Learning loss, reading sabbaticals and no shoes - it's the 'Back to School' special

Around this time in August, every year for the last ten years, we prepare a big 'back to school' display in the shop. Usually it's a mix of 'first day back at school' titles along with a variety of dictionaries and books to help with handwriting, maths and spelling.

This year, we want to do something a bit different.

OK, OK, so my writing skills are a little rusty...
See below for more about FowlLanguage

If you are a parent - possibly a grandparent, and indeed anyone who's been looking after children for the summer - I'm sure the start of the holiday began with ambitious plans. Plenty of activities interspersed with regular writing, reading and maths exercises to keep that schoolwork fresh in the mind and ticking over.

So how did that go? That good, huh?

Teachers refer to the hiatus in schoolwork over the Summer as 'Summer Learning Loss'. Yep, it's a thing (it even has its own Wikipedia page). But before moral panic sets in about what you might or might not have done better over the holidays, here are the Mostly Books top tips to make sure the start of school is a positive experience for everyone (including you).

1. Don't panic

There is still at least a whole week left - and possibly longer - before school starts, and to be honest schools are well aware of the situation and tend to ease children back into the whole learning thing. Don't beat yourself up about it.

"Atomic weights?
Isn't this graduate stuff???"

At the same time, don't pass the buck completely to the school. There are definitely things you can do now that will have a huge impact on the start of school. Remember, this isn't just about the start of school, this is about getting into the swing of good study habits for the first few weeks of the year.

Here are a few (small) ideas from the shop that we reckon can make a (big) difference over the coming weeks. And of course, you can always come in and ask for our advice as well!

2. Starting school - get excited

You may have had a blast when you were at school - or hated every minute of it. But there's often little you can do to control your own children's reaction to starting school, but the best thing is get excited with a child ahead of school starting.

And a book can help.

Along with a few of our favourites such Usborne's 'First Experiences' series, or 'Topsy and Tim Start School', we love Sam Lloyd's 'First Day at Bug School', Sam was the creative force behind 'Calm Down Boris' and this a funny' delightful books about a bug's first day at school down the bottom of the garden is both a fun story, but creates a space to discuss any anxieties your child might be having ahead of the big day.

A few weeks ago, we had a special visit from Hugless Douglas, and you can bet he has a whole load of ideas of how to survive little school. As well as a brand new Hugless Douglas 'Numbers' book, we recommend taking a look at 'Hugless Douglas Goes to Little School'.

3. Maths and Writing Skills

There are some imaginative and fun activity books to help children with their reading and writing. We've got a big range of early reading and writing books for little ones, including the Letts animal-themed series 'Wild About' which includes books on counting, writing, reading for ages 3 up to 8.

But we have been particularly impressed with Scholastic, who took characters from the Star Wars universe and created a whole series of workbooks for KS1 and KS2. Whether its lightsaber poems, Yoda's wisdom on verbs or learning along with the young Ewoks, this might just be a great way of channeling your child's obsession with Star Wars ahead of school!

All of these titles tend to be around the £5 mark, so our suggestion on how to boost excitement? Give your little one a budget to come in and choose a book for starting school from our table...

4. Book v Gadget - getting that reading back on track

Whether you have a bookwork or a reluctant reader, there is easily enough time between now and the start of school to read a whole book. Don't think so? We can help.

"The best minds of my generation are
thinking about how to make [children]
click ads" - Jeff Hammerbacher

Years ago, reading was often something that children did when they got bored. That doesn't really happen nowadays. There is always something they can turn to - often a phone, gadget or game - and reading does require a lot more effort.

You need to create some space and give a story the chance to put hooks into the imagination.

Over the past few years, we've banged the drum for starting a reading group with whoever lives in your house.

Here's our cut out and keep 5 step plan to starting a family reading group.

We think you should do this anyway throughout the year, but for this coming week, how to pull your kids off the gadgets and get them giving a book a try?

Firstly, try 'no electronics' periods. Get everyone to stack their devices in one place for at least one hour whilst reading takes place (this works great for mealtime too - we tried it recently at a restaurant, and the effect was nothing short of revolutionary, as it's often adults who are the worst offenders with checking their mobile phones!).

We also recommend Noel Janis-Norton's advice for getting co-operation with your children on any new task - and we really recommend you read 'Calmer Easier Happier Screen-Time' for a great plan to turn electronic devices from a battleground into a positive experience for everyone.

5. Keep it short

Next, find a book that is going to have the best possible chance of getting finished. It's no use giving them a 'classic' of 400 pages if they are out of the habit of reading. Again, give them a budget and bring them in to choose their own book - but allow them a lot of leeway in terms of the book they choose - we often recommend Barrington Stoke titles which are fabulous, page-turning stories by some of our best writers, but are short and help build momentum in getting reading back on track.

Some of our favourite new titles: 'The OMG Blog by Karen McCombie' and 'Monster Slayer' by Brian Patten and illustrated by Chris Riddell. But come in and have a look at the range.

6. Tap into their interests

Is your child into something like cars or cooking? Find a story that appeals! We love 'The Secret Cooking Club' by Laurel Remington.

Scarlett has no life - she fears that her Mum will ridicule anything she says or does on her blog, but when the old lady next door has a fall she discovers that sometimes being a friend is more important. As her secret cooking club grows so does her circle of friends. It's a lovely story about friends and family and what holds them together.

Would your child rather be shooting zombies than reading about baking? Don't worry - there's a book for that. Curtis Jobling's 'Monster Hunter' features Max Helsing, descended from a long line of monster hunters, who does a pretty good job of keeping up a schoolwork by day, whilst keeping his town safe from demons, ghouls and the occasional mummy by night.

That is, until he turns thirteen and discovers he's been cursed by an ancient vampire who wants him dead - at any cost. To save the world - and his life - Max must rely on his wise-cracking best friend, cantankerous mentor, computer genius neighbour, and brand-new puppy...

Here's a few ideas - we have many, many more. Whether it's revision guides, dictionaries, reading lists for school or universiity - we're here to help. Come on in to the shop and let's get to work!

(And that cartoon at the start? It's from the brilliant Fowl Language comic strip, possibly the funniest comic about the realities of 21st century parenting we know from Brian Gordon. There's a collection of his comics now available in the shop, and trust us - you'll laugh out loud :-)

Calmer, Easier, Happier Screen Time with Noël Janis-Norton

In the past she's come to Abingdon and given fantastic advice on parenting and homework. But we are excited to welcome back Noël Janis-Norton, who is coming to John Mason School to talk about children and ‘Screen Time’.

The most frequent question Noël is asked is how to limit and manage screen time. Parents know their children become aggressive and stressed after prolonged time on an electronic device - whether phone, XBox or TV - and they know that it limits their child's willingness to do other activities - yet they struggle to find ways to deal with it.

Noël is a real inspiration and has just so much wisdom and experience in dealing with children of all ages. She will be at John Mason School on Thursday, May 12 at 6pm to discuss her proven techniques to help parents in this complex area.

In 'Calmer, Easier, Happier Screen Time' she uses the latest scientific research to show just how addictive the digital world can be for the developing brain. She'll also use calmer, easier, happier techniques to help parents wean their children and teenagers away from their electronic devices, to limit and guide their screen time in a positive way and, feel parents are more in charge of this challenging area of modern life.

This event is free, but space is limited - so please email us to reserve a place if you want to come. For anyone who has seen Noël speak before, she's a quietly engaging and inspiring speaker. 

And if you know anyone who you feel would benefit from practical advice – let them know!

3 4 Friday - holiday reads, half-term fun and a homework masterclass

We have some big reads for this weeks 3 4 Friday #fridayreads - and a big thank-you to make to the wonderful Noel Janis Norton who did an amazing event with us on Wednesday.

Just out in paperback is the 'Cleaner of Chartres' by Salley Vickers. It's a stylish contemporary story about the cleaner who arrives unexpectedly in a French town and the lives she touches. But mild Agnes has a secret past and when she falls foul of the town's worst gossip, the life she had fought so long to leave behind her starts to catch her up.

Salley Vickers polishes her cast of characters to a rich patina, drawing in themes such as faith and love and produces a gripping and heartwarming story about good intentions gone wrong and second chances. Nicki absolutely loved this when she read the hardback last year.

The current book that Mark can't stop talking about in the shop is 'The Wall' by William Sutcliffe. He was completely blown away by this brilliantly told coming-of-age tale which will leave you with shredded nails but hope in your heart.

Josh lives in Amarias, an Israeli settlement in the West bank behind the 'Separation Fence' ('The Wall'). When Josh investigates a tunnel he discovers running under The Wall, he starts a chain of events that threaten lives on both sides of the fence, but might just get him killed. It is surprising, heartbreaking, yet beautifully told - and quite simply superb.

The book is appropriate for adults and teens - we wouldn't have been surprised to see it on the Carnegie list.

Although school's now out, a big thank you to Noel Janis-Norton for an inspiring talk to parents at Larkmead School in Abingdon this week, and her book 'Calmer, Easier, Happier Homework'.

Noel's experience, wisdom and tried-and-tested strategies can help our children become more confident, reduce stress and teach them all kinds of skills from thinking problems through to managing their time more effectively. We cannot recommend this book highly enough as both booksellers and parents!

Don't forget the monumental 'Where's Hugless' hunt for Hugless Douglas around Abingdon this week, with a big Hugless Douglas party taking place at Mostly Books at 2pm on Saturday June 1st. Meet author David Melling and Hugless Douglas himself!

3 4 Friday: Celebrate Abingdon this weekend - its gardens, its history and...its homework?

Mostly Books are delighted to be hosting the launch event of a fantastic new history of Abingdon, one written with both children and adults in mind.

‘Sixty Spooky, Strange and Surprising Stories about the History of Abingdon’ is a book ghost written by local author Judy Stubley on behalf of a mysterious 14th century monk named “Brother Cedric”. He approached Judy in Abingdon Library with his amazing tales of Abingdon’s history, and who could possibly turn down the opportunity of ghost-writing a book for an actual ghost?

The launch event will be at Mostly Books on Tuesday, 14 May at 7.30pm. The event is free, and there will be refreshments (more details here), but as space is limited, you will need to let us know you are coming on the night. And you can pop in and get a sneaky look at the book as we have early copies in the shop...

Improved weather goes hand-in-hand with the National Gardens Scheme (NGS), and the famous ‘Yellow Book’ of gardens available across the UK to visit during the Spring and Summer (available in all good bookshops!).

In Abingdon, internationally-renowned artist Janet Boulton not only opens up her garden on Spring Road, but has this year published a book all about how it was created: ‘Foreground, Background: About Making A Garden’. 

Janet Boulton specialises in watercolour and paper relief works and was artist in Residence at Edinburgh College of Art. Her garden – the location of her studio – has evolved into a symbiosis of plants and poetic objects. Come and look at the book in the shop – and be sure to visit the exhibition of her garden which will be on at Abingdon Museum from May 1st.

OK – if you have kids, particularly teenage kids, homework is something you look forward to with relish, yes? Mmm. Wouldn’t it be great if you could transform homework battles in a very short space of time and help your child grow in confidence?

Parenting guru Noël Janis-Norton – author of ‘Calmer, Easier, Happier Parenting’ – is coming to Larkmead School on May 22 to talk about her new book ‘Calmer, Easier, Happier Homework’. The book addresses all the typical problems associated with homework, and with Noël Janis-Norton's advice you will learn how to make your family life much easier. Tickets are £4, include a glass of wine, and a discount off the book on the evening. Find out more about the event here.

And don't forget the Abingdon Spring Cycling Festival this Sunday...

Calmer, easier, happier parents all round

Parenting, and how to develop a parenting style that helps your children be more confident and want to cooperate (without complaint and without having to be reminded) was the subject of our evening event on Monday July 16.

It was a sell-out, and it took a while to move enough tables in the shop out of the way to make room for all the mums, dads and grandparents who came along to pick up some tips on how to take some of the difficulties out of looking after children.

Parenting guru Noël Janis-Norton has spent many years developing her parenting techniques, which are now collected in her book  ‘Calmer, Easier, Happier Parenting’, which is currently one of the best-selling books on parenting.

In a mixture of good advice, questions, and even a little role play, the audience was taken through Noel’s strategies to help children want to do as you ask, the first time of asking.

Her approach is based on remembering to praise your children when they get things right. She explained why focusing on bad behaviour can actually have a negative effect and why nagging and reminding them when they are doing something wrong is a strategy that is stressful for both parent and child.

Constantly finding things to praise is often counter-intuitive and parents often have to work hard to succeed, but the result is that children are reinforced with positive images of the behaviour their parents would like to see and Noel said she has never known her strategies fail.

She also gave us the science behind it, explaining that in focusing on helping children picture correct behaviour you help to programme their long-term memories, which is what guides repeated behaviour.

Noel encouraged the audience - even if they were sceptical - to try her techniques, even if they found it difficult at first. She also encouraged sitting down with their children, making sure they knew exactly what behaviour is expected.

The final result is that children are more confident and self-reliant generally in their lives.

It was a fascinating evening and I doubt anyone went away without a resolve to try it out.

Noel’s next book will be about homework – and from the enthusiastic response to the evening on Monday, we are hoping she will come back next year and help us all take the stress out of homework! We may have to find a suitable school...one with a bit more room...

Thanks very much to Noel, who travelled up from London on the day especially to attend the event. We sold out of the book on the evening - but I'm glad to say that more copies of her book have now arrived!

Update 2013 - Noel is returning to Abingdon on Wednesday May 22 to talk about the challenges of homework - find out more here.


(If you'd like to know a bit more about the evening, blogging Mum ChildLedChaos attended the evening and has written a fabulous blog on the event here, including more on Noel's approach, methods, and her extremely effective 'socratic' method of asking questions repeatedly to get to the root of specific problems raised by those in the audience!)

3 4 Friday: Summer Events with Noël Janis-Norton, Bethan Roberts and Ann Cleeves

We have a few events coming up over summer to tempt you away from the sport (or perhaps you need no tempting?). Anyway, we have assembled three golden authors over the Summer in our own version of a cultural Olympiad...

On Monday 16 July at 7.30pm we welcome Noël Janis-Norton, author of 'Calmer, Easier, Happier Parenting'. This takes place at Mostly Books, and Noël will be discussing her own approach to reducing the stress of parenting - and improving the relationship with your children at the same time. We only have about four places left for this event, and you must have a ticket (£4 to include wine). So if you would like to attend, details on how you can book can be found here.


Following the success of our joint 'Big Read' event with Abingdon Library earlier this year with author Rachel Joyce, we welcome rising literary star Bethan Roberts, author of 'The Pools' and 'The Good Plain Cook' to Abingdon Library on Thursday 9 August at 7.30pm.

Her latest book - set in Brighton in the 1950s - has just been selected for the prestigious annual Brighton 'City Reads' and we have been encouraging bookgroups to read the book over the summer for discussion in the autumn. Whether you come with your bookgroup, with a friend or on your own, it promises to be a lovely event, particularly as Bethan was born and grew up in Abingdon and worked in Abingdon library for a short time!


The book is, in part, inspired by the life of EM Forster, and has been critically acclaimed by a whole host of reviewers and readers. Read Nicki's review here, and find out how to attend the event here. Again, tickets are £4 and include a glass of wine.

Ann Cleeves looks poised to be the latest big name in crime fiction and we are pleased that she will be visiting Mostly Books in August. Her successful Vera Stanhope series has already made her a household name since being televised with Brenda Blethyn in the title role.

In September Ann Cleeves's Shetland series will be making its television debut. This new murder-mystery series is set against the stunning Scottish backdrop of the Shetland Isles and centres on Detective Jimmy Perez (played by Douglas Henshall). If you want to discover these books before seeing them on the television, come along and meet Ann at Mostly Books on Weds 15th August, 7.30pm. Full details can be found here, but pop in to see our offer to try her book 'Raven Black' for 99p when you spend £20 or more.