Reviews
There are so many incredible books available at the moment that it is impossible to read them all, no matter how hard I try! Here are my thoughts about some of the books I have read and how I think they could be used in school as well as Q and A sessions with authors and illustrators.
Ettie and the Midnight Pool
When Ettie meets Cora, she discovers she wants more than just the rural solitary life she has previously lived. And when Cora leads her to a hidden quarry pool- deep, beautiful and dangerously inviting- Ettie is ready to jump straight in. But the quarry itself has secrets…
(taken from book cover)
A book from Julia Green is always something special and ‘Ettie and the Midnight Pool’ is a lyrical, hauntingly beautiful story, one which leaves the reader reflecting on life’s stories and how the past mingles with the present.
No one could possibly read this without being struck by the rich, evocative writing which effortlessly summons the sights, scents and sounds of Ettie’s world. It is a love-letter to nature, reflected in the wisdom of Ettie’s Grandma, her knowledge of plants and flowers and the timeless patterns of nature. Mingled with this are references to ancient tales- the enduring nature of story and how we are made up of our own stories and those of others.
Against the traditions and certainties of this idyllic life in nature, Cora makes a stark contrast. She offers the excitement, the uncertainties, the adventure which Ettie craves, breaking the cocoon of safety and childhood her grandmother has woven around her. Ettie’s mother- a wild one- never settled to that life and in her new friendship with Cora, Ettie is starting to feel she might be more like her adventurous mother than her settled Grandmother as everyone previously thought. Ettie has to navigate her friendship, the secrets she uncovers and the truth about her family to truly find herself and realise who she is.
This would make the perfect read for those children who are thinkers, who want something different or special to read. Every class has them and it’s always a joy to have a gem like this to offer when they are ready for their next book! It is a wonderful, layered story, full of love, longing and life.
Ettie and the Midnight Pool
Julia Green
David Fickling Books ISBN: 978-1788452090
Published 6th June
FCBG24
Another year, another conference! Henceforth known as ‘The Fun One’… the Eurovision/ SuperBowl of the KidLit calendar’ thanks to the very lovely October Jones, the FCBG Conference is always a fabulous occasion and this year’s was no exception! If anyone was wondering whether it’s worth ‘sacrificing’ one of their precious weekends for, the answer is absolutely and unequivocally YES!
This year, Woldingham School in Surrey was where it all happened. The school is set in 700 acres of lovely countryside, making it a very peaceful spot to stay and as the weather was mostly kind to us, a pleasant place to wander round.
Although the Conference Committee and their helpers has been busy for hours, delegates started to arrive at 3pm. It is always lovely to catch up with familiar faces, but a fantastic opportunity to connect with new people as well- discovering the face behind the social media name or simply meeting like minded book-lovers whilst having a cuppa and a cake.
The weekend began in earnest with afternoon tea celebrating the 10th anniversary of Supertato! Not only were there delicious cupcakes, but the tater himself made an appearance, delighting everyone with his willingness to pose for pictures! Following this were the Publishers’ Presentations, a fantastic opportunity to hear about some of the wonderful books which are currently available and coming soon. With such a wealth of books available, it is a great way of spotting books of interest to have a look at and discuss with the publishers at the exhibition!
The Publishers’ Exhibition which followed their presentations is undoubtedly one of the highlights of Conference for many delegates. The opportunity to have a closer look at some of the books mentioned in the presentations is a real joy, but actually being able to meet lovely publishing people is really special, offering an opportunity to chat about different titles, enter competitions and perhaps be offered a proof copy of something up-coming! And they really are lovely people..!
After dinner, everyone headed to the Mansion House for drinks. Sam Sedgman gave a brilliant talk about his work, including his latest book, ‘The Clockwork Conspiracy’ (review here). His knowledge, sense of humour and enthusiasm for discovering things and being interested in the world made him an absolute joy to listen to!
A hard act to follow you might think, but what came next was a fabulous session of music and poetry from three of the best! Treating us to a medley of well-known songs with altered lyrics such as ‘Feeding my Mind’ (Staying Alive) and ‘FCBG’ (Tragedy), the combined talents of Laura Mucha (review of ‘Celebrate!’ here and ‘Dear Ugly Sisters’ here), John Dougherty (The Hare-Shaped Hole here) and Roger Stevens (review of Razzmatazz here) were just what was needed to round off what had been an excellent start to the weekend!
Saturday was off to a bang with Cressida Cowell (The Wizards of Once) and David Almond (Bone Music), two real treasures of children’s books who I could have listened to all day! They were followed by a session called ‘Disadvantaged Boys Have Feelings Too’ with Brian Conaghan and Nathanael Lessore which I wasn’t able to enjoy as I was on the reception desk at this time, but which everyone was full of praise for!
After another round of cupcakes, Jenny Pearson took the stage for a fabulously funny and entertaining session. This was followed by the choice of four seminars: NSSM with Margaret Bateson-Hill, NNFN, graphic novels with Steve Webb and how to become an author with Julia Green (The Boy who Sailed the World). A tough decision to make!
After lunch, there was a session with Jennifer Killick (Dread Wood) and Peter Bentley (Octopus Shocktopus), past winners of the CBA which some children had been invited to attend. Next came the ‘Empathy in Picture Books’ panel with Mariajo Ilustrajo, Farrah Riaz and Kim Hillyard (Mabel and the Mountain), a wonderful session! More tea and cake followed to celebrate 30 years of ‘Dinosaur Roar!’ before the Group meetings.
And there was still more to come! We celebrated Michael Morpurgo’s 80th birthday with him before the Gala Dinner and then the incomparable David Fickling gave the after dinner speech! His enthusiasm and energy are completely infectious, making the perfect end to another perfect day!
Although some were a little bleary eyed from staying on at the bar the night before, everyone was up bright and early on Sunday to enjoy yet more book-ish joy! The first session was Lisa Williamson, an excellent YA author (First Day of My Life) , talking about her new MG series ‘Best Friends Forever’. This was followed by ‘Inclusion in Fiction’, a panel event with Sarah Hagger-Holt, Lisette Auton and Karen Owen. Lisette Auton wasn’t able to join us in person, but appeared on screen! Both of these session were thought-provoking as well as enjoyable.
Our final tea break -more cake!- was followed by ‘Fantasy with an Environmental Twist’, a fascinating session with Pari Thomson, Jess French and Rachel Delahaye (Day of the Whale). And last, but very much not least, Christopher Edge (Escape Room) closed conference in style with another excellent, fun session which no one will forget in a hurry!
Time for lunch and then we were all saying our goodbyes- and promising to meet again in Monmouth next year so we can do it all again! Many thanks to the Conference Committee for organising such a fabulous event and many apologies if I’ve left anyone out of the pictures! Can’t wait for FCBG25!
The Boy who Sailed the World
Right from the start, the boy loved the sea and knew that when he grew up, he would build a boat of his own and sail the seven seas. He sets off on his adventure, following sea charts and bravely steering through shipping lanes, until he reaches a new island where he makes friends before sailing home.
This wonderful story about following your dreams was inspired by Julia’s own son who set off on an amazing adventure across the seas, living for nine months on a tiny remote island. Full of the joys of the natural world, its beauty and wonders, the story is both poignant and inspiring and is sure to capture the imagination of all who read it.
Beautiful illustrations, full of the blues and indigos of sea and sky, do much to tell of the little boy’s travels alongside the joyful text. The pictures show many of the creatures the little boy encounters on his travels, encouraging children to explore and discover more about them. The story closes by posing the questions-
What’s your dream?
Where will you go?
-encouraging discussion about what hopes for the future, near or far, children might have- or not have!
Having read the story, it would be fun to make paper boats and set them off on journeys across a local pond or river, perhaps with dreams written on them, before taking the boats home or to spend a day on the beach, playing and dreaming about the horizon. Children might also like to follow Jesse’s (Julia’s son) journey on a map of the world as she describe this in an author’s note at the end of the book.
A lovely story to share again and again!
The Boy who Sailed the World Julia Green, illustrated by Alex Latimer
David Fickling ISBN: 978-1788452335