Well... I have honestly struggled to put into words how moving and incredibly written this book is but I will try my best. 'No ballet shoes in Syria' centres around Aya, an 11 year old child, who is seeking asylum from her war torn country alongside her mother and baby brother. The beginning of the book shows you Aya taking control and speaking to case workers to help her family as her mother doesn't speak English. Whilst doing this, she bumps into Dotty - whose name fits perfectly - and is offered the chance to join the local ballet class; something she has dreamed of doing as she was an avid dancer in Syria. Aya finds herself in emotional turmoil as she struggles to follow her dancing dreams whilst her family fights to survive. Throughout the book, there are flashbacks to Aya's experiences in Syria and these are truly harrowing as you see war from the eyes of a child. However, Burton balances this well with the happy memories of her home and the positivity coming from some of the characters (particularly Dotty). I enjoyed the language used and found the balance of description spot on. Burton certainly encourages you to put yourself in Aya's shoes which, in my opinion, makes this book so powerful. It is heart-warming, eye-opening and an ultimate page-turner. Everyone should read it. I think this book is suitable for Year 6 upwards. I would link it to the WW2 topic as there are links to this in the book, with comparisons made between Syrian refugees and Jewish refugees (during WW2). It is also a brilliant read for PSHE, especially with the current climate, as you can do lots of work on empathy, tolerance and world events.
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A unique, mesmerising must-read for children of 7/8+. Everybody wants to be 'perfect' don't they? Not Violet. All she wants is for her mam to stop baking and her dad to come home from work earlier but nothing is as it seems in Perfect. From the start of the story, I felt I knew where it was going to go and whilst being right I was also very wrong. With plot twists and rich characters, I was kept on my toes and constantly wanting to continue. I cannot wait to start the second book and am already excited to come up with various activities to engage my class with this wonderful text. A truly captivating and unique page-turner. Combine 12-year-old piper Patch Brightwater, Wren – a noble girl under a rat-shaped curse - and Barver, a fearsome dracogriff, and what do you get? A MASTERPIECE. From start to finish, I enjoyed every page of this wonderful plot-driven fantasy book. The mixture of relatable characters, splash of magic and curious settings makes for an exciting read that leaves you only wanting more. I loved this book so much I bought numerous copies for my class and we all said the same ... "when will the next book be available?!" I urge teachers, children from 7 upwards and parents to go out and buy this book. You will not regret it. |
Author- Avid Reader Archives
May 2020
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