Oh joy of Joys! Finally the world of Agatha Christie meets the world of children’s books! Little Miss Marple in a middle at the vicarage &Mr Poirot in mischief on the Nile! #PictureBookFriday so much fun and perfect for kids @farshorebooks.bsky.social tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2025/11/14/l...

Oh joy of Joys! Finally the world of Agatha Christie meets the world of children’s books! Little Miss Marple in a middle at the vicarage &Mr Poirot in mischief on the Nile! #PictureBookFriday so much fun and perfect for kids @farshorebooks.bsky.social tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2025/11/14/l...

A thoroughly original magical middle grade!The Spick and the span!About the cleaners who clean up magicians mess!By @pilvanmartin.bsky.social @harpercollins.bsky.social funny, diverse,representative &brilliantly dramatic &entertaining! Here’s my review 👇 tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2025/11/13/t...

A brilliant whodunnit - Christie worthy - by Tom Hindle. isolated bunch of guests, a death, and then the aftermath… who did it? You decide! Delicious! @penguinrandomhouse.bsky.social here’s my review 👇 tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2025/11/01/d...

The Second in this epic trilogy recently bought by Disney! The poisoned king by Katherine Rundell is nail biting and brilliantly tense yet sublimely magical!Can’t recommend this series enough! @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social Here is my review 👇 tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2025/10/31/t...

The Second in this epic trilogy recently bought by Disney! The poisoned king by Katherine Rundell is nail biting and brilliantly tense yet sublimely magical!Can’t recommend this series enough! @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social Here is my review 👇 tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2025/10/31/t...

How the houses are decorated in Boston 🇺🇸. Extra isn’t even the word!

Letters from the Upside by Katya Balen -a wonderful story of hope that really showcases the struggle of young people who face real struggles and adversity. I saw so many children I’ve taught in these pages. A wonderful book! @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2025/10/18/l...

Letters from the Upside by Katya Balen -a wonderful story of hope that really showcases the struggle of young people who face real struggles and adversity. I saw so many children I’ve taught in these pages. A wonderful book! @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2025/10/18/l...

The second instalment of the Chronicles of Whetherwhy by @acaseforbooks.bsky.social absolutely superb fantasy writing - so original, entertaining, action packed and unrelenting! This is quickly becoming a favourite 🤩 @harpercollins.bsky.social tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2025/10/11/c...

Here is a roundup of my rhyming reviews over the summer. Some epic reads and completely memorable books! Check it out for some reading inspiration and bang average poetry. 🙈 tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2025/10/04/s...

Here is a roundup of my rhyming reviews over the summer. Some epic reads and completely memorable books! Check it out for some reading inspiration and bang average poetry. 🙈 tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2025/10/04/s...

#Competition Time. Win a signed copy of my new Picture book ‘My Friend Billy Whiskers’. All you have to do is Like, Repost and Follow me to be in with a chance. I’ll pick at random a winner on Monday 6th October. Good Luck all 🤞🦁👦🏻 #giveaway #picturebook

The Brilliant Legend of Viking Thunder by @mglnrd.bsky.social absolutely awesome time travel series that is literally a race against time at breakneck speed! Love this series perfect for KS2 @macmillankidsuk.bsky.social Here’s my review 👇 tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2025/09/27/t...

The Brand New @mazevansauthor.bsky.social masterpiece! When Will finds out he’s a direct descendant of Shakespeare, characters of old come out to play to help turn Will’s life around. Full of heart and hilarity! My Review 👇 @chickenhousebooks.bsky.social tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2025/09/20/t...

The Wood Where Magic Grows by @andyshepherdwriter.bsky.social is a wonderfully nostalgic and whimsical magical story perfect for Lower KS2. @piccadilly-press.bsky.social Here’s my review 👇 tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2025/09/18/t...

The realities of teaching Year 1. Half way through a storming maths lesson on the carpet. The children do talk partners I ask for someone to feedback Their feedback: “I love you Mr Slattery.” You can’t actually be mad!

#SundayMorningBookChat this week is celebrating PictureBooks! Tok percivals new book ‘This Way Up’ shows how people can see things from others views and learn to compromise. What other picturebooks are your go-tos for teaching children important concepts tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2025/09/12/p...

Hilarity &chaos ensues in this new book by @stubbleagent.bsky.social @puffinbooksuk.bsky.social Alex vs Axel- The Thief of Time. such a funny series with so many quips &witty retorts. Absolutely chuckling through every page. Review here 👇 tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2025/09/13/a...

Kate Winter - the most exciting talent in NF? Adored The Fossil Hunter and her style perfectly suits the discovery of prehistoric paintings in Lascaux a century ago in The Cave Explorer. Engrossing art (+gatefolds), enticing questions and key knowledge - Kate has produced a serious work of art!

#PictyreBookFriday this week is the BRAND NEW @tompercivalbooks.bsky.social a brilliant picturebook about compromise and finding common ground. A great intro into seeing things from a different point of view! @kidsbloomsbury.bsky.social tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2025/09/12/p...

The ECTs learned what it’s like to teach during a thunderstorm today:

Who needs colour coordination when you can go to the gym dressed like a pack of chewits!

Generally stay away from ‘celebrity’ books but Marvellous Messages: The Amazing Story of Communication by #roseaylingellis #andreamills #lenaaddink is not only an important book but brilliant fun to read time-travelling around the globe to see communication develop and meet key deaf people. Superb!

#SundaymorningBookChat this week is about difficult subject matter. Yesterday I blogged about the new book by #onjaliqRauf who tackles dementia in a grandparent with authenticity and warmth. What would you recommend? tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2025/09/06/t...

The awesome brand new title by #OnjaliQRauf is simply sublime, heartfelt and tackles theme of dementia from a child’s point of view watching her Nani slip away. Sad but also uplifting. You will need some tissues for sure @hachettechildrens.bsky.social tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2025/09/06/t...

Highlight of the week - a child came to me today: - “you’re my third favourite teacher” Gee thanks!

Nate Yu’s Blast from the past is a brilliant book about heritage and identity by @maisiechanwrites.bsky.social and is a wonderful book to build empathy and understanding in our young people as well as some forgotten history @bonnierbooks.bsky.social tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2025/09/01/n...

Don’t let anyone tell you starting a project the Saturday before you’re back at work is unrealistic… I give you the summer house (just in time for Autumn!)

Has anyone seen my lanyard?

#SundayMorningBookChat this week is a back to school theme. What are your favourite books to teach at school and why and if you’re not a teacher, what were your favourite books to study or the most memorable. Here’s three of mine.

So with just two days before the start of term I thought it was the best time to start a project… I’m tackling the summer house… started today… the master plan is that I’ll finish it tomoro… obvs with no rain and a 36 hour day tomoro. 👍👍

Parkrun this morning. Was going for a steady run and it ended up being much faster than I thought… going to try and get a PB by Xmas. That’s the target!

#PictureBookFriday this week is the brilliantly musical Marching Band by @kaeltudor.bsky.social &KateHindley. books like this that make me wish I taught EYFS but I will absolutely be reading it to Year 1s this year! Brilliant Fun! @nosycrow.bsky.social tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2025/08/29/p...

Just realised that this summer I’ve been on Safari and then on to Mauritius. All I need now is to get on a rowing boat to an island in a lake in the UK countryside and I will have completed SATS Reading paper 2016! There was however, no milling about in bewilderment at any point

A brand new title from Tamzin Merchant- The Mythmakers is not so much an origin story for Arthur,Merlin, Guinevere etc but rather an origin story for myth itself! Super magical& brilliant adventure adds a new layer to the legend @puffinbooksuk.bsky.social tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2025/08/27/t...

Kirsty Applebaum is back! A brilliantly spooky mystery & genuine page turner… when Fran goes to visit her Aunt, her cousin Imogen is nowhere to be seen. When she asks her aunt about her, her reply: “who’s Imogen?” Absolutely gripping @nosycrow.bsky.social tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2025/08/26/t...

Cracking chiller from #JackMackay (illustrated by #benjoelprice) with frightening monsters, a terrifying house and a courageous heroine, Gwen. Relationships push the emotional buttons. #jenniferkillick fans will love it. (Note:deals with loss of parent from illness) year6 #kidlituk #ukkidlit #edusky

I’m at that stage in the holiday when I’m in complete and utter denial of only having a week left… currently planning three DIY projects and today I sorted and cleaned the fridge… it looks so pretty now.

Lovely Monday walk with the girls 🐕 🐕 around Cannock Chase and Shugborough Hall in the ☀️

#sundaymorningbookchat this week is celebrating great series w/great endings that perhaps aren’t on many people’s radar. recently finished& blogged about this superb trilogy by Jamie Littler &I know lots of people haven’t read. Lets celebrate unsung heros tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2025/08/20/a...

#PictureBookFriday is Millie Fleur saves the night by @christymandin.bsky.social everyone is afraid of the dark &puts lights everywhere,Millie sets out to save &celebrate all things nocturnal. Awesome book for overcoming fears @scholasticuk.bsky.social tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2025/08/22/p...

Have just seen that Clue is back in cinemas for the 40 year anniversary! One of my all time favourite movies.

When we booked our holiday the other half plastered it all Over the booking that we were celebrating my 40th… EVERYWHERE we went, they wished me happy birthday and had a total of 4 separate birthday cakes over 2 weeks!

First parkrun back after two weeks away and it was tough!! Glad I got up and did it though. Forget to take a pic so here’s one from another week 🏃‍♂️ 🏃‍♂️

#PictureBookFriday is Millie Fleur saves the night by @christymandin.bsky.social everyone is afraid of the dark &puts lights everywhere,Millie sets out to save &celebrate all things nocturnal. Awesome book for overcoming fears @scholasticuk.bsky.social tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2025/08/22/p...

Here it is! The end of the a wonderfully joyous series Crookhaven by @joelarcanjo.bsky.social The perfect ending and so much heart! If you’ve never read it, this is spoiler free &gives a little round up of the whole series! @hachettechildrens.bsky.social tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2025/08/21/c...

On my GCSE day I was given my results from my biology teacher who expressed his shock and surprise that managed to get a B in biology. Love the lack of faith 😂. Upon reflection, I relied too much on natural ability rather than hard work for my GCSEs and A Levels. Not that it matters now 🤷‍♂️

With the new academic year approaching, this picturebook assembly overview might be useful to people. The suggested books cover themes around empathy, inclusion and diversity, and are all texts I've used in the classroom. Any shares appreciated. Link here: padlet.com/Jon_Biddle/r...

ARKSPIRE 3 by Jamie Littler. End of a simply sublime trilogy! Shocks, twists turns &whole lot of laughs and heart too. I can’t rate this trilogy enough. This is spoiler free &also rounds the whole trilogy up if u want more info. @puffinbooksuk.bsky.social tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2025/08/20/a...