Good Books for Tough Times
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Foreword by Jacqueline Wilson Good Books for Tough Times Books for children aged 5 – 8 PARTNERSHIP FOR Good mental health for children - for life Good Books for Tough Times Books for children aged 5 - 8 Selected by Caroline Egar Programme Director Partnership for Children PARTNERSHIP FOR Good mental health for children - for life 26-27 Market Place Kingston upon Thames Surrey KT1 1JH Tel: 020 8974 6004 email: [email protected] www.partnershipforchildren.org.uk Registered in England and Wales No. 4278914 Registered charity number: 1089810 Published by Partnership for Children Designed by Helen White, Partnership for Children Printed by Principal Colour, Paddock Wood, Kent TN12 6DQ Cover photo by Dougal Waters/Digital Vision/Getty Images © Partnership for Children 2008 ISBN 978-0-9559255-0-4 FOREWORD Good Books for Tough Times 1 Foreword by Jacqueline Wilson Children’s Laureate 2005-2007 Whenever I go and give talks about I’m also tremendously touched if my books, children always ask me lots children tell me that a book of mine of questions. They want to know how has helped them through a troubling old I am and how much money I earn. experience. If you’re anxious or They ask what football team I support unhappy, it’s so reassuring to read and whether I’ve got any pets. One about someone else going through little boy even asked what time I was something similar. You feel you’re allowed to stay up to at night! not alone, that there’s a friend who understands. At each session there’s always one child who says to me ‘Why do you Partnership for Children is a wonderful write children’s books?’ There are organisation working internationally to many answers to that question. I help small children with their emotional PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDREN FOR PARTNERSHIP write because I can’t help imagining development. Together with Booktrust, characters and inventing their stories. they have compiled this excellent It gives me great satisfaction finding booklet of reading suggestions. I hope the right phrases and plaiting together that parents and carers can cuddle up the strands of the plot. I write to fulfil with a worried child and read together. myself and hopefully entertain my Books obviously can’t always readers. I want to involve children, solve problems, but they’re certainly to make them laugh, maybe even an immense comfort and solace in make them cry. times of stress. FOREWORD 2 Good Books for Tough Times DIFFICULT FEELINGS DIFFICULT FEELINGS Good Books for Tough Times 3 No Matter What The Lion and the Angry Arthur Little Brother Unicorn and the Cough Author Debi Gliori Author Shirley Hughes Author Hiawyn Oram Author Hiawyn Oram Illustrator Debi Gliori Illustrator Shirley Hughes Illustrator Satoshi Kitamura Illustrator Mary Rees Reading age 6+ Reading age 7+ Reading age 5+ Reading age 6+ Interest level 3+ Interest level 7-11 Interest level 5-8 Interest level 3-8 Review ‘I’m a grim and grumpy Review Evacuated during the Review A brilliantly illustrated Review In this excellent depiction little Small and nobody loves me Second World War, Lenny takes book about a small boy’s escalating of sibling rivalry, a little girl at all’ says a little fox to his with him a badge given to him by rage when he is told that it’s too develops a noisy, disruptive mother. In this beautifully his father, depicting a lion and a late to watch television. His anger cough which seems to get worse illustrated picture book, Debi Gliori unicorn fighting. mounts and mounts, culminating whenever her new baby brother is cleverly depicts the worries of a in a ‘universequake’! And at the mentioned. small child, which are laid to rest Lenny is bullied by the children at end of the story, Arthur can’t by the mother fox assuring him of his new school, but draws courage remember why he was so angry in Finally, people begin to notice the her unconditional love. from his father’s badge, and the first place. cough, and with a bit of love and comes to terms with his fear and attention, it disappears! FEELINGS DIFFICULT With simple rhyming phrases and loneliness when he befriends Mick. Although it looks a bit dated now humorous illustrations, the story (it was first published in 1982), The humorous illustrations work shows how, whatever happens, the This remarkable story is this is an excellent book that can well with the text to make a mother will always love her child masterfully written and be used to discuss anger with charming book about a common – ‘no matter what’. accompanied by stunning young children – or just a good problem. illustrations. story that can be read and enjoyed for itself. Publisher Bloomsbury Publisher Red Fox Publisher Red Fox Publisher Frances Lincoln Children’s Books Published 2000 Published 1993 Children’s Books Published 2003 ISBN 9780099256083 ISBN 9780099196617 Published 2000 ISBN 0747563310 ISBN 0711208452 DIFFICULT FEELINGS DIFFICULT 4 Good Books for Tough Times DIFFICULT FEELINGS DIFFICULT FEELINGS Good Books for Tough Times 5 New Cover The Feel Good Book The Winter Dragon Augustus Where the and his Smile Wild Things are Author Todd Parr Author Caroline Pitcher Author Catherine Rayner Author Maurice Sendak Illustrator Todd Parr Illustrator Sophy Williams Illustrator Catherine Rayner Illustrator Maurice Sendak Reading age 4-8 Reading age 6+ Reading age 3+ Reading age 6+ Interest level 3+ Interest level 4-8 Interest level 2+ Interest level 3+ Review This jolly little book uses Review When Rory makes a toy Review Augustus is a tiger who, Review This classic of children’s simple sentences and uncluttered dragon one winter, he finds that though large and fearless, is sad literature cleverly depicts how a pictures with fat outlines and bold, his new friend can come alive. The because he has lost his smile. He naughty boy goes to bed without vibrant colours to give its cheerful dragon protects Rory, in the early goes on a journey to find it, but his supper, and in his anger goes message. Some of the items winter darkness, with his gleaming despite looking everywhere, he fails. on a fantastical journey to a place will make adults smile, such as skin and shining eyes. Only when he finds a puddle and of wild monsters. As he tames ‘Brushing your hair with a lion feels sees his smile staring back from his the monsters, he realises that good’. ‘Watching your grandma When spring comes it is time for reflection, does he realise that he he wants to go back to ‘where and grandpa dance feels good’ is Rory to say goodbye to his friend, will always have his smile, whenever someone loved him best of all’. illustrated by a wonderfully wacky but his warm memories keep him he is happy – and that happiness FEELINGS DIFFICULT pair of grandparents. safe for winters to come. can come from very simple things. This book won the Caldecott Medal for the Most Distinguished Picture A great book to send children to This is an enchanting story, The adventurous artwork won Book of the Year in 1964, and bed with a warm glow, and a good showing how a small boy uses this book the 2006 Booktrust has been delighting children and starting point for further discussion his toy, his imagination and his Early Years Award for Best New parents ever since. about what makes you and your memory to cope with anxiety and Illustrator. Although the story child feel good. fear of the dark. appears very simple, it could be the perfect prompt for getting children to start talking about feelings. Publisher Little, Brown Publisher Frances Lincoln Publisher Little Tiger Press Publisher Red Fox Published 2009 Children’s Books Published 2006 Published 2000 ISBN 9780316043458 Published 2005 ISBN 1845062835 ISBN 0099408390 ISBN 0711221864 DIFFICULT FEELINGS DIFFICULT 6 Good Books for Tough Times DIFFICULT FEELINGS DIFFICULT FEELINGS Good Books for Tough Times 7 Wanda’s First Day Frog is Sad Let’s Be Friends The Saddest King Again! Author Mark Sperring Author Max Velthuijs Author Hans Wilhelm Author Chris Wormell Illustrators The Pope Twins Illustrator Max Velthuijs Illustrator Hans Wilhelm Illustrator Chris Wormell Reading age 7+ Reading age 5+ Reading age 5+ Reading age 5+ Interest level 5-8 Interest level 4-8 Interest level 4-8 Interest level 5+ Review It’s Wanda’s first day Review Frog wakes up one day Review In a story that will ring Review The king has decreed that at school and she is excited, yet feeling sad, for no obvious reason. true with many families, a boy’s everyone must be happy, so the nervous. On arriving, Wanda His friends try to cheer him up, younger sister unwittingly does people smile all day long, even discovers she’s the only witch in a but with no success. The Rat’s something that makes him terribly when bad things happen. One day, class of fairies and worries whether violin playing makes him cry, and angry. He learns to deal with a small boy is found crying, so he she’ll fit in. However, despite the suddenly he can start to laugh his fury, however, and finds that is sent to the king to be punished. fact that she is different, Wanda again. forgiveness and friendliness help As the boy tells the king the reason discovers that she enjoys her first not only his sister, but the boy for his sadness – his dog has died day and looks forward to going A gentle, sensitive book about himself, to feel better. – the king begins to sob, and his again.