Stars With Flaming Tails by Valerie Bloom: The Waterstones Review
I travelled once around the world
On stars with flaming tails,
And touched the colours of my dreams
Along some silver trails.
Look out for best friends, pancakes, and Grandad singing; discover a river dolphin, a poison dart frog and the most dangerous animal in the world; imagine a talking nose, meet the Zimbats of Zingley Dell and find the colour of your dreams.
I Talk Like A River by Jordan Scott: The Waterstones Review
With truly breathtaking illustrations from former Kate Greenaway Medal winner Sydney Smith, Scott’s sensitive and beautifully judged tale about disfluency hits upon the perfect metaphor with style and charm.
What if words got stuck in the back of your mouth whenever you tried to speak?
After a day of being unable to speak when asked, and of being stared at, a boy and his father go to the river for some quiet time. "It's just a bad speech day," says Dad. But the boy can't stop thinking about all the eyes watching his lips twisting and twirling. When his father points to the river bubbling, churning, whirling and crashing, the boy finds a way to think about how he speaks. Even the river stutters. Like him. "I talk like a river," he says.
An incredibly moving picture book that offers understanding rather than a solution, and which will resonate with all readers, young and old. Masterfully illustrated by Sydney Smith, winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal.
