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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

The three best books I've read in the last few weeks. All absolute crackers for KS2. @sarapennypacker.bsky.social @rebstead.bsky.social

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

My goodness I loved Wolf Siren, an absolute cracker that I'll definitely be pushing into the hands of Y6 teachers.

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 21/10/2025

That being said, it says explicitly at the end of the chapter that the teachers 'did not need to read poetry out of school to love it as people and professionals'. However, I wonder if they could have facilitated & contributed to richer discussions if they did have more of a hinterland to draw on.

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

Made it out for a run for the first time in six days this evening - in the pelting rain no less - and, not to overstate it, but running gives me more life than basically anything else 🏃‍♂️❤️ ☔️

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

In a case study, a teacher laments that rigidity at their school means they teach poetry like 'puppets on a string'. Autonomy is transformative for teacher & pupil but requires deep pedagogical & subject knowledge that only comes from being a genuine reader & writer of poetry.

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

I hope you enjoy it and yes, of course, DM away 👍

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

👆 this is a prevalent pedagogical style to avoid according to the book. The teacher is an expert & should model to pupils how one can respond authentically to poetry's form & meaning. However, our role is to empower & prompt children to think & feel, not do it for them!

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

'The teacher is at the centre of the arena & the students are meant to be learning by watching the master reader as they unravel the poem. The teacher might occasionally ask a question but what tends to happen is more like an oral comprehension tests than a genuine discussion.'

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

Even reading poetry is an act of generating meaning & defining interpretation. When working with pupils we must 'make sure they know that what they're hearing when we read is an interpretation not a definitive reading.' They should experiment & explore to find their own meanings.

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 19/10/2025

Interesting distinction made between reading of poetry & other texts. For most text, once we are 'expert' readers, reading becomes silently internal but poetry cannot be separated from its performance - it must be 'lifted off the page', even if only heard by the 'inner ear'

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 19/10/2025

'It is no great victory to learn to do something that one will not choose to do given the choice.' Eisner quoted in Making Poetry Happen in the context of children being volitional readers of poetry, but it's just as true & vital for all aspects of reading & writing. We need the skill AND the will 👏

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Marianne Doherty @mariannedoherty.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

For #KidsBooksFriday this week let’s highlight great kids puzzle and activity books. I find these are a great way to get kids to engage with physical books, particularly those who fear reading large swathes of text (as I did when I was wee). And they’re just great fun. #KidLitUK #UKKidLit #KidLit

Book cover for Pandora in Puzzlevale by Paul Duffiled, Poqu and Siobhan McKenna

Book cover for Pierre the Maze Detective: The Search for the Stolen Maze Stone by Hiro Kamigaki

Book cover for Adventure Game Comics: Leviathan by Jason Shiga

Book cover for Molly and the Mathematical Mystery by Eugenia Cheung and Aleksandra Artymowska

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 19/10/2025

'Times betwixt & between the demands of the curriculum where poetry can have a presence for teachers & pupils through reading aloud in an atmosphere of enjoyment & challenge is the place where poetry can matter most' My reading during kids' tennis lessons - real food for thought.

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 16/10/2025

So glad you enjoyed it, it's brilliant, isn't it? I do hope there is a third instalment too.

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 16/10/2025

Plain Jane and the Mermaid by @verabrosgol.bsky.social is an utterly brilliant graphic novel. Drawing from a range of folklore, it examines our eternal obsession with physical beauty & how we need to overcome that to find real worth and happiness. A great pick for UKS2 🌊 🧜‍♀️ 🦭

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 12/10/2025

I'm enjoying Adventures in Wonderland by @michaelrosenyes.bsky.social (thanks for the rec @newhambookshop.bsky.social). This point is spot on, kids' lit is a place where it is sensible to hope. Opposed to most adult lit which is centred on the inevitability of tragedy/the tragedy of inevitability.

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Marianne Doherty @mariannedoherty.bsky.social · 10/10/2025

With the IBC Excluded Voices report making for sober reading this week, let’s use #KidsBooksFriday to celebrate brilliant books from global majority writers. #KidLitUK #UKKidLit #KidLit www.inclusivebooksforchildren.org/excluded-voi...

Book cover for Spirit Warriors by Ashley Thorpe

Book cover for Nush and the Stolen Emerald by Jasbinder Bilan

Book cover for Nate Yu’s Blast from the Past by Maisie Chan

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

What if the refugee crisis wasn’t happening far away, but here—in our own homes? No Refuge by Joe Brady & Patrice Aggs is a gripping, empathetic graphic novel that refuses to look away. I reviewed it for @justimaginecentre.bsky.social @the-phoenix-comic.bsky.social justimagine.co.uk/childrens-bo...

justimagine.co.uk

No Refuge - Just Imagine

From Sudan to Syria, from Gaza to Ukraine and from Afghanistan to the DRC, the 24-hour news cycle is filled with tragic tales of refugees. The problem is that watching these crises unfold on our scree...

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 14/09/2025

I really liked the first one quite a lot! It felt like a very cool collision between Farrant and Pullman.

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 14/09/2025

As in this one or the first Impossible Creatures?

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 12/09/2025

Thank you @newhambookshop.bsky.social! King's Hansel & Gretel is deliciously dark & more faithful than expected. Sendak's pictures are the right amount of scary. The Rosen/Oxenbury is so fun & I can't wait to read it aloud. My Hair... is beautifully lyrical. Now to start the new Rundell!

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 31/08/2025

We do a GN in every KS2 year group: Y3 - Mr Wolf's Class Y4 - Cardboard Kingdon Y5 - Lightfall Y6 - When Stars Are Scattered It's always a lot of fun 👏

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 31/08/2025

These (+ Clockwork by Philip Pullman) are the books in our year five curriculum that I always particularly look forward to teaching #SundayMorningBookChat

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 29/08/2025

I'm not sure exactly when it's released, but I think it's one of the strongest selections in years!

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 29/08/2025

Yes, great to chat with you too Stephen!

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 29/08/2025

Today's discussion with fellow @uklitassociation.bsky.social Award longlisters is absolutely one of the highlights of my year. An incredibly hard task to narrow the 7-10 category down to just 20 texts but the vibrant and thoughtful discussions are an honour to witness and be part of 👏 📚 ❤️

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 15/08/2025

Got some 🔥 🎸 and, as you can see, my inner 18 year old emo is beyond happy:

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 15/08/2025

Everything crossed to get MCR tickets. My teenage self is beyond excited... 😂😂

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Marianne Doherty @mariannedoherty.bsky.social · 15/08/2025

Schools are back this week in Scotland. So at @samcreighton.bsky.social’s suggestion, this week’s #KidsBooksFriday is about great books to share with a new class of kids. I’m not a teacher but I think these are all great books to read to kids as a first port of call. #UKKidLit #KidLit #KidLitUK

Book cover for Blitzers by Alastair Chisholm

Book cover for The Little Wooden Robot and the Log Princess by Tom Gauld

Book cover for It Might Be an Apple by Shinsuke Yoshitake

Book cover for Back to School Tortoise by Lucy M George

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 15/08/2025

These are the books that I'll read to my new class on the first day 📚 ❤️ 👏 #KidsBooksFriday

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 15/08/2025

He is still talking about it, despite having read several other books since. Any news on when you hope to have the next instalment out?

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 08/08/2025

Great! Number three comes out soon too 👏

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 08/08/2025

👏 👏 👏 The Twelve is fantastic! I reviewed it for @justimaginecentre.bsky.social a while ago and loved it, incredibly atmospheric and rich.

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 08/08/2025

Witch Boy ❤️ have you read Molly's Dungeon Club series?

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 08/08/2025

Great question! There are loads I could pick, so I went with the first four that came to my mind. Mamo in particular is a criminally under-read graphic novel and @kellybarnhill.bsky.social's The Girl Who Drank the Moon remains one of my favourite children's books #KidsBooksFriday

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 06/08/2025

Nope. Love my school too much to ever leave. Commuting in each day 🙂 it's not too bad, just ludicrously expensive!

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 06/08/2025

I moved last Easter holidays 🙂

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 06/08/2025

At Dover Castle, it's about 15 mins from where I live in Folkestone (which also has lovely sea view tbf). I was here 30 mins before my wife & kids, so sat with this view, listening to Lou Reed and reading Natasha Farrant, blissful stuff 👏

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 06/08/2025

This is a pretty amazing place to live. I think everyone should get to see the sea every day.

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 05/08/2025

Always the way! What year group are you going into? Or are you moving out of class?

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 05/08/2025

Excited to discover @lighthousecomics.co.uk in my new town. I only popped in but it looks fab. Picked up Haru in the hope of making the next #LetsTalkGraphicNovels @mattobin.bsky.social @richardruddick.bsky.social @rcharlesworth.bsky.social 👏 Will be sure to go in again to buy these new titles too.

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 04/08/2025

I've like Konnie Huq's books (the Cookie series & Fearless Fairy Tales) & remember her original as a Blue Peter presenter in my childhood, rather than a writer. The main issue for me is if the budgets poured into their books mean more interesting texts aren't published/pushed, it's worse overall.

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 03/08/2025

I hope you're happy @struan-murray.bsky.social! My 9 year old is bereft having finished Dragonborn because the next instalment isn't out yet! He adores it and now can't choose his next book, as he thinks nothing will compare! 😂 How long until he can get his hands on part two?!

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Sam Creighton @samcreighton.bsky.social · 01/08/2025

If it's any book I read in childhood that formed me as a reader, then it has to be these... #KidsBooksFriday

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