Teach Primary Issue 18.6

Meet the author LUCY CATCHPOLE’S LATEST BOOK, MAMA CAR , IS A CELEBRATION OF A MOTHER’S WHEELCHAIR AND THE COSY COMFORT IT PROVIDES FOR HER CHILD What inspired you to write your Mama Car ? The book grew directly out of my experience as a disabled mother, and my daughters’ relationship with my wheelchair – which is a very lovely one. When they were little, everything with wheels was a ‘car’, and so my wheelchair became the ‘mama car’. In real life it’s adored – it doubles as a table, a tunnel, a (potentially uncomfortable) den. Disabled parents don’t pop up often in picture books, but there are lots of us out there. There’s a value to seeing that experience without it being romanticised or over-dramatised; no flying wheelchairs or mountains, just normal life with a disabled parent. How do you think teachers could use Mama Car in the classroom? Disability can be hard for teachers to cover, whether as part of PSHE or as one of many protected characteristics. It’s outside many people’s comfort zone, and there’s lots that can go wrong! Some books and resources are outdated, and focus heavily on charity. But I know teachers go to a lot of trouble to get it right, because many track down our website. Our book list and learning resources are amongst our most popular posts ( thecatchpoles.net ) . And it’s important to get it right, for disabled and non-disabled pupils. The world tends to signal to children, in lots of different ways, that disabled people are either inspiring or pitiable. Reading Mama Car as part of storytime in EYFS and KS1 will, I hope, have the opposite effect, by showing disability as part of a very ordinary family. Mama Car , by Lucy Catchpole and Karen George, is out now. (Faber & Faber, £7.99) www.teachwire.net | 81 Bigg School: Secret Crush byLisaWilliamson, illus. JessBradley (£7.99, Guppy Books) Sweaty palms, a racing heart, randomly throwing cutlery around... what on earth is wrong with Astrid? Could it be she has a crush? “Ew!” says best friend Lola. This upbeat story explores new and tricky situations in a matter-of-fact way through the eyes of a book-loving eleven-year-old. Our quirky heroine has a refreshing sense of self – and of her own worth – and is motivated by her love of storytelling and ambitions to be a writer. But when she’s hit by a slew of brand-new emotions, and a bump in the road of her journey to writing success, even Astrid starts to doubt herself. Offering useful lessons in how to resolve everyday relationship issues without drama, Secret Crush is a fun and reassuring read, ideal for children who might be worried about the transition to secondary. The Boy in the Suit by James Fox (£7.99, Scholastic) Solo’s always worn his suit for funerals. Morag says he needs to look the part, and besides, the pockets are great for hiding sandwiches. But lately Solo’s been questioning everything, including his mum’s point of view. Couldn’t they use a food bank sometimes, instead of crashing funerals? Then Morag gets caught at a celebrity event and everything changes. Social media judges them, and ten-year-old Solo finds himself in charge... This sensitive and engrossing UKS2 novel tells the story of Morag’s disappearance from Solo’s perspective. Addressing complex real-world issues (the cost-of-living crisis, mental health, friendship problems…) with honesty, clarity and compassion, it evokes comparison with Jacqueline Wilson and will be read with similar commitment and need. Important conversations will ensue. RESOURCES RECOMMENDED BUILD WORD POWER Word Whoosh, from Plazoom, is designed to clarify and extend children’s understanding of tier 2 words from Reception to Y6+, enabling them to make more ambitious and accurate language choices when speaking and writing. Each resource pack explores six words through a series of four mini-lessons: read and visualise, associate, understand, and define and master (based on the Frayer model). Find out more at bit.ly/PlzWords KS2 KS2