Barrington Stoke ISBN 9781781125595 £6.99
This book surprised me in a good way. Firstly, it is beautifully drawn and there’s something about its compact, sturdy shape that captured my curiosity. After this, I was expecting a run of the mill story on a medical theme, but this book exceeded my expectations. In a nutshell Anna Liza tries to imitate her mum as a psychiatrist, looking after the children left in the waiting room while their parents go in to see her mum. It’s very clever as the content deals with mental health issues, specifically loss, either in terms of a relationship or a bereavement. The clever bit is it doesn’t say which it is so works for both. Children are often the unseen casualties when their parents have tough times and this book addresses this issue in a digestible, subtle way. I would recommend it for Juniors upwards alone or across the key stages when used as a resource for P4C or circle time. It is a good book and it really impressed me.
Rob Bilney, KS2 teacher, Llancarfan Primary School