Reviews
There are so many incredible books available at the moment that it is impossible to read them all, no matter how hard I try! Here are my thoughts about some of the books I have read and how I think they could be used in school as well as Q and A sessions with authors and illustrators.
The Thing at 52
There’s a Thing on my street.
He lives at number 52.
A little girl notices a Thing living in her street and worries that he might be lonely so she brings him a flower. Soon, a wonderful friendship blossoms and they have lots of fun together. The little girl realises that there are many Things and decides to throw a party where everyone has the best fun. But one day, the Thing has to leave and their adventures come to an end.
‘The Thing at 52’ beautifully illustrates the importance of noticing others and offering small acts of kindness to those in need. As the little girl watches the Thing, she becomes sure he is lonely and wants to help. By taking him the small gift of a flower, she opens the possibility of a new friendship- a perhaps unexpected one. The story offers the perfect starting point for discussions about not just friendships with peers, but other members of the community who might be lonely. The little girl’s mum is quietly present, supporting her in her desire to spread some kindness. And through her friendship with the Thing, the little girl reaches out to the rest of the community.
The story also looks at loss. The Thing leaves…’All things have to go sometime’ he tells the little girl. Although she is sad and misses the Thing deeply, the story book shows how their relationship has left her with positive, hopeful feelings. She is happy to see the new family at number 52 because she thinks the Thing would have liked it; she has formed new relationships as a result of their friendship. There is plenty to discuss here with a child experiencing loss, whether through death or separation.
The illustrations are gorgeous, warm and joyful. I particularly love mum’s presence in the story. The mother-daughter relationship is beautifully captured as she supports and comforts her child, encouraging her to make her own decisions.
Perfect for sharing, this lovely story should have a place in every library or bookshelf!
The Thing at 52
Ross Montgomery, illustrated by Richard Johnson
Frances Lincoln ISBN: 978-0711279148
The Woodcutter and the Snow Prince
A lonely woodcutter named Kai lives deep in a forest where he spends his time carving statues for people to enjoy. One night, he remembers a tale his grandmother used to tell him about a cursed Snow Prince with a heart made of ice who would turn people to ice. However, when Kai is visited by the Prince, he finds the companionship he has been longing for. In the morning, Kai is devastated to find his new friend has disappeared and kai is alone once more. Determined to find his Prince, Kai sets off on a perilous journey to free the Snow Prince from his curse.
Loosely based on ‘The Snow Queen’, ‘The Woodcutter and the Snow Prince’ is a wonderfully heart-warming story. Christmas can be a very isolating time for many and Kai’s loneliness is tenderly captured, encouraging empathy through both the illustrations and the text. There is a sense that the Snow Prince is also alone, isolated by misunderstanding and fear, and the meeting of these kindred spirits offers both the companionship and happiness they have been seeking. Kai’s determination to find his Prince and break the curse shows the power of love and friendship, echoing Gerda’s quest to find her Kai in Andersen’s original tale or Anna’s journey to find her sister, Elsa, in ‘Frozen’. There is so much to discuss here about what it is to be human and the importance of meeting the basic human need for love, acceptance and understanding.
The illustrations are stunning. Icy whites and indigo blues capture the magical wintery landscape perfectly, contrasting with the cosy warmth of Kai’s home. The end papers are a thing of genius- showing how perspective and attitude can alter our emotional landscape and open us to very different possibilities. Each spread is a joy with many details to notice and linger over.
A Christmassy tale for every day of the year!
The Woodcutter and the Snow Prince
Ian Eagleton, illustrated by Davide Ortu
Owlet Press ISBN: 978-1913339494
Archie Snufflekins Oliver Valentine Cupcake Tiberius Cat
'Cat' has a very busy life, moving from house to house on Blossom Street. At each house he is known by a different name and he shares the lives and interests of those who live there. However, at number eleven, life is not very busy at all and Mrs Murray, who lives there, is lonely. When Cat shows up on her doorstep, this changes and soon everyone on Blossom Street finds their way to her door.
The story reminds us of the importance of human contact and would be an excellent way of introducing discussions around this with children. Why is Mrs Murray lonely? Why is she on her own? How could she be living at Number 11 with no one in the street noticing? Community responsibilities and values could also be discussed. Blossom Street is home to a diverse range of people of all ages and with many interests, all depicted with humour and character, celebrating how different, and yet similar, people are.
There are many other possibilities for working from this story. The illustrations are seemingly simple, but very effective. Children would enjoy using Archie Snufflekins Oliver Valentine Cupcake Tiberius Cat as a model for their own drawings and then develop their own cat characters. The Blossom Street community would also serve as an excellent model for developing a range of varied and interesting characters for a story in an innovated setting. Perhaps the characters might live in different flats in a tower block, or barges on a canal… The story also lends itself to plenty of role play activities, drama and dressing-up!
It would be great fun to create a board game with Archie Snufflekins Oliver Valentine Cupcake Tiberius Cat as counters moving round Blossom Street. This could be made to explore all sorts of grammar elements or maths concepts, to develop the children's vocabulary etc - or simply for a bit of fun! Creating their own board game is a great way for children to spend a rainy afternoon.
The layout of the latter pages which use speech bubbles could be the starting point for work on punctuating speech and for children to develop cartoon style pieces of their own. There are many ways which writing could come from sharing this story too- both informally and formally: eltters, instructions for how to look after a pet or how to get from one house to another, persuasive writing, story writing, descriptive writing, poetry (great shape poems!)... the list is endless!
Personally, I think Archie Snufflekins Oliver Valentine Cupcake Tiberius Cat would make a fantastic little soft toy. He is a simple enough shape to be cut from felt and hand sewn, making a lovely companion to storytime!
Archie Snufflekins Oliver Valentine Cupcake Tiberius Cat Katie Harnett
Flying Eye Books ISBN: 978-1909263376
Now available in paperback.