Tag Jane Simmons

Ebb and Flo and the New Boat / Ebb and Flo: A Blowy Day

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Ebb and Flo and the New Boat
Ebb and Flo: A Blowy Day
Kate Canning and Thomas Voigt
Graffeg

In the first story, despite it being early in the morning Bird cannot wait to tell Ebb about what she’s found so she sets off beeping enthusiastically to tell Ebb about the discovery even though Ebb dislikes being disturbed at such an hour. Bird’s excitement is on account of the new boat bedecked with greenery that has arrived at the jetty.. So, Bird sallies forth alone and when she hasn’t returned some while later Ebb starts feeling concerned.

The reason for her absence is that she’s made a new friend on board the new boat. Ebb discovers this with help from Flo who approaches the owner of the new boat asking for Bird. The conversation is confusing as the lady speaks German; however Flo, Ebb and Mum go aboard and in the cabin sure enough there is Bird and also a little canary named Zoot, so the boat owner tells the visitors.

Almost inevitably Ebb feels a tad jealous of Zoot, especially as Bird plays with this new friend all day. Ebb considers Zoot to be akin to Mum’s yellow feather duster. Even Flo’s reassurance at bedtime that it’s possible to have more than one friend doesn’t reassure the pooch. However, the following morning the visiting boat has gone and with it Bird’s new friend. Now it’s her turn to feel upset. Can Ebb and Flo find a way to help Bird return to her usual happy self?

In A Blowy Day, the strong wind causes Mum to feel concern for Granny so she, accompanied by Ebb, Flo and Bird, row across to pay her a visit. Granny is taking advantage of the strong wind and is busy hanging out her washing when they arrive. Her mention of a kite prompts Flo to ask about making a new one there and then so she and Granny set to work. Before long they’re ready to go out and test the kite but it gets caught up with the line of washing and Bird flies to the rescue. Then a sudden extra strong gust sees Granny’s clothes flying way up and out to sea. Time for operation rescue …

Both books, based on Jane Simmons’ original characters are part of an animated TV series: with their simple stories, they work well too as read alouds to share with young children (Both titles have notes for adults that include activities and discussion possibilities at the back.)

Snakes on the Job / Ebb and Flo and the Greedy Gulls

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Snakes on the Job
Kathryn Dennis
Walker Books

The Snakes on a Train have become construction vehicle operators in charge of a variety of vehicles – bulldozers, diggers, dump trucks, loaders, cranes and more. ‘They slide into trucks and roll out slow. Hisssssssssssss goes the sound of the brakes.’

Midway through the operation, up rolls a food truck to provide lunch for the workers then it’s back to work once again.
The fruits of their labours is a wonderful surprise revealed just before the end of the story and it looks such a terrific endeavour that some friendly hamsters want to join the fun. What will the response of the snakes be? …
With that repeat sibilant sound and other wordplay, this is an enjoyable read aloud for little ones. They’ll love the bright digital art and the simple tale wherein teamwork is paramount. One to add to your nursery collection or home shelves if you have very young children,

Ebb and Flo and the Greedy Gulls
Jane Simmons
Graffeg

Jane Simmons is a brilliant illustrator and it’s really good to see Graffeg gradually bringing this series with its hugely likeable Ebb and Flo characters back into print. As always there are small disasters – in this instance Ebb gets wrongly blamed for consuming all the sandwiches during the beach picnic. Inevitably the dog is upset and goes off to sulk in her favourite place. Eventually Mum and Flo realise who the real sandwich snatchers are but by this time Ebb has drifted out to sea in the boat. Sulking certainly hasn’t paid off, but will Ebb reach the shore safely? Let’s just say, all’s well that ends well: three characters have learned a lesson but not so the marauding picnic pinchers.

Supermouse and the Volcano of Doom / Ebb and Flo and the Baby Seal

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Supermouse and the Volcano of Doom
M.N. Tahl and Mark Chambers
Little Tiger

In case you didn’t make the acquaintance of Supermouse in his previous adventure, Peter Parmesan is no ordinary mouse. When disaster strikes, Peter morphs into Supermouse ready to save the day.
Now along with the regular news of crooks creating chaos comes news of the imminent eruption of Mount Fondue, way too big a task for our hero to handle entirely alone. So, he decides to hold auditions for ‘The League of Remarkable Rodents’ but none of the many that show up for the audition are sufficiently remarkable. Supermouse must face the volcano of doom alone.

As he starts to investigate this hot, hot mountain, there’s a sudden SPLAT that sends our hero skywards. However, refusing to be overcome he fights with all his might to fend off the fiery onslaught until disaster strikes in the form of hot molten cheese.

Is there anyone that could help rescue Supermouse and in so doing save the city? You never know: assistance sometimes comes from an unlikely source.

With its plethora of flaps to explore, speech bubbles, peep-through pages aplenty, wealth of wordplay and rodents of several kinds, this madcap superhero romp will go down well with young would-be superhero humans. They’ll absolutely relish Mark Chambers’ zany action-packed illustrations, that’s for sure.

Ebb and Flo and the Baby Seal
Jane Simmons
Graffeg

As Ebb sits listening to the pitter patter of the rain she hears a ‘Wah! Wah!’ coming from the direction of the beach. Off she dashes and there she discovers a baby seal – a playmate at last.After a day romping on the beach and in the waves, a hungry Ebb decides to head home; the little seal tries to follow. Ebb realises that it needs help, seeks the assistance of Mum and Flo

and eventually together they find a way to reunite the baby with its mother.

Jane Simmons’ misty watercolour illustrations evoke the seaside setting beautifully in this third reissue in a wonderful series that, with themes of kindness and teamwork, is as relevant now as twenty years back when the book was originally published.

Move Mountain / Ebb and Flo and the Sea Monster

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Move Mountain
Corrinne Averiss and Greg McLeod
Oxford Children’s Books

Although the hills around Mountain receive the sun’s rays each morning, because the sun always rises behind him, his face stays in the shade. So much does he long to feel sun’s beaming warmth that he tells Bird he wishes he were able to turn around. Bird flies off to seek help from Bear and the two of them push with all their might but Mountain remains firmly as he was.

Other ideas are tried including the use of music for conjuring up an image of the sun and although Mountain loves this, it only serves to make him want more than ever to see the sun rise.

However Bird has one last idea tucked beneath her feathers. Can this one possibly be a success?
Perhaps it’s not possible to move a mountain in the physical sense but nonetheless this particular Mountain is more than happy with what he sees at dawn next day.
This beautiful tale celebrates friendship, kindness, thinking outside the box and ingenuity. Truly the sun’s warm glow shines forth in Corrinne’s words and Greg McLeod’s gently humorous illustrations.

Ebb and Flo and the Sea Monster
Jane Simmons
Graffeg

As Flo sits with Granny sharing a local paper and focussing on a picture of Morgawr the mythical sea monster, Ebb’s ball bounces away and so begins this wonderful moonlit adventure as they search for the ball which goes overboard on their way home across the bay, and perhaps for a sighting of Morgawr too. But they find themselves marooned and have to camp put on the beach.

As Mum, Flo and Ebb gather around the fire, listen to nature’s sounds and stare out at the star-filled sky, they wonder about the enormous monster that might or might not be lying in wait for them somewhere out at sea. Later with Flo tucked up under a blanket, Mum has to leave the tent to collect more firewood. There in the shadows are Flo, Ebb, that bouncy ball – again – and the possibility of a scary monster lurking close at hand.

This latest of Jane Simmons’ modern classic rereleases, with its softly spoken words and beautifully hued, hazy illustrations will surely delight a new generation of young children as much as it did those who encountered Ebb and Flo over twenty years ago.

Ebb and Flo and Their New Friend / The Tale of the Tiny Man

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Ebb and Flo and Their New Friend
Jane Simmons
Graffeg

Jane Simmons’ books with their gorgeous, soft focus, painterly illustrations, were very popular with foundation stage classes in my early teaching days and it’s good to see Graffeg reintroducing Ebb and Flo to a new generation of young children.

For those unfamiliar with the characters and their adventures, Ebb is a dog and Flo a young girl. They live near the sea and are constant companions. As this story opens the two of them are sitting in their boat with Ebb in her favourite spot in the bow when suddenly her place is usurped by a large bird. Flo urges Ebb to accept the visitor as a friend but Ebb is anything but accepting of the newcomer with its frequent ‘beep, beep, beep’ sounds. 

As the days pass even Granny takes to Bird, giving it some of Ebb’s favourite snacks. 

Ebb wishes Bird gone and the following morning, to Flo’s disappointment, the wish has come true.

However, it quickly becomes an instance of you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone, for Ebb finds herself missing Bird and that beeping, especially when as the summer days pass, they see reminders on their journeys along the river. 

Then one day, Ebb hears a familiar sound: could it be …

This gentle exploration of change, jealousy and the challenges of accepting a new friend into an established group, will resonate with many young listeners who will likely look forward to hearing more about Ebb and Flo in the other titles Graffeg will also publish.

The Tale of the Tiny Man
Barbro Lindgren (translated by Julia Marshall), illustrated by Eva Eriksson
Gecko Press

This is a re-illustrated classic tale from Sweden originally published over thirty years ago. It tells of a tiny and sad man who lives a very lonely life ignored and sometimes mistreated by other people perhaps because ‘he was too small and possibly a bit slow.’
One day as spring approaches he attaches a note to a tree ‘Friend Wanted’ and giving his name and address. For ten days he waits, sitting on his doorstep by day, and crying at night on account of the blackbirds’ song. Then on the tenth night he’s dozed off only to be awakened by a large and playful stray dog.
Little by little over the next few days, the tiny man’s kind actions gain the animal’s friendship and trust. It moves in to share the man’s house, his food and even his bedroom. 

When they’re out and about, the dog protects the tiny man from bullies.

By summer life together is happy for both tiny man and big dog. Come the following spring however, a cheerful little girl comes along and she too makes friends with the dog causing the tiny man to feel left out and hurt. 

Convinced he can’t compete with the little girl, full of sorrow the tiny man wanders off into the woods. For seven days he roams alone; meanwhile dog and child sit on the steps wondering where the man has gone. On the eighth day the tiny man returns to find on his doorstep, a dejected dog and an equally dejected little girl. Can it be that this friendship can accommodate three? Is there room in dog’s heart for two human friends and in the tiny man’s heart for the dog and the girl?

With its themes of loneliness and friendship, this beautifully told and illustrated story looks at various emotions including empathy, loneliness and prejudice. Whether read alone or aloud, there’s much to think about and one hopes, talk about with family members and/or classmates.