Sarah Paxton is the lead of the New Wave English Hub, based at Grazebrook Primary School in Hackney, London. Mother to Iris, 8, and Fred, 5, bedtime storytime is her favourite time of the day!
Top Texts for October
October’s favourite read aloud books are chosen by Sarah Paxton, lead of the New Wave English Hub based in Hackney.
El Deafo
by Cece Bell
This is an autobiographical graphic novel retelling the author Cece Bell’s experiences of losing her hearing as a child. With a great deal of humour and honesty, it recounts her primary school years as she learns to deal with her slightly cumbersome hearing aid, negotiates friendships and seeks to find her place in a hearing world. The simple but charming illustrations make it a pleasure to read and easy for readers to relate to Cece’s experiences. It’s a wonderful, inspiring insight into growing up a little different. Recommended for LKS2 upwards.
Fanatical about Frogs
by Owen Davy
The latest in Owen Davey’s non-fiction series all about animals is beautifully designed and crammed with fascinating facts. There is a huge amount of information, which is organised logically and clearly, making it easy for children to use as a reference text or read from cover to cover. The illustrations are stunning but also highly accurate and the text is brilliantly written. Some illustrated non-fiction texts can prioritise style over substance, but this certainly isn’t one of them! Suitable for both KS1 and KS2.
Clean Up!
by Nathan Bryon and illustrated by Dapo Adeola
If you liked Look Up, you will love Clean Up, Nathan Byron and Dapo Adeola’s follow-up which sees Rocket and her family travel to the Caribbean to visit her grandparents. Prompted by the plight of a plastic-wrapped turtle, Rocket enlists the help of the whole beach to fix the problem. It’s a simple story with a clear environmental message that Reception and KS1 children will both understand and enjoy. Also a great addition to the much-needed range of representative children’s books.
