Sink the Armada!; The Finest Pharaoh of All!
Digital version – browse, print or download
BfK Newsletter
Receive the latest news & reviews direct to your inbox!
Cover Story
This issue’s cover is from a stunning new picture book, Mary’s Secret by David McKee (Andersen Press, 0 86264 909 9, £9.99). An ecological fable about doing without cars, McKee’s story with its bright pictures full of well observed detail is set within Mary’s cheerful family and at her school. His bold, painterly illustrations use the page so confidently and dextrously that their quirky, decorative perspectives seem entirely natural. Thanks to Andersen Press for their help in producing this September cover.
PDF
Printer-friendly version
Send to friend
Sink the Armada!
Illustrated by Sue Shields
The Finest Pharaoh of All!
Illustrated by Sue Shields
Two of eight historical ‘faction’ books which, the publisher.claim, put the story back into history.
The author takes the Armada and Ancient Egypt, introduces real characters from those periods and adds fictional characters to weave narratives in an attempt to make the past more accessible and interesting to children. Ross is careful to explain this approach in each preface to avoid any confusion. The books also give useful historical background, a ‘What happened next’ section and a time line putting the events into historical context.
These books may prove a useful resource for a teacher working with a group or class but the layout and illustrations are simply not lively enough to attract young would-be historians to pick them up off a shelf to study for themselves. Children will be far more attracted to the livelier, and more visually appealing ‘Horrible Histories’ series.
