Dyslexia-friendly books

The esteemed Gabriel Rosenstock has left our company very recently, and all too soon. Acclaimed for his large contribution to both adult and children’s Irish language literature, this posthumous rhyming picturebook is a fantastic addition to his legacy. Comprising of a whistle-stop tour of Ireland, the place names thus encountered, in the tradition if not quite the form of the limerick, handily providing the rhymes for the whole extravaganza.

Marking the great Michael Rosen’s 80th birthday, this collection, with visual accompaniment from five different illustrators, is, as the subtitle suggests, a celebration of a long life in poetry. It comprises of many well-loved and some perhaps lesser-known poems, and is broken up into five sections, illustrated in rotation by the different artists including Yasmeen Ismail, Polly Dunbar, Quentin Blake, Ken Wilson-Max and Bob Graham.

Bob and Archie are back for book two of the fun-filled Koalas in Capes series. Our heroes are hoping to have a day off at the annual Pawtonia Music Festival but alas, it is not to be, as there are rogue robot spiders on the loose! Quickly it becomes clear that their arch enemy Dr Colossus the supervillain ostrich is behind the evil plan to hypnotise everyone and trick them into donating their prized possessions to the fictious Baby Bunnyz Orphanage.

Kian loves to play football with his best mate Azeem. However, when the chance arises to join the local team with his buddy, Kian is very reluctant. What’s even stranger is that he’s the best footballer on the estate.

This gripping young adult novel explores friendship, loyalty, and the weight of secrets. The story centres on Charlie who is trying to balance the pressures of school, family expectations, and complicated friendships. Charlie’s life becomes increasingly difficult when she becomes entangled in a situation involving crime and silence that she never intended to be part of.

Daria has transformed her bedroom into an unlikely secret sanctuary for a group of tiny living dinosaurs. She is convinced she has everything under control until the creatures begin multiplying and escaping into the neighbourhood. With the help of her loyal friends, Oleg and Rory, Daria must track down the runaway dinosaurs before a nosy professor uncovers her extraordinary secret.

Nina Peanut is a confident and funny young girl living in a quiet small town called Dozyville. Excitement ensues when a new boy joins her class, although Nina is not the only one who has noticed him and suddenly, she is competing with lots of her classmates for his attention. The situation becomes even more dramatic when Nina’s teacher announces that they are going to be staging the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet! Nina and the other girls in class must face up to whether they are staying true to themselves or trying to be someone else for the new boy’s attention.

In this fast-paced picturebook, readers are urged to put on their boots and get ready for the pitch as they are invited along to take part in a match alongside a fantastically illustrated football team.