Tag Frances Tosdevin

Do Not Say These Words

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Do Not Say These Words
Frances Tosdevin and Rhian Wright
UCLAN Publishing

Words are powerful, that is something children learn very early in their lives and once they start speaking that opens up a whole new wealth of possibilities, one of which is humour. It’s humour that author Frances Tosdevin and illustrator Rhian Wright very clearly have had great fun exploring in this splendidly silly book.

We’re in the hands of expert scientist and inventor, The Professor. She, by means of a series of words that young children already think of as a tad naughty, explains that the hilarity induced by the utterance of these words causes giggle-gas and the effect of too much of this in the air is detrimental to the environment. Indeed the world will end up zig zagging around the solar system and we humans will all fall off. The sure way to prevent such a catastrophe is by banning these words and she, aided and abetted by her trusty froggy assistants, have invented a machine that turns these world-wobbling words into harmless, unfunny ones.

The first word for the Prof’s zapping treatment is ‘BOTTOM’ and its safe replacement is in her words, the unfunny ‘FLOPPY PEACH-CHEEKS.’ – make sure you keep a straight face when you read that. next is ‘FART’.

I love the way the alternatives generated by the machine are generated through Rhian Wright’s dramatic illustrations bursting with small details. These provide a great complement to Frances Tosdevin’s terrific text, which offers opportunities for audience participation.

Share this in a classroom – it will appeal across a wide age range – and you’ll likely have the listeners going almost as berserk as the Prof’s machine as the story nears its dramatic conclusion. My partner was spluttering with laughter as we shared it..

An Artist’s Eyes

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An Artist’s Eyes
Frances Tosdevin and Clémence Monnet
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

As the story opens adult Mo and young Jo are out walking together. Readers are invited to notice their eyes – they have the same friendliness, shape and smallness but Mo’s eyes are different: she has artist’s eyes. As they walk through various different natural places Mo comments imaginatively on their surroundings: she sees the seascape as ‘a dazzling duck-egg blue, a swirl of peacocks and the inky, indigo of evening, whereas Jo says it’s “so blue!” As they continue Jo describes the forest literally as “green” whereas Mo sees “a shiny apple-green, the lime of gooseberries, and the spring zinginess of moss.”

The field of yellow flowers are “bright yellow” to Jo and Mo notices variations in shades. “Notice how light changes the colour. See the mellow yellow of melons and the pale pastel of primroses.” Jo’s response is despondent: he becomes angry and frustrated at not seeing like an artist.

Patiently, Mo encourages him to trust his own eyes and little by little Jo begins to see what they show him; and what they show him as he deploys his imaginative powers to the full are patterns, textures, shapes and more.

No, he doesn’t see as Mo sees but he does now see with artist’s eyes.

Assuredly, with Clémence Monnet’s gorgeous mixed media illustrations, and Frances Tosdevin’s empowering story, this is a book that, shared with the right adult, will encourage youngsters to accept, employ and make the most of the unique skills they have, as well as conveying the idea that everyone can see like an artist and describe imaginatively what they see.