Welcome to the Virtual School Library, brought you by Oak National Academy in partnership with the National Literacy Trust.
Every week a popular children's author or illustrator will provide you with free books, exclusive videos and their top three recommended reads. Having access to a school library is really important as they nurture a love of reading that can enrich children’s literacy skills, academic achievements and mental wellbeing. This Virtual School Library will complement existing school libraries and will ensure that children have access to the magical world of stories all year round, whether they are learning at school or at home.
Oak Academy LibraryThis free online library provides reading and writing activities from your favourite children's authors from the National Literacy Trust.
Experience the world of a curious boy, a greedy mole, a wary fox and a wise horse who find themselves together, in sometimes difficult terrain, sharing their greatest fears and biggest discoveries about vulnerability, kindness, hope, friendship and love. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse was written and read by Charlie Mackesy.
Award-winning children’s author, Katherine Rundell, has launched The Book of Hopes: Words and Pictures to Comfort, Inspire and Entertain Children in Lockdown, which is hosted exclusively on Family Zone. It is a collection of short stories, poems, essays and pictures, with contributions from more than 110 children’s writers and illustrators, including Lauren Child, Anthony Horowitz, Greg James and Chris Smith, Michael Morpurgo, Liz Pichon, Axel Scheffler, Francesca Simon, Jacqueline Wilson – and Katherine herself.
The Book of Hopes aims to comfort, inspire and encourage children during lockdown through delight, new ideas, ridiculous jokes and heroic tales. There are true accounts of cats and hares and plastic-devouring caterpillars; there are doodles and flowers; revolting poems and beautiful poems; and there are stories of space travel and new shoes and dragons.
Book of HopesThis collection is dedicated to the doctors, nurses, carers, porters, cleaners and everyone currently working in hospitals.
While We can't Hug
Hedgehog and Tortoise want to give each other a great big hug, but they're not allowed to touch. The creators of the well-known book 'The Hug', Eoin McLaughlin and Polly Dunbar, have put together this new story especially for the unique times we are living through. Please click on the link below to watch a beautiful adaptation of their story.
While We Can't HugTortoise and Hedgehog find new ways to show that they love each other.
Feelings by Libby Walden and illustrated by Richard Jones
What you feel is who you are...Explore a world of emotions with this stunning peep-through picture book. Richard Jones' enchanting illustrations and the lyrical text make each and every feeling come to life to help children understand the emotions they experience. Click on the link below to see the book, photographed page by page, and read aloud by Mrs Woods.
This hugely popular free information book explains the coronavirus to children aged five to 10, with illustrations by The Gruffalo illustrator Axel Scheffler. Written with the expert guidance of Professor Graham Medley from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, it helps to provide clear information about the effects of virus, and why everyone is talking about it. The book has been downloaded over one million times since it was launched! Watch the book being read aloud by Hugh Bonneville, star of Paddington.
CoronavirusAn explanation of Coronavirus especially for children.
Click on the link below to take you to hundreds of magical bedtime stories. Join a host of celebrities for a different story read each night just before bedtime.
You'll notice that there are only 8 links below, but that is because the other two recommended books are already on this page if you scroll a little further down. They are "Coronavirus - a book for children" and "The Book of Hopes".
Aquila's Magnificent Mega-MagAQUILA Children’s Magazine is the ultimate intelligent read for inquisitive kids. Full of exuberant articles and challenging puzzles that will get the whole family involved, every issue covers science, history and general knowledge.
Staying Home, by Sally NichollsStaying Home is about a family of raccoons going through a day in lockdown - no school, no nursery, no work - and explaining to the youngest members of the family how they're doing their part to save lives just by staying home!
The Golden Cage, by Anna Castagnoli and Carll Cneut, narrated by Laura WatkinsonThe Golden Cage is a deliciously dark fairytale from Europe, featuring Valentina, the emperor’s daughter who's an obsessive collector of exotic birds. Her servants track down every bird she desires - just one remains unfound: a bird that talks. Servants search far and wide to fulfill her impossible quest - and she beheads those who fail. In Valentina’s palace, heads roll every day! Will the golden cage ever be filled?
Open Very Carefully, by Nick Bromley & Nicola O'ByrneWhat would you do if you were settling down for a quiet bedtime story and you realized that a crocodile had fallen into your storybook and was — not to put too fine a point on it — wreaking havoc? Would you slam that book shut and cram it back onto the bookshelf? Or would you be brave enough to peek?
ScoopScoop is a bi-monthly digital and printed magazine for children 7+ (Key Stages 2 & 3) and is a fantastic tool for teachers and tutors who believe in the joy of reading and the power of storytelling. Each issue is based on a theme and we bring together an incredible host of renowned writers and illustrators who create original fiction, articles, poetry, puzzles, comics, games, activities and more.
Boredom-Busting Golden BeanoSchool shut? Stuck at home? Beano's got your back! Beanotown is the place where the fun never stops! We're making sure everyone gets a lockdown laugh by giving away this bonus Boredom-Busting Golden Beano!
You Wouldn't Want To Read...The ‘You Wouldn’t Want to Be...’ series of books are skillfully written and illustrated with just the right balance of fun and at times disgusting, horrible and gory historical facts. Aimed at 7-12 year old children, they’re wonderfully entertaining histories for readers of all ages, and are excellent books for even the most reluctant readers.
The Bolds (to the rescue), by Julian ClaryMore wildly funny animal madness from dream team Julian Clary and David Roberts! The Bolds are a family of hyenas living as humans in a suburban house. But now their kindness to animal waifs and strays has become legendary, and more and more animals keep turning up to stay! Roger the sheep flocks to their house, and Fifi the poodle turns up to learn some new tricks, whilst Sheila the crocodile decides to stay for a while. But when the Bolds take in a couple of race horses who are on the run, they worry their animal magnetism is getting to be too much. Have these hyenas bitten off more than they can chew?
Dogger, by Shirley Hughes'Dogger' by Shirley Hughes tells a lovely story of the importance of a little teddy. The story tells of little boy who misplaces his favourite teddy and finds himself completely lost without it. The story delves into the theme of 'belongings' and of the importance of having special objects to cherish.
The Promise, by Nicola DaviesAn allegorical tale of hope takes on new life in this stirring, gorgeously illustrated story. On a mean street in a mean, broken city, a young girl tries to snatch an old woman’s bag. But the frail old woman, holding on with the strength of heroes, says the thief can’t have it without giving something in return: the promise. It is the beginning of a journey that will change the thieving girl’s life — and a chance to change the world, for good.
Fig's Giant, by Geraldine McCaughreanActor Art Malik narrates this adaptation of the traditional tale 'Gulliver's Travels'. We meet a Lilliputian girl called Fig who is scared of many things little girls are frightened of. One day, when she is walking her dog on the beach, she finds a giant. The little girl runs to the town, rings the bell and summons the army. The army tie the giant up, shoot arrows at him and drug him. The giant then falls into a deep sleep and as he sleeps, the Lilliputians take him back to their town, where many people come to see the spectacle. Fig only visits to play and she and the giant become good friends. Eventually, Fig and the giant cross the sea to escape.
Rumblestar, by Abi ElphinstoneEleven-year-old Casper Tock hates risks, is allergic to adventures and shudders at the thought of unpredictable events. So, it comes as a nasty shock to him when he accidentally stumbles into Rumblestar, an Unmapped Kingdom full of magical beasts. All Casper wants is to find a way home, but Rumblestar is in trouble. An evil harpy called Morg is sending her followers, the Midnights, into the kingdom to wreak havoc and pave the way for her to steal the Unmapped magic for herself. But Casper cannot turn a blind eye because the future of his own world, he discovers, is bound up with that of the Unmapped Kingdoms.
The Graveyard Book, Chapter 1, The Graveyard Book is a young adult fantasy novel by the English author Neil Gaiman, simultaneously published in Britain and America in 2008. The Graveyard Book traces the story of the boy Nobody "Bod" Owens who is adopted and reared by the supernatural occupants of a graveyard after his family is brutally murdered.
Teacher's Tales of Terror, by Chris PriestleyTeacher's Tales of Terror by Chris Priestley has readers on the edge of their seats in this trio of terrifying stories as a teacher and his pupils share three spine-chilling tales. But, of course, with a very surprising ending that resounds like a slamming door on a quiet night!
Top Ten Storytimes to Enjoy!
(for 3-7 year olds)
There are only 7 links here, because the other 3 (There's a Bear on my Chair,Astro Girl and Mrs Mole I'm Home) are all on the CBeebies Bedtime Stories website. Please follow the link at the top of this page to take you directly to that site.
Is There a Dog in This Book? by Viviane Schwarzqual time for canines! Three cats —Tiny, Moonpie, and André — think there might be a dog in this book, but it’s up to the reader to help them find out. Can cats and dogs share the same turf? Revisit the age-old dilemma with a hide-and-seek romp among furry friends. Brimming with humor and featuring Viviane Schwarz’s exuberant artwork, here is a lively interactive exploration of the surprising joys of unlikely friendships from the creator of There Are Cats in This Book and There Are No Cats in This Book.
The Story Machine, by Tom McLaughlinElliott is a curious boy who finds a mysterious machine. He can’t figure out what to do with it. Then one day he makes it work by accident and discovers that it is a story machine with letters that make words. However, Elliott finds letters hard to contend with until, the aid of his imagination and a magnifying glass, he notices a picture amongst them. This sets him off on the path to a world of his own storymaking.
The Dragon Machine, by Helen WardThe perfect introduction to the legendary world of dragons, The Dragon Machine uses a clever mix of text and illustrations to describe how George, a young, overlooked boy, becomes aware of dragons hiding all around him. But when it becomes apparent that they don't belong in George's ordinary world, he endeavours to do the best for his new friends and find them the home they deserve.
Grendel: A Cautionary Tale About Chocolate, by David LucasGrendel loves his mum and Grendel loves his dog, but most of all Grendel loves CHOCOLATE! When he is magically granted three wishes, what does he wish for? More chocolate of course! He gets rather more than he asks for when his whole world turns to chocolate and starts to melt... Whatever can he do?
Cyril and Pay, by Emily GravettCyril is the only squirrel in Lake Park, and he's very lonely. Until one day he meets Pat – Pat the big, grey . . . other squirrel. Cyril and Pat have lots of adventures and fun together and Cyril is so pleased he's made a friend. But everyone says that Cyril and Pat simply cannot be friends, and they soon reveal why...
Traction Man Meets Turbo Dog, by Mini GreyTraction Man is back! And so is Scrubbing Brush, his brave and rather bedraggled pet. But one night Scrubbing Brush myseriously vanishes and in his place is the utterly hygenic Turbodog, in indestructible Purple Plastic with Flashing Eyes, Electronic Bark and three AA batteries. But it's not the same without Scrubbing Brush. Where can he be? Traction Man sets out on his greatest rescue mission yet. Can he save Scrubbing Brush from? And is there room in his life for two pets?
Grandad's Island, by Benji DaviesAt the bottom of Syd’s garden, through the gate and past the tree, is Grandad’s house. Syd can let himself in any time he likes. But one day when Syd comes to call, Grandad isn’t in any of the usual places. He’s in the attic, where he ushers Syd through a door, and the two of them journey to a wild, beautiful island awash in color where Grandad decides he will remain. So Syd hugs Grandad one last time and sets sail for home. Visiting Grandad’s house at the bottom of the garden again, he finds it just the same as it’s always been — except that Grandad isn’t there anymore. Sure to provide comfort to young children struggling to understand loss, Benji Davies’s tale is a sensitive and beautiful reminder that our loved ones live on in our memories long after they’re gone.
Born to Run
Mrs Woods is reading the book Born to Run by Michael Morpurgo. Please click on the audio links below, sit back, relax and enjoy the story as it unfolds.
Joy and heartbreak combine in this bittersweet tale of a champion greyhound's journey through life – and from owner to owner… until one day Best Mate is kidnapped by a greyhound trainer, and begins a new life as a champion race dog.
