iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

#Waffles&Julius by @edvere.bsky.social @puffinbooksuk.bsky.social This isn't just a story about hugs. It's about enthusiasm & boundaries, affection & consent, persistence & listening. And it also celebrates healthy masculinity. A masterclass in picturebook design. Bravo, Ed!

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

I have written a piece on nurturing lifelong readers inspired by the wonderful Aidan Chambers (pages 4-5) booksforkeeps.co.uk/wp-content/u... @booksforkeeps.bsky.social

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

The #KlausFluggePrize competition for schools is officially open! Early Years/Primary School Teachers, please do consider taking part👇 Can be completed in 1 lesson, and it is great for promoting quality booktalk. Video guide included & prizes to be won. Closes 03_07 docs.google.com/presentation...

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

The 2026 #KlausFluggePrize shortlist has been announced, and it is always a pleasure to welcome them into the reading world. I’m currently crafting an interactive school-based presentation on these works. Stay tuned! I’ll be interviewing the illustrators soon to dive deeper into their stories.

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 22/08/2025

My youngest and I read the opening chapters to @pgbellwriter.bsky.social latest and are HOOKED!

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 11/08/2025

About to play my 10 year old's boardgame! It's taken him several days to make. Looks awesome! #RainbowFriends @robcrossley4.bsky.social @jonnybid.bsky.social

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 30/07/2025

"Would their child become a diviner? A healer? A spirit waker?" In Spirit Warriors, @ashleythorpe.bsky.social conjures a world of ancestral magic, power, and purpose rooted in Jamaican folklore. A cracking opening and concept! Perfect for KS2 readers. Publishing 14 August #Usborne #SpiritWarriors

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

@umurrayhusted.bsky.social An absolute, absolute, absolute joy! I've just finished #BotticellisApprentice We read and discussed #ACatStory at our #LetsTalkGraphicNovels group a few years back & you kindly showed up. This is just as wonderful. Congratulations - I wish it every possible success!

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 10/07/2025

📚 “Somewhere you’ll be safe. Somewhere you’ll get the answers you want so badly. A magical library…” Sangu Mandanna ’s #VanyaandtheWildHunt is a new fantasy that fuses British folklore with Indian mythology ✨ Out now from @macmillankidsuk.bsky.social #childrensbooks

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 05/07/2025

📚✨ From @theemmapress.bsky.social spellbinding poetry Theis' poems conjure tenderness & tension, & speak to uncertainty, identity & longing. One moment gentle, the next crackling with teeth — perfect for readers on the cusp of everything. Out 18_09 & beautifully illustrated by Kate Lucy Foster.

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 22/06/2025

“I wish you were here in this great big meadow, like a sea of lacy clouds…” A sensory-rich, heart-deep picturebook from Kathy Stinson and Ojibwe artist Maya McKibbin. A gentle exploration of longing, love and the wild around us. I do love🌿 #GreystoneKids books #IfYouWereHere

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 22/06/2025

Louise Rosenblatt reminded us that reading is a transaction — not a transfer. The text doesn't hand down meaning; it waits. And in the space between reader and page, meaning is made, shaped by the child’s questions, memories, wonderings. We read with the text, not at it (2/2)

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 22/06/2025

What I’ve always loved about reading with children is the way we invite them to step into the story — to safely test their thoughts like stepping-stones, to linger in ambiguity, to imagine boldly. Whether one-to-one or in chorus, that shared wondering is, for me, where the magic begins (1/2)

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 21/06/2025

“Reading a poem for someone else is like eating their dinner and describing the menu.” –Rosenblatt Many teachers create space for children to experience texts firsthand — to feel, to wonder, to respond. How can we continue to honour that personal encounter in every classroom?

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 21/06/2025

@cressidacowell.bsky.social does it again! #DoomoftheDarkwing is bursting with her trademark humour, sketches, scrawls & chaos. 🗺️ A map to pore over 🔥 Typography that's emotionally charged 🐉 Dragons galore! A brilliant way to hook readers in. @hodderbooks.bsky.social @worldbookdayuk.bsky.social

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 21/06/2025

🌱 There’s real poetic joy in I Heard a Bird by @robramsden.bsky.social @scallywagpress.bsky.social Its calm rhythm and sensory attentiveness model how we might slow down, notice, & connect with nature. A gentle prompt to listen & appreciate that “This is me” is just the beginning of the story.

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 21/06/2025

A leaf becomes a violin. A garden becomes a stage. In Hannah and the Violin, Satoshi Kitamura reminds us that the natural world is alive with music—if only we listen. A joyful celebration of play, imagination and being outside. Thank you @scallywagpress.bsky.social !”

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 21/06/2025

Raw and lyrical, #OntheEdge dives into brotherhood, belonging,& a boy’s fight to hold on. Just read the first chapter, @nmgarrard & was struck by the underlying tension in Rhys future already - a liminal life! A YA novel coming this August from @oldbarnbooks.bsky.social #YAlit #OnTheEdge

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

Lovely idea, Marianne. I'm going to say Natalie Babbitt's 'Tuck Everlasting' (novel) - the first to show me an author who respected the wisdom of a child. I could recommend all day long. I've added a picturebook too - Shirley Hughes 'Alfie' which I adore.

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 17/06/2025

'The reading experts, for all their understanding about ‘the reading process’, treat all text as the neutral substance on which the process works, as if the reader did the same things with a poem, a timetable, a warning notice.' (Meek, 1988)

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 17/06/2025

I FINALLY got to meet @michaelrosenyes.bsky.social on Saturday. A wonderful, common thread throughout the @englishassociation.bsky.social conference was need to create space for meaningful talk around stories with discussion facilitation by adults.

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 07/06/2025

Happy to say @neillcameron.bsky.social that my youngest snapped this up at @waterstonesoxf.bsky.social today. I ask him to choose a pin and he went for father and son. Laughter through reading all the way home!

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 18/05/2025

Another lovely, playful addition to the @rocketbirdbooks.bsky.social collection. Lo Cole's Lionel tells a story who doesn't quite fit in until there comes a moment when he's perfect. Enjoyed the playful hole in the book here!

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 14/05/2025

Deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Aidan Chambers. His reflections on reading, the environments that nurture it, and the centrality of talk have profoundly shaped the way I understand and teach literature. His influence will remain with me always.

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 27/04/2025

🌟 New Zeki adventure alert! 🌟 Anna McQuinn, Ruth Hearson and Alanna Max share with us a joyful celebration of everyday experiences & early learning. I love the gentle nods to: 🗣️ Language development 🧡 Social connection 🎶 Rhythm and rhyme 🛒 Understanding the world So clever!

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 26/04/2025

Get your class involved in the #KlausFluggePrize Enter the #KlausCup to win the full shortlist. 🏆 Guide here 👉https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1NDFqXmINg3v5WMSVGGycEPEKLe_rYCs5J7xD0M_KPLA/edit?slide=id.g2d1563fe524_0_0#slide=id.g2d1563fe524_0_0 Deadline: 20 June! Please do share!

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 23/04/2025

As I prepare to close down my office, I find these. They remind me of why we the work we do as educators, even amidst the chaos, and why it matters.

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 18/04/2025

Big-hearted, big laughs, big school! #BestFriendsForever by @lwilliamsonauthor.bsky.social @guppybooks.bsky.social before—but now there’s a creative writing pack to go with it! Ideal for upper KS2 and early KS3; great for inspiring character-driven writing in schools. #ReadingForPleasure

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 07/04/2025

Can’t wait to dive in to @chrisriddell50 #MermaidsDiary Looks lovely: lush illustrations, playful language & (a prerequisite for me): a fine map. Out in May! Great to see an illustrated novel celebrated as a rich aesthetic whole. 💭 What’s your favourite Riddell creation?

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 07/04/2025

Next on the @KlausFluggePrize @booksforkeeps.bsky.social Longlist is the illustrative work of Annabel Wright @WBGTrust A highly interactive book that encourages the artist in all of us to blossom, it explores the life and art of Wilhelmina Barns-Graham.

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 06/04/2025

A joyful burst of nostalgia! Who remembers devouring these Choose Your Own Adventure books? @pushkinchildrens.bsky.social are bringing them back—new covers, same thrill 🧭 Choice builds agency. While this isn’t the same as choosing what to read, it is about reader empowerment. That’s what hooks us

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 05/04/2025

Finished reviewing #DontTrustFish by @unshavedmouse.bsky.social @dansantat.bsky.social for @booksforkeeps.bsky.social I laughed aloud a lot. I then shared it with my boys and we all laughed aloud even more. LOVE that Dan's given space to flex his own take on Neil's words @andersenpress.bsky.social

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 05/04/2025

🎉 The 2025 @KlausFluggePrize longlist is here — bold, brilliant, beautiful books incoming! ✨ I’m working on this year’s interactive schools pack — coming soon. 📚 PLUS: The #KlausCup returns! Pupils can vote & win the shortlist for their school. Which book’s caught your eye?

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 30/03/2025

My reading journey with the Wheel of Time started before I had children and now my eldest is almost 12. I have loved every page, every word. What a joy. #WheelofTime #RobertJordan

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 23/02/2025

I am loving @rocketbirdbooks.bsky.social contributions to the world of picturebooks. #SlugLife @MoeshaKellaway is a @KlausFluggePr longlistee - a fusion of fact & fiction - I promise it'll have you seeing slugs as cute & versatile by the end 🤣

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 22/02/2025

You absolutely do, Lauren! I don't know this one but I have a different Piper that I treasure

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 22/02/2025

Dear @barringtonstoke.bsky.social thank you so much for sending Anthony McGowan's Beck my way.

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 22/02/2025

🚨 WARNING: Do NOT read the footnotes! 🚨 (Seriously. They’ve gone rogue.) @robwaltonwriter.bsky.social book is a riotous collection of stories where footnotes argue, logic unravels & crisp packets cause dilemmas. Great for fans of Horrible Histories & Terry Pratchett. 🎉 @theemmapress.bsky.social

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 22/02/2025

🔥 The earth trembles. A wolf howls. Cicadas hum in the heat. The slopes of Mount Vesuvius are stirring... #DeltaandtheLostCity by Anna Fargher takes us to Pompeii in AD 79, where Delta the wolfdog takes us on a thrilling, cinematic adventure. @mackidsbooks.bsky.social @loveswimming.bsky.social

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 22/02/2025

📚🔦 Ghost stories, dark secrets, & an adventure too tempting to resist… Shadowhall Academy: Ghost Story Society by @philhickes brings delicious chills for young readers! 👻 My Little Secret Helper (11) says: "I was hooked all the way through; I loved it!" Dare you step inside?

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

The 10th Klaus Flugge Prize Longlist is here! ✨ Celebrating the most exciting newcomers in children's picture book illustration! Huge congratulations to all the longlisted artists! 📚💛 Which book are you most excited to read? 👀👇 #KlausFluggePrize

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

Na Willa’s world feels both intimate & expansive—everyday moments spark big questions. This second book continues her 1960s Indonesia journey, exploring childhood curiosity, family bonds & storytelling. 💭 What childhood books made you see the world differently? @theemmapress.bsky.social

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

New school, new friendships, new drama! 🎒✏️ Each Bigg School book follows a different character (which I think is such a clever take @guppybooks.bsky.social !) 💚 Best Friends Forever 💙 Secret Crush 💛 Double Drama @lwilliamsonauthor.bsky.social @jessbradley.bsky.social Which one first? 🤔

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

📚 #DevilBirdIsland by @gill-lewis.bsky.social illustrated by Irina Avgustinovich, @barringtonstoke.bsky.social went straight to my 'secret reader'—her verdict? 🌊🐦 "A story full of fun &mystery... it raises awareness of pollution in oceans & how we need to stop it." A gripping eco-adventure! 🌍💙

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 08/02/2025

If anyone needs cheering up, remember—this story from the inimitable Philippa Pearce still breathes language, life, and wonder into our world.

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 04/02/2025

I've a lovely, secret helper working with me in reviewing new books coming soon (or just out).She said of @theLucyStrange #TheBoyAtTheWindow @barringtonstoke.bsky.social 'I really enjoyed this book because it was spooky and thrilling. It was also good because it had a chilling twist at the end...'

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 04/02/2025

Reading is about forming worlds, not just processing words. Young readers don’t just interpret text; they build, adjust, and navigate mental landscapes that enrich their comprehension. Just a reflection :)

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

Sometimes it's good to not throw everything out. In my first year of teaching, I read my class David Almond's Skellig. It hadn't long been out. I had grand aspirations of turning it into a graphic novel 🤣

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Mat Tobin @mattobin.bsky.social · 08/12/2024

🍪 One Smart Cookie by @mikasong.bsky.social ( @pushkinchildrens.bsky.social ) Norma and Belly are back with a cookie-filled adventure! Another sweet graphic novel for early readers. I thoroughly enjoyed the debut & this is just as much fun! Out Jan 2025: a delightful mix of mischief and humour🐿️

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