Sunday, 28 June 2015

Dogger





Dogger by Shirley Hughes

'Dogger' is one of my sister Melissa's favourite stories. It's what I'd describe as an oldie but a goodie! 

Dogger is the favourite soft toy of a little boy called Dave. His sister Bella sleeps with a bed full of soft toys all in a row, but Dogger is the only one for Dave. One day Dave notices that Dogger has disappeared and he can't find him anywhere. Mum, Dad and Bella look everywhere but unfortunately Dogger was not to be found and Dave went to bed feeling sad. 

The next day at the school fair Dave has a wander round the stalls and realises that his beloved soft toy has somehow ended up on a toy stall! Bella comes to the rescue in the way only a nice big sister could! 

Dogger is such a lovely story as it really captures that special bond between a young child and their favourite soft toy. Nothing can replace it. Many of us hold onto them even into adulthood! ;) 

There is a great video on YouTube of Shirley Hughes herself reading the story aloud. Well worth a watch :) 

Saturday, 20 June 2015

The Tiger Skin Rug



The Tiger Skin Rug by Gerald Rose is a really cute story. It has a few moments in it which will have children (and adults!) in fits of giggles!

 It is a story about a thin old tiger who is tired of his life in the jungle and thinks living in the royal palace sounds like a much better option. So one day when one of the servants is out cleaning all the rugs he removes the 'tiger skin' rug and puts himself in its place! He therefore manages to get himself into the palace and enjoys a life of sitting around all day surrounded by royalty and helping himself to royal dinner left overs! 

However his new found status becomes questionable as the servant begins to notice that the 'rug' is getting heavier. He becomes worried about how to keep his new life of luxury but proves himself to be a handy tiger rug to have around. After saving the royal family from a band of intruders (who get stuck in the window during their escape!) he takes his rightful place as the family pet! All his dreams come true! 

This is a really lovely story, get ready for lots of giggles! 

Saturday, 6 June 2015

The Listening Walk






The Listening Walk - by Paul Showers

I came by 'The Listening Walk' by Paul Showers a bit of a strange way. I was reading 'Romancing the Ordinary' by Sarah Ban Breathnach, and she talked about a wonderful children's book that helped her to understand the world again after a serious head injury. This is it. 

It's a story about a little girl who goes for a walk with her dad and her dog 'Major'. However this walk is not just any old walk, it's a 'listening walk'. During this walk the little girl opens her ears to all the sounds going on around her. She hears everything from the sound of her little dogs nails on the pavement to the bees buzzing in the flowers. The way the sounds are broken down and represented is so perfect that as you say them out loud you will be thinking 'that's exactly the sound that makes!'  

This book is the perfect starting point for a listening walk of your own. It encourages children to become quiet and aware so that they can tune into the environment around them. It encourages concentration, thought and appreciation. What did you hear on your 'listening walk?'.