Engaging discussion guide for the third installment in the brilliant Eerie-on-Sea mysteries by Thomas Taylor! On the eve of Ghastly Night, a hypnotic stage magician, Caliastra, checks in to Eerie-on-Sea’s Grand Nautilus Hotel. She’s arrived with her entourage to put on a show – and she claims to be related to Herbert Lemon. Caliastra’s act is so shadowy and strange that Herbie’s friend Violet wonders if dark forces are at work, but Herbie won’t hear a word said against his new relation. Meanwhile, folk are disappearing from the town, and no one knows why. There is an Eerie legend that goes back to the dawn of time, about a creature made of darkness that devours the shadows of the living. Could the Shadowghast have really returned? ‘Taylor’s magical tough makes you believe the impossible.’ - Catherine Doyle

Teachers’ Notes written by the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) for the third installment in the brilliant Eerie-on-Sea series by Thomas Taylor! On the eve of Ghastly Night, a hypnotic stage magician, Caliastra, checks in to Eerie-on-Sea’s Grand Nautilus Hotel. She’s arrived with her entourage to put on a show – and she claims to be related to Herbert Lemon. Caliastra’s act is so shadowy and strange that Herbie’s friend Violet wonders if dark forces are at work, but Herbie won’t hear a word said against his new relation. Meanwhile, folk are disappearing from the town, and no one knows why. There is an Eerie legend that goes back to the dawn of time, about a creature made of darkness that devours the shadows of the living. Could the Shadowghast have really returned? ‘Taylor’s magical touch makes you believe the impossible.’ - Catherine Doyle

An engaging discussion guide for a gripping new novel by bestselling YA author, Lauren James! Gabrielle is a climate-change activist who shoots to fame when she becomes the first teenager to display a supernatural ability to grow plants from her skin. Hester is the millionaire daughter of an oil tycoon and the face of the family business. Theo comes from a long line of fishermen, but his parents are struggling to make ends meet. On the face of it, the three have very little in common. Yet when Hester and Theo join Gabrielle and legions of other teenagers around the world in developing the strange new “Greenfingers” power, it becomes clear that to use their ability for good, they’ll need to learn to work together. But in a time of widespread corruption and greed, there are plenty of profit-hungry organizations who want to use the Greenfingers for their own ends. And not everyone would like to see the Earth saved… As they navigate first love and family expectations, can the three teenagers pull off the ultimate heist and bring about a green rising?

Angie Thomas’ debut novelThe Hate U Give launched straight onto the New York Times bestseller list and has sold over a million copies worldwide. In the UK, it was awarded the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, Children’s Book of the Year at the British Book Awards and the Amnesty CILIP Honour for the Carnegie Medal. The book was adapted into a movie, starring Amandla Stenberg and released by 20th Century Fox. Her third novel Concrete Rose looks back in time to the lives of characters fromThe Hate U Give in the 90s, namely Starr’s father Maverick as he becomes a dad for the first time as a teenager. This is a brand new discussion guide for The Hate U Give with thoughtful and engaging new questions, plus joint discussion points forThe Hate U Give andConcrete Rose together! The perfect book club and classroom guide to help you discuss all the brilliant aspects of these fantastic books.

A brilliantly engaging and vibrant discussion guide for an incredibly important book by award-winning activist, Frederick Joseph. Speaking directly to the reader, Frederick Joseph offers powerful reflections on his own experiences with racism. As a former “token Black kid”, he now presents himself as the friend many readers need, touching on topics including cultural appropriation, “reverse racism” and white privilege. Featuring interviews with figures such as writer Angie Thomas, content creator Toni Tone, and April Reign, founder of the #OscarsSoWhite movement, this book serves as conversation starter and tool kit, creating a timely and essential read for committed anti-racists and newcomers to the cause of racial justice alike. "The Black Friend is THE book everyone needs to read right now… Read it, absorb it, and be changed because of it.” —Angie Thomas, author of The Hate U Give

A classroom resource to accompany a vital non-fiction book for young adults by the award-winning activist, Frederick Joseph. Speaking directly to the reader, Frederick Joseph offers powerful reflections on his own experiences with racism. As a former “token Black kid”, he now presents himself as the friend many readers need, touching on topics including cultural appropriation, “reverse racism” and white privilege. Featuring interviews with figures such as writer Angie Thomas, content creator Toni Tone, and April Reign, founder of the #OscarsSoWhite movement, this book serves as conversation starter and tool kit, creating a timely and essential read for committed anti-racists and newcomers to the cause of racial justice alike. "The Black Friend is THE book everyone needs to read right now… Read it, absorb it, and be changed because of it.” —Angie Thomas, author of The Hate U Give

An engaging and thought-provoking discussion guide for an exciting new novel novel by Jonathan Stroud! England has been radically changed by a series of catastrophes – large cities have disappeared and London has been replaced by a lagoon. The surviving population exists in fortified towns where they cling to traditional ways, while strangely evolved beasts prowl the wilderness beyond. Conformity is rigidly enforced and those who fall foul of the rules are persecuted: some are killed, others are driven out into the wilds. Only a few fight back – and two of these outlaws, Scarlett McCain and Albert Browne, display an audacity and talent that makes them legends. Set in a broken, future England, where gunfights and monsters collide, this is the exciting first title in a phenomenal fantasy teen series by the bestselling children’s novelist. “Stroud is a genius.” - Rick Riordan

An in-depth teaching resource written by the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education. England has been radically changed by a series of catastrophes – large cities have disappeared and London has been replaced by a lagoon. The surviving population exists in fortified towns where they cling to traditional ways, while strangely evolved beasts prowl the wilderness beyond. Conformity is rigidly enforced and those who fall foul of the rules are persecuted: some are killed, others are driven out into the wilds. Only a few fight back – and two of these outlaws, Scarlett McCain and Albert Browne, display an audacity and talent that makes them legends. Set in a broken, future England, where gunfights and monsters collide, this is the exciting first title in a phenomenal fantasy teen series by the bestselling children’s novelist.

An in-depth and engaging teaching resource to accompany a brilliant debut picture book by Ted Hughes award-winning poet, Raymond Antrobus and illustrated by Polly Dunbar! Boy Bear cannot hear Dad Bear coming to wake him up in the morning but he can feel the floor vibrate with his heavy footsteps. He can only grasp bits of what his teacher says to him at school. He cannot catch what his friends are laughing at. And, all the time, Boy Bear keeps hearing the question, “Can Bears ski?” What does it mean? With the support of Dad Bear, Boy Bear visits an audiologist and, eventually, he gets hearing aids. Suddenly, he understands the question everyone has been asking him: “CAN YOU HEAR ME?” Raymond draws on his own experience to show how isolating it can be for a deaf child in a hearing world. But through his lyrical and moving words, matched with Polly’s stunning imagery, he also shows how many ways there are to communicate love

A thoughtful discussion guide perfect for book clubs and classroom discussions. Ash is used to taking hits on the field for his high school football team – until he takes one that doesn’t just impact his body, but his whole reality. It starts with one small shift, but with every game, every hit, Ash finds himself pushed through a succession of universes almost-but-not-really like his own, until the small shifts in reality become significant shifts in Ash’s own identity. As Ash experiences life from other perspectives, he starts to question the world he thought he knew, as well as the ones he finds himself catapulted into. For better or worse, the one thing Ash knows is that he’s got to find a way to put things back. A searing exploration of race, gender, sexuality and the nature of privilege from New York Times bestselling author, Neal Shusterman.

An engaging discussion guide to accompany book club discussions and classroom readings of a funny and fast-paced middle grade novel! Nine is an orphan pickpocket determined to escape her life in the Nest of a Thousand Treasures. When she steals a house-shaped ornament from a mysterious woman’s purse, she knocks on its tiny door and watches it grow into a huge, higgledy-piggeldy house. Inside she finds a host of magical and brilliantly funny characters, including Flabberghast – a young wizard who’s particularly competitive at hopscotch – and a hideous troll housekeeper who’s emotionally attached to his feather duster. They have been placed under an extraordinary spell, which they are desperate for Nine to break. If she can, maybe they can offer her a new life in return…

An engaging and accessible classroom resource to accompany a beautiful picture book of nursery rhymes by bestselling team, Michael Rosen and Chris Riddell. Inspired by his lifelong fascination with these wonderful, riddling rhymes, Michael Rosen has placed familiar playground songs beside forgotten gems for a seminal new collection, which Chris Riddell has brought to vivid life with his magnificent, exuberant pictures. Expect familiar faces, from little Jumping Joan to Miss Mary Mack-Mack-Mack – but also plenty of mischievous surprises. With over thirty rhymes to choose between, this is a book for families to share and treasure

An engaging and in-depth classroom resource to accompany an uplifting picture book. A girl and her companion fox travel together from a place of loss and despair, through uncertain times, towards the hope of colour, light and life. Along the way, they find friends to guide and support them. Together, they build a glorious future and discover there is a way out of the darkness, into the light of the rainbow. A book with immense hope at its heart, this is a positive message for anyone who’s ever gone through a tough time.

An engaging and effective discussion guide to accompany book clubs and classroom readings of Angie Thomas’ exciting new Young Adult novel! The son of a drug king, seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter is negotiating life in Garden Heights as he balances school, slinging dope, and working two jobs while his dad is in prison. He’s got it all under control – until, that is, Mav finds out he’s a father. Suddenly he has a baby, Seven, who depends on him for everything. Loyalty, revenge and responsibility threaten to tear Mav apart, especially after the brutal murder of a loved one. So when Mav is offered the chance to go straight, it’s an opportunity – in a world where he’s expected to amount to nothing – to prove he’s different and figure out for himself what it really means to be a man.

An in-depth and engaging classroom resource for an exciting Young Adult novel from international bestselling author, Angie Thomas! The son of a drug king, seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter is negotiating life in Garden Heights as he balances school, slinging dope, and working two jobs while his dad is in prison. He’s got it all under control – until, that is, Mav finds out he’s a father. Suddenly he has a baby, Seven, who depends on him for everything. Loyalty, revenge and responsibility threaten to tear Mav apart, especially after the brutal murder of a loved one. So when Mav is offered the chance to go straight, it’s an opportunity – in a world where he’s expected to amount to nothing – to prove he’s different and figure out for himself what it really means to be a man.

Enagaging and in-depth teachers’ notes to accompany Michael Rosen’s powerful new poetry book. Michael Rosen and Sir Quentin Blake join forces for a landmark new collection, focusing on migration and displacement. Michael’s poems are divided into four: in the first series, he draws on his childhood as part of a first-generation Polish family living in London; in the second, on his perception of the War as a young boy; in the third, on his “missing” relatives and the Holocaust; and in the fourth, and final, on global experiences of migration. By turns charming, shocking and heart-breaking, this is an anthology with a story to tell and a powerful point to make: “You can only do something now.”

In-depth and engaging teachers’ notes created to accompany a brilliant new novel for teenagers. Perfect for PSHE lessons! Blood Moon is an extraordinary YA novel in verse about the online shaming of a teenage girl. During astronomy-lover Frankie’s first sexual experience with the quiet and lovely Benjamin, she gets her period. It’s only blood, they agree. But soon a graphic meme goes viral, turning an innocent, intimate afternoon into something disgusting, mortifying and damaging. As the online shaming takes on a horrifying life of its own, Frankie begins to wonder: is her real life over? Blood Moon is a punchy, vivid and funny story of first-time love, hormone-fuelled sexuality and intense female friendships – whilst addressing, head-on, the ongoing exploitation of young girls online and the horror of going viral. Both shocking and uplifting, it cuts to the heart of what it is to be a teenager today and shows the power of friendship to find joy in even the darkest skies.

An in-depth study guide to accompany a unique and exciting new middle grade novel! Gaming and time travel collide in this thrilling middle-grade adventure, from bestselling author Jennifer Bell. When Arthur, Ren and Cecily investigate a mysterious explosion, they find themselves trapped in the year 2473. Lost in the Wonderscape, an epic in-reality adventure game, they must call on the help of some unlikely historical heroes to play their way home before time runs out.

An in-depth and engaging teaching resource to accompany a topical and funny picture book about plastic in our oceans! Children use their toothbrush each morning and evening, and get new ones every few months. That’s billions of toothbrushes! What happens to them all when they’re no longer needed? And if toothbrushes take thousands of years to break down, what does that mean for our planet? With a fun cast of plastic characters, from pirate-ship bottles to dancing shampoos, and even an inquisitive albatross, The Tale of a Toothbrush is a positive and heart-warming story to help children explore the impact their choices have on our planet.

A two-in-one teaching resource featuring two lovely picture books! Circle by Jeannie Baker and Hummingbird by Nicola Davies and Jane Ray. Circle: Each year, bar-tailed godwits undertake the longest unbroken migration of any bird, flying from their breeding grounds in the Arctic to Australia and New Zealand and back again. They follow invisible pathways — pathways that have been followed for thousands of years — while braving hunger and treacherous conditions to reach their destination. In Circle, Jeannie Baker follows the godwits’ incredible flight, taking readers over awe-inspiring scenes as the birds spread their wings above such beautiful landmarks as the Great Barrier Reef and China’s breathtaking cityscapes for an unforgettable journey. Hummingbird: From Nicola Davies, one of the UK’s finest non-fiction writers, and Jane Ray, one of the UK’s finest illustrators, comes an exquisite Nature Storybook about … hummingbirds! A hummingbird is smaller than your thumb and weighs less than a 20 pence piece – however you measure it, it’s tiny. But every spring hummingbirds that have spent the winter in Mexico fly north to make the most of the warmer weather. They nest as far north as Canada and Alaska; a 2,000 mile trip! This is the story of one spring migration: of a tiny bird, its amazing journey and the people it meets along the way. “Jane Ray turns everything she touches to gold.” Daily Telegraph “Nicola Davies is one of the best children’s writers in the business.” Huffington Post “One of the prettiest works of non-fiction you are likely to see… It is ravishing.” The Sunday Times