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Amy McKay - Editorial Expert
Amy is a knowledgeable, innovative and enthusiastic school librarian, living and working in Cumbria. Amy is a past UK School Librarian of the Year.
With over 17 years’ experience in school libraries and over a decade as the Yoto Carnegies National Coordinator she has a vast knowledge of children’s literature. She is a familiar face at festivals and has judged numerous book awards, including the Blue Peter Book Awards and the Nibbies.
Amy loves nothing more than sharing her love of books and reading, connecting young people with the authors and books that will enrich their lives for years to come.
Latest Reviews By Amy McKay
From the first fish to grow legs and walk on land, to our early human ancestors, The Fossil Keeper’s Treasure is rich in tales of prehistory, all brought to life by the fascinating fossils left behind.
Before this book is even opened it is clear it is something special. From the beautiful gold, embossed front cover to the thick cardboard pages, the book itself is as much a treasure as the prehistoric ones it depicts. Highly illustrated pages and a handwriting-style font combine to give the intimate sense of reading a Natural History scrapbook. I particularly enjoyed the ... View Full Review
Seventeen-year-old Kay and her family left their sleepy hometown of Longrove under a dark shadow of grief, hoping for a fresh start in London. But one year on, with her parents jetting off on holiday, Kay is back in Longrove, and not everyone is happy to see her.
When a sinister note from someone calling themselves Monday appears on her bed, promising a week of revenge-laden games which will culminate in her death, Kay doesn’t know what to think. Is it all a weird joke and, if not, who is the illusive Monday? From suspicious ex-friends to the ... View Full Review
When Farmer is too ill to get out of bed, sheepdog Flo is eager to help out and keep the farm running. After all, it can’t be that hard, can it? With help from the other farmyard animals Flo creates a list of jobs to complete and gets busy. But, whilst full of good intentions, Flo’s understanding of the jobs leaves a lot to be desired! First, she tries to collect the geese, then she tries milking the pigs; with each job ticked off she leaves a trail of confusion and chaos.
Young readers will adore ... View Full Review
Mevan enjoys a happy childhood surrounded by nature and a loving extended family in Kurdistan, Northern Iraq. With honeysuckle scented air, poetry, delicious treats, and large family meals filled with laughter, her life is nothing short of idyllic. But when the Iraqi leader and his army start targeting and hurting the Kurdish people, Mevan and her parents must leave all that they know and love in the pursuit of freedom and safety.
Through gentle storytelling and Yas Imamura’s evocative illustrations we follow Mevan’s journey through Turkey and Azerbaijan, then to Russia and the Netherlands, until finally ... View Full Review
Bear is happily sitting on his bench with only a book, a cookie and a balloon for company, when his peaceful solitude is broken by a series of other animals asking to share his bench and belongings. Bear knows he wants to say no, but each time he agrees, until finally his internal frustration bursts out of him in an angry, bear-sized roar.
This is a superb picture book for the very young about sharing, voicing your feelings and not being afraid to stand up for yourself. Shaloshvili’s playful illustrations, alongside limited text, beautifully portray the building of ... View Full Review
Follow a tiny dandelion seed through its extraordinary life cycle, from the moment it first drifts through the air, to its first flowering and to the creation its own drifting seeds. Alongside the gentle story is non-fiction text that explains each step of the dandelion’s seeds life, such as first roots, it’s bright yellow flowers and, finally, the transformation into a fluffy, full moon.
With clear text and excellent use of bright illustrations, the readers’ understanding of the life cycle and importance of this common plant will slowly develop and be built upon with every ... View Full Review
What’s stranger than a squirrel and a duck living together? A talking squirrel and a talking duck living together! They may not always get on, but as the only talking animals in the world they don’t have much choice but to stick together. Comfortably living in an abandoned theme park, with an ingenious method of ordering takeaway pizza, the pair are happy when they’re not bickering. That is until bulldozers and redevelopment disturb their tranquillity and force them to flee. Can the unconventional twosome find somewhere nice to move to? And can their friendship ... View Full Review
Perhaps more than ever young people have an overwhelming amount to deal with. From inescapable social media pressures to climate concerns, as well as all the usual teen challenges brought by changing hormones, school pressures and learning to navigate friendships and relationships; our young people deserve all the help we can offer to enable them to blossom and live the best lives they can. Becky Goddard-Hill’s book is a perfect tool to do so with.
Focused on building resilience to navigate life’s inevitable challenges, the book first explains what resilience is and how we all need ... View Full Review
Year 6 Joe is sick of being average, ordinary, BORING. Inspired by an online video, he determines that he will be Average Joe no more, instead he will start secondary school as a somebody. And when a Bigfoot-like creature is spotted in local woods he thinks he’s found the perfect solution – catch the beast and become a star. Equipped with little more than a vague hope and dragging his best-friend, Tiago, along for support, Joe sets off for the woods.
With Jenny Pearson’s trademark humour, and fun illustrations from Aleksei Bitskoff, this is a perfect comic ... View Full Review
Following the success and acclaim of Ten-Word Tiny Tales Coelho readers will be delighted by his next offering: Ten-Word Tiny Tales of Love. Rather than providing only the start of a story these non-traditional story starters each provide a glimpse of a full story, beckoning eagerly for creative writing enthusiasts of all ages to be inspired by his words and bring the story further to life. Those inspired by Coelho’s concise creations are offered tips and activities, that suggest ways they might expand the stories or create stories of their own.
Each tale is brought to life with ... View Full Review
Indu loves her ballet lessons at the Shine and Shimmer dance school, but she’s starting to feel different to her ballet besties. Unlike her friends she doesn’t want a career as a ballerina and she doesn’t enjoy being the centre of attention, she just wants to enjoy dancing as a fun hobby. When her dance teacher announces they are going to perform Cinderella Indu is not sure if she is up to the challenge. Can she conquer her worries or will she let her friends down?
The second instalment in the fantastic Ballet Besties ... View Full Review
Flippa the seal loves looking after her best friend, Patrick the polar bear, but Patrick feels funny. Flippa says he’s too big and too hairy to catch his own fish, can that be true? And what will happen to their friendship if Patrick CAN catch his own food?
Despite the icy setting this is a delightfully warm story about the nature of friendship and relying too much on others. It will be a great conversation starter for discissions about setting boundaries and healthy relationships. Goll’s bold illustrations charmingly bring the arctic setting to life, with northern ... View Full Review
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