He's the one I want out first...but I can't watch it live this evening so need to avoid spoilers!

The petition to protect the rights of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities closes TOMORROW. Please sign and share as widely as possible. Children with their own email address can sign.

www.saveourchildrensrights.o...

www.facebook.com/share/v/1Fe...

I always read this to classes in Pride month, a gorgeous book!

#Competition Time. Win a signed copy of my new Picture book ‘My Friend Billy Whiskers’. All you have to do is Like, Repost and Follow me to be in with a chance. I’ll pick at random a winner on Monday 6th October. Good Luck all 🤞🦁👦🏻
#giveaway #picturebook

Mine are to the ceiling with cupboards at the bottom, but actually don't love them as much as I should because the company that made them pretended to listen to my requirements but then just installed their standard spaced shelving. They're pretty but not what I asked for, & I curse my politeness!

😅 That's why, apart from some built in ones, we're a Billy household

I love that bookcase!

What day is it?

In recent years I haven't read a Barrington Stoke that wasn't simply a brilliant short story in an accessible format, perfect for sharing with classes!

It was my choice too! 😊
bsky.app/profile/caza...

Today is National Poetry Day in the UK, with the theme of Play. @poetrydayuk.bsky.social had great poems with resources that I shared with teachers to use in class, but in the library I've been reading People Need People by Benjamin Zephaniah (illustrated by Nila Aye). Also a nod to #BHM! #KidLitUK

🥳🎉CONGRATULATIONS🎉🥳

We are delighted to announce that the Winner of the 2025 Little Rebels Award for Radical Children’s Fiction is @sarahhaggerholt.bsky.social for The Fights That Make Us, published by Usborne.

Congratulations, Sarah! Our first ever double champion!!
#KidLitUK

I read this recently and thought it was great! Have the proof of the companion title waiting on my tbr pile.

Dear #LittleRebelsAward Folk:

Ahead of tomorrow evening’s Award Ceremony, let’s remind ourselves of our very brilliant

🪧LITTLE REBELS AWARD
SHORTLIST 2025🪧

Books which are ⭐️plump⭐️with social justice content and hopeful activism!

#KidLitUK
#UKKidLit
#bookawards
#kidsbookawards

Sure, but, I mean, my first choice is a staffed library, classroom corners are just "better than nothing".

Often a room full of books isn't better than nothing though, it won't get used properly and they will have wasted money on books that never leave the shelves. If they're not going to hire a librarian then I might even favour classroom book corners! At least then the teachers take ownership.

Love it! No.4 is my favourite, I'd be friends with that scary viking.

I don't think it helps generally with RfP &, as I said in my initial response, it is a waste of money. But it doesn't turn all avid readers into non-readers. I wouldn't recommend it & I'm not trying to change your mind, just making the point that it isn't automatically the death knell for enjoyment.

It is the problem with 'one size fits all' programmes. I had students who hated reading when they started at the school but turned into the biggest readers (while still being a pain for teachers, as so many of my favourites were). They were motivated by reward initially but then just loved it.

I had to support it in a previous school & it doesn't have to ruin reading, it depends how they implement, it & it does at least force the English dept to engage with the library. But I don't think it is worth the money, which would be far better spent on making the library welcoming & relevant!

Looking round secondaries this week with Bea I've been *so* disappointed by nearly all the libraries. Small rooms in massive schools with a few shelves of tatty books (& still seem to have a full Millennium collection taking up a bay). + all use Accelerated Reader which is more than enough testing!