@maverickbooks Early Readers

It’s a real delight to review children’s books as they are a far cry from the Enid Blyton ones I loved as a child. I have featured Maverick Books on Linda’s Book Bag before when I reviewed the brilliant Buttercup Sunshine and the Zombies of Dooooom by Colin Mulhern here.

This time I’m reviewing a couple of books for younger readers; The Pop Puffin by Jill Atkins, illustrated by Kelly Breemer and King Carl and the Wish by Clare Helen Welsh and illustrated by Marina Pessarrodona. Both books are part of Maverick’s Early Reader range.

The Pop Puffin

Puffin wants to be a pop singer, but he needs to find a band.

Other birds join in with Puffin’s singing.

Will it be a good show?

The Pop Puffin is available for pre-order here and will be released on 28th August 2018.

King Carl and the Wish

King Carl is at the fair. He hurls a hoop and wins one wish from a wizard!

What will King Carl wish for?

King Carl and the Wish is available for pre-order here and will be released on 28th August 2018.

My Review of The Pop Puffin and King Carl and the Wish

These two books form part of Maverick Books‘ Early Reader Series within the Institute of Education book banding system and you’ll find the full selection of books here.

Both books are beautifully produced. They are just the right size for young children to handle and have the perfect length to keep focus and attention without overwhelming. The use of repetition helps reinforce the sounds and spellings in the vocabulary and there is sufficient challenge so that new words can be learnt too. The stories are fun and interesting.

The balance of text to image is just right. The images are really lovely as colours are vibrant and eye-catching with a style children can relate to and will love. As well as promoting literacy, both book have excellent value in other areas of the curriculum. Oracy and memory are helped by the small quiz sections at the end of the books and in King Carl and the Wish in particular, numeracy and counting to five are woven throughout the story. I can envisage The Pop Puffin as a brilliant way in to project work or Forest School activities for example, as children learn about different birds.

I thought The Pop Puffin and King Carl and the Wish were just delightful. They’re fun, vibrant, educational and entertaining. This series is perfect for school or home and children will love the books.

About the Authors and Illustrators

Jill Atkins

Jill lives with her husband in West Sussex, where she loves being near the sea. She has two grown-up children and five grandchildren. She used to be a teacher and now regularly helps in her local school.

Jill has loved books ever since she can remember and often read by torchlight under the bedclothes long after her mum told her to go to sleep. She has always enjoyed writing stories, and began storytelling when her two younger brothers were small. Her first book was published over 20 years ago and she’s had more than 70 books published so far, and counting!

Kelly Breemer

Kelly is a freelance illustrator based in the Netherlands. You can find out about her work by following her on Twitter @kellybreemer, finding her on Facebook or visiting her website.

Clare Helen Welsh

Clare lives in Devon with her husband and two children. She has over ten years experience teaching in primary schools – her colleagues say she never thinks small and when Clare says ‘I’ve got a good idea!’…they usually run and hide!

It was in 2013 that Clare began putting her wild imagination to good use writing picture books. In 2013 she won The Margaret Carey Scholarship for Picture Book Writers and in 2014 she was awarded Silver Medal in the Greenhouse Funny Prize for her picture book, Aerodynamics of Biscuits.

You can follow Helen on Twitter @ClareHelenWelsh and visit her website for more information. You’ll also find Clare on Facebook.