BOOK REVIEW: A Greek Adventure

BOOK REVIEW: Wonderfully Wired Brains

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 18:54:47 GMT

Author Interview with Louise Gooding

What’s the one book you absolutely had to read this year? Well for me, its Wonderfully Wired Brains, I knew I needed to get my hands on a copy. A book written by a neurodivergent and empathetic author, centred around neurodiverse readers in terms of font and layout, that gives the children who read it, a better understanding of how their brains work and explains how neurodiversity is in fact pretty normal. This book succeeds in all those requirements and more.

As a teacher and tutor, I’ve met so many children and each one is unique. Comparing achieves very little. This book celebrates our differences. We all have a brain, but we have a brain that is a one off, a special creation that belongs just to us to make us individuals. Split into four sections covering the workings of the brain, the diversity of brains, the history of studies of the brain and the life stories of neurodiverse people, this is a reassuring and empowering read. Louise Gooding carefully explains the terminology that surrounds thinking about the brain and there’s a helpful glossary. Instead of a spectrum, upon which you are placed, the author, helpfully reframes neurodiversity as being assembled from the structures of a variety of building blocks. This is a great way of thinking about how we are made. Here the inclusive illustrations by Ruth Burrows aid the reader in visualising neurodiversity in all its forms. Louise also supports readers with the language to use around neurodiversity, choosing positive words which allow people to feel accepted and included. There are features on autism, ADHD, dyspraxia, dyslexia, synesthesia, processing, bipolar and sleep disorders, anxiety and depression, OCD, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, masking and tics alongside the awesome abilities that are present alongside these diagnoses. There is also an impactful statement that really does strike a chord, ‘If you have met one person with ADHD, you have really met one person with ADHD.’

I’ve been lucky enough to be able to ask Louise a few questions about her inspiration behind the book. I feel the author’s insights show how Louise has brought together an outstanding non-fiction book that I really hope reaches the hands of children in classrooms and at home.

Did anything surprise you in the research you undertook for the book?

Lots! I had the idea of creating a neurodiverse timeline but must admit that at first I

wasn’t sure how much I was going to find. I knew that through history people had

tried to study the brain but that information seemed to be all over the place. There

wasn’t a nice neat timetable to hand and I thought it could be a fun rabbit hole to dive

into. Once you start digging about there is a lot of exciting brain and mental health

research that's been done over history and I think the fact that people seem to like the

most is that I’ve dispelled the myth that ADHD is some ‘new thing’ by going back to

1775 when German physician and philosopher Melchior Adam Weikard noted

something he called ‘lack of attention’ disorder in someone he had crossed paths

with. If physicians at this time were noting that certain people struggled to hold their

attention and would get distracted by their own imagination, was it likely to be ADHD?

It could well be the case. Of course, we will never really know if it WAS ADHD they

were referring to but it's definitely something worth considering.

Did your research dispel any myths surrounding the workings of the brain?

I hope so! As I mentioned above, being able to trace back through history to show

neurodiversity did exist already helps destroy the myth that it’s a modern thing.

I think there are still many people who are afraid of the terms ‘neurodiverse’ or

‘neurodivergent’. Getting a diagnosis for yourself or a family member/child is

daunting because there is so much misinformation out there still about what it

actually means.

When you can break down how the brain works and show people that neurodiversity

is completely normal, common and that no one brain is the same, you start being able

to break down some of the anxiety of ‘being different’, because…. we are ALL

different.

There has been a lot of talk, especially in the media, that more and more people seem

to be getting diagnosed as neurodivergent. Their choice in wording does end up

causing a lot of stigma, but what the book does is show that this is all down to the

fact we just have more knowledge and understanding about what neurodiversity is,

and how uniquely wired our brains are. We didn’t have as many diagnoses in the past

because we didn't have the technology or psychological understanding that we have

now, and that can only be a good thing surely.

I love the dyslexia friendly font that’s been used, was this something you asked for from the

design team?

When I first spoke with the team at DK before they took on Wonderfully Wired Brains I

asked if they would consider bearing in mind as many neurodiverse readers as

possible with this book in terms of font and colour. I needn’t have asked, they had

already been thinking of ways they could do this and this was such lovely news.

While dyslexic friendly fonts may not work for all dyslexic persons, we wanted to

make sure that this book was accessible to as many readers as we could.

Creating the perfect book format that suits all readers is sadly not possible (we are all

wired differently after all!) but the design team, Ruth Burrows (the illustrator) and I

have tried to make it engaging and as neurodivergent friendly as possible.

I’m so proud of how thoughtful the team at DK have been in making this book as

accessible as they could, including making it available to download on Kindle which

also offers many different tools which may help in terms of accessibility too.

What advice might you give to children who are neurodivergent?

Keep being true to who you are. It’s incredibly easy for us neurodivergent folk to slip

into the behaviours of others or to mask our own so as to fit it with ‘the crowd’. But

ultimately it is exhausting isn't it? If you can find spaces that you feel safe, accepted

and free to be yourself that is wonderful. I can not tell you where these places are, for

some of you it may be in a local theatre group, some in the library, some online

playing roadblocks, each of us will have our own understanding of where we feel safe

and included and I hope that you have found yours or find yours soon. Being you is

the best thing you can be.

Wonderfully Wired Brains by Louise Gooding is published by DK, £12.99. Out Now.

@ruthburrowsillustration @OnceUponaLouise @DKbooks

BOOK REVIEW: The Circles in the Sky

183:796573807 (Andrea McLoughlin) — Tue, 18 Oct 2022 10:33:16 GMT

The Circles in the Sky by Karl James Mountford

Sometimes there’s a book, that comes to you at time in your own personal life when you truly need it. The Circles in the Sky is the most poignant and heartfelt children’s book about death and grief that I’ve ever read.

Dear Fox cannot sleep, but it is not the bright circle in the sky keeping him awake, it is a morning chorus of birdsong that is meant to be heard. Fox travels in the direction that the noise takes him to a place where wild flowers grow. There, a huddle of birds takes off in flight, leaving behind a forgotten bird. Fox tries all his tricks yet Bird cannot be woken and cannot be fixed. Moth watches Fox. She sensitively tells him that Bird is no longer here. But Fox doesn’t understand for Bird is there in front of his eyes.

Kind Moth begins an analogy of the Sun and the Moon to help explain about death. This kindness when something is so hard to explain is what we do as adults to soften the blow, the grief, the finality of death. Young Fox however needs the truth, like all children do, and when it is delivered it brings tears to his eyes. And now Fox realises the wisdom of Moth’s earlier words. That in remembering Bird and Bird’s life, they will honour the Bird with hope and celebration.

This is Karl James Mountford’s debut picture book, but you wouldn’t guess this from reading it. Powerful and evocative, with show-stopping illustrations that soar from the pages, it feels like this is a story that has been waiting to be written. Geometric and retro design with a limited colour palette, Mountford’s style is distinctive and effective such as the repeating circular motif representing the circle of life we find ourselves in. The changing landscapes that Fox travels through let the reader understand the uncertainty that death brings, yet when the text slows, and the characters, childlike Fox and wise Moth, pause in grief, the illustrations are pared back. This book offers so much to those experiencing a deep sorrow and helps children to build their understanding of how to live in hope when someone dies.

If you haven’t come across this book yet, it’s one that you should definitely seek out for your bookshelf or classroom.

BOOK REVIEW: Fox and Son Tailers

183:796573807 (Andrea McLoughlin) — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 09:50:08 GMT

Fox and Son Tailers by Paddy Donnelly

Is there an illustrator and author whose work you always look forward to? Well for us it is Paddy Donnelly a truly gifted picture book creator with �� and �� amongst other books to his name, I hope you’ll enjoy finding out more about his newly published book.

Rory’s Dad is a ‘tailer’ (notice the lovely play on words). Measuring, cutting and creating tails for animals has been the family’s profession for years so rules have been passed down through the generations. ‘Wedding tails have to be 7 feet 3 3/4 inches long and formal tails need to be 7/8 inch off the floor’, are the mantras that Rory hears continually. Creatures come from far and wide to have their tails made to measure by Rory’s Dad for all occasions including a first day at school tail! Now Paddy is a visual storyteller and the details in the illustrations through the pages where Rory helps his Dad in his shop are brim full of extra details that children will delight in.

Rory is a maverick! He comes up with new and innovative suggestions for tails with bright colours, feathers, spikes and bounce! Rory’s Dad is unconvinced. Tradition is tradition in the noble profession he follows until a very important customer, Mr Peacock comes shopping for a tail like no other…will Rory’s imaginative ideas be what this customer is looking for?

Honouring his Irish roots where mythical and magical creatures weave themselves into storytelling, Paddy’s new book is a gorgeous, colourful treat of a story! Reminiscent of the origin Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling, I think you’ll love the satisfying ending in which an apology, a very happy peacock and a new generation of ‘tailers’ feature.

We’ve loved reviewing Paddy’s author/illustrator picture books and hope that eagle eyed readers can spot a dodo within each of the books!

Huge thank you to Paddy and Chloe at O'Brien Press who invited us to review this book.

BOOK REVIEW: Mouse's Wood

183:796573807 (Andrea McLoughlin) — Fri, 01 Jul 2022 16:04:41 GMT

Mouse's Wood by Alice Melvin

A mouse took a stroll through a deep, dark wood…sounds familiar? Well this recently published picture book will stop you in your tracks for it is an utter triumph. It’s hard to do justice to the beauty Alice Melvin’s glorious artwork which sings from the pages showcasing the wonder and peace that nature can bring.

Taking the reader through the seasons of the year, we follow Mouse as he visits his friends along the way. As the year progresses, the wood changes, showing the soothing cadences of nature at work. Gentle poetical text created by William Snow is the perfect accompaniment to Mouse’s journey.

Children will delight in opening the flaps to reveal the intricacies of each woodland characters’ home. The dormice are busy making jam from wild fruits whilst at Rabbit’s house a freshly baked berry pie awaits. Each time you turn the page, there’s a new detail to spot and feast your eyes upon!

At front of the book is a map of Mouse’s journey around the wood and at the back are things to spot whilst you’re out and about in nature throughout the year along with facts about each animal we meet. This would work so well as book to accompany a study of nature across a year.

Alice Melvin conceived the idea for the book whilst grieving, and when she found nature to be the healing tonic that she needed. Sketching what she observed whilst out and about led to the creation of ��'�� . Little hands will hold this book and take great comfort in it too.

I bought this for my daughter’s birthday and I know it’s one we will treasure. Put ��'�� to the top of your wishlist for it is in my eyes picture book perfection!

BOOK REVIEW: How Does Chocolate Taste On Everest?

183:796573807 (Andrea McLoughlin) — Wed, 22 Dec 2021 14:14:02 GMT

BOOK REVIEW: How Does Chocolate Taste On Everest?

What a brilliant title for a truly innovative and immersive non fiction book. From the outset, this book promises the reader a truly amazing adventure around the world and that’s what it delivers.

Leisa Stewart-Sharpe has interspersed the wildest of journeys with diverse and interesting facts. Did you know that when Fedor Konyukhov flew his hot air balloon around the world, he survived 11 days on 30 minute naps! Pleasingly, Matthew Henson’s exploits reaching the North Pole, as an African American, are also celebrated. The illustrations by Aaron Cushley are full of detail to engage children’s interest and reflect the great range of amazing places the book takes in.

What we loved most about this book is the reader is addressed directly and each of �� senses is explored as �� discover the world’s hottest, coldest, darkest, highest, deepest, harshest, stinkiest and magical places using sights, sounds, taste, smell and touch. This really makes you feel like you’re transported to the actual place you’re finding out about. In just the right sized pieces of text, you’ll also encounter the longest river, the most electric and most secret spots and finally the most out of the world place! This is a book you can return to again and again especially if you’re spotting the hidden tarantula!

Looking forward to reading more from the penmanship of Leisa who also wrote �� and �� book for children to accompany the series.

And how does that chocolate taste? You’ll have to read to find out!

Gifted for an honest review.

BOOK REVIEW: The Vanishing Lake

183:796573807 (Andrea McLoughlin) — Thu, 25 Nov 2021 21:54:10 GMT

The Vanishing Lake

What’s your favourite childhood memory of a grandparent? I only knew my Grandma, and she lived far away, so she would write to me. I kept every one of her letters. Today I am sharing this beauty of a picture book that I featured as a book to gift. Based on an ephemeral lake in Northern Ireland, this is a gorgeous story by Paddy Donnelly, his debut as both author and illustrator.

Meet Meara who visits her Granddad living beside a lake with his pet otter, Cara. Occasionally, the whole lake inexplicably disappears. Inquisitive Meara asks her Grandad where the lake has gone. Her granddad comes up with many imaginative reasons as to why the lake is vanishing, from swimming sheep soaking up the water with their wool, to mischievous mermaids removing the plug or gymnastic narwhals poking holes in the lake bed with their horns! Granddad keeps the guessing game going until Meara becomes frustrated. Then one day Granddad takes her high up into the mountains to find the answer to the mystery of the vanishing lake.

Paddy Donnelly based this story on a real lake, Loughareema which disappears and reappears which is explained in the helpful author’s notes. The illustrations capture the magic and beauty of Ireland and are peppered with hints of Irish myths and legends that the author grew up with such as the four swans from The Children of Lir. For us, picture books must have heart, and this one sings with a love of childhood memories and the humour of grandparents who like to keep curious children guessing. Meara and her granddad’s relationship unfolds beautifully across the pages as the reader waits for the big reveal. What is causing the lake to disappear? You’ll have to read to find out!

Pop this one on your Christmas wish list and you won’t be disappointed!

BOOK REVIEW: The Biggest Footprint

183:796573807 (Andrea McLoughlin) — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 12:24:45 GMT

The Biggest Footprint

The beginning of this fascinating book offers the staggering fact that there are 8 billion humans on planet Earth. This number is inconceivable to our poor brains, even though we could all crowd into an area the size of Greater London, standing up! So writer Rob Sears and illustrator Tom Sears, turn that on its head and create a mega human in a Smooshing Machine!

The reader is taken on a journey of self discovery with this incredibly original idea. The imagined human giant is approximately 3km tall and weights 390 million tonnes. Add into the machine animals of the planet such as the 80 remaining Sumatran rhinos in the world and they create one rhino the size of a double decker bus that could easily hide, undetected in the mega human’s eyebrow! The sense of proportion in the illustrations very cleverly helps the reader to see this.

Once you’re fully immersed into the concept of this book, you cannot stop digesting the facts and figures being presented to you in such an understandable and engaging way. The Sears brothers cover so much including the extinction of species, our food usage and wastage, deforestation and plastic waste, our continual mining for gold and minerals to go inside our precious Smartphones and constant digging for sand and gravel for cement, concrete and glass, to build, build and build! And of course those fossil fuels, which we burn, burn and burn, until we can no longer breathe.

At this point in the book, the mega human catches a nasty virus (see what they did there?) and falls into a dream like sleep where another creature ALOE (All Life on Earth) appears and teaches the giant human a pretty important lesson.

Although this is a book which ultimately presents to us our failings as humans and how we are creating a huge carbon footprint on our beautiful planet, it also provides positive solutions to our selfish impulses. As the global leaders at COP26 wrestle with critical decisions about climate change, �� made me sit up and listen to its message. How can I be more responsible for my family’s footprint here on Earth?

This book would be such a valuable read in schools from KS2 and beyond. Publisher @canongatebooks has produced learning notes go alongside this book which I have shown.

#thebiggestfootprint

#COP26KidLit #KidLitCOP26 #togetherforourplanet #climateaction #childrensbooksforCOP26 #COP262021

BOOK REVIEW: Danger at Dead Man's Pass

183:796573807 (Andrea McLoughlin) — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 11:31:16 GMT

Danger at Dead Man's Pass by M G Leonard and Sam Sedgman

Danger at Dead Man’s Pass. Is there a series where you cannot wait to read the next book? I don’t remember experiencing this level of excitement and anticipation since the next Harry Potter books. Now, The Adventure on Trains series has had us gripped in its thrall throughout 2021. We have completed all four books. They are so good, my son has re-read them with his Dad as well. This latest instalment is just as brilliant as the previous exploits of Harrison (Hal) Beck and his Uncle Nat.

From the accomplished writing duo, M G Leonard and Sam Sedgman, we catch up with our two protagonists who have been asked to investigate a family curse over in Germany that is plaguing the Kratzenstein family. From boarding the Eurostar, to their arrival at the family home, the spectre of being haunted for past wrongs, runs through the pages. Hal and his uncle, who stay in disguise through their investigation, find themselves at the centre of a mystery that threatens to unravel their own close relationship.

The pages are interspersed with stunning black and white illustrations by Elisa Paganelli. The drawings are so detailed and intricate and mirror Hal’s special talent at drawing almost photographically. It’s a skill he has to keep hidden in this adventure, which adds another element to the storyline.

What we love about this series of books is the depth of research that has gone into creating such a tightly packed plot and sense of mystery that keeps the reader in suspense until the very end of chapters. We adore the clever chapter titles, the coded messages, the way every family member becomes a suspect and the twists and turns which keep you guessing until the end!

Safe to say we highly recommend this series. Let me know if you’ve read any of this series or are tempted to start!

BOOK REVIEW: Rabbit and Bear - A Bad King is a Sad Thing

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 20:06:08 GMT

A BAD KING IS A SAD THING - Rabbit and Bear is a series of early chapter books that we have loved since we first read them, so we were incredibly excited to read book five after winning a copy via @toppsta

BOOK REVIEW:
Readers who are familiar with Rabbit and Bear won’t be surprised that the story begins with Rabbit getting himself into yet another mishap, this time waking up inside the mouth of a hungry wolf. Bear, as usual, wisely saves the situation and Wolf is sent packing. But there is more trouble because in this slightly darker story, an Icebear appears and claims the animals’ valley as his own, even going to sleep in Bear’s cave. The animals have until dawn to build him a palace. Bear normally fixes the animals’ problems through her kindess and compassion but Icebear does not respond to offers of friendship. The only animal that Icebear is afraid of is Wolf but Rabbit banished him to the Dark Woods. Will Rabbit be able to face his fears without his trusted friend Bear to lead the way? Will Wolf come to the animals’ rescue? You’ll have to read to find out.

This is an author, Julian Gough @julian.gough and illustrator Jim Field @_jimfield totally in their stride, who know their characters and their audience so well. The warmth and personality of the animals shines through and there are so many deliciously delivered one liners. When wolf threatens to eat Bear’s friends he says, ‘You have so many, you won’t even miss them.’ ‘I will miss me!’ Rabbit responds! The illustrations are perfectly pitched, limited in palette to charcoal greys and hues of purple, reflecting the icy conditions and cinematic in their style, from sweeping wide shots to close ups, they carry the reader beyond the story into the world of the animals.

Safe to say we love Rabbit and Bear and this is a book we highly recommend! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#chapterbooktuesday

#rabbitandbear #abadkingisasadthing #jimfield #juliangough #earlychapterbooks

#booksforchildren #readtogether #raisingreaders #fivestarbookreview #readingforpleasure #childrensbookreview

BOOK REVIEW: A Greek Adventure

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 09:09:26 GMT

What was your favourite subject at school? History was always mine so it’s a delight to read this fun, new addition to The Histronauts series.

BOOK REVIEW:
Written in the very appealing style of a graphic novel by Frances Durkin @historiannextdoor, this book offers a comprehensive insight into Ancient Greek culture. It’s fascinating how many aspects of their lifestyle we still maintain today. We join, Luna, Nani, Newton and Hero who are The Histronauts, as they travel back in time and learn amongst other things; about the Greek theatre, the agora, making pottery, the Panathenaic Games, the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, how Democracy worked and what life was like inside a Greek home.

Activities

There are also wonderful creative activities interspersed throughout the book, for children to get involved in, such as making a mask for the theatre, designing their own Greek pot, threading and weaving and cooking recipes for Greek lentil soup and sesame and honey and treats.

We found the illustrations by Grace Cooke really helped us to imagine the feeling of journeying back to the past and left us wanting to discover more. At the end of the book is a really useful Glossary and a Quiz to take part in as well as hidden Mythological creatures to search for throughout the book.

Recommendation

We would recommend this book for budding historians at home and this would make a lovely addition to any classroom environment. We are definitely going to look for the others in this series.

Thank you to Naomi for our copy of this book to review. A Greek Adventure is published by @bsmallpublishing on 1st October 2021 .

#agreekadventure #thehistronauts #bsmallpublishing #francesdurkin #gracecooke #nonfictionbooks #nonfictionforkids #childrensnonfiction #teachkidstuesdays #childrensbookreview