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Geraldine McCaughrean is one of today's most successful and highly regarded children's authors. She has won the Carnegie Medal, the Whitbread Children's Book Award (three times), the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, the Smarties Bronze Award (four times) and the Blue Peter Book of the Year Award. Geraldine lives in Berkshire with her husband, daughter and golden retriever, Daisy. Read more about the author here.
Anne Fine on Geraldine McCaughrean:
'I reckon Geraldine McCaughrean knocks the socks off every other children's writer today. Everything she does is different and everything works – look at her list of prizes. She must write in tremendous bursts. Some years, she's so prolific the rest of us start joking that the fairies come in at night to do her work for her. Then she'll go quiet, so unlike all those writers who are persuaded by their publishers to come up with something every year, no matter how tired or drab. If Geraldine has nothing fresh to write, she doesn't write it.' (The Guardian)
May 2021 Book of the Month | Despite being set in the 1920’s in the imaginary country of Afalia, this stunning and inventive story, from twice Carnegie medal winning author McCaughrean, has powerful messages about the current state of politics, big business and environmental exploitation in our world and most loudly of all about the need for reliable and independent news sources. The story is partly revealed by facsimile newspaper cuttings and it is fascinating to see the progression from real information to manipulation of popular opinion by ruthless and deadly corrupt officials. Gloria, a naive 15-year-old maid to the Suprema, Alfalia’s ruler, is at the heart of the story. As flooding and disaster threaten to overwhelm the country, the Suprema runs away, and Gloria is inveigled by the Suprema’s husband into temporarily impersonating her. As they discover the full extent of the corruption and misinformation, they face an uphill battle to save lives and stand up for what is right. Meanwhile a second narrative follows the fate of people in the neglected North (in another real life parallel) and a dog’s epic quest to find his boy. The canine conversations are just one of the pleasures provided in this multi-layered narrative populated by such a vivid cast of characters and with so many twists and turns keeping the reader enthralled. Ultimately the novel demonstrates the resilience of man and nature and the ability of people to do the right thing given half a chance. This really is vintage McCaughrean and highly recommended. As our Guest Editor in April 2021 Geraldine McCaughrean tells us more about The Supreme Lie and her other brilliant novels.
Winner of the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2018 | Shortlisted for the UKLA 2018 Book Award | One of our Books of the Year 2017 | In the summer of 1727 a group of men and boys, there to harvest birds and eggs, were stranded on Warrior Stac, a pinnacle of rock that pitches out of the Atlantic, ‘as black and fearful as one horn of the Devil himself’. It was nine months before anyone came to collect them. Geraldine McCaughrean has taken these bare facts and imagined the story of those terrible months and the characters of those who endured them. Yes, it’s a mesmerising story of survival, but McCaughrean takes it in different and surprising ways too and, both terrifying and full of dark comedy, it becomes an elemental story of love and faith; of myth and imagination. Indeed, in the hands of one of our very finest writers this bleak, isolated rock becomes a microcosm for the whole world and all its stories. Unmissable. Readers should also seek out Geraldine McCaughrean’s novels The White Darkness and The Stones are Hatching and will also enjoy David Almond’s A Song for Ella Grey.
In the summer of 1727 a group of men and boys, there to harvest birds and eggs, were stranded on Warrior Stac, a pinnacle of rock that pitches out of the Atlantic, ‘as black and fearful as one horn of the Devil himself’. It was nine months before anyone came to collect them. Geraldine McCaughrean has taken these bare facts and imagined the story of those terrible months and the characters of those who endured them. Yes, it’s a mesmerising story of survival, but McCaughrean takes it in different and surprising ways too and, both terrifying and full of dark comedy, it becomes an elemental story of love and faith; of myth and imagination. Indeed, in the hands of one of our very finest writers this bleak, isolated rock becomes a microcosm for the whole world and all its stories. Unmissable. Readers should also seek out Geraldine McCaughrean’s novels The White Darkness and The Stones are Hatching and will also enjoy David Almond’s A Song for Ella Grey.
Shortlisted for the 2015 CILIP Carnegie Medal - One of our Books of the Year 2014 - Shortlisted for The Little Rebels Children's Book Award 2014 Award-winning Geraldine McCaughrean captures a far off landscape and a far off time in her fabulously dramatic nineteenth century story interwoven with the magic of the mysterious and stories of the Aboriginal Dreamtime. With its large and flamboyant cast, McCaughrean proves yet again what a dazzling story teller she is. When Comity’s mother dies after she is bitten by a tiger snake, Comity is left with her father who is the operator of the remote telegraph station. Apart from the two of them there are a few labourers and Fred, an Aboriginal boy who helps around the station. He is her only friend and, as her father sinks into despair leaving her to do everything – including keeping her mother’s relatives at bay - she turns to Fred for support. To comfort her he offers her the stories and magic of his long dead ancestors. When an assistant arrives to help run the station disaster looms. Comity has long held all the threads together but can she continue to do so? Geraldine McCaughrean handles a vast landscape and a varied cast with her usual aplomb. ~ Julia Eccleshare Geraldine McCaughrean on The Middle of Nowhere:“I rather enjoy being alone, but that’s because I don’t have to be. I have a choice. Reading a snippet about the Overland Telegraph Wire, I wondered at the lonely existence of those telegraphers coaxing Morse messages over the endless miles. To someone like me living on a small, overcrowded island, Australia’s empty vastnesses are almost unimaginable. And yet in their determination to stay in touch with each other, people defeated those great distances with the Wire. (We take communications technology for granted these days, but we shouldn’t). My first mental image (and there’s always a picture at the beginning) was of a knitter sitting with coloured wool stretching out in every direction, knitting a rainbow. That would be my hero, sitting at a telegraph machine, totally isolated but connected to hundreds of lives. Meddling, probably. The difference between loneliness and being alone seemed to be in there somewhere, as a theme.Then I started to read up on my subject. (Goodness I love History: people leading such different lives from now and yet preoccupied with exactly the same things.) And there it all ways – just like now – prejudice, hatred and ignorance dividing people from each other more effectively than any wilderness. Another theme – and the tension necessary to power a story. I never know, until I start writing, quite where a book will take me. So I tend to just jump aboard and go along for the ride: I like surprises. Then it is just a matter of knitting it all into a rainbow, sewing in the loose ends and discovering how it has turned out. Hope it fits.”
Longlisted for the Carnegie Medal 2014 Award winning Geraldine McCaughrean spins a brilliantly fanciful yarn in the magical setting of a disused theatre. Every night amazing things happen in the theatre but no one except the resident ghosts can see them. But then Gracie comes along; Gracie can see the ghosts. At first, it is a bit of a shock for Mikey the Mod, Jim and Joanie the twins, the wonderful Miss Melluish and the rest but soon they understand that Gracie maybe just who they need to save the theatre. Geraldine McCaughrean has a rare ability to bring to life a huge and varied cast of fascinating and unusual characters in a story that brings ghosts vividly to life. A personal message from the author to Lovereading4kids and our readers: In 2011 I got a phone call from The Theatre Royal, Margate - not just a glorious theatre but a great force for good in its locality. They suggested a book that would show towns like Margate as places with a cheerful future as well as a powerful past. In short they asked me to attempt a sort of literary Tracey Emin! This needed to be a family book, enjoyable not just to children but to anyone who fondly recalls seaside holidays when the sky was always sunny, the candyfloss sticky and there were donkeys on the beach... oh and to anyone who likes theatre or a good read. I hope to goodness I've succeeded, because it matters. A proportion of the proceeds from this book will go to The Theatre Royal, Margate - Margate's greatest asset - except of course, for its inhabitants." ---------------------------------------------------------------- The Positively Last Performance is an ideal book for a Reading Group, perfect for years 5,6,7 and 8. Download a Reader's Guide, from the right hand column, with notes to help you explore the novel, extra information about the book and ideas for talking points.
A wonderful 21st anniversary edition of this classic collection of sixteen favourite Greek myths. Jenny Downham, January 2011 Guest Editor, chose this book: "I was given a book of Greek myths by my brother for my 11th birthday, I reread it so many times it fell apart in my hands and all these years later, I can still recall the stories vividly. In this version, the stories have been skillfully adapted by Geraldine McCaughrean. It has all my favourites in it and the illustrations are stunning." Ths is also one of Michael Rosen's favourites: "Superheroes battle with demons, gods intervene in our pleasures and fears – a bit like the spectres in our minds going through daily life, really – beautifully retold here."
October 2013 Book of the Month Award-winning Geraldine McCaughrean captures a far off landscape and a far off time in her fabulously dramatic nineteenth century story interwoven with the magic of the mysterious and stories of the Aboriginal Dreamtime. With its large and flamboyant cast, McCaughrean proves yet again what a dazzling story teller she is. When Comity’s mother dies after she is bitten by a tiger snake, Comity is left with her father who is the operator of the remote telegraph station. Apart from the two of them there are a few labourers and Fred, an Aboriginal boy who helps around the station. He is her only friend and, as her father sinks into despair leaving her to do everything – including keeping her mother’s relatives at bay - she turns to Fred for support. To comfort her he offers her the stories and magic of his long dead ancestors. When an assistant arrives to help run the station disaster looms. Comity has long held all the threads together but can she continue to do so? Geraldine McCaughrean handles a vast landscape and a varied cast with her usual aplomb. Geraldine McCaughrean on The Middle of Nowhere:“I rather enjoy being alone, but that’s because I don’t have to be. I have a choice. Reading a snippet about the Overland Telegraph Wire, I wondered at the lonely existence of those telegraphers coaxing Morse messages over the endless miles. To someone like me living on a small, overcrowded island, Australia’s empty vastnesses are almost unimaginable. And yet in their determination to stay in touch with each other, people defeated those great distances with the Wire. (We take communications technology for granted these days, but we shouldn’t). My first mental image (and there’s always a picture at the beginning) was of a knitter sitting with coloured wool stretching out in every direction, knitting a rainbow. That would be my hero, sitting at a telegraph machine, totally isolated but connected to hundreds of lives. Meddling, probably. The difference between loneliness and being alone seemed to be in there somewhere, as a theme.Then I started to read up on my subject. (Goodness I love History: people leading such different lives from now and yet preoccupied with exactly the same things.) And there it all ways – just like now – prejudice, hatred and ignorance dividing people from each other more effectively than any wilderness. Another theme – and the tension necessary to power a story. I never know, until I start writing, quite where a book will take me. So I tend to just jump aboard and go along for the ride: I like surprises. Then it is just a matter of knitting it all into a rainbow, sewing in the loose ends and discovering how it has turned out. Hope it fits.”
Interest Age 5-7+ A brilliant footballing story from award winning Geraldine McCaughrean. Chichico is scouted for a try out at Santos Brazil. The only problem is that he doesn’t have any boots! His friends Davi and Anna find a pair to ‘borrow’ but then Chichico has a new problem – he can’t play in boots! How all is resolved to a joyful resolution makes this is a delight. About the Little Gems series: Little Gems are in a gorgeous new chunky format, with high-spec production including coloured endpapers and jacketed flaps with activities. Additional features include high quality cream paper, Barrington Stoke font and illustrations on every page. They are perfect for 5-8's. These quality stories promote good reading practice for all newly independent readers.
Award winning Geraldine McCaughrean spins a brilliantly fanciful yarn in the magical setting of a disused theatre. Every night amazing things happen in the theatre but no one except the resident ghosts can see them. But then Gracie comes along; Gracie can see the ghosts. At first, it is a bit of a shock for Mikey the Mod, Jim and Joanie the twins, the wonderful Miss Melluish and the rest but soon they understand that Gracie maybe just who they need to save the theatre. Geraldine McCaughrean has a rare ability to bring to life a huge and varied cast of fascinating and unusual characters in a story that brings ghosts vividly to life. A personal message from the author to Lovereading4kids and our readers: In 2011 I got a phone call from The Theatre Royal, Margate - not just a glorious theatre but a great force for good in its locality. They suggested a book that would show towns like Margate as places with a cheerful future as well as a powerful past. In short they asked me to attempt a sort of literary Tracey Emin! This needed to be a family book, enjoyable not just to children but to anyone who fondly recalls seaside holidays when the sky was always sunny, the candyfloss sticky and there were donkeys on the beach... oh and to anyone who likes theatre or a good read. I hope to goodness I've succeeded, because it matters. A proportion of the proceeds from this book will go to The Theatre Royal, Margate - Margate's greatest asset - except of course, for its inhabitants." ---------------------------------------------------------------- The Positively Last Performance is an ideal book for a Reading Group, perfect for years 5,6,7 and 8. Download a Reader's Guide, from the right hand column, with notes to help you explore the novel, extra information about the book and ideas for talking points.
A retelling of the story of Marie, who is given a special nutcracker doll for Christmas. The nutcracker comes alive, turns into a handsome prince, and the marvellous adventures begin.
Award-winning Geraldine McCaughrean tells more heart-warming stories as she brings to life the charming but impish little character Montecello, an orphan who haunts the streets of his birthplace Naples, sometimes bringing joy and sometimes playing tricks, according to his mood and the colour of the hat he is wearing. Montecello’s world in the dark alleyways of Naples is made tangible in Jan Diemberger’s striking illustrations.
A Lovereading4kids 'Great Read' you may have missed 2011 selection. With a huge and original cast and a never ending supply of witty and original incident, this is a thoroughly enjoyable story from an award-winning writer. Cissy escapes from the boredom of life in her home town and especially the clutches of her stern mother when she sets off to meet up with her old school teacher. Soon she is aboard an old riverboat and is part of the unlikely cast of the Bright Lights Theatre Company who perform anywhere they can to anyone who’ll watch while also escaping from a number of alarming and perilous situations. One hilarious or tragic-comic situation follows another as the boat lurches down the river with little to control it. Anne Fine on Geraldine McCaughrean: 'I reckon Geraldine McCaughrean knocks the socks off every other children's writer today. Everything she does is different and everything works – look at her list of prizes. She must write in tremendous bursts. Some years, she's so prolific the rest of us start joking that the fairies come in at night to do her work for her. Then she'll go quiet, so unlike all those writers who are persuaded by their publishers to come up with something every year, no matter how tired or drab. If Geraldine has nothing fresh to write, she doesn't write it.' (The Guardian)
With a huge and original cast and a never ending supply of witty and original incident, this is a thoroughly enjoyable story from an award-winning writer. Cissy escapes from the boredom of life in her home town and especially the clutches of her stern mother when she sets off to meet up with her old school teacher. Soon she is aboard an old riverboat and is part of the unlikely cast of the Bright Lights Theatre Company who perform anywhere they can to anyone who’ll watch while also escaping from a number of alarming and perilous situations. One hilarious or tragic-comic situation follows another as the boat lurches down the river with little to control it.
Shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2011 A World Book Day 'Recommended Read' for 2011 Prize-winning Geraldine McCaughrean has turned her deft hand to a brilliantly witty and fast moving story about a boy who wants to defy his destiny. Pepper is an unusual name and Pepper Roux is an unusual child especially since, according to her Aunt Mireille, he was destined to die young. Can Pepper avoid that fate by slipping away into another life? Quick readers will be able to follow him as he does everything he can to do so. A piece of passion from the editor who bought the book: Geraldine McCaughrean is an extraordinary author to work with, because each of her books is so different, so surprising, and so jaw-droppingly good. When a new book from her appears, I never know quite what to expect – but I know that whatever it is will be a sheer joy to read. And that definitely goes for The Death Defying Pepper Roux. There’s so much to like about this book. It whisks you off from the start on a wonderful chase full of characters you will never forget, ideas so intriguing they will make you gasp, and events so enjoyable that they will make you wriggle with delight. It’s clever and intriguing and beautifully written – but most of all it’s fun from its startling beginning to its wholly satisfying finish.
Prize-winning Geraldine McCaughrean has turned her deft hand to a brilliantly witty and fast moving story about a boy who wants to defy his destiny. Pepper is an unusual name and Pepper Roux is an unusual child especially since, according to her Aunt Mireille, he was destined to die young. Can Pepper avoid that fate by slipping away into another life? Quick readers will be able to follow him as he does everything he can to do so. A piece of passion from the editor who bought the book: Geraldine McCaughrean is an extraordinary author to work with, because each of her books is so different, so surprising, and so jaw-droppingly good. When a new book from her appears, I never know quite what to expect – but I know that whatever it is will be a sheer joy to read. And that definitely goes for The Death Defying Pepper Roux. There’s so much to like about this book. It whisks you off from the start on a wonderful chase full of characters you will never forget, ideas so intriguing they will make you gasp, and events so enjoyable that they will make you wriggle with delight. It’s clever and intriguing and beautifully written – but most of all it’s fun from its startling beginning to its wholly satisfying finish.
This is a lush, illustrated gift edition of Geraldine McCaughrean’s official sequel to Peter Pan that was such a huge bestseller when it first came out in both hardback and paperback. The text in this special edition has been specially adapted for younger readers and has astonishing full-colour art throughout by the incredibly talented David Wyatt. It’s a thrilling adventure and one that no child should miss out on in childhood. Published with the full support of Great Ormond Street Hospital and every copy sold benefits them. Peter Pan in Scarlet is also available in non-illustrated versions in both paperback and in hardback. The companion edition of Peter Pan is also available in both paperback and hardback.
Geraldine McCaughrean is a genius in her ability to draw the reader in to a part of history that might not immediately spring to mind as being of interest and yet she makes you hungry for more. Here she draws upon a violent period of India’s history and interplays that history with a wonderful friendship that develops despite horrific dangers. The characters are brilliantly drawn and the sights and smells of time and place are so well described you feel you are there - on the battlefield, on the plains, and in the cities. It’s something entirely different from McCaughrean’s most recent novel, Peter Pan in Scarlet, the sequel to Peter Pan but it is equally compelling. A Piece of Passion from the Editor: Geraldine McCaughrean is the King Midas of writers – everything she touches turns to gold! I didn’t know anything about the ancient ruler, Tamburlaine, but in this book she transported me to an exotic and faraway world of intrigue, danger and, ultimately, friendship.
A hilarious retelling of Edmond Rostand’s classic romantic comedy Cyrano de Bergerac. Cyrano is a man of action, a soldier, a man of letters, and a hopeless romantic, and his one defect is his enormous nose. Poor Cyrano is hopelessly in love with his cousin Roxane, but cannot bring himself to confess to her his feelings. It is only through his words and letters he is able to express his emotions towards her with hilariously confusing consequences. Geraldine McCaughrean, as she did in Peter Pan In Scarlet, has re-created a classic romantic character that will thrill a young modern audience.
At last a sequel to one of the most endearing classics of all time. The author chosen to undertake this literary feat is not a household name but she is, a supremely talented storyteller and a winner of virtually every book award. The quality of her writing is breath-taking and she quickly transports you into the world of Neverland that you will remember from Peter Pan, whilst at the same time introduces you to some wonderful new characters, who together with Pan, with Wendy and the lost boys undertake some joyous, magical and fantastical adventures. Parent and child will enjoy it with equal enthusiasm but if you haven’t read Peter Pan for a while then why not read that first.
When you read this you’ll realise why the author put herself forward to write the sequel to JM Barrie’s Peter Pan for this is a swashbuckling pirate adventure. Not surprisingly it won a major award for it will have you laughing and in fear in equal measure and then leave you breathless for more. So well written, we guarantee you’ll smell the sea, hear the sounds and see the colours of the places visited by Nathan and his sister Maud as they travel to distant lands aboard a pirate ship.
As with so many of Geraldine’s novels, she has in Gold Dust created an entirely original yet believable world, this time in Brazil. Utterly engrossing, fast-paced, full of humour and heartbreak your imagination will run riot throughout the novel and you’ll be in awe of the author’s skill in creating something quite so good.
This is a tense, fast-moving adventure story set just over a hundred years ago in the American mid-west. When the trains cease to stop at a settlement the livelihood of the families there are at stake and the community get together to put things right whatever the cost. It’s sure to bring laughter and tears to the reader and the quality of the writing will live on in the readers’ mind long after finishing this original novel.
This is an absolutely marvellous soaring adventure that gives you a glimpse, and a memorable one at that, of another world. The story is completely original, like nothing you will have read before and utterly compulsive. The words are rich and evocative of time and place without a word out of place.
Geraldine McCaughrean is a genius in her ability to draw the reader in to a part of history that might not immediately spring to mind as being of interest and yet she makes you hungry for more. Here, she draws upon a violent period of India’s history and inter plays that history with a wonderful friendship that develops despite horrific dangers. The characters are brilliantly drawn and the sights and smells of time and place are so well described you feel you are there, on the battlefield, on the plains and in the cities. It’s something entirely different from McCaughrean’s most recent novel, the sequel to Peter Pan but it is equally compelling.
Gulliver’s Travels remains one of the all-time children’s classics and in years to come Fig’s Giant, a stunning picture book for toddlers and young children will deservedly become a classic too. The author’s take on Lilliput and the Lilliputians is brilliantly reimagined and the luminous colour illustrations from a debut illustrator will ensure that readers will want to go on and read Gulliver’s Travels when they’re a little older.
At last a sequel to one of the most endearing classics of all time. The author chosen to undertake this literary feat is not a household name but she is, a supremely talented storyteller and a winner of virtually every book award. The quality of her writing is breath-taking and she quickly transports you into the world of Neverland that you will remember from Peter Pan, whilst at the same time introduces you to some wonderful new characters, who together with Pan, with Wendy and the lost boys undertake some joyous, magical and fantastical adventures. Parent and child will enjoy it with equal enthusiasm but if you haven’t read Peter Pan for a while then why not read that first.
Shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal. | What the judges said: McCaughrean’s control of language and style ensures that this novel, with its original and ambitious plot, produces a fast-moving adventure story. It’s an outstanding survival fantasy that explores the pain of adolescence. The descriptive passages of the frozen Antarctic wastes are bone chillingly real and the gradual unfolding of this pacey story builds to a satisfying climax.
A beautiful book, lavishly illustrated in colour throughout, this is an accessible prose re-telling of the story of the Faerie Queen, Spenser’s romantic poem first written for Queen Elizabeth 1. Full of adventure with knights and dragons, princesses and sea nymphs, it is both action-packed and romantic. Ideal for reading aloud and sharing with a wide age group the story is lyrically retold capturing all the excitement and passion of the original.
Hilarious! Mo is a most unusual mobile phone – and definitely not one it is easy to own. Shane has always wanted a mobile phone but Mo is not the phone he wants. Mo answers back, sings opera at inconvenient moments, gets lonely and wants company, orders him about and – to make matters worse – she doesn’t have an off switch. How Shane learns to live with an unruly mobile is a lesson to all mobile phone users, everywhere.
A thriller set in ancient Egypt between 1351-1354 BC. Tutmose and Ibrim's father, the animal dealer, is commanded by the new pharaoh Akhenaten, to bring him animals - lots of animals - for his new capital city. The boys' father is delighted. But he has no idea what the pharaoh's strange new religion will mean for all of them...
Ailsa doesn't trust MCC Berkshire, the mysterious man helping out in her mother's antique shop. He tells wonderful stories about all the antiques, and his stories persuade the customers to buy the items he talks about, but everything he says is a pack of lies, isn't it? The story of Ailsa and MCC is interwoven with the stories MCC tells the customers, which range from romances to adventure stories; from crime dramas to pirate stories; from stories set in modern-day Ireland to stories set in ancient China.
A completely original version of the Arabian Nights Stories by award-winning author Geraldine McCaughrean. In order to delay her inevitable execution, Queen Shaharazad tells her murdering husband, King Shahryar, an exciting story every night. She tells her wonderful stories until the King realizes that he won't be able to live without them...
Jenny Downham, January 2011 Guest Editor, chose this book: "I was given a book of Greek myths by my brother for my 11th birthday, I reread it so many times it fell apart in my hands and all these years later, I can still recall the stories vividly. In this version, the stories have been skillfully adapted by Geraldine McCaughrean. It has all my favourites in it and the illustrations are stunning." Ths is also one of Michael Rosen's favourites: "Superheroes battle with demons, gods intervene in our pleasures and fears – a bit like the spectres in our minds going through daily life, really – beautifully retold here."
The Legend of Gilgamesh is a retelling of the oldest recorded story in the world. The cruel King Gilgamesh forms an unlikely friendship with a wild man, Enkidu. Together they plan to battle fearsome monsters. Can they succeed and live to tell the tale? Captivating versions of some of the best myths and legends from around the world. TreeTops Myths and Legends are fascinating and action-packed stories that will motivate and inspire readers. These are some of the oldest and most enduring stories in the world, retold by leading contemporary children's authors to bring out all of the action, drama, humour and depth of the original stories in a way that makes them as exciting and meaningful today as ever. The stories are beautifully illustrated in a range of styles to bring each tale to life. Books contain inside cover notes to support children in their reading. Help with children's reading development also available at www.oxfordowl.co.uk. The books are finely levelled, making it easy to match every child to the right book.
Build your child's reading confidence at home with books at the right level At the dawn of time, the Maker is having problems with the animals he makes. His beaver and his ants are too big, his moose is the same size as a mouse and his elephant can hide behind a blade of grass! Maker is forced to think again about the original plans for the animals, adjusting their size to the way they are today. Lime/Band 11 books have longer sentence structures and a greater use of literary language. Text type - A story by a significant author. An illustrated diagram on pages 30 and 31 reminds the reader of how the animals looked before and after the maker finished creating them, an ideal cue for children to retell the story in their own words. Curriculum links - Citizenship: Choices; Science: Plants and animals in the local environment, variation. This book has been levelled for Reading Recovery. This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.
May 2021 Book of the Month | Despite being set in the 1920’s in the imaginary country of Afalia, this stunning and inventive story, from twice Carnegie medal winning author McCaughrean, has powerful messages about the current state of politics, big business and environmental exploitation in our world and most loudly of all about the need for reliable and independent news sources. The story is partly revealed by facsimile newspaper cuttings and it is fascinating to see the progression from real information to manipulation of popular opinion by ruthless and deadly corrupt officials. Gloria, a naive 15-year-old maid to the Suprema, Alfalia’s ruler, is at the heart of the story. As flooding and disaster threaten to overwhelm the country, the Suprema runs away, and Gloria is inveigled by the Suprema’s husband into temporarily impersonating her. As they discover the full extent of the corruption and misinformation, they face an uphill battle to save lives and stand up for what is right. Meanwhile a second narrative follows the fate of people in the neglected North (in another real life parallel) and a dog’s epic quest to find his boy. The canine conversations are just one of the pleasures provided in this multi-layered narrative populated by such a vivid cast of characters and with so many twists and turns keeping the reader enthralled. Ultimately the novel demonstrates the resilience of man and nature and the ability of people to do the right thing given half a chance. This really is vintage McCaughrean and highly recommended. As our Guest Editor in April 2021 Geraldine McCaughrean tells us more about The Supreme Lie and her other brilliant novels.
Hans Christian Andersen's classic story of The Snow Queen has enchanted children for over 150 years. Join Gerda on her journey to rescue her best friend Kai from the Snow Queen's icy palace in this magical retelling from award-winning author Geraldine McCaughrean, with stunning silhouette illustrations by Laura Barrett. With a sparkling foiled cover, this beautiful gift book is a must-have addition to any child's bookshelf!
A captivating retelling of the story of the very first Christmas from multi-award-winning author Geraldine McCaughrean. In the still heart of the night, the child was born. A boy. Mary kissed him, washed him, wrapped him tightly and laid him in the wooden trough where the animals usually munched hay. She gave him a kiss. She gave him a name too - Jesus - just as the angel had told her to do. Discover the tale of Mary and Joseph, the Angel Gabriel, the shepherds, the wise men and the arrival of the Baby Jesus, retold in simple, lyrical language. Illustrated with enchanting silhouette artwork by Laura Barrett, this is a book to be shared and treasured by every family at Christmas time.
A magical retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's classic fairytale, with stunningly intricate illustrations. When she falls in love with a prince, the little mermaid persuades a sea witch to replace her tail with legs so she can live on land. But the price demanded by the wicked sea witch is great: the mermaid's beautiful voice . . . Rediscover Hans Christian Andersen's entrancing, bittersweet tale of love, set between land and sea. Retold by renowned storyteller and Carnegie Medal winning author, Geraldine McCaughrean. With a sparkling foiled cover and beautiful silhouette-style illustrations, this is a must-have addition to any bookshelf.
'McCaughrean is one of the greatest living children's authors.' (The Bookseller) Brilliant historical fiction from double Carnegie Medal winner Geraldine McCaughrean. From ships that sail in a sea in the sky and children who witness the deadly effects of a scientific experiment, to a magic carpet that brings about a day of judgement and a year where eleven days are lost and never to be found, this short-story collection will have you on the edge of your seat! This collection of gripping historical short stories from award-winning author Geraldine McCaughrean has beautiful black-and-white illustrations by Ian McCaughrean and is perfect for children who are developing as readers. The Bloomsbury Readers series is packed with brilliant books to get children reading independently in Key Stage 2, with book-banded stories by award-winning authors like double Carnegie Medal winner Geraldine McCaughrean and Waterstones Prize winner Patrice Lawrence covering a wide range of genres and topics. With charming illustrations and online guided reading notes written by the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE), this series is ideal for reading both in the classroom and at home. For more information visit www.bloomsburyguidedreading.com. Book Band: Dark Red Ideal for ages 10+
The amazing story of Haoyou, strapped to a kite and sent to fly among the clouds and the spirits of the dead, this highly acclaimed novel is full of the sights, sounds and smells of Ancient China. After witnessing his father's death, Haoyou becomes a kite-rider. Strapped to a man-sized kite, he is able to ride the incredible heights, searching for sign of his father's spirit among the clouds. But Haoyou knows it is a dangerous pursuit, where the slightest mistake could bring him plummeting back to Earth.
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