Loving my library

I'm reading a book that is holding me by the shoulders and staring hard in my face. It Will Not Let Me Go. And I love it when a book does this to me. The book is The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout. Not a children's book, so perhaps a little out of place on...

Once by Morris Gleitzman

Yesterday I took my daughter to the library and had a dig through the Junior fiction shelves and stumbled upon Once. It is a book I've heard so much about but never picked up before. I know I am years late to the party on this one, but that's the joy of libraries - you...

GiveABook.org

I'm making the assumption that, as you are reading this blog, you share my belief that books can change lives. The belief that learning to read and having access to quality books is the most important thing for a child's successful education. I truly believe that, and I work hard to introduce books and a...

Gove stole our books but he couldn’t steal our learning

You may remember I wrote this post about my daughter's primary school going into special measures and losing its entire book budget. I asked for help with books and was bowled over by the response. Well guys, together, we did it! We have been told this week that the school is officially out of Special...

A new book nook!

The summer holidays has been mainly based around books. We have signed up to the summer reading challenge and Mollie is reading towards her goal of 100 books in a year so she can collect all the online challenge badges. She is a quarter of the way there already! I have been sorting and re-shelving...

Reading my Rainbow Red-Orange-Yellow

My summer reading challenge is a thing of joy! I am rediscovering old favourites, finding new friends and getting to know my shelves again. I am also sticking to the challenge of getting rid of a book a day. And oh it's actually quite therapeutic! I thought it would be awful but I'm feeling good...

The Summer Reading Challenge starts here

Yesterday Mollie signed up for the Summer Reading Challenge at our local library. She is officially hooked: Reading Missing Mummyat the library. Home for a booky picnic. Reading a big girl book to add to her new and VERY exciting Summer Reading Challenge online profile. "I'm going to read all the way to 100 books,...

Reading the Rainbow – my summer reading challenge

This week I'm taking Mollie to the library to sign up to the Summer Reading Challenge and then we'll have a booky picnic in the park and read each other stories. And I'm really looking forward to it! Last summer Mollie and I had a very booky summer holiday and this one is heading in...

East Sussex Children’s Book Awards 2014

Oh, books! They are incredible things, aren't they?! They have a special magic and the power to bring people together, unite them and excite them. I feel very privileged to be able to share books and spread their magic. It was a joy to take my year 6 book group to the East Sussex Children's...

How Gove stole our books

For the past few months I have been quieter than normal, on the blog and on twitter. I have been fighting hard for education in my own little corner of the world. Now that things have come to a head I feel that it's the right time to lift my head above the parapet and...