Elias Martin
By Nicola Davies (Author) and Fran Shum (Illustrator)
Notes By Eva John
Category Novels
About the Resources
A seven-page illustrated set of Teachers’ Notes
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About the Book
Elias Martin lives a scowling, solitary life for a decade until a small, lost child wanders into his path.
One in a series of tales that explore the deeper, darker side of our connection with the natural world. Be ready to feel a little bit of magic, and perhaps a few shivers down the spine.
King of the Sky
By Nicola Davies (Author) and Laura Carlin (Illustrator)
Notes By Eva John
Category Picture Books - Fiction
About the Resources
A 7-page illustrated set of Teachers’ Notes.
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About the Book
A powerful and beautifully illustrated story about migration and the meaning of home.
Starting a new life in a new country, a young boy feels lost and alone — until he meets an old man who keeps racing pigeons. Together they pin their hopes on a race across Europe and the special bird they believe can win it: King of the Sky. Nicola Davies’ beautiful story — an immigrant’s tale with a powerful resonance in our troubled times — is illustrated by an artist who makes the world anew with every picture. A musical adaptation of King of the Sky has already met with success on the stage.
Mother Cary’s Butter Knife
By Nicola Davies (Author) and Anja Uhren (Illustrator)
Notes By Eva John
Category Picture Books - Fiction
About the Resources
An 8-page illustrated set of Teachers’ Notes.
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About the Book
The smallest of three brothers, Keenan Mowat had a priceless talent: he loved the sea and the sea loved him right back.
One in a series of tales that explore the deeper, darker side of our connection with the natural world. Be ready to feel a little bit of magic, and perhaps a few shivers down the spine.
Perfect
By Nicola Davies (Author) and Cathy Fisher (Illustrator)
Notes By Eva John
Category Picture Books - Fiction
About the Resources
A 7-page illustrated set of Teachers’ Notes.
There are wonderful opportunities to develop empathy and understanding and to explore difficult issues in this book.
Discussion in pairs, small groups and in the whole class are an important element of developing these qualities and it is important to gently encourage the children to go beyond superficial answers and really explore human responses, motivation and capacity to adapt and change.
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About the Book
Perfect is a story of anticipation, disappointment, acceptance and, ultimately, love. Written by award-winning children’s author Nicola Davies, it tells the story of a young boy learning to accept his baby sister as being perfect in every way in spite of her disability. Suffused with natural imagery, Perfect is an ideal way to open up the subject of disability with children, as well as being a great story in its own right. Beautifully illustrated by Cathy Fisher, Perfect is a truly remarkable book guaranteed to bring a lump to the throat.
The Selkie’s Mate
By Nicola Davies (Author) and Claire Jenkins (Illustrator)
Notes By Eva John
Category Picture Books - Fiction
About the Resources
A 7-page illustrated set of Teachers’ Notes.
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About the Book
In a land where people flow between ocean and land, a seal and a fisherman sing together under a flowing moon.
One in a series of tales that explore the deeper, darker side of our connection with the natural world. Be ready to feel a little bit of magic, and perhaps a few shivers down the spine.
A First Book of Animals
By Nicola Davies (Author) and Petr Horáček (Illustrator)
Notes By Eva John
Category Picture Books - Non-Fiction
About the Resources
A 34-page illustrated set of Teachers’ Notes.
The discussion points and activities in the notes are deliberately open-ended to encourage the development of pupil independence and problem-solving. Talking and writing partners are recommended for many of the tasks in order to build pupil confidence.
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About the Book
Polar bears playing on the ice, tigers hunting in the jungle, fireflies twinkling in the evening sky, and nightingales singing in the heart of the woods - there are animals everywhere.
The poems in this remarkable collection are beautifully crafted and full of keenly observed details about animals of every colour, shape and size - from blue whales to bats as small as bumblebees.
With words by children's author Nicola Davies, and pictures by one of the country's finest illustrators, Petr Horáček, this book celebrates life in the wild in all its dazzling variety and splendour.
A First Book of the Sea
By Nicola Davies (Author) and Emily Sutton (Illustrator)
Notes By Eva John
Category Picture Books - Non-Fiction
About the Resources
A 24-page illustrated set of Teachers’ Notes.
The discussion points and activities in the notes are deliberately open-ended to encourage the development of pupil independence and problem-solving. Talking and writing partners are recommended for many of the tasks in order to build pupil confidence.
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About the Book
A stunning anthology that blends poetry and information about the sea, from an award-winning team.
From Nicola Davies and Emily Sutton, the multi award-winning team behind Tiny and Lots, comes a spellbinding collection of poems about the oceans of the world and their shores. With this book, children can swim alongside dolphins and flying fish, pore over rockpools and sail from pole to pole and back, learning about everything from phosphorescence and plankton to manta rays and puffins – all in the comfort of their bedroom. Emily Sutton's exquisite watercolours capture the breathless excitement of a child's first glimpse of the sea, the majesty of ancient trading ships and the sheer, staggering wonder of the humpback whale.
The Pond
By Nicola Davies (Author) and Cathy Fisher (Illustrator)
Notes By Eva John
Category Picture Books - Fiction
About the Resources
A 6-page illustrated set of Teachers’ Notes.
There are wonderful opportunities to develop empathy and understanding and to explore uncomfortable issues in this book.
Discussion in pairs, small groups and the whole class are an important element of developing these qualities and it is important to gently encourage the children to go beyond superficial answers and really explore the human responses, motivation and capacity to adapt and change.
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About the Book
The Pond is a touching picture book about a young boy, and his family, overcoming the loss of his father. This colourful, emotional book is filled with natural imagery, and will teach children not only about death and loss, but the importance of the natural world.
The White Hare
By Nicola Davies (Author) and Anastasia Izlesou (Illustrator)
Notes By Eva John
Category Picture Books - Fiction
About the Resources
A 6-page illustrated set of Teachers’ Notes.
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About the Book
Back then, humans and animals were fellow beings under the sky. Perhaps that’s why it seemed possible for humans to change into animals.
One in a series of tales that explore the deeper, darker side of our connection with the natural world. Be ready to feel a little bit of magic, and perhaps a few shivers down the spine.
The Day War Came
By Nicola Davies (Author) and Rebecca Cobb (Illustrator)
Notes By Eva John
Category Picture Books - Fiction
About the Resources
A 5-page illustrated set of Teachers’ Notes.
There are wonderful opportunities to develop empathy and understanding and to explore difficult issues in this book. Discussion in pairs, small groups and whole class are an important element of developing these qualities and it is important to gently encourage the children to go beyond superficial answers and really explore human response, motivation and capacity to adapt and change.
Downloads
About the Book
A powerful and necessary picture book – the journey of a child forced to become a refugee when war destroys everything she has ever known.
Imagine if, on an ordinary day, war came. Imagine it turned your town to rubble. Imagine going on a long and difficult journey – all alone. Imagine finding no welcome at the end of it. Then imagine a child who gives you something small but very, very precious...
When the government refused to allow 3000 child refugees to enter this country in 2016, Nicola Davies was so angry she wrote a poem. It started a campaign for which artists contributed drawings of chairs, symbolising a seat in a classroom, education, kindness, the hope of a future. The poem has become this book, movingly illustrated by Rebecca Cobb. A powerful aid for explaining the ongoing refugee crisis to younger readers.
Published in partnership with Help Refugees. Endorsed by Amnesty International.
Grow
By Nicola Davies (Author) and Emily Sutton (Illustrator)
Notes By Eva John
Category Picture Books - Non-Fiction
About the Resources
An 11-page illustrated set of Teachers’ Notes.
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About the Book
A beautifully illustrated introduction to the concept of DNA for younger readers. All living things grow – every plant and every animal, including human beings. Some things grow fast and others grow slowly; some things grow by tiny degrees, while others grow to be enormous. Yet there's something about the way we grow that links us all together. Ever since you were the size of a dot, your body has been following a set of instructions: a code, which connects you with every creature on the planet... With words from Nicola Davies and exquisite artwork by Emily Sutton, this groundbreaking book is certain to enchant and inspire children.
Ride the Wind
By Nicola Davies (Author) and Salvatore Rubbino (Illustrator)
Notes By Eva John
Category Picture Books - Fiction
About the Resources
A 12-page illustrated set of Teachers’ Notes, encouraging children to explore and respond to text and illustrations, with a range of open-ended discussion, research and creative activities to develop understanding of concerns at both a personal and global level.
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About the Book
A heartfelt story from the author of King of the Sky and The Promise, with an important point to make about male mental-health.
Javier has a secret. On one of his father’s fishing-trips, he finds an albatross caught on the hooks – alive, if only barely. Against his father’s orders, Javier smuggles the bird to safety and begins nursing it back to health. Every day the albatross accepts a little more food, but she shows no sign of wanting to use her wings. And if Javier's new friend refuses to fly, how will she ever find her way home? With words by award-winning author Nicola Davies and dramatic watercolours by Salvatore Rubbino, this is a beautiful story about the power of empathy.
Last
By Nicola Davies (Author and illustrator)
Notes By Eva John
Category Picture Books - Non-Fiction
About the Resources
A 13-page illustrated set of Teachers’ Notes.
Designed to encourage close reading of pictures and text to develop empathy, interpretive and thinking skills. Activities provide open-ended opportunities for research and creative expression.
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About the Book
A rhinoceros remembers his life before grey captivity, one full of colour, with familiar smells and sights. He thinks of his mother being slain by poachers. He has searched the zoo but cannot find another like him. He fears he is the last. He describes a joyless life for all the animals with him, before being rescued and brought back home. The colour is brought back into his life when he realises he is not the last.
Walking the Bear
By Nicola Davies (Author)
Notes By Eva John
Category Novels
About the Resources
A 7-page illustrated set of Teachers’ Notes.
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About the Book
A child, a wild animal – and a life-changing encounter. An exciting new range of books in which children find solutions to problems through conservation rather than killing.
Zaki lives in northern India. His father mistreats his wife and children and the family's dancing bears – an old female and the two new cubs who are to replace her. Zaki wants all the bears to be free. With the help of his mother and sister, the old bear is taken to a sanctuary for retired bears while Zaki runs away to the forest with the cubs. There he spends months teaching them how to survive in the wild. When he returns to his family, he finds his father's cruel rule has finally been overturned. His mother has a new way of making a living – and Zaki and his sister can go to school at last.
The Lion Who Stole My Arm
By Nicola Davies (Author)
Notes By Eva John
Category Novels
About the Resources
An 8-page illustrated set of Teachers’ Notes.
Downloads
About the Book
A child, a wild animal - and a life-changing encounter. This is an exciting new range of books in which children find solutions to problems through conservation rather than killing.
On his way home from a fishing trip Pedru is attacked by a lion who takes his arm. As Pedru gradually adapts to his altered circumstances, at home and at school, he vows to get his revenge. So when his father, the finest hunter in the village, agrees to hunt the lion with him, Pedru is thrilled. But father and son track and kill the wrong lion - and find it's wearing a collar. Pedru's feelings change when he returns the collar to the Madune Carnivore Research Unit and the scientists there help him see his lion in a different light. With this new understanding he devotes himself to the study of lion behaviour, inspired by the animals' resilience and the possibilities their careful management opens up for his country's future in the form of tourism. Nicola Davies has visited all the countries she writes about - and information about real conservation projects is included at the back of each book. These books focus on children who live in countries where wild animals pose a threat, and the solutions that will affect their lives and their future. It features beautiful black and white mixed media illustrations by Annabel Wright.
Manatee Baby
By Nicola Davies (Author)
Notes By Eva John
Category Novels
About the Resources
An 8-page illustrated set of Teachers’ Notes.
Downloads
About the Book
A child, a wild animal – and a life-changing encounter. An exciting new range of books in which children find solutions to problems through conservation rather than killing.
The day Manuela and her father spear a manatee, Manuela's life changes for ever. She has dreamed of this moment – only the most skilful hunters ever get near these elusive creatures. But the reality of the killing shocks her, and when she realizes the dead manatee has a little calf and that it has been wounded, she vows to look after it. However, when they return to their village, her father sells the calf to Jose Gomez, a heartless money-maker. Determined to keep her promise, Manuela and her cousin Libia rescue the baby manatee from Gomez and take it to their Granny Raffy's house. The girls devote their time to nursing it, but they know that unless they persuade the people of San Larenzo to stop hunting manatees, it will never survive when they return it to the wild. Together they set up a "manatee school" and slowly convince people not to hunt the already threatened species. But there's one person who won't be convinced: Gomez.
The Elephant Road
By Nicola Davies (Author)
Notes By Eva John
Category Novels
About the Resources
An 8-page illustrated set of Teachers’ Notes.
Downloads
About the Book
A child, a wild animal – and a life-changing encounter. An exciting new range of books in which children find solutions to problems through conservation rather than killing.
One night, Wilen is woken up when his hut is tipped sideways by elephants! The elephants always travel past the village, which sits between two forest reserves, but recently, as land is cleared for crops, they have lost their way and are destroying the harvest. Uncle Denngu urges the villagers to sell the land to a mining company who will cut down the trees and get rid of the elephants. Wilen’s grandpa knows it’s a very bad idea but when he is killed by a cyclone there is no one to defend the forest. Wilen fears that all is lost … until he hears about a scheme that pays local people to plant trees and look after them.
Lots
By Nicola Davies (Author) and Emily Sutton (Illustrator)
Notes By Eva John
Category Picture Books - Non-Fiction
About the Resources
A 5-page illustrated set of Teachers’ Notes.
Downloads
About the Book
From the award-winning team behind Tiny: The Invisible World of Microbes comes Lots, a beautifully illustrated introduction to the concept of biodiversity for younger readers. There are living things everywhere: the more we look, the more we find. There are creatures on the tops of the tallest jungle trees, at the bottom of the coldest oceans, even under the feathers of birds and in boiling volcanic pools. So how many different kinds are there? One, two, three ... lots! With beautiful words from Nicola Davies and exquisite illustrations by Emily Sutton, this groundbreaking book is certain to enchant and inspire children.
“Graffeg have had the pleasure of working with Eva on a number of projects over the past few years, furnishing us with an added educational resource for many of our books. Work of the highest standard is always completed on time and I would happily recommend Eva to anyone looking for top quality teachers' notes to accompany their texts.”
Matthew Howard | Publishing Director, Graffeg
Comprehensive teachers’ notes designed to develop critical thinking skills and a more sophisticated, considered response to texts and illustrations.
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