Book/s of the Week

This week, our book recommendations are from Teddy in Owl class and Lily in Hawk class. Both of their chosen books emphasise the importance of self-belief and empathy.

Teddy recommends The Lion Inside by Rachel Bright and illustrated by Jim Field.

Teddy tells us: "I chose this book because it’s one of my brother Arlo’s favourites. We both really enjoy reading it together!”

Mrs Harvey has no hesitation in recommending Teddy’s choice. The Lion Inside is a heartwarming and beautifully illustrated story about a small mouse who dreams of being as brave and mighty as a lion. When he finally gets the courage to ask a lion for help, he learns an important lesson: true strength comes from within. With its positive message about bravery, friendship and self-belief, this book is a wonderful read for young children. The charming illustrations and gentle rhyming text make it a perfect choice for story time, encouraging children to believe in themselves no matter how small they may feel.

This book is not just a good read—it’s also full of clever techniques that make it interesting to think about. The different fonts, sizes, and styles throughout the story encourage readers to consider why the author chose them. What is Rachel Bright trying to show or express? These choices challenge readers to think more deeply about the story, which helps develop important reading skills.

Changing fonts can do more than just make the text look different—it can make the reader feel certain emotions or show us something about a character’s personality. For example, a change in font might highlight a character’s inner thoughts, which are different from what they say out loud. By using these techniques, Bright and her illustrator, Jim Field, help bring out the hidden layers of the story.

Speech bubbles add a unique layer to the story by allowing readers to access characters’ private thoughts and emotions in a way that regular dialogue doesn’t. In addition to what characters say out loud, speech bubbles show us what they might be thinking but not expressing verbally. This helps readers understand a character’s inner world, motivations and feelings, giving a deeper connection to the story. The use of speech bubbles can also clarify how a character is reacting to a situation, adding a fun or emotional layer to the narrative. This makes the story more dynamic and engaging, helping readers see the contrast between a character's outward behaviour and their true thoughts.

Lily recommends Gilbert the Ghost written and illustrated by Guido Van Genechten.

Lily tells us: “This is a really funny story and don’t worry – it’s not scary at all even though it’s about a ghost!”

Mrs Harvey supports Lily’s choice.This is a sweet story and the character, Gilbert, is funny, friendly and very relatable. The story has a gentle message about being yourself and celebrating kindness. It is great vehicle for starting conversations about emotions, empathy and friendships.

Gilbert is not your average ghost. While the other ghosts love scaring people and making spooky noises, Gilbert is ... well, nice! He likes to help others and be kind — not scream or float around scaring everyone. This makes him feel different and a little left out. However, one day, Gilbert's kindness turns out to be his superpower. He finds a way to be true to himself and help others at the same time. Gilbert shows that you don’t have to be spooky to be special!

Happy Reading!

Mrs Harvey