And what a year it has been. Whether it’s a picture book, a critique of our society through dystopian (unfortunately sometimes non-) fiction or the latest epic journey in an adventure series, it has been quite the 12 months in children’s literature.
So here at Tes we decided to celebrate by rounding up a few of our favourites. Let us know what you would have added to the list on Twitter and Instagram.
In no particular order…
Fing
Author: David Walliams
Illustrator: Tony Ross
Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books
Details: 272 pages; £12.99
ISBN: 978-0008342579
Compared with other books by David Wallliams, this one is shorter and was a fairly easy read for most of my Year 4 children. They absolutely loved the toilet humour - there are lots of poo jokes - and they enjoyed the weird and wonderful names given to the monsters featured in the Monsterpedia.
View the full review by Sue Parker, here.
Proud
Author: Various
Compiled by: Juno Dawson
Publisher: Stripes Publishing
Details: £7.99, 352pp, paperback
ISBN: 978-1788950602
The stories are sweetly romantic and always end positively, dealing with the hopeful beginnings of relationships rather than how they might face challenges and heartbreak.
Read the full review by Jacqui Murrell, here.
Asha and the Spirit Bird
Author: Jasbinder Bilan
Publisher: Chicken House
Details: £6.99, 288pp, paperback
IBSN: 978-1911490197
Jasbinder Bilan’s wonderfully descriptive writing transports you to a village in the Himalayas (which can link to a brilliant writing lesson for children in creating a vivid scene for a reader through describing all the aspects that define its culture, such as the smell of the food and the sound of the animals) where the adventures of Asha and her friend Jeevan begin.
Read the full review by Sophie Bartlett, here.
The Sea Saw
Author: Tom Percival
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Details: Paperback, £6.99, 32pp
ISBN: 978-1471172434
There is a timeless quality to this story and the children were absolutely spellbound from the start. You cannot fail to be transported to the vast skies and sweeping sands of the coast by Tom Percival’s beautiful illustrations.
Read the full review by Emily Marcuccilli, here.
Unstoppable
Author: Dan Freedman
Publisher: David Fickling Books
Details: 368 pages; £10.99
ISBN: 978-1788450492
The story focuses on two twin teenagers as they face the usual burdens of teenage life... This part of the story felt very real, and at times it was difficult to hear the twins’ stories, as they grappled with balancing their own emotional wellbeing with the worry of disappointing their parents.
Read the full review by Annie Karatzenis, here.
Toffee
Author: Sarah Crossan
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Details: £12.99, 416 pages
ISBN: 978-1408868126
This is, as you would expect from Crossan, a beautifully written book. She is a master of the verse novel, and many of the pupils in our school have been completely converted to the style because of her books.
Read the full review by Ros Harding, here.
Kiss the Crocodile
Author: Sean Taylor
Illustrator: Ben Mantle
Publisher: Walker Books
Details: 32 pages; £6.99
ISBN: 978-1406387926
The Reception class children thoroughly enjoyed this entertaining and exciting book. It sparked discussions and sharing of their own experiences. They would highly recommend it, as would their teacher.
Read the full review by Chloe Bean, here.
Black Enough
Author: Various
Edited by: Ibi Zoboi
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Details: 416pp, paperback, £5.75
ISBN: 978-0062698728
This is a book that all teachers should encourage their students to read. It provides an awareness of the lives of others and allows us to see aspects of our own reflected back. After all, “we are far more united and have far more in common with each other than things that divide us”.
Read the full review by David Gower, here.
The Light in the Night
Author: Marie Voigt
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Details: £6.99, 32pp, paperback
ISBN: 978-1471173264
Normally, I ask children to rate a new story out of 10, but on this occasion, there was no need. Some stories just grab the children’s attention and I knew straight away that this one would be a new favourite.
Read the full review by Kerry Swift, here.
Lightning Chase Me Home
Author: Amber Lee Dodd
Publisher: Scholastic
Details: Paperback, £6.99, 320pp
ISBN: 9781407191652
Lightning Chase Me Home has left us inspired by bravery, mystified by magic and thankful for the ordinary things we take for granted. There is a happy ending, but you have to know where to look.
Read the full review by Eve Man, here.
If you or your class would like to write a review, please contact ella.jackson@tesglobal.com
