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.
Cheltenham Literature Festival
During the crisp autumnal days of this weekend, I had a wonderful time at Cheltenham Literature Festival. It is one of the highlights of my book-ish calendar and although it has changed quite a lot over the twenty or so years I have been going, the atmosphere is just lovely with so many friendly, helpful people working there and so much to do and see.
If you have time to explore, the town of Cheltenham is well worth exploring. Full of Regency architecture, it has been called 'Britain's most complete Regency Town'. The Pittville Pump Room is a reminder of the town’s fame as a spa town. Overlooking Pittville Park, it is a lovely place to visit and imagine the past! If you don’t have time to make it that far from the Festival site, the Imperial Gardens are lovely spot to walk round or to sit and enjoy the formal gardens. A statue of Holst, the composer, stands in one corner and the house he was born in- the Holst Birthplace Museum- is open to visitors.
Although events are held throughout the town, the Festival site occupies Montpellier Gardens. The first event I attended was held just round the corner in the Queen’s Hotel. Here, an excited audience of super-kids enjoyed a super-session about super-hero, Marv with author, Alex Falase-Koya and illustrator, Paula Bowles. After sharing some of the first story, everyone enjoyed a quiz before learning how to draw Pixel, Marv’s trusty sidekick, and creating new superheros with a wide range of superpowers! You can read my review of Marv’s first two adventures here.
Next, I had the great pleasure of catching up with Lou Fraser and Kate Hindley, whose joyful tale, ‘The Littlest Yak’ won the NSTBA 2021 Picture Book Category. It was so lovely to see them. You can read how to make a salt dough Gertie here, an activity my class really enjoyed!
My final event of the day was Oliver Jeffers, talking with astrophysicist Stephen Smartt about the scale model of the solar system which they created. It was a fascinating event as they discussed this collaboration between art and science and how this then inspired Oliver’s new book, ‘Meanwhile Back on Earth’. The perfect way to end a lovely day!
Sunday dawned bright and beautiful! I was just in time to catch the end of Jennifer Claessen’s talk before going to catch meet up with the lovely Dom Kingston with the equally lovely, Rosie Jones and Jenny Pearson.
I then headed for the ‘Game On’ panel session. Led by Sharna Jackson, Jennifer Bell, Taran Matharu and Matt Plampin (half of Logan Macx). This was a great session, offering plenty to think about for teachers and engaging the keen audience of game-lovers who had plenty of ideas to contribute.
Having bumped into various people and had some lovely conversations, my last event of the day was another panel event- this time about ‘Fantastic Fiction’. Anna James (review for Reading Zone) led the discussion with Annabelle (A F Steadman), Peter Bunzl (review of Magicborn here) and Tolá Okogwu (review for Reading Zone). This was a wonderfully warm event which felt like a chat between friends as they discussed characters, settings and their inspiration. A wonderful way to end a busy weekend.
Already looking forward to next weekend…
Magicborn
Since the day of the Almost Drowning, Tempest has lived with her two fathers, the kind men who saved her. She can remember nothing of her life before this time nor how she can understand her robin, Coriel, when he speaks to her, but is happy living at the Ferry Keeper’s Cottage with Prosper and Marino. When a sinister stranger arrives at the river crossing, he convinces her to ferry him across the river despite her misgivings and she finds herself caught up in his hunt for a Wild Boy. The stranger, Lord Hawthorn, is the Royal Sorcerer, who recognises Tempest as Magicborn and takes her along with the Wild Boy back to Kensington Palace where things are not as they seem.
Telling two intertwined stories, ‘Magicborn’ is an incredible adventure, full of magic and mystery, friendship and deception. Set in 1726, the story takes place in an alternate version of England and in Fairyland as events surrounding Tempest and Thomas, the Wild Boy, unfold.
Relationships are very much at the heart of this story. The three children, twins, Tempest and Thomas, born princess and prince of Fairyland, and Kwesi, unwilling apprentice to Lord Hawthorn, learn to trust and value one another in the face of great danger and deception. Kwesi’s story is deeply poignant and its telling adds another layer to the book, offering much to contemplate and discuss. Tempest’s foster-fathers offer a stark contrast to her birth mother, showing how complex families can be and how blood ties might not be the most important factor in these.
Completely absorbing and compelling, the story moves swiftly, capturing the reader’s imagination. ‘Magicborn’ would make an excellent read aloud for a class and being the first in a new series, offers the promise of more spell-binding stories to come!
Magicborn Peter Bunzl
Usborne ISBN: 978-1803707570
Originally reviewed for Reading Zone.
You can read my review of ‘Cogheart’ here.