Tag Tom Tinn-Disbury

Clive Penguin Learns To Fly, Sort Of / I Am A Squirrel

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Clive Penguin Learns To Fly, Sort Of
Huw Lewis Jones and Ben Sanders
Little Tiger

This second story sees Clive Penguin dreaming of soaring through the sky like the ‘majestic’ gulls that reside in the same frozen parts as penguins. However, Clive doesn’t really want to admit how he feels, calling their ability to fly around as ‘Just showing off ’ Nevertheless he decides that being brave and adventurous, and certainly not afraid of heights, he will take flight and soar through the sky. So … after a number of crazy schemes, he launches himself and … yes he does become airborne.

Young listeners/ readers will of course be rooting for the penguin, particularly as he involves them in discussion about which are better, seagulls or penguins.

One thing you can say about Clive is that he’s a determined character and I love the dead-pan dialogue employed by the author in this quirky story. Equally enjoyable is Ben Sanders’ visual portrayal of the character with that fluorescent orange bobble hat, which is part and parcel of his unorthodox personality.

Immediately engaging and delightfully droll.

I Am A Squirrel
Scott Rothman and Tom Tinn-Disbury
Happy Yak

The young boy narrator of this story insists that he’s a squirrel that loves to run, jump, climb trees and have squirrel friends to play with. He also enjoys playing with his family but his elder brother won’t join in because he doesn’t believe his sibling is a squirrel. “Why don’t you eat acorns, sleep outside in a tree, feel afraid of dogs?” he wants to know. All of these questions are answered, some with ‘unsquirrel’ responses. However the dog question prompts the younger boy to admit in no uncertain terms, “I DO NOT CARE for HAWKS, a view I share with my other squirrel friends. Hawks are one of our most fearsome enemies.”

Determined to curtail his brother’s pretending once and for all, big brother tells him, Fine. If you’re a squirrel, then … “I AM A HAWK!”

He continues by talking of his hawk features, including a predatory characteristic that might just put pay to all the squirrel imaginary play of his younger brother. How though will this story conclude?

This ode to imaginary play, is a hilarious read aloud, cleverly told by author Scott Rothman and equally playfully illustrated by Tom Tinn-Disbury who has clearly enjoyed sprinkling his scenes with squirrels of the real sort.

The Caveman Next Door / Twelve Days of Kindness

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The Caveman Next Door
Tom Tinn-Disbury
New Frontier Publishing

Penny’s street is perfectly ordinary until a caveman moves in next door to her. He does little but grunt by way of communication, is scantily clad and his only furniture is made from sticks or stones.
Thinking he seems a little lost, Penny decides to befriend him and takes him on a tour of the town starting with the library where he receives a less than welcoming reception.

No matter where they go Ogg seems to manage to annoy somebody or embarrass Penny; seemingly he just doesn’t fit in.

But then, having seen inside Ogg’s cave with its wonderful mural documenting all their adventures, Penny has a great idea;

Ogg will visit her school.
After an initial setback, the headteacher recognises that in Ogg he has not only an interesting artist but someone who can educate his pupils about the natural world.

Tom Didsbury’s fanciful story of friendship and finding a place to fit in, with its wonderfully quirky illustrations will delight and amuse young listeners.

Twelve Days of Kindness
Cori Brooke and Fiona Burrows
New Frontier Publishing

When Holly realises that new girl Nabila is having trouble making friends among her classmates she decides something needs to be done to help her.

Both girls are picked for the school soccer team but despite this her fellow team- mates are not showing any signs of welcoming Nabila. With just twelve days left before the first match, the girls still haven’t gelled as a team.

Nabila and Holly devise a plan: for every remaining day they will do something good and kind for the team and gradually not only does the team come together

but the “Twelve Days of Kindness’ is a winning formula.

An effective lesson about acceptance, welcoming strangers, friendship and of course, kindness, beautifully delivered in Cori Brookes’ straightforward narrative and Fiona Burrows’ powerful pictures of the girls is one to share and discuss in lower classrooms especially.