Care of Henry ¦ Taking the Cat's Way Home

Just published in Big Book format, these two satisfying books for new readers (from authors who have both won the Carnegie Medal twice) are a welcome extension to the range of titles available for Year 3 (7-8 year olds) Literacy Hour.

In Care of Henry, Hugo's mother is trying to sell their house but that is not the only potential upheaval in his life. With mum about to go into hospital to have a baby, Hugo is to be allowed to choose with whom he would like to stay. The choice is not easy thought the list of 'possibles' is quite short: Granny, Mrs Mariposa next door or Uncle Jack. Hugo devises a checklist covering important aspects such as 'Entertainment', 'Food', 'Strictness' and 'Care of Henry' (his dog). But are ticks the best way to determine his choice? Howard's cosy line drawings ably support the text.

Taking the Cat's Way Home also makes an excellent Big Book and is a powerful vehicle for dealing with the issue of bullying and how to overcome it. New boy William takes an instant dislike to Jane, and her cat Furlong, whom he nicknames 'Loo Brush'. When William threatens to 'get' Jane after school, she and her friend Andrea take the cat's way home along the dividing walls of the nearby houses to get to safety. This is a thoughtful tale with a deliciously satisfying ending, sensitively punctuated with Howard's line drawings, that will provide lower junior teachers with plenty of Literacy Hour material as well as giving hope to the bullied.

In both titles there is a useful page of information about the author and illustrator whilst the inside back cover offers advice on how to use Big Books -- just in case there is still a teacher out there who has not heard of Literacy Hour!