The ninth Picture Book Explorers guide went on sale last night. Again, I have learnt so much while creating this file. For instance, I didn't know that the American version had totally different name - David and Dog. It's a story with which I am very familiar as The Girl loved it when she was tiny. She would role play the story quite often - even down to washing her favourite soft toy in a bowl of warm soapy water and hanging it on the washing line, by its tail, to dry.
I never thought of it as being "quintessentially English", as Shirley Hughes describes it, but I did get a sense of nostalgia as I recognised fashions and pushchairs from my own childhood. It's a lovely story, and as Boykin pointed out, it shows brothers and sisters who are friends rather than siblings who are constantly bickering or trying to get one up on each other.
I hope your family enjoys the activities as much as my children did. We learnt the science behind how soap works, held our own family summer fair (in early Spring) and enjoyed eating sticky buns while listening to the story for the last time last week.
Where will the story take you with the discussions that arise from it? How will the suggested activities lead you into further learning adventures so personal to your family?
Suggested go-alongs
Shirley Hughes is currently involved with the 26characters exhibition at The Story Museum in Oxford, England.
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