One of the biggest stresses for me with reading children's books has been reading them for work. Ask anyone who deals with reading children's books as part of their profession, the joy of reading can sometimes be swallowed in the politic of keeping up with the joneses so to speak. I am a member of no fewer than 6 social media groups which track and discuss the latest children's literature. There is so much out there it can drown you if you're not careful.
However, they have their good points, without a Facebook group that I follow I would never have come across this year's Waterstones Children's Book of the Year.
Written by Nathan Bryon and illustrated by Dapa Adeola it talks about Rocket, an avid stargazer who's brother is more interested in looking at his phone than in looking up in wonder at the great wide universe above him. When Rocket learns there is going to be a meteor shower, she goes out of her way to arrange a gathering in the local park in order to see it.She's almost reading to give up on her dream of seeing the beautiful meteors when something incredible happens, and her brother learns the true value of interacting with people in person, rather than through a phone screen.
There are beautiful facts interlaced into the story via Rocket's speech which is a nice touch. That and the fact that the story is all told from her perspective makes us really empathise with her and feel her sorrow as well as her exhilaration.
It's a very simple story, nothing too fancy, the illustrations are basic too, but full of vibrant colour. The language is full of technical terms that relate to the subject mater, but aside from that there's no real challenge: making this an ideal text for children in reception and year 1.
It's the heartwarming story at the centre of it though that really grabs the reader and leaves you with a feel good glow at the end as well as sending a message out to young children that frankly is in dire need of heeding: the message that its okay not to live your life through technology. I consider it fairly ironic that I read my copy through an online library lend!
This is book 18 of my 52 book list and my award winning book.
