Recommended Reads for November 2012

Check out the reviews section of our website for the latest recommended reads - from children's fiction to poetry and classic reads we're sure there is something for everyone. We also welcome your reviews too - email them to 'Reviews' at info@bookapoet.co.uk and we'll let you know when we use it!

Below are the titles we recommended during November 2012. You can read our reviews and recommendations at:  http://www.bookapoet.co.uk/book_reviews/book_reviews/november_2012/

‘Ghost Knight’ by Cornelia Funke (Published by Orion Books)
‘Blink Once’ by Cylin Busby (Published by Bloomsbury)
‘Cleopatra: The Last Pharaoh’ by Clint Twist (Published by Templar Publishing)
‘Ravenwood: The Glass Forest (Book 2)’ by Andrew Peters (Published by Chicken House)
‘The Christmas Unicorn’ by Anna Currey (Published by Oxford University Press)
‘Collected Poems’ by Sean O’Brien (Published by Picador)

‘Seeking Crystal’ by Joss Stirling (Published by Oxford University Press)
‘Star Fighters: Stealth Force’ by Max Chase (Published by Bloomsbury)
‘Deadly Diaries’ by Steve Backshall (Published by Orion)
‘Where My Wellies Take Me’ by Clare and Michael Morpurgo (Published by Templar Publishing)

‘Ninjago: The Character Encyclopaedia’ (Published by Dorling Kindersely Books)
‘Santa is Coming to Peterborough’ (Published by www.hometownworld.co.uk)
‘Cinderelephant’ by Emma Dodd (Published by Templar Publishing)
'The Weight of Water' by Sarah Crossan (Published by Bloomsbury) 

December's recommended reads will start to appear on the website from next week. A selection of reviews will be published here too, as well as on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/BookaPoet) and links from our Twitter account (@bookapoet).

News from the Reading Agency

OLYMPIC FESTIVAL LAUNCH: Last week Michael Morpurgo launched a golden summer of reading and storytelling for children at the British Library. It marked the start of the London 2012 Festival's children's reading activities, of which StoryLab with libraries is an important part. He was joined by 120 children from schools in Camden and Islington (Edith Neville, St Aloysius and St Peter & St Paul Primary schools). There was nice coverage in the Telegraph and it is also featured on the London2012 website.


PUBLIC DEBATE: Only 43.6% of boys said that they enjoyed reading and 56.2% of girls, according to the National Literacy Trust 2012 survey. The Reading Agency is out a lot at the moment, taking part in events about how to tackle this, and are glad to be working with fellow charities Booktrust and the National Literacy Trust and author Michael Rosen on a joint summit in July.

It's hugely topical, since Ofsted recommended that all schools have a reading for pleasure policy. Reading Agency director Miranda McKearney is chairing the Moving English Forward conference on 6th July for teachers and young people's advisor, Sue Jones, is running a workshop at the Guardian/British Library Reading for Pleasure seminar also on 6th July for secondary school teachers and librarians on the use of social media. The Reading Agency is delighted that government ministers are interested in their work in this area - schools minister Nick Gibb visited Rose Green Junior School, Bognor Regis on 29th June to see how schools and libraries work together to promote the Summer Reading Challenge.  

Finds out more about the Reading Agency and the brilliant work they do at http://readingagency.org.uk/

The Wicked Young Writers’ Award, established by the long-running West End musical Wicked, today presents its free Wicked Young Writers Assembly featuring Michael Morpurgo, former Children’s Laureate and award-winning author of War Horse. 

The unique creative writing resource for schools is designed to motivate and inspire original ideas for writing within the classroom. The videos show Michael Morpurgo discussing his creative process, an exclusive talk with Wicked cast members Rachel Tucker and Chloe Taylor, plus an exclusive reading of Outlaw: The Story of Robin Hood (Harper Collins Children’s Books) by Michael Morpurgo.

Teachers can download or stream the Assembly online at:

WickedYoungWriters.com/Assembly

Michael Morpurgo says of the Wicked Young Writers’ Award: “With the encouragement of their teachers and families I hope the excitement of the Wicked Young Writers’ Award will see original and creative writing coming through and hopefully instill in them a passion to become the authors, script writers, poets and dramatists of the future."

The webcasts are accompanied by a bespoke curriculum-linked creative writing resource developed in association with the National Literacy Trust. The downloadable frameworks explore the writing process and suggest possible themes and approaches support teachers in bringing together a variety of work on narrative with the view of entering pupils’ pieces of writing for the award.

Now in its third year, the “prestigious award” (The Times) recognises excellence in writing, encourages creativity, and helps develop writing talent in young people between 5-25 years old nationwide. The Award is spearheaded by Michael Morpurgo, receives patronage from HRH The Duchess of Cornwall and works in partnership with the National Literacy Trust.

This year's Wicked Young Writers’ Award is currently accepting entries and the closing date s Tuesday 31st July 2012. Schools and individuals can download entry forms and find tips on entering the Wicked Young Writers’ Award at www.WickedYoungWriters.com.

The Wicked Young Writers’ Award is separated into five age categories as follows: 5-7, 8-10, 11-14 and 15-17, and an individual Gregory Maguire Award for 18-25 year-olds.  Young people from across the UK and Northern Ireland are free to submit entries to enter a piece of writing on a theme or subject of their choice, written at home or at school.  Teachers are encouraged to enter writing on behalf of pupils through a schools’ entry form and online Teachers’ Resource featuring exclusive video tips for inspiring and encouraging writing in the classroom. 

Through its For Good programme, Wicked champions and supports a range of causes borne out of the themes of the musical: Teach The Difference, a partnership with St John Ambulance, draws on the values of lead character Elphaba to produce a uniquely engaging way of teaching first aid in the classroom; Wicked Day, an annual free afternoon of family fun, celebrates the show to raise environmental awareness in support of The Woodland Trust’s “More Trees, More Good” campaign; spearheaded by Michael Morpurgo with patronage from HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, the yearly Wicked Young Writers’ Award encourages creativity to develop writing talent and literacy in young people nationwide. Wicked is also proud to be an official partner of The Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation, dedicated to raising awareness of the long-term, damaging effects of bullying, and the charity Mousetrap Theatre Projects, with whom the show has worked over the past 5 years to enable thousands of under privileged and special needs children to experience the show.

For further information on this competition and the For Good programme, please visit  www.WickedYoungWriters.com.