Orlando Orange and the Big Scary Bear was an exciting story. The story was about a bear and an onion and an orange. Orlando went into the forest even though he was scared and he got the ball back.

I liked it all. There was nothing I didn’t like. I liked Ozzy Onion best because he was really funny when he kicked the ball. The pictures were really nice. I like the stickers best of all.

I would like to read Charlie Chilli next.

By Cameron, aged 6.

I like Stardust because it’s like reading about two different worlds. The village of Wall is in one world, the human world, and it lies near a stone wall that is the border with another world, the magical kingdom of Stormhold.

The main character is called Tristan, his dad went over the wall when he shouldn’t have done, and he fell in love with a woman who was a slave to a witch. The woman was the daughter of the King of Stormhold. When the King of Stormhold died, all of his sons had to compete to be the last man standing to be the new King.

The story is about what happens when Tristan goes over the wall, and how he faces true love

I liked reading this story because the language and the story was old fashioned and it was magical as well, it had heart eating witches and stars, and you will find out when you read it!

After I had read the book I watched the film, I would recommend watching the film because it’s a really good version of the book.

Stardust, Neil Gaiman, Harper Collins (1998/2006)

Imagine having a sister but she is more like your best friend, you go everywhere with her and you do everything together and when things are getting you down she’ll always be there for you!! Well these two sisters Jodie and Pearl are just like that. They move to a private a school because the parents aren’t happy with their level of education that they are receiving at the public school so they decide to accept their new jobs at Melchester Private school, and they move away to begin their new lives, with their dad as the care taker and their mum as the new head cook of the school. But with the girls finding it particularly difficult to settle in especially Jodie who goes even more wilder and starts acting up at school, they’re starting to regret moving.

Pearl has always been the quiet one who sits in the corner and reads books and has hardly any friends and Jodie has always been the wackier and wilder one who hangs out with her friends till all hours of the morning. But with these sisters it doesn’t matter what their personalities are like they always have time each other. But things are different at Melchester, Pearl makes a whole ton of friends and poor Jodie just hangs round by herself and is taunted by all the ‘posh’ kids, this is since coming to Melchester.

At Melchester they meet a teacher called Mrs Wilberforce who is wheelchair-bound, after falling down the stairs of her tower she broke her neck and is paralysed from the waist down. Mrs Wilberforce has a special place in her heart for Pearl and tells her what had happened for her to be in a wheelchair and warns Pearl never to go up to the tower. Pearl of course tells her sister everything and tells Jodie what had happened to Mrs Wilberforce. Jodie who doesn’t listen to what ever is said, even if it’s for her own safety, she finds a way of nabbing off with her dad’s bunch of keys and gets into the tower. Everything seems to be fine, nothing serious, so Jodie continued to wander off to the tower every evening.

Tragedy strikes, when there is a fireworks display to mark bonfire night. Jodie asks her dad what time the fireworks are due to be let off and then she disappears. Assuming she would be back in time for the display, Pearl doesn’t worry about her. But during the display just after 7:30 Jodie is in the window of the tower and can be seen by everyone on the ground. She’s dressed up as a ghost and scares all the ‘littlies’. She then sees that they are genuinely scared of this ‘ghost’ and start running around in a mad panic, she tries to convince them that the ghost is really her and she leans out of the window a bit too much and loses her balance on her really high red heeled shoes and topples out of the window and lands with a thud on the ground; she died.  The parents and Pearl decide to move away to make a brand new start (especially with the new baby on the way) after the funeral.

Once May was born Pearl writes her a story telling her all about Jodie and what kind of person she was like. She says to her new baby sister “I’ll never ever be such a great sister as Jodie. She’s your sister too, May, and she always will be.” Pearl looks after her sister the way Jodie looked after her.

I would recommend this book for the age 12-15. It’s such a good book but with sadness of some parts of it I don’t think it would be right for a younger age. It had a range of different emotions and it explores the way sisters and families pull together through such hard times.

This was my first book that I have read since starting at The Reader Organisation by myself, as I didn’t really read that much. That bit sounds a bit childish but reading hasn’t always been my strong point but now it’s making its way back into my life and I’m really getting in to reading and starting to love reading.

My Sister Jodie, Jacqueline Wilson, Corgi (2009)

Now in its 15th year, World Book Day was set up by UNESCO as a worldwide celebration of books and reading. Every year on March 1st, over 100 countries worldwide celebrate the event – and this World Book Day looks set to be the biggest and best yet.

Most specifically, World Book Day is aimed at children of all ages, encouraging them to explore the pleasures of books and reading by providing them with the opportunity to have a book of their own (you may remember dressing up as a book character in your schooldays for World Book Day…).

With this in mind, we’re providing some special Reader Organisation approved reading recommendations for children (taken from issue 44 of The Reader), all of which would be perfect books to share with children of all ages this World Book Day. Also, there are a couple of special events going on featuring The Reader Organisation which are marking World Book Day – read on for more information…

A Few Good Books for Children

Aged 8 and Under

Michael Foreman, Mia’s Story
ISBN 978-1844282784

This is my favourite book to read with children of this age, it never fails. Mia is a young girl living in the snowy mountains near Santiago in Chile. Mia’s Papa works hard every day selling scrap in the city and dreams of one day being able to build a house of bricks for his family. When Mia loses her dog she goes on a journey to find him which leads her higher up into the mountains to a place in the stars where she gathers a clump of flowers that begin to transform her life and the lives of those around her.

Jill Barklem, Brambly Hedge: Winter Story
ISBN 978-0001837119

The Brambly Hedge stories are timeless and magical, and this one particularly captures the imagination. Snow has come to Brambly Hedge and deep drifts cover the windows and doors, many of the children haven’t seen the snow before and look out on it with great excitement. The mice decide to follow in the tradition of their forefathers and hold a Snow Ball; working together they create a sparkling ice hall and fill it with food, friends and family.

Michael Foreman, The Cat on the Hill
ISBN 978-1842704714

This beautifully-illustrated book grabs children’s attention from the first page and is impossible to put down. The Cat on the Hill is the story of a stray cat living in St Ives who until recently spent his life on the fishing boats every day with an old sailor. The story follows the cat through the seasons, giving the reader a picture of life in St Ives whilst showing how the cat learns to adapt to his new surroundings helped by the friends he makes along the way. This is a moving and heartwarming story that focuses on the importance of friendship.

Chosen by Sam Shipman, Young Person’s Project Manager

Aged 8-12

Jill Tomlinson, The Penguin Who Wanted to Find Out
ISBN 978-1405210850

An absolute must for all animal lovers. Otto is the first penguin chick to be born that year so he has to show all the other chicks how to swim, catch fish and toboggan but who will teach Otto if all the adult penguins seem preoccupied with other things? This is a wonderfully warm story about discovery, adventure and growing up and the cast of brilliant Antarctic animals Otto meets on the way will have you smiling long after it’s finished.

C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
ISBN 978-0006716778

If you know somebody who has yet to meet Mr Tumnus and Aslan then remedy that immediately with this book. Escaping through the back of a wardrobe to Narnia, where it is always winter, Lucy, Edmund, Peter and Susan become caught up in the terrifying rule of the White Witch. Their lives are soon in danger and even the trees cannot be trusted. Can talking beavers and the mysterious Aslan, who is on the move, really help before it is too late? Although second in a series of seven this book stands alone as a classic.

Chosen by Patrick Fisher, Project Worker, Young People (Glasgow)

Teenagers

Jack London, The Call of the Wild
ISBN 978-0192728012

Journey with Buck, a German Shepherd-Saint Bernard cross, into the wild, frozen north of Canada. It is a compelling and fascinating read. Alongside Buck you learn about a more primitive existence which is essential in such a harsh and extreme environment. As civilization is stripped away, Buck embraces his prehistoric, wild nature, and the reader also confronts humanity’s origins. Part of the excitement of this novel is the dog violence, so be warned!

Philip Pullman, Northern Lights
ISBN 978-0439951784

Another fantastic adventure story into the Arctic Circle. I would recommend this as a book to share: read it with a group, or have others around who’ve read it. The story triggers so many deep thoughts, questions and ideas that discussion is essential. Chats about the children’s Daemons (animal companions every human is attached to) have ranged from exploring loss and loneliness, to trying to describe a relationship closer than friendship and family. Everyone brings a unique understanding to the story, it’s fascinating!

Chosen by Anna Fleming, Project Worker, Young People (Get Into Reading Liverpool)

The Reader Organisation will be reading some other brilliant books with nursery and school children at a special World Book Day event taking place at John Lewis in Liverpool One this morning. Get Into Reading Liverpool Project Manager and storytelling supremo Eleanor Stanton will be reading to Year 3 pupils from Great Meols Primary School from 10.30-11.20am, then sharing some stories with children from Liverpool Community College Day Nursery between 11.30-11.50am.

World Book Day 2012 also coincides with the launch of our Reader Apprenticeships scheme. Over the next year we’ll be aiming to raise £14,000 to employ a care-leaver apprentice to work with The Reader Organisation, helping us to develop the Reading Revolution but most importantly, to be given the chance to develop their own skills and self-confidence to look towards a brighter future – very fitting considering WBD is all about reading giving children and young people a kick-start in life.

We have some significant fundraising events in the pipeline that will contribute to consolidating a care-leaver apprenticeship position, with the first event happening on the scheme’s launch-day itself. Some of the TRO team will be shaking buckets alongside students from the University of Liverpool’s English Society around the university campus and at the Student Guild between 10am and 4pm today. If you’re around the area at that time and spot our fundraisers, any change that could be spared would be much appreciated to go towards a wonderful cause. You can also donate to our Reader Apprentice scheme at any time safely and securely through our Virgin Money Giving site or by sending a cheque made payable to ‘The Reader Organisation’.

Lemn Sissay and Bev from TRO

This event highlighted the stark differences in the way literature presents cared-for children and orphans, compared to the experiences of children in those circumstances in the real world. Poet Lemn Sissay, who has first hand experience of the care system for children, led proceedings. He was joined on the panel by our very own Jane Davis and Project Worker Anna Fleming, as well as Rose Griffiths, founder of The Letterbox Club and poet Caroline Bird who represented the work of First Story, an organisation which fosters creativity, literacy and talent in hard-to-reach young people – often the very children whose literary counterparts-in-care are glorified! Several other Readers were in attendance too.

The audience heard how in literature there is a great tradition of making heroes and heroines out of the most humble beginnings imaginable, those without a stable family background. This tradition stretches back to Dickens and beyond yet stands in stark contrast to the way of things in the real world, where children in care or who have been orphaned often struggle with disadvantages that can hobble them for life. So, while appreciating wonderful characters like Harry Potter, Lyra Belacqua from Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials, Pip and Estella from Great Expectations and even Superman, it is important to remember how hard life can be for young people growing up disadvantaged in a system that often struggles to meet their needs.

This issue is of course very important to The Reader Organisation; we run many groups with looked-after children, working to help them have a fair chance in life . . . if not quite the adventures of some of our favourite characters!

‘From Pip to Potter’ was a great success being hugely entertaining, while emphasising the serious messages that all of our talented, knowledgeable and experienced speakers were there to give. Bev, who attended on behalf of The Reader Organisation said:

 “It was a truly inspiring and informative event that emotionally touched the audience. People laughed, some cried but everyone had a great time.

The panel were amazing! Everyone who was on the stage knew what they were talking about having worked with children in care and were passionate about the importance of the role of children in care in literature from Superman to Estella in Great Expectations.”

Here is to literature’s great orphans, from Pip to Potter!

George Hawkins, Communications Intern

Wonderstruck is phenomenal! I think it’s as good as The Invention of Hugo Cabret (Brian Selznick’s other book). The best thing about it is how the two main characters Rose and Ben meet across two different stories.

Nearly every page has ‘wonder’ on it. The wonder is when those two meet, and the panorama Rose made.

It’s interesting because there are two stories in one book. It’s about a boy called Ben who’s deaf and his mum dies, so he tries to find his dad. The other story is about Rose, who’s also deaf and she can’t talk. Her parents aren’t very nice and so she tries to find freedom.

One of the stories is told in pictures and the pictures are amazing. You know what’s going on in the pictures but you don’t know how to explain it. They make you think.

The story made me feel a bit sad and a bit happy. It was sad because the characters were alone and it made me happy when they all found each other.

I was wonderstruck when I read it!

Wonderstruck, Brian Selznick, Scholastic (2011).

You can get an insight into the story behind the story in an interview with Brian Selznick here.

We believe The Reader Organisation’s very own Patrick Fisher certainly has superstar potential, as anyone who saw his hilarious turn as MC Extraordinaire for last year’s Ha’Penny Readings in Liverpool will agree. As Reader-in-Residence for Glasgow schools, Patrick spends his days reading aloud with children across the city, bringing stories to life and capturing imaginations.

Here is Patrick’s brilliant Storytelling Superstar entry, complete with a truly impressive range of funny voices, Bird-Table Blues by Clare Bevan.

You can watch the other entries on the Storytelling Superstar YouTube channel. The competition closed on Sunday and the winner will be announced on World Book Day itself, 1^st March.

Watch this space!

From Pip to Potter: Celebrating the Place of Children in Care in Literature will take an insightful look at the representation of cared for children in a range of well-loved literature – some of the best loved literary characters are children who are living away from home (Peter Pan, Harry Potter, Lyra Belacqua in Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy) and an esteemed panel, including representatives from The Reader Organisation, will gather to discuss these cared-for heroes in the context of a system where children in care can experience stigma.

Poet Lemn Sissay, who has personal experience of the care system, will lead the discussion, and will be joined by Rose Griffiths, founder of The Letterbox Club and poet Caroline Bird who will be representing the work of First Story, which fosters creativity, literacy and talent in hard-to-reach young people.

The Reader Organisation can testify to the significance of reading with looked-after children, and this stimulating event promises to highlight the importance of literature in the lives of cared-for children.

From Pip To Potter: Celebrating the Place of Children in Care in Literature
Sunday 19th February, 5pm, Level 5 Function Room
Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX

The event is free but requires a ticket and a small booking charge will apply. You can reserve your ticket online on the Southbank Centre website (£1.75 transaction fee) or by phone on 0844 847 9910 (£2.75 transaction fee). You can also book your ticket without transaction fees by visiting one of the Southbank Centre’s ticketing offices in person.

From today until 7th February copies of six stories from former Children’s Laureate Michael Morpurgo’s Mudpuddle Farm series will be handed out  free with Happy Meals. Finger puppets of characters from the series will accompany each book to encourage parents to read with and bring the stories to life with their children.

The promotion is being backed by Harper Collins, who publish the Mudpuddle Farm series, and The National Literacy Trust, whose recent research revealed that one in three children in Britain do not own a book. Director Jonathan Douglas said:

We are very supportive of McDonald’s decision to give families access to popular books, as its size and scale will be a huge leap towards encouraging more families to read together.

Having seen for ourselves how valuable just one book can be to children, and having reached so many with Our Read we think that such a promotion is a fantastic way to extend the reach of reading. Given that eight out of ten families with young children visit McDonalds at least once a year, it’s great to know that they’re contributing to getting more children reading.

In addition to performing both in theatre and on TV as Hamlet, Tennant has performed in literature-based roles as Barty Crouch Junior in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the title character in Casanova and Jean-Jacques Rousseau in The Romantics.

In an interview with Lucy Fleming, the niece of Ian Fleming who wrote the original Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car, Tennant expressed his surprise at the fact the Child Catcher was created by Roald Dahl for the film and did not feature in the book, but could still appreciate both works.

Inspired by both the book and the film, Frank Cottrell Boyce’s 2011 follow-up to Fleming’s 1964 original sees the Tooting family restore an old camper van and fit it with a magical engine following Dad being given his marching orders at work. You can read the first chapter of the book here.

Of the new book Tennant said:

It’s clever because of the way it absolutely is loyal and very respectful of its source material..Slightly surreal…there’s a kind of macabre element to some of the things that go on in there, there’s some quite dark areas it goes into, and some very, very unexpected twists and turns. [It's] hugely readable. When I was asked to read the audiobook I sat down to read the book and flew through it, it’s just so easy and fascinating and all the things a good book should be.

In November Frank paid a vist to Liverpool Hope University as part of The Reader Organisation’s partnership with the Faculty of Education. Frank spoke to first year Education students about ‘Why Books Matter’ in a brilliant keynote lecture. You can read about his lecture here, and be sure to revisit the website for updates about the progress of the innovative Hope Reader project and other author visits to Liverpool Hope University.