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Amy McKay - Editorial Expert
Amy is a knowledgeable, innovative and enthusiastic school librarian, living and working in Cumbria. Amy is a past UK School Librarian of the Year.
With over 17 years’ experience in school libraries and over a decade as the Yoto Carnegies National Coordinator she has a vast knowledge of children’s literature. She is a familiar face at festivals and has judged numerous book awards, including the Blue Peter Book Awards and the Nibbies.
Amy loves nothing more than sharing her love of books and reading, connecting young people with the authors and books that will enrich their lives for years to come.
Latest Reviews By Amy McKay
We are all familiar with many different types of trees, leaves and plants, but have you ever considered just how important they are to our lives? How many uses they have and how many things they have been used to make? If so, this is the book for you!
In this celebration of the natural world, Drori introduces us to the stories and behaviours of 30 different plants, sharing the myriad of ways humans have (and in many cases still do) used them. From the familiar, such as wheat, cacoa and tea, to the more surprising, each plant and its history ... View Full Review
Civil war rages across the UK as the Free Kingdom party battles with the government for control. When Hannah’s dad is declared a traitor and disappears, she knows she must get her younger siblings to safety. With helicopters above and violence at every turn, it feels like their chances of escape the destruction grow smaller all the time.
This is a timely story, expertly brought to life in a graphic novel format. The story of children escaping war may be familiar, but the use of the UK as a setting powerfully highlights that anybody can find themselves displaced ... View Full Review
Jack-Jack, the world’s coolest dog, is back for another adventure, and this time he’s on the search for employment. Surely after all his hard work looking after orphaned chimps in Africa, he’ll have no problem finding a new career? Sadly, Jack-Jack’s work experience placements don’t go to plan and soon he’s wondering if he’ll ever find a job.
This is another delightful instalment in the Jack-Jack series. Children won’t be able to resist this cute canine, and the short chapters and fun illustrations make ... View Full Review
Funny, thought-provoking and wonderfully unique, this is a joyous mix of poetry and facts for all curious minds. Bilston uses poetry to answer a series of 100 questions about the world and how it works. Subjects range from the existence of the Loch Ness monster to the ability to roll you tongue, from the number of dimples on a golf ball to what rainbows are made of. Many questions are ones I’d never even thought to ask before, but I certainly enjoyed learning the answers.
Bilston employs a range of poetic styles, demonstrating why he is such a loved ... View Full Review
Using his own experiences as a LGBTQ+ educator, Ian Timbrell’s book is a must-read for any educators wishing to move beyond rainbows to start creating true inclusivity in their schools. Full of practical advice and strategies, and low on waffle or linguistic showing off, Timbrell writes with a clarity and authenticity that makes this an enjoyable and highly readable book.
With time at a premium for all those working in schools, any time spent reading CPD texts must be focused on the most genuinely useful and inspiring works – on this Timbrell more than delivers. Approaching the often-contentious ... View Full Review
Poor Dragon Dave has been trapped inside the book Dragon Soup for as long as he can remember. He likes most of the story, but is really not very pleased with the ending. Happily, his good friend Prince George has an idea, before long the twosome are merrily removing and changing words in the Dragon Soup story.
Bold illustrations bring this charming story to life, as it plays with the concept of what a book is and what it can be. With a subtle message about taking control of your own destiny and writing your own story, young readers will ... View Full Review
Goat is perfectly happy alone on his rock in the middle of the sea, quite content thank you very much. Except, well, he might like a chocolate biscuit, so off he paddles in his boat. When he returns, he’s quite content out there on his own, except of course when he decides he’d like a comfy cushion to sit on. As Goat’s desires continue, he keeps paddling away and returning with an increasingly absurd variety of things, until his rock is covered. But what could the last thing Goat needs to be happy be? ... View Full Review
Classic stories are generally classics for a reason, and that is certainly true of Malorie Blackman’s Pigheart Boy. As relevant and readable now as it was when it was first published over 20 years ago, this is a sensitive, informative and considered story about organ donation and what it feels like to be at the centre of a media storm.
Cameron is a typical thirteen-year-old who loves his family, hanging out with his friends and swimming. But Cameron is also very different to his peers, his heart doesn’t work properly, and his future looks increasingly bleak. When ... View Full Review
Through the stories of 10 different journeys Sanghera travels where school history lessons fail to go, giving the reader an honest, unflinching account of the British Empire.
From the true story of Pocahontas (which was far more eventful than Disney ever told us) to corruption and looting in Tibet, via Britain’s shameful involvement in the transatlantic slave trade; each journey is fascinatingly recounted and sheds light not only on the British Empire, but the lasting impact that the imperialism continues to have today.
Alongside the journeys are short chapters that examine and explain specific topics and the links they ... View Full Review
Will loves his dog, Whiskers, more than anything, so when a house move means Whiskers has to go to live with Will’s grandma, Will is distraught not to see his best friend every day. Weekend visits just aren’t enough. But on one of these visits Will is transported to a magical world where Whiskers has become a wolf. And even better – they can talk to each other! The pair soon discover that as magical as WolfWorld is, it is also full of danger.
An exciting adventure story full of great characters and an expertly developed ... View Full Review
Best friends, Willow and Alma, are fame hungry and certain that their best chance of achieving it is by going viral. So begins an increasingly elaborate series of dares, all filmed and uploaded to TikTok in search of likes and followers. As their popularity soars the risks they take turn from funny to scary. Soon doubts creep in and the girls must confront how far they are willing to go, and whether online adoration is worth losing everything for.
Modern teens will undoubtedly relate to the allure that viral fame holds over Willow and Alma, wincing as they consistently make ... View Full Review
Two VERY different boys with one big thing in common – Existor is an online gaming sensation, Fred is the friendless school loser. Nobody knows they’re the same person. As Existor’s popularity and influence grows, Fred realises he can use his alter ego to improve his real life. But as Existor’s concocted rumours and outright lies start to mount up, Fred finds it increasingly hard to keep track of his lies.
With genuinely funny humour that will have you snorting out loud this is the perfect read for young teens who enjoy funny, real-life ... View Full Review
