Happy World Book Day from the Staff and Families at The Downs!

Why not try one of our recommendations....

Mrs Oram recommends- Pippi Longstocking by

Astrid Lindgren.

The book follows the tale of the wonderfully

eccentric Pippi. When she arrives at Villa Villekulla

on her horse with her pet Monkey, Mr Nilsson, and

a suitcase full of gold, her neighbours Tommy and

Annika do not know what to make of her! But they

are soon enthralled by her outrageous stories,

coffee drinking, peculiar clothes and strange

habits. It isn't long before the unlikely trio become

friends and begin having adventures together. Oh,

and did I mention, she's only 9! I would have loved

to have her as a friend when I was young.

Here you

can listen to

Chapter One

of the story

Mrs Reynolds recommends - What the Ladybird

Heard by Julia Donaldson.

My children and I love this tale of Hefty Hugh and

Lanky Len planning on stealing the fine prize cow.

We love the chorus and all say it together- they say

the animal noises and join in with the rhymes. If you

see me around school I could probably recite the

whole book to you! It has a great rhythm to it and

we all enjoy the robbers going ‘SPLOSH’ into the

duck pond.

Listen to

the story

here.

Mrs Gaches recommends - Dogger by Shirley

Hughes.

This book was a class favourite when I started

teaching 31 years ago, then it was my son’s favourite

and I still love it! The story is about family and

kindness and the artwork is beautiful. My favourite

picture is searching for Dogger in the garden at

night time. My class liked to make up an adventure

for Dogger while he was missing. My son’s favourite

cuddly toy, Peter Bear, has joined me for the

photograph. Could you make up a story about your

favourite toy?

Listen to

the story

here

Rudy and Elwood Adcock recommend The Sword

in the Stone by T.H. White

They love 'The sword in the stone' they've always

loved the film and now love the book too. They enjoy

the magic of Merlin, the knights and the legend of

king Arthur.

Here is Rudy as 'Kay' and Elwood as 'Arthur/Wart'.

Listen to

the first

chapter

here

Watch a

trailer to

the film

version.

Mrs Ewins recommends - The True Story of The

Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka

I loved this book when I was a child because it was

really fun to read and now I enjoy reading it to my

children. It’s very funny and shows a different

person’s view! What if the big bad wolf, wasn’t big

and bad after all?

Listen to

the story

here

Mrs Soules recommends - Charlie and the

Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

Unsurprisingly, my favourite book would involve my

favourite treat! Roald Dahl was the first author

that I loved as I enjoyed reading his funny stories

with eccentric characters. In this book, Charlie

Bucket gets to go inside a very unusual chocolate

factory. Who wouldn’t love taking a boat trip on a

chocolate river? I would be the first in that queue!

Listen to

the

audiobook

here

Miss Leighton recommends - The Polar Express by

Chris Van Allsburg

This story captures for me the magic of Christmas.

I was delighted when the film, based on the book,

captured the story just as I imagined it – especially

the winter wonderland. It is a beautiful story and

one I enjoy sharing with children at Christmas.

Listen to

the story

here

Mrs Fordham recommends - 101 Dalmatians by

Dodie Smith.

This is my chosen book and also a best loved family

favourite. Any story involving a dog is always a

winner for me! The plot is exciting with great

characters such as the evil Cruella de Vil. This book

is a must read.

Listen to

the start of

the story

here

Mummy, Charlie and Lucy Robson recommend –

The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton

My favourite books as a child were the Enid Blyton

collection. I started reading them to Charlie when

he was 5 and he has since read them himself.

Lucy is eager to start learning all about the magic

faraway tree and we’ve been reading little bits.

Can you tell who their favourite character is?

Listen to

the audio

book read

by the

actress

Kate

Winslet.

Mrs Byatt recommends - Beware of the

Storybook Wolves, by Lauren Child

I really enjoy the children's stories by Lauren Child

(you might recognise her as the author of the

Charlie and Lola stories, or Clarence Bean series).

This was the first Lauren Child book I bought as a

teacher and I've read it many times, both in class

and at home to my children. This copy includes an

audio version read by Hugh Laurie, who helped me

to improve my own telling of the story by using

different voices for each of the characters! I also

enjoy this book as it references a number of

traditional tales as part of the story. Can you guess

one of them from my photograph?

Listen to

the audio

book here

read by

Hugh Laurie.

Mrs Franks recommends - There’s a Yeti in the

Playground by Pamela Butchart.

My children and I love all of the books in this series

by Pamela Butchart about Izzy and her friends.

These books are laugh-out-loud funny

adventure/mysteries. One of our favourites is

‘There’s a Yeti in the Playground!’, all about how Izzy

and her friends spot a mysterious fluffy creature

in the school playground during a snowstorm! The

perfect book to snuggle up with together. Make

sure you have hot chocolate and a cosy blanket at

the ready, brrrr!

Listen to

the author

here as she

gives you a

sneak peek

into her

book.

The Nemeth family recommends – Moomins by Tove Jansson

Moomins are white, round fairy tale characters that look a bit like a

hippopotamus, but they are trolls. Their house is always open for anyone who

needs a place to stay or feels lonely and that’s why Moomins’ have many

colourful friends. They go together through exciting adventures, but they

never worry. Volcanoes, comets, floods, earthquakes – no problems is so great

it can’t be made better by a cup of coffee and pancakes. Keep calm and be like

Moomins 😊 These are lovely stories for children and some hidden philosophical

thoughts for grown-ups.

Listen to

chapter one

here

Miss McKenna recommends - Blubber by Judy

Blume

This was a very important book to me when I was

younger. It taught me about resilience, the

importance or showing kindness to everyone and

taught me to treat people how you would like to be

treated.

Listen to

the first

chapter

here

Mr Gambrell recommends - Curiosity: The Story

of a Mars Rover by Markus Motum.

This scientific and historical picture book

intentionally sparks children’s ‘curiosity’ to

understand and analyse human space exploration.

Motum shows how the importance of illustration can

build a narrative and spark children’s ideas and

responses. In this book, children get to explore the

enormity of space, the mission to Mars and its

landscape. See how far curiosity has led us, and how

much further it might take us still... a great read if

you love space and the solar system!

Listen to

the story

here read

by a real

astronaut in

space!

Zara and Lorna Meakins and Sydney the cat

recommend – Harry Potter and the Philosophers

Stone by J. K. Rowling

Here are Zara and her sister Lorna dressed as

Harry Potter characters with the characters Zara

has made. They are reading Harry Potter and the

Philosophers stone. Apologies for our cat Sydney,

he was pretending to be Professor McGonagall in

the background!

Listen to

Chapter one

‘The Boy

who Lived’

here

Mrs Tysoe recommends - Sam’s Sandwich by

David Pelham.

Not only is this a funny story in rhyme but every

page has a pop-up surprise to unravel!

Listen to

the story

here

Miss Gasking recommends - Alice in Wonderland

by Lewis Carroll

Of course, my favourite book is all about

imagination and thinking outside of the box! Alice in

Wonderland is all about believing in the impossible.

From being able to fit down a rabbit's hole, to a

talking caterpillar and a queen with an oversized

head. The story is all about a girl who is struggling

to fit into the real world escaping to a wonderful

world of imagination, where words you could only

imagine have real meaning. Such as brillig meaning

tea time. She meets interesting characters along

the way; including a hat maker who has gone mad but

enjoys having tea parties.

How fascinating would it be to have tea with the

Mad Hatter?

Listen to

the audio

book here

Or watch to

the first

chapter in

this

beautifully

illustrated

book

Mrs Culver recommends - The Christmasaurus by

Tom Fletcher

It is no wonder that my favourite book is about my

favourite time of year, Christmas!

In this book we get to meet William Trundle and his

dad, Bob Trundle - a man obsessed with Christmas.

When William starts to doubt that Santa is real an

unexpected gift restores the magic for him. With

plenty of snow, candy canes, crumpets, elves, Santa

and not forgetting a special dinosaur, this is one

adventure I'd be happy to go along with!

Listen to

chapter one

here

Mrs Storey recommends - The House at Pooh

Corner by A.A. Milne.

I have always loved the characters from the

Hundred Acre Wood and Winnie-the-Pooh’s

mischievous adventures to find honey. This is one

has to be my favourite one of Pooh’s adventures as

he invents a new game - Poohsticks!

Listen to

chapter one

here

Find out

about the

game of

Poohsticks

here

Mrs Allcock recommends – The Twits by Roald

Dahl

This has been a favourite book of mine since I was

a child! I love the quirky characters and the vivid

language used to describe them, throughout the

book and particularly love the ‘forensic’ description

of Mr. Twit’s beard!

I enjoy reading this book so much and feel so happy

that I have been able to read it to my own children

and now they love it too!

Listen to

the audio

book here

Watch how

part of

story was

adapted for

the TV

Miss Chantler recommends - Harry Potter and

the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

This is by far the best of the Harry Potter books in

my opinion. We already know Harry and his friends

and all that happens at Hogwarts, but in this story

life at Hogwarts takes a dark turn with the arrival

of the Dementors. The Prisoner of Azkaban has so

many exciting twists not least of which involves a

magical Time-turner.

I love this book .... I wonder what my Patronus would

be .... perhaps a Brown Bear!

Listen to

chapter one,

Owl Post,

here

Mrs Wells recommends - Malory Towers by Enid

Blyton.

I love Enid Blyton books. I used to read Malory

Towers and want to go to a boarding school, it

sounded like so much fun.

The adventures that Famous Five went on seemed

great fun too, and they were very addictive to read.

Listen to

part of

‘First Term

at Malory

Towers’

here

Mrs Ford recommends - The Elves and the

Shoemaker by The Brothers Grimm.

I loved fairy tales when I was a child. This is my

favourite because the elves help the Shoemaker

and their kindness is returned. It shows how we can

all show a little kindness to each other.

Listen to

the audio

book here.

Watch the

adaptation

performed

by the

Northern

ballet on

Cbeebies

Presents

The Taylor household recommend - Harry Potter

series by J. K. Rowling

In our house we like to read the Harry Potter

series. Here are photos of Isabella showing 'Harry

Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.' We love these

books because of the magical adventures and

battles between good and bad!

Listen to

Chapter one

‘The Boy

who Lived’

here

Mrs Underdown recommends - An Elephant in the

Garden by Michael Morpurgo

There are several reasons why I love it. Firstly, I

love animals so when I initially saw the front cover

I was drawn to it. Also, it is set during the Second

World War which is a period of time I find

fascinating. However, this story is told from the

point of view of a child living through the war near

Dresden in Germany, which makes it an even more

interesting book, because you are hearing the story

from a child of the nation on the opposing side

during the war. Throughout the book the characters

face a hard but exciting journey and form an

amazing relationship with an elephant - the perfect

recipe for a great book!

Find out

Michael

Morpurgo’s

inspiration

for this

story

Miss Whittle recommends - Goodnight Mr Tom by

Michelle Magorian

This book is special to me as it tells a beautiful,

heart-warming story about a young Boy during

WWII. I was always moved by the deep bond

between Mr Tom and Willie and the friendships

formed.

The story made me laugh and cry and has a beautiful

ending.

Listen to

the first

chapter

here

Ms Luxford recommends – Room on the Broom by

Julia Donaldson

Room on the Broom is a much-loved story in the

Luxford household.

It's a magical journey through forests and bogs

that embraces diversity and acceptance. We often

have family debates about what our truly

magnificent broom would look like!

Listen to

the story

here

Miss Peerman recommends – The Land of Roar by

Jenny McLachlan

This book is all about twins who when they were

little used to visit the Land of Roar, an imaginary

world that they had created and loved. The twins

are now eleven and they had almost forgotten about

The Land of Roar until they visited their

grandfather for a holiday. The children have

another amazing adventure there with some very

surprising events taking place.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book as an adult and my

daughter enjoyed it too as a child.

Listen to

the first

chapter

here

The Reynolds’ family recommend – The Harry

Potter series by J.K Rowling and The Three Little

Pigs by Joseph Jacobs

Here is Maisie with her favourite book and film

characters she has made for world book day.

Oscar loves to read the three little pigs. Here is a

picture of him and his pigs he has made with his

family for world book day

Listen to

Chapter one

‘The Boy

who Lived’

here

Listen to

Oscar’s

book here

Miss Hollis recommends – Mr Wolf’s Pancakes by

Jan Fearnley

This is my favourite book because it has lots of

great characters throughout the story and Mr wolf

bakes some delicious pancakes to eat at the end!

Listen to

the story

here

Mrs Barnes recommends - The Adventures of the

Wishing Chair by Enid Blyton

This was my favourite book (amongst many others)

growing up. I found the stories and adventures the

children had were just so magical, they transported

me to a magical fantasy world.

Listen to

the audio

book here

Mrs Ridall recommends - The Lion the Witch and

the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

As a child I would read this over and over. I always

wanted to be like Lucy, find a wardrobe that would

land me in a mystical place called Narnia.

Aslan was my favourite Character from the story.

Listen to

chapter one

here

Mrs Glanville recommends - The Boy, The Mole,

The Fox and The Horse’ by Charlie Mackesy

I love this book because it is full of heart-warming

and inspirational quotes. You can read it from

beginning to end in one go or - as I have - mark your

favourite pages and read them when you need a

little boost.

Listen to

the book

here

Logan and Mia Franks recommend – The Danger

Gang by Tom Fletcher

They say it's "funny" and "exciting" and we can't

wait to see what happens next!

Listen to

the author

as he reads

part of the

first

chapter

Mrs Jones recommends – The Famous Five series

by Enid Blyton

My favourite books as a child were the Famous Five

books. I couldn't wait to go to the library and borrow

another one. I was always hooked on the story from the

start and became totally absorbed in the suspense and

the antics of the characters. I loved then recreating the

story when playing with my friends and going on our own

adventures and looking for our own mysteries to solve.

If you love reading, like playing outdoors and have a good

imagination, then I think you'll enjoy these books too.

Listen to Five

on Treasure

Island here