TP-Issue14.5

MyFirstBookof theCosmos by SheddadKaid-Salah Ferrón &Eduard Altarriba (£12.99, Button Books) Cosmology is the study of the origin and evolution of the universe. Take a trip through the life of the cosmos and unravel some of its mysteries with this ambitious non-fiction title, which begins with the head-spinning question, “Why does the universe bother to exist?”. Children will explore Newtonian and Eisteinian gravitational models, learn how a star is born, investigate black holes and the mystery of dark matter and dive into the relatively new fields of exoplanets and gravitational waves. Making an incredibly complex subject fun and entertaining is an art, and the author’s teaching experience shines through in his simple, lively explanations. Pupils with a passion for science – and those that love to ask “Why?” – will lap this up, and can then go back to the first book in the series, My First Book of Quantum Physics. Pete Stays Home by KarraMcFarlane (£6.99, Karra McFarlane Editorial Ltd) In uncertain times such as these it can be tricky to encourage young children to open up about their anxieties. Pete Stays Home follows the story of a little grizzly bear forced to retreat from the forest to his cave until spring arrives and things get back to normal – sound familiar? When the day to leave the cave finally arrives, Pete feels apprehensive but learns that fun times are just around the corner. Author, publisher and editor Karra McFarlane was inspired to write the tale for her three sons who were finding isolation difficult. The self-published book went from concept to publication in just five weeks so it could reach children when most needed. Order a print copy or download an ebook version from petestayshome.com , where you’ll also find free downloadable resources to support children with the return to school. Pupils can also join in with illustrator Kim Hankinson and paint their own Pete. Meet the author KS1 KARRA MCFARLANE ON CREATING A BOOK IN JUST FIVE WEEKS Why did you decide to create the book? There are plenty of great factual books out there to help children understand the current situation, but wewanted towrite something which encourages themto open up about their emotions and anxieties around being at home and not able to see their friends andwider family. Every child is different andwill have their ownway of dealingwith things, but themost important thing for adults is to talk to themand let them ask questions. Pete StaysHome aims to be that conversation starter – encouraging little ones to talk about their feelings and feel reassured that lifewill return to normal again. How were you able to produce the book so quickly? I have beenworking in book publishing for a number of years, as hasmy illustrator KimHankinson. We’ve spent the last year working on a big project together and have formed a great working relationship, so it felt really natural to take on another project together. The key to getting Pete Stays Home out so quicklywas to draw on our experiences and do thework ourselves. We knew that if wewent through a large publisher it would take aminimumof sixmonths to get the book out sowemade the decision to self-publish. Wewanted to share the bookwith children at the timewhenwe felt it would have the greatest impact. How would you like teachers to use the book in the classroom? Pete StaysHome is a great book to help children reflect on their experiences during their time at home. The important thingwith this book is that it prompts discussion. Using the resources available on our website and the notes in the front of the book, childrenwill be able to talk about, drawandwrite about their own very individual experiences and worries. This is a time that childrenwill remember and it’s important they are given time and space to talk about and reflect on this time, both nowand in theweeks andmonths that follow. Pete Stays Home is available to buy from petestayshome.com and from we-are-pop.co.uk. All profits from We Are Pop sales will be donated to the NSPCC. www.teachwire.net | 53 Use this free resource fromPlazoom to help children explore and have fun with Shakespeare’s rich language. Pupils will enjoy creating their own insults and inferring the meaning. The pack contains teacher notes, a PowerPoint, Shakespearean insult cards, a worksheet and themed writing paper. Find it at plazoom. com/resource/ ks2-shakespeare- amazing-insults RESOURCES RECOMMENDED KS2