Make the best out of the short term
Dear teachers and parents
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New books you might have missed
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Choosing your classroom favourite for 2027
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Inspirational School Diaries 2027
The 2027 Inspirational School Diary is a useful diary for school learners with 52 weekly mini devotions. The themes of the daily devotions are specifically aimed at inspiring and motivating young people. Each devotional contains a Scripture passage, an age-appropriate message and a short prayer to encourage young readers in their faith. The school diary has two daily entries per page with ample space for homework, afterschool activities, assessments and personal notes. The creative covers and practical layout of these diaries will appeal to all teenagers, and are available in English and Afrikaans for girls and boys.
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A Wordless picture book called Paper Tales
Three friends and their adorable paper pets set off on an imaginative origami adventure, navigating stormy seas, rescuing birds and coming face-to-face with a friendly paper dragon.
But Paper Tales is more than an adventure. This wordless picture book gives young children the freedom to create the story themselves. As they explore each page, children can describe what they see, invent characters and events, make connections between pictures and develop their own narratives.
Paper Tales supports:
Language development – encouraging children to describe pictures, build vocabulary and express ideas.
Early storytelling skills – helping children understand sequence, characters, setting and cause and effect.
Creativity and imagination – allowing children to interpret the story in their own way.
Communication and confidence – giving children opportunities to share their ideas and tell stories in their own words.
Early literacy – helping children understand that pictures can communicate meaning and that stories have a beginning, middle and end.
With bright, playful illustrations and paper-inspired characters and creatures, every page offers a new opportunity to look, talk, imagine and create.
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A small book about big feelings
My Feelings Journal is a guided journal designed to help primary school-aged children develop emotional literacy, self-awareness and healthy daily habits around emotional well-being. Blending reflection, creativity and mindfulness, this child-led book provides structured, age-appropriate support for children navigating the ups and downs of their inner world.
The author, Rebecca Maughan-Brown, holds master's degrees in social work and public health from Tulane University in Louisiana in the United States. She is a mother and wrote My Feelings Journal for her daughter when she was working to better understand her feelings.
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Luca the lamb and the wild, woolly day
Luca is on the loose! Join the chase to catch Luca the lamb. This entertaining farm adventure follows a gaggle of kids in pursuit of a mischievous runaway. As little Luca frisks and frolics his way through the Karoo veld and farmsteads, young readers see the world of wool in action: sheepdogs rounding up the flock, shearers skilfully shaving fluffy sheep, handsome stud rams winning rosettes, crafters spinning yarn. . . all the way to a fancy fashion show of wacky woollen outfits.
Peppered throughout the story are snippets of information for curious youngsters: How fast can you shear a sheep? How many socks do you get from one fleece? How clever is a sheepdog?
This comical, colourful tale is richly illustrated and proudly South African. The reading level aligns with the National Curriculum’s Foundation Phase CAPS (English and Life Skills), though younger children will also enjoy the story, visuals and humour.
Available at leading bookstores and online!
