UEL Primary PGCE 2014-2015

message 1: by Ali (new)

Sep 12, 2014 06:10AM

Mod

Please post links to your reviews here. There is no need to re-post pre-programme reviews.

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message 2: by Husnara (last edited Sep 14, 2014 05:31AM) (new)

Sep 14, 2014 05:27AM

Dad's Birthday (Read At Home Level 1c) by Cynthia Rider

Cynthia Rider Alex Brychta

This simple story is an account a family celebrating their dad's birthday. Things don’t go as smoothly as expected, with dad getting over excited and falling off the bike, and the family dog seizing the golden opportunity to run away with the birthday cake.

The book contains very simple words which children are familiar with. The pictures are an excellent aid to telling the story, this will give young children the confidence they need to help them build on their vocabulary. The pictures are also very entertaining which adds to the appeal of the book.

When my children were growing up I purchased the whole series as recommended by a friend. Read at Home series is designed for young readers for usage in school and at home. It is an excellent resource for parents to have at home to give children that extra support they may need.
The length of the story and the number of words increases with each level. As children are very familiar with the characters in the story they love to read them over and over again. I have witnessed my daughter reading this book to her doll to as it was read to her.

Towards the end of the book, there is a page with questions written in captions titled ‘Think about the story’ these pre- prepared questions help the adult to prompt the child into talking about the story.

I will recommend this book for Reception and year 1 it is an excellent resource to use with young children to introduce them to the idea of celebration. I.e. the different types of celebration we have, some are personal and celebrated at home for example marriage. At school we may celebrate class attendance. This will motivate children to attend every day.

Children can write/draw an account of what they did during a celebration. Perhaps talk about what they ate, what they wore and what they did.

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message 3: by Anna (new)

Sep 14, 2014 02:18PM

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

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message 4: by Melissathomas (last edited Sep 19, 2014 12:56PM) (new)

Sep 19, 2014 12:36PM

Mog the Forgetful Cat by Judith Kerr

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Meet the Thomas family and Mog a lovely but forgetful cat. So forgetful in fact that he forgets how to use his cat flap. Mr and Mrs Thomas get very frustrated with Mog for eating the childrens eggs, ruining the flower bed, lying across the television. Throughout the story Mr and Mrs Thomas repeat the phrase “bother that cat” with the children always jumping to Mog's defense.

Until one evening Mog causes the daughter to have a nightmare. Waking up to screams Mr and Mrs Thomas banishes Mog from the house. Alone in the dark garden Mog begins to feel rather sad and rather lonely and wants to go back inside. Not remembering how to get back in Mog spots a light coming from the kitchen. Unbeknownst to Mog the Thomas's are being burgled. Mog meows startling the burglars. The rest of the house house is awoken by Mog and a police officer is called to the , and brands Mog as a 'remarkable cat'.

This story would be great for Key Stage 1, as it has both familiar and extended vocabulary in it. Children can join in with the repetition of the words 'bother that cat' making it quite a fun and engaging book. As the story is told from Mog's point of view it teaches children to consider others feelings.

My only negatives are that the illustrations are quite dated but still serve as a beautiful visual aid for any SEN or EAL pupils.

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message 5: by Melissathomas (last edited Sep 19, 2014 12:57PM) (new)

Sep 19, 2014 12:52PM

Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy by Lynley Dodd

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy is off with his friends ‘Muffin Mclay like a bundle of hay’ and ‘Bottomley Potts all covered in spots’ , when suddenly they come face to face with Scarface Claw!

This story is full of beautiful illustrations that capture the descriptive language used to describe each of the dogs. The use of repetition throughout allows children to make important word associations setting them on the right path to reading.

I have read countless books to Early Years but Hairy Maclary is always one I come back to.
I tend to play around with the speed when reading the ending and ask everyone to join in, not only does it act as a recall strategy but children will have so much fun trying to keep up and outdoing their peers.

It may be worth asking pupils "If we could have a classroom dog, what would it look like?" and see what descriptive words they come up with.

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message 6: by Robert (new)

Sep 21, 2014 01:54AM

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Review 5, The Black Book of Secrets by F.E. Higgins.
This is a story set in a fictional gothic Victorian world. The story follows Ludlow Fitch as he flees from his parents who are trying to sell his teeth to a big dentist with big pliers to buy more Gin with. Ludlow leaves “The City” and manages to overcome his criminal upbringing and become the apprentice to Joe Zabbidadou as he sets up a new business in the small mountain town of Pagus Parvus. Joe is a secret pawnbroker, he hides nothing buts generously buys people’s secrets from them and keeps them safe. This soon brings Joe and Ludlow into conflict with the town’s main landlord Jeremiah Ratchet. Jeremiah has the town in his grip with high rents and interesting methods of debt collection all to feed his greed for drinking, eating and gambling. As Joe and Ludlow are able to free the town’s people from blackmail and debt, the outlook for the inhabitants can only start to look better if only they can help themselves but how will Jeremiah react as his income and standing in the town are both decreased?
With grave robbing, poisoned pies available from the butcher, rare books being stolen from the nearly dead and a well faked death just for the inheritance, this is quite a page turner. I really enjoyed this book and as this is not as graphic and as dark as it could be, it would make a great reader for the mature KS2 pupil. The style jumps around, as it’s written as a book that has been researched from the past, partly in the form of Ludlow’s journal of the time and partly other facts and snip bits F.E. Higgins was able to find form her investigations. I believe this has been done to enable Higgins to write sequels running parallel to and crossing this time line. My only criticism is that the climax comes and goes leaving the last few chapters with little of the excitement we have got used to earlier in the book. This being said this is still one of the most exciting children’s books I have read to date.

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message 7: by Melissathomas (new)

Sep 22, 2014 08:14AM

The Paper Dolls by Julia Donaldson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a beautiful story about a young girl who makes five paper dolls, and goes on imaginative adventures with them. The girl and the dolls go on a bus, to a farmyard and even have a close encounter with a crocodile (played by her mother). All the while the dolls shout “We're holding hands and won't let go” throughout the story. Until a boy a boy comes along and snips the dolls into pieces. Sending the dolls flying into the girls mind where her grandma and favourite toys live. The girl then grows up to become a mother herself who helps her daughter make five paper dolls.

I think this book touches on the passing of time as the book comes full circle with the character going from a girl to an adult. There may be elements of death as we learn her grandmother is stored in her mind (presumably she has passed away). The repetition of “We're holding hands and won't let go” is quite suggestive of loved ones that are no longer with us. So probably best not to read this if a child has just lost a pet or family member. Other than that a great read with charming illustrations to compliment it. There is an opportunity for artwork here, to allow children to make their own paper dolls, and naming the dolls would provide an opportunity to practice alliteration and rhyming.

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message 8: by Melissathomas (new)

Oct 03, 2014 10:38AM

Heaven by Nicholas Allan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As the title suggests, this book tells the story of Dill the dog and his owner Lily discussing heaven.
Lily imagines heaven to be a free-for-all full of sweet things. Whereas Dill imagines it to be full of lamposts, bones and “whiffy things to smell on the ground”. Eventually leading up to Dill being collected by angels.

Lily's sense of lost is lessened by her encounter with a stray dog, where she subsequently treats him to a dog's version of heaven on earth.

Allan has successfully managed to discuss the topic of death and the emotions associated with it, which will no doubt spark an interesting conversation amongst Key 1 as they explore what they think heaven is like. The illustrations really help to convey the witty clever text and can be used cross curricular for both English and Science. Great read!

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message 9: by Melissathomas (new)

Oct 03, 2014 10:44AM

The Monster Crisp-Guzzler by Malorie Blackman

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It is Mira's first day at school and she is about to discover that her teacher Miss Porter has a secret- she is a Monster Crisp Guzzler that turns into a dragon every time she eats crisps! When the Headteacher Miss Sprat learns of this secret she hastily tells Miss Porter to work her notice until the end of the week.

Mira's class is due to go to Ramsden Bay beach on Miss Porter's last day of school, but no one is able to have a good time with Miss Porter's imminent departure looming over them. When Mira is stranded on top of a rock and the waves are threatening to wash her out to sea. Miss Porter has no choice but to guzzle down a packet of crisps to rescue her.
Upon seeing this, Mrs Sprat gives Miss Porter her job back under the condition that she never turns into a dragon again...well at least not during school hours.

This book is perfect for Key Stage 1 readers. With a great amount of familiar and challenging words such as the word 'coiled'. It serves well as a 'book of the week' to be read daily to the class due to its length. There are a few pictures dotted here and there but it really is up to the reader to bring this story to life.

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message 10: by Anna (new)

Oct 31, 2014 09:25AM

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

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message 11: by Majid Rasul (last edited Nov 01, 2014 07:01AM) (new)

Nov 01, 2014 07:00AM

Janet Ahlberg

4 of 5 stars

Each Peach Pear Plum is one of a series of books by Janet and Allan Ahlberg. This book is a well organised story told in a rhythmic form with an added fun game in the mix.

I really enjoyed reading this book. The Authors had great use of imagery, determination and suspense, which kept me as a reader engaged and guessing as to what will happen next. As you are reading the page you have to find the image of the characters mentioned. This lets you interact with the book and play a guessing game with the images presented on each page. My favourite part of the book was when the Authors turned the story into a game of I spy.

My favourite characters in this book had to be the three bears, as they were the saviours of the day and rescued Baby Bunting. Therefore this appeals to children as this presents a happier and positive outcome for the reader. Baby Bunting being saved is a point majority of people can relate to as many of the children have baby brothers and sisters.

The characters within this story have pivotal/more central roles within other stories. The children recognise these characters from other successful stories and feel emotionally attached to certain characters they may have enjoyed in a previous story. This book offers a fantasy one off chance for a reader’s favourite characters to combine within one story for the reader’s enjoyment and fulfilment.

When I read this book there was not any part of it that I disliked. However, if the story had more content it would have been even more fun.

This book is aimed at Key Stage 1 which age ranges from 4 – 7 years old. I would definitely recommend this book for future Key Stage 1 classes, as it is great for classroom interaction.

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message 12: by Majid Rasul (new)

Nov 01, 2014 07:03AM

Allan Ahlberg

4 of 5 Stars

The Black Cat is amongst one of the most popular titles of the Funny bones series. This Allan Ahlberg children’s classic centres on the adventures of a big skeleton, a little skeleton and a dog skeleton.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book as I found it to be very funny even though it was repetitive.
My favourite character would have to be the black cat, I found her to be the most mischievous character in the story.
Set in a snow covered town the big skeleton, the little skeleton and the dog skeleton go out on the sledge. Excited as they all are, little did they know they would end up breaking their bones. Which they found funny and amusing, this leads them to go to the bone yard.
My favourite scene has to be the dog skeleton chasing the cat around town. I thought the animations in this particular scene was descriptive, amusing and definitely will have children in fits of laughter. There is a contrast between the dark atmosphere and within this dark atmosphere are happy characters which has a positive effect on the reader.

The only aspect of this story that I disliked was the repetitive nature of the story. However, I do understand that this repetitive nature does help familiarise the children with specific words and brings along more confidence in their reading development. Therefore, I do feel this story will work well inside a classroom. I feel this book gives the teacher the chance to engage the children with their tone using high and low pitched sounds e.g. with words like “Wallop!”

This book is aimed at children for ages 4 years and over.

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message 13: by Majid Rasul (new)

Nov 01, 2014 07:05AM

Edward Lear

2 0f 5 Stars

This colourful children’s favourite, written by Edward Lear and Louise Voce is considered to be one of the best nonsense rhymes of all times. This epic sea voyage of two courteous lovers and their eventual marriage on the island of the bong tree has easy step by step illustrations which helps to guide the children through the story.
I personally did not like reading this book as I felt it had no meaning or relevance to the reader, however I can understand how this fiction book may catch the interest of the younger audience with its positive message. My favourite part of the book had to be the ending when the owl and the pussy cat finally got married after all the trials and hardships they faced along the way.
My favourite character was the owl as I feel the owl was the more active of the two even though he was half the size of the pussy cat. When the two sailed away for a year and a day, you can see from the illustrations that the owl was the one rowing the boat, catching the food while the pussy cat was relaxing.
The most disliked aspect of this story for me was the fact it did sound like a nonsense story as I previously mentioned. I also felt the story could have been a little longer considering they sailed away for a year and a day!
This particular book is aimed at key stage 1 readers or age ranges from 4-7 years old. I would not recommend this book for future key stage 1 classes as it is a story that can cause confusion to children who are beginning and learning to read.

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message 14: by Majid Rasul (new)

Nov 01, 2014 07:06AM

Samira's Eid. Nasreen Aktar by Nasreen Aktar

Nasreen Aktar

5 of 5 Stars

Samira’s Eid is a wonderful story about fasting and Eid. The authors Nasreen Akhtar and Enebor Attard tell this story in two languages, English and Urdu. This is a story of how Samira and her family take part in Ramadhan and their celebration of Eid.
This book gave a good account of Samira and Hassan’s first Ramadhan. It gave a realistic account of the importance and understanding of Ramadhan and Eid for children. My favourite part of the book was when Samira made an Eid card for her Nan as she was in hospital. This considerate action made by Samira shows empathy and is a positive message that can inspire children.
My favourite characters in this book would have to be the caring and considerate older sister Samira. I feel Samira is a good role model for her younger brother Hassan who is full of questions and gets a responsible answer from his sister.
There is not anything I particularly disliked about this book, however, although the English and Urdu language is useful in building an awareness of other cultures, it may cause some children confusion when opening the book.
This book is aimed at key stage 2 children or age ranges from 6-11 years old. I would definitely recommend this book to children as I feel it is informative as well as educational with regards to the Muslim faith.

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message 15: by Majid Rasul (new)

Nov 01, 2014 07:07AM

Jamal's Busy Day (Feeling Good Series) (Feeling Good Series) by Wade Hudson

Wade Hudson

4 of 5 Stars

This highly energetic and spirited story is where the reader is taken on a journey through Jamal’s perspective on a typical day. This story is the second title in the “Feel Good” series. The author and illustrator of this book are Wade Hudson and George Ford.
This was a very basic story that gives Jamal’s perspective of a day at school and compares it to a day at work. His father is an architect and works very hard, his mother is an accountant and also works very hard and Jamal picks up and acknowledges this positive approach by his parents and adopts the same approach in his day to day life.
My favourite aspect of this story is the message which this story contains. A strong healthy relationship between parents and child, creates a good base for a child to be inspired.

The parents, both mother and father, are great role models for Jamal. As it shows throughout the story with Jamal’s hard work and good nature.

I have no dislikes of this book at all.

This book is aimed at key stage 1 or age ranges from 3-7 years old. I would recommend this book as I feel children would love this book as they can identify with their parents.

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message 16: by Majid Rasul (new)

Nov 01, 2014 07:09AM

Juanita Havill

3 of 5 Stars

Jamaica’s Find written by Juanita Hovill is an inspiring book that conveys a powerful message that you should never take what’s not yours.
The central character of this book, Jamaica, is an inspiring child who children in classrooms can learn from.
This book sends out an inspirational message which portrays a happy African family who are great examples for children of all races. It shows the characters as people that anyone can relate to and although the values explored are universal, they are shown in the context of this African family and in doing so we learn things about African culture. Because of this context, I think it would be an effective book for whole class reading as it could lead to further discussion.
My favourite aspect of the book has to be Jamaica’s honest nature when she helps her new friend recover her lost teddy/dog.
The only criticism that I have is the main character’s name “Jamaica”. I feel this could lead to children being confused when differentiating between the country and the name of the character.
I would recommend this to key stage 1 year 2. This book represents a good message for children.

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message 17: by Majid Rasul (new)

Nov 01, 2014 07:10AM

The Lighthouse Keeper Stories Lighthouse Keeper's Lunch AND The Lighhouse Keeper's Picnic by Ronda Armitage

Ronda Armitage

4 of 5 Stars

The Lighthouse Keepers Lunch written by Ronda Armitage, with amusing illustrations by David Armitage, is truly an epic story based on a lighthouse keeper who is very fond of his lunch…however so are the seagulls.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book as it kept me in suspense and wanting me to read on. The colourful illustrations added humour to this modern classic. In particular I liked the way the illustrator showed the seagulls disgust at the food by using speech bubbles with words like “yuk”.
My favourite part of this story was when Mr and Mrs Grinling devised plans in order to outsmart the greedy seagulls. Even though at the beginning they were not successful their plans became more and more devious and they finally out smarted the greedy seagulls.
The creative ideas of Mrs Grinling her determination and desire to never give up is admirable and with this positive image she is easily my favourite character.
I would say this book is aimed at key stage 1/2 year 2 and above. Highly recommended, I feel this story will be thoroughly enjoyed in the classroom as well as representing a good moral to the story.

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message 18: by Robert (new)

Nov 09, 2014 08:25AM

Review 8. 3 Stars
ICE PALACE by Robert SwindellsIce Palace
This book is a set in a country with long dark and cold winters and Starjik The Winter King travels across the land during winter taking children from their beds at night. No one who has set out on a rescue before has ever been seen alive again. Here we follow the adventure of the boy Ivan as he attempts to rescue his younger brother who has been kidnapped by Starjik.
Ivan travels by day and tries to sleep in hollowed out snow drifts at night but this when Starjik is at his strongest and again and again tries to stop Ivan from reaching his home The Ice Palace. When Ivan and Starjik do meet face to face there is a show down, old and bitter man against the young and loving boy.
Although short, allot happens in this book in nice short digestible chunks making it really good for new fluent readers or reading in sections in class, which is where I first encountered it in year 3. This is a good book to use to introduce children to the fact that not every story is happy and fluffy, there are parts that are a little dark but are rewarded with a happy ending. Unfortunately the pictures are not very clear and hence don’t add allot to the story.

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message 19: by Robert (new)

Nov 09, 2014 09:05AM

The Horrible History of Britain and Ireland

Review 9 The Horrible History of Britain and Ireland by Terry Deary and Martin Brown. 4 Stars
The whole Horrible History series has been great at engaging children of all ages with History. It has done this by looking for the more gruesome and strange facts that might not be normally covered in a history class. There are many books in the series but this one covers British and Irish history from the Stone Age to the end of the 20th century.
There is allot of dipping in and out of previous titles for highlights of different time periods. There are chapters called Dreadful Dark Age Britain, Gory Georgian Britain, Criminal Brits and Great British Losers. From suffering schools, body snatching, the famine food guide and more facts about poo and illnesses than I thought was possible in such a short space this is a great book.
Made popular by the TV spin off show, I would use Horrible Histories to engage any reluctant reader, it’s great for reading in tiny sections. It would also be of use for guided reading or for comprehension of text as it’s full of facts that will engage children at any time in KS2. I intend to keep this copy and use it to make my classes more interesting when I’m teaching History.

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message 20: by Robert (new)

Nov 15, 2014 03:08AM

Jasper and the Magpie: Enjoying Special Interests Together
Review 10. Jasper and the Magpie by Dan Mayfield and illustrated by Alex Merry Four stars
Jasper is a young boy with a special interest in shiny metals. He really has an interest in shiny metals. Jasper’s mind works a little differently to other people, he has problems understanding other points of view but then again other people seem to have trouble understanding his way of thinking too. As Jasper’s birthday arrives, his family gather around him and try to give him what he wants, more shiny things and some interest in his collection too.
This book is primarily about accepting other children with autism, it is a short picture book designed for children 6 and over. This would be a great book to have in any class room to be discovered or given out discretely as part of a strategy for increasing acceptance and understanding of autistic children. As it’s written as a rhyme, it does stretch things a little bit, I don’t think you can rhyme tea with peas or a few examples that nearly rhyme but actually don’t. I really enjoyed the art work.

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message 21: by Robert (new)

Nov 29, 2014 12:10PM

The Spooks Apprentice by Joseph Delany
Review 11. 4 Stars
This is the first in a series of books that follow Tom Ward, the seventh son of a seventh son with a mother of mysterious origins. He faces no inheritance and a life of tedious farm work when his mother arranges for him to become an apprentice to a man only known as The Spook. The Spook spends his time protecting The County from boggarts, gahsts, ghosts and witches. Mostly by capturing them and putting them in pits for all time.
As Tom sets out on this new life, he soon meets Alice, of a similar age, she is not keen on sunlight and wares pointed shoes! The daughter of a witch but not yet one herself, their lives soon become entwined as both try to find their place in life and the communities they have become a part of.
Set in what can be imagined as nineteenth century Yorkshire dales, this is a relatively dark book, these are not Harry Potter witches. This book is the start of one of my favourite series of children’s books following Tom, his family, The Spook and a community of witches. The settings are so well described, it’s very easy to follow exactly what is happening and to visualise the surroundings as this fast paced story twists and turns to end. Due to the darker side of this book, I would only use it with higher KS2 children as a reader for those who like a scary book.

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message 22: by Syed (new)

Nov 29, 2014 01:10PM

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message 23: by Robert (new)

Nov 30, 2014 11:06AM

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Promise by Nicola Davies and illustrated by Laura Carlin. 5 Stars
Review 12
This is a story book following an unnamed thief as their life is changed forever when they try and steal a bag from an old woman. Making a shallow promise to get the old lady to release her bag, our now heroine sets off on a quest that changes the grim and run down city in which she lives. And then another city and another waiting, for a cycle to repeat its self.
This is a fantastic book with a nice twist and a moral undertone. The illustrations are a mixture of simplistic pictures with some very detailed sections and add so much to the atmosphere to the book. This book is bursting with similes, metaphors and iteration, I would use this book in any English class, guided reading especially as it is short. This has been my favourite book so far in this task.

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message 24: by Melissathomas (last edited Dec 14, 2014 01:50PM) (new)

Dec 14, 2014 01:49PM

Arnie The Accidental Hero by Joanne Partis

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Arnie the armadillo live on a tropical island with every kind of jungle creature imaginable. There's only one problem is afraid of everything especially crocodiles. Despite knowing this Arnie's friends challenge him to cross the jungle to meet them. Forcing poor Arnie to brave everything from thunderstorms to bats. Upon seeing a crocodile lurking behind his friends Arnie hurries to warm them but accidentally trips and takes a tumble down a slope. He falls onto the crocodile, injured the crocodile makes a swift getaway. Whilst overcoming his fears and accidentally saving his friends lives, Arnie is branded as a hero.

Joanne Partis’s illustrations are bright and bold and add atmosphere and humour to the story. Arnie’s expressive face shows his fear, shame and excitement as the story proceeds. The illustrations also present a sense of rapid movement as Arnie rolls down the hill and lands ungracefully on the crocodile.
This is a charming tale for 2–4-year-olds. The colourful illustrations, meant to denote the exotic setting, would prove particularly attractive to younger children.

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message 25: by Robert (new)

Jan 08, 2015 10:54AM

Even My Ears Are Smiling
Book review 13. Even My Ears Are Smiling by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Babette Cole
4 Stars
This is a collection of children’s poetry by the well-known author Michael Rosen. With almost 80 poems of differing length there is a lot here for everybody. Michael Rosen’s has a great style, keeping things quick, smart and funny. Sometimes his poetry is just nonsense such as, “A cow is a beautiful bird.” There is some great observational poetry as well, “Now we know,” is poem about small children trying to lie, it soon becomes very obvious who drew pictures on the baby’s head. My favourite poem in the book is called, “Down behind the dustbin.” This is a series of four line verses distributed and hidden throughout the book. In each verse we meet a different dog behind the dustbin and find out what it has been doing. I believe there are 11 verses but I may be wrong.
Obviously this book would be used in poetry lessons although it can be used for many other things as well such as guided or independent reading. Due to the differing lengths and topics of the poem this could be used all across KS1 and KS2. The more time I spent with this book the more I enjoyed reading it, I really enjoyed going back to poems I read a week or two ago and revisiting. My biggest criticism is that some of the poems have been previously published. Unfortunately the copy of the book I read had an accompanying CD missing. A great book for dipping in to for children of all ages.

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message 26: by Melissathomas (new)

Jan 09, 2015 05:26AM

A Caribbean Dozen by Grace Nichols

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This vibrant book celebrates the work of 13 Caribbean poets. Before each verse the poets offer a personal essay which helps readers and listeners alike familiarize themselves with the names behind the poems. All verses are inspired by the rhythms and flavors of the poet’s Caribbean childhoods. Most of the poems are easily relatable to children of all ages, ‘Chicken Dinner’ by Valerie Bloom and Fruits by Opal Palmer Adisa are but a few. The bold and water washed brushstroke illustrations, are visually an extension of the verses complimenting each one beautifully. This book doesn't offer too many different types of poems, however there are some good examples of thin poems, cautionary tales and shape poems (concrete poems).

These poems will work well as inspirations for performance poems because of their rhythmic structures. I would recommend this for reception to year 4. Some of the language used is specific to Caribbean culture so some readers/listeners may have difficulty discerning the meaning therefore if you do choose to use this for a lesson make sure you fully understand the context before doing so.

List of poets:
Valerie Bloom, Faustin Charles, Telcine Turner, David Campbell, Opal Palmer Adisa, Marc Matthews, Dionne Brand, Pamela Mordecai, John Lyons, James Berry, Frank Collymore

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message 27: by Amy (new)

Jan 10, 2015 02:28AM

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message 28: by Amy (new)

Jan 10, 2015 02:29AM

Valeria Bloom

I enjoy reading Bloom’s poetry particularly due to the dialect used within her poems. Jamaican patois is used to give her poems a certain pattern and/or rhyme. This works really well and is a massive part to Bloom’s poetic style .

Two Seasons
This poem was useful in terms of understanding the Caribbean. From this poem it shows that the seasons that we are familiar with are different. I like the way she defines the seasons as ‘wet and dry’. She breaks down the seasons in the stanzas of the poem and explains what those seasons are like in the Caribbean. I like the progression and structure of the poem whereby the 4 seasons are addressed, then a summary. This would be useful to use as part of Georgraphy in understanding the different climates around the world.

The River
I like the way the river is described. Rhyming is used well within the poem. The poem addresses many aspects of the river in terms of movement, depth, sound, the danger element etc. The way the river is personified as a he is enriching and makes the poem more alive and relatable. It is interesting that the river was considered male, and I feel when reading the poem the features described may be perhaps why, as they are masculine-esque features. This poem is useful for English, description and imagination.

Granny is
This was my favourite out of the Valerie Bloom poems I read. I enjoyed the fact each stanza presented a different quality ‘Granny’ has. The poem show Granny’s cooking, Granny’s caring nature and how she provides for her community, her old fashioned nature and routine, the magical aspect of an older member of the family with the rich and amazing experience and stories told. I like the moral that comes at the end that family comes first. From the dialect used and the characteristics highlighted, as a reader we can build up an image of ‘Granny’ in our heads. The structure is effective whereby the poem starts with a 2 word line, then each verse starts this way, and the poem concludes with a 2 line sentence. The constant is Granny in these sentences.

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message 29: by Melissathomas (new)

Jan 11, 2015 07:11AM

The Smartest Giant in Town by Julia Donaldson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Smartest Giant in Town, is a charismatic and enjoyable book. No longer wanting to be 'scruffy' George sets out to clean up his image and subsequently becomes the self proclaimed 'smartest giant in town'. Feeling rather pleased with himself George leaves his old rags behind and sets off home. On the way he runs into a number of animals in need of help. Without a second thought George begins to remove an item of new clothing in order to assist the animals in distress. All the while singing a catchy,light hearted song which children will enjoy singing along to. Children will particularly crack a smile when George gives away his belt to a dog and his trousers fall down revealing some questionable underpants. With each removal of clothing George slowly becomes his old 'scruffy' self, eventually resorting back to his old rags he deems to be, 'comfortable'. At the end of the story George receives an enormous present from all the animals he has helped along the way, along with a card summing up all of his considerate acts.

Julia Donaldson, is slowly becoming a favorite author of mine. Her ability to convey underlying morals in a story without being too overbearing really resonates with me. This book would be good to use for R.E/social conscious topics to teach children the importance of being kind and helpful to one another and that we should care less about our exterior and more on our interior. Moreover, this book will also lend its hand at some good role playing activities.

My only gripe about this book, is that it is quite lengthy, so some children may find it difficult to concentrate for the whole duration. This can very easily be overcome by reading it over a two to three days. Other than that, this book makes a great read!

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message 30: by Melissathomas (new)

Jan 11, 2015 07:19AM

The Highway Rat by Julia Donaldson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Give me your pastries and puddings! Give me your chocolate and cake! For I am the Rat of the Highway, and whatever I want I take.”

This story tells the tale of the self proclaimed 'Highway Rat' who along with his trusty horse robs anyone who crosses his path. Until one he encounters a duck who has nothing for him to steal threatens to eat it instead. The clever duck lures him into a cave promising chocolates and cakes, then rides off with Highway Rat's horse and stash, and shares it with the the rats victims.

As for the rat, he eventually finds his way out of the other side of the cave and ends up getting a job as a sweeper in a cake shop...a far cry from the life of an outlaw.

Yet another great read from Julia Donaldson, with her usual touch of rhyming throughout. I would definitely read this to an early Key Stage 1 class (maybe even Year 2) as it is a bit lengthy. The story has a slight moral undertone of right and wrong which will be a great starting point for a discussion.

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message 31: by Debbie (new)

Jan 14, 2015 03:28AM

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message 32: by Robert (new)

Jan 17, 2015 12:37AM

The Unbelievable Top Secret Diary of Pig one star because I couldn't give it less.

This is a story about Pig, the rather simple yet charming lead character in this book. Pig is very happy until duck tells him how farmer is not giving him lots of yummy slops out of kindness but so he can chip chop him up for the pot. He then teams up with the evil chickens to build a poo powered rocket so he can escape to Jupiter.

There is a lot to like about this book, poo and fart jokes aplenty for the young. However, with the Pig being so dumbed down and the whole thing being written as his diary the entire text is deliberately written with bad spelling and grammar, just the type of thing we are trying to teach our children to grow out off using. This funny and engaging book could have been a good read for many children with a change of perspective but I would never give it to a child in my class unless I actually wanted them to regress.

I don't know how it was written and published in it's current format, it will damage children's literacy.

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message 33: by Melissathomas (new)

Feb 04, 2015 10:01AM

The Three Horrid Little Pigs by Liz Pichon

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The book tells the story of three pretty horrid pigs. They are so rude and mean, so just like the traditional tale their own mother evicts them from her house out into the world to build their own homes. Of course, they are far too lazy to give it much of an effort, with each pig stealing sticks,bricks and straw from other animals.

Enter the friendly, neighborhood carpenter Wolf. One by one, he attempts to help the horrid pigs build homes from the usual their stolen materials. But are they grateful? Oh no! Not these horrid pigs. When he asks if he can come in, they threaten the Big Friendly Wolf with no end of huffing and puffing.

In the end the wolf brings out his pot and....I won't give the ending away.

This takes on the old classic includes all the essential Three Little Pigs elements (straw, bricks, and big cooking pots) and has sufficient role reversals,twists and surprises to keep children guessing what will happen next. Comforting and funny.

This book is apt for KS1, I read this to my Year 2 and they enjoyed the age old repetition "Little pig, little pig...". This would be a great resource for Personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE)as it teaches children the importance of working hard, being helpful as well as working as a team.

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message 34: by Majid Rasul (new)

Apr 08, 2015 06:10AM

The Gruffalo

5 STAR

The Gruffalo is one of those books that immediately becomes a hit. The story of the little mouse who goes for a walk in the woods and on facing danger at every turn, scares away his predators by inventing the fearsome Gruffalo is one that captivates readers of all ages. Aimed at 5-6 year olds. It has somehow become a favourite of all the family. Perhaps it is the twist at the end when the mouse really does come face to face with the dreaded Gruffalo or the catchy rhyming sentences that makes this book one of those that stays in your hearts.
My favourite character in this book has to be the mouse himself, if only for the fact that he is so determined to avoid being eaten and does so by using his cunning and creative mind to paint a picture of a beast far scarier than the predators themselves. This story of overcoming dangers and bullies by using brains is something that children can relate to and be inspired by in everyday life.
The rhymes and use of repeated phrases ensure that it becomes a book that is read and re-read over and over. This means it is a good book for developing recognition of high frequency words. The book is aimed at key stage 1 but even older children will be enchanted by the daring mouse.

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message 35: by Majid Rasul (new)

Apr 08, 2015 06:12AM

The Tale of Georgie Grub

4 STAR

This book captures the reader from the very beginning and tells the cautionary story of a boy who refuses to have a bath regardless of his poor mother’s pleadings. Georgie Grub refuses to use soap and instead goes out of his way to become more and more dirty. In doing so he attracts the foxes and other vermin who are attracted to the disgusting smell. It ends with a shocking twist which not is completely unexpected but for some readers is a scary lesson and one that children would definitely want to avoid. The end of the story describes Georgie Grub hiding in a dustbin only to find that the next morning the bin men come.
The book uses clever rhyming and rhythmic sentences to engage and captivate its young readers. Following his exploits the young readers begin by looking up to this rebellious boy and perhaps would want to imitate the adventures that he goes through. However, by the end it is clear that such behaviour will only have disturbing consequences.
I liked the way that the moral of the story is held out until the very end which means that the resulting pay out for reading the whole book is immensely rewarding. I also love the catchy rhymes that remain in your head days after reading the book.
This book is aimed at key stage 2 children and is a book that will help them with their sentence construction and vocabulary building.

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message 36: by Majid Rasul (new)

Apr 08, 2015 06:12AM

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

S STAR

This is from the Harry Potter series and provides us with an understanding of why Lord Voldemort becomes the evil wizard that he is. It shows him as Tom Riddle a boy who like Harry is endowed with natural magical abilities but unlike Harry he chooses to use this for his own evil ends.

The intricate story line that impacts on the lives of so many characters means that this is a well-developed story that keeps the reader guessing all throughout the adventure. The reader is always trying to work out who exactly “The heir of Slytherin” is and using Tom Riddles diary to control Ginnie Weasley is just a stroke of genius.

The best scene in the book is without doubt those involving Moaning Myrtle, the young girl ghost who haunts the girls bathrooms. Her relationship with Harry is heart-warming as is the concern he shows her. The best character though for me is the young Tom Riddle, this young man is full of self-doubt and insecurities which lead him to develop a desire for power that has horrendous consequences.

I would recommend this book for upper key stage 2 children. The fact that it comes as part of a series means that the children will be encouraged to continue reading the other books in an attempt to see what happens to the characters.

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message 37: by Majid Rasul (new)

Apr 08, 2015 06:14AM

The Wishing-Chair Again

2 STAR

For some this is a childhood favourite but for me I found the subject matter very childish and a little bit old fashioned. Enid Blyton writes the story of Molly, Peter and their pixie friend Chinky who fly to magical lands using the wishing chair. I think that girls will relate to this far more than boys do. However, I am sure that the scene describing how the Slipperies cut off the wishing chairs wings will keep even the boys interested.

On the plus side this is the story of friendship and the fun friends can have when they let their imagination run free. The various lands that the children visit create an enchanted world that many young children will want to escape into. Although some of the characters can only be described as “sweet” the best characters are the more mischievous ones like the naughty Brownie who wishes to escape from the school for bad Brownies.

This book is aimed at upper key stage 2 and is part of a series of books that children may wish to continue reading.

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message 38: by Majid Rasul (new)

Apr 10, 2015 06:05PM

Fantastic Mr. Fox

4 STAR

This is a story of the clever Mr. Fox who outwits the slow farmers who have pledged to destroy Mr. Fox and his family.

This is an amazing book that gets better each time you read it. Although it is quite short in length Roald Dahl manages to create characters that have such depth and are so realistic that the reader has no choice but to be enthralled. Mr. Fox is a firm favourite because of his determination and sheer intelligence which are far above and beyond the qualities possessed by his adversaries.

Mr. Fox s my favourite character however, the three farmers Boggis, Bunce and Bean are also integral to the success of the story. It is their greed and hatred that makes Mr. Fox an even bigger hero than he is.

This story has a catchy ditty that is typical of Roald Dahl and is full of the dark humour that associate with him. The illustrations by Quintin Blake bring the characters to life and add to the sheer pleasure of reading this wonderful book.

I would recommend this book for key stage 2, 8-11 year olds.

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message 39: by Archana (last edited Jun 14, 2015 06:08AM) (new)

Apr 20, 2015 06:59AM