Including news, book reviews, recommendations and events
Welcome to Children’s Corner – a whole room of our bookshop dedicated to children’s books suitable for all ages from babies through to end of primary.
We have fiction and factual books as well as learning guides, children’s classics and first books for children.
There are a host of puzzles and jigsaws, colouring pencils, sticker books, paint and toys, hand puppets and finger puppets,
We update our stock regularly and can order in any special requests. Next day delivery if required.
We also take part in the annual World Book Day, and stock the range of books suitable for all ages and reading levels.
English Association Picture Book Awards 2017
The winners are as follows, and are all on sale in the shop.
Fiction 4-7
Oi Dog! Kes & Claire Gray, illustrated by Jim Field.
Fiction 7-11
The Journey Francesca Sanna Flying Eye Books.
Non-Fiction 4-7
The Big Book of Bugs Yuval Zommer & Barbara Watson
Non-Fiction 7-11
The Stone Age: Hunters, Gatherers and Woolly Mammoths Marcia Williams.
The awards, established in 1995 are presented annually. The English Association was founded in 1906 and is a registered charity which received a Royal Charter on its centenary. It is the oldest UK association whose aim is to further knowledge, understanding and enjoyment of the English language and its literature and to foster good practice in its teaching and learning.
THE STORY OF BLUE JOHN BY BERLIE DOHERTY
Blue John is created by the Queen of Darkness from the purple-blue heart of a glacier and the gold of the sun to live with her in the caverns under the mountain. He must never leave the darkness for the light, she warns, or he will turn to stone. But the sound of children’s laughter and games outside is impossible to resist.
Berlie will read and sign copies of her book which will be on sale at a special price of £5.99
“I am very proud to tell you about a lovely set of felt hangings depicting the story, and inspired by Tim’s illustrations in the picture book edition. They have been made by members of High Peak Community Arts, and they are a feast of jewel-like colours now gracing the walls of Buxton Library, which will be their home.” Berlie
WORLD BOOK DAY 20
Thursday 2nd March 2017
We will be at St James’ School, Kettleshulme from 3pm.
The shop will be open all day too, bring your £1 voucher.
Cressida Cowell, author of How to Train Your Dragon books, will be in Stratford Library, East London on WBD
Books 1 to 12 on sale here – get stuck in!
From time travel, fantasy and shocking stories of survival to fantastically funny football facts, this year’s Blue Peter Book Awards shortlist explores a diverse range of themes.
The 2017 Blue Peter Book Award shortlist
and the winners are . . . . Podkin One Ear and Survivors
Super Readable Books for reluctant or challenged readers.
Come in and see the titles in the Barrington Stoke, Little Gems and Super Readable books range. We are continually increasing our stock of these books, and are identifiable by an orange band on the spine and a dot on the cover, see picture. They are all integrated with the rest of the children’s fiction. If you need assistance, we are happy to help.
The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots
Beatrix Potter sent the story to her publisher in 1914, saying it was about “a well-behaved prime black Kitty cat, who leads rather a double life”.
The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots also features an appearance from an “older, slower” version of Peter Rabbit.
Jo Hanks, a publisher at Penguin Random House Children’s, found a reference to Potter’s letter to her publisher and the unedited manuscript in the 1970’s literary history about the author.
Three manuscripts were then found in the V&A Museum archive, handwritten in school notebooks – a rough colour sketch of Kitty-in-Boots, a pencil sketch of villain Mr Tod and a dummy book, with some of the manuscript laid out.
Potter said in letters, also kept in the archive, that she had wanted to finish the story but “interruptions began”, including the First World War, her marriage and illness.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35407846
Surviving Crosby Beach by James Mooney
Inspired by a day out to Crosby Beach – you know, where the statues are in the sea, James Mooney wrote a story for the National Short Story Writing competition run in conjunction with the BBC.
Having been very touched by the suffering of refugee children from Syria and children in Britain, James decided to publish his story to raise awareness and funds for Childline.
James’s story is very well written and very perceptive for a young lad. Maybe it could teach us all a lesson when we argue with loved ones just what is most important in our lives. Well done James!
His story is on sale in the shop for £2. Please support James in his very worthwhile cause to do something for others knowing he is very fortunate.
Click on the link to find out more about Anthony Gormley’s creation ‘Another Place’
http://www.visitliverpool.com/things-to-do/another-place-by-antony-gormley-p160981
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Based on an original new story by J K Rowling, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne this is a new play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the eighth story in the series and the first to be presented on stage. The world premier in London’s West End on 30th July 2016.
This Special Rehearsal Edition will be available here from Monday 1st August for £15.99 (RRP £20) Reserve your copy NOW!
Book review
Poppy Pym and the Pharaoh’s Curse by Laura Wood
10/10 5 STAR!! *****
I enjoyed this book because it has a very clever plot and storyline which kept me entertained throughout the whole book. I have recommended it to many of my friends and they said they would like to read it as it sounds very interesting and funny. My favourite part was when it was PE and Annabelle was showing off doing a cartwheel on the balancing beam and then she tried to make Ingrid have a go but Poppy shouted NO! and stopped Ingrid from doing it because Ingrid hates PE and then Poppy did a full twisting double layout! (Where you tumble over and over in the air like a pair of socks in a washing machine). There was nothing I disliked about the book because it was amazing!
By Maya Sarwar, Age 9 ¼. thank you Maya
WATCH OUT FOR THE NEXT BOOK IN THE POPPY PYM SERIES.
Out on the 1st September 2016
Stanley the Amazing knitting Cat by Emily Mackenzie
Stanley LOVES to knit. He knocks up pom-poms at breakfast time, whips up bobble hats at bath time. He even knits in his sleep! And what does Stanley do with his wonderful woollies? He gives them to his friends of course – balaclavas for bunnies, neck warmers for giraffes and much more besides.
But when Stanley gets carried away with his dream of winning the Woolly Wonders Competition, he has to decide what’s more important – his knitting or his friends? Another fabulously funny story from the creator of Wanted! Ralfy Rabbit, Book Burglar. Perfect for creative kids everywhere!
Yes, the latest David Walliams book is out now and in stock. RRP 14.99 our price 11.99.
Meet five Beastly Boys and five Gruesome Girls. Like Sophia Sofa – a TV superfan so stuck to the sofa that she’s turning into one. Or Dribbling drew – a boy whose drool gets him into terrible trouble on a school trip, plenty more characters to meet and be disgusted by!
Eleven year old Joe can’t remember life outside of his hospital room, his condition means he’s not allowed outside, even for a moment and his few visitors risk bringing life-threatening germs inside his ‘bubble’. But then someone new enters his world and it changes forever.
Look out! The whole Gates family are going on holiday. How will Tom keep himself busy on the most boring camp-site ever? By doodling of course! An exciting new story – with doodle your own elements.
And the winners are . . . . .
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-36396168
Six years ago, Chris Evans had a dream: to get children excited about reading and writing. All children, no matter what their ability. 500 Words is now one of the most successful story-writing competitions for kids in the world. Nearly half a million pupils have written a story for us; that’s over 215 MILLION words!
It’s very simple. Entrants write an original story on any subject or theme in 500 Words or fewer and submit it online. If they win, their story will be read live on the radio by a superstar celebrity…like Sir Kenneth Branagh, Jeremy Irons, Hugh Bonneville or Sherlock himself – Benedict Cumberbatch. Each year, 10 million Radio 2 listeners hear, read and love these stories.
Winners will rub shoulders with the world’s biggest celebrities and massive pop-stars performing at the final. Plus in 2016, 500 Words is delighted to welcome back real-life royalty to the competition: Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Cornwall, who returns in 2016 to support the competition as our Honorary Judge! She’ll be reading and debating the top 50 stories of the competition with our amazing author panel: Malorie Blackman, Charlie Higson, Frank Cottrell-Boyce and Francesca Simon.
AND in the year of Shakespeare’s 400th anniversary, our final will be live from the home of British story-telling,Shakespeare’s Globe, on the 27th May.
The 2016 competition is now closed for entries. We now have our 50 finalists who will be whisked off to Shakespeare’s Globe for the final.
Click on the link to read and listen to the top 50 stories.
short list 5 to 9 and short list 10 to 13
enjoy and maybe next year YOU will enter with your story!
