Latymer Prep Shadowers
Wolf and Bear
Wolf and Bear is a heartwarming story about two friends who play together. But one day, Wolf pushes Bear too far and Bear gets angry. Wolf tries to get Bear to play but he won’t so Wolf sings his sorrows to the full moon. Bear is entranced by Wolf’s singing and is lured out. They become friends again and Wolf sings sweetly to Bear. I like how Kate Rolphe uses warm and cold colours to contrast the characters’ feelings and emotions and how she uses cyanotype ( a technique that involves using sun to expose bits of paper that haven’t been covered). I would recommend this book to 5+ readers and I would rate this book 10/10.
Qianyu
Wolf and Bear
Wolf and Bear is a heartwarming story which I really enjoyed reading. My favourite part is how whenever the Bear is there, the part of the page where they are is blue but the rest is more colourful. I also noticed that one leaf is there on almost every page and sparkles more than the other leaves. In my opinion, I think that the story has the best use of colour of all the 8 books. I recommend this book for 5 years old and over and rate it an 8 out of 10.
Ermis
Wolf and Bear
I really like Wolf and Bear because the colours really go well like the blue for when the Bear feels sad and when the Wolf feels energetic orange. I like the streams of colour that shows the warmth of Wolf's voice. I also really like the page were the bear screams NO!! because I like how messy the Bear is drawn. I would rate this book a 8 out of 10 for illustrations.
Camilla
Homebody
I like how Homebody is drawn and how they did the illustrations but in my opinion I think the pictures need more colours. I like how simple the pictures are drawn and I think it makes it more enjoyable to read. I think that the story sends a message saying if you are non-binary you are just like any other person. I would rate this book 7.5 for illustration.
Camilla
Letters in Charcoal
Letters in Charcoal is a really really good book that I recommend for all ages. I really like how the designs are really basic but are used so cleverly. My favourite illustration is the double spread where Gina found out what Miguel Ángel was saying and when she held out the blue dress with lighter blue stripes going down it, there is a boat on it and it looked like a sea. I really like this because Juan Palomino has made his artwork so clever and the colours are also so bold on the page. I really like this book and I would rate it 9/10.
Otto
Grey
I really like Grey and all the illustrations because they are very simple and they contain lots of metaphors like when she is the tea when it's gone cold and the storm in the clouds. I also like how they used very simple colours at the start to show how the girl was feeling. All through the book I find it nice how they cut out some of the page and when you flip it it shows something else. In the end I think it is good how the mum says i love you how ever you are feeling, to say that everybody sometimes can have a bad day. I would rate this 8 out of 10.
Camilla
Grey
I love Grey because it shows you that you don’t always have to be in a good mood. My favourite part was when she said how she doesn’t feel “sunset yellow” or “treetop green”. I also love that Lauren Child smudged grey charcoal a lot to make it seem like a rainy cloud. I think children from 4+ should read this book so they know it’s ok to feel grey. Overall I rate this book ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5!
Ailin
Wolf and Bear
Wolf and Bear is a heartwarming story about a wolf who is always asking her friend Bear to play. But sometimes a great sadness falls upon Bear and the shadow of the mountain draws his thoughts away. The illustrations used in this book display techniques such as vignettes and making Bear blue a colour usually associated with sadness and Wolf a white colour usually associated with joy and happiness. I like the double spread showing Bear in the shadows and Wolf sadly walking home in the snow.
Thibault
Wolf and Bear
Letters in Charcoal is a heartwarming book and explores different themes like love, siblingship, and determination. This book shows that there are some people who are so unfortunate that they can’t learn how to read and write. I like how the girl is always determined to learn how to write and read just so she can read her sister’s love letters she receives every day from a secret lover. This is a very touching book to read and I recommend this book to 7+ readers, though anyone can read it! I rate this book a 9/10!
Iris
Wolf and Bear
This book is a very sweet, heartwarming story about the friendship between a wolf and a bear. Everything is going ok until one day wolf pushes bear too far, so bear hides in the shadows, scared to come out. Wolf tries everything to get wolf out the shadows like asking him to play with her. But sadly everytime she asks, he says no. Soon though he forgets about the fight, and wolf and bear are happy together again! This story is a very cute story about friendships and how there are sometimes arguments and fights. I quite enjoyed reading this book too. The illustrations are so cute and delightful and always make me feel happy. It is really cool how Kate Rolfe uses magic around wolf when she sings. Kate also used a technique called cyanotype printmaking. This is created by painting with sunlight and shadow, which show a lot of emotion. This is a nice book and would rate it a solid 8.3/10!
Bella
Clever Crow
Clever Crow is an incredible book. In my opinion, the background and texture is amazing, especially the newspaper background. The things that I especially liked was that they showed the crow all around the pages even on the crows that aren't written about and I think this is because it shows that wherever you are, there will probably be a crow near you. I recommend this book for all ages and rate it a solid 9.5/10.
Ermis
The Invisible Story
The Invisible Story is a great book as it doesn’t focus on colour, but plain white. The white shows that it could be a dull library and it really expresses the pictures. The white looks like sculptures and this is unique to this book. The colourful illustrations are like they are crumbled up like paper. Wen Hsu Chen really made this book special and stand out from the other books. My favourite page is where the girl picks up the book. I would recommend this book to curious readers about ages 5-7. I rate this book a solid 9/10.
Zeynep
Wolf and Bear
Wolf and Bear is an outstanding book about deep friendship. It uses a variety of art styles including cyanotype. Cyanotype is a way of art by using the sun to expose some bits. I really like this book because it shows that big friendships can never be truly broken. I recommend this book to 3+ because everyone has very good friends from a young age. I rate this book an easy 10/10.
Avik
Wolf and Bear
Wolf and Bear is an outstanding book with lots of emotions being put into colours. I really like this because you can see this when Wolf cries his sorrows out and the colours are smoothly coming together. It is a brilliant book because you can see how friendship can never be broken. There are lots of full bleeds and half bleeds. I recommend this book for three year olds and over so they understand how friendship works. I rate this book ten out of ten.
Arkady
Wolf and Bear
I love this book because of the colours that she uses throughout. They match the story perfectly and they are very warm colours. I like how in some of the drawings the bear is smaller than in the others because it signifies that the bear is feeling small inside. I recommend this book to younger readers and I give it an 8/10.
Jasmine
Flying High
I enjoyed Flying High because of how the illustrator blends pencil with colour and gives a nice effect. It also uses reflection on some pages which I found really interesting. Despite this, In my opinion, It would be better if it stood out more as it does in the other books. I recommend this to all ages and rate it a 7/10.
Ermis
Grey
Grey is a book that says you can feel any emotion and in this case the girl in the book is feeling grey. What I like about this book is when the girl compares herself to other things like sunshine yellow or a puddle on the street. But my overall favourite illustration is when the girl that is lying on her bed has grey pyjamas but when her mum hugs her (over the page) they become multi coloured. I would say that this book is 4+ and that it is a solid 4 out of 5.
Ettore
Flying High
Flying High is a fantastic book that teaches children to include everybody and it doesn't matter about your size. My favorite DPS is when the little girl throws the kite into the river as I found it impressive how simple it is but how much detail they can get on the illustration. I love how bright the colours are because I found that in the other books the colour choices were a bit dull. This book is good for all ages above 3 and I rate this book 7/10.
Hugh
I Love Books
I love books is great book. It teaches us what reading can do to us and our brains. The illustrations are very detailed and sophisticated, Mariajo Illustrajo has outdone herself. I like the use of different mediums as it really brings the illustrations to life. The girl has different expressions on her face throughout the book and this really shows her mood and how she is feeling. I like how the colour palette slowly, gradually gets brighter. I like the page where suddenly she goes from on the sofa to a bright, new world. I recommend this book for readers around ages 5-7, older readers can definitely enjoy it, as it teaches the importance of reading. I rate this book a solid 9/10.
Zeynep
I Love Books
I love books is a fabulous book that I recommend for all ages. I really like how the illustrator has put so much thought into the drawing and how when she did not like books all the colours around her were really dull but when she started reading the book all of the colours around her started to become bright and colourful. My favourite illustration of the story is the double spread when she starts reading the book and she finds herself in a world of her own. I really like this part of the book because everything seems more bright and happy and it is a big change from all of the dull colours before. This book is about how reading is really important for you and that you have to try new things in life.
Otto
Grey
Grey is about a child who wakes up feeling grey. I loved how she started to compare herself to stormy clouds, tea when it’s gone cold and a scribble on a page. But even though they are in such a dull and bored mood, there is colour and light everywhere. I love how Lauren Child used cut-outs and charcoal pencils. The book perfectly describes how everyone can feel grey and sad but you can get through it. I rate this book 8/10 and I recommend this book to ages 3+.
Jude
Grey
Grey is a wonderfully illustrated book about a child who feels grey, a colour used to portray the emotions being felt by the character throughout the book. This book uses clever illustration techniques such as the use of page cut-outs and using simple but powerful illustrations. I like the use of the comparison to grey items such as cold tea and dark clouds. I would say this book is appropriate for all ages as the concepts explored are relevant to anyone as everyone has good and bad days.I would rate this book 4.7 stars.
Thibault
Letters in Charcoal
Letters in Charcoal is a heartwarming book and explores different themes like love, siblingship, and determination. This book shows that there are some people who are so unfortunate that they can’t learn how to read and write. I like how the girl is always determined to learn how to write and read just so she can read her sister’s love letters she receives every day from a secret lover. This is a very touching book to read and I recommend this book to 7+ readers, though anyone can read it! I rate this book a 9/10!
Iris
Wolf and Bear
I think this is a really heartwarming book about animal friends.This book is really good because Kate Rolfe uses such calm colors using oil pastels and crayons they work together like harmony. My favorite part is when the wolf is howling on top of the rock because the colors she uses are spectacular, and the prints in the rock are something I have never seen before. I would recommend this book for all ages because it is a lovely book and this is by far my favorite so far I would rate this 11 out of 10.
Sebastian
Grey
Grey is a heartwarming story about a lonely boy who feels grey. He tries to discuss his feelings with his mother, who listens very carefully to him. The mother then responds with comforting words,telling the boy that sometimes he can feel grey, and not feel like you fit in anywhere. Towards the end of the book, we see her boots, and then her hand,and finally her face. I liked this book because it is a great way to explain to younger children that it’s okay to feel grey and sad. My favorite part of the book was at the end, at the cut-out, when the mum is leaning forward towards the boy, and we turn the page, and the mum is hugging him and keeping him close. I would recommend this to Yr 1, but older people can definitely enjoy it as well. I would rate this book 9/10.
Jessie
Grey
I enjoyed this book a lot since it deeply shows us what it’s like to feel stuck or lost in your feelings. It shows that it's okay to feel sad and grey sometimes.I really liked the page where there was a scribble on a page even though it might seem boring it has a lot of meanings to it .I also really liked how the pictures were grey and blurry when she was upset, but they got brighter when she got happier. It showed me that feelings can change at any moment. I would recommend this book to anyone. 8/10
Adam
Wolf and Bear
I love Wolf and Bear because it reminds me of friendship and how powerful that is. It also reminds me that friends don't have to be the same because wolf is fun and energetic but bear isn't as fun but they are still best friends. I rate this book at 8.5 /10 and recommend it to all ages.
jasper
Grey
Grey is a really lovely book that I enjoyed reading. It is about a girl that is feeling sad and grey. His mum tells him that it is okay to feel grey sometimes. I really like the die-cuts and the drawing of a scribble on a page. It shows the child in grey and everything else in colour. This book shows us it’s okay to feel grey or sad sometimes. I would recommend this book to all ages.
I would rate this book 8/10.
Qianyu
Clever Crow
A fact-full adventure through the eyes of the tremendous, amazing, clever crow! One of the most boring birds ever, or so you thought, the humble crow is something we pay no attention to, this really opened my eyes to the secret lives of crows. This book was so deeply thought out. Non-fiction never looked so good! I think the page with the crow and the ink perfectly encaptured the message the author is trying to get through. Great for all ages! 9.5/10.
Liam
Wolf and Bear
Wolf and Bear is a Heartwarming story (fiction) about a bear and a wolf's relationship. In this book Kate Rolfe uses cyanotype, a process which uses the sun to bring colour to the book. This makes dazzling shades and portrays the mood of the book by showing dark colours for bad moods and light colours for joyful moods. She often uses cyanotype on the plants to make a clear shape for them. In the book the Wolf pushes the Bear to its limit, and the Bear becomes surrounded in darkness. I think people of any age can read this, but I think this is targeted at slightly younger readers. I very much recommend this book as I love it. 8.5/10 Personally I hope that it wins.
Charles
Wolf and Bear
Wolf and Bear is a heartwarming, magical picture book filled with wonderful watercolour illustrations. I just love how this book tells us that friendship is important and friends will stay by your side no matter what and how Wolf always stays by Bear and that Bear still cares for Wolf even through his sadness. Kate Rolfe uses really clever colours in her book, bright colours for Wolf and dark ones for Bear because Wolf is happy and Bear is sad and that indicates the colour themes for the characters. I love how there’s magic all around and between them to bring them together and the illustrations are amazing, like you want to be in the book and how she uses a mix of light and dark colours. The illustrations and colours are just so magical, heartwarming and vibrant that it brings the story to life. I recommend this story to all ages and I rate it a solid, definite 10/10.
Paris
Clever Crow
A fact-full adventure through the eyes of the tremendous, amazing, clever crow! One of the most boring birds ever, or so you thought, the humble crow is something we pay no attention to, this really opened my eyes to the secret lives of crows. This book was so deeply thought out, non-fiction never looked so good! I think the page with the crow and the ink perfectly encaptured the message the author is trying to get through. Great for all ages! 9.5/10.
Liam
Clever Crow
I feel like Clever Crow is a non-fiction book that brings the everyday, casual crow into the spotlight with a great effect. This book showcases lots of interesting facts about crows, including facts about their great memory and their adaptability to the fast paced world that surrounds them. I would recommend this book as I really enjoyed the point of perspective and how she uses different materials for her illustrations.I love how she teaches us about the similarities between humans and crows which are ingeniously highlighted at the end which made me gain a newfound respect for the humble crow by the end.
Sara
Clever Crow
Clever Crow is a fun and detailed book with hidden meanings, it also shows they aren’t perfect when it comes to flying, singing and how they look, although some of the birds on the inside back cover were beautiful, but they are incredibly smart. I also found it really interesting how great crows' memories are and how they live all over the world. The front and back inside cover showing the eggs at the beginning and hatchlings at the end is a brilliant way to start and end a book and for me, personally I think it’s 9/10 but it could definitely be 10/10.
Alex
Grey
I really enjoyed this book because the way she used the colours is outstanding. I also loved her drawing methods and they are very unique. At the beginning of the story the boy is feeling down and the mother takes him to the grey playground. At the end of the story the mother takes him to the colourful playground. The mother only listens and she doesn't talk. The pictures really match the story as it tells us what the story tells us and the die cut that she uses is really fun and creative.
Zaahed
Flying High
Flying High is an interesting book about a child who felt left out from others’ games because he was too short. This story is set in Wei Fang, a place in China, where kites were invented. This book shows us that we are all different and don’t need to be the same as everyone else. My favorite part is when Wawa shows the boy the sea. This is ideal for all readers.
Jessica
Clever Crow
Clever Crow is especially a great book because it really tells us about crows and how they aren’t just vermin that make your eardrums bleed. One of my favourite pages of the book are the endpapers. It's so wondrous that there are that many crow species. I especially liked how the beginning endpapers have all the eggs of the crow family on them and the endpapers at the back of the book have all the crows hatched as if time has passed. It’s very interesting how amazing a crow’s memory is. I would recommend this book to absolutely anyone. I rate it 9.5/10.
Kaan
Clever Crow
Clever Crow is a fun and detailed book with hidden meanings, it also shows crows aren’t perfect when it comes to flying, singing and how they look, although some of the birds on the inside back cover were beautiful, but they are incredibly smart. I also found it really interesting how great crows' memories are and how they live all over the world. The front and back inside cover showing the eggs at the beginning and hatchlings at the end is a brilliant way to start and end a book. For me, I think this book is 9/10 but it could definitely be 10/10.
Alex
Wolf and Bear
Wolf and Bear is a quite unique book in my opinion since it uses different art styles such as cyanotype. Cyanotype is not in every book you read and is a way of art by using the sun to expose bits. This is one of my favourite books because personally I have never seen a book like this. I rate it a 10/10.
Ashar
I Love Books
I love this book because at the start she didn't even try reading a book and her classmate didn't like reading either but her other classmate likes reading books. I like the fact the story just changes with one page and all of a sudden , it’s a new book. I rate this book a 9/10 and recommend it to 5-12 year olds.
Jasper
Grey
A beautiful tale of a child who is battling his emotions, feeling grey, feeling worthless. Finally, he (but it could be a she) relieves himself of the emptiness that has been building on his shoulders throughout the day. An absolute masterpiece. I love the style of how the illustrations are so imperfect and childish and messy - they make me shiver, in the best way possible. Recommended for everyone. 9/10.
Liam
The Invisible Story
The Invisible Story is a really good book that I recommend for all ages. I really like how the illustrations look like scrunched up tissue paper and the book shelves look like paper or card cut out to look like pictures. My favourite part of the book is where the characters are comparing themselves and having a competition on who is the best. I like this because I think that all of the coloured tissue paper looks so good together. I also like how all of the pages are half-bleeds as I think that the colours are so bold and clear on the white. I think that this is a brilliant book and I rate it 10/10.
Otto
I Love Books
I Love Books is an amazing book about a girl who hates books but her homework over the holidays is that she has to read a book. She gets really annoyed about this but then she starts to read it, and can’t put it down! I know many people can relate to this book :) I enjoyed reading this book because it is a slightly longer picture book and the illustrations really tell a story. The amount of detail put into it is crazy. In one scene there is one of the illustrator's other books in the background, the facial expressions that are used and the little bits of bright orange used. The only thing I would say is I don't really like the illustration used on the cover. Apart from that it is an awesome book! I would rate this book a 8.6/10! I would definitely recommend this book for 6-8/9 year olds!
Bella
The Invisible Story
I really like this book because it is about a book that wants to be like the other great fairy tales on the shelf but he will never be because he thinks his pages are blank. Until a blind girl comes along and runs her fingers on the spines and finds this book. Suddenly the book talks to her and says don't read me because my pages are blank. But in fact the pages are written in braille. I would rate this book 4 out of 5 and for children over 6.
Ettore
Grey
I think Grey is a fabulous book, about a girl who feels grey, anyone can feel grey whenever they won’t wherever they want, she doesn’t have to feel sunshine yellow or balloon orange bright or treetop green or night sky black not even new idea white. My favourite part is the cutouts where she looks down at herself in a puddle and then you flip the page and she’s looking at herself in the tea. I would rate this book a solid 9/10 especially the illustrations because they are really good.I rate this book to be read from 4 upwards as it teaches everyone (including adults) about feelings.
Nikolai
Flying High
Flying high is a great book about trusting who you are. In the book, the boy is classified as too small to play with the older kids, but when he flies his own kite he feels he is strong. It has amazingly drawn pictures and has a great use of colour. I love the kites and the detail. The moral of the story is to trust who you are, you are who you are and that will not change. I think this book is for 7-9 year olds. Yu Rong has great illustrations but she could add some more colour. I would rate this book a solid 7/10.
Zeynep
The Invisible Story
I think Invisible Story is a great book because it shows people how it is to be blind. It also spreads awareness about braille. The Invisible Story shows that you don’t have to be blind in order to read a book. I think children from 8+ should read this book to know about braille. I rate this book ⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 10!
Ailin
Letters in Charcoal
In Letters in Charcoal, a book set in an ordinary pueblo, most people do not know how to read. In this book, one of the main character’s sisters is sent love letters but does not know how to read them. Then, she asks the shopkeeper how to read, with a deal that she helps him sort out products, and they learn the wonders of the alphabet. As she learns it, she figures out that her sister’s boyfriend is moving away and she is heartbroken. The simple but effective illustrations are bold and noticeable, easily blending in with the text. I recommend this book for children 8+ and I rate it 8.25/10.
Isaac
I Love Books
I hate love books is a lovely story. I like the drawing style and the warm tone used throughout the book. Mariajo captured the girl's hatred of books and she
captured how a story can take you on your own adventure. I would give this a 8/10 and I would recommend this book for 3 and above.
Liberty
Grey
Grey is an amazing book about a boy understanding that it’s ok to feel grey, and that you can’t always feel happy and bright yellow. As well as the amazing story about knowing that there’s always someone there for you, beside you or not, I also love the wonderful illustrations. I think the cut-out transitions were very clever, especially the choice of colours Lauren used. I love how at the end the boy’s mum tells him that boy loves him however he’s feeling, even if it’s grey! I think this book is suitable for any younger readers, but anyone can read and enjoy this book as well! I rate this book a 9/10!
Iris
Clever Crow
Clever Crow is an amazing book. Some people think that crows are bad creatures because they steal our food but the book shows us that crows are not that bad. I love how Olivia Lomenech Gill draws not perfectly but it is like she is sketching a crow. I love the drawing of a crow standing on top of all the landmarks. That shows that crows are all around the world. I also love that on the inside front cover it shows all the eggs and on the inside back cover it shows when the eggs hatch into baby crows. I recommend this book to all ages because most young children like birds. I rate this book an amazing 10/10.
Avik
Letters in Charcoal
Letters in Charcoal is an amazing picture book, Juan Palomino has used simple pictures to bring the story to life. I also like how he has shown us that some people are less fortunate than us through pictures. I like the use of newspapers as a detail on some of the pages. I really love the double page spread where the 2 sisters swash their hair together like it is connected. I like the idea that on the inside back cover that there is the true story of what happened. Overall this was a good book with great illustrations and great context. Although this book is aimed at 5-7 year olds, older children can enjoy it. I would rate this a solid 9/10.
Zeynep
Homebody
Homebody is a well illustrated book that uses graphic novel style illustrations to show how Theo feels about being non-binary and transgender. This graphic novel delves deeper into gender discrimination and how some people don’t feel comfortable being classified as male or female. Theo Parish uses techniques such as stating the protagonists journey as a journey of finding yourself. I would recommend this book to ages 11+ as this book contains some mildly inappropriate graphics for children under 11. I rate it 4.8 stars out of 5.
Thibault
Homebody
This is a wonderful book about a trans and non-binary person who is taking the steps in getting to know their body. I really like the illustrations in this book and how at the beginning there are only 2 colours that run through the book but near the end a new colour starts to be used like a third gender. The way Theo created this book to express their feelings is phenomenal. I think this book is for teens and 14 plus. I would rate this book 10 out of 10.
Miraya
Homebody
I like how Homebody is drawn and how they did the illustrations but in my opinion I think the pictures need more colors. I like how simple the pictures are drawn and I think it makes it more enjoyable to read. I think that the story sends a message saying if you are non-binary you are just like any other person. I would rate this book 7.5 for illustration.
Camilla
Grey
Grey is a really good book about a little girl who is feeling a little bit grey. The colour and emotion ‘grey’ is represented really well and compared to other things like the tea when it’s gone cold and not new idea white or sunshine yellow. I love the use of how the girl is grey all through the book, including when she is being carried by her mum but then at the end of the book she has colourful pajamas and has her natural colour back. I really like the style of drawing, simple and neat. I think it is a really clever book and would definitely recommend it to anyone under the age of 8. I would rate this book a solid 8.7 for the illustrations and overall a 9.
Bella
The Invisible Story
The Invisible Story is about a braille book that has never been read because not many blind people come into libraries. When a blind girl picks up the book, the book is very scared and acts as if it isn’t meant to be read. The illustrations almost jump out of the book and seep out creating some colour in a white book. Cut out and watercolour really shine in this book and show that the strongest colours are in your imagination. This book helps people understand braille and creates empathy to those that are blind. For me, this book is a 8/10.
Isaac
Clever Crow
I really like Clever Crow because the pictures are so detailed and I really enjoy reading the story because the pictures really help to understand the story. I also like that on the first page it shows a crow on a bin and in the background it says famous places from around the world to say that crows live everywhere. I also find it interesting that on the front page it shows all the eggs of the crows and on the back page it shows them hatched. I would rate this book 9.5 out of 10.
Camilla
Wolf and Bear
Wolf and Bear is a dazzling book that I recommend for all ages. I really like how Kate Rolfe has used lots of really calm colours using digital drawing, pastels and crayons as they work so well together. My favourite illustration of the book is where the wolf is standing on top of the rock howling at the moon. I really like this because everything on the double spread is drawn with so much detail, even the rock has got the reflections on it from the colour of the wolf howling. This book is about how you don’t always have to like the same things, but everyone will always have a connection with someone.
Otto
Clever Crow
Clever Crow is an excellent book. My favourite part of it is the illustrations on the front and back covers because on the front one there are the eggs of the crow family and on the back cover there are the birds of the crow family so it's like the crows have grown with the book. I think this book shows that even though crows aren't beautiful or amazing fliers they are still the most clever of all birds. This book is for 5+ readers and I would rate this book 5 stars.
Ettore
Clever Crow
Clever Crow is an outstanding book. It explains to you all about crows in a fun way. My favorite DPS was when the crow was standing on top of the bin looking at the city because I liked how the famous landmarks showed that crows are all over this planet. I thought that it was really smart with the photo of the bird eggs at the beginning and once they had hatched into their species of crow. The detail in this book was also amazing because it felt like they captured every single little detail on the birds and in the background. I also loved the newspaper background. I would recommend this book for all ages and for me it is a 10/10.
Hugh
Wolf and Bear
Wolf and Bear is a positive story about telling people how you really feel. Kate Rolfe has used cyanotype to illustrate and brighten the colours of dark and light. I really like the colours as there are so many and there is a dark and a light side, dark for bear and light for wolf. My favourite page is when wolf sings to bear, the song contains all colours! I think all of the pages are very good and colourful. I love how there is a special leaf that bear carries around with him all the time (as referenced in the video). I think this book will be important for children holding all of their thoughts and feelings inside them and this book will show them to get all of that out. I would recommend this book to younger children around 5 years old, but I still think that older people can still enjoy it! I would rate this book a solid 10/10, it will always hold a special place in my heart.
Zeynep
Wolf and Bear
Wolf and Bear is a well illustrated and well written book. I think that all the drawings are original and heartwarming. I loved the textures and the mediums that Kate Rolfe used but the thing I loved best of all, was her colour choice. I think that the colours that Kate Rolfe used perfectly matched the story line about how everyone walks into the shadows, but only true friends walk with you.
Jude
Grey
Grey is an amazing book explaining how it is ok to feel a bit grey sometimes and how children can feel deep emotions. The book has several smart cut outs and illustrations. I think that the author has also done really well only using grey for most of the book and still making the illustrations very detailed and expressful. My favorite DPS was probably the one with the balloon flying out of the window because of how well it has been done. Grey is definitely for me and I would rate it a 10/10.
Hugh
Homebody
Homebody is an amazingly illustrated book which shows what it is like to be non-binary. It shows that there is no specific point or destination; there is only a path. They show that they are not in the Isle Of Man or City Of Women, they do not belong in either. They show what it is like to be non-binary and that sometimes there are difficulties like not fitting in. In Homebody, there are blue and pink colours representing stereotypical “boy colours” and “girl colours.” This is a wonderful non-fiction book and I recommend it to readers 12+. I rate this 8.5/10.
Isaac
Homebody
I loved the book. It was my favourite out of all the eight books. I like it because it shows that it is ok and normal to not know where you have been put on a map and try to take an adventure sometimes to figure out where you are. I like the use of colours it really matches the theme and the story. I recommend this book to anybody. I think the title is really clever because home is a happy, peaceful, heartwarming place and so is your body.
Jasmine
Grey
This is a wonderfully written book about a girl who suddenly starts feeling grey. Her day is grey, everything around her is grey. She is lonely and miserable but her mum loves her however she feels. My favourite image is when her mum wraps her arm around her at the windowsill and her pyjamas go from grey to full colour and she is no longer grey and sad. I really liked this book because sometimes I can be feeling down and grey but it really is ok to be feeling grey. I really like the style of this book with the sketchy drawings and the black and white theme throughout the book. I think this is a really good book for all years but I would recommend it for mostly 10 and below. I’d rate this book 10 out of 10.
Miraya
Clever Crow
Clever Crow is a beautifully illustrated and thoughtfully written children’s book by Olivia Lomenech Gill that talks about crows and what they do it mentions their intelligence and how many different species of crow their are. I like how at the front end paper their are drawings of eggs with the name of the crow species and at the end the actual birds. I would Recommend this book for readers 3-9 and I would rate it 8/10.
Noah
Grey
I really liked this book since it describes how she is feeling. Like if you had a grey day for example you would feel like just sitting there not eating not really doing anything or you're just upset or not feeling like your everyday self. This was a nice story. I recommend this book to most people like a normal book. I rate this book a 10/10.
Ashar
Letters in Charcoal
Letters in Charcoal is an amazing book and I really liked it. I love how Juan shows that some people are less fortunate than others, and that some people can’t afford to get taught how to read. I love how Juan used the use of colours and letters in this book. I think this book is aimed for 5-8 year olds, but anyone can read it and enjoy it. I really enjoyed reading this book, so I will definitely rate this book a solid 9/10.
Leia
The Invisible Story
The Invisible Story is an amazing book. I love how Wen uses the book to show how the book that was found in the library by the child got really embarrassed when the book said it had nothing in it, but the child was blind and the book really helped her read the story through Braille. Wen really showed the importance of Braille, and really shows to any reader how important Braille really is. I think this book is aimed for 3-7 year olds, but anyone can read and enjoy this book. I really liked this book, so I will rate this book a solid 8/10.
Leia
Wolf and Bear
Wolf and Bear is a really good book, and I really liked it. I love how Kate used cyanotype to show the light and shadow of the story of how the wolf is always in the light and Bear is always in the shadows. These illustrations really show how much effort Kate put into all of the artworks in the book. I think this book is aimed for young readers, but anyone can read it and enjoy it. I really liked this book, so I will rate it a solid 7/10.
Leia
I Love Books
I Love Books is an amazing book. I love how Mariajo shows the expressions and glumness through her face in the illustrations when her teacher tells her to read a book, and I love how the girl’s expression changes throughout the book. I also love how Mariajo illustrates the front cover with all of the blue sparkles in the background. I love this book so I will rate it a solid 9/10.
Leia
Flying High
Flying High is an amazing book. I love how you can see very clearly how much effort Yu Rong put into this book, and I really like the double page spread of which all of the kites are shown. I also really like the cover page because the child is very well illustrated and I also really like the dragon kite that Yu Rong has very well drawn. I really like this book and I would rate it an 7/10
Leia
Homebody
Homebody is an amazing book and I really hope it wins. I love how Theo uses the colours pink, purple and blue to show how much we stereotype people just because of their gender. I love how Theo clearly shows that nonbinary and transgender people really have to go on an adventure. It shows how we treat boys and girls unfairly just because of their gender, and how we shouldn’t do that. Even though this book is an 14 plus book, I honestly think it should be 12 plus. I love this book and I hope it wins, so I will rate it a solid 10/10.
Leia
Clever Crow
Clever Crow is a heartwarming book. I love how Olivia uses the newspaper background to show how much we underestimate crows, and the book really makes the reader think twice about how they treat them. I love the page in the book were the crow is on the dustbin looking out onto the different landmarks on the world, and because the crow’s sitting on a bin, it again shows how as we treat crows like pests, we shouldn’t because they really have the same equality as any other bird, and it again makes the reader think twice if they treat crows badly. Even though this book is aimed for younger readers, anyone could read it and enjoy it. I really like this book, so I will rate it a solid 8/10.
Leia
Homebody
Homebody is a powerful, heartwarming and a very emotional story. It is mostly about one’s journey to find their true self and identity, wherever they belong. It explores themes of acceptance, transformation and belonging in your community. It teaches us about transgender and non-binary people, this helps us respect and understand how people who are trans or non-binary feel. The moral of the story is that all people are different and that is absolutely fine, you are the person that you are, you are unique. Theo Parish is trans and nonbinary himself, this adds more to the story as it is his story that he has experienced himself., he writes his autobiography in a fun and captivating way. Every illustration is drawn and perfected, every detail is included. You can also tell that Theo has taken much care with drawing these pictures, I absolutely love Theo’s style of art. The thing that really caught my eye is that colours for all genders have been included, to show that he felt like every gender, blue for boys, pink for girls and white for both (this is also the trans flag colours) and this really boosted the themes of transgender and non-binary people. My favourite illustrations include Theo wearing his home as a Homebody and the picture of him as a knight. I would recommend this book to 12+ readers and teens trying to navigate their way through finding their true self and identity. I would rate this book a solid 100/10, I think everyone should read and enjoy the stories of this book
Zeynep
Grey
Grey is about a boy who isn’t feeling like himself. He doesn’t feel joy or happiness but instead feels grey. This book tells you that some days we don’t feel like ourselves but that’s okay ,we all have off days. I like how she has drawn the boy grey and everything surrounding him is brightly coloured. I really enjoyed the page where the boy said :”I’m the scribble on the page’.
Lauren drew him scribbling out a drawing of himself, showing he feels like a mistake. I would recommend this book to all ages. Overall I rate this book a 8/10.
Aria
Grey
Lauren Child cleverly illustrates this book by not only drawing what the words say, but also adding more. The child in this story is feeling down and lost. Grey is a moving, touching and heartwarming story of a child who has no colour in his world. My favorite page is when the child says ‘I’m the scribble on the page’. Scribbles are angry and often done when somebody wants to get rid of something. The monotonic page plainly drawn in charcoal is effectively simple but touching
This book explores relations between sadness, hope and change. I think it’s an amazing book and perfect for young readers who feel sad.
Jessica
Homebody
Homebody is a powerful and emotional story about gender identity and the journey on how to find one's true self. It explores themes of acceptance and transformation.
Theo goes on a quest to find their true identity. This book shows us the importance of finding a safe community where you are welcome. In one section of the book, the limited colour palette of different shades of purple suggests a theme of transgender, because purple is a mix of pink and blue.
I’d recommend Homebody to ages 14+ who want to learn more about personal growth and self acceptance.
Jessica
Grey
Lauren Child cleverly illustrates this book by not only drawing what the words say, but also adding more. The child in this story is feeling down and lost. Grey is a moving, touching and heartwarming story of a child who has no colour in his world. My favorite page is when the child says ‘I’m the scribble on the page’. Scribbles are angry and often done when somebody wants to get rid of something. The monotonic page plainly drawn in charcoal is effectively simple but touching
This book explores relations between sadness, hope and change. I think it’s an amazing book and perfect for young readers who feel sad.
Jessica
Grey
Grey is a well written book that I really enjoyed reading. I loved the book especially because she created a great story with amazing drawing methods. I really like the page where she is looking in the puddle at her reflection. The story also tells us that it is ok to feel sad, grey and down sometimes. I really recommend this to younger readers. I love the use of different colours throughout the book because they really match with what the story is trying to tell us. I also like that it gets more colourful towards the end. 9 out of 10
Jasmine
Homebody
Homebody is an amazing book that I recommend for ages above the age of 12. I really like how Theo has used different colours that represent non-binary like, blue, pink, and white. My favourite part of the book is the front cover where it looks like Theo is holding a non-binary flag where the pink is for girls, the blue is for boys, and the white both boys and girls like. I think that this is a strong and powerful book that I recommend for people during puberty because it can help if you are going through the same situation as Theo. I rate this book 10/10.
Otto
Wolf and Bear
Wolf and Bear is a fiction book using cyanotype, a process using the sun to expose certain parts of a book. This creates amazing shades and shows dark for a bad mood and light for a good mood. The book is about a Wolf and Bear who love to play, but sometimes Bear is in a bad mood and really doesn't want to play. But unfortunately, Wolf pushes Bear too far and Bear feels engulfed in the shadow, stuck in a realm of sadness. The colours are extremely effective and this is one of my favourite books. I rate this 10/10.
Isaac
Homebody
Homebody is a fabulous book. I really like Theo Parish's illustrations especially since the blue and pink reflect the transgnder colours. This book shows that everybody is unique and that you can go on any journey and make your own map to get there. It also tells you that you do not have to be a specific gender you just have to be you. I would say that this book is for 13+ children but anyone would enjoy it. I rate this book 4/5.
Ettore
Grey
Grey is an amazing book. I love how the illustrations look like a child's drawings and how this book clearly shows that there is still somebody that loves you however you might feel. I also love the astounding use of cut-outs that Lauren Child used to show how the boy felt. I think that even though this picture book is aimed for younger readers, anyone can read this book because everyone goes through feeling grey. Altogether, I love this book and I hope it wins, so I will rate this book a solid 10/10.
Leia
Clever Crow
This book is a fantastic book about crows and their daily lives. The illustrations are amazing and I really love the messy but neat style of art and the different sketch and brush strokes look stunning. The use of ink and crumpled newspapers really adds the cherry on top. The illustrations are very detailed and I love the inside front and back covers with the eggs becoming birds, and also the extra details added with the crow whos egg had never been seen and left it all blank. I would recommend this book for anyone who loves a good fact book and it has simple writing, so is easy to read. I would rate this book a good 9/10!
Bella
Grey
Grey is an amazing book about a small girl who feels grey and then realizes that it is a normal feeling which is when everyone feels and expresses a grumpy mood. The comparisons are good like when it shows a character as ice tea are lots of other grey things. The illustrations are amazing, especially the cutouts. It shows you that if you talk about it with an adult it will really help. I would recommend this book for all ages because everyone should know about feelings. I would rate this book a solid 9/10.
Avik
Clever Crow
Clever Crow is definitely a very well illustrated book, a one-of-a-kind book. We often think that crows are everyday creatures, pests. Olivia Lomenech Gill has turned this story into a heartwarming book about all types of crows and how they are unique. The endpapers have eggs and the final hatched crows, this is fun to look at and learn about different species. I love how the simple images give complex content. Crows have their own special way of telling us something, and this book definitely showed that. I would recommend this book to readers who are curious about nature and animals. I think this book is for all ages because it gives an interesting story meant for everyone. I would rate this book a solid 10/10.
Zeynep
Grey
Grey is an amazing book which I really enjoyed reading. My favourite bit is how Lauren Child used the cut outs. I also loved how the book had a message which was that it is okay to feel grey. I think this is suitable for all ages but mainly for young children. I rate this book 9/10.
Ermis
I Love Books
I Hate Love Books is a fabulous book about a girl who decides she doesn’t like books without properly trying to read one. But when her mum tells her to read a book, she loves it and goes on a whole adventure, reading no matter where she is. Mariajo Illustrajo excels with this book, especially using colours to express emotion. Using neon colours, she creates magical fantasy creatures all in the mind of a little girl. I think Mariajo Illustrajo does amazingly with this novel, and I rate this book 9/10.
Isaac
Homebody
This book is an amazing book full of beautiful illustrations and discovers the story of Theo and how they find who they really are. The colours that are used, pink and blue, are the transgender flag colours and the colours associated with genders. The use of the colours, half blue and half pink, show how they aren't one gender or another they are just in the middle. Just themselves. This is such a great book and I absolutely love the storyline and the illustrations! I think this book should be for 11+ and I would rate this 10/10!
Bella
Grey
Grey is a really heartwarming book that really brings the colour grey to life. Grey is often considered a boring colour, but this book really shows that grey is not only a boring colour but an important feeling that everyone feels. I love how the mother just cares for the child and listens to her throughout the whole book and doesn’t say anything, but at the end the child feels better expressing her feelings. I love how Lauren Child uses a variety of mediums and art styles, she has a playful touch that just makes illustrations more interesting. I love how her illustrations hide lots of deep meanings. For example, the page with a big scribble might seem boring but it tells a lot of things like how life isn’t always full of happiness and we can have grey, sad times too. Her cutouts make the book so unique and playful and I’ve never seen a book like this. This book is a definite 9/10 and I recommend it to all ages.
Paris
Homebody
Homebody is a really good graphic novel that focuses on the author and illustrator themself. I really like how Theo Parish talks about being non-binary and writes an autobiography in a fun way. His illustrations are detailed and really amazing. The illustrations just all fit and it just flows on the page. I love how he uses pink, purple, white and blue colour themes and it reminds me of how boys might be associated with blue and girls with pink, but mixing them together creates purple and that it’s wrong to do that. I would recommend this book to people over the age of 12, but this is a must read book because Theo Parish really tells their journey to finding the right place. I love this book and I would rate it an easy 9/10.
Paris
Clever Crow
Clever Crow is a really good book because it shows how crows are normally hated and unwanted, but in this book it tells the reader how crows aren’t pests. Crows are just birds living their daily lives and that they’re everywhere. I love how Olivia Lomenech Gill uses bits of newspaper for some parts of the illustration and she uses lots of colours and collage. She illustrates the book in a sketchy and non perfect way, but also adds a mix of details, which I really like. She’s also very clever with her illustrations and it’s like she re-writes the words but in pictures. For example, on the page that has lots of different landmarks, it says that birds can be found everywhere and I think it’s really clever she puts lots of landmarks. On the same page, she puts the crow standing on a rubbish bin and I feel like it indicates that crows are unwanted. Overall, this book is really good and the illustrations are clever. I would rate this book 8/10 and I would recommend it to anyone over the age of 2 and someone that loves birds.
Paris
Flying High
Flying High is an amazing book about trusting who you are. In this book, he is ‘too small’ to play with the older kids, but when he flies it by himself, everyone appreciates it. This has a nice moral and is a fabulous book for ages 7-9. The cover I think could be a bit better in my opinion, because I know she is trying to make the dragon in the picture stand out, but the background could be more colourful. Yu Rong has done amazingly with this book, but I think it could have some better colours. I rate this 7/10.
Isaac
Clever Crow
Clever Crow is a fun book expressing how similar crows are to humans and that crows aren’t perfect in terms of flying, singing and looks, but they are geniuses. Crows actually remember everyone they look at, so if you hurt a crow, it will never forget what you did. Olivia Lomenech-Gill manages to capture perfectly the skill to betray clues through pictures. The front and back cover showing the eggs and hatchlings is a brilliant way to start and end a book and for me, it is an easy 10/10.
Isaac
Grey
Grey is a well-written as well as illustrated book using the colour grey to express a grumpy mood. It has wonderful comparisons as it shows the character as cold tea and other grey things. It signifies how it is important to escape bad moods, sometimes even by expressing emotion. It shows how it is important to be yourself and is a moral story for ages 5-7. It compares a bored grey atmosphere with a happy, colourful playground using the inside front and back covers. In my opinion it is a solid 8/10.
Isaac
Clever Crow
I think that Clever Crow is a fantastic book that I recommend for all ages. I really like how The illustrator has used newspapers for the background on some of the pages as I think it is there to show that crows take any scraps and rubbish. My favourite bits of the story is the inside and backside cover because, I like how on the inside cover there are all the eggs and on the backside cover there are all the crows after they have hatched. I also like page one and two because there is a crow sitting in the corner looking over all the famous landmarks from all over the world. I really like this because it is trying to tell you that crows can settle anywhere. This book is a book about crows but illustrated in a lot of detail.
Otto
Grey
Grey is a brilliant book that I recommend for all ages. I really like how the cut-outs are so clever, like in the last few pages when the lamp is on and the pyjamas are brightly colored, but on the next page when the light is off and the pyjamas are grey. My favourite part of the book is where the girl compares herself to different items like a coffee cup and a puddle on the road.I really like this bit of the story because the illustrations are really bold and stand out clear.This story is about how everyone feels grey at one point in their life but talking about it with an adult can really help.
Otto
Homebody
Homebody is a story of a person who is having their own journey to see who they are. We follow this person on their journey to find who they are. I like the illustrations in this book because for example on the page Isle man or city of woman on a sign post they put nonbinary and pointed it in another direction. I recommend this book for 10 and over and I rate it nine out of ten because you can understand a bit of what that person has been through.
Arkady
Clever Crow
The inside front cover of Clever Crow is the eggs of the crow family with the names and the inside back cover is the hatched eggs with the names. The first page shows different landmarks from across the world and a crow sitting on a rubbish bin looking at them which means they live all around the world. It tells you all types of facts about crows, some are colourful some are less colourful and it tells you actually how intelligent they are. I think it is very good to know about birds that you see every day and they are not very appreciated so this book can make you think about these birds. I think this book should be for 5 and over to understand these birds and I rate it nine out of ten because I think the water colours really express the bird.
Arkady
Grey
Grey is about a book about someone who is feeling grey. I like this story because the colours fit the emotion like the yellow sun and the green trees but she still feels grey and that is ok because you do not always have to be in a good mood. After her mum says I love you however you feel. I like this book because of the cut outs and they are very cleverly made l think this because it says when the tea has gone cold and there is her face grey and you turn the page over and it is her bending over still grey. I rate this book ten out of ten and I think children should read this book from 3 and above so they know about feelings.
Arkady
Grey
I like how Lauren Child has used different materials and mediums to illustrate this book - the simple illustrations really caught my eye. I also love how cutouts have been included , this makes the book special and it stands out from the others. My favourite part is the illustration where the mum says “I love how you are feeling”. I would rate this book a solid 10/10.
Zeynep
Clever Crow
Clever Crow is definitely a ‘one-of-a-kind’ book. The ordinary, everyday crow is mostly considered as a pest, but this book puts the crow in a completely different spotlight. Firstly, the book explains the bad things about crows, but, nearer to the end, we hear the crow being described with positive adjectives, such as playful and clever. My favourite parts were the endpapers, where at the first endpaper we have the whole crow family’s unhatched eggs, and at the end we have all the hatched crows with all their names. I would recommend this book to everyone above 2 or 3, but mostly for curious minds who like to discover facts, as this book is full of them, and to bird-lovers.
Arzoi
Grey
Grey is a wonderful, heartwarming story about a child who is feeling miserable and lonely and doesn’t know what to do. Throughout the book, there is an ingenious use of die-cuts which is an extremely important element of the story and it keeps the story together. Personally, my favourite page, like Lauren Child herself, was the page with the scribble on it. This is because, though just a mere scribble and a few words, it reminds you that even for young children that haven’t started school, life isn’t just days of just happiness and play. I would definitely recommend this for all ages as it applies to everyone.
Arzoi