Reluctant Readers

Blog Posts: 1–11 of 258
  1. Windows and Mirrors: Author Q&A with Katharine Quarmby

    Windows and Mirrors: Author Q&A with Katharine Quarmby

    Posted on: Nov 07, 2023
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    Windows and Mirrors is a brand-new series of 6 engaging and thought-provoking titles that will offer a powerful opportunity to open conversations, challenge bias and prejudice, foster a sense of community, and build resilience. Written by award-winning writer, editor and journalist, Katharine Quarmby, these titles can act as ‘mirrors’, reflecting the reader’s own experiences to help them feel heard and understood, as well as ‘windows’, where students are given an insight into lives different from their own. Set in an inner city school, each book looks at the experience of a student who is going through a difficult time. The books navigate the reader through hardships and signpost how to access, or offer, help. Although the books can be hard-hitting, the subjects examined are expertly and sensitively handled.

    We spoke with author Katharine Quarmby about the series:

     

    Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your series ‘Windows and Mirrors’? Were there re

  2. Author Submissions — WOW! Fiction

    Author Submissions — WOW! Fiction

    Posted on: Mar 09, 2023
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    Would you like to write a story for our next series? We are currently open to submissions for further titles in our upcoming series WOW! Fiction. Titles in this new series will be thematically matched to titles in our best-selling non-fiction series WOW! Facts.

    These will be low-level books for reluctant and struggling readers, with a reading age of 6.5–8 years (book bands white, lime and brown), an interest age of 7–14 years and a word count between 1600–2500 divided into a minimum of six chapters. All books will be edited and levelled by a literacy consultant, so even if you don’t have experience in writing for a specific reading age you can still submit!

    No previous book deal is necessary but an engaging voice, relatable content and an excellent standard of written English is essential. Knowledge of children's literature is also key as you need to know good stories to write good stories!

    If you are interested in writing for any of these titles, we are invitin

  3. New Authors Wanted

    New Authors Wanted

    Posted on: May 25, 2022
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    Would you like to write a story for our next series? We are currently open to submissions for our upcoming series WOW! Fiction. Titles in this new series will be thematically matched to titles in our best-selling non-fiction series WOW! Facts.

    These will be low-level books for reluctant and struggling readers, with a reading age of 6–6.5 years (book bands turquoise, purple, gold), an interest age of 7–14 years and a word count between 800–1400. All books will be edited and levelled by a literacy consultant, so even if you don’t have experience in writing for a specific reading age you can still submit!

    No previous book deal is necessary but an engaging voice, relatable content and an excellent standard of written English is essential. Knowledge of children's literature is also key as you need to know good stories to write good stories!

    If you are interested in writing any of these titles, we are inviting authors

  4. Books to Boost Reading Confidence and Help Students Catch Up

    Books to Boost Reading Confidence and Help Students Catch Up

    Posted on: Jun 09, 2021
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    A study conducted by Renaissance Learning in 2020 showed that 63% of teachers expected that lockdown — and all the limitations that come with it — would increase the existing attainment gap for disadvantaged students. Perhaps more alarmingly, over a third of teachers indicated that they did not feel their school was prepared to measure, and subsequently act on, those attainment differences upon returning to the classroom.

    Filling gaps will no doubt be an ongoing priority for teachers as we navigate a post-lockdown landscape, with key areas of learning taking priority in the mission to catch up. Few areas are more key than literacy, and we know it is going to be a race against time to try and accelerate some students back up to the level of their peers, to reinforce the key skills that will enable them to access the rest of the curriculum. To that end, we wanted to highlight some of our best ‘reading for pleasure’ resources to provide as clear a path as possible — particularly at the al

  5. Welcome Back!

    Welcome Back!

    Posted on: Sep 24, 2020
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    Welcome Back

    It’s fantastic to see children back in school after so long a break, and we know how hard staff have had to work to implement all the new (and changing) procedures to get to this stage.

    Here at Badger Learning we have been working on updating our products to make sure we have what you need to ensure children are supported in their reading journey and with their wellbeing. We know that the pandemic has put a huge strain on some children’s mental health and wellbeing and as much as we hope that will all be eased now they are back at school, some will need additional resources. Primary teachers may want to take a look at our PSHE Through Stories Collection.  For secondary schools, our Minding Your Mental Health and Supporting Your

  6. Getting into writing with two Sides Two Sides II Author Emma Norry

    Getting into writing with two Sides Two Sides II Author Emma Norry

    Posted on: Nov 07, 2019
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    Badger publishing fans will be aware of our best-selling Two Sides series of thought-provoking stories on hard-hitting themes that are breaking new ground in accessible literature.  Emma Norry is the author of United, one of the books in the Two Sides II series, and she kindly agreed to an interview about this book and shares some tips on becoming a writer. Danny Pearson, our publisher, also gives us some insight into the commissioning process for this series and the reaction from readers.

    How did you research and prepare for writing this novel?

    My husband is a massive football fan, both playing and watching it. So… I watched games with him, tried FIFA and PES on the PlayStation and asked my son about playing at school. 

    United is a story about Zane, a football-mad teenager coming to terms with his sexuality.  He has to cope with homophobic comments from his dad and coach how do you think this affects his mental state?

  7. Horror Hotel

    Horror Hotel

    Posted on: Oct 04, 2019
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    We’ve been working extra hard over the summer to make sure there are fantastic new books available for you at the start of the school year!

    And we’ve had a lot of fun developing Horror Hotel — our brand-new series of six creepy stories written by the brilliant Tim Collins. Brace yourself for some seriously scary and mysterious adventures filled with monsters, intelligent technology and an eccentric hotel manager who may or may not be there to help guests!

    Horror is perennially popular with teens, so we’ve created this series for readers aged 12+ who have a reading age of 6–7.

     

    We were thrilled to work again with talented artists Abby Ryder and James Lawrence. Take a look below at some examples of their work. Their imaginative and highly creative illustrations bring each story to life. Every double-page spread contains a perfect balance of text and illustrations, crucial for supporting reluctant or struggling readers.

  8. Between The Lines II

    Between The Lines II

    Posted on: Sep 05, 2019
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    Between The Lines II Poster

    We are delighted to bring you eight brand-new titles that will capture the interest and imaginations of teenage readers.

    Between The Lines II is a series of books dealing with mature and compelling themes, filling the need for age-appropriate fiction written for teenage readers with reading ages of 8–9 years.

    We’ve worked closely with a team of experienced and talented authors to create a mixture of action-packed and thought-provoking stories.

    We’re especially proud of the diverse range of plots, settings and characters within this new series. From sports clubs and schools, to unfamiliar and chilling visions of the future, stories cover the dangers of internet chat rooms, crime, grief, female empowerment, friendship, bullying, dystopian futures, and much more.

     Although limited to a maximum of 6,000 words per book and with carefully controlled language, these books have the look and feel of a real novel.

    You’ll notice t

  9. Two Sides II OUT NOW!

    Two Sides II OUT NOW!

    Posted on: Apr 11, 2019
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    Two Sides II – Out Now!

    We are thrilled to announce that we are back with a brand-new series — Two Sides II.

    Given the success of the first Two Sides series — published in September last year — we expect these six new books to be a real hit with students.

    As in the first series, the texts consist of two first-person narratives with differing perspectives. One ‘bystander’ narrative, usually presenting a narrow or prejudiced view, alternates with the main character’s voice who reveals the broader reality of their difficult situation.

    These books really do pack a punch and consider hard-hitting topics that affect many of today’s teenagers. Gender identity, racism, sexuality, anxiety, loneliness, domestic abuse and homelessness are all covered.

    They are specifically written for struggling and reluctant readers aged 13+, with reading ages of 8–9.

    Each book has a dedicated section at the back with easily-digestible information about the topics

  10. A Little Secret Wins Coventry Inspiration Award

    A Little Secret Wins Coventry Inspiration Award

    Posted on: Mar 07, 2019
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    A LITTLE SECRET - The Book Awards 2019 category winner.

     

    I am very excited to announce that the team here at Badger Learning have won the Coventry Inspiration Book Awards – Rapid Reads category. This award is for the best quick read book for young people aged 11-16.

     

    A Little Secret, written by Ann Evans and James Lawrence took home the award. This book is part of our bestselling series, Papercuts, an eerie series of short reads for teenagers.

     

    We are so proud to have won this along with Ann and James as we were up against some huge titles and even bigger publishers. It’s particularly gratifying as this award is a vote by young people in Coventry who are reading these books and voting for their favourites in weekly elimination rounds. See the shortlist and results below:

     

    A Little Secret

    By Ann Evans (Author), James Lawrence (Illustrator)

    Badger Publishing - The Book Awards 2019 categor

Blog Posts: 1–11 of 258