors she finds an abandoned colourful Elephant carousel. Kaya’s first instinct is to climb onto the carousel and to start to uncurl the vines that are wrapped around it and whilst she does so her imagination wanders and her mind quietens and it is then that she finds her heart song and as her mother said is when ‘magic happens’.

Maya’s journey into the rainforest seems to reflect the human desire to explore and seek out new things, and that when you pause you sometimes see things differently too. I love how the story brings Yoga into the outdoors and opens up new interpretations of mindfulness which will resonate with many people, but perhaps especially those that enjoy spending time outdoors.

I would highly recommend this story to everyone aged 6 to 99 years. It may be suitable for some younger children. It is a heartwarming, thoughtful story that reminds us that when we do things we enjoy and immerse our selves in the moment, so that all other things are forgotten we can find peace, but also open ourselves up to new possibilities and maybe magic.

A final note:

For some children and adults this is a story that may need re reading and exploring before its message sinks in or the reader is able to interpret it in a way that is meaningful to them. In that respect my conversations with the author Diwa Tharan Sanders for my guest post on the Kaya Heart Song blog tour helped me to explore this book and what it meant to me. You can read it here.

Read my Kaya’s Heart Song Blog Tour Interview  with the author and learn some of the things that inspired her to write this great story here

Find out more about the author and illustrator and buy the book from Lantana Publishing website.

You can also order copies of the books from me at Readers that Care, and earn free books for you school at the same time.

 

 

 

Kaya’s Heart Song Blog Tour: Interview with author Diwa Tharan Sanders

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I am delighted to welcome author Diwa Tharan Sanders as a guest on my blog Reading Pebbles today. Here are her responses to my interview questions. It was a pleasure to chat to her.

What inspired you to write a story about mindfulness?
And why is it set in the Jungles of Malaysia?

To be honest, the mindfulness theme happened ‘by accident’. What sparked my imagination for this book and inspired me was I wanted to write a story about “a girl who wanted to be happy”. And as I started dissecting what being happy meant to me, the idea of music and a heart song came up as a way of expressing true, authentic happiness, which to me comes from being in tune (no pun intended!) with your heart. Listening to the heart and coming out of the mind, is one way I would describe mindfulness.

I chose the jungle of Malaysia as a setting for the story not only because I’m Malaysian, but I also wanted to reflect where I was from a personal and creative perspective. When I wrote Kaya’s Heart Song, I was living on a beautiful tropical island with a 120-year old rainforest around us. I love being in nature and connecting to its beautiful energy, which I find inspiring, grounding and even mysterious sometimes. These elements really excited me to set a story in the jungle and I felt like there was no other setting more appropriate to do so.

Below are some pictures Diwa took in the rainforest in Malaysia, and I can see why she finds it a magical place.

      

Why is special about a ‘heart song’?

A heart song is special because if you consider how it’s described in the story, it creates magic! Everyone has a heart song, we just have to remember to listen to it. I imagine that a heart song is something that is unique to each person, but it also changes and can reflect what is happening in our daily life at that specific moment and the emotions one is feeling. That’s what being mindful means – being able to be in the moment and to tune in to what is going on.

I am interested in how authors and illustrators work together to co-create a picture book.  When you were writing the story what sort of pictures did you imagine?

This is my first picture book and I have to say that I am incredibly lucky to have been able to work with Nerina Canzi. I had an idea of what Kaya could look like and I described that to Nerina, along with some pictures. I also shared some pictures of Malaysian rainforests with her. And to be honest, that was the extent of my creative input! I was and still are completely moved and blown away at how she captured the essence of Kaya and the story through her stunning and beautiful illustrations. They are pure magic and have brought so much inspiration and light to the story. Working with her has been an absolute blessing and joy.

You can read my review of Kaya’s Heart Song here.

Find out more about the author and illustrator and buy the book from Lantana Publishing website.

You can also order copies of the books from me at Readers that Care, and earn free books for you school at the same time.

 

 

 

Reading Aloud to my children: some reflections on the first 9 years

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Promoted by a number of bookish discussions I have had on twitter recently (you will find me @melissacreate15), I have been reminded just how great reading aloud to my kids has been and continues to be, and how it is about far more than sharing stories, it’s also about sharing timing together, and creating memories.

I started reading aloud to my daughter every night when she was 10 months old, each night she would choose 3 book for myself or my husband to read to her. It was and still is one of my favourite times of day.  When I was pregnant with her brother I was often tired and we would cuddle up on the sofa on my days off from work and listen to her favourite Barefoot Books sing along ‘The Journey Home from Grandpa’s’ and in the run up to Christmas we had a great Christmas carols CD which you could follow along with a book. We continued reading picture books at bedtime nearly every night until she was 3 and half, when our fairy loving pre-schooler decided she wanted the first 20 books of the Rainbow Magic series (we had acquired a box set at a nearly new Sale) read aloud to her. Afterwards we continued to read picture books to her nearly every night, and sometimes a chapter book. What we had established from a very early age was that quality time with mum or dad and sharing stories was part of bedtime, and lot’s of happy memories. It was only later that we realised that my daughter had aways been particular about the books she wanted read aloud, and that we had been a bit of luck that we came across in those first few years some stories she loved, but which were also the kind of story that grew with your child.

My son as a 1 to 2 year old sometimes enjoyed being read aloud a story with his sister, and in particular our all time favourite family read ‘Who Took the Moon for A Walk’ by Alison Jay. And his fascination with the moon and the night sky probably stems from this time. But, it took him longer to settle to the idea of regular bedtime story. The break through was at 2 and half finding a handful of stories and books which was specific to him. One of which was ‘Bear at Home’. This had a picture of keys on the inside of the front cover and at that point he was obsessed with keys. There was a period of several months I would sit on his bedroom floor and read him a book, and he would look at some of the pictures and then move around the room whilst I kept reading. One really useful thing said to me was that: ‘a child doesn’t have to be sitting still to be listening to a story’. At the age of 4 we gave him a Usbourne Lift the Flap book on Recycling, in theory the book was aimed at 7+ years but he absolutely loved it. He is now 7 and it is still his favourite non-fiction book.  When my son was nearly 5 his sister was getting rid of her Rainbow Magic box set, and much to my surprise my son decided he wanted it (he had never shown the slightest interest in fairies). But, he did love numbers, so a set of books with numbers 1 to 20 in a box was a definite attraction.  He absolutely loved the 5 books about the weather fairies and was fascinated with the idea that things could get so mixed up that it could snow in summer.

Over the next few years I started to realise that there were certain sort of picture book stories that both my children loved. To find book that: ‘lit up the eyes and curiosity of both my children in equal measure ‘ was not as simple as it sounds. But, by a process of trial and error we found a number of books that we all really enjoyed, this was helped by me being an independent bookseller which meant I found and stumbled across all sorts of books I might not have otherwise known about. You can read about some of the books here.

TV programmes and Film have also been a good way to introduce my children to stories. For my daughter it was the CBBC drama Hetty Feather, that enabled her to make a giant leap in her reading and got her reading books she wanted to read. See my blog post here. In the Summer of 2016 both my children loved watching the brilliant adaption of the BFG. Then on the way to our family holiday in Wales we listened to the entire audio recording of the BFG, I have never know my children be so quite on a long journey! This winter we went to see a great theatre production of the James and the Giant peach, as a result of which my son wanted the story read aloud to him.

Live author events attended as a family have also been an important way to introduce my children to new authors and to keep the magic of stories alive. You can read about a few of them here.

We have discovered some chapter books (that were new to both of them) that have made great stories to read aloud.  Two of our favourite’s so far are:  Dottie Blanket by Wendy Meddour and Perijee and Me by Ross Montgomery.  As my children get older our shared reading time is evolving. Last summer my daughter read me some of the Hobbit, which I had always expected would be the other way round! It was one of my favourite stories from childhood. A few months back my daughter took ‘Saving Sophia’ out of the library which she then decided she wanted me to read to her, it turned out to be an action packed story perfect for reading aloud.  So this time my daughter was introducing me to a new story.  The other weekend we were on our way back from a days biking and my daughter had brought a couple of the Diary of Wimpy Kid books in the Car, my son decided he liked the look of them too, so we had both kids reading a book on the way home. I am not sure where our next shared reading adventures together are going to take us, and as they get older this is a constantly evolving process, but I am looking forward to finding out.

Additional note:

Without realising that is what we were doing we have created a family reading culture, with many opportunities for informal book talk. All of which there is much evidence based practice that this helps create children that want to read. However, even in this context neither of my children made an automatic transition to reading independently, nor was or is it automatic that having found books they want to read that the will easily on their own find their next or subsequent reads.  To help them find book they want to read they need introducing to a variety of stories, encouragement, support and space to find books that have meaning to them in that particular moment in time. Which has led me to the firm believe that all children both at home and in school should have a basic entitlement to support with reading for pleasure.  In terms of motivation to read, one of the biggest difference that both reading aloud and sharing stories has made is that it has given my kids and me added determination to over come any difficulties they have faced and may face in the future on their individual journeys.

If you are parent reading this and thinking I wish I had read aloud more to my child or children. My advice would be don’t focus on the past, but start with the present and finding books to share with your child now in a way that works for you and your family.  In the 10 years before my daughter was born I worked for Hertfordshire Connexions and Youth Service, mentoring teenagers. One of the most crucial things I learnt from that time, is it is never too late to make a difference, and there are multiple points in a child’s and young persons life in which with the right support they can change direction. The final point I want to add is I don’t think I would have kept reading as much aloud to my children as I have done if I hadn’t found ways to read and/or share stories with both my children.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Original stories with a nature and science connection for young readers

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Introducing two wonderful stories which will appeal to children who like to explore the natural world around them and/or are interested in animals. They are aimed at 6 to 9 year olds, but many older children and adults would love them too.

In the summer of 2014, my daughter who had just turned 7 was transitioning to chapter books, and was finding it difficult to find something she wanted to read. She liked animals and was interested in being a vet. However, we found many of the classical animal stories didn’t have enough human interest and other more readily available animal series my daughter quickly lost interest in as she said: ‘they had little plot, nothing really happened in them”. Both these book are distinctively different from many other books with an animal theme for 6 to 9 year olds. They deserve a place in any primary school library, as for some they may be a ‘game changer’, as the book/series that gets them reading.

Zoe and Sassafras: Dragons and Marshmallows
Author: Asia Citro Illustrator: Marion Lindsay.  p96

This was a great find I stumbled across whilst looking for something else. It  got my attention initially because I have been keeping an eye out for stories for 6 to 9 year olds, with black protagonists that are the kind of story that might appeal to any child. I had no idea when I ordered a copy of this book what a gem of a story and series it was, published by an innovative fairly new publisher called Innovation Press.

It is about a girl called Zoey and her cat called Sassafras who loves exploring the natural environment near her home. One day she makes an amazing discovery that her mum has the ability to see and speak to magical creatures, and that she has inherited this gift too. If an animal needs help a magical doorbell rings in the Barn next to their house. Whilst Zoe’s mum is away at a science conference Zoey and her cat have to help a baby dragon.

A beautiful blend of real and magical with an introduction to scientific questioning and hypotheses, this engaging story has plenty to appeal to a variety of readers. Add to this some great role models, from a dark skinned girl with frizzy hair as the main character, a mum who is a scientist and a stay at home dad, and you have a very original story.

This is the first book in a series of 4, soon to be 5 books. It is probably a good idea to read book 1 first (or at least read aloud enough p1 to p28), but they can then be read in any order.

 

A Kitten Called Holly
Author: Helen Peter Illustrator: Ellie Snowdon.  p132

In case you haven’t guessed from one of my previous posts, my son (who is now 7 years old) is cat crazy, so a story with a cat in is a great start. But, like his sister he is very particular about the books he reads and does prefer stories with a strong narrative and a bit of depth to them, which this story certainly has.

One day Jasmine and her friend Tom find an old shed in the garden to play in, and they accidentally come across a wild cat and her kittens. Jasmine’s mum is a vet, from whom she has learns a lot about how to look after animals. So Jasmine and Tom know not to touch the kittens and wait for their mum to return. When the mother cat returned she took the kittens somewhere else. But, later one of the kitten’s gets left behind and Jasmine and her friend help to feed and look after it. But, will Jasmine have to give the Kitten away at the end? You will have to read it to find out!

My son loved this story being read aloud to him. The strong narrative along with detailed and accurate information about how to look after a kitten really kept his interest. He kept asking for one more chapter.

With great descriptive detail you feel like you are really there, a story which is heartfelt and sometimes funny. This book is sure to appeal to a variety of children, including those that usually prefer non-fiction.

It is part of the Jasmine Green series published by Nosy Crow. This is not the first book in the series, but the characters are introduced well so I think you could read them in any order. I suggest starting with which ever animal your child is most interested in.

Zoe and Sassafras Series:

Jasmine Green Series:

 

 

 

Guiding Readers: Layers of meaning – by Wayne Tennent, David Reedy, Angela Hobsbaum and Nikki Gamble

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I love reading a book which strongly resonates with me.  This one I picked up at just the right moment. I have my fabulous ‘bookish’ friends on Twitter to thank for recommending it, and for continuing to remind me it existed so I remembered to pick it up.  As it happened I had just bought a copy when a Twitter friend of mine posted up a comment and particular page from the book which really got me thinking.

Described as a ‘handbook for teaching reading comprehension to 7 to 11 year olds’, this book is so much more and could be used in a number of ways.  I would highly recommend it to anyone including parents (with some knowledge of the reading process) who want to help a child build their reading skills and help them become a reader who wants to read.  So much in this book confirms everything I have learnt in the last few years about reading and reading for pleasure.  However, there were things that challenged my perception too.  It is a very readable book. There was some unfamiliar language but the clear way it is written and the many illustrative examples really helped me to take on what it was saying.  I am now going to talk about some of the things that really meant something to me from this book.

The first thing that struck me was a reminder of the complexity of the multiple processes which occur when a fluent reader is reading, that allows one to attach meaning to and make sense of a text. It was really helpful to be reminded that as fluent readers we may be unware of what is going on in our heads as we read and reflect on the book. When reading a text, less experienced readers are more likely to be ‘interrupted’ as they use their developing reader skills to make sense of what they are reading. This is something that could affect all readers at different points on their reading journeys. One of the things I have noticed with my own children and some other children is that if a child find’s a text they really connect with it can increase their motivation to overcome these difficulties.

The second thing I noticed was the detail it goes into about the processes that are going on in our brains, to help us understand and make sense of a new text. I am not going to go into the detail here. But, there were two concepts that really stood out. These were: ‘reading in the moment’ and ‘reading reflection’. Reading in the moment, is what sense the reader makes of the text as they initially read it, this builds up a literal understanding of the text by dealing with a surface layer of meaning. Reading reflection involves the reader engaging with deeper layers of meaning in the text. It can also mostly only be done by re-reading the text and/or reflecting on part of it or by looking for clues to support your viewpoint. I found this quote really helpful:

“When readers reflect on their reading, they process the text in a slightly different way from reading in the moment, because they have time to consider their understanding.” (1)

I did not however start this book at the beginning I jumped straight in to a later section where an example is given of a group of children being asked to compare two books and say which they preferred and to justify their answer. An example of reflective reading in practice.  This got my attention as it seemed a really great idea. I had already heard of comparing non-fiction and fiction texts to enhance understanding of both before, but not the comparison of two fiction texts as a means of developing ‘readers reflection’ skills. Seems somewhat obvious when you stop to think about it! The other key point in this example that strongly resonated was the need for ‘authenticity’ in the questions that the teacher or facilitator (which could be a parent when home reading) asks. In this example of two picture books being compared the teacher asks:

“..please tell us which story your preferred and why?” (1)

In this example the question is ‘authentic’ because the asker doesn’t know which book the children will prefer, and there is also no right or wrong answer. The whole book emphasis’s that encouraging children to reflect on what they read is not about asking them a set of questions to which the teacher already knows the answer. But, in asking them what I would call ‘open questions’ in which there is not one correct answer, but many depending on your viewpoint. That doesn’t mean that some times there isn’t a need for other sorts of questions for example, clarifying ones to check if a child has understood the correct meaning of a word.  Given everything I have learnt in the last few years this is something I should have been clear on.  However, I have to admit to being very muddles in this respect recently in the way I have been trying to support both my children with their home reading. I now feel slightly better because I now understand why my bright, imaginative, and highly individual children have shown a reluctance to answer the questions that I have been asking them!

Applying some of what I had learnt about asking questions to help children develop their ‘reading reflection’ skills  I tried something different with my son. He has recently finished reading the 6 book Gold set of the Project X Alien Adventures Series 1 (2). One of the questions I asked was: “Who were the badies?” A question I genuinely did not know the answer to. Which is another point the book makes about co-constructing meaning together. So he told me about some of the badies and then we went through the books together looking for the others and finding in which stories they appeared. Then we started another conversation (prompted by a few of the picture) about how the book used both pictures and language to convey the threat of the arriving baddy or baddies. These included clarifying a few words he was not sure of.  He also has an information book about the series. So we looked at the two sidekicks that help the four characters that are the heros and heroines of Project X Aliens Adventures. And we looked at qualities that Seven and Nok had. I then asked: “How have Nok and Seven used their qualities to help defeat the Badies?” He came up with a couple of examples. The conversations we had and the enthusiasm he showed whilst doing it was incomparable to anything I had done with him previously. If you haven’t read this book yet read it!

 

  • (1) 2016: Wayne Tennent, David Reedy, Angela Hobsbaum, Nikki Gamble: Guiding Readers – Layers of Meaning: A handbook for teaching reading comprehension to 7 to 11 year olds.
  • (2) A few additional comments about the Project X Alien Adventure Series 1, by Oxford University Press

It  is not just a series for boys or reluctant readers. My daughter said that had this been available at her school when she was the same age she would have loved to read it too. Whilst the books can be read in any order. There is a 6 book set for each reading band  and if your child reads them (or re-reads them) in order there are more opportunities for building their ‘reflecting reading’ skills. Especially if you have the opportunity to return to them at a later date, which we did because I had bought him a set on his request.

Porridge the Tartan Cat and the Loch Ness Mess by Alan Dapre and why we love the Porridge series

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The Loch Ness Mess is book 4 in the Alan Dapre’s fantastic series about Porridge the Tartan cat. We love the character of Porridge and the funny madcap stories that involve plenty of mishaps and adventures really appeal to my nearly 7 year old son. We also love the rich vocabulary and language which is used through out the series and which really sets this book apart from many early readers.

Porridge is a cat who fell into a pot of Tartan paint as a kitten. The story is set in Scotland, Porridge lives with the McFunn family, the twins Ross and Isla, mum, dad and ‘gadget grandad’ and ‘groovy gran’. In the stories Porridge end’s up going on unexpected, ‘wacky’ an crazy adventures, which usually involve dealing with the chaos created by Fergus McFungus or Windy Wendy.

In the Loch Ness Mess, the McFunn family go on a fossil hunting holiday by the shores of Loch Ness. My son is fascinated by fossils and rocks so this definitely helped to hook him into the story. Not that he needed much encouragement as he already loved the character of Porridge! (from reading book one a few months earlier). The story gets off to an exciting start when Dad wishes he was a dinosaur and unexpectedly turns into one! So then all sorts of chaos ensues and Fergus McFungus want’s to capture dad. When Porridge falls into the loch he is rescued by Nessie ! To find out how Porridge, Isla and Ross get reunited, and if they can rescue their Dad and turn him back into a human you will have to read the book. This story is sure to appeal to children that like dinosaurs and monsters, but also kids that like neither and love a fun family adventure.

Along with great characters and original wacky and fun storylines, there are three more things make the Porridge stories special.

Firstly, are the great black and white pictures by Yuliya Somina really capture the story and characters and bring it to life. These included pictures of Porridge with different expressions interspersed with the text and full page action scenes.

Secondly, the rich vocabulary and language set’s this book apart from many other early readers. There are also some great Scottish phrases too, although less in Loch Ness than the first book. When my son shared reading the first book: “Porridge the Tartan and the Brawsome Bagpies” last summer we were surprised to discover that he wasn’t put off by words he didn’t know. In fact far from it he actually enjoyed the challenge.

Thirdly, at the back of the book is a spot the difference activity and some jokes. Whilst interspersed in the text are lots of Me-words. The author @AlanDapre explained in reply to my twitter post that this was a play on Meow, and that he thought it would be fun to see how many other Me words he could create. Here are a few examples:

Me- splosh

Me- drip

Me – yum

Me – yuk

Me – tremble

Me- sigh

My son loves these. They help to break up the text up, provide an opportunity for expression and add to the humour. I think they also help the reader to understand what Porridge is feeling particular moments in the story.

The Porridge stories will always have a special place in our heart. Because last June the first Porridge book showed my son and us what he was capable of reading. We shared reading the first two books in the series (he read a chapter and we read a couple of chapters) at the time the text level of these books was considerably above the rest of what he was reading. My son loves cats so that was a great hook to start with, but what kept his interest in the way that Alan Dapre writes and the pictures of Yuliya Somina which capture the story so well. It has been fascinating to see my son return the Porridge series five months after we read the first book, and to see just how far he has come in his reading journey in that time. This time he comfortably read ten chapters aloud straight off in one go, and indication that he has improved his stamina in this time, but also that these are stories that he wants to read.

Thank you to Floris Books for a copy of the book which I won on a Twitter competition @FlorisBooks.

Punch by Barbara Henderson

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Having loved Barbara Henderson’s first book Fir for Luck I was delighted to be asked to review her second children’s book, Punch. Drawn in by another great cover I couldn’t wait to get started, and what a cracking read it is. A fast paced and heartwarming story set in late Victorian Scotland.

It starts in Inverness in 1889, when orphaned Phin is ordered by his Uncle to collect some sausages late at night from their market stall. Whilst doing this Phin accidentally starts a fire in the market square and has to flee for his life. I love the dramatic start to this story, which is sure to draw in the reader. Barbara Henderson brilliantly captures the events as they unfold and the fears of Phin in those first few hours after the fire that changes everything.

“ It’s cold, really cold. Or maybe it’s the sweat running down my neck. Away, away from here, is all I can think.”  (p9)

As Phin runs from Inverness he bumps into an escaped prisoner called Mr Robertson, who needs Phin to help cover his escape.

“  ‘Listen, I willnae harm ye. But, they’ll be looking fer a man on his own, no’ a man and a boy. I’ll let you got once I am clear o’ them.’  His eyes dart up the hill and long the river, ahead and behind. ”   (p16)

I quickly warmed to both characters. On the run from the authorities they come across a travelling family called the Moffats. And this is how the story gets it’s name PUNCH. The Moffat’s travel across Scotland putting on Punch and Judy shows. The Moffat’s take Phin and Mr Robertson in, and teach them the tricks of the trade and soon they are an integral part of the show. But, all the while there is the added tension that they might be discovered by the police.

“The pot-woman answers, irritated: “You won’t go anywhere in a hurry. The sheriff officers have blocked the road ahead, they’re searching every cart and carriage. “ p43

In the story Barbara Henderson clearly shows her love of puppetry and there are wonderful insights into what putting on a Punch and Judy Opera was like in Victorian times. To find out more about this and what fired the authors enthusiasm for puppetry check out my interview here.

Punch is action packed with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader interested. Integrated into this on the run adventure is Phin’s personal journey. He is at first not sure about Mr Robertson, you begin to discover this is in part because of his own experience with his abusive Uncle. At the beginning Phin trusts no one, but he gradually begins to trust the adults around him. The relationship that develops between Phin and Mr Robertson is heartwarming to see and add’s something really special. Added to this is another layer as Phin begins to have memories of a more terrible crime. What is really clever about the way that Barbara Henderson has written the story is that you only begin to find out the true extend of this darker crime, as Phin begins to have other adults in his life, which cushion’s the impact for readers a little.

I would highly recommend this for all children aged 9 years and over, and for teenagers and adults too. Great for those looking for a fast paced, heart felt adventure, in the unusual setting of victorian Scotland.

You can BUY PUNCH from Amazon here

Read my Blog Tour interview with author Barbara Henderson here.