It's been a good few months since I cried at a book but Lisa Thompson managed it once again.
I love this story. Honestly everything about it.

I'm not a massive fan of historical fiction, and I have opinions about war that usually cause some clashes with people, which often makes war-related media a struggle for me to get into or enjoy. But this one hits the mark perfectly for me.

It discusses quite a few heavy topics (grief, mental health, anxiety...) in such a short space of time, but so expertly, exactly as I've come to expect from Thompson.

Owen's poem was the tear-creating kicker, and from then to the end it was a blur of pages.
I would highly recommend.

It was also another accessible, easy read, from Barrington Stoke, with slightly yellowed pages and their signature dyslexia friendly font. They are very quickly becoming my go to for shorter reads that I would feel confident in giving to children for independent reading (either as initial chapter books for eager younger readers, or as accessible choices for older reluctant readers). Every one has had such a good, well rounded story and meaning, something which I find most other shorter chapter books are missing.

The plot of this book is so very Raúf - having read The Boy at the Back of the Class a little while ago, I can hear the same adventurous, child-friendly, conversational voice that I enjoyed.
However I'm going to probably outrage some people and say I prefer this book by a mile!

It's a simpler, shorter, more accessible book and, although they are obviously both about very different important issues, I think this does exactly what The Boy did, but better.
It has a diverse main cast (no paletable white saviour complex here), beautiful illustrations, the same child-led adventure and heroic community ending, and covers very intense emotions and economic unjust in a clear, empathetic and easy to discuss way. It even manages to create real world parallels for discussion (for example 'Noah Equiano' the famous footballer...) and gives explanations and ideas aboit food banks and food poverty at the back - perfect for a teacher. Although I could definitely go without ever having to read the word 's/hero' ever again please...

This would be a great book to use in a class to discuss food banks, economic disparity, actvism and Marcus Rashford - a book to hook even those who may struggle to get into reading.

Slight spoiler ahead:
I would love to discuss how the book might have ended differently, or chidrens' feelings about the thieves, if they had been stealing the food for themselves rather than to sell off... I can see a really interesting moral discussion occurring in the right classroom.

This short novel is a wonderful little book! An easy but engaging and creative read for capable children, and a fun accessible read for those who find reading more challenging.

The content and plot is perfect for older children who still want a story that is age appropriate and engaging, as opposed to the simple and easy storylines often found in accessible or early level reading.

The story itself is a simple repetitive fantasy, with elements of a quest and the mystery around it.

It also has full page black and white inked illustrations to both add to the atmosphere and aid those the design of the book has been made for.

An amazingly creative little sci-fi book that stretches the imagination but maintains its easy read for children.

I love a bit of Sci-fi, but I tend to find that Sci-fi for children is either aimed at a very young audience whose humour is still centred around fart guns and funny looking aliens, or for very mature students who can easily move up to YA or even adult literature styles.

This was a perfect balance!

The book itself that I picked up was made specifically to cater for dyslexic readers, with a larger, easier typeface and extra spacing and indents.

The book was short enough not to be off putting for those who might find it to be, but also long enough to get a decent plot and relationship going with the characters.

I loved the setting, the characters, and the array of species, planted, languages etc (which are my favourite parts about sci-fi in general).

The plot was gripping, complicated enough to challenge a younger reader yet keep an older one entertained, and simple enough for an older reader to guess the clues quickly, yet to keep a younger one slowly unfolding the meanings.

A magical and entertaining story for younger Primary years and early independent readers!

Nina, born in London to Indian parents, learns through the power of a school project, an eccentric auntie and a magical travelling spice shed, how to love her heritage and share that with her peers.

I found the story very sweet and simple, with a strong moral, and lots of action. It was gripping and full of unexpected little extra twists, mirroring how a longer book might jump across settings and switch between plots, which I appreciated as a teacher.