A week of shortlists

Every blog post I have read this week seems to mention a new book award shortlist:

• The 2012 Carnegie Medal Shortlist - My Name is Mina by David Almond shortlisted again!
• The 2012 Kate Greenaway Medal Shortlist - We love There Are No Cats in This Book by Viviane Schwarz in our house!
• 2012 Waterstones Children’s Book Prize - winner, The Pirates Next Door by Jonny Duddle, looks absolutely brilliant
• English Association Primary Website Book Awards Shortlist - This is a new one for me, a very nice list,  I must get  a copy of I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen

The BFG is 30 - lets have a frobscottle

The BFG cropped up at our recent Volunteer Reading Mentors meeting. One of our smashing Reading Mentors has being using Roald Dahl's book in her reading sessions. The super use of language is working really well with her partner who can identify with the spellings and phrases such as  "human beans" and "snozzcumbers".

Then on the Schools Librarian Association Blog I learn the BFG is 30 years old! On the 13 September you can celebrate his birthday. So plenty of time to start planning some fun. Download the pdf leaflet.

World Read Aloud Day 2012

It is World Read Aloud Day today, 7 March 2012. As the organisers LitWorld say:

"Take Action for Global Literacy, Celebrate the Power of Words, Change the World"

Check out the Facebook page for more info.

World Book Day 2012

1 week to go before World Book Day 2012, on 1 March. As ever it looks really great;

• The £1 books look cool; get  your tokens ready.
• The Biggest Show on Earth, online festival, includes some amazing authors and illustrators.
• Nominate a Storytelling Superstar.
• Play games, enter a competition or attend an event (including one at the Houses of Parliament).
• There are tons of Resources for schools, libraries, bookshops etc.

Almost too much to take in, have fun!

Book awards, competitions and festivals

I've spotted a few nice book-themed activities recently.

• Blue Peter Book Awards 2012, they are also trying yo find
• The Best Children's Book of the Last 10 Years
• BBC 500 Words story-writing competition with Chris Evans
• Schools Minister Nick Gibb's new reading competition
• Redhouse Children's Book Award, the 2012 winner will be announced at the...
• Imagine Children's Festival - 11 - 26 February - it's on now!

Video: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

Great book-themed animation, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore.



Their descriptions sums it all up better than I could:

Inspired, in equal measures, by Hurricane Katrina, Buster Keaton, The Wizard of Oz, and a love for books, “Morris Lessmore” is a story of people who devote their lives to books and books who return the favor. Morris Lessmore is a poignant, humorous allegory about the curative powers of story. Using a variety of techniques (miniatures, computer animation, 2D animation) award winning author/ illustrator William Joyce and Co-director Brandon Oldenburg present a new narrative experience that harkens back to silent films and M-G-M Technicolor musicals. “Morris Lessmore” is old fashioned and cutting edge at the same time.

“The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore” is one of five animated short films that will be considered for outstanding film achievements of 2011 in the 84th Academy Awards ®.

[thanks to Drawn]

Lists and Comics and Graphic Novels

I recently treated myself to 1001 Comic Books: You Must Read Before You Die. I love lists, I think it's a male thing. It's given me a long list of books to read, top of that list is Habibi by Craig Thompson.
As I was reading 1001 Comic Books, the YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) produced a list of the top ten graphic novels for teen readers. This is one of many YALSA list another is Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers. These top 10s have been nicely presented by the Walking Brain Cells blog.

I think graphic novels and comics are perfect for the young people we support here at Reading Matters. Bridging the two lists (graphic novels and quick picks for reluctant readers) is DC Comics Ultimate Character Guide. Again, there is something about lists that really appeals to boys. I had to buy a last minute Christmas present for a 10 year old friend. I went for LEGO Star Wars Character Encyclopedia. I am not usually a great present selector, but this one was a massive success.

I'd urge you to check out some of these lists, there's something for everyone!

Picture This! Illustrating Children’s Books at Gallery Oldham

I have just read about the rather wonderful sounding Picture This! Illustrating Children’s Books show at Gallery Oldham on the equally wonderful blog by Lynne Chapman. 


It sounds great, with illustrations from children’s books family activities. It includes some big names too: Shirley Hughes, Anthony Browne, Jez Alborough and Helen Stephens. 

Lynnes' doing a big family event on Saturday 28 January and the exhibition is on to 11 March, so lots of time to make the trip!

Barrington Stoke Solos: Bighead by Vince Cross, Take Two by Jo Cotterill, Bomb by Jim Eldridge and The After School Club by Alison Davies

Over Christmas I read four relatively new books in Barrington Stoke's Solo range. I thought I'd write them up in one go here. Solos are described as 'short, whole novels that offer an easier introduction to real books'. They have a large difference between Reading Age (6.5 years) and Interest Age (11+).

Bighead by Vince Cross
Andy's in a wheelchair after an accident, his Dad has walked out and his Mum's struggling to find direction in her life. Understandably Andy has poor self-esteem, but the band he forms with is friends gives him the inspiration he needs. Bighead, the new band's name, reflects this new found confidence. The band can't fail on their path to stardom, and even Andy's Mum sorts herself out. Bighead is quite a cheesy story, but you can't help but smile.

Take Two by Jo Cotterill
I am afraid to say it, Take Two is aimed purely at a female audience, it includes a lot of pink, stars, dresses and glitter. It explains how Carla and Lily get their own back on the sneaky, arrogant Max. The girls see through him straight away, "he's too up himself", and find a great way to embarrass him. Take Two mixes some British, American and Japanese institutions: rugby, school proms and manga pictures. The blurb on the back tells you all you need to know; One prom + One hot boy + Two best friends = A lot of trouble!

Bomb by Jim Eldridge
I really like the way Bomb is presented; dramatic pictures, lots of talk of MI5 an secret reports. It makes the story of a bomb in a school come to life. Rob is the bomb disposal expert, he is only 19, but he's the best. But he is troubled because his best mate was killed by a terrorist bomb like the one he must face. He has 45 minutes to diffuse the bomb, this is about how much time it might take to read, so it feels like it is in real time, which is a neat trick. It ends with a classic decision of which coloured wire to cut, I won't spoil it for you!

The After School Club by Alison Davies
The pictures and words in The After School Club seem to be telling different stories. Without the pictures it would be  a scary horror story about a secret club. But the images are done in a jokey cartoon way, which reduces the impact of the spookiness. Sam can't resist when Lena, the coolest girl at school asks him to join the 'Hairy Bikers' gang. Inevitably things do not go as he hoped and he has a series of run-ins with the other gang members and school bullies. The big revelation is perhaps easy to spot coming, but it is still a fun read. I would have liked the pictures to been as unsettling as the text though.

Wolf by Tommy Donbavand

I met Tommy Donbavand at the Doncaster Children's Book Award last year, he was short-listed for Zombie!, another Barrington Stoke book. He did a brilliant routine involving giant crabs and toilet-roll mummy children. It was obvious mnosters play a big role in Tommy's world. So it was no surprise to see his latest is Wolf, a werewolf tale.


Wolf tells the story of a normal boy called Adam's incredible transformation one evening, and the amazing reactions of his parents. 


Adam's first concern when claws rip out of his fingers "mum's going to kill me when she saw the mess!" That turns out to be the least of his worries, as a very gruesome transform takes place. The chapter names describe the process: Claws, Fur, Tail, Snout, Eyes, Spine and Teeth! I particularly like the Fur chapter; "it did feel like I was wearing a thick dressing gown."


More remarkable than the transformation is Adam's parent clam reaction to it. They are pretty prepared for it. As Adam struggles to overcome his animal instincts and work-out why his parents are behaving so oddly, it builds to a truly shocking final couple of pages.


Brilliant, horrific stuff. I hope I catch up with Tommy again soon, he is much friendlier in real life.

Free to download: How to Choose Children’s Books

I just got a copy of the free to download: How to Choose Children’s Books by Aaron Mead.

It is really comprehensive, and just a little over-whelming!

It contains

• Practical tips on picking great books for kids of all ages—infant through young adult.
• Guidance on what makes books attractive and developmentally valuable for children.
• Analysis of themes, illustrations, stories, and the use of humor in children’s books.
• Philosophical reflections on the role of children’s books in the development of moral character.
• A comprehensive list of online resources for finding excellent children’s literature, including book lists, sources of professional book reviews, and children’s literature blogs.

A key message for me, is that just because a book looks attractive to an adult doesn't mean it is going to be right for a young person. 

It's an eBook so full of links to further reviews and resources. I think our Reading Mentors, families and other people working one-to-one with young people will find it very interesting.

World Book Night 2012

You may have been involved in World Book Night in 2011, I certainly was and it was great! A rather important due date means I won't be signing up as giver for 2012, but might want to? If so we could help you get the books to our network of volunteer reading mentors, schools and settings.


There are certainly some interesting books on the 2012 list. Although I'd still like to see more titles aimed at a young audience, the US list at least includes The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

New Baby - Little Parachutes

My start with Reading Matters was two weeks after the birth of my first daughter, Rose, see my very first blog post. Well three years later, a new baby is on the way:

It is exciting times, I may not be to coherent around the end of April!

To prepare Rose for becoming a big sister I have been looking for reading recommendations. The Little Parachutes website, in conjunction with the local library, has proved really useful. Little Parachutes provides suggestions for 'picture books to help with life's challenges' such as a new baby. I can really recommend The Perfect Baby by Tony Bradman and Holly Swain.


With other subjects including Hospitals/Operations, Fear of the Dark, Moving House, Starting School and Healthy Eating it is great for exploring issues with children via reading.

My Name is O by Sam Enthoven, and Pale by Chris Wooding

;

I have received proof copies of two dystopian stories out in January 2012,  My Name is O by Sam Enthoven, and  Pale by Chris Wooding.


My Name is O, is set entirely in the Bank of England as O tells the reader of his daring break-in and the reason for it. We learn directly from O that he/she "was born in a special breeding programme run by our secret masters", the implication is that the reader is as much a part of this controlled society as O. But O has been singled out for particular conditioning, but without his masters knowledge he has "built a personality". O starts out pretty cocky, but gets more and more out of his depth, he doesn't understand his situation as much as he thinks. It's a gripping tale, set over a short time period in a single location, but very much part of a wider, scary world.


In contrast Pale, covers a long time period. In fact Jed grows, dies and comes back to live another life within the 69 pages. It is set in another scary world, in a future where some people can be resurrected as Pales. The Pales are completely shunned by regular society; jealousy, fear and ignorance all play a part. Sometimes feelings are understandable, it's hard to argue with a statement like "dead kids shouldn't be allowed to go to school". But it's clear people need to learn to deal with these new members of society. Jed, our narrator sees both sides. I hope I am not spoiling it by telling you he dies on page 16! It is tale of violence, betrayal and hatred with a gripping conclusion of rescue and revelation.


In both books, and like in all good Science Fiction, they tell us as much about our own lives as those of the characters in the fantasy settings. Pale in particular seems to be all about current news-worthy themes of immigration, religious differences and human rights. I think they would provide lots of discussion in reading partnerships.

Reading Videos

A few videos I have spotted recently:

• Inspiring Reluctant Readers - From the New York Times, authors James Patterson and Rick Riordan talk about the challenge of encouraging children, particularly boys, to love reading
• Booked Up Film - New video featuring the Booked Up authors and 11-year-olds talking about the current selection of books
• Going West - A wonderfully crafted video for the New Zealand Book Council, Where Books Come to Life!
• Dyslexie is a typeface for dyslectics - Silent video with common issues encountered by people with dyslexia, and how a new font seeks to assist

I'll leave you with a beautifully designed video of the ubiquitous Stephen Fry talking of his love of language.
 :

Ninja: First Mission by Chris Bradford

Chris Bradford is quite an amazing guy, before becoming the hugely successful author of the Young Samurai series he was a professional musician, he is a black belt martial artist, he is funny (check out this video) and he is a nice guy too, all the proceeds for Ninja: First Mission are going to charity!


Naturally, hugely jealous, I really wanted to hate Ninja: First Mission, his first book for Barrington Stoke, but it is hard not to love it. 


The first of a series set in Japan in 1580. Taka is training to be a ninja. He is a little over-confident and the start to the story is not what you'd expect. The back story and setting is nicely woven into the story; we learn about his family history, clan, rivals, enemies, friends and training. Super language too, I love the sound of the 'Sixteen Secret Fists' technique.


The First Mission of the title, is a personal and significant challenge for Taka. We are not sure of his true motivation, is he being driven by or vengeance rather than dedication to his ninja clan? This truly adds to the thrill of the adventure.


I am very much looking forward to the continuing series. I enjoyed the realism and historical setting, a real contrast to the Lords of Pain series, and the manga-style illustrations are superb.


By the way, the video I mentioned above, is an introduction to the Ninja Challenge, a duelling card game to be played on or offline, looks brilliant for Reading Matters partnerships, more resources on the Chris Bradford website too.

The Gun by Bali Rai

Like The Fall by Anthony McGowan (reviewed recently) and Them and Us an earlier Bali Rai book (reviewed a while back) The Gun is a serious book for serious times.


The scene is set in the prologue, Jonas is in a police cell. The details are specific and telling; officials, fashions and smells. As Jonas begins his tale in Chapter 1, we know from the first line, the world he inhabits, "freezing our arses off outside Lahore Fried Chicken".


Jonas is not a bad kid but his situation in life means it is tough to avoid trouble. Especially when his best mate turns out to be worryingly crazy. Throw a loaded gun into the mix and things are never going to end well.


Their estate is always violent. Jonas and his mates dabble in gangs without getting sucked right in. But it is the gun than tips them over the edge.


In his intro Rai says the story was inspired by The Wire TV series. I am still having withdrawal symptoms after this ended, so I am bias. But, I have to say, in 65 pages Rai creates some moving characters and the journey they go on filled me with affection and dismay.

Sheffield Children's Book Award and Off the Shelf Festival 2011

Whilst at the Sheffield Children's Library I picked up a couple of leaflets giving details of the Sheffield Children's Book Award and Off the Shelf Festival 2011. Both look as excellent as ever.


Sheffield Children's Book Award


A nice line-up, although, if I am honest I haven't ready many at all. A few big names; Chris Riddell for Ottoline at Sea, David Walliams for Billionaire Boy, Terry Deary for Put Out the Light and Malorie Blackman for Boys Don't Cry. I'd like to mention a few local authors; Kevin Brooks for iBoy, Caryl Hart for Rhino, What Rhino and Alex T Smith for Egg.


But for me it is hard to look at anything except David Almond for My Name is Mina, a beautiful, beautiful tale, which I wrote about this time last year.


Off the Shelf Festival 2011


Like the book award, the festival has a real mix of interesting stuff;

• Gangs of Sheffield with Andy Messer
• Let’s Celebrate! With Debjani Chatterjee and Brian D’Arcy
• Meet the Author G P Taylor
• Nick Arnold’s Horrible Science Show
• Seeing Stars: Launch of the Sheffield Simon Armitage Soundscape
• Write Away with the WEA
• Crystal Set
• Goat Boy and Other Journeys with Fay Musselwhite, Susannah Gent, Linda Lee Welch, The Only Michael
• How to Create an Animated Show with Curtis Jobling
• Game for Poetry
• Graphic Art Workshop with Nick Hayes (he designed the great festival programme cover)

I also notice a nice project A City Reads, mapping the books that have inspired the people off Sheffield. Pick up a programme and get involved.

Bookstart Book Crawl

This weekend, I was at Sheffield Children's Library. My daughter, Rose, completed her Bookstart Book Crawl. Part of the Summer Reading Challenge. Catching up with Alexis the Librarian it sounds like the Summer Reading Challenge Volunteers are doing a great job.

Alexis and Rose!

Peter Pan and Book Drum

I have just finished reading Peter Pan by JM Barrie, can't believe I have't read it before. My motivation was to read it before moving on to Peter Pan in Scarlet by Geraldine McCaughrean, which has been on the shelf for a while.


I really don't know what to make of Peter Pan, I found it a very unsettling 'children's' book. This probably says a lot about me as the reader. Similarly, as many people have said before, Peter Pan is very much about the author's pre-occupations; "the desire for immortality, the urge to shirk responsibility and the role of motherhood". This is quote is taken form the Peter Pan entry on the the wonderful Book Drum website.


Book Drum offers comprehensive reading notes for a growing list of 'classic' books. Each book is covered by a dedicated fan including pictures, videos, maps and music.


I don't think Book Drum is going to be appropriate for the struggling and reluctant readers that Reading Matters supports, but I think our Reading Leaders and Reading Mentors, and anyone with a passion for reading will get a lot out of it.