Book Monitor - books from across the world

Engaging reads for children, from Books go Walkabout

Category: BookMonitor

Joanna Grochowicz – Autumn tour in UK with BGW

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On October 19, 2018

In 9 to 10 years, All Ages, BookMonitor, Children's books, Featured authors, Featured children's book, History

Joanna, awaiting visitors with the SPRI team...image

Joanna, awaiting visitors with the SPRI team…read more below.

An outstanding visit from New Zealand author Joanna Grochowicz to U.K. schools and organisations in September.

Joanna’s visits were planned with Books Go Walkabout.

We were delighted that over 1,000 children, have been inspired to be writers of the future. They have learnt so much about Antarctic exploration and history of the early 1900’s.

Joanna is a born storyteller and can captivate any audience from a class of 30 to a theatre auditorium packed to over 400 people, with such tales to tell! Her knowledge of this incredible voyage, which ended in disappointment and disaster, is based on real stories from the expedition, bringing the book alive.

Joanna engages a full audience of readers...image

Joanna engages a full audience of readers…

Books Go Walkabout planned the visits over the last 6 months, from timings, specifics and curriculum links for each school, making sure it would work best for the students and bringing added value for the teachers.

Joanna visited some outstanding schools, including  Christ’s Hospital in Sussex, Bournemouth School, Copthorne Preparatory School, William Tyndale Primary and Cheltenham College. She had a rapturous welcome throughout, with many return visits planned.

The adventures of Captain Scott are full of meaningful tales.  Herbert Ponting, the photographer, for instance was about to take a photo of killer whales, only to find they were looking at him with other thoughts. They swam under the ice and turned the ice pack that he was standing on upside down. He was rescued by colleagues as he hung on to his tripod and escaped being eaten by Orcinus Orca.

At the Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge, Joanna met with visitors and parents who avidly bought copies of Into the White. Scott Polar Research Institute is the home of Arctic and Antarctic exploration and research. The museum is full of artefacts and information and a delightful visit is guaranteed.

Joanna returns in the Spring to continue her research for the third book on Antarctic exploration.

Into the White - cover image and web link...

Buy ths great book here…i

In May 2019 Joanna’s second book will be published by Allen and Unwin, based on the treks of Roald Amundsen, the Norwegian polar explorer.

We are delighted to be working with Joanna over the next few years and if you would like a visit, contact suemartin@booksgowalkabout.com.

Copies of Into the White, Scott’s Antarctic Odyssey, can be purchased here.

Sue Martin

Leigh Hobbs and Mr Chicken Land in London with BGW

By

On October 17, 2018

In Art, Book events, BookMonitor, Children's books, Events, Leigh Hobbs

Leigh Hobbs at William Tynedale image

Leigh encourages a whole class to ‘get creative’…

Leigh  Hobbs came to the UK in October 2018, visiting schools in London and Norfolk, and students of the MA in Children’s Illustration at the Cambridge School of Art.

Books Go Walkabout are really pleased to be working with Leigh to plan and arrange visits in the UK. He is a real  inspiration and his characters are incredible. 

Mr  Chicken,  Old  Tom,  Horrible  Harriet – are full of adventure and fun in the midst of the city. Leigh related how the characters were formed, and showed the children just how to create their own characters in their drawings.

Leigh Hobbs in the studion - image and web link

Leigh in his studio. See and buy Leigh’s books here…

Books  Go  Walkabout  are now planning  ahead  for  Spring  2019.  Leigh loves  London,  the  people,  the  architecture,  the history  and  best  of  all  plotting  adventures for his characters during his visits.

As well as working in schools, Leigh  gave  the first ‘visiting lecture’  to over two hundred M.A. students of Children’s Illustration, in the Cambridge School of Art, at Anglia Ruskin University .  Leigh explained to his audience that all he  had  ever  wanted  to  be was  be an  artist  and to visit  England.

Leigh develops a character - live...image

Leigh develops a character – live…

At  William  Tyndale Primary School  in  Islington,  Leigh worked  with  classes  of  years 12,3 & 4. The  atmosphere  was  electric.  Mr  Chicken  was drawn by the children in many  varied ways, a different farmyard fowl springing from the mind of each child. They  learnt  all about  creating  characters through their drawings.

A great visit and Books Go Walkabout team are delighted to continue working with Leigh on UK visits in 2019.

Sue Martin

Books Go Walkabout

Books, writers and illustrators – across the globe…

 

Winner of SLA School Librarian of the Year Award 2016

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On October 12, 2018

In Featured Librarians, School Library Association, BookMonitor, Children's books, Libraries

 

School Library AssociationThe SLA School Librarian of the Year Award is the School Library Association’s prestigious honour recognizing the excellent work carried out in school libraries every day, highlighting outstanding work.

This year Emma Suffield at Saint Wilfrid’s C of E Academy has been awarded the honour of the School Librarian of the Year 2018.

Although her official title is Learning Resources Centre Manager, Emma Suffield is seen more as a member of the family by many of the 1400 students at Saint Wilfrid’s C of E Academy in a diverse area of Blackburn, thanks to her personalised, thoughtful and supportive approach to engaging all readers across the school.

Innovative, imaginative practice, frequently going the extra mile, has led to a whopping 450% increase in book borrowing rates since Emma became responsible for the library in 2014.

Read more about Emma through her picture & @emmasuffield and SLA website.

Lesley Martin, Chair of the SLA School Librarian of the Year Selection Committee, said:

‘‘It is exciting for the profession to have someone as forward thinking, creative, passionate and professional about school libraries and no doubt with a great career ahead of her. Emma makes a real difference in her school and her community and her contribution to the wider library profession is already making an impact.’’

Alison Tarrant, Chief Executive of the School Library Association, said:

“The School Librarian of the Year Award is a brilliant opportunity to showcase the impact that school libraries can make, not just on pupils, but on staff and school culture.

Our Honour List this year were all strong contenders and demonstrate the nuance needed when talking about school libraries – no two are the same; they are all reflective of the school around them, and it’s aims and priorities.

Last month the launch of the Great School Libraries campaign – a three year campaign spearheaded by SLA, CILIP SLG and CILIP. The campaign has three aims: to secure school library funding; to produce a national framework for school libraries and recognition of school libraries within the Ofsted framework. Our Honour List support this aim and prove that supported school libraries can make a difference.”

The three other school librarians on the Honour List are:
Nicki Cleveland at Cannon Park Primary School , Dr. Chhavi Jain at Manav Rachna International School, Gurugram and Alison Kennedy at St George’s Ascot .

Emma Suffield and each librarian on the honour list have made a huge difference to the lives of all they work with, igniting a passion for reading.

To read the profiles of all the librarians on the Honour List visit the SLA website.

The work of all  librarians on the Honour List, was celebrated at a ceremony  on Tuesday 9th October 2018, at The Judge’s Court, in St Martins Lane, London.

Sponsors

 

Accessit Library | Andersen Press | Bloomsbury Publishing | Bonnier Publishing Browns Books for Students | Carel Press | Education Umbrella | Excelsior Award Faber & Faber | Laurence King Publishing | Literary Gift Company | Nosy Crow  Oxford University Press | Peters | PSP Asset Protection | Softlink | Walker Books

 

Many congratulations from Books Go Walkabout working with librarians across the world.

Sue Martin

Books Go Walkabout

Stuff You Should Know! by John Farndon and Rob Beattie

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On July 9, 2018

In 7+ years, 9 to 10 years, All Ages, BookMonitor, Children's books, Featured authors, Featured children's book, Featured illustrators, Non Fiction, Quarto KNows

Stuff You Should Know cover image and web link

Buy this great book here…

The first things you will notice about ‘The Stuff You Should Know’  are the really good illustrations  and the interesting use of text, there are questions that you never ask but  the answers are fascinating.

What happens when you tweet on Twitter?

What happens when you recycle your drinks can?

What happens when you charge your iPad?

This book is packed with so many answers and  you will become full of knowledge! There is a page, for example, on Sending Mail, with the issues around transport and deliveries to rural areas, using postcodes and barcodes to get the letter to the right place.

Stuff you shuold know! Buy this Book - image and web link

…with free delivery!

The double page open spread on Using a Mobile Phone is amazing!

Fact – by 2015 around 2.7 billion people worldwide owned a smart phone and it is now one of the most important gadgets on the planet.

The book describes the operating system, the battery, USB connector, the Sim card, touchscreen technology, emails, apps, music, location services, games and much more. For instance, when you touch the screen it interrupts a current of electricity informing the phone where your fingers are, it’s called capacitive touchscreen!

John Farndon is an internationally known author, as well as a playwright, composer and songwriter. He has written hundreds of books, which have sold millions of copies around the world in most major languages and include many best-sellers, such as the award-winning Do Not Open.

Rob Beattie is a professional writer and life-long camper and angler. He has written numerous titles on a wide range of outdoor activities, including: The Pocket Survival Guide, The Campsite Companion: All You Need to Know for Life in the Great Outdoors, The Boating Companion: All You Need to Know for Life on the Open Water, and The Fishing Handbook(published in the UK as 101 Golden Rules of Fishing). All have been published internationally and translated into several languages. He lives in the seaside city of Brighton, England.

STEVE FRICKER is a renowned illustrator and painter. Awarded the Rhone-Poulenc prize for his illustrations for What Happens When? His work has appeared in many of the worlds leading newspapers and magazines as well as private and National collections. Steve studied painting at Chelsea School of Art .He worked for 25 years as a political cartoonist and illustrated comment pages by Tony Blair, John Major and Boris Johnson and many others.

This book, published by Marshall Editions, part of Quarto Knows, is a great way to find out information and then maybe find out more on the internet too. It will be great for the summer holidays and I think parents will have as much fun with this as any child.

And now to find out about jet engines!!

Sue Martin

Books Go Walkabout

Art Masterclass with Van Gogh and Wassily Kandinsky

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On June 26, 2018

In 9 to 10 years, All Ages, Art, BookMonitor, Children's books, WideEyed Editions

Van H+ogh - cover picture and web link

Buy this book…

Master art with these two new activity books that will teach you how to make art like Van Gogh, the post impressionist painter, and with Kandinsky, a very  famous twentieth century artist.

In each book, you will have 12 masterclasses, an introduction to the artist, a time line, over 50 stickers and a pull-out double-sided poster, which will enable you to create your own Van Gogh or Kandinsky masterpiece.

These are beautiful books to have at home, in the school and the library. The style and layout make them a joy to hold, to read and to look at the pictures from these two great artists.

Van Gogh Cover image and web link

…with free delivery!

In MasterClass Van Gogh, you will do drawing, colouring and collaging activities that show how Van Gogh created the art that has inspired so many.

Kandinsky - cover image and web link

Discover Kandinsky here…

In MasterClass Kandinsky you’ll learn how to draw from your imagination, listen to music for inspiration and use the shapes and stickers to make your own pictures.

Buy this book - button image and web link

…with free delivery!

 

Hanna Konola, from Finland is the illustrator and designer of these beautiful books, and Wide Eyed Editions are the publishers who produce amazing books which inform and inspire.

A beautiful book for the holidays, for art work  and for finding out about art…. take a MasterClass!

Sue Martin

Books Go Walkabout

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