We’re now entering the period of the year when I need to make hard decisions; there’s a wealth of new titles coming out, and selecting the few I have the time and space to write about becomes more and more difficult! While being spoilt for choice is a lovely problem to have, it means I worry (and I really do!) that there are great books that could be perfect for teachers, which I’m unable to share. So make sure you visit the new releases on the first pages of the Books website and have a look at the ones I haven’t had time to share with you.
Throughout Before We Met the reader is introduced to families of different makeup who are all waiting for a child to join them. While the families may be diverse, and the way their child joins them varies, they wish for the same things: love, laughter and learning. As each family welcomes a child, we see the love of parents, grandparents and siblings grow, in some cases enough to bridge continents. This wonderful book uses a simple rhyme scheme with lilting cadence, which, along with bold, colour-saturated illustrations, makes this a gorgeous story to share with children.
Readers first met Millie Mak in Millie Mak the Maker. In Millie Mak the Mender, Millie is now 10 and is proud of the imagination and skills she uses to turn old or ugly things into objects of beauty and usefulness. Like the first in the series, this second book consists of two stories centred around Millie, her family and friends. While Millie uses her talents to help make the lives of her community members better, the reader also sees her learn and grow. In the first story, ‘Cocoa Shanelle’, Millie comes to understand Shanelle better, how funny and smart she is, as well as the way her responsibilities at home – cooking and looking after her little sister while her mum works – make her tired and unable to concentrate in class. Millie is forced to re-evaluate her assumptions about Shanelle; perhaps she could even be a friend. In the second story, ‘Smarty Pants’, Millie is struggling with growing up – literally! She’s so tall for her age that people think she’s much older than ten. And while everyone thinks two-year-old Rosie is cute, it’s not a word that’s ever used to describe Millie. Meanwhile, Millie still wants to do “kid” things like colouring in and playing with dolls. Can she find a way to be true to herself, even when offered the opportunity to be on TV? Accompanied by beautiful illustrations, these stories are sure to be loved by children keen to see their own lives, experiences and feelings reflected back to them.
The first book of a new series Brielle and Bear: Once Upon a Time is a graphic novel which is much more than the sum of its parts. Bookworm Brielle knows all the rules of fairytales, and in her first year at Once Upon a Time University she is determined to make them all come true. She has her dream bookshop job, her ride-or-die bestie – she even has her villain! All Brielle needs is a hero for her story. When she meets Bear, Vice-Captain of the Rugby team, she thinks she may just have found him. But a misunderstanding, quick tempers and a big secret mean that Brielle’s fairytale may not have a happily ever after. This graphic novel may seem like a classic rom-com, but there’s so much more for teen readers to sink their teeth into: respecting boundaries; busting stereotypes; embracing difference; trying new things. With a dyslexic-friendly font used for most of the dialogue, this is a thoughtful and fun way of exploring important topics.
