The Night I Met Father Christmas

Author: Ben Miller

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s UK

Details: £12.99, hardback

ISBN: 9781471171536

This is a fabulous feel-good story. It’s a great book that children will be able to identify with…who doesn’t have a friend who no longer believes in Father Christmas? Who hasn’t tried to wait up to sneak a peek at him? This generated lots of talk about Christmas traditions and the discussion: “If you could meet Father Christmas, what one question would you ask?”

In the story, Jackson knew exactly what he wanted to ask! How did you become Father Christmas? So begins the story and the adventure…

It really is a story that captivates all, and there wasn’t one child who didn’t feel festive after reading it. I read it as a whole-class text, and my Year 2s were always begging me to read one more chapter before home time.

I have to admit that the opening page, where Jackson talks about his friend who questions the reality of Father Christmas, made me anxious, but this was soon dispelled when the big guy crashed through the chimney and proved all the doubters wrong.

Kayleigh Hartley is a Year 2 teacher at Beam County Primary School

Pupil reviews: ‘Really funny’

My favourite part is when Torvil sees his past with the reindeer because we get to know about Torvil’s background and why he is so mean. I didn’t enjoy it when Father Christmas stopped telling Jackson the story, as it broke up the flow of the narrative and it was hard to remember what had happened when he started to retell it again.

Arian, aged 10

I liked this book because it was really funny, especially when Torvil met the other creatures that were on the coin. I also liked it because the author transitions between Torvil’s story and Santa and Jackson’s deliveries. I would recommend this book to children between 9 and 11 years old, as I think it would suit the age range because of its humour and general theme of Christmas.

Danielle, aged 11

I would say people between the ages of 8 and 12 would enjoy this the most, as they can read it independently. It is long and the language used can be tricky for younger readers to understand. Similarly, older children may find the book too immature for their interests. At the start, I found it rushed and there were too many characters introduced, but eventually it became easier to follow.

O’Dono, aged 11

Christmas Dinner of Souls

Author: Ross Montgomery

Publisher: Faber & Faber

Details: 240pp, £8.99, hardback

ISBN: 9780571317974

Halloween is well past by now and the rapid descent to Christmas is rushing us all towards the holidays, but there’s still time for one more flourish of horror before we settle in with the mince pies.

Ross Montgomery’s Christmas Dinner of Souls is a young fright fan’s ideal Christmas read, set in a world that evokes the Oxford colleges of His Dark Materials, but with a truly nasty twist.

Eleven-year-old kitchen boy Lewis is paying off his debt for breaking the college windows by serving at the Christmas Eve banquet. So far, so depressing. The cook is twitchy and communicates in a menacing whisper “Don’t make them angry if you want to see Christmas morning…” Before Lewis can make any sense of this, the guests begin to arrive. The graceful college dining room has turned into a madhouse of the strangest, most evil set of professors you could hope to find, all here to tell the most twisted tale they can in the hope of winning the chance to explore the catacombs below in search of the Dead Man’s Jabberers. Lewis is baffled. The Dean elucidates: the demonic set of teeth confers the power to kill with a story, gives the wearer immortality, and will ultimately destroy Christmas altogether!

I’d recommend this for Years 5 and 6, as it really is quite gruesome in parts; the feedback from my reviewers consisted of rather a lot of “euws”, as well as “it’s brilliant!”

Caroline Wood is school librarian at Ashleigh Primary School in Darwen, Lancashire

Pupil reviews: ‘Unexpected and nasty’

The book is a freakishly awesome! It has lots of terrific tales, and I would recommend it to all horror and mystery lovers. I like how it had lots of creepy stories in and how there is always a scary edge to the story.

Yuibun, aged 10

I love it because it’s scary, but mysterious at the same time. I like the setting because it’s dark and scary, and it changes in every story. I loved the first story because of what happened and how creepy it was. I recommend this book - I give it 10/10.

Carmya, aged 11

The stories in the book are very creepy and mysterious. I loved the last story because it was so unexpected and nasty. My favourite character is the cook because you know there’s something not right with him. I’d recommend this book and I give it 10/10.

Alice, aged 10

All the stories are different, but all the tellers have one thing in common - they hate Christmas! The best bits were the last few chapters and the plot-twist ending. The setting is always dark and scary. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes Goosebumps.

Oliver, aged 10

How to Hide a Lion at Christmas

Author: Helen Stephens

Publisher: Alison Green Books

Details: 40pp, £12.99, hardback

ISBN: 9781407178899

Iris and her family are going to stay with Aunty Sarah for Christmas, but what about the friendly lion who lives with them? Mum says lions can’t go on trains and Dad says that the people in Aunty Sarah’s town will be scared of him. He won’t fit in Iris’ suitcase and he’s too wriggly to be wrapped up as a present so they decide to leave him at home. The lion has other ideas and sneaks onto their train only to fall asleep in the luggage rack and misses getting off at the right station. Poor lion then has to trek across the snow-covered countryside trying to find Iris. Will he find her in time and who is that strange man in red coming out of the chimney pot?

This is a lovely book, which I read to eight different key stage 1 groups of children. It was enjoyed by them and by me. The watercolour and pen illustrations are lovely with plenty of snow and picturesque villages to set the Christmas scene. The story is very gentle and is a satisfying Christmas read containing Christmas trees, carols, Christmas dinner references and even a cameo appearance by Father Christmas himself.

The children said things like:

“Poor lion, he got left at home and he didn’t like it. He had to walk in the snow to find Iris. I liked it when he saw Father Christmas.”

“He roared really loudly and scared the people singing carols, we roared too, it was funny.”

“He hid on the train and fell asleep, you could see his tail. Iris gave him a big hug when he found her.”

“He ate the Christmas dinner. He was naughty but Iris still loved him. I loved this book”.

As a teaching resource, the book could be used in many ways. It would be a great starting point for writing a narrative about how the lion felt when he woke up alone on the dark, empty train or recounting his journey to find Iris. To support PSHE, the book could be used to discuss feelings: how Iris felt about leaving her lion and how he felt about being left. Mainly, though, this book is ideal for a satisfying Christmas story time. A calm and soothing book to quieten even the most fidgety, overexcited children.

Sarah Ormes is school librarian at St John’s Catholic Primary School in Bath

The Clockwork Crow

Author: Catherine Fisher

Publisher: Firefly Press

Details: 200pp, £6.99, paperback

ISBN: 9781910080849

Catherine Fisher’s latest book, The Clockwork Crow, doesn’t disappoint. It’s a thrilling adventure that will have readers of all ages hooked from the outset.

The story follows Seren, an orphan girl dreaming of a beautiful home and a loving family. As she waits in the train station, a stranger asks her to guard a package. He doesn’t return and Seren feels compelled to take the package with her to Plas-y-Fran, the large manor house belonging to her new guardians. However, when she arrives, the grand house is shrouded in mystery - all furniture covered, sombre and unfriendly staff, and no sign of the loving family she was hoping for. A cold, bare residence brings her back down to earth with a bump and her dreams are shattered. The young boy she had wanted to befriend and play with has gone, and in time, Seren learns that Tomos has been missing for a year and a day, and that the household is in mourning.

With the aid of the eponymous talking, walking, humorously irritable Clockwork Crow (who very nearly steals the show), Seren sets out to solve the mystery and put things right. In doing so, we learn that she is a determined and gutsy heroine, not afraid to stand up to the grown-ups, nor afraid to put her own security and future happiness at risk.

Drawing on Welsh folklore, the story is both magical and fantastic. Catherine’s writing sparkles with energy and, quite often, one finds oneself rereading sections and marvelling at the talent of this extraordinary author. The wintery and Christmassy atmospheric prose entertains in bucketloads.

Simon Fisher is a teacher at the Rofft School, Wrexham

Pupil reviews: ‘A thrilling read’

We were gripped by this imaginative fairytale-like adventure. Seren is given a parcel by a strange, tall, thin man at a train station, but not all is as it seems. There are strange goings-on at Plas-y-Fran, too. This story sucks you in and will not let you go.

Bethan, Jessica and Winnie, Year 6

The Clockwork Crow is an enchanting and gripping book. Seren shows herself to be a remarkable, intelligent, book-loving girl who is very inquisitive. Enthralling!

Bamba, Louie and Jude, Year 6 and Year 5

It’s enchanting and magical. As you read on, more secrets are revealed. This is a captivating book, full of mystery.

Sibella, Year 6

Will Seren be able to save Tomos and bring happiness back to Plas-y-Fran? An enchanting, heart-racing reading adventure.

Niamh, Year 6

Seren is a really strong character, she stands up for herself and shows great bravery. A magical and thrilling rollercoaster of an adventure.

Salma and Holly, Year 6

The Clockwork Crow is a heartwarming, magic-filled story; a never-ending rollercoaster of thrills and countless emotions.

Orlaith, Year 6

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