Tag: Literacy

Sharing books on-line

Over the coming weeks, Kelpies (imprint of Floris Publishers) will be adding to their bank of resources with videos of creators sharing their own stories as well as activities, discussion points and learning resources for children of all ages. Follow them on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for details of the latest additions, and check out their YouTube channel.

You will find a complete list of all available resources in the Features for Teachers section of the blog.

If you are looking for a way to continue class reading or storytime, please visit the website here

 

#FalkirkReadingTeachers Book Group Reviews

https://sway.office.com/IRT1xngbeioesEsE?ref=Link

The Learning Resource Service runs two book groups for teachers and early years practitioners in the Falkirk council area. They aim to:

 

  • increase teacher knowledge of quality children’s books
  • support teachers in creating a reading culture in their classroom
  • provide opportunities to talk about children’s books
  • identify books that support different aspects of the curriculum
  • ensure that the books we promote to children are diverse and inclusive
  • have fun!

 

If you need some reading inspiration or want to find out about good reads for your pupils then click on the link above.

 

 

The RED Book Award is 15 years old!

The RED Book Award celebrates its 15th anniversary and to mark this achievement, the wonderful shortlist focuses on a BAME theme:

Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman

A Pocketful of Stars by Aisha Bushby 

Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin

My Name’s Not Friday by Jon Walters

The authors joined the young people in each Falkirk Council secondary school at the digital Award Ceremony on Wednesday 19th May 2021. Due to the restrictions of Covid the award ceremony could not be face to face however despite this, the Award Ceremony was very enjoyable and featured creative interpretations of each of the shortlisted books by the young people and a very interesting Q & A session with the authors before the winning book was revealed.

The ceremony was attended by all the shortlisted authors and the S2 RED classes from 6 of our secondary schools. The authors gave us interesting and insightful guidance on writing, there was dancing and there were prizes awarded for best alternative ending and front cover designs of the shortlisted books.

Congratulations to all the authors for reaching the RED shortlist.

AND THE WINNER IS…

Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin.

 

Author of the Week: Sally Gardner from the National Literacy Trust

Mr Tiger, Betsy and the Blue MoonRead and listen for free Sally Gardner’s Mr Tiger, Betsy and the Blue Moon, illustrated by Nick Maland. An enchanting story by a much loved author about Betsy K Glory, the daughter of a mermaid and an ice-cream maker, who meets the mysterious Mr Tiger and they have a giant challenge: a moon to turn blue, berries to collect and wishable-delicious ice cream to create. The sort that makes wishes come true.

You can also watch an exclusive video with Sally to hear all about her The Tindims of Rubbish Island stories, discover Sally’s top three children’s books and enjoy Questions & Answers to find out more about Sally.

Read, listen and enjoy here

 

The Book of Hopes

Scrapbook of Hopes banner2

The Learning Resource Service promoted The Book of Hopes when it was published last year, it is a wonderful book to comfort and inspire children. Edited by the well known and loved author Katherine Rundell, it contains contributions from more than 100 writers and illustrators, including Lauren Child, Anthony Horowitz, Greg James and Chris Smith, Michael Morpurgo, Liz Pichon, Axel Scheffler, Francesca Simon and Jacqueline Wilson. The publisher, Bloomsbury, have kindly made the on-line book available free during this lockdown.

There are some brilliant activities and ideas that have been produced based on the Book of Hopes as well as a challenge to spread hope, inspiration and a love of reading in your school and local community with a chance to win prizes!

Free e-Books from Oxford University Press

A colourful free e-Book helping to talk through feelings around covid 19 with young children. Available from Oxford University Press here

Winnie and Wilbur Stay at Home from the popular series by Valerie Thomas and Korky Paul is available as an e-Book with fun activities and can be downloaded free here

Winnie and Wilbur Stay at Home jacket image

 

Mantra Lingua offers free access to E-books

 

Great news! Mantra Lingua is a UK based publisher of award winning multilingual education resources and is offering free access to ebooks for home reading. Their ebooks come in 37 languages and you can enjoy the books free until 31st August 2020.

Click here to sign up and start reading.

The RED Book Award ceremony goes digital!

The RED Book Award, now in its 14th year, was in danger of not going ahead because of the coronavirus, however it was decided to organise the ceremony on-line. Over 70 teachers and pupils gathered on Microsoft Teams on 27/5/2020 to join the 4 wonderful shortlisted authors:

Lauren James who wrote The Quiet at the End of the World

Matt Killeen who wrote Orphan Monster Spy

Gill Lewis who wrote The Closest Thing to Flying

Fiona Shaw who wrote Outwalkers

The Q & A session was excellent with the authors answering brilliant questions from the pupils. The ceremony was interrupted with some occasional ‘hand dancing’ by the librarians, teachers, guests and authors! The young people had written alternative endings to the shortlisted books and the overall winner, from Larbert HS, had written another ending to The Closest Thing to Flying, the author, Gill Lewis, said she was “blown away” by the writing.

And then it was time to open the red envelope to reveal the winning book:

The Quiet at the End of the World by Lauren James who was delighted and said it was her first regional book award win!

Congratulations Lauren.

The Quiet at the End of the World

The Book of Hopes

BookofHopes.jpg

Award-winning children’s author, Katherine Rundell, has launched The Book of Hopes: Words and Pictures to Comfort, Inspire and Entertain Children in Lockdown, which is hosted exclusively on the National Literacy Trust’s Family Zone.

Completely free for all children and families, the extraordinary collection of short stories, poems, essays and pictures has contributions from more than 110 children’s writers and illustrators.