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Childrens Books
Fiction
Dumb Creatures by Jeanne Willis
Inspiring compassion and tolerance, this book tells the story of Tom who is only able to communicate through sign language. Despairing of the world around him, he seeks solace at the local zoo. To his amazement Zanzi, the female gorilla, talks to him through sign language. When their friendship is threatened important issues come to the fore, like loyalty and a greater understanding of the fragile ecology around us.
Macmillian, £7.99
Dilly Dinosaur Detective by Tony Bradman
A selection of four delightful short stories, offering sensitive and often amusing highlights to the ups and downs in a young life. Many small children will empathise with our hero Dilly. For the junior dinosaur lover, this little compendium is a refreshing change from scientific and often scary publications.
Heinemann, £5.99
Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging
Georgia is currently at that most painful of childhood ages twixt child and adolescent. Where bras are no longer taboo, if only there was ‘something' to put in them! Boys are not quite as ‘yuck' and make-up sessions produce budgerigar look a-likes. Falling in and out of love Georgia's diary will strike a chord with many would-be young ladies. This delightful and often comical book is squeaky clean, despite the title. Oh, and by the way, Angus is a cat!
Piccadilly, £5.99
Dear Nobody by Berlie Doherty
This moving story is not for the casual reader, requiring a conscientious and tentative commitment to the plot. Nobody is the unborn product of a first romance between two intelligent sixth formers intending to move on to university. The reader will sympathise with the dilemmas of these young adults as the story unfolds during the nine months of the baby's development. When life-changing decisions have to be made, Helen's transition to womanhood psychologically leaves her boyfriend Chris behind. All the correct emotional and sensitive ingredients, leaving explicit details to the imagination, make this excellent teenage story a very grown up experience, without being condescending or patronising.
Penguin, £5.99
Non Fiction
Mind Map for Kids by Tony Buzan
Mind Map is the art of using words and pictures, lines and colours to present information. You can use them for almost anything - from schoolwork to brainstorming for new ideas. This method of organising information uses both sides of the brain - the analytical (lines and writing) and the creative (colours and pictures). The idea is that when you use both sides of the brain the information you read is more likely to stick. This book is specifically written to teach children how they can use it to study and revise for exams as well as to use it for extra curricular activities. A highly practical offering with lots of examples and ideas, it covers using the method in English, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography and Modern Foreign Languages. Other suggestions include organising a party or sorting a messy bedroom. The book is about helping children see the ‘bigger picture' and presents the topic in a chatty style with lots of colourful illustrations.
Thorsons, £12.99
The Body Book by Claire Rayner and Tony King
What are people made of? Why do we burp and make other funny (and smelly) noises? How do we talk, and breathe and why do we have feelings? In fact, where did we come from? These are the sorts of questions covered in this accessible format book which discusses even some of the most embarrassing things about our bodies with ease. The chapter on Thinking and Feeling, for example, teaches your child about the different things their brain can do. In includes little exercises (which do not come across as exercises) which invite children to use their minds by imagining or thinking about something specific, like what's in their tummies or what their homes look like. The chapter on Beating and Bleeding (about the heart and blood flow) gets children to think about their bones and movement by talking about the skeleton and how it is covered by skin. The book is one to share with your children, or which they will enjoy exploring alone, and is written to help them understand themselves better.
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