Teach Primary Issue 18.6

Book CLUB We review five new titles that your class will love Spiro byAnnaMcGregor (£7.99, Scribble) Do you know the all-important recipe for success ? According to Spiro, it’s 11 per cent hunger, 34 per cent trying again (and AGAIN!), 53 per cent giving it another shot, and 2 per cent luck. Plus, quite a bit of spider silk… Our eight-legged hero’s search for a decent meal may be thwarted at every turn, but his determination, hard work and resilience shine through. Spiro makes a compelling role model, and his actions and reactions will prompt discussions about failure and success. Anna McGregor shows rather than tells: cause and effect is a key story component, with text and pictures working together to suggest more than first meets the eye. Spiro’s neon body makes a visual splash, and changes in viewpoint add to the humour and suspense. 80 | www.teachwire.net Mushrooms Know: Wisdom FromOur Friends the Fungi byKallie George, illus. SaraGillingham (£12.99, Greystone Kids) This stylish picturebook explores the mysterious world of fungi in ways that invite different types of connection and reflection, and is notably well designed. Clearly written sidebars present information about topics such as underground networks, bioluminescence and life cycles, but the headline text takes a more philosophical approach. Expressed lyrically in terms of the ‘things mushrooms know’, many of its statements chime with key PSHE themes ( small can be mighty; the value of staying connected to each other and the environment… ) and will add depth and breadth to your unpacking. Sara Gillingham’s fungi are expressive little characters, inviting imaginative responses to this fascinating subject, and her appealing print-style illustrations have a strong contemporary feel. Hannah Messenger and the Gods of Hockwold byBryonyPearce, illus. Claire Powell (£7.99, UCLan Publishing) Power comes in different forms… could working together be one of them? Modern technology doesn’t suit the Greek Gods, so they’ve retired to the sleepy English village of Hockwold-cum- Wilton, where their grandchildren lead double lives. In Wilton, Hannah and her friends are (almost) ordinary, but passing the boundary stone to Hockwold transforms everything. Magic is part of daily life, until a series of mysterious thefts drains Hockwold’s power. Hannah and her classmates will have to bury their arguments to save everything they know and (sometimes) love… Pearce’s perspective on the Greek Gods is hugely entertaining: confident readers will enjoy this pacey, well-told story and it would make a great read-aloud for classes learning about Greek mythology. KS1 KS2 Foundation /KS1