‹Avril McDonald, author of the recently published Feel Brave series of ˜little stories about big feelings™, has written a feature for this month's issue of Prima magazine on 'Coping with Anxiety in Children' in which she uses her own experiences to support kids struggling with the symptoms.

This month's issue is available to buy at most newsagents, shops and retailers.



The five beautifully illustrated Feel Brave story books are all designed to help children explore emotional intelligence, positive psychology and some of the real-life issues which they might face “ such as bullying, anxiety, bereavement, friendships and worries “ in an engaging, creative and non-threatening way, whilst the Feel Brave Teaching Guide serves as the perfect companion in providing activities and guidance on how to explore these issues in the classroom.

As part of their latest giveaways, Toppsta are offering you the chance to win a copy of author and illustrator James Garner˜s recently published title Bob and the River of Time to review (and to keep!).

Click here to enter the competition and here to take a look inside the book for yourself.

Bob and the River of Time introduces children to the beauty and wonder of wildlife and nature. Bob discovers the changing seasons, different types of weather and a huge variety of plant and animal life. On Bob™s journey, he sees a host of different animals, creepy crawlies, birds, flowers, vegetables and trees. The book is packed with interesting facts, meaning children can learn more as they discover the different critters. The beautiful illustrations and attention to detail ensure that each time you open the book you™ll discover something new. There is a key in the back of the book to show you where all the colourful characters are hiding, in case you™re really stuck!

Join Bob as he learns to be mindful and maintain a positive outlook, even when he isn™t sure where the river is taking him. The calming flow of the story will send children to a place of tranquil and inspired imagination. The story is ideal for relaxing bedtime reading, but hunting for and learning about all of the creatures will provide hours of additional fun. Searching for the many creatures and plants within the book is a great way to focus a child™s mind, especially if their mind has a tendency to wander.

Dr Russell Grigg, author of the recently published title Big Ideas in Education, has created a dedicated Padlet page inviting your contributions to the question - œwhat™s the best idea in education ever?.

Click here to read the many answers that Russell™s Padlet page has already received, and feel free to contribute your own ideas too!

You can also take a look inside his title Big Ideas in Education here, which provides readers with a concise and reliable introduction to 12 ideas which are at the core of educational practice. The ideas chosen are general rather than subject-specific in nature. In turn, they invite the reader to look at teaching in wider society, address elements of learning which teachers actively promote, raise questions about why, how and what to teach and, finally, look at ways of improving the quality of education.

Ian McDermott and L. Michael Hall˜s much anticipated title The Collaborative Leader is now available. The Collaborative Leader is a practical guide to collaborating with others and leading collaboratively. That means learning how to win the hearts and minds of those who we lead. Packed with practical and immediate action points, the book will show you how to turn around a non-collaborative group or environment immediately. You will find assessment questions throughout, step-by-step processes on collaboration, and an invitation to action at the end of each chapter: a personal challenge to step up to the collaborative level of leadership. Learn the core competencies that facilitate a healthy, joyful, and productive collaboration.

You can order your very own advanced copy here!

‹Nina Jackson, self-appointed ˜fizz ambassador™ and author of Of Teaching, Learning and Sherbet Lemons, has written an article for TES™ online news page shedding some light onto this year™s #NakedTeachingDay - which challenges teachers to strip away their resources and teach more creatively with less.

Click here to read Nina™s article and here to take a look inside some sample pages of her title, Of Teaching, Learning and Sherbet Lemons.

Georgina Jonas, author of the recently published College Collection series, has written an article for SecEd offering guidance on how to engage reluctant readers and provides a selection of quick tips for doing so inside and outside the classroom.

Click here to read the article and here to view the College Collection titles for yourself.

The College Collection centres around five main characters, Luca, Anda, Jim Jam, Woody and Nolan. In each of the first five books in this set we meet a different character, and learn about their personalities, backgrounds and what they did before they arrived at Parkfield College.



The College Collection is designed to support and extend the acquisition of reading skills, and the enjoyment of reading, through exciting stories and relatable characters. The books reinforce high frequency words and the core phonic skills needed to access basic reading levels. Each set provides stories which bridge the gap between base level schemes and longer, more challenging texts. They are suitable for readers who still need a formatted reading scheme and are not yet ready to go onto free readers, but who still want interesting, engaging, real-life books. They are flexible, so no matter what other schemes you may be using, these books stand alone, enhancing and extending any reading experience.