| CANALS |
BLAKE, Jon The
canal diggers (Sparks) Watts, 2000 0749635452
£3.99
Story about the
making of the Manchester Ship Canal.
C D
NEWBERRY, Linda Whistling
Jack (Red Storybooks) Collins, 1997 (out of print)
0006752950 £3.99
Roger, the dog,
loves travelling on Whistling Jack, cruising canals and rivers with his
master. However, there is one thing he hates about canal life - tunnels!
How does he overcome his fear when faced with having to go through the
longest, darkest tunnel?
B C
SYKES, Julie Carnival
(Oxford Reading Tree -Treetops) Oxford University Press, 2000
019919274X £4.00
Old Max teaches
Clare to sail Carnival, a canal boat. When Max becomes very ill, Clare is
devastated. She knows Max has left a present for her on the boat, but how
will she find it? His nephews are now in charge. Will they let her make
one last trip on Carnival?
C |
| CARING |
top |
BROWN, Alan Windhover
Collins, 1998 0006646131 £5.99
High above a
playground a kestrel chick is born. It is snatched by a lonely boy who
keeps it in a cage. The chick refuses to eat and becomes thinner and
thinner. Will anyone help the chick to escape to freedom? A moving story,
beautifully illustrated, told through the eyes of the young bird.
Pre 5 A
BROWN, Ruth The world
that Jack built Red Fox, 1991 0099789604 £4.99
In the vein of 'This
is the house that Jack built', this rhyme considers the destruction of the
environment. Good for promoting discussion.
Pre 5 A
BUTLER, John Pi-shu the
little panda Orchard, 2001 1841217476 £10.99
An endearing story
about a small panda whose mountainside habitat is threatened as more and
more land is being cleared.
Pre 5 A
FOREMAN, Michael Dinosaurs
and all that rubbish Puffin, 1993 014055260X £5.99
One day when Man had
set out for a distant star, the dinosaurs came back to life and tidied up
the waste he had left behind. Man was only allowed back when he agreed
that the Earth be shared and enjoyed by everyone.
Pre 5 A
GARDINER, Lindsey Not
fair, won't share! Orchard, 2001 1841211060 £4.99
Pinky and Blue are
friends who share most things. However, there is one thing that Blue will
not share - her toy rabbit. A story of friendship and sharing.
Pre 5 A
HAVILL, Juanita Jamaica's
find Little Mammoth, 1990 0749701900 £4.99
Jamaica finds a hat
and a toy dog in the park. She takes the hat to the lost property office,
but decides to keep the toy dog. When her mother reminds her that someone
else might be missing it, Jamaica returns it to the park and is rewarded
for doing the right thing by making friends with the girl who had lost it.
Also useful for other issues.
Pre 5 A
JAMES, Simon The wild
woods Walker, 1995 0744536618 £4.99
Jess would like to
keep a squirrel - Grandad's not so sure. Perhaps the answer lies amongst
the wonders of the Wild Woods.
Pre 5 A
RODDIE, Shen Please
don't chat to the bus driver Bloomsbury, 2001 074755028X
£4.99
Although the animal
passengers are told not to chat to the driver, they do ......... with
silly results. Pre
5 A
ROSS, Tony I want my
dinner Picture Lions, 1996 0006643566 £4.99
Princess has to be
reminded not to demand things and the benefits of saying please and thank
you. Useful for respecting the needs and feelings of others and following
rules. Pre 5 A
SNELL, Gordon Lottie's
letter Orion Children's Press, 1997 1858814340
£4.50
The animals write a
special letter to the Queen.
Pre 5 A |
| CARING FOR
THE ENVIRONMENT |
top |
Beyond the
rainbow warrior Pavilion, 1997 186205035X £9.99
A collection of
stories to celebrate 25 years of Greenpeace. Commissioned stories which
try to open eyes to what is going wrong in the environment and encourage
discussion on how best to conserve our natural world.
B C
BURNINGHAM, John Oi! Get
off our train Red Fox, 1991 009985340X £4.99
A little boy sets
off on a round-the-world train ride to dreamland with only his toy dog for
company. Soon all sorts of endangered animals are asking if they can jump
aboard and join in the journey. Works on many levels.
B
D'LACEY, Chris A break
in the chain (Yellow Bananas) Mammoth, 1998
074973132X £3.99
A terrible oil spill
in the Arctic, a lesson about food chains and a new CD-ROM game featuring
a polar bear, turn into a magical adventure for Billy. With the help of
the polar bear and the new school computer, Billy's class decide to do
their bit to save the animals of the Arctic.
B
D'LACEY, Chris A hole at
the pole Heinemann, 1994 (out of print) 0434968013
£4.99
Environmental issues
such as the ozone layer and the importance of conservation are all
portrayed in this novel.
B C
DALTON, Annie Tilly
Bearney saves the world Mammoth, 1997 (out of print)
0749729171 £3.99
Tilly Bearney learns
all about the ozone layer, the plight of the dolphins and decides with her
friends that the world must be saved. A book that touches on many issues
including disability.
B C
HOWARTH, Lesley Weather
eye Walker, 2001 0744577985 £3.99
A young girl is a
weather eye, part of a club that shares information by computer about
climate conditions around the world. In 1999 weird things are happening -
floods, earthquakes and severe gales. She has a near death experience that
leaves her with psychic powers. This now makes her the 'weather eye' with
a clear purpose.
E
JEFFERS, Susan Brother
Eagle, Sister Sky Puffin, 1993 014054514X £5.99
Nearly 150 years
ago, Chief Seattle, a respected and peaceful leader of the North West
Indian Nations, delivered a compelling message to the government in
Washington who wanted to buy his people's land. He believed that all life
on Earth, and the Earth itself, is sacred and that man's heedless abuse of
nature will lead to his own destruction.
B C
JUNGMAN, Ann Frank N
Steir and the monster in trouble (Super Crunchies)
Orchard, 1997 1860393608 £3.99
Everyone is pleased
with Frank N Stein's rubbish-eating monster - everyone except the rubbish
collectors, who fear for their jobs.
B
JUNGMAN, Ann Lucy keeps
the wolf from the door Collins, 1989 0006730507
£3.99
Now that Lucy's
fairtale friend the wolf is the proud father of cubs, he won't eat meat.
When he finds out that acid rain is destroying his trees, he becomes
determined to make the forest a safe place for his family. He also wants
to save the world. Humorous.
B C
LAWRENCE, Louis Dreamweaver
Collins, 1997 0066750885 £3.99
Science-fiction
story with a strong eco-message. When Earth becomes overpopulated,
polluted and war-ridden, the wealthy and powerful start to leave and plan
to colonize other planets. Troy is a crew-member on one such mission. When
Eth dreamweaves her way onto the spaceship, she becomes a pawn in an
attempt to protect the 'Guild' from alien craft heading towards them.
D E
PATTEN, Brian Impossible
parents go green (Sprinters) Walker, 2001
0744578817 £4.99
Ben and Mary Norm's
parents have decided to become ecologists and getting it impossibly wrong.
They get rid of the TV and then start eating Yak cheese. When the children
at school find out, Ben and Mary become a laughing stock. How can they get
their parents to act 'normal' again?
B C
POW, Tom Who is the
world for? Walker, 2001 0744582458 £4.99
Across the world,
both baby animals and a child ask their parents who is the world for? They
are told that it is for each and every one of us. Lyrical text and
stunning illustrations make this a fantastic celebration of the world with
its diverse creatures and habitats.
A B
SHELDON, Dyan The
whale's song Red Fox, 1993 0099737604 £4.99
Poetical and
mysterious picture book that captures a child's wonder at the richness of
our natural world.
A B
TESTA, Fulvio Too much
rubbish North-South, 2001 0735814538 £9.99
Simple text but with
a strong message warning against wastefulness and encouraging a respectful
attitude to our environment. Two boys walk through their city and despair
at the rubbish piling up around them. Then they see something that renews
their hope and inspires them to action.
A B
THOMPSON, Colin The
paperbag prince T Red Fox, 1994 0099933209 £4.99
The paperbag prince
is an old man living in a railway carrriage on a rubbish dump. He knows
that even rubbish can contain treasure and that if he stay long enough,
nature will heal the countryside. B |
| DAY AND
NIGHT |
top |
|
BUTLER. John While you
were sleeping Orchard, 2001 1841215899 £4.99
Beautifully
illustrated book with lyrical text looks at animals at night in their
natural environments.
Pre 5 A
HENDRA, Sue Oliver's
wood Walker, 1997 0744547970 £4.99
Oliver, the owl
loves to play in the wood at night with his friends - hedgehogs, badgers
and bats. One night he plays too long and sees the big, round, orange
sun rise into the sky. He goes to tell his friends but they are asleep.
In daylight the wood is inhabited by rabbits, squirrels and butterfies.
He feels lonely but eventually falls asleep and wakes up at night and
all's well again.
A B
TOMLINSON, Jill The
owl who was afraid of the dark Mammoth, 1992 074970795X
£3.99
Plop the barn owl
is afraid of the dark. His parents keep telling him that dark is best
but Plop just wants to be a day bird. His mother pushes him out of the
nest to ask others what they think of the dark. Plop is amazed at their
replies. A
B
|
| DISABILITY |
EDWARDS, Becky
My brother Sammy Bloomsbury, 2000 0747546541 £4.99
A
sensitive book which deals with a brother, Sammy, who is autistic. Pre 5 A
VAN GENECHTEN, Guido
Flop-ear Franklin Watts, 2001 1903012023 £4.99
All
rabbits have two long ears, but Flop-Ear's ears don't look quite the same
as all the others. This amusing story deals with the issue of being
different. Pre 5 A
VAN GENECHTEN, Guido Flop-ear and Annie
Cat's Whiskers, 2001 1903012171
£4.99
Flop-ear falls in love with Annie, but he tries to change his image
to impress her. However, he finds that Annie likes him just the way he is. Pre 5 A
HEROLD, Ann Bixby Hold my
hand, grandpa Oxford University Press, 2000 0192723340
£4.99
Holly does not need her grandfather's help so much now that
She is
older. However, perhaps, he now needs her help. Pre 5 A
HEST, Amy Baby duck and the
new eyeglasses Walker, 1996 07445522206 £4.99
Baby duck hates
his new glasses until Grandpa arrives and they are exactly the same. Pre 5 A
INKPEN, Mick Nothing
Hodder, 1996 0340656743 £5.99
This book deals with the importance of
a name and self esteem. Pre 5 A
ROGERS, Paul Tiny
Bodley Head, 2001 0370326326 £9.99
A flea called Tiny lives on a dog
called Cleopatra and is placed in an ever increasing grand scheme of
things. Tiny realises that although he is small, he is important . A good
book for developing self esteem. Pre 5 A
|
| EGYPTIANS |
top |
BRESLIN,
Theresa Dream Master Corgi Yearling, 2000 0440863821
£4.99
Fantasy, where Cy,
about to wake up from a dream about Ancient Egypt, discovers that he can
get back into his dream world. However there has to be a dream master, but
dream life and real life become intertwined.
C
DICKS, Terrance The
pyramid incident Piccadilly, 1999 185340599X £4.99
A gold scarab placed
in a professor's pocket launches father and son into a dangerous
investigation. B C
MASTERS, Anthony In
search of the boy King (Historical Storybooks)
HodderWayland, 2000 0750029587 £4.50
A young boy joins
Howard Carter in his search for the tomb of Tutankhamun. Carter and Ahmed
become involved in one of the greatest treasure hunts of all time.
Historical facts are presented in this story format.
B
McCAUGHREAN, Geraldine Casting
the Gods adrift (Flashbacks) A & C Black, 1998
0713646551 £4.99
The pharaoh commands
the animal dealer to bring him lots of animals for his new capital city.
The dealer is delighted but wonders what the pharaoh's new religion will
mean for the people.
C D
WALLACE, Karen Tutankhamun's
arrow (Red Storybook) Collins, 1998 0006753612
£3.99
Two children find
themselves in Ancient Egypt at the time of Tutankhamun's funeral. How did
they get there and why are they there? The high priestess is convinced
their arrival is a good omen and has the children 'prepared' for the
funeral. They must escape and get back to their own time. Good adventure
story. B
WALSH, Jill Paton Pepi
and the secret names Frances Lincoln, 1996 0711210896
£6.99
Story, beautifully
illustrated, set in ancient Egypt. The story includes mystery names in
hieroglyphics for readers to solve themselves.
B C
WOODERSON, Philip The
fearful pharaoh (Nile Files) Watt, 2001 0749636556
£3.99
Nile Files are a
series of zany stories. Other titles in the series: The helpful
Hieroglyph, The Jinxed Sphinx, The missing mummy, The pointless pyramid,
The scrunchy scarab, The wobbly obelisk. C |
| HIGHLAND
CLEARANCES |
top |
FIDLER,
Kathleen The desperate journey (Kelpies) Floris,
2002 0863154018 £4.99
This book tells the
story of the Highland Clearances as it affected one small family. The
Murrays are forced to load their possessions onto a cart and travel across
Scotland to Glasgow. Here the children have to work in a mill and live in
overcrowded and dirty lodgings. Then the family are offered the chance to
join an emigrant ship bound for Hudson Bay in Canada.
D
O'NEILL, Judith So far
from Skye Puffin, 1993 0140349804 £4.99
The MacDonald family
are being forced to leave their home on Skye, along with hundreds of other
Gaelic speaking families and emigrate to Australia. A sensitive book which
portrays the feelings and fears of families during the Highland
Clearances. D |
| JACOBITES |
MORPURGO,
Michael The last wolf Doubleday, 2002 0385602227
£10.99
Robbie McLeod
befriends a wolf cub. Together they venture far from their birthplace, a
land of rebellious fighters and vicious redcoats. Evan when at last Robbie
finds a place where he can peacefully make his home, he knows in his heart
that the wolf must find his own natural home. C
D
WHITE, Kirsty Over the
sea to Skye (Sparks) Watt, 1998 0749631260
£3.99
Maggie doesn't like
fighting, but with the rest of her clan she supports Prince Charlie. When
his army is forced to flee from the English, can she really play a part in
the Prince's escape to freedom?
C D
WHITE, Kirsty A dream of
danger (Sparks) Watt, 1998 0749631244 £3.99
As the Redcoats
march into Glencoe, Morag is haunted by disturbing dreams, but what does
it all mean? After years of peace there is surely nothing to worry about -
or is there? C D |
| KNIGHTS
AND CASTLES |
top |
BEARDSLEY,
Martyn Sir Gadabout Dolphin, 1994 1858810558
£3.99
Humorous story. Sir
Gadabout is the worst knight ever known at Camelot. When Guinevere goes
missing, Sir Gadabout sets about rescuing her. Other titles in the same
series: Sir Gadabout and the ghost; Sir Gadabout gets worse.
B C
COOPER, Susan The
boggart Puffin, 1994 0140364889 £4.99
When a cantankerous
sprite is disturbed from his home in an old Scottish castle, he gets a
taste for mischief and adventure.
B C
COOPER, Susan The
boggart and the monster Puffin, 2000 0141302070
£4.99
A further tale of
the boggart who is up to his usual mischief . He finds under the waters of
the deep, dark loch someone or something, who needs his help urgently.
B C
KING-SMITH, Dick Tumbleweed
Puffin, 1999 0141302380 £3.99
Sir Tumbleweed is a
nervous and accident-prone knight. After meeting a witch who is kind to
him, he finds he has a lion and a unicorn as friends and beats an opponent
in a jousting match. With his new found confidence, all he has to do is
find a damsel to rescue from a smallish, not too fierce dragon...
B C
MORPURGO, Michael Arthur
- high king of Britain Mammoth, 2002 0749748516
£4.99
The legend of King
Arthur and the knights of the round table. A modern, well written version.
B C
WELCH, Ronald The
gauntlet (Oxford Children's Modern Classics) Oxford
University Press, 1999 0192717626 £6.99
Action packed
time-travel story. Finding an old gauntlet starts an amazing adventure
back to the 14th century for Peter. He quickly learns to hawk, shoot a
longbow before facing his real challenge. Can he escape from the besieged
castle and back to his own time? A mature read.
D |
| MARY
QUEEN OF SCOTS |
WHITE,
Kirsty A Queen's promise (Sparks) Watts, 1998
07496631252 £3.99
Meg is excited by
Queen Mary's visit to Dumfries. James is more concerned that his father
needs a new horse, but hasn't the money to buy one. Can the Queen help
solve their problems?
B C |
| MY
BODY |
top |
DEACON,
Alexis Slow Loris Hutchinson, 2002 0091767997
£10.99
Slow Loris is always
asleep in his enclosure at the zoo. However, he is not naturally slothful.
After dark he indulges in his passion for loud music, waking the rest of
the animals who join in the party. The next day the whole zoo is sleeping
it off. Young children will be able to understand the importance of having
a family bedtime routine and of consideration of others.
Pre 5 A
FRENCH, Vivian Oliver's
milkshake Hodder, 2000 0340754540 £4.99
Oliver will not
drink milk - he is too fussy. How can Auntie Jen persuade him. Other
Oliver titles: Oliver's fruit salad, Oliver's vegetables.
Pre 5 A
HOBAN, Russell Jim's
lion Walker, 2002 0744584065 £5.99
An unsentimental
picture book with sensitive illustrations, which deals with the difficult
subject of sick children. Jim is in hospital facing various procedures. A
nurse lends him her special pebble which helps him to face his treatments
positively. A lovely story which has on this occasion a positive outcome.
Pre 5 A
MCKEE, David Isabel's
noisy tummy Red Fox, 1996 0099604019 £4.50
Isabel's rumbling
tummy is embarrassing. However, it comes in handy during a visit to the
zoo. A humorous introduction to the body.
Pre 5 A
MORTON, Christine Picnic
farm Macmillan, 1998 0333683617 £3.99
A good book for
children to understand where some of our food comes from.
Pre 5 A
UMANSKY, Kaye Need a
trim Jim Red Fox, 2000 009926546X £4.99
Jim needs his hair
trimmed as he keeps bumping into things. However, there is no short cut to
having a haircut. Good rhythm for reading aloud.
Pre 5 A
WELLS, Rosemary Felix
feels better Walker, 2002 0744589266 £3.99
Felix has a tummy
ache and his mother takes him to see Doc Duck - the only problem is that
he is frightened of the doctor.
Pre 5 A |
| MY
FAMILY AND FRIENDS |
top |
ALBOROUGH,
Jez My friend bear Walker, 2000 0744569184 £4.99
Eddy and the bear
wish they had a friend to talk to, all they have is their teddies, and
teddies can't talk. For reading aloud.
Pre 5 A
ANHOLT, Catherine Big
book of families Walker, 2000 0744577292 £5.99
Rhymes and colourful
illustrations about all aspects of family life.
Pre 5 A
APPERLEY, Dawn Blossom
and Boo: a story about best friends Hodder, 2001
0340817658 £4.99
Blossom and Boo are
best friends, a friendship which survives separation through Boo's
hibernation.
Pre 5 A
DALE, Penny All about
Alice Walker, 1999 (out of print) 0744569370 £4.99
This is all about a
girl, Alice and how she lives.
Pre 5 A
GLIORI, Debi Flora's
blanket Orchard, 2002 184121096X £4.99
Flora has lost her
comfort blanket and cannot sleep without it. All the family are involved
in the search.
Pre 5 A
GRAY, Kes Really, really
Bodley Head, 2001 0370327330 £9.99
Daisy's baby-sitter
is not quite sure if Daisy is telling the truth or not. A humorous story
that will amuse young children and strike a chord with the adult reader.
Pre 5 A
JAMES, Simon Leon and
Bob Walker, 1998 074454918 £4.99
A boy is lonely and
invents a friend, who eventually is replaced by a real one when a family
moves next door.
Pre 5 A
PFISTER, Marcus The
rainbow fish North-South, 2000 0735812993 £4.99
An appealing sparkly
picture book about friendship and sharing.
Pre 5 A
SAGE, James Fat cat
Collins, 2002 0001983652 £9.99
The heroine pet in
this book is quite weird looking, so much so that she is much sought after
to keep the mice down. Two farmers are intent on kidnapping this
remarkable cat but have to make do with some of her offspring. A morality
tale about the benefits of co-operation and not quarrelling.
Pre 5 A
SHARRON, Howard and
SHARRATT, Nick My mum and dad make me laugh Walker,
1995 074454307X £4.99
A humorous look at
family life and being yourself.
Pre 5 A |
| MY
FEELINGS |
top |
ALLAN,
Nicholas Demon teddy Hutchinson, 2000 0099407612
£4.99
Dominic has been
making Katie unhappy at school. She decides to comfort herself by taking
her talking teddy to school.
Pre 5 A
HAVILL, Juanita Jamaica
and Brianna Mammoth, 1995 0749725044 £4.99
Jamaica and Brianna
realise that it is jealousy that makes them be unkind to each other.
Useful for respecting the feelings of others.
Pre 5 A
HAWKINS, Colin and HAWKINS,
Jacqui The dance of the dinosaurs Picture Lions, 2002
0007114443 £4.99
A funny,
affectionate story about overcoming fear. Illustrations are bold,
eye-catching, energetic drawings in coloured pencil.
Pre 5 A
MONKS, Lydia I wish I
were a dog Mammoth, 1999 0749738030 £4.99
Kitty is envious of
dogs as they have much more fun than cats. However, Kitty's owner
convinces her that her life is just as good, only different.
Pre 5 A
VROMBAUT, An Tiger!
Hodder, 1999 0340724137 £4.99
A kitten wants to be
a tiger when he grows up and thinks that life will be so much better when
he is a big cat. Things are not always what they seem.
Pre 5 A |
| NEW
EXPERIENCES |
top |
ANHOLT,
Catherine Going to playgroup Orchard, 1999 184121051X
£4.99
Too little to go to
school, too big to stay at home. Playgroup is fun.
Pre 5 A
ANHOLT, Laurence and ANHOLT,
Catherine Billy and the big new school Orchard, 1999
1841210595 £4.99
Billy is due to
start school and is apprehensive. A few days before term starts, he
rescues a baby bird and nurses it back to health. In so doing, Billy
realises that he too can face difficult challenges.
Pre 5 A
BRUS, Deborah and BEEKE,
Tiphamie Book! Book! Book! Hippo, 2002 0439979358
£4.99
Farmyard animals are
at a loose end and they want some fun so they go to the local library. A
good introduction for the youngest reader to the joys of the written word.
Pre 5 A
COOPER, Susan Frog
Bodley Head, 2002 0370326350 £10.99
Jo is learning to
swim and failing miserably. When he rescues a frog and watches it swimming
in its own pond he is then inspired to try again. Jo eventually overcomes
his fear of water and then can participate fully in this activity with his
family. Useful for a variety of cross curricular issues.
Pre 5 A
GRINDLEY, Sally I don't
want to Mammoth, 1994 (out of print) 0749716738
£4.99
James is nervous of
going to school. However, when he sees the other children playing, he
realises that school is okay.
Pre 5 A
LEWIS, Kim My friend
Harry Walker, 1997 0744552958 £4.99
James attends his
fist day at school and has to leave his soft toy behind.
Pre 5 A
MITCHELL, Rita P The
gotcha smile Orchard, 1998 1860399517 £4.99
It is Clarine's
first day at school. She expected to make many new friends quickly, but
finds out it takes time to make proper friends.
Pre 5 A
Smith, Jos A
Circus train Abrams, 2001 0810941481 £11.95
Timothy worries that
he will have no friends when he moves to a new area. However, the arrival
of a circus near to his new house helps him to settle to his new way of
life. Pre 5 A
STONES, Rosemary Rosie's
first day at school Happy Cat, 2002 190328533X
£4.99
Familiar pictures of
home helps Rosie to settle down to her first day at school.
Pre 5 A |
| NEW
SIBLINGS |
top |
COTTRINGER,
Anne Ella and the naughty lion Mammoth, 1997 0749730196
£4.99
Ella is jealous of
her new baby brother and a fictitious naughty lion creeps in. When Ella
finds that she cares for baby Jasper the naughty lion goes away. Useful
for introducing sibling rivalry.
Pre 5 A
COWELL, Cressida What
shall we do with the Boo hoo baby? Mamillan, 2001
0333735935 £4.99
A crying baby is
worrying car, duck, dog and cow. Nothing seems to work - then they have a
brilliant idea.
Pre 5 A
DALE, Penny Big brother,
little brother Walker, 1999 0744569532 £4.99
A portrayal of the
ups and downs of a relationship between two brothers.
Pre 5 A
GLIORI, Debi My little
brother Orchard, 1994 074453612X £4.99
Baby is always
crying, that is, until big sister has an idea.
Pre 5 A
GRAHAM, Bob Brand new
baby Walker, 1999 0744569702 £4.99
The arrival of a new
baby is always unsettling for a child. This book explores the arrival
through the eyes of his elder brother and sister.
Pre 5 A
HARRIS, Robie H. Hi new
baby Walker, 2001 0744582261 £5.99
The new baby causes
the big sister to no longer be the centre of attention. However,
eventually she accepts that being a sister is very special. New
Siblings Pre 5 A
MURPHY, Mary Please be
quiet! Mammoth, 1999 0749732415 £4.99
With a baby in the
house, Penguin must play outside or play indoors quietly but he just wants
to play and make a noise. A familiar situation that young children find
themselves in. Good for discussion regarding feelings.
Pre 5 A
ORAM, Hiawyn Little
brother and the cough Frances Lincoln, 2000 071120845X
£5.99
A tale of sibling
jealousy that manifests itself in the form of a noisy, disruptive cough.
However, people notice the cough and with a bit of love and attention, it
disappears and the little girl finds she can talk to her baby brother
after all.
Pre 5 A
WHYBROW, Ian A baby for
Grace Kingfisher, 1999 0753403765 £6.99
Grace's father
notices that when she tries to help out for the arrival of the new baby,
her offer of help is declined and he realises how she is feeling. He
ensures that she feels special again. Deals with this issue in a touching
and realistic way.
Pre 5 A |
| RAINFORESTS |
top |
BAKER,
Jeannie Where the forest meets the sea Walker, 1989
0744513057 £4.99
Innovative picture
book which chronicles the reflections of a boy exploring a prehistoric
rainforest in North Queensland, Australia. The illustrations use relief
collage of a wide range of natural materials which creates an unusual 3-D
effect. B C
DANIELS, Lucy Gorilla in
the glade (Animal Ark) Hodder, 1999 0340735945
£3.99
A baby gorilla, Jojo,
has been abandoned by its mother in the Kahuzi National Park in Central
Africa. Another female gorilla with a new born baby of her own is selected
to be a potential surrogate mother. Will she take on Jojo?
B C
DANIELS, Lucy Monkeys on
the mountain (Animal Ark) Hodder, 1997 0340687207
£3.99
Two children on
holiday in Africa find a sick baby monkey. After nursing her back to
health, they fear she is destined for a life in captivity. Can they find
the baby monkey's parents?
C
DILLON, Jack Fire storm
(Survive!) Puffin, 1999 014038818184 £3.99
A fire rips through
dense rainforest, cutting off two brothers from the rest of their group.
Are they trapped in the inferno or can they find the way to the river -
and fast? A good thriller with boys interest.
D E
FOREMAN, Michael The
great green forest Red Fox, 1994 (out of print) 0099236419
£4.99
All the treemouse
wanted was a nice quiet sleep in the forest, but each animal in turn makes
noises - tree frogs, toucans, macaws. Then there is a different noise, but
what is it? Time for action decides the treemouse. Also useful for Caring
topic. B
KNIGHT, Tim Journey into
the rainforest Oxford University Press, 2001 0199107319
£6.99
The exploration of
the rainforest takes the reader by air, by boat and by foot.
B C |
| ROMANS |
top |
BRESLIN,
Theresa Across the Roman Wall (Flashbacks) A & C
Black, 1997 0713646640 £4.99
Marinetta, a Briton
meets Lucius, a Roman officer's son and hates him immediately. She thinks
he is pompous, while he thinks that she is an uncivilized savage. However,
they are forced to act together. A good action-packed story.
C D
BRUMPTON, Keith Chariots
on Fire! Orchard, 2001 1860399924X £3.99
A humorous look at
life in Roman Britain. Lots of interesting historical facts whilst a good
introduction to the topic.
B C
CAMERON, Ian The Roman
letters (Ally Fraser Stories) Scottish Children's Press,
1997 1899827056 £3.99
Ally is transported
back to Roman times and has many adventures with a young boy of his own
age. He sees how the Romans lived and fought!
C D
CLARKE, Norma Patrick
and the rotten Roman rubbish Faber, 1995 0571173543
£3.99
Humorous and
readable story. Patrick and his family spend the summer in Yorkshire
hoping to find real Roman treasure.
C D
CROSS, Gillian Roman
beanfeast Puffin, 1997 0140377662 £3.99
Davey's class is
doing a project on Romans. The best piece of work will get a prize at the
Roman feast at the end of term. Davey wants to win, but so does Molly.
Davey will have to produce something really special if he wants to win.
B C
JARMAN, Julia The time-travelling
cat and the Roman Eagle Collins, 2001 0007105983
£3.99
A young boy follows
his time-travelling cat back in time to Roman Britain and gets involved in
the search for the missing Roman Standard. Ka, the cat, is happy among the
cat-adoring conquerors and their central heating, but Topher, now
apprenticed to a mosaic maker is not so happy.
C D
McCAUGHREAN, Geraldine Burning
the books/ The guardian geese (Roman Myths) Orchard,
2001 1841215244 £3.99
Retelling of stories
from Roman mythology. The all-seeing Sibyl of Gumae has written down the
future of Rome in her 9 books. She is prepared to sell them for a sum of
gold - will proud king Tarquin pay the price? Also find out how a gaggle
of geese protect the people of Rome.
B C
McCAUGHREAN, Geraldine City
of dreams/ Adventure in the underworld (Roman Myths)
Orchard, 2001 1841215201 £3.99
Retelling of stories
from Roman mythology. An account of Aeneus's epic journey to the land of
Italy, where he is to become the founder of the Roman Empire.
B C
McCAUGHREAN, Geraldine Shot
in the dark/ Taming of Venus (Roman Myths) Orchard,
2001 1841215260 £3.99
Retelling of stories
from Roman Mythology. Find out how the constellation of Orion was made
when Venus fell in love and also discover who broke the heart of Venus,
goddess of love. B
C
ROSS, Stewart Down with
the Romans! (Come Alive) Evans, 1996 0237516357
£4.50
A tale of the Celtic
rebel Queen Boudicca. B
C
TOLHURST, Marilyn The
stone street (Flashbacks) A & C Black, 1998
0713647272 £4.99
Living in Roman
Britain, now under threat from the Saxons, Luciana is left along when the
household flees the invaders. Her father is already marching along the
stone street with his legion to leave Britain forever. Can she catch him
up in time? Contains a further reading section at the back of the book. C
D
UPHAM, Linda The bronze
dagger Lutterworth, 1989 0718827759 £7.99
Two Saxon children
search for their father taken by the Romans.
C D |
| SCOTTISH
WARS OF INDEPENDENCE |
CAMERON,
Ian The Borestone (Ally Fraser Stories) Scottish
Children's Press, 1999 1899827080 £3.99
With King Robert the
Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn, Ally helps play a decisive part in the
victory. C D
CAMERON, Ian Stirling
Bridge (Ally Fraser Stories) Scottish Children's Press,
1997 1899827072 £3.99
An action-packed
adventure where Ally helps William Wallace defeat Warenne and Cressingham
at Stirling.
C D |
| SPACE |
top |
CAVE,
Kathryn Henry Hobbs and the lost planet Hodder, 2002
0340805803 £3.99
There's an emergency
on Henry's home planet and Henry is in the thick of it. It can't be his
fault if he's done nothing wrong, but he keeps getting messages from Lord
of Micho. What is this 'tercon' they keep mentioning? Before he can find
the answers, he finds himself on a lost planet.
C
CAVE, Kathryn Henry
Hobbs, space voyager Hodder, 2001 034080579X £3.99
Henry Hobbs home
planet, Omicron, is so boring that no-one has contacted it for years. The
visit of a foreign spaceship is, therefore, a very big event. Henry stows
away on this spaceship and discovers the crew's mission - to look for
intelligent life forms. Henry needs to escape - but how?
C
HILL, Douglas Moon
monsters Mammoth, 1993 (out of print) 0749716363
£3.99
Paul goes on holiday
to a planet in outer space with his father. The moon monsters take over
their space ship but they soon realise that the monsters only want to
protect their planet from invaders. B
C
HILL, Douglas Star
dragon
Barrington Stoke, 2002 1842990462 £4.50
Perrin and Mirry
work as planet-finders. Their job is to find planets that have lots of
interesting alien life. Elashel seems to be the planet that is appropriate
and the two heroes of the story are involved in helping the inhabitants.
B C
JOHNS, Eric Capture by
aliens Walker, 2000 0744577187 £3.99
The inhabitants of
the planet Harmony are waiting on the arrival of the Alien Federation so
that the peace treaty can be signed, or will it ......?
B C
URE, Jean Unknown planet
(Sprinters) Walker, 1994 0744531020 £3.50
Spaceship Sea Queen
is part of a fleet searching for a new world. On board are 50 children.
Their own planet Aqua is dying. The Sea Queen develops a fault and crashes
on an unknown planet.
B |
| TOYS |
top |
BUTTERWORTH,
Nick Just like Jasper Hodder, 1990 0340525827
£4.99
Just like Jasper! He
plays with just about everything in the toyshop. What will he buy with is
birthday money? Pre
5 A
CECIL, Laura, comp. The
Kingfisher book of toy stories Kingfisher, 2001 0753405962
£8.99
Stories of toys that
come to life, including classic toy characters like Raggedy Ann and the
Steadfast Tin Soldier. A
CLARK, Emma Chichester I
love you blue kangaroo Picture Lions, 2000 0006646840
£4.99
Blue Kangaroo is
used to being Lily's favourite toy. Then, along comes Wild Brown Bear,
Yellow Cotton Rabbit and more and more toys until Blue Kangaroo feels
there isn't room for him any longer. Good for reading aloud. A
CLARKE, Gus Too many
teddies Red Fox, 1999 009926255X £4.99
"You can never
have too many teddies", says Frank's mum. Over the years, Frank's
collection of them just keeps on growing. Inevitably, there are too many
and something has to be done. Pre
5 A
EDWARDS, Richard You're
safe now waterdog Dolphin, 1997 1858814324 £4.50
Matt takes Watt, the
stuffed dog, with him everywhere. He grows up and doesn't even notice when
Watt falls into the river and is swept away. Eventually Watt is found by a
girl who takes him home to love.
A
HAVILL, Juanita Jamaica's
find Little Mammoth, 1990 0749701900 £4.99
Jamaica finds a hat
and a toy dog in the park. She takes the hat to the lost property office,
but decides to keep the toy dog. When her mother reminds her that someone
else might be missing it, Jamaica returns it to the park and is rewarded
for doing the right thing by making friends with the girl who had lost it.
Also useful for other issues.
Pre 5 A
HUTCHINS, Pat Tidy Titch
Red Fox, 1993 0099207419 £4.99
Titch is setting a
good example by keeping his room tidy - that is until Peter and Mary
decide to tidy their rooms too.
Pre 5 A
INKPEN, Mick Kipper's
toybox Hodder, 1993 0340580496 £4.99
A real Kipper
classic. Someone or something has been nibbling a hole in Kipper's toybox!
Pre 5 A
LASKY, Kathryn Sophie
and Rose Walker, 1999 0744569613 £4.99
Rose is Sophie's
doll. Her clothes are worn and her cheeks faded, but Sophie loves
her. A
McBRATNEY, Sam Francis
Fry and the OTG (Colour Jets) Collins, 1996
0006750281 £4.99
Francis Fry, private
eye, is on the case of some missing antique toys, in particular the one
and only Brown Bear. Everything points to the Old Toy Gang - but how will
he prove it? Very funny.
A B
SCAMELL, Ragnhild Toby's
doll's house David & Charles, 1999 1862330670
£4.99
Toby wants a doll's
house for his birthday but receives other toys instead. This book
sensitively questions gender stereotypes.
A
THIEL, Elizabeth The
polka dot horse Methuen, 1995 0749724064 £4.99
A discarded polka
dot horse embarkes on a long journey that takes him across the
countryside, until he finds another family who will renovate him and
restore him to his former glory.
Pre 5 A
WADDELL, Martin The
toymaker Walker, 1993 0744530180 £4.99
Told in two parts,
this is the story of a toymaker and the dolls he makes for Mary, his
daughter, who is not strong enough to play in the street with other
children. Many years later, Mary returns to the toyshop with her
granddaughter and makes some surprising discoveries. A wonderfully told
story but the old style illustrations may not appeal to all. A
WILLIAMS, Margery The
velveteen rabbit Puffin, 1995 0140373357 £3.99
On Christmas
morning, the Velveteen Rabbit is put in the toy cupboard forgotten.
Eventually, he is retrieved and becomes the boy's favourite toy. As time
goes by, he becomes worn and shabby, but he is happy because he is loved
so much. The magic of this love transforms him into a real live rabbit. An
ageless classic. A
B |
| TRANSPORT |
top |
ALBOROUGH,
Jez Duck in the truck HarperCollins, 2000 0006647170
£4.99
A funny tale about a
duck who is driving home and his truck gets stuck in the mud.
Pre 5 A
DOHERTY, Berlie Magical
bicycle Picture Lions, 1996 000664614X £5.99
Fear and
determination are emotions that are experienced when learning to ride a
bike. In addition to bruises, it also takes self esteem or a touch of
magic. A B
HENDERSON, Kathy Cars,
cars, cars Frances Lincoln, 2000 0711213828 £5.99
Rhyming text. Zoom
through the world of the car factory and showroom, past roads and road
building, the garage, the scrap yard. Also shows traffic jams and
pollution. A
HENDERSON, Kathy The
little boat Walker, 1997 0744552532 £4.99
A tiny boat is the
unlikely hero of this picture book. The boat sails past a variety of boats
and creatures, through calm and stormy waters.
Pre 5 A
HOUGHTON, Eric Rosie and
the robbers (Blue Bananas) Mammoth, 1998 0749728671
£3.99
Princess Rosie loves
steamrollers. When the king orders her to stop driving them, Rosie runs
away to the Wild Wood, where dangerous bears and robbers live. Rosie
enlists the help of the robbers to steal her steamrollers back, but ends
up rescuing the king from the bears.
A B
NASH, Margaret Brunel
(Historical Storybooks) MacDonald Young Books, 1998
0750023848 £4.50
Isaac's father works
as a ganger for Mr Brunel helping to dig the tunnel. They use gunpowder to
blast the tunnel. Isaac fears his father may get hurt.
B C
TOMLINSON, Jill The cat
who wanted to go home Mammoth, 1991 (out of print)
0749708689 £3.99
Suzy arrived in
Britain from France via a hot-air balloon. Just how will she arrive home?
Eventually a car ferry takes her back to France. A
B
VOAKE, Charlotte Here
comes the train Walker, 2000 0744572967 £5.99
Chloie and William
train spot on the bridge with their father. Expressive watercolours.
Pre 5
WOOD, Jakki Bumper to
bumper: a traffic jam Frances Lincoln, 1997 0711210314
£5.99
Where do you find a
sports car, a horsebox, a caravan, a cement mixer - more than thirty
vehicles all together? Where else but in a traffic jam, but what is
holding up the traffic?
A |
| VICTORIANS |
top |
APPS,
Roy Chimney Charlie (Sparks) Watts, 2001
0749635517 £3.99
A story of Victorian
chinmey sweeps. C D
BEDFORD, William Esme's
owl Mammoth, 1999 0749737360 £3.99
Fran moves to a
house that is haunted. The ghost teaches her all about what it was like to
be a 11 year old girl in the Victorian age.
C D
BUCHANAN, George Kidnap
on the canal (Sparks) Watts, 2000 0749635401
£3.99
Tom helps Captain
Monk on his barge one afternoon. Unfortunately Capt. Monk 'forgets' to let
Tom back to his family's barge at night. They travel further North and Tom
begins to wonder if he will ever see his family again.
B C
BUCHANAN, George A fire
in the village (History Alive) Watts, 2002
0749640006 £3.99
Sparks from a
bonfire set fire to a thatched cottage in the village. Mrs Armitage and
two servants from the Big House are trapped in the smoke-filled house.
What can be done to try and save them..? Simple story with information
notes at the end about lacemaking, steam engines and workhouses. Useful
for less confident readers.
B C
BURNAP, Jennifer The
mansion and the mill Anglia, 1998 1871173396 £4.25
A story of two
Victorian families.
C D
BURNETT, Frances Hodgson The
little princess (Puffin Classics) Puffin, 2002
0142437018 £5.99
Rich Sara Drewe is
sent from India to school in England but when poverty strikes she is
forced to become a servant to her classmates.
C D
DOHERTY, Berlie Street
child Lions, 1995 0006740200 £3.99
The story of a boy
on the streets of Victorian London - based on the work of Dr. Barnardo. D
LIVELY, Penelope A
stitch in time Mammoth, 1994 0749707895 £4.99
Maria finds a
Victorian sampler and becomes embroiled into events that occurred in the
Victorian Age. Detailed historical evidence.
C D
NASH, Margaret Out of
the shadow (Victorian Flashbacks) A & C Black,
2002 0713661011 £4.99
The books in the
Victorian Flashbacks series take readers back in time and vividly depict a
young person's world - the experiences they had and the emotions they
felt. C D
PEARSON, Maggie A slip
in time (Victorian Flashbacks) A & C Black,
2002 0713659262 £4.99
The books in the
Victorian Flashbacks series take readers back in time and vividly depict a
young person's world - the experiences they had and the emotions they
felt. C D
PULLMAN, Philip The ruby
in the smoke Scholastic, 1999 0439010772 £5.99
A Victorian
detective story that will delight 'who dun it' fans everywhere.
C D
TOMLINSON, Theresa The
voyage of the silver bream (Victorian Flashbacks) A &
C Black, 2002 0713658525 £4.99
The books in the
Victorian Flashbacks series take readers back in time and vividly depict a
young person's world - the experiences they had and the emotions they
felt. C D
WILSON, Jacqueline The
Lottie project Transworld, 1998 044086366X £4.99
Charlie thought
history was really boring until she started her project on the Victorians.
C D |
| VIKINGS |
top |
BRESLIN,
Teresa Dream Master Nightmare! Corgi, 2001 0440863953
£4.99
Against the wishes
of the dream master, Cy, who is visiting York with his class, tries to
take control of his own dreams. Mayhem ensues and he finds himself in the
middle of a Viking raid.
B C
CAMERON, Ian The thistle
(Ally Fraser Stories) Scottish Children's Press, 1997
1899827064 £3.99
Ally arrives in the
camp of the Scottish army, the night before the Battle of Largs. C
D
CAMPBELL, Marion The
wide blue road Scottish children's Press, 1998 1899827946
£4.99
Rejected by his
father, Richard is glad to become a page to a Scottish knight. They arrive
at the castle of Dubhsgeir where they discover Rolf, a Norse boy. The two
boys share adventures during the great 1263 Norse attack on Scotland. D
E
PRICE, Susan The saga of
Aslak (Flashbacks) A & C Black, 1995 0713640766
£4.50
The story of the
adventures of Aslak and Astrid, two young slaves. Aslak returns home to
discover that his sister has been sold. He begins a long quest to find
her. C D
STRONG, Jeremy Viking in
trouble Puffin, 1995 0140374817 £3.25
A hilarious look at
a Viking living in Twentieth Century Britain.
B C
SWINDELLS, Robert The
Orchard book of Vikings Orchard, 1999 1860391621 £12.99
These lively and
engaging stories draw the reader into the Viking world. Good for
introducing the topic and exploring this distant culture.
B C
WALLACE, Karen Viking
raiders (Sparks) Watts, 1997 074963457X
£4.99
An account of a
Viking raid on Britain in which two children are captured and taken as
slaves. C |
| WORLD
WAR TWO |
top |
BAWDEN,
Nina Carrie's war Puffin, 1993 0140306897 £4.99
Carrie and Nick are
evacuated from London to Wales to stay with Mr Evans, an old ogre and his
timid sister. Their friend was luckier, being billeted with Hepzibah
Green. Carrie and Nick enjoy visiting their friend until Carrie does
something terrible...
D E
BAWDEN, Nina Keeping
Henry Puffin, 1989 014032805X £4.99
Charlie has been
evacuated to a farm in Wales. As he adapts to life as an evacuee, he
knocks a red squirrel out a tree with his catapult. As he sees the
squirrel adapt to his new life, so Charlie realizes that he too must adapt
to his new life.
C D
BELBIN, David The right
moment (World War II Flashbacks) A & C Black,
2001 0713654163 £4.99
Set in France in
1943, Jean leaves occupied Paris for the safety of his uncle's farm in the
South. However, he finds that he enters a world of divided loyalties and
must live under enemy occupation.
C D
BRESLIN, Teresa A
Homecoming for Kezzie Mammoth, 1998 0749725923
Kezzie comes home to
war torn Scotland and has many trials to overcome.
C D
CROSS, Vince Blitz - the
diary of Edie Benson, London 1940-1941 (My Story)
Scholastic, 2001 0439997410 £4.99
An account of life
in London in the First two years of World War Two.
C D
FORDE, Elizabeth Think
me back House of Lochar, 2001 1899863788 £5.99
A supernatural
mystery based around the Clydebank Blitz. When Pete and his family move to
Clydebank they hear unexplained voices through the wall despite there
being no house there. He also meets a young girl in the abandoned Anderson
shelter and gradually realizes that she lived at the time of the Blitz.
Well written and absorbing novel which really gives an insight into what
it was like to be in a shelter during a bombing raid.
D
GERAS, Adele A candle in
the dark (Flashbacks) A & C Black, 1998
0713650761 £4.99
The story of a
Jewish brother and sister who flee Nazi Germany and start a new life in
England. C D
LEESON, Robert Tom's war
patrol Puffin, 2001 014130944X £3.99
Tom misses his
evacuee friend when he goes back to Liverpool. He is soon caught up in the
Home Guard-like patrol organized by the Orchard Road Gang. The evacuees
return but his friend is not one of them as his family have been killed a
bombing raid. After a series of harrowing events, Tom and his dad talk
about the confusions of the war.
C
LOWRY, Loise Number the
stars Collins, 1991 0006736777 £3.99
Annemarie lives in
Copenhagen. Her best friend is a Jew. As the Germans begin their campaign
to eradicate all the Jews in Denmark, she has to be courageous and brave
in order to help her friend.
D E
MORPURGO, Michael Friend
or foe Mammoth, 2001 0749746904 £4.99
A German pilot saves
David from drowning and he is faced with the dilemma: should he help him
or not. C D
MORPURGO, Michael Waiting
for Anya Mammoth, 2001 0749706341 £4.99
The French
resistance are smuggling Jewish refugees through the Pyrenees to Spain. It
is a dangerous risky thing to do and children and adults are put in
danger. Based on true stories collected by the author.
C D
STREATFEILD, Noel When
the siren wailed Collins, 2000 0006755372 £3.99
Laura, Andy and Tim
Clark are evacuated at the start of the war. They have their names and
addresses on labels pinned to their coats. Operation Pied Piper is
underway. D
SWINDELLS, Robert Blitzed
Doubleday, 2002 0385410425 £10.99
A school trip to a
World War Two museum leads to a time-slip and George finds himself in
London at the time of the Blitz. He joins up with a group of other
homeless children, struggling to survive. Then they suspect someone they
know of being a German spy.
D
WESTALL, Robert Blitzcat
MacMillan, 2002 033039861X £3.99
A brave cat leads
the way to safety out of blazing Coventry. People touched her for luck but
also feared her as an omen of disaster. Wherever she went she changed
lives. Well written, but a mature read.
D E
WESTALL, Robert Blitz
Collins, 1995 0006750869 £3.50
Four short stories
on World War Two and its effects on the lives of ordinary people,
especially children. The stories focus on the drama and danger of living
in a country at war as well as capturing the excitement and humour.
C D |