The WH shadowers

Letters in Charcoal
First of all I like the simple but affective words and the art in this book. On the second page of the book It is like saying that no one is reading or writing the are just outside playing and working. On the third page of the book it is showing the different letters of the alphabet and the walls and food are full of words. So I think this book is set at the right age group. You wouldn't need to be able to read the word to understand the story.

Harley

Flying High
I really like the two page art and the vibrant colors. The use of simple words are also beneficial for the readers this is aimed at. I really like how the main character is having a conversation with the bird. Another thing I liked was how it is set in a particular country. I think the opening pages where you have instructions on how to build a kite would be fascinating for younger children. The illustrations are amazing and I do think that they will help because the story may at times b e confusing because of the level of vocabulary used.

Harley

I Love Books
I think this book is fantastic and for the age limit of 4 +. But sometimes the pictures can be a bit full with way to much information for one page. I do think that this book is perfect for giving a message to younger kids - the reason being that it encourages people to read. The story is about a young girl who hated reading at the start of the book and at the end loves it because she has finally found the right book. This message will be quite similar to how a lot of people will be feeling because not everyone starts out liking to read, for various reasons but this shows that once you have found the right book the magic of reading will stay with you forever. The illustrations help because they make you feel like you are being sucked into a different universe and along for the ride. A great book overall.

George

The Final Year
The Final Year described in one word that word is Amazing. I liked how the author described his anger and how it was written in a less formal way makes it feel more like it was written by Nate which is a great book in my eyes. The pictures also help in making the situation that is happening clearer to readers. The message of this book is a good message and one everyone needs to read - friendship is valuable to everyone, we shouldn't think of people in any negative ways simply because they are different to us. A great book aimed at the right people - all teenagers should read!

George

King of Nothing
The King of Nothing. Described by one word: Fantastic. I read this book in about 1 or 2 weeks and engaged with it really well. The story of Anton and his perdicaments is expressed perfectly for ages 11+. My reasoning for thinking this is because it shows a lot of character using slang words such as: Fam, Bruv, shout-out etc. I think it shows that life is tough expressing emotions of greiving fear anger and more. I think this will help people know that high school is hard. It was an amazing story from the start. This is an amazing book to read! I loved this book jenurally in a way emotionally, I love stepping into somebody shoes in books, good job nathael! This book taught me lots of things ( women arent objects, choose your kind...) but yhe main thing: Friendship is key in life.

Luca

Grey
I think that this book is perfect for the reading age of 3+. It shows that its ok to feel sad sometimes. I think the illustrations are also perfect for younger people to understand. I think they give a wider range of understanding for the people reading this book. I also like how the girl is colored in grey in the pictures to show the reader how she feels. Explaining how we feel isn't always easy and I think young children probably don't know how to do this so using colours is a clever way and something that parents can use too. The illustrations in this book are my favourite when I think of the importance of using pictures to help tell a story.

George

Treacle Town
Treacle Town is a very good book that shows the effects of being involved in criminal activity whilst trying to get out of it at the same time. The book does have quite a lot of swearing/foul language throughout so this does need to be read by someone mature enough and who doesn't mind this type of language. The language used is necessary as it comes directly from the main character and shows the life he has and is living. The characters' lives were described very well and it shows the challenges that some people have to experience. Overall, I found this book very interesting and has made readers aware of these hard topics. This book is an 7.5/10

Yagna

The Invisible Story
The colors tell the story well and i agree with the age its aimed at because the illustrations work well to help the imagination of a young child. I would recommend this to my family with young children because its a great read that tells the story of how anyone can enjoy reading if they thought it wasn't for them. I really liked how the book was invisible to start with and then the magic of the book and the magic of reading and finding the right book for you was developed and told.

Jayden

All That It Ever Meant
The book is extremely challenging although it has a great story line. I think it is better suited to a very confident reader.

Jayden

The Invisible Story
The invisible story is not what I expected it to be about which I was wrong to do (don't judge a book by it's cover). This lovely book about a lonely book not to be found and not to be read and even ashamed of itself until that little girl came along... That little girl taught the book and me that nothing is really empty, you just have to look deeper even if its scary. The illustrations are cleverly done expressing the characters from books and even the readers emotions. Perfect for the age group it's written for - an eye opener for every reader.

Josh

I Love Books
Speechless....... That story reminded me of when I was young and never wanted to read until my mum gave me one of her favorite books. This book will encourage young children to read and experience what this girl and I did when we read our first amazing book. The illustrations are fantastic. My particular favourite is the little drawings related to the book coming out of the book! Not only is this story encouraging people to read, but also be a part of the particular book your reading, which Mariajo did fantastically. Illustrations are there to help the reader stay engaged and see what the words are describing- this was done perfectly.

Josh

Grey
Wow. Just Wow! The way Laura Dockrill describes each colour and the endless love of a mother to her child is eye-watering. The amazing page technique when you see through it is clever and would make a younger child be filled with wonder! The poetic side of the story would even make an adult enjoy this book despite it not being an adults typical book. I truly believe that this book was straight from Laura's heart. Great read and educational benefits for the right age group - illustration wise = perfect.

Josh

Grey
The book depicts lots of bold colours and has a lot of meaning to the words. The book has around 7 words per page and I think that was the an average amount for the age group. I think that the illustrations are very good and really do help a child see what colours are and how to explain the way they feel. The story is a simple story but covers a difficult topic, if children don't understand their emotions it was very good at helping them to colours to explain. Bold colours and simple drawings make this very good.

Rhiyan

I Love Books
This would be a very good book for young kids because its shows that you need to find the right book to like reading and not to give up. The pictures used are very detailed but very good at showing how different books can make your imagination run wild. There is a lot of different drawings and colours used which is good for getting the readers attention . I do think that some of the pages look very busy but the overall message of the story is a great one.

Harry

The Final Year
I really enjoyed this book but it was quit a sad story. I also enjoyed the poetry even though there were quite difficult to understand sometimes. I think this book would be suitable for people of 8+ as it contains relatable things from leaving primary school. I felt really worried when Dylan went to hospital and I also felt a deep level of sympathy for Nate as he loves Dylan so much. I would recommend for people about to leave primary or in year 5 or 4 as it will let them understand the different emotions leaving year 6 may bring. It's a difficult transition to secondary school and one so many of us can relate too which is why I think this is an excellent book.

George

The Things We Leave Behind
I think this book should maybe be aimed at a higher age as it contains some strong language and some under age drinking. I think that this book should be aimed at 14+. This book is about a beggar named Clem and a more fortune person named Polly. I was shocked at the plot twist. I also think that this book can be confusing at times but I enjoyed figuring out and finally understanding those confusing bits. The story itself is very intriguing and the anticipation makes yo want to continue and read more of the book. I also liked how it was a different type of book to what I would usually pick to read and now I will start to read and enjoy reading different genres.

George

The Final Year
The book was very emotional and inspiring. The author uses great vocabulary to explain the way the character is feeling and it is very easy to understand. The topics covered in this book are suitable for readers 9+ as it covers what it is like to be in year 6 and the problems and frustrations it brings to a student. Its very relatable. The main character is called Nate and he is facing the challenges of being in his final year at primary school. The year is tough and the book shows us how he overcomes many challenges including: bullying at school, looking after his brothers and supporting his mum. Definitely a book I would recommend.

Rhiyan

Grey
This book is actually pretty good for 3 years and above because it illustrates about, if your young and your feeling pretty down lately someone can always come and help you out. This is telling us that a mothers love will never go away, a mother will always love you even if your feeling grey, like how the story says. At the end of the story it's showing that the little girl is not depressed anymore, which makes people who read this book feel better. The colours used throughout the book are sued to represent the correct emotions being felt by the character- for a young child being able to express emotions may be difficult so using colours is very clever. The pictures in the book are also very good- they help a young child to see colours correctly but also facial expressions linked to emotions. The story is a very good story and I think a 3 year old would find this interesting because of the cut out style used as well.

Sanad

Grey
Its great for young toddlers and young children who are learning all their words and colours, the colours used in the book represent all emotions and this would be great for young children to be able to understand. The pictures and details used are simple but very effective - eye catching and bold. The story is that it is okay to feel sad as a child and that talking about emotions is a good thing that can lead to feeling happier. A great picture book for children!

Jayden-James

All That It Ever Meant
Confusing and quite hard to follow at times

Dylan

King of Nothing
It was a great story was extremely funny and was amazing to read. The book was long but is an easy read. i really liked that the author used slang terms and words that we might know through how we speak to our group of friends. I loved how Anton changed his view on what it is to be a friend and that he discovered a different side of himself. This book has a real meaning of what it is to be a god person and also that people can change if they want to. The book also shows that Anton's family plays a large part in his journey and I think it's important for us to read about the importance of family. I would recommend this book to friends because of how amazing it is.

Jayden-James

Homebody
I think that it is age appropriate and it teaches you that its ok to be different if you think you are and that if you are transgender you are not alone and there are people like you. The colours used really do match the theme, I like the graphic novel style and think this is a good choice for a topic/theme that can be difficult to discuss or talk about. The comic style illustrations help with this.

Harry

All That It Ever Meant
A very thought-provoking read that takes us along on their journey of love, family, grief and trying to find a way to navigate it all. Each character deals with their grief in a different way and although this is not an easy story, it is a book that allows to see raw emotions and the fact that it is told through the voice of a 14-year-old makes this even more appealing. Her outlook on experiencing and living two different cultures is so good to read and I would say it is definitely one for more confident readers. The character Meticais is a great character albeit confusing at time. The contrast between Mati (our main character) and Metacais is clever, every conversation revealed things from the past that helped answer some questions.

Mrs Whittaker

Grey
At first glance it doesn't look very inviting but with the carefully designed pictures and the layout on each page the message soon becomes very clear . The way that the story develops is good, it shows that when things aren't making us feel happy it is okay to feel sad and 'grey'. The words used in the book are very good and a simple way of explaining emotions to young children by making a link to the things they can see - "don't feel the sunshine yellow" is a very good way of writing. I think this book uses illustrations very well to support a young child recognise and explain their emotions - well done!

Alfie

Wolf and Bear
The wolf and the bear illustrations are filled with vivid beautiful colours. It tells an amazing story of friendship and loyalty. The colours match the feelings of the two characters which in my opinion is very smart. It fills the reader with joyfulness whilst also exploring the negative emotions and making us realise that at times we will feel a bit of sadness but with good friends that can be lifted. The only negative thing about this book is that the words will be a bit tricky for the age rating and they may need a little bit of help to understand the story/theme. Overall the illustrations are amazing! well done Kate Rolfe.

Luca

Wolf and Bear
Already from the front cover that the book is very colourful and bright a specially for 3 year olds . It looks very inviting and magical . The story could use some more child friendly words so that they can understand the different emotions more but overall it is a good book that shows how real friendship can help us feel better. The Bear is shown in very dark colours and the Wolf in white/silver which is a clever link to positive and negative emotions.

Alfie

Grey
In the book "Grey" I think the words and colours used really will help a young child with their colours, emotions and words. For Example on the first page it says I'm not sunshine yellow, then next to those words it has a yellow circle representing the sun (this will help young children understand that the sun is yellow). A lot of the pictures are cutouts but colours can be seen underneath her 'grey' which shows that colours will always shine through just like positive emotions - it's okay to feel 'grey' sometimes and I think at a young age its important to know that and using colours to explain emotions is a very clever part of this book. I think these illustrations are amazing and probably the best one I've seen so far.

Luca

The Final Year
Very Good book for change and that you can do anything very enjoyable and took a decent time to read through. very Good. makes you want to read it again. I can tell 100% effort Put in. Love this book.

Noah

Wolf and Bear
Wolf and bear is a beautifully illustrated book with a valuable narrative and bold colours. This story of friendship is fantastic but for those of a younger age, might need some guidance to understand the true meaning behind wolf and bear’s relationship. I love the idea that if you are feeling down or depressed, there is always a light to guide you into positivity which is explored in the book. Colours used throughout really show what emotions can be described by them and this could be a useful way for younger readers to explain their emotions.

Joshua

Clever Crow
The Clever Crow's illustrations are beautiful and the bright blue on the front page is really eye catching but then the dark and gloomy pictures throughout the book is a bit overwhelming. I also think that it has too many descriptive words for 5 year olds and in order to keep them interested in reading/learning about Crows more pictures could be used to display the facts.

Luca

Clever Crow
The illustrations are very good, I really enjoyed them . The age rating is quite young and I think they are very dull for 5 year olds - I think they would want more colour which would mean it caught their eye and is then more interesting . It is a non-fiction book meaning it has lots of facts which are good for learning but it is a lot of written information. The front cover does have some bold colours which is good.

Alfie

Wolf and Bear
A beautifully illustrated book with an equally beautiful story of friendship and emotions. The colours used are perfect and really relate to the different parts of the story, showcasing positive and negative emotions. The story of how friends can help us feel better, a story that shows how we express different emotions in different ways. It’s not too detailed which makes it accessible for younger readers but some guidance may be needed to offer further explanations around the feelings of sadness/depression that Bear has. The use of blue and grey/black show the negative emotions and then when positivity shines through we see the use of pinks, oranges and yellows.

Mrs Whittaker

Clever Crow
The representation of the crows invites readers to look closely at the bird and see beyond its dark colour, the use of the bold blue colour on the front page really is striking. Illustrations are incredibly detailed. An informative read that is educational but sometimes a little ‘wordy’ especially for younger readers.

Mrs Whittaker

Flying High
This book tells the story of the difficulties children face when they are not accepted by their peers. It can be a difficult time to navigate as a young child and even as we get older. It celebrates how we can be different, unique and beautiful just like the different and uniqueness of nature – we should celebrate our differences and not hide away. The colours and illustrations used when the festival is introduced really capture the essence of a festival – the bright, busy and beautiful!

Mrs Whittaker

Homebody
Presented in a comic book/graphic novel style is a very clever way to engage readers. The use of colour is beautiful and the pink, blue and grey tones will resonate with those who have read Heartstopper. The font that was used throughout the book made it very easy to read and the colours calming. The message is told in a simple and effective way following his journey to discover who he is. A great book for those looking to understand for themselves or for those around them. Some of the topics mentioned are certainly for older readers - a reason for the 14y+ recommendation.

Mrs Whittaker

I Love Books
This brightly illustrated adventure story is a perfect read for kids who claim to hate reading, it shows how you can never judge a book by it’s cover. The starting pages use minimal colour but her distain for reading is captured in a comedic way. I love that as the girl starts to enjoy her book, her life and our reading experience become wonderfully vibrant and colourful with the introduction of bold colours. The illustrations in this book allow the reader to see what happens when we read – adventure, imagination, intrigue etc. The crossing out of the word ‘hate’ on the front cover is very clever, it is so often the case that children come out with this phrase – this book shows that all it takes is 1 book to change our view.

Mrs Whittaker

Letters in Charcoal
A lovely read about the power and joy of language and reading, an experience everyone should have but one that unfortunately isn’t available to everyone. The illustrations and use of bold colours catch the reader's attention.

Mrs Whittaker

The Invisible Story
This book allows the reader to explore their own reasons as to why the book has never been read, I found the reason why to be wonderful! It shows the true power of reading and stories – the magic of each story and how we don’t just read with our eyes but truly ‘feel’ a story. It’s a unique and beautiful way to introduce the topic of Braille and sight impairment to young children and this is represented in Wen Hsu Chen’s watercolour paper cuttings.

Mrs Whittaker

Grey
A great picture book for children of a young age. I think it helps children recognise from an early age that not feeling yourself is okay - it allows them to explain how they are feeling through colours. The use of colours and the simple but beautiful illustrations are great for helping young children to describe and understand their feelings. The story itself is heart-warming and perfect for when our children (or classrooms full of children!) are having an off day - not to tell them to cheer up, but to tell them that all of their feelings are okay!

Mrs Whittaker

King of Nothing
Dealing with real issues in a comedic and thought-provoking way makes this a fantastic read. Anton is a bully and making friends with Matthew is not good for his reputation. Lessore uses their budding friendship to explore serious and hard-hitting issues, particularly misogynistic attitudes towards women and girls. The book delves into the troublesome teenage years and looks at the different ways Anton is influenced by the people close to him. The most important message of the novel is that ‘people who want to change can change’.

Mrs Whittaker