Rafe Khatchadorian is the unlikely hero of the Middle School series about an 11 year old boy who takes on rules, bullies and boredom and wins. Well, he might not always win, but he has a lot of fun in the process! Perfect for reluctant readers and anyone who enjoys adventure, humour and The Diary of A Wimpy Kid.
When children get inspired to write their own stories, this is the book you can steer them towards. Growing writers will love the write-in spiral bound style which they can take wherever they go, and it has prompts, tips and a story writing tool kit to help them learn to write their own stories.
El Deafo is a funny and moving graphic novel memoir about a young hearing impaired girl and her adventures at school as she tries to fit in while standing out.
The story of Irma Stern, one of South Africa’s most famous artists, is shared in this wonderfully written biography, perfect for young artists and scholars.
Wanda is a little girl with a big beautiful head of hair. While her mother thinks her hair is ‘strong and beautiful like the clouds”, Wanda is scared the children at school will laugh at her and her teacher will say it is “a bird’s nest”. How can she learn to love herself?
Nicholas and The Wild Ones is another Niki Daly delight – this time dealing with the eternal issue of bullying. It’s Nicholas’s first day at school and already he’s noticed the ‘wild ones’ a group of wild kids who do mean things and rule the school.
The series offers a very clever way of getting children to discuss emotions and personality types and how we need all types in the world. In each story the character is given a challenge – Little Miss Sunshine comes across Miseryland – she is reprimanded for breaking all the rules and when she asks why people aren’t allowed to smile and laugh she’s told because that’s the rule!
When 12-year-old Rusty returns home to England after being evacuated to America during the Second World War, she has a dismal welcome. Five years is a long time and she no longer remembers her home country – everything really has been bigger and better in America.
Little Louie is so excited to tell his story but nothing goes as planned. From jelly to chunky peanut butter falling on his head, Louie keeps on, admirably trying to get his story across. Kids will learn that no matter what happens, persevering cheerfully is what’s important, not finishing perfectly.
A little girl grows up with huge excitement about learning to read. Her grandfather takes a book and pours honey over it, telling her that knowledge is sweet, but to get to the sweetness, she has to read through the book. When she gets to grade 1 she is puzzled that the other children move on to other readers while she stays stuck on the beginning reader.
Spud 2 takes place in 1991, when Spud is attending his second year of high school at an elite boarding school in the Natal Midlands. The book juggles between Spud’s privileged boarding school and his small stuffy suburban house in Durban, where he lives with his mom and dad.
Freak. Bully. When Miriam Fisher enters Grade 7 her life becomes unbearable. Tormented by a group of popular girls, ridiculed for having a small bust and for saying what she thinks and being a little ‘weird’, Miriam finds herself pushed to breaking point.
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