Wasim the Wanderer

cover of Wasim the Wanderer
3 stars out of 53 stars out of 53 stars out of 53 stars out of 53 stars out of 5

Wasim Ahmed is football mad. In fact, the whole school is football mad now that they are participating in Team 10,000 – a scheme in which children, nationally, are taught by a professional coach. The only thing that mars Wasim’s excitement is Robert Bailey, a bullying brute of a lad who makes his life a misery.

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Too Ghoul for School: 4. The In-Spectres Call

cover of Too Ghoul for School: 4. The In-Spectres Call
3 stars out of 53 stars out of 53 stars out of 53 stars out of 53 stars out of 5

Underneath St Sebastian’s High School lies a medieval plague pit teeming with restless ghosts. Their ringleader is the hideous ghoul Edith Codd, who does her utmost to get the school closed down. Pitted against her and her cronies are a trio of students: James, always on the lookout for ghosts; Alexander, the brainy joker and headmaster’s son; and Lenny, the strong and gentle animal-lover. Caught between the two factions is young William, also a ghost, who, in his efforts at friendship with the trio, does his best to scupper Edith’s destructive plans.

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Too Ghoul for School: 3. Silent But Deadly

cover of Too Ghoul for School: 3. Silent But Deadly
3 stars out of 53 stars out of 53 stars out of 53 stars out of 53 stars out of 5

Underneath St Sebastian’s High School lies a medieval plague pit teeming with restless ghosts. Their ringleader is the hideous ghoul Edith Codd, who does her utmost to get the school closed down. Pitted against her and her cronies are a trio of students: James, always on the lookout for ghosts; Alexander, the brainy joker and headmaster’s son; and Lenny, the strong and gentle animal-lover. Caught between the two factions is young William, also a ghost, who, in his efforts at friendship with the trio, does his best to scupper Edith’s destructive plans.

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Too Ghoul for School: 2. The Bubonic Builders

cover of Too Ghoul for School: 2. The Bubonic Builders
3 stars out of 53 stars out of 53 stars out of 53 stars out of 53 stars out of 5

Underneath St Sebastian’s High School lies a medieval plague pit teeming with restless ghosts. Their ringleader is the hideous ghoul Edith Codd, who does her utmost to get the school closed down. Pitted against her and her cronies are a trio of students: James, always on the lookout for ghosts; Alexander, the brainy joker and headmaster’s son; and Lenny, the strong and gentle animal-lover. Caught between the two factions is young William, also a ghost, who, in his efforts at friendship with the trio, does his best to scupper Edith’s destructive plans.

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Too Ghoul for School: 1. Terror in Cubicle Four

cover of Too Ghoul for School: 1. Terror in Cubicle Four
3 stars out of 53 stars out of 53 stars out of 53 stars out of 53 stars out of 5

Underneath St Sebastian’s High School lies a medieval plague pit teeming with restless ghosts. Their ringleader is the hideous ghoul Edith Codd, who does her utmost to get the school closed down. Pitted against her and her cronies are a trio of students: James, always on the lookout for ghosts; Alexander, the brainy joker and headmaster’s son; and Lenny, the strong and gentle animal-lover. Caught between the two factions is young William, also a ghost, who, in his efforts at friendship with the trio, does his best to scupper Edith’s destructive plans.

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The Story of Bear

cover of The Story of Bear
3 stars out of 53 stars out of 53 stars out of 53 stars out of 53 stars out of 5

The Bear is an unwanted Christmas present. So he’s chucked face down into the skip, at the mercy of the rain and cold winds. Passive and long-suffering, he’s still there when two visitors come by – Seagull, who becomes his friend, and Ellie, who tries unsuccessfully to rescue him. Yet there’s worse in store for him when he’s thrown onto the tip where the bulldozers are busy at work. It is only now, with Seagull injured, that he realises that he must act fast to save himself and his friend.

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Seaside Scientist

5 stars out of 55 stars out of 55 stars out of 55 stars out of 55 stars out of 5

Now out in paperback, this favourite book about the seaside is excellent value for money and deserves a place on the science shelf in the primary school library. It would also enrich a family outing to the sea. There is comprehensive coverage of the topic; the 15 sections include: Tides turning, Sea shells, Seabirds, Flotsam and jetsam, and Under the water. The folklore of the sea is covered in a section on Mermaids and pirates and there is good input on Seaside safety and on Pollution.

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Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend

cover of Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend
4 stars out of 54 stars out of 54 stars out of 54 stars out of 54 stars out of 5 EDITOR'S CHOICE

This square, small format picture book exudes energy and confidence and is full of pictorial jokes. At the same time, it is an understanding depiction, a self help manual almost, for small children who are scared to venture out into the world and make friends because they fear, like Scaredy Squirrel, that it is a frightening place where they could encounter someone dangerous – a piranha perhaps or Godzilla – who will bite them.

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Pippi Longstocking

cover of Pippi Longstocking
4 stars out of 54 stars out of 54 stars out of 54 stars out of 54 stars out of 5

Nine-year-old free spirit, Pippi, who lives with a complete lack of adult supervision, was the creation of Swedish feminist, Astrid Lindgren. Lindgren was born in 1907 and died in 2002, having written the first four of the eleven Pippi books in the 1940s. Her books have been translated into 91 languages and sold 145 million copies worldwide. Pippi’s appeal to young children is her very unconventional and assertive personality. She is rich and extraordinarily strong, being able to lift her horse one-handed with ease. She frequently makes fun of and tricks the adults she does encounter, especially the most pompous and patronising ones.

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Not Like Me

cover of Not Like Me
3 stars out of 53 stars out of 53 stars out of 53 stars out of 53 stars out of 5

Tilly and Lizzie are identical twins so far as appearance is concerned but, like many siblings, totally differ in character. Throughout the book, which is thoughtfully divided into chapters just the right length for beginning readers, we learn about the twins, how they do share certain things, and how they patch things up after a quarrel.

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