BY DAWN WOODS

 

The best way to educate is to tie in a story element and this book wins on this account. However it does not preach and is a book for home as much as school.

Ali Pasha is a story based on true events. When a boy, Michael Foreman had a friend whose father had a tortoise acquired in unusual circumstances. Michael Foreman retells his story at an appropriate time, coinciding with the centenary of the First World War.

Illustrated with Foreman's beautiful trademark drawings, this book combines retelling of the story in recounts and diary formats, with the pictures working alongside, telling their own story.

The horrors of the War are conveyed and the question tackled as to why soldiers did not all hate the opposite side.

This book tells of a time when travel abroad was unusual and the amazement of the young Henry at all the new sights he was seeing brings to mind a bygone time (not that I can personally remember that time).

The end papers show black and white and sepia photographs of the real characters in the story, including the hero - Ali Pasha the tortoise.

As children love stories with animals, this makes an unusal change from war horses or war dogs and will be remembered for that quirk.

 

This book was published by Templar Publishing and is available to buy for £12.99. It can also be borrowed from The Hive as well as other Worcestershire libraries. Click here to check availability and check it out.