FIRE SAFETY

BOOK SHELF

Check out the Primary Times October shortlist of great books for young minds

BEST FOR RELUCTANT READERS BEST FOR ADVENTURE RUDY AND THE WOLF CLUB By Paul Westmoreland

Illustrated by George Ermos

Genre: Adventure, Family & Friendship Age Range: 8+ Price: £5.99 (Oxford University Press)

Let the breathtaking illustrations draw newly confi dent readers in to this exciting new series, as they discover Rudy and his unusual set of best friends. When Rudy fi nds a lost wolf cub at the skatepark, he knows he has to help him. Can a howl in the night change the fate of the liמּ le cub? Feel the power of the pack!

SUPER GHOST By Greg James and Chris Smith

Illustrated by Amy Nguyen

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fiction Age Range: 7+ Price: £12.99 (Penguin Random House)

Superhero adventure fans will love Super Ghost, the madcap tale with a twist from Greg James and Chris Smith. When Dr Ex meets an untimely demise, twelveyear-old Sonny Nelson is devastated. But things take an extraordinary turn when Doctor Ex returns as a ghost and only Sonny can see him . . .

ALL TIME FAVOURITE WINNIE AND WILBUR: THE FESTIVAL OF WITCHES By Valerie Thomas

Illustrated by Korky Paul

Genre: Picture Books Age Range: 2+ Price: £20.00 (Graff eg)

Global phenomenon Winnie the witch and her trusty black cat Wilbur have delighted readers all over the globe for 35 years, and they return this autumn with a brand-new tale The Festival of Witches, celebrating diversity and how magical it is to make new friends. It’s a true all time favourite and a Halloween treat!

Measles, Mumps and Rubella – is your child protected?

Children across England have been safely vaccinated against Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) for generations. Measles, Mumps and Rubella are viruses that spread easily from coughs and sneezes. Vaccination is free through the NHS and helps protect children from becoming seriously ill with one of these highly infectious childhood viruses. Two doses of MMR vaccine provides long-lasting protection through childhood and into later life. Children receive their first dose of MMR at 1 year and the second dose is given around 3 years 4 months with other pre-school booster vaccinations. Children need both doses of the vaccine to be completely protected from MMR. There has been an increase in cases of Measles across the globe. In England we have seen outbreaks and cases in unvaccinated children, which means thousands of children are at risk of exposure to the virus and becoming unwell. Measles is an unpleasant illness which can have serious and life changing consequences. Complications can include meningitis, pneumonia, asthma, blindness and seizures. While the majority of children receive both MMR vaccinations when called by their GP practice, more than one in ten children in England are not up-to-date, either missing their first or second vaccination to complete the course and ensure lasting protection. The free NHS MMR vaccine is the best way to give children life-long immunity against these childhood diseases. Steve Russell, NHS England’s National Director for Vaccinations and Screening, says: “The MMR vaccine has been used to protect children from Measles, Mumps and Rubella since 1988. Because of the success of vaccination, these childhood diseases are less common, but that doesn’t mean they have gone away. There are still cases across England, so children who are unvaccinated risk catching these unpleasant illnesses, which can be serious and cause long-lasting complications. We would encourage every parent to keep their children up-to-date with their childhood vaccinations and for those that aren’t, you can book a vaccination through your child’s GP practice.” By the time they start school at 5 years, your child will have been offered vaccinations against all preventable childhood diseases. By the time they leave school, young people will have completed all of their routine vaccinations, helping to protect them from preventable diseases for life. Parents and guardians can look at their child’s red book or ask their GP practice if their child is up-to-date with routine vaccinations. If a child has missed one or more doses of MMR, or any of the other childhood vaccinations, parents and guardians can make an appointment with their GP practice.