Over the Summer we are sharing some of our favourite children’s books. Susy, our Senior Fundraising Manager has shared her second book suggestion; Look Up! by Nathan Bryon and illustrated by Dapo Adeola.
“What better time of the year, than Summer to ‘Look Up!’ into a clear nights sky, and spot the stars.” says Susy. This book is a wonderfully written, and uplifting story about a little girl called Rocket who is on a mission to get everyone to Look Up and see The Phoenix Meteor Shower! Even, her big brother Jamal, who is constantly looking down at his mobile phone. Sound familiar?
I think we can all take a leaf (or a star) our of Rocket’s book, and look up more from our mobile phones. The beautiful illustrations capture the story and characters brilliantly – I just love, and I’m quite jealous of Rocket’s fabulous orange Astronaut suit! The story tells us that Rocket got her name because a famous rocket blasted off on the day she was born and that Rocket herself, would like to be like the great Mae Jamison, the first African-American women in space.
Throughout the story Rocket tells us Did You Know facts about meteors. DID YOU KNOW, meteor showers happen when Earth moves through the trail of dust left by a comet and that the best time to see a meteor shower is when it’s dark with no clouds?
My 8 year-old son, has a space and rocket themed bedroom, and here he is pictured with the book. It probably won’t be long until he wants to change the wallpaper, or take down his planets poster. But, for the time being let’s all Look Up! one more time, and point our telescopes to the stars… just like Rocket!”
DID YOU KNOW, that pupils who attend our Literacy Lab at Hollydale Primary School in South London, created their own pieces of writing about the Astronaut Mae Jamison, and you can see a photo below!
Over the Summer we are sharing some of our favourite children’s books. Susy, our Senior Fundraising Manager has chosen Otis Lemon and the Spectacular Submarine by Mark Lemon – a seaside adventure story with wonderful illustrations.
“I’ve always thought there is something magical about the seaside and the sound of the sea” says Susy. “In this book, you join Otis on a magical seaside and underwater adventure, involving a spectacular submarine, a large whale and not forgetting Professor Uncle Poopy! Just writing the word ‘poopy’ ignites your inner childish sense of humour, and always makes my 8 year old son laugh!
As a Mum to a mixed-race son, I wanted to find books with non-white characters and found this wonderfully illustrated story, and set at the seaside too! The author Mark Lemon (with two mixed-race children of his own) decided to create a series of exciting story books with non-white characters. With thrilling tales and beautiful adventures he created the Otis & Thea Lemon series.
The wonderful illustrations in this book, really bring the story to life. From depicting Otis visiting Professor Uncle Poopy’s workshop and seeing his spectacular submarine for the first time. To embarking on their underwater adventure, being swallowed up by a large whale… and their imagination and ingenuity to escape!”
Here at The Children’s Literacy Charity, we want children to experience the joy that can come from reading, whether it’s being swept up in a story or marvelling over mind-boggling facts. To support the development of the imagination and promote reading for pleasure, our tutors use high quality picture books and appealing writing resources. At the end of the session, children have free rein to choose a book and either read independently or share-read with their tutor. Find out about the magic of our Literacy Labs.
Over the Summer we are sharing some of our favourite children’s books. Julie, our Education Lead shares why Supertato by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet is a great book to entertain Early Years and why a trip to the supermarket can help children work on their literacy skills.
“A great book to entertain Early Years and beyond” says Julie. “Supertato by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet is a fabulous romp around a supermarket. The evil pea causes chaos as he commits crimes against the vegetables and chases Supertato around the beans, the cakes and the cheese. Of course Supertato saves the day and fulfills his destiny as a supermarket superhero!
Supertato is also a great story to encourage a purposeful trip to the supermarket. Shopping can be a great way to capture learning and both a trip to the supermarket or an online order can help children work on their literacy skills. Once you have read Supertato with your child, ask them to write down some items you need to buy at the supermarket. When you are at the supermarket ask your child to help find the items you need, paying attention to the sounds of the word. Read words on signs, labels and packets. Draw attention to any images on the packets.
If ordering online, ask your child to type the product required in the search bar. Read the information available onscreen and look at the product details and images.
Children could also create their own shopping list for a treat night and choose a few things they might like to eat. Your child could then write the list and hunt for the items at the supermarket. You might even spot Supertato!”
Over the Summer we are sharing some of our favourite children’s books. Beata, our Programme Delivery Manager includes Pumpkin Soup by Helen Cooper as her all-time favourite children’s book!
“This is my all-time favourite children’s book, I read it endless times to my own children and when they grew up, I was always on a look out to find an opportunity to read it to anyone interested!
Duck, Cat and Squirrel live together. They enjoy each other’s company and make sure to help one another. But Duck decides that he is a little bored with a routine and wants to do something new… His attempt is met with a fierce opposition and the three friends fall out in anger. Duck leaves. Cat and Squirrel wait. And wait. And wait for his return. They decide to find Duck and make up so that they can all be friends again. This lovely story about friendship and sharing resonates with all ages.
The story is a rhythmical traditional tale that is perfect to teach during any EYFS or KS1 Autumn or harvest topic. And it’s a great book to read at any time of the year, even the Summer months!”
Using a pumpkin inspired recipe can help inspire instructional writing with young children. Recipes are a great way to build confidence in reading and following instructions and also you get to eat something tasty at the end of all the hard work!
Create or find a recipe to follow. Help your child to read the ingredients and then make a list of what items are needed. Go to the supermarket to locate and buy the ingredients and then return home to start cooking! Follow the instructions on the recipe and enjoy eating the result.
It might be the school holidays but that’s no excuse to stop reading! This summer we will be sharing a few of our favourite children’s books to inspire some reading over the long summer holidays.
1. A Mouse Called Julian by Joe Todd-Stanton
“I love this book” reflects Beata Gawthrop, our Programme Delivery Manager.
“It’s a fun story about an unexpected friendship between a mouse and a fox. Following its natural behaviour, a fox attempts to eat Julian the mouse out of his house. When the fox tries to sneak into Julian’s burrow it finds itself stuck headfirst in Julian’s front door! What follows, is an involuntary entrapment of the fox which gives time for the two natural enemies to get to know and understand each other better.
I loved it so much that I created two picture boards for our Literacy Labs, illustrating the habits and behaviour of these two lovely animals. In our Literacy Labs, we work with disadvantaged children who for whatever reason are struggling to make progress in the classroom and are the furthest behind in their literacy skills. We learn about their background, their particular challenges and interests; we find out what sort of learner they are and adapt our teaching approach, using visual, auditory and kinaesthetic modes of learning to help the child overcome their learning barriers.
This book is a wonderful story of fierce enemies becoming understanding and life-long friends”.
“Next time you see a fox in your garden, it may be on its way to pay a home visit to a mouse friend!”
On 29th May this year, our Trustee Steven Artist took part in the Edinburgh Marathon. Not only did Steven complete the course in an incredible time of 2 hours 50 minutes he also raised over £1,405 for our charity!
Steven has been a Trustee of The Children’s Literacy Charity since March 2017 and has been a supporter of our charity for many years. Steven says, “This is a charity very close to my heart and one I have supported for the last 16 years due to the amazing work they do with disadvantaged children struggling with literacy. Their intervention is genuinely life changing.
While I did not directly benefit from the charity’s amazing work, I know first-hand the value of early years intervention and 1:1 help having struggled significantly with literacy throughout my life. The support I was lucky enough to receive in my childhood changed my life and enabled my onward education and career.”
Thank you, Steven! Trustee… and now a fundraising superstar!
Steven is pictured with his sister, Jaclyn, who also completed the course in a very respectable 3 hours 26 minutes!
Before the May half term break, Literacy Lab pupils enjoyed a variety of crafts and activities to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Activities included creating their own bookmarks and writing poems. Some of the children also completed a Jubilee inspired writing challenge – spelling out the word Jubilee! We love ‘E is for eating cake’!
Wishing Her Majesty, The Queen a very happy Platinum Jubilee from everyone at The Children’s Literacy Charity!
We would like to say a huge congratulations to our amazing tutor, Andrea who has been awarded a Girdlers’ Medallion, in recognition of her work for our charity! In May each year the Girders’ Company Charitable Trust holds its Prizegiving evening at Girdlers’ Hall. Medallions are presented by the Master Girdler to individuals in recognition of their talents and endeavours. Each winner is nominated by one of the charities whose work the Trust supports on a long term basis.
Starting out as a volunteer for our charity, 14 years ago after her son was supported through our literacy programme, Andrea is now Senior Literacy Intervention Tutor at our Literacy Lab at Mauldeth Road Primary School in Manchester.
Andrea’s one-to-one tuition has become integral to our support programme for those children who have struggled with reading and who have needed an extra helping hand. Andrea is completely dedicated to her work and she has always given her all to maximise the progress of the children she supports. Her relationships, with pupils and staff, are really strong and this underpins the excellent work she has done. Past pupils have often referred to the time they spent with her, even many years afterwards. She is recalled by them with the same fondness and respect that we, as a staff, feel for her. Well done Andrea, we are so proud of you!
Reading Lab is our new one-to-three intervention for KS2 pupils to help address the learning gaps caused by Covid and absence from school.
Designed as a 10-week catch up programme, Reading Lab focuses on reading comprehension and vocabulary to help prepare older primary school children for the important transition to secondary school as well as boosting confidence and overall literacy skills.
Each group of three children receives a tailored 45-minute tuition session twice a week for ten weeks (15 hours of tuition in total) from one of our highly trained expert tutors.
Trials last year showed very promising results with children on average closing their literacy gap by 10 months after the 10-week programme.
We are delighted to announce that we have been voted by the staff of the University of London to become their UK Charity of the Year, alongside their International Charity Partner Street Child. The University of London is a federal research university containing 18 member institutions, central academic bodies and research institutes with over 1,000 staff members.
The anonymous staff member who nominated The Children’s Literacy Charity reasoned: “I am a strong believer in education from an early age. If children miss out on the first elementary steps, it is very hard if not almost impossible for them to make up for it at some point later in life. Literacy is essential to lead a decent life and instrumental for all stages of education.”
The partnership will run for three years until 2022, with University of London staff volunteering for the charity, as well as hosting a calendar of exciting events to help raise vital funds to support our provision of Literacy Labs in deprived areas, which help children like Abigail improve their literacy through our dedicated, one-to-one specialist tuition.
Michelle Bennett, Head of Fundraising at The Children’s Literacy Charity, said, “We are proud to have been chosen as the University of London’s UK Charity of the Year. 1 in 3 children from disadvantaged backgrounds leave primary school unable to read at the expected level. Not being able to read and write holds you back at every stage of life with the University of London’s support, we will be able to improve the life chances of more children and close their reading age gap.”
For more information on how your organisation could help support our work please contact Michelle Bennett on michelle.bennett@theclc.org.uk.
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