I’m just about to start reading Dragon Detective School’s Out by Gareth P Jones which I’m hoping will be a fun and humorous mystery!
I’ve read three books this week. Toto The Wizard of Oz as told by the dog is a fun re-telling of this classic story, told from Toto’s viewpoint. Toto is back in Kansas and now has puppies, and he tells his story to these puppies. Reading this gave me a real feeling of nostalgia as, although I haven’t read the original story, I have watched the film with Judy Garland many times. The illustrations by Emma Chichester Clark are gorgeous. I then another story by Michael Morpurgo, Boy Giant Son of Gulliver. This is a classic children’s story which I read many years ago, although I also studied it for my English Literature degree when I discovered it was never meant to be a children’s story. I really enjoyed Boy Giant which tells the story of a boy fleeing war-torn Afghanistan. His father is killed and he is separated from his mother and sister as he flees on a boat to England. The boat sinks, and he wakes up in Lilliput where the inhabitants have known Gulliver and assume he is his son. This is a wonderful story of kindness, acceptance and overcoming barriers to unite people. It has gorgeously heart-warming ending. I also read The Midnight Guardians (via NetGalley) which was a truly magical read set during the Blitz. I adored the three Guardians and their special friendship with Col as they undertake an incredible quest to save Col’s sister whilst fighting against the dark powers of the Midwinter King.
I read The Wind Reader by Dorothy A Winsor last year, and I really enjoyed it, so when the publisher asked if I’d be interesting in this one, I was excited to read it. It is published on 27th June.
What are you reading? Have you read any of these?
Book Craic 
My mum always loved reading Michael Morpurgo with her classes but I never really got into his books, that said I couldn’t even tell you know which I read so maybe I need to give him another try.
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When I started teaching, I read lots of his books. He has written so many I find it hard to keep up with them all. I remember teaching The Giant’s Necklace as an NQT and being astounded by the number of children who couldn’t see the ending coming! I find his war stories very powerful and they never fail to make to cry – Private Peaceful and Listen to the Moon are heartbreaking.
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So many kids really take to him and I know mum finds his war stories very powerful too. I think it’s all the animals that puts me off but I really should go back and try him again!
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Try Listen to the Moon set on the Scilly Isles during WW1. It’s hauntingly beautiful, a truly wonderful story and I think now my favourite story of his.
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I will. I have no idea when, but I will!
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