Tag Big Bright Feelings series

Bea’s Bad Day

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Bea’s Bad Day
Tom Percival
Bloomsbury Children’s Books

This is the latest in Tom’s Big Bright Feelings series.
Bea has been counting down the days to her birthday and now with just two left to go, she’s very excited. A party is to be held and all her family members have been invited including her Grandma, Bampi and cousins.

The following day though it starts to snow and it keeps on and on until everything is white and it’s obvious the postman won’t be able to deliver any cards or presents; moreover her dad can’t go and get any party food. At least some relations are coming tomorrow, thinks Bea.

Next day Bea wakes early but after three hours nobody has come: her Mum says it’s because all the roads are blocked. Having tried hard the previous day not to show her disappointment, Bea cannot control her emotions any longer.

She’s too upset to open the present Mum gives her, and Bampi’s phone call does nothing to lift her mood. To a tearful little girl, it feels like everything is broken.

Then her elder brother, Archie suggests the two of them go out sledging. To Bea’s surprise, as the two WHOOSH down the hill in the falling snow, Bea decides that although different, this birthday is after all, great fun. Gradually those cracks disappear and by the time they return into the warm, every single crack has vanished. In comes Dad carrying a splendiferous cake but he fails to notice there’s something in his path.

Is it possible that Bea’s special day can still end with laughs? Maybe, with the help of some spoons and that yummy cake …

Another cracking – pun deliberate – story to share with children around Bea’s age. This one sensitively portraying the emotions around disappointment, helps ensure that little ones are better equipped to cope, should they find themselves in a similar situation to Bea.
Add to family bookshelves and foundation stage collections.

Finn’s Little Fibs

jillrbennett Leave a comment

Finn’s Little Fibs
Tom Percival
Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Finn is super-excited; he and his little sister, Simone, are spending a few days staying at Grandma’s house: It’s a place full of beautiful but fragile things but his over excitement while playing with his ball indoors results in the accidental breakage of her clock. His efforts at mending it don’t work so, a worried Finn tells a lie, blaming the breakage on his sister.

No sooner is the lie out of his mouth than POP! a little blob appears, noticed only by Finn, although Grandma clearly has doubts about the plausibility of what he’s said.

This makes the boy panic: out comes another lie, followed immediately by another blob. The lying escalates and by the end of the weekend Finn is besieged by blobs and he’s feeling so upset with what he’s done that he can’t enjoy himself. It’s time for big brother to admit the truth but has he got the courage?

Happily yes, the blobs disappear and his understanding Grandma accepts his apology.
With everything back as it should be, the rest of the holiday is great and Finn resolves to always try and tell the truth.

As always, in his latest story in the Big Bright Feelings series, Tom describes the physical sensations and feelings that beset the guilty Finn in a way young children can relate to, and his illustrations with the waxing and waning of the blobs do a wonderful job in showing his changing emotions. A great starting point for discussions on the importance of being honest, taking responsibility for your wrong doing and forgiveness.
A must to add to foundation stage class collections and family bookshelves if you have a young child.

Tilda Tries Again

jillrbennett 1 Comment

Tilda Tries Again
Tom Percival
Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Tom Percival’s latest addition to the Big Bright Feelings series is yet again spot on: herein he uses his empathetic understanding of young children’s emotions to present Tilda.

We first meet this little girl as a bright happy child but then suddenly something happens to turn her world upside down, leaving her feeling utterly downcast. Now things that had once seemed easy, feel the absolute opposite: she doesn’t want to meet her friends; indeed everything feels a struggle.

What does she decide to do? Absolutely nothing at all.

One day she notices a tiny ladybird stuck on its back. Immediate recognition but there’s a difference: the ladybird is doing its upmost to put itself right whereas thus far Tilda has suffered complete inertia. Then suddenly the little creature flips itself over and flies away leaving Tilda alone with her thoughts.

Time for a change of perspective she decides, and calling forth that ‘can-do’ attitude, little by little she starts to persevere with things and the more she tries, the more she can do. But can she summon up the courage to join her friends in their play?

You bet!

An enormously uplifting story of patience, perseverance, resilience and self-belief that youngsters (and their adults – be they parents, teachers or carers) will relate to.

Tom’s change of palette from bright colours to predominantly grey shows the stark changes in Tilda’s emotional journey; and with everything that youngsters have been through during these last 18 months, this book could not be more apposite.

A must have for family bookshelves and classroom collections.