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Ahoy there, shipmates. Welcome aboard the good ship Non-fiction. As some of you book buyers and teachers might know, I have written a lot of fiction, non-fiction and faction, which - in my book at least - is non-fiction told in a narrative style. So I was delighted when the people at jubileebooks.co.uk ask me to write reviews for non-fiction books that have really hit the spot with book buyers and readers alike. I aim to update this page once a month, so keep your telescopes trained on our website and you might find a few treasures for your classroom, library or personal bookshelf.

My very first review has to go to Richard Platt and Chris Riddel’s fantastic The Diary Of A Pirate. Packed with detail, both literate and visual, this book is a historical treat that will appeal to KS2 readers. Chris Riddell won the Greenaway medal for his illustrations, and well deserved it was too.
Readers are invited to join 9 year old Jake Carpenter on his travels on the high seas. His detailed diary, begun in 1716, describes a fantastic adventure as his ship gets captured by pirates, he takes part in a treasure raid, encounters a sea monster, lived through a terrible storm and learns about the pirate code. Platt’s text is pacy and, because of the diary format, is presented in small chunks so that even the most reluctant of readers can enjoy it.
My only gripe with this book [and it’s a very small one, considering what a good read it is] is that it lacks a world-view of piracy, the diary format forcing it to concentrate solely on buccaneers, who were mostly white people from Western Europe. As far as I could see on a first reading, pirates from the majority part of the world are only mentioned twice in the book, and that only in the end notes, not in the main text. It would have been great if somehow the author had found a way to include a pirate or two from other cultures, even if it was just a small entry in Jake’s journal. Having got that off my chest, I really recommend this book. Children will spend hours poring over Chris’s detailed artwork. A fantastic book that will be filed under ‘history’ on the shelves but which deals with much, much more.

Staying with history, A Farm Through Time looks at the evolution of a farm from a simple, humble woodland dwelling in Medieval times to a present day mini-industry complete with farm machines. Angela Wilke‘s text is direct and packed with facts. Eric Thomas‘s illustrations are detailed enough for older children to enjoy. A big format, differently sized pages that allow children to peak inside farm buildings and a glossy, well thought-out cover gives this book extra appeal.

Miriam Moss’s Scritch Scratch [for KS1 and KS2] new edition is a book about head lice. Using a hilarious narrative about a nit trying to find a home, Moss delivers many useful facts about these frequent and unwanted visitors to our classrooms. Treating a sensitive subject with warmth and humanity, the author even includes a ‘nit rhyme’, which I am sure readers will learn by heart. Delphine Durand’s illustrations have a fabulous, continental feel. One of the best non-fiction [and, since it has a story, also fiction] books I have ever come across. It’s grabbed the imagination of publishers around the world. Buy it and find out why.

2002 is the year of science, so many publishers have made sure that their catalogues include a fair amount of ‘science’ titles. Claire Llewellyn’s And Everyone Shouted Pull is a first look at forces and motion. Through the observations of farmyard animals, this title follows the "ups" and "downs" of a farmer and his animals as they try to take their goods to market. Each spread shows a problem en route - a steep hill up, a steep hill down, a slippery road - and the effect it has on the animals and the farmer's cart. In doing so, this illustrated text introduces ideas about the rules of forces and motion - which correspond to science Key Stage 1.

Her The Best Ears In The World features a young rabbit who hates his long ears. When his father explains about sounds and the importance of hearing, he soon changes his mind, however. As the rabbits roam the countryside around their home, they learn and discuss all the different sounds they hear. In this fun, loosely structured way, the text explores the principles of sound they hear; from the beautiful sound of the blackbird singing to the farmer's noisy tractor. In doing so, this text explores the principles of sound, thus supporting the Science Key Stage 1 (5-7 year olds) guidelines. Simple integrated primary text with secondary information in the form of speech bubbles aims to makes a difficult concept readily accessible. Both books feature bright, colourful illustrations by Simone Abel. The text is a simple narrative, with only one or two sentences on each page and a couple of speech bubbles. The subjects are tackled in a simple, direct way. Perfect for KS1 readers of all ages.

Well, that’s it for now, shipmates. Keep the flag flying!

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Vivian French
Fiction | April 02
Vivian French
Fiction | December 03

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