Foreword by Michael Morpurgo Good Books for Tough Times Books for children aged 9-12 PARTNERSHIP FOR Good mental health for children - for life Good Books for Tough Times 9-12 Books for children aged 9-12 Edited by Caroline Egar Books selected and reviewed by Caroline Egar and Chris Bale 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 Danby, Partnership for Children Printed by Principal Colour, Paddock Wood, Kent TN12 6DQ Cover photo by Helen Danby © Partnership for Children 2011 ISBN 978-0-9559255-28 FOREWORD Good Books for Tough Times 9-12 1 Foreword by Michael Morpurgo Children’s Laureate 2003-2005 Many years ago I was a school teacher The worst thing to do is to treat with a class of 35 children, all very children as if they’re stupid or don’t different, all with their own likes and understand; they do understand, they dislikes. The one thing they all enjoyed know what the deal is, and books can was the time at the end of the day help them to deal with anxiety and give when they sat on the floor and I told them a sense of perspective. them a story. Within ten seconds, every one of them was interested and That is why Good Books for Tough paying attention. Times is such an important and useful idea, because it will help parents, Today when I visit schools, talking to teachers and librarians to find the children and giving readings, I see right books to help children who are that nothing has changed. Children dealing with difficult situations or love a good story. feelings. Reading is probably the best therapy there is, other than talking to All my books are based on something mum or dad. true – something I have seen or heard, a new fact I have learned, someone I I hope that you will find this guide have met. Of course, I invent most of useful and, more importantly, that AGE OF COMING the story, but it always starts with a children will enjoy and be helped by truth. Sometimes a good story can help reading the books it recommends. you to feel something or understand FOREWORD a truth in a way that a simple factual account cannot. 2 Good Books for Tough Times 9-12 FRIENDSHIP AND DIFFERENCE FRIENDSHIP AND DIFFERENCE Good Books for Tough Times 9-12 3 Give Me Shelter The Secret Garden Because of Abela Winn-Dixie Editor Tony Bradman Author Frances Hodgson Burnett Author Kate DiCamillo Author Berlie Doherty Reading age 8+ Reading age 8+ Reading age 9+ Reading age 10+ Interest level 9+ Interest level 8+ Interest level 9+ Interest level 10+ Review This is a collection of Review First published in 1911, Review India Opal Buloni is lonely. Review Abela and Rosa have very stories by different authors, all this children’s classic recounts a She and her dad (the preacher) different lives. Abela lives in a getting under the skin of children tale that may seem far from the have moved to a new town, where village in Tanzania where disease forced to seek asylum in London lives of today’s youngsters, with its she doesn’t know anyone, and it and death are part of life, Rosa DIFFERENCE AND FRIENDSHIP or elsewhere. The stories of grand manor house with over 100 makes her miss her mum (who left enjoys a cosy life with her Mum in refugees from the Congo, Eritrea, rooms, and small children attended when Opal was three) even more. Sheffield, with trips to the skating Iraq, Kurdistan, Vietnam, Ethiopia, by a large cast of servants. But all that changes the day that rink the highlight of her week. Kosovo, Zimbabwe, Somalia and However, many will identify with Opal goes to the grocery store and Sudan are poignant, shocking and the loneliness of ‘a hard, little, comes back with a stray dog. But both girls face the shock of heartwarming. unloving girl and a sickly boy who change – Rosa’s mum wants to believed he was going to die’. Winn-Dixie is big and smelly, but adopt another child, and Abela is These stories will appeal both to he has a very appealing smile. uprooted from everything she’s those who may have undergone This is both a gripping story, His winning ways help Opal to ever known and sent to England by a similar journey, and those who full of mystery and suspense, and make friends, and bring Opal and her unscrupulous Uncle Thomas. want to understand the experience an optimistic tale of how children, her dad – and a surprising group of Both girls face disruption and of children forced to find safety in a damaged both physically and people – together. disappointment until their lives foreign land. mentally, can be healed by the finally come together. This is a power of nature and highly readable and ultimately human goodness. uplifting story. Publisher Frances Lincoln Publisher Puffin Classics Publisher Walker Books Publisher Andersen Press Children’s Books Published 2008 Published 2001 Published 2007 Published 2009 ISBN 9780141321066 ISBN 9780744578294 ISBN 9781842707258 ISBN 9781847800022 FRIENDSHIP AND DIFFERENCE AND FRIENDSHIP 4 Good Books for Tough Times 9-12 FRIENDSHIP AND DIFFERENCE FRIENDSHIP AND DIFFERENCE Good Books for Tough Times 9-12 5 Tall Story Hurricane Wills The Garbage King Secret Friends Author Candy Gourlay Author Sally Grindley Author Elizabeth Laird Author Elizabeth Laird Reading age 10+ Reading age 9+ Reading age 10+ Illustrator Jason Cockcroft Interest level 10+ Interest level 10+ Interest level 10+ Reading age 9+ Interest level 9+ Review Andi gets a giant shock Review Chris’s older brother Wills Review This excellent novel, Review Rafaella comes from when her half-brother Bernardo has Attention Deficit Disorder shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal another country, has big ears and steps off a plane from the (ADD), and crash, bang, wallops and winner of the Scottish Arts seems quiet and aloof. Philippines – he’s eight feet tall! through the house like a hurricane. Council Book of the Year Award, is DIFFERENCE AND FRIENDSHIP set in Ethiopia. It follows the story The girls at her new school make Other children mock him as a When Dad moves out, things get of two boys from opposite ends of her life pretty miserable – all except clumsy giant who can speak even worse, and Chris retreats to the social spectrum, who both end Lucy. She is Rafaella’s secret only broken English. But Andi the public library for some privacy up on the streets of the capital, friend, ignoring her at school, but gradually learns that Bernardo has – until Wills’s nasty friends track Addis Ababa. Wealthy, spoilt Dani visiting her at home and getting to a remarkable story to tell – and him down and events spiral out of is running away from a tyrannical know her family. Lucy buys her a some people even think he has control. father, while plucky orphan Mamo is Christmas present, but when school magic powers. escaping a life of slave labour. resumes after the holiday Rafaella This is a good insight into the is not there. The secret friendship This is a story of how family, tensions of living with someone The author doesn’t shrink from has ended in tragedy. friendship and a shared love of who has ADD, as Chris tries to be describing some of the harsh basketball can overcome prejudice, himself, support his Mum, spend realities of Ethiopian poverty, but This deceptively short and simple and a reminder that people are not time with his Dad, and still be the this is ultimately a positive and story is beautifully written and always what they seem. supportive brother that inspiring read. illustrated, and infused with warmth Wills needs. and honesty. Publisher David Fickling Books Publisher Bloomsbury Publisher Macmillan Publisher Hodder Children’s Books Published 2010 Published 2006 Children’s Books Published 1997 ISBN 9781849920391 ISBN 9780747590958 Published 2003 ISBN 9780340664735 ISBN 9780330415026 FRIENDSHIP AND DIFFERENCE AND FRIENDSHIP 6 Good Books for Tough Times 9-12 FRIENDSHIP AND DIFFERENCE FRIENDSHIP AND DIFFERENCE Good Books for Tough Times 9-12 7 Shadow There’s a Boy in the The Boy in the Dress Refugee Boy Girls’ Bathroom Author Michael Morpurgo Author Louis Sachar Author David Walliams Author Benjamin Zephaniah Illustrator Christian Birmingham Reading age 9+ Illustrator Quentin Blake Reading age 9+ Reading age 10+ Interest level 9+ Reading age 9+ Interest level 9+ Interest level 10+ Interest level 9+ Review Aman and his mother Review Bradley Chalkers is the Review In most respects, Review Alem’s father is Ethiopian escape from Taliban brutality in only boy in the class who has Dennis is like many other boys. and his mother Eritrean, and Afghanistan, build a new life for never been given a gold star. He He lives in a boring house in a they’re caught between both sides DIFFERENCE AND FRIENDSHIP themselves in Manchester, and doesn’t do his homework, tells boring town with his Dad and while the countries are at war. The are then seized in a dawn raid outrageous lies and is rude to just brother, and plays football for gripping narrative follows Alem as by immigration officials and told about everyone. No wonder his the school team. But Dennis has he becomes a refugee in England, they’ll be sent back to Afghanistan.