Skip to content

‘The best book-banded series I have come across’ The Merry Bookworm reviews some new higher band Early Readers!

Lorraine at The Merry Bookworm has posted another wonderful review for our recently published higher band Early Readers:

Max the Sheepdog by Cath Jones and Illustrated by Valeria Issa: Purple Band

This is a lovely story about a young dog trying to find his way in life. Its underlying message is that everyone is good at something, even if it takes them a while to work out what it is. Hugo really liked Valeria Issa’s bold and distinctive illustrations, particularly the sheep who rudely pulls its tongue out!’

The Chicken Knitters by Cath Jones and Illustrated by Sean Longcroft: Gold Band

This is a cleverly-written book which wraps humour around the issue of animal welfare, resulting in a funny, warm-hearted story that everyone will enjoy. We loved Sean Longcroft’s quirky illustrations, particularly the chickens wearing their funky knits! As soon as Hugo saw the cover of this book, he immediately pointed out that the pictures reminded him of another Maverick book he really enjoyed – Nanny Ninja – which was also illustrated by Sean. It shows just how much notice children take of book illustrations!’

The Spooky Sleepover by Elizabeth Dale and Illustrated by Steve Wood: Gold Band

We enjoyed this nocturnal adventure story, which encouraged Hugo to race to the end as he was most intrigued to find out whether or not the ghost was real! A fun and entertaining read, with brilliant, expressive illustrations by Steve Wood.’

The Great Pants Robbery by Heather Pindar and Illustrated by Serena Lombardo: White Band

Hugo was very taken by this book – he is of that age where the word ‘pants’ in the title makes a story immediately appealing! He loved the initial mystery, and the ‘courtroom drama’ generated lots of discussion about the role of judges. We also loved Serena Lombardo’s colourful, inclusive illustrations.’

Picnic Planet by Alice Hemming and Illustrated by Emma Randall: White Band

‘This is a wacky space adventure – starmite sandwich anyone? – which highlights to children the consequences of not following instructions. There’s also a subtle touch of ‘do unto others…’. Emma Randall’s detailed pencil illustrations complement the story beautifully.’

This is the best book-banded series I have come across and I can’t recommend the stories highly enough. They have simply worked wonders for my son’s reading confidence, ability and enjoyment. Maverick is intending to supplement the scheme with non-fiction very shortly, too, which I think will be a real game-changer as not all children are motivated by fiction alone, Hugo being a case in point.’

Thank you! Read the full review here and visit our dedicated Early Reader website here to see all the books in the scheme, find links to ordering and download free audio files and activity packs