Teach Primary Issue 18.7

Book CLUB We review five new titles that your class will love One Button and the Sea bySaraStanley, illus. Viviane Schwarz (HB £12.99, Scallywag Press) “Grandpa, tell me the story again of when we went to sea...” Grandpa’s tale begins with The Uprooting, an unsettling eruption of green tendrils that forces everyone to leave their home. Taking to the sea in a hotchpotch of vessels, the animals are buffeted and soothed by waves and sunshine and must share everything they have until the wind brings ‘a new silence’ and they can go home. Powered by something wild and fundamentally significant, this beautifully illustrated picturebook prompts us to think about loss and change. It may be read as an allegory about refugees, or interpreted in ways that speak to other experiences and concerns. But, infused as it is with wisdom and charm, it is easy to enjoy and is essentially uplifting. 66 | www.teachwire.net The Remarkables by Clotilde Perrin (HB £17.99, Gecko Press) Dive into this stunning picturebook to meet thirty-eight remarkable children and discover what makes them tick. Some are made of inkblots, some from roots or clouds, and many have unexpected viewpoints that really make us think. Explore their unusual worlds in a series of annotated illustrations packed with imaginative verve and style. Translated from the French, the text bubbles with humour and emotional insight, and startling perspectives and new ideas abound. There is plenty to engage with: older readers will be rewarded as well as younger ones, and the translator’s vocabulary choices are a particular delight. The Remarkables is a visual and verbal treasure-trove that will prompt imaginative projects and responses of all kinds. It’s also great for encouraging independent reading. Pizza Pete and the Missing Magic by Carrie Sellon, illus. SarahHorne (£7.99, Guppy Publishing) Pete and his dad are back from a road trip and are selling pizzas from their van. Magical potions should be OFF the menu, but arch-rival Peregrine Fox is using them to wreak transformational havoc and bankrupt every fast-food outlet for miles. A burning sense of injustice drives Pete to heroic heights – quite literally – as he and his friends (plus Jeremy Eyelashes, school football star, and Useless the dog) are drawn into yet another battle for business survival. Endearingly daft, with plenty of jokes and a cheerful take on jeopardy, this illustrated standalone sequel is perfect for independent readers still building confidence. Despite the magic, the story unfolds in the real world with relatable issues that children will recognise. KS1/2 KS2 Foundation /KS1