Tuesday, December 23, 2025

The Lights the Dance in the Night by Yuval Zommer

 2022      

  


The text is mainly about stars with a nod to the Northern Lights which are faintly illustrated here.

As we progress through the text we meet many arctic animals and then the people who live in this northern land.

There is a mixture of double spreads, single spreads and pages containing several pictures.  

As with picture books for younger readers, the pictures tell more of the story. In fact, much more of the story is told in the pictures than in the text. The pictures are particularly colourful and full of action.

The story is told in gentle rhyming phrases though some lines don’t rhyme at all. The text is integrated into the pictures.

The text uses a simple font and has simple 'a's and 'g's.

This is quite a large format book so a nursery teacher may also be able to share with a class.  

Find your copy here  

Note, this is an affiliate link and a small portion of what you pay, at no extra cost to you,  may go to Bridge House Publishing.   

Tuesday, December 16, 2025

Best of All the Magical Mix That's You by Smriti Halls and Chaaya Prabhat

 

2025      


           

This book shows how we are all made up from what comes to us at birth and what we experience later.  In particular it show what happens to children from mixed-race parents.

It is particularly upbeat.  The topic may be a little complex for the early reader.  

As with picture books for younger readers, the pictures tell more of the story. In fact, much more of the story is told in the pictures than in the text. The pictures are very colourful.

The story is told in rhyming couplets that work well. The text is integrated into the pictures.

The text uses a simple font and has simple 'a's and 'g's.

Most of the text is in single lines though in the few places where there is more it tends to be centred.   

There is a short note form the author at the end of the book.  

Find your copy here  

 

 

Our Wartime Street by Fiz Osbonre and Katie Kear

2025      



This book provides information about:

·         How World War II started

·         Evacuation

·         The Blitz

·         The RAF around the world

·         War in London and Liverpool

·         Air raid shelters – four sorts

·         Wartime food

·         Schooling during the war

·         Getting by

·         Children helping out

·         Wartime clothing

·         Women during the war,

·         Families during the war

·         The ending of the war

·         Remembering the war

 Note, the Holocaust is only mentioned in passing and in the context of liberation.

As with picture books for younger readers, the pictures tell more of the story.

The text uses a smile font but has difficult 'a's and 'g's.

The text is ragged right.  

There is a very short glossary at the end of the book 

Find your copy here  

Note, this is an affiliate link and a small portion of what you pay, at no extra cost to you,  may go to Bridge House Publishing 

The Lights the Dance in the Night by Yuval Zommer

 2022            The text is mainly about stars with a nod to the Northern Lights which are faintly illustrated here. As we progress t...