The villain's comeuppance was satisfying, I liked there was a map, it never made me roll my eyes like some other new middle-grade books have done as it avoided many cliches and tropes. This book also reminds us that, if we give it a chance nature can thrive: "Nature has ways to repair itself. What didn't work for me was that Wick seemed to become part of the Hob's community within days, and it felt too quick.

It seems there is no life or future beyond the walls of the matchstick factory; certainly nobody every escaped. My favourite quote from Wick is ‘I think of all the small things the Hobs have done for me, how much they have added up. She has an office full of strange things, mechanical beetles, a miniature man in a bell jar and butterflies stuck to a board next to a pair of octagonal green glasses. Appreciated that not everything was black and white (though some things were) and that not every character had a fairy tale ending (though some did). The writing is cleverly crafted move the narrative beyond being just about fanciful miniature worlds and people, but more so about the underlying message of the importance of protection and conservation.Upravo glavna tema ove knjige je upoznavanje sa funkcionisanjem jednog šumskog ekosistema, ali i šta se dešava kada se on naruši uticajem nekog faktora od spolja (u ovom slučaju, upravo ljudskog faktora). En dat terwijl we net hebben geleerd dat de Hobbs, het kleine volkje dat de kinderen komt redden, twee onbreekbare regels kent voor de Woudwachters: Bescherm het woud en Schaadt nooit iets levends.

Usborne) Wick is determined that Bottletop should not know the worst of Ma Bogey’s regime at Harklights. Wick must prove himself to the Hobs and help them solve a serious problem that is threatening to destroy their homes and maybe even their entire species. This heart-warming and enchanting story was a pleasure to lose myself in, with charming illustrations that depict a world of imagination and wonder. Harklights is an adventure with a message about looking after nature and yet it is not at all preachy and is woven into the story seamlessly. Reading this book made me realise even more just how lucky I am to live near a forest, in a town with plenty of fields and country lanes.It’s a fantastic independent book seller that will actually be responsive and select appropriate books for you. Tilley, an avid nature-lover himself, provides an accessible story for younger readers to delve into, with rich opportunities to open up discussions about how we can look after our natural world. Yourself and Bob are much cherished in our booky world and I personally really appreciate everything that you do. Through this encounter, Wick overcame some fears and fought against Old Ma Bogey, who destroyed the nature to force the orphans to make matches.

After being released, they sprout trees beneath the circus causing it to be rise to the canopies, never to be used again. Oliver twist meets the smurfs in this mesmerising ecological fairy-tale of friendship, family, and helping the environment. Follow his adventures as he overcomes his fear of heights and grows in confidence thanks to Papa Herne’s encouragement. When Wick first starts to explore his new environment, it is a joy to see him finding so much beauty around him. Harklights is an utterly enchanting adventure that sends out a pure and powerful message that no matter how small you are in this world , you have a power, responsibility and influence over protecting the natural world around you.

Your words, like your reviews, bring books to life and give them a voice before the front cover is even turned. For example, her father ran a successful circus that included captured pixies and hobbs as performers. I really liked the chase scene between Wick and the machine and then when he is triumphant in destroying it. However, In the finale Wick is able to use his inventiveness to defeat Ma Bogey and realises he didn’t need a magical ability. Join our community to get personalised book suggestions, extracts straight to your inbox, 10% off RRPs, and to change children’s lives.

Harklights tells a warm story of evergreen proportions as Wick explores the world of Hobs in his pursuit of being a forest protector. This experience has been fantastic primarily for the children, the school and also for me (professionally).While our focus is on the narrator’s hopes and fears, behind them all is a tale of despoilation, exploitation and cruelty fully relevant in our contemporary world which will resonate even with the most innocent young reader. Bronnie is so lovely with the boys and we also felt that having a man enthusing about the books set a great example. Kelly's particular interest in language acquisition and vocabulary development has led to the publication of her first book, Word Power: Amplifiying vocabulary instruction (2019) - full of ideas for building a language-rich environment and top tips to Power-Up explicit vocabulary instruction.