BOOK OF THE WEEK
24 March 2025
Hello Bookworms!
I hope you have been enjoying my book recommendations. Here are 2 more exciting books for you this week from two amazing authors! Take a look and maybe one of these books will become a favourite!
Do take a look at our Lion Print magazine, under our Further Resources tab. Here are some of the stories our younger pupils have written at the beginning of the magazine and give you inspiration for your own writing. There is also some incredible art work from our pupils.
If you’d like some more ideas of great books to read, do check out our Reading List.
The Scarecrow and his Servant by Philip Pullman
Would you like to be the servant of a pea-brained scarecrow? No? Well, Jack does, and that’s why he’s the one encountering battles, shipwrecks and brigands and not you.
One night there was a thunderstorm. A tattered scarecrow stood in the wind and rain, taking no notice . . . until a bolt of lightning struck his turnip head. The scarecrow blinked with surprise and came to life.
So begins the story of the Scarecrow, a courteous but pea-brained fellow with grand ideas. He meets a boy, Jack, who becomes his faithful servant, and they set out to journey to Spring Valley together. Along the way there’s no end of excitement – and it’s up to Jack time after time to save the day.
Shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal.
“It is remarkable skill to make simplicity and even silliness embrace such complexity yet offer children so much wisdom. Somehow, it’s not surprising that Pullman can do it” – The Sunday Times
“The story ends as confidently as it begins, written for children with utmost respect for and delight in their intelligence, humour and imagination . . . Genius demands a continual purification and renewal of talent. Pullman has realised that and it’s why he is great” – The Times
“The book is a perfectly made gem, full of fun, fireworks and wit. We continue to be lucky to have Pullman writing for us” – Guardian
“Pullman has conjured up something entirely his own: a tale of great charm and wit, told in an easy style which reads as though it all came right in the first draft. It’s aimed at a lower age-level than the Dark Materials trilogy . . . older children would find themselves enjoying it too” – Independent on Sunday.
The Valley of Lost Secrets by Lesley Parr
In 1939 it is too dangerous for Jimmy to stay in London, so he is evacuated to a small Welsh village. He feels out of place, and when he finds a skull hidden in a tree then life in the valley seems even more dangerous than war.
September 1939. When Jimmy is evacuated to a small village in Wales, it couldn’t be more different from London. Green, quiet and full of strangers. But then he finds a skull hidden in a tree! Who can Jimmy trust? His brother is too little; his best friend has changed.
Finding an ally in someone he never expects, they set out together to uncover the secrets that lie with the skull. What they discover will change Jimmy – and the village – forever.
A page-turning mystery about bravery and brotherhood among evacuees in the Second World War, from an prize-winning author.
A perfect book for readers who love Michael Morpurgo’s stories.
‘Beautifully told. This appealing book is about losses healed, lies uncovered, cruelty defeated and goodness rewarded’ – The Sunday Times
‘With echoes of Carrie’s War, and Goodnight Mister Tom, Parr brings her own fresh voice to what already feels like a wartime classic. This story is quietly brutal and brilliantly heartfelt. I absolutely ADORED it’. ― Emma Carroll, author of Letters from the Lighthouse
‘Evocative and heartfelt, The Valley of Lost Secrets already reads like a classic. A celebration of kindness and friendship at a time of upheaval, it’s gripping, heart-breaking and yet full of hope. I loved it with all my heart’ ― Liz Hyder, author of Bearmouth
‘ A gripping mystery, overflowing with heart – The Valley of Lost Secrets is one of the very best books I’ve read this year.’ ― Carlie Sorosiak, author of I, Cosmo
