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Today there is a great deal of very good,
even excellent, writing, being published for the seven to eleven
age group. There are a few publishers who cater specially for
the primary schools. Many books are printed with the aim of supplementing
the National Curriculum. But this does not stop them from being
first class reads in their own right. The information in them
is often wide-ranging and I would urge those mainly interested
in books for older children to, nevertheless, take a quick look
at what is on offer for younger readers. Personally I have found
a few little gems among these books.
In this bibliography the books for the younger readers usually
come at the end of each section.
Below are a few of the publishers who have a special interest
in the seven plus age group.
As well as many conventional length novels
for the eight to twelve age group, the Gomer Press also publish
a series of shorter novels - about 20,000 words long - for this
age group. This series is called the Welsh History Project. But,
despite the name, these books have an interest for readers outwith
Wales. The topics covered are wide-ranging. For example there
are books on the Ancient Romans in Anglesey, a medieval pilgrimage,
smuggling, an attempted invasion at the time of the French Revolution,
and social conditions in the nineteenth century.
Many of the Gomer Press books deserve to be better known outside
their native Wales.
The Gomer Press also produce notes and aids for teachers. Books
can be ordered by catalogue or over the internet.
Anglia Young Books specialise in producing
books for schools. They publish short novels (about 60 pages and
20,000 words long) which aim to support the National Curriculum.
Many of these are interesting and exciting stories and well worth
reading for their own sake and not just for the National Curriculum.
Anglia Young Books also produce aids for teachers and materials
for the Literacy Hour. Books and materials can be bought by catalogue
or over the internet.
A&C Black have a historical imprint - Flashbacks. These are slightly longer novels for primary schoolchildren. Some of the series are geared to the younger and middle of the primary school while other titles are more for the top end. There are books on Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, the Romans and Roman Britain, the Vikings, the Victorian period, and Hitler and the persecution of the Jews.
Franklin Watts publish the Sparks
books. These are short novels of about 5,000 words, designed to
support the National Curriculum in England and Wales. There is
a separate mini series of Scottish Sparks.
These books are simply written for the bottom end of the primary
school. A seven-year-old, who is a fluent reader, should have
no trouble with them. They are illustrated throughout with black
and white cartoon-style pictures. There are historical notes at
the back. Although simply written these books contain much useful
information. They cover a wide-ranging number of topics.
Hodder Wayland have a series of Historical Storybooks for young readers at key stage 2. These books present history in a story form. Many of these books are by such well known authors as Geoffrey Trease. But I have not been able to obtain any myself and I have not read any of them so I cannot comment further.
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