The CLPE Reflecting Realities survey of ethnic representation within UK children’s literature 2024 

The CLPE Reflecting Realities survey of ethnic representation within UK children’s literature 2024 Yesterday the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) have released the 7th annual Reflecting Realities Survey of Ethnic Representation within UK Children’s Literature – we will be sharing some of the key findings and comments here. Using the detailed methodology established […]

National Non-Fiction November 2024

As National Non-Fiction November draws to a close, it is worth remembering that information books are not just for November! In this year’s NNFN booklet, some themed weeks and awards dedicated to information books are suggested, but this is just the tip of the iceberg! In this final post for National Non-Fiction November 2024, it […]

Open Wide by Letizia Diamante

Letizia Diamante’s passion for science is infectious and this interest has led her to write fun, informative books. Here, she shares her thoughts about the power of information texts.   Taking the fear out of things with non-fiction books While I was writing “Open wide!” – a scientific book for children about the teeth, tongues […]

This is Skateboarding by Neil Ellis

Neil Ellis is a lifelong skateboarder who oversees all communication at Skateboard GB. He is involved in many grassroots skateboarding projects around the UK, and he was the Skateboard Media Manager for Team GB at the Paris 2024 Olympics. I first picked up a board when I was 14 – a basic skateboard from a […]

Feeding the enthusiasm and interests of young readers with magazines by Chris Routh

Feeding the enthusiasm and interests of young readers with magazines Promoting and supporting reading for pleasure requires a wide range of reading options to suit all ages, abilities and interests. National Non-Fiction November provides an ideal opportunity to not only highlight and celebrate examples of great information books, but also to explore other text types […]

Raising the Roof by Jack Pepper

Raising The Roof Author Jack Pepper – one of the UK’s youngest commissioned composers and youngest-ever national radio presenter – takes us inside his debut book… One of the joys of writing a book about the lives of the people who make and made classical music is… they tell a great story! Think of Joseph […]

Green Science at Home by Susan Martineau

Susan Martineau is an editor and author, writing books which spark curiosity in her readers. Today, she explains why she wrote her ‘Science Experiments’ books. I haven’t really grown up much since being a child who loved making mud pies, adopting ‘pet’ snails and mucking around in the kitchen making home-made volcanoes. My mother actively […]

Information Book Awards 2024

  Reflections on the Non-fiction scene, viewed from the Information Book Awards 2024   I find it difficult to believe that I have been involved with this award for six years, five of them as chair of the judging panel. Over this time, we have looked at approximately 1000 information books; these range in age […]

Needle Felting with Karin Celestine

Karin Celestine is an artist and author, who creates beautiful needle felted animals, some of which star in their ‘Celestine and Hare’ books published by Graffeg. Their passion for making is infectious! I have been making since I was old enough to pick something up and have never stopped since. I taught chemistry, art and […]

This book will make you an artist by Ruth Millington

Art is a wonderful hobby which has many benefits. It can help to relieve stress, encourage creativity, develop concentration and allow you to lose yourself in the pleasure of producing something. In today’s post, Ruth Millington, author of ‘This Book Will Make You an Artist’ (Nosy Crow ISBN: 978-1839944758) shares some ideas for having a […]