Tell A Tale Pod - Telling tales, igniting imagination !: Recent Episodes
tellatalepod
Educational and fun audiobooks for children and families. A variety of genres await and each podcast comes with podcast specific questions assessing retrieval, sequencing, SPaG, prediction, inference and note taking skills. Ideal as an independent classroom activity, intervention exercise OR homework task.
Normally around November time I upload a seasonal tale usually with a wintry/Christmassy theme, this is similar but with a twist - the big day in this book is Diwali!
Without giving too much away Asha, our protagonists, has her world turned upside down and decides she needs to take her fate and ultimately her family's fate into her own hands, She embarks on an adventure but is sure someone - or maybe something - is watching over her. A great descriptive read, weaving real life with spirituality as well as opening up the world of Indian culture to many who have never been there.
This amazing book has 40 chapters, although most of the chapters are around the 10 minute mark. The first few chapters really set the scene and are therefore a little bit longer.
Enjoy!
Normally around November time I upload a seasonal tale usually with a wintry/Christmassy theme, this is similar but with a twist - the big day in this book is Diwali!
Without giving too much away Asha, our protagonists, has her world turned upside down and decides she needs to take her fate and ultimately her family's fate into her own hands, She embarks on an adventure but is sure someone - or maybe something - is watching over her. A great descriptive read, weaving real life with spirituality as well as opening up the world of Indian culture to many who have never been there.
This amazing book has 40 chapters, although most of the chapters are around the 10 minute mark. The first few chapters really set the scene and are therefore a little bit longer.
Enjoy!
The last of my summer reads comes from a stalwart to children's television - Floella Benjamin.
This book, recounting her journey from the Caribbean to the UK, mirrors the story told by many of the Windrush generation, but could be the basis of any immigration/emigration story. Although the tale does not shy away from some of the difficulties and sadness, this story is overwhelmingly positive and definitely seen through the eyes of a child. Please go and find this book in your local library or bookshop and the pictures are also expressive and comforting.
Who came to the UK first? Why do you think they went alone?
Which song did the children sing before school?
Where to Floella live when her Marmie left?
How long did the journey take?
Why does she describe the boat as a 'flying skyscraper'?
Where did the boat finish its journey?
What do you think Floella means by 'moving staircase'?
Which of Floella dreams eventually came true?
The last of my summer reads comes from a stalwart to children's television - Floella Benjamin.
This book, recounting her journey from the Caribbean to the UK, mirrors the story told by many of the Windrush generation, but could be the basis of any immigration/emigration story. Although the tale does not shy away from some of the difficulties and sadness, this story is overwhelmingly positive and definitely seen through the eyes of a child. Please go and find this book in your local library or bookshop and the pictures are also expressive and comforting.
Who came to the UK first? Why do you think they went alone?
Which song did the children sing before school?
Where to Floella live when her Marmie left?
How long did the journey take?
Why does she describe the boat as a 'flying skyscraper'?
Where did the boat finish its journey?
What do you think Floella means by 'moving staircase'?
Which of Floella dreams eventually came true?
"When I Was a Child" brings together two mega talents in children's books - Andy Stanton, the bestselling author of Mr Gum, and David Litchfield, the award-winning creator of The Bear and The Piano.
The simple message of the books is that one is never too old to continue seeing the magic in the world and that children are the best people to remind grown-ups that magic really does exist everywhere you look. In this case through the eyes of a grandchild/grandparent relationship.
Talking to elders and hearing their memories is so important for children in building a sense of their own identity and developing empathy, and this book captures those "when I was your age" conversations beautifully – and could also prompt sharing many more.
Make a list of the rhymes and near rhymes heard in the poem.
What is the name of the grand-daughter?
Why do you think the colours did not fade?
What might the world have looked like if if was a 'crystal jewel'?
How or why might a river grow 'tired'?
Why do you think the grandma can't see the magic but the grand-daughter can?
"When I Was a Child" brings together two mega talents in children's books - Andy Stanton, the bestselling author of Mr Gum, and David Litchfield, the award-winning creator of The Bear and The Piano.
The simple message of the books is that one is never too old to continue seeing the magic in the world and that children are the best people to remind grown-ups that magic really does exist everywhere you look. In this case through the eyes of a grandchild/grandparent relationship.
Talking to elders and hearing their memories is so important for children in building a sense of their own identity and developing empathy, and this book captures those "when I was your age" conversations beautifully – and could also prompt sharing many more.
Make a list of the rhymes and near rhymes heard in the poem.
What is the name of the grand-daughter?
Why do you think the colours did not fade?
What might the world have looked like if if was a 'crystal jewel'?
How or why might a river grow 'tired'?
Why do you think the grandma can't see the magic but the grand-daughter can?
Today's book comes from one of my favourite authors, Oliver Jeffers - but this time he has teamed up with writing goliath Eoin Culfer to create "Imaginary Fred"
Fred is a professional imaginary friend. He's easygoing and always happy to be summoned. He's adaptable, friendly and willing. The perfect imaginary friend, really. Overall, Fred likes his job but when his kids end up finding real life friends, Fred's role as an imaginary friend is over--and he gradually fades away. Although great as a read aloud book the illustrations, as you can probably guess, are great and fit well with the narrative. But if you expecting anything quite as colourful as song of this other works - this might surprise you!
Which emotion does the book begin with? What are the 'rules' for getting an imaginary friend? Why did Fred get ignored? What technique is used in the phrase 'dynamic duo'? What does this mean? "A look Fred had seen before" - when was this? How genuine was Sam's promise? When Sam read the note, how did he feel? Why do you think he felt this way? Find the adjective that describes Freda's smile. Which word means 'first performance' What do you think happened next?
Today's book comes from one of my favourite authors, Oliver Jeffers - but this time he has teamed up with writing goliath Eoin Culfer to create "Imaginary Fred"
Fred is a professional imaginary friend. He's easygoing and always happy to be summoned. He's adaptable, friendly and willing. The perfect imaginary friend, really. Overall, Fred likes his job but when his kids end up finding real life friends, Fred's role as an imaginary friend is over--and he gradually fades away. Although great as a read aloud book the illustrations, as you can probably guess, are great and fit well with the narrative. But if you expecting anything quite as colourful as song of this other works - this might surprise you!
Which emotion does the book begin with? What are the 'rules' for getting an imaginary friend? Why did Fred get ignored? What technique is used in the phrase 'dynamic duo'? What does this mean? "A look Fred had seen before" - when was this? How genuine was Sam's promise? When Sam read the note, how did he feel? Why do you think he felt this way? Find the adjective that describes Freda's smile. Which word means 'first performance' What do you think happened next?
Welcome to another of our short summer reads !
Down in the jungle, three best friends – Monkey, Tortoise and Anteater – are playing silly games together. After playing their go-to games of Stick Splash, Scary Monsters and Silly Dancing, they spy Little Crocodile and his big crocodile mum in the swamp.
Little Crocodile suggests a daring new game called... KISS THE CROCODILE! Who will be brave enough to steal a peck from the ‘sleeping’ croc, with his big tail, pointy teeth and sharp claws? Showcasing the exuberance and thrill of friendship and play, this hilarious new story from the author of Hoot Owl, Master of Disguise demands to be re-enacted, and is the perfect match for the animated and rich artwork of Ben Mantle
Make a list of the different onomatopoeia the author uses.
When the friends see the two crocodiles, why do they whisper?
In what order do the friends play the game?
Who finally wakes the crocodile?
Why do you think they play 'Wake the Monkey' next time?
Do you think this story has a moral it is trying to teach young children?
Welcome to another of our short summer reads !
Down in the jungle, three best friends – Monkey, Tortoise and Anteater – are playing silly games together. After playing their go-to games of Stick Splash, Scary Monsters and Silly Dancing, they spy Little Crocodile and his big crocodile mum in the swamp.
Little Crocodile suggests a daring new game called... KISS THE CROCODILE! Who will be brave enough to steal a peck from the ‘sleeping’ croc, with his big tail, pointy teeth and sharp claws? Showcasing the exuberance and thrill of friendship and play, this hilarious new story from the author of Hoot Owl, Master of Disguise demands to be re-enacted, and is the perfect match for the animated and rich artwork of Ben Mantle
Make a list of the different onomatopoeia the author uses.
When the friends see the two crocodiles, why do they whisper?
In what order do the friends play the game?
Who finally wakes the crocodile?
Why do you think they play 'Wake the Monkey' next time?
Do you think this story has a moral it is trying to teach young children?
... and now for some poetry !
This podcast looks at the anthology of poems "His shoes were far too tight" masterminded by Daniel Drinkwater with colourful and surreal illustrations from Calef Brown. Although not an exhaustive collection, they certainly showcase the lexicographic dexterity of Lear as well as as showing off his most famous rhymes
Remember to listen to part one before listening to part two !
The Quangle Wangle's hat
Why could you not see his face?
What is the Quangle Wangle's favourite foods?
Why do you think so many animals wanted to live there?
Draw a picture of what you think the tree and hat look like
Mrs Blue Dickey bird
Draw a picture of the different characters walking behind each other
Some incidents in the life of my Uncle Arly
What does 'squandered' mean?
Where did the cricket go?
How long did Arly travel?
Nonsense Alphabet
Choose your own items to add to the alphabet or many come up with less repetitive descriptions
There was an Old Derry down Derry
What do you think this poem is about?
Which other limericks have you heard of before?
... and now for some poetry !
This podcast looks at the anthology of poems "His shoes were far too tight" masterminded by Daniel Drinkwater with colourful and surreal illustrations from Calef Brown. Although not an exhaustive collection, they certainly showcase the lexicographic dexterity of Lear as well as as showing off his most famous rhymes
Remember to listen to part one before listening to part two !
The Quangle Wangle's hat
Why could you not see his face?
What is the Quangle Wangle's favourite foods?
Why do you think so many animals wanted to live there?
Draw a picture of what you think the tree and hat look like
Mrs Blue Dickey bird
Draw a picture of the different characters walking behind each other
Some incidents in the life of my Uncle Arly
What does 'squandered' mean?
Where did the cricket go?
How long did Arly travel?
Nonsense Alphabet
Choose your own items to add to the alphabet or many come up with less repetitive descriptions
There was an Old Derry down Derry
What do you think this poem is about?
Which other limericks have you heard of before?
... and now for some poetry !
This podcast looks at he anthology of poems "His shoes were far too tight" masterminded by Daniel Drinkwater with colourful and surreal illustrations from Calef Brown. Although not an exhaustive collection, they certainly showcase the lexicographic dexterity of Lear as well as as showing off his most famous rhymes
And to make things even better there will be even more in the next podcast!
Throughout each poem, make a note of the stanza lengths and/or rhyme schemes.
Attempt to write your own stanzas about your self OR in teh style of the poem, as an additional verse
How pleasant to know Mr Lear
What does Lear mean by the word 'dumb'?
Investigate what Marsala is - NOTE - do not mix up with masala !!!!
What does the word 'runcible' mean? (this word comes up again and again!)
Draw a picture of what you think he looks like.
The Pobble who has no toes
What did Aunt Jobiska make the Pobble drink?
Where did he swim?
Which words does Lear use that all mean red?
Who took the flannel away?
The Owl and the Pussycat
What does Lear mean by the word 'fowl'?
Which foods did they eventually end up eating?
How does the repetition of the final lines make you feel? How does it change the pace?
The Duck and the Kangaroo
How do you think the duck sounds at the start of the poem?
What does Lear mean by the word 'roo-matiz'? Why do you think it is spelled that way?
Where did the duck end up sitting?
The Jumblies
At what time of year did they set sail?
Which random objects was the boat made out of?
How did they keep their feet dry?
Where did they sail too?
How long was their entire journey?
... and now for some poetry !
This podcast looks at he anthology of poems "His shoes were far too tight" masterminded by Daniel Drinkwater with colourful and surreal illustrations from Calef Brown. Although not an exhaustive collection, they certainly showcase the lexicographic dexterity of Lear as well as as showing off his most famous rhymes
And to make things even better there will be even more in the next podcast!
Throughout each poem, make a note of the stanza lengths and/or rhyme schemes.
Attempt to write your own stanzas about your self OR in teh style of the poem, as an additional verse
How pleasant to know Mr Lear
What does Lear mean by the word 'dumb'?
Investigate what Marsala is - NOTE - do not mix up with masala !!!!
What does the word 'runcible' mean? (this word comes up again and again!)
Draw a picture of what you think he looks like.
The Pobble who has no toes
What did Aunt Jobiska make the Pobble drink?
Where did he swim?
Which words does Lear use that all mean red?
Who took the flannel away?
The Owl and the Pussycat
What does Lear mean by the word 'fowl'?
Which foods did they eventually end up eating?
How does the repetition of the final lines make you feel? How does it change the pace?
The Duck and the Kangaroo
How do you think the duck sounds at the start of the poem?
What does Lear mean by the word 'roo-matiz'? Why do you think it is spelled that way?
Where did the duck end up sitting?
The Jumblies
At what time of year did they set sail?
Which random objects was the boat made out of?
How did they keep their feet dry?
Where did they sail too?
How long was their entire journey?
This story, although with a slightly negative title, is beautiful tale of conquering fears and spreading empathy. Written by award-winning author and illustrator Francesca Sanna, who many of you may know from writing "The Journey" this has a similar set up but is about something we can all empathise with When a young girl travels to a new country and starts a new school, her Fear tells her to be alone and afraid. How can she hope to make friends if she doesn't understand their language? This book shows us the importance of sharing your Fear with others - after all, everyone carries a Fear with them, even if it's small enough to fit into their pocket!
A great book to listen too but also has some amazing illustrations!
Why might fear keep you safe?
If the girl has left somewhere bad, why might her Fear keep growing?
What does the author mean by "Fear eats all the food she can'?
"Fear dreams so loudly" what could this mean?
What is the boy scared of?
What do you think your Fear looks like? Maybe draw a picture of it.
When does your Fear come out? Can you tell when other people's Fear comes out?
What is this book trying to teach us about how we treat each other?
This story, although with a slightly negative title, is beautiful tale of conquering fears and spreading empathy. Written by award-winning author and illustrator Francesca Sanna, who many of you may know from writing "The Journey" this has a similar set up but is about something we can all empathise with When a young girl travels to a new country and starts a new school, her Fear tells her to be alone and afraid. How can she hope to make friends if she doesn't understand their language? This book shows us the importance of sharing your Fear with others - after all, everyone carries a Fear with them, even if it's small enough to fit into their pocket!
A great book to listen too but also has some amazing illustrations!
Why might fear keep you safe?
If the girl has left somewhere bad, why might her Fear keep growing?
What does the author mean by "Fear eats all the food she can'?
"Fear dreams so loudly" what could this mean?
What is the boy scared of?
What do you think your Fear looks like? Maybe draw a picture of it.
When does your Fear come out? Can you tell when other people's Fear comes out?
What is this book trying to teach us about how we treat each other?
Another short story for you to listen to!
A Children's Book of the Year in The Telegraph, an Empathy Lab Read for Empathy book 2020 as well as the winner of the Macmillan Prize for Illustration 2017. A great story to listen to but even better with the effervescent pictures!
A very funny and lovable picture book tribute to grandparents and older people many of which you might be able to find in the this book. When you're small, everybody bigger than you seems really old. But does being older have to mean being boring, or slow, or quiet? This book reveals that the age you are makes no difference to how amazing you can be.
What do you think the narrator means by 'funny teeth'?
Who might have said negative things about old people? Why?
Make a list of the things the narrator is told about old people. Do any of these things describe your grandparents or even great-grandparents?
Try to balance out the the negative list by adding a positive thing about your grandparents
Draw a picture of your grandparents doing some amazing things !
Another short story for you to listen to!
A Children's Book of the Year in The Telegraph, an Empathy Lab Read for Empathy book 2020 as well as the winner of the Macmillan Prize for Illustration 2017. A great story to listen to but even better with the effervescent pictures!
A very funny and lovable picture book tribute to grandparents and older people many of which you might be able to find in the this book. When you're small, everybody bigger than you seems really old. But does being older have to mean being boring, or slow, or quiet? This book reveals that the age you are makes no difference to how amazing you can be.
What do you think the narrator means by 'funny teeth'?
Who might have said negative things about old people? Why?
Make a list of the things the narrator is told about old people. Do any of these things describe your grandparents or even great-grandparents?
Try to balance out the the negative list by adding a positive thing about your grandparents
Draw a picture of your grandparents doing some amazing things !
Welcome to a string of short books for the summer holidays!
Over the next few weeks we have a wide range of stories - including some poetry - to keep you entertained and keeping your comprehension skills on your toes. We'll then be doing some medium and longer form books up to and after Christmas.
In this book, Mum works really hard, but today there is no money or food in the cupboards. Mum feels ashamed that they have to rely on the kindness of others, but her young daughter can still see all the good in her day. A moving insight into the sad rise and necessity of foodbanks from the perspective of society's most vulnerable, and an essential book to help develop empathy in younger readers.
What does the little girl want for breakfast?
What is the 'everything else jar' for?
Name some of things you can do on a no-money day. Can you think of anything else to add to the list?
Why do you think mum doesn't like going to the foodbank?
Why does the lady at the foodbank say sorry to the girl?
Who are the 'kind people'?
Maybe you can donate something to your local foodbank.
Welcome to a string of short books for the summer holidays!
Over the next few weeks we have a wide range of stories - including some poetry - to keep you entertained and keeping your comprehension skills on your toes. We'll then be doing some medium and longer form books up to and after Christmas.
In this book, Mum works really hard, but today there is no money or food in the cupboards. Mum feels ashamed that they have to rely on the kindness of others, but her young daughter can still see all the good in her day. A moving insight into the sad rise and necessity of foodbanks from the perspective of society's most vulnerable, and an essential book to help develop empathy in younger readers.
What does the little girl want for breakfast?
What is the 'everything else jar' for?
Name some of things you can do on a no-money day. Can you think of anything else to add to the list?
Why do you think mum doesn't like going to the foodbank?
Why does the lady at the foodbank say sorry to the girl?
Who are the 'kind people'?
Maybe you can donate something to your local foodbank.
Every day leading up to Christmas I will be uploading a short festive verse - sometimes, funny, sometimes poignant,, sometimes fantastical, sometimes warm - but every day will have something ever so slightly different.
Hope you enjoy !
POEM 24 CHRISTMAS EVE CONVERSATION
Every day leading up to Christmas I will be uploading a short festive verse - sometimes, funny, sometimes poignant,, sometimes fantastical, sometimes warm - but every day will have something ever so slightly different.
Hope you enjoy !
POEM 23 QUESTIONS ON CHRISTMAS EVE
Every day leading up to Christmas I will be uploading a short festive verse - sometimes, funny, sometimes poignant,, sometimes fantastical, sometimes warm - but every day will have something ever so slightly different.
Hope you enjoy !
POEM 22 THE TWELVE LEFTOVERS OF CHRSTMAS
Every day leading up to Christmas I will be uploading a short festive verse - sometimes, funny, sometimes poignant,, sometimes fantastical, sometimes warm - but every day will have something ever so slightly different.
Hope you enjoy !
POEM 21 WHAT IS IT?
Every day leading up to Christmas I will be uploading a short festive verse - sometimes, funny, sometimes poignant,, sometimes fantastical, sometimes warm - but every day will have something ever so slightly different.
Hope you enjoy !
POEM 20 FAVOURTTE CHRISTMAS TREE
Every day leading up to Christmas I will be uploading a short festive verse - sometimes, funny, sometimes poignant,, sometimes fantastical, sometimes warm - but every day will have something ever so slightly different.
Hope you enjoy !
POEM 19 CHRISTMAS CAT
Every day leading up to Christmas I will be uploading a short festive verse - sometimes, funny, sometimes poignant,, sometimes fantastical, sometimes warm - but every day will have something ever so slightly different.
Hope you enjoy !
POEM 18 DECORATION DAY
Every day leading up to Christmas I will be uploading a short festive verse - sometimes, funny, sometimes poignant,, sometimes fantastical, sometimes warm - but every day will have something ever so slightly different.
Hope you enjoy !
POEM 17 THE WAITING GAME
Every day leading up to Christmas I will be uploading a short festive verse - sometimes, funny, sometimes poignant,, sometimes fantastical, sometimes warm - but every day will have something ever so slightly different.
Hope you enjoy !
POEM 16 ONE STAR
Every day leading up to Christmas I will be uploading a short festive verse - sometimes, funny, sometimes poignant,, sometimes fantastical, sometimes warm - but every day will have something ever so slightly different.
Hope you enjoy !
POEM 15 THE CHRISTMAS OLYMPICS
Every day leading up to Christmas I will be uploading a short festive verse - sometimes, funny, sometimes poignant,, sometimes fantastical, sometimes warm - but every day will have something ever so slightly different.
Hope you enjoy !
POEM 14 THE CHRISTMAS MOUSE
Every day leading up to Christmas I will be uploading a short festive verse - sometimes, funny, sometimes poignant,, sometimes fantastical, sometimes warm - but every day will have something ever so slightly different.
Hope you enjoy !
POEM 13 ON THE 13TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS MY TRUE LOVE PHONED ME UP
Every day leading up to Christmas I will be uploading a short festive verse - sometimes, funny, sometimes poignant,, sometimes fantastical, sometimes warm - but every day will have something ever so slightly different.
Hope you enjoy !
POEM 12 I THOUGHT I SAW...
Every day leading up to Christmas I will be uploading a short festive verse - sometimes, funny, sometimes poignant,, sometimes fantastical, sometimes warm - but every day will have something ever so slightly different.
Hope you enjoy !
POEM 11 WILL THERE BE SNOW?
Every day leading up to Christmas I will be uploading a short festive verse - sometimes, funny, sometimes poignant,, sometimes fantastical, sometimes warm - but every day will have something ever so slightly different.
Hope you enjoy !
POEM 10 A GIFT FROM THE STARS
Every day leading up to Christmas I will be uploading a short festive verse - sometimes, funny, sometimes poignant,, sometimes fantastical, sometimes warm - but every day will have something ever so slightly different.
Hope you enjoy !
POEM 9 THE COLOUR OF CHRISTMAS
Every day leading up to Christmas I will be uploading a short festive verse - sometimes, funny, sometimes poignant,, sometimes fantastical, sometimes warm - but every day will have something ever so slightly different.
Hope you enjoy !
POEM 8 I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO BE MARY
Every day leading up to Christmas I will be uploading a short festive verse - sometimes, funny, sometimes poignant,, sometimes fantastical, sometimes warm - but every day will have something ever so slightly different.
Hope you enjoy !
POEM 7 SNOW
Every day leading up to Christmas I will be uploading a short festive verse - sometimes, funny, sometimes poignant,, sometimes fantastical, sometimes warm - but every day will have something ever so slightly different.
Hope you enjoy !
POEM 6 WHAT THE YOUNGEST ANGEL SAID
Every day leading up to Christmas I will be uploading a short festive verse - sometimes, funny, sometimes poignant,, sometimes fantastical, sometimes warm - but every day will have something ever so slightly different.
Hope you enjoy !
POEM 5 REINDEER RAP
Every day leading up to Christmas I will be uploading a short festive verse - sometimes, funny, sometimes poignant,, sometimes fantastical, sometimes warm - but every day will have something ever so slightly different.
Hope you enjoy !
POEM 4 THE VILLAGE
Every day leading up to Christmas I will be uploading a short festive verse - sometimes, funny, sometimes poignant,, sometimes fantastical, sometimes warm - but every day will have something ever so slightly different.
Hope you enjoy !
POEM 3 CHRISTMAS KISSES
Every day leading up to Christmas I will be uploading a short festive verse - sometimes, funny, sometimes poignant,, sometimes fantastical, sometimes warm - but every day will have something ever so slightly different.
Hope you enjoy !
POEM 2 CHRISTMAS MUSIC
Every day leading up to Christmas I will be uploading a short festive verse - sometimes, funny, sometimes poignant,, sometimes fantastical, sometimes warm - but every day will have something ever so slightly different.
Hope you enjoy !
POEM 1 THE CHRISTMAS FEELING
The next set of podcasts chronicle “The Dictionary of Difficult Words” by Jane Solomon (Author) and Louise Lockhart (Illustrator) Here, we will delve in to vocabulary new, unusual and niche!
This last episode looks at X, Y and Z before finishing with a short epilogue about a contentious word of the moment....
Instead of a list of questions about the text, make a list of any words you feel you could use, in speech or in writing – and see if anybody notices or complements you on your specific vocabulary !
The next set of podcasts chronicle “The Dictionary of Difficult Words” by Jane Solomon (Author) and Louise Lockhart (Illustrator) Here, we will delve in to vocabulary new, unusual and niche!
This penultimate show investigates the underused vocabulary of T, U, V and W
Instead of a list of questions about the text, make a list of any words you feel you could use, in speech or in writing – and see if anybody notices or complements you on your specific vocabulary !
The next set of podcasts chronicle “The Dictionary of Difficult Words” by Jane Solomon (Author) and Louise Lockhart (Illustrator) Here, we will delve in to vocabulary new, unusual and niche!
Today's episode looks at P, Q, R and S
Instead of a list of questions about the text, make a list of any words you feel you could use, in speech or in writing – and see if anybody notices or complements you on your specific vocabulary !
The next set of podcasts chronicle “The Dictionary of Difficult Words” by Jane Solomon (Author) and Louise Lockhart (Illustrator) Here, we will delve in to vocabulary new, unusual and niche!
Today's upload continues with letters L, M, N O and P.
Instead of a list of questions about the text, make a list of any words you feel you could use, in speech or in writing – and see if anybody notices or complements you on your specific vocabulary !
The next set of podcasts chronicle “The Dictionary of Difficult Words” by Jane Solomon (Author) and Louise Lockhart (Illustrator) Here, we will delve in to vocabulary new, unusual and niche!
Today continues the alphabet with letters H, I, J and K.
Instead of a list of questions about the text, make a list of any words you feel you could use, in speech or in writing – and see if anybody notices or complements you on your specific vocabulary !
The next set of podcasts chronicle “The Dictionary of Difficult Words” by Jane Solomon (Author) and Louise Lockhart (Illustrator) Here, we will delve in to vocabulary new, unusual and niche!
Today's upload continues with the letters D, E, F and G.
Instead of a list of questions about the text, make a list of any words you feel you could use, in speech or in writing – and see if anybody notices or complements you on your specific vocabulary !
The next set of podcasts chronicle “The Dictionary of Difficult Words” by Jane Solomon (Author) and Louise Lockhart (Illustrator) Here, we will delve in to vocabulary new, unusual and niche!
Today's upload incudes a brief introduction and style guide before starting with letters A, B and C.
Instead of a list of questions about the text, make a list of any words you feel you could use, in speech or in writing – and see if anybody notices or complements you on your specific vocabulary !
After a summer break we are back with a brand new (kind of!) book "Earth Warp!"
This book is another from the BBC Look and Read series which ran from the 70s into the 90s and many of us 30 and 40 somethings will remember some of these series very fondly.
CHAPTER 9
What was in a heap on the floor?
Why do you think Martin had an asthma attack?
Where did the short cut end up?
What did the children do with the magic sphere?
CHAPTER 10
What does the word 'slammed' tell you how the door closed?
How might Claire have broken the phone?
What does 'murky' mean?
Why did Ollie hug Martin? How do you think this made Martin feel?
What kind of technique is the phrase 'dazzling display' ?
After a summer break we are back with a brand new (kind of!) book "Earth Warp!"
This book is another from the BBC Look and Read series which ran from the 70s into the 90s and many of us 30 and 40 somethings will remember some of these series very fondly.
CHAPTER 7
How did the 'strange visitor' arrive?
What made Amina better?
Where was Joe Lowin looking for the alien?
The phrase 'the key' has 2 meanings in the last paragraph - can you explain?
CHAPTER 8
Why was Ollie getting more clumsier?
What did Martin tell Joe Lowin? Do you think this was a good idea?
Which phrase tell you Loe Lowin was angry?
What does 'betray' mean?
After a summer break we are back with a brand new (kind of!) book "Earth Warp!"
This book is another from the BBC Look and Read series which ran from the 70s into the 90s and many of us 30 and 40 somethings will remember some of these series very fondly.
CHAPTER 5
Who was watching the vase being put back together?
What does the phrase 'off the hook' mean?
Why did Jenny have a notebook with her?
Why was Mrs Rowlands worried?
Who was sleepwalking down the corridor and who were they seen by?
CHAPTER 6
What does the word 'gabbling' mean?
Where did the children go to escape the hot without being seen?
Who collected the sea water and how?
How would Ollie get the spaceship?
By the end of this chapter, who was now feeling ill?
After a summer break we are back with a brand new (kind of!) book "Earth Warp!"
This book is another from the BBC Look and Read series which ran from the 70s into the 90s and many of us 30 and 40 somethings will remember some of these series very fondly.
CHAPTER 3
How long did Ollie have to find the probe?
What toppled over 'all by itself'?
Where were most of the red spots in the map?
Can you think of a suitable synonym for 'tank'
CHAPTER 4
What were the upside and downside of the sphere's magic powers?
What was the probe's name?
Who did Amino really want to call?
Why did Ollie go to the kitchen?
Why was Mr Belcher also at the hotel?
After a summer break we are back with a brand new (kind of!) book "Earth Warp!"
This book is another from the BBC Look and Read series which ran from the 70s into the 90s and many of us 30 and 40 somethings will remember some of these series very fondly.
This tale has an environmental edge, and (unfortunately) for a tale with was written 25 years ago very little has changed so therefore still has relevance despite it's age on paper. Without giving away too many spoilers, Southbeach is visited by Ollie the Alien, a town blighted by pollution. A group of local children befriend Ollie, who tells then that a probe sent from his planet which landed there 100 years ago may explode due to the pollution in the seas there. But who else might be affected by the town pollution problem?
CHAPTER 1
Which word tells you that the probe stayed there for 100 years?
Where does Martin live?
What is a 'journalist'?
How does Martin look at the stars?
What does the word 'dazzling' tell you about the sight?
CHAPTER 2
What had Martin been dreaming about?
Where on the aliens' body was the 'computer'?
Why did the children say it spoke Chinese?
What is 'a scoop'?
Can you see any links between this story and other fairy tales containing brothers and sisters or animals that aid main characters?
Make a list of all the animals named in the story and list the connotations, emotions and stereotypes linked to them. Why might Jamila Gavin used these in her story?
Who was The Green Man?
What do you think Emeka might have done next? What other stories might he have ended up in?
Did you like the ending? Have a go at rewriting the end so the King and Queen, Flora, Florian Joy or Emeka do something different
The next tale from the "Blackberry Blue" anthology is the amazing tale of "Emeka the Pathfinder"
What tales can you think of where people fight or threaten Kings or Queens?
Which tales involves people being turning into animals or inanimate objects?
Why do you think so many tales involve paths, mazes or trails? What are they a metaphor of?
Do you think there is any significance of The Green Man? What might YOU do with the acorns?
The story ends, ‘As for the stepfather and his son, they didn’t return to the farm but disappeared, never to be heard of again. Perhaps they tricked another innocent widow, or perhaps they got the punishment they deserved. who knows?’
What do you think happens to the father and his son?
What do you think would be the best outcome?
Should there be a redemptive ending?
Is it possible for villains to repent and become good?
Which 3 of these themes do you think are the most important in the story and why?
Punishment Honesty Greed Kindness Rewards Bravery Family Loyalty
"The Golden Carp" is the third story in the Blackberry Blue collection of short stories by Jamila Gavin.
In this tale, our main character Chi is transported to another magical realm by the titular being. The story morphs into a parable showing how greed can breed other sins but generosity can bring good fortune.
This story is cut up into two sections and hopefully the questions doesn't give too much away to how the story goes !
PRE-READING QUESTIONS
Do you agree that Greed and Laziness are two of the deadliest sins?
Why do you think Jamila Gavin writes ‘… because they lead to other evils.’?
What do you think this story will be about?
How could a Golden Carp be involved in the story?
Draw a picture as to what you think Chi looks like.
How does she fit/not fit into the typical fairy tale protagonist role?
Can you think of other stores where characters are mistreated by family?
Why do you think step-parents are painted as untrustworthy characters?
Do you know any other stories which feature brothers and sisters?
Do you know other stories where animals guide and help the protagonists?
How is the setting for The Purple Lady different from a classic fairy story?
Why do you think Jamlia Gavin chose to use a more up-to-date setting?
Which are about a character seeking eternal life or remaining young forever?
Do you think it would be good to live forever? Why/why not?
Find out about the Hindu goddess, Shasti. What does she have in common with the old woman in The Purple Lady?
How important is Miskouri to the story?
What would have happened to Abu if he didn’t have Miskouri with him?
Why do you think Shasti demands an eye for helping Abu to rescue Leyla?
How do you feel about the main characters?
Do you think they are making good decisions?
How might you have dealt with these decisions?
Do you think the characters' relationships with each other has changed?
Might they change again before the end of the story?
What do you think will happen next?
Do you think this will have a happy or sad ending?
Does this tale still remind you of any fairy tales and does this help you think about where the story might go next?
"The Purple Lady" is the second story in the Blackberry Blue collection of short stories by Jamila Gavin.
In this tale, Abu is willed to find his long lost sister but has to endure physical and emotion turmoil to get to the end of his quest. He also has the dilemma of wondering who he should really trust on his journey and if those people guiding him have other ulterior motives.
This story is cut up into 3 parts, so today's questions are rather more vague as I don't want to give away too much about what is to come in the rest of the story... Enjoy !
PRE READING QUESTIONS
Have you ever lost something that was very precious to you?
Were you able to retrieve the thing that you had lost?
How did if feel (not) to get it back?
Visualise the main character and draw what you see.
Compare with the original illustration if you can.
How detailed are descriptions of people/places? Why might this be?
The next book on the reading list is "Blackberry Blue: And Other Fairy Tales" written by Jamila Gavin.
There are six amazing stories in the book and "Blackberry Blue is the first - a heart-warming story about love and kindness that follows foundling Blackberry Blue as she battles the forces of evil to save the boy she loves.
The other stories are slightly longer so will be released in parts every Saturday over the next couple of months. The comprehension questions for this book will focus on the relationships between the characters as well as the story's relationships to other well known tales.
Enjoy!
Is the forest a safe or a threatening place in this story?
How does Jamila Gavin make you feel that?
Does this story have a message?
If so, what do you think it is?
Do you know any other tales where characters transform into animals?
What does this make you think or feel?
Do you know any fairy stories where a character has to wear a special item of clothing?
Who needs the special clothes and why are they needed?
Is it for the same reason in the different stories?
Perhaps investigate the stories/characters of Donkeyskin, Catskin, Cap of Rushes, Mossycoat and Tatterskins.
1) Start up a charity bag, even if you can only add a few things to it right now. Maybe if you start the ball rolling some other people in your household can chip in and start it too. With the weather on the change you could sort some of your seasonal clothes and and work out what you haven't worn over the last year. It might not be something you have worn but could be something someone else really needs right now. Taking time to declutter, as well as doing good for a charity, can give yourself a real boost.
2) If you've got into the habit of not doing much exercise, make today the day to make that change. There is lots of evidence from large studies that show how getting active has the power to change your mood, especially if it is regular. It doesn't have to be a triathlon - maybe a brisk walk to the shop, a run around the park, or taking the long route to and from school - just something that gets you out and about and your heart hate up
3) How well (or badly) you sleep has an effect on your health and wellbeing. So try, today, to set a time for when you go to bed this week and stick to it. Try to stay away from screens during the hour before bedtime and gradually lower the light level as you get towards bedtime. If possible check the heating is not too high in your bedroom as studies show a cooler bedroom makes for much better sleep conditions.
1) Play some music that you really love. Boogie along to it in the kitchen, ask your mum or dad to turn it up in the car or even sing along with it in the shower! Find some songs you haven't heard of for a while and it might bring back some great memories and stories !
2) Find something funny to watch. Settle down for a weekend family movie or maybe binge watch one of the many comedy shows on CBBC such as "Horrible Histories" or "The dog ate my homework". It’s true: laughter is strong medicine. It draws people together in ways that trigger healthy physical and emotional changes in the body. It can strengthen your immune system, boosts mood, diminishes pain, and protects you from the damaging effects of stress
3) Go through some old photos that remind you of a time that was special. Talk about these moments with other people who were there. Maybe you could send them a copy of the photo and see what they remember too. Revisiting past happy times has been shown to bring fresh happiness all over again and maybe influence future plans.
1) Write down three things that you are grateful for and they don't have to be big. It might be that you got some positive feedback about some work you did, enjoyed playing football with friends or that you had a really nice cup of tea! If you make a habit of this and take note of these things, it makes you appreciate the positive much more than the negative.
2) Give yourself time to smile - even if it is just to yourself and you don't really feel like it. Research shows that smiling works two ways; you can't help but smile if you feel happy, but the physical act of smiling triggers happiness hormones which can start making you feel better. And remember - if others see you smiling, they are likely to smile back too !
3) Be assertive - don't feel bad about saying NO! Things often come up that we don't want to do or just don't have the time to do. Often we worry about saying no and letting people down. We then end up taking on more and more responsibilities which eventually wear us down or not end up doing properly. Saying a polite 'no' could save a lot of time and energy for both sides further down the line.
1) Thank someone for something they've done for you - even if it wasn't that recently. Letting someone know how much you have appreciated them for something is a win-win situation - they will feel appreciated and you'll get a boost too! You never know, they might repay the favour somewhere down the line and the whole cycle will start over again !
2) Go and tidy up something in your house. If you've got time to do you whole bedroom, go ahead, but if not just go through one box, drawer, shelf or pile of miscellaneous papers and pens. Take 5 minutes to sort through it properly and work out what can be thrown away, what could be useful or maybe you can find something a friend might find useful.
3) Learn something new today! Perhaps find an article in a paper, magazine or website and study it properly, see which facts or opinions make you think. Pick up a poetry book and see if you can learn one off by heart. Maybe you could use a translation tool to find key phrases in a new language. Evidence suggests humans are at their happiest when they are learning and opening out minds to new ideas.
1) Studies show that taking time to do something kind for someone else make you happier than doing something just for yourself. Make a point of doing something good for someone else today - it doesn't need to be big! You could hold the door for someone whose hands are full, complement someone on their hairdo or, if you see someone you haven't seen for a while, say how nice it is to see them and how you've missed them !
2) Next time you walk somewhere - maybe to school, a relative/friends, to the local shops or just to appreciate the nice weather - take a different route from where you would usually go. Look around you - what do you notice. Sometimes there are sights and sounds really close to where you live that you've never noticed or appreciated just because you don't normally go that way !
3) Support causes close to your heart. You could make a monetary donation in a charity box or an adult might be able to make a donation online in your name. Maybe you could sign up to get involved in an activity they are planning to do later in the year such as a coffee morning, dressing up day or fun run. Doing things that have a sense of purpose or meaning is proven to make us happier
1) Take a moment to look through some old photos or videos you might have from special days such as Christmases, birthdays or summer holidays. Choose one that really fires up your memories and chat to someone about what you did, where you were and how it made you feel. It is thought that remembering good experiences as the emotions and felling come back to you and might make you feel more positive, or may inspire you to plan something for the future!
2) Go through one of those cluttered boxes in your house or bedroom that has your bits and pieces in it. You will find somethings that you had forgotten you had and could still come in quite useful. You may also find things that are useful - but not for you. Maybe think about someone who you could give it to in the future. Not only will this clear up the clutter but also give someone you love an unexpected gift at the end of lockdown!
3) Next time you find yourself about to say or write something negative - STOP. Can you think of a different, kinder way of saying what you were about to say? By carefully choosing how we respond to things we can bring ourselves out of a pessimistic train of thought to a more positive one. You can still be down or dislike things that are going on but changing the language and the words can make us less impulsive. Sometimes our gut reaction can be a bit too strong or even wrong.
1) Stop looking back and thinking about things that have happened. Take a moment to think of 3 things in the near future you can look forward to... Maybe it's someone's birthday and you can play what you might get them... Perhaps you'll be moving school in the summer and you can think about all the new opportunities that may arise.... Or maybe you can think about when you can next visit a loved one you haven't seen for a while.
2) Pay somebody a compliment - it could be in person, on the telephone or in a message. Maybe say thank you so someone who has helped you at school, or to a delivery driver who has brought something to your house or maybe you could just tell somebody that they look nice today. It is said that by personally making someone else happy, it can in fact make yourself happier too.
3) Think about an activity that you are good at, but maybe have not been able to partake in it over lockdown. Could you pick it back up today? Maybe you ask an adult when you might be able to do it again. Maybe you could watch some videos or TV programmes about it to get your enthusiasm up or talk about pictures or trophies you might have in the cupboard. Doing things you are good at make you happier, and can often make other people smile too !
It's a brand new book!
Charlie McGuffin has an incredible secret - he can change into all sorts of animals: a flea, a pigeon, even a rhino. Trouble is, he can’t decide when – it only happens when he gets worried. Even though every kid wants a superhero power, Charlie isn’t keen on changing into a chicken in the middle of the school play. So with the help of his three best friends, Charlie needs to find a way of dealing with his crazy new power – and fast!
On the face of it, this is just a basic funny story about superpowers but in fact its REAL power lies much deeper. It's more about how one deals with situations seemingly beyond one's control as well as looking at coping with stress, anxiety and dealing with the sickness of a loved one. It also looks at other relationships through bullying, friendship, families, working together, loyalty, and stage fright.
So, instead of questions next to each section I'm just going to ask you to make a note of some of the worries, fears and even happy moments you've had the last few days and I'll paste some quick activities you can do to keep yourself positive and keep your mind off things :)
Enjoy!
It’s Faizah’s first day of school and she’s got a brand-new backpack and light-up shoes. For her older sister, Asiya, it’s her first day of wearing a hijab at school. Faizah sees her sister as a princess wearing her beautiful blue hijab But not everyone sees hijab as beautiful. In the face of hurtful, confusing words, will the two girls find new ways to be strong?
Growing up in America, Ibtihaj Muhammad never saw herself in children's books. Now she's an accomplished sportswoman and children's author. She shares her feelings in this beautiful and powerful story about the bond shared between siblings and being proud of yourself and your beliefs. and tells us here how she hopes it will help kids pursue their dreams...
THE PROUDEST BLUE
BEFORE
Why do you think it is important to know the back story of the author? Find out more about Ibtihaj Muhammad and seek out some of her videos online.
What associations does the colour blue have for you? Why do you think blue might be an important colour in the story?
Find (or think of) different fabrics and materials – think about the uses for each one and find words to describe their feel and movement.
Look at the thumbnail of the cover – who do you think is in the picture? What might the blue represent? Where do you think the characters are going/looking at?
What does the word ‘proud’ mean?. When was someone proud of you? When were you proud of someone else?
DURING
Identify what a ‘hijab’ is and who might wear one. Explore other ethnic garments like sari, poncho, kimono, dirndl, kameez, gákti etc
Have you even bought a special set of clothes for special occasion? Why was this?
‘…there’s no line between the water and the sky.’ What do you think this means?
During a part of the book the characters whisper. Why do you think this might be?
How are the two girls being ‘strong’? What are the different ways of being ‘strong’?
AFTER
Who do you share a special bond with? Discuss the value of supportive and loving relationships.
Think about the idea of having an open mind and not having preconceptions. What ideas do we have about people (or even yourself) because of what we see on the outside or how a person talks?
What possessions might you be able to own once you are older? How might you act differently once you own them?
Do you have an older sibling or friend you look up to? Is there someone younger who looks up to you? Why might this be important as you are growing up?
All the animals covet Osebo's drum, but he won't let anyone else have it, not even Nyame, the Sky-God. So, Nyame offers a big reward to the animal that brings him the drum. All try - the monkey, the elephant, even the python - and all fail. Can a very small jungle dweller succeed in outwitting the boastful leopard? The short, rhythmic text is perfect for reading aloud and young children will find much to identify with in the themes of this story and satisfaction in the final triumph of the triumphant creature !
THE LEOPARD’S DRUM: An Asante Tale from West Africa
Think of a synonym for ‘boastful’.
Do you think Osebo should have let Nyame use the drum? Why?
Why do you think Python and Elephant failed to get the drum?
What was the tortoise’s name?
How were tortoises different at this time??
How did Tortoise act towards Osebo? How did this make the Leopard feel?
What did Tortoise use to trap Leopard inside?
What was Tortoise’s reward to successfully getting the drum?
Think about what you might have asked for if you had won.
Can you think of any alternative rhymes of any of the lines? Maybe have a go at rewriting a stanza yourself using language older children might appreciate.
This book was inspired by Chiara Mezzalama’s childhood experience of her father being appointed Italian ambassador to Tehran in 1980 when Iran was at war with Iraq. It is the story of an unexpected friendship of two children, on either side of war and peace, told through the metaphor of a garden.
Although a spectacular graphic novel, its atmospheric setting makes it perfect for an audio book. Video of the pages can be found here: https://vimeo.com/387741146
THE GARDEN OF INSIDE-OUTSIDE
Why do you think the introduction is important to read before you get to the story?
How old was the carp?
How does the writer describe the soldiers’ appearance?
Why did the children get a dog?
What did mum scold? What did they do to upset her?
If the characters spoke different languages, how did they know they were friends?
What does ‘breached’ mean?
Did she really become lion taming princess?
Why do you think the boy ‘fled’?
How does the phrase ‘golden prison’ make you feel?
Why do you think Massoud’s gift was so special?
“There are so many walls” What kind of walls do you think the writer means?
Do you think there is a moral or lesson to learn from this story?
When a terrible drought hits the beautiful Kapiti Plain and the animals leave, young herd boy Ki-pat must find a way to end the drought and save the wildlife on the plain. "Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain" by Verna Aardema is a delightful rhyming story full of bright and vivid illustrations by Beatriz Vidal.
BRINGING THE RAIN TO KAPITI PLAIN
Where might Kapiti Plain might be? What clues do you get from the front cover?
What happens because of the drought?
How does Ki-pat end the drought?
What happens after the rains come?
Think about the structure of the poem – do you know of any other poems, stories or songs that work in a similar way? What are the positives and negatives about this style of writing?
“Bringing the rain to Kapiti Plain” is based on a Nandi story – a tribe based around Kenya. Investigate other stories from Africa, many of which have animals as main characters. Compare some of these tales to that of Aesop’s Fables - do you see any similarities or differences?
Happy New year to you all !
Whether you are new to the feed or seasoned veterans I'll just give a brief outline to the podcast and how it can be used.
Each podcast contains a story, or chapters of a longer story, read my me. If you just want to use the podcast as a sort of story time, bedtime story or as something family friendly in the background then that's great but there is also an extra educational side to the podcast. In the show notes there are questions or activities based on the story. You may find it beneficial to have the questions to hand during the reading so you can go through them as the podcast progresses. If you also have access to the text - that's great - but not integral. Of course, if it inspires you or you young ones to go and find explore the wider world of books then I see it that my work here is done!
This month I will be uploading some short stories set in Africa & Asia or by authors of African and Asian origin.
CHINYE
Who does Chinye live with?
Why did they need more water?
Which animals did Chinye meet on the way? What other animals could they have seen?
Is it normally OK to talk to strangers? Why do you think Chinye talked to the old woman?
What is a ‘gourd’ – what do they remind you of in a local supermarket?
What did Chinye have to do once back home?
Where does ivory come from? What is damask?
“For once in her life she was speechless” What does this tell you about Nkechi?
Why did Adanma’s trip to the hut go wrong?
Where do you think Nkechi and Adanma went?
Do you think there is a moral to this story?
The final podcast of this year is reading of Clement Clarke Moore's seminal poem "'Twas the night before Christmas" also known as "A Visit from St. Nicholas".
We will be back in the new year with a brand new set of books starting off with a modern take on fairy tales by Jamila Gavin; a child's take on war by Chiara Mezzalama and the ups and down of the first day at school by Ibtihaj Muhammad & S.K. Ali.
'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
or A VISIT FROM ST. NICHOLAS
Where were the stockings? Why had they had been put there?
Who were they hoping was going to arrive?
Which word in the second verse tells you there was a lot of noise?
In the context of the poem, what is the ‘sash’ that they open?
Which 2 words meaning little describe the sleigh and reindeer?
How many reindeer does he have?
Which simile is used to describe Santa’s nose?
“And laying a finger aside of his nose” – what does this action mean?
What is the rhyme scheme/pattern of the poem?
Try to come up with alternative rhymes or even an extra verse to add more detail about your favourite part of the poem.
My penultimate reading of the year is that of one of the lesser known of the Mr. Men tales - Mr Christmas !
MR CHRISTMAS
What is the name of the postman?
Why does Father Christmas need help? What can Mr Christmas do for him?
What does Mr Christmas need from Wizard Winterbottom?
Do you think a flying teapot would be a sensible mode of transport? Why?
Who got a cookery book?
What did Mr Topsy-Turvy do with his present?
Where did Father Christmas get into a bit of a problem?
Make a list of some of the other Mrs Men and Little Miss characters and think of suitable presents for them.
Have a look out for some of the other winery characters (Little Miss Christmas, Mr Snow) as well as some of the special Mr Men Books retelling famous other tales and explaining festive traditions !
Chapter 19, 20 and 21
Who was playing with a hammer?
Which words did Daisy not get to say?
What do you think might have gone wrong?
Why did the plan go wrong? What did they not realise about the dolly?
Which song did the Woolly Wonkas just stop singing?
What happens to you when you panic?
How did Daisy put the batteries inside the dolly?
What did Laura Donnelly do when she saw her dolly?
Who did the shepherds trip over?
Whose moustache fell off?
How do you think the headteacher is feeling? What clues do you get from the text?
Do you think Gabby is in trouble too? Why?
Why did Daisy want another bonfire?
What reason does Daisy give for not needing coal in her stocking?
Why does Daisy suggest painting herself green? Why might that help?
Write a reply to daisy as Santa – what might he want to say back?
What was your favourite part of the story?
Who was your favourite character?
Go to you local bookshop or library and read one of the many other "Daisy and the trouble with..." books and see what other kinds of mischief she gets up to.
Chapter 16, 17 and 18
Where did Daisy and Gabby get the batteries from?
What excuse did Daisy give her mum for why she needed extra big pockets?
Who spotted the batteries in the lunchbox?
Where did Gabby successfully hide her batteries?
What were Liberty’s angel wings made from?
Where would you wear a balaclava?
Why could Daisy not see anything at first?
Who is Mr Sturgeon?
When is the Christmas Bazaar?
Why did everyone start giggling?
Why did Mrs Peters keep winking?
Who was holding the star on a stick?
What happened on the fourth wink?
Chapter 13, 14 and 15
What is Daisy’s favourite song from the show? Why was she not allowed to sing it?
What was the cardboard box for?
Mrs. Peters asks the children to ‘find’, ‘hunt’ and ‘peer’ – what do all these words mean?
When did the specially dollies need to be in school?
What did Paula’s dolly do?
Who brought in ‘Baby Wee-Wee’ ?
Which two children brought in a ‘Baby Dribble Bibs’?
Why did Daisy think hers was the best?
What did Jack Beechwhistle bring in?
List the features that Laura Donnelly’s dolly didn’t have or do
When Daisy asked her mum to complain, what did she do?
Who does Daisy think is the most special person in the world?
What were Daisy and Gabby going to swap the dolly with? Do you think this is a good idea?
Why do you think Mrs Peters chose Laura’s dolly?
Chapter 10, 11 and 12
Why did the soldiers say that their swords couldn’t be seen?
What special power did Harry’s crown contain?
Whose robe became a Spider Man net?
What was Daisy’s predicament at the end of playtime?
Why did Mrs Peters tell Daisy about her role early?
What would happen to the stage when Daisy got the baby?
How many words did Daisy have to learn? Can you remember them?
What is a ‘curtsey’? When might you do one?
What would mum use to help make Daisy’s costume?
Why doesn’t Daisy like Christmas Crackers that much?
Go through the 12 days of Christmas” song and work out how many of the parts you have actually seen in real life!
How did Mum get banned from the game? What rule did she break?
CHAPTERS 7,8 and 9
Have you been in a school Nativity before? What part were you or would like to have done?
Whose dad was going to complain if they weren’t Joseph?
What parts did Gabby and Daisy want?
Why did Gabby feel sad and upset that she had scuffed her shoes?
Why did the class have to wait even longer to be told their parts?
“She’s really jammy” said Daisy about Gabby. What does this phrase mean?
What is the name of the group of singing sheep? What is this repetition called?
How did Daisy’s feelings change about the part she was given and why?
Where did Jack Beechwhistle have to stand at the start of the lesson?
Who is too busy to look after babies?
What/Who did Daisy call ‘Buttons’ ?
What does Daisy think the trouble with sleeping in a stable might be?
If you had visited Jesus in a stable what present would you have brought?
Which sound interrupted the telling of the Christmas story?
CHAPTERS 4,5 AND 6
How long has Daisy been waiting since Bonfire Night?
Daisy repeats the word 'excited' a lot. Can you find 3 suitable synonyms?
Who does Daisy blame for what happened at the Christmas play?
How did Daisy spell 'poison' ?
What is a rehearsal?
When would everyone know what part they were playing?
Which pair of homophones does Daisy mix up?
Why did the girls get annoyed when Mum joined in the game?
Which of Gabby's Christmas decorations was on the lawn?
What do the words 'tacky' and 'wonky' mean and which word describes Daisy lights?
How does Daisy's tree come together?
Write a dictionary definition for the word 'carol'.
For the next 6 weeks I'm going to be uploading Key Gray's "Daisy and the trouble with Christmas".
This book is a very easy read, suitable for 7+ and possibly some higher KS1 readers too. The chapters vary in size put are generally quite short, so each podcast contains 3 episodes.
Daisy has been extremely excited about Christmas since September. And when Daisy is excited, trouble will surely follow! Daisy loves the carols, the sparkly lights, the crackers, the snowmen, and especially the chance to be in the school Christmas play. She’s got seven whole words to learn! But when Daisy and her best friend Gabby decide the dolly their teacher has chosen to play the Baby Jesus is a bit… well, boring, Daisy comes up with a plan that will mean trouble!
CHAPTERS 1,2 AND 3
What do you find exciting about Christmas?
Which characters does Daisy introduce in this opening chapter?
What does the word 'fault' mean? Can you think of a suitable synonym?
Why does Daisy start getting excited in September? What sets it off?
What is Santa's special trick?
From Daisy's letter, which present do you think is the best and why?
Can you predict what might have happened in the school play?
Can you explain what the word 'alight' means?
What are the men in yellow jackets also called?
Where did Daisy's letter go? Do you think mum was telling the truth?
As a bit of a half term/Halloween treat here's my rendition of a childhood classic "Funnybones" by Allan and Janet Ahlberg. In a slight change to the podcast, instead of leaving guided reading questions, I'm leaving you a plethora of topical activities you might to want to try out instead. Enjoy!
FUNNYBONES ACTIVITIES
Find a different book in the Funnybones series, either from the bookshop and library, and see what other adventures they get up to.
Create your own story adventure for the characters.
There is a lot of repetition of the word 'dark'. Can you think of any synonyms?
Discover more about some of the bones in your body. How many are there? What are their names?
Make a skeleton diagram using black and white card and label it. Maybe look at a dog skeleton too!
Find an old cardboard box and paint it to look like their house.
Listen to the real "Dem bones" song and come up with your own 'bone connections'.
Make a map of the places the skeletons visit in the dark dark town.
Chapter 10: THE DOG WHO TOLD THIS STORY
“A mere dog was the first to conquer space” - what does mere mean? Can you think of a suitable synonym?
Why is the term “helium balloons” a good description/metaphor of the dogs in space?
Who was at the rocket door?
How does Krasavka persuade the aliens to go to Earth as dogs?
How did the aliens try and look for?
Whose image was actually on the medal around Laika’s neck?
Laika is the Russian word for what?
Can you link some of the ideas from chapter 1 to chapter 10?
Who is your favourite character and why?
Write a 100 word blurb for the back of this book.
Think about who would like this book - age, gender, interests and genre - and recommend the book and podcast to someone you know !
Chapter 9: THE DOG WHO STOLE THE ROCKET
Why did ‘the humans’ put the dogs in heated rooms?
“… the dogs were dim.” What does ‘dim’ mean in this context?
What evidence does Zib use to prove dogs were not mean to be in the rockets?
How does Muschka compare the rocket to a stick?
Explain how Dezik’s Theory lets the dogs escape.
Whose shop does the star remind them of?
Who ended up in the space suits?
What is Sputnik?
Why could they hear the sound of water?
Chapter 8: THE DOG WHO LET THE DOGS OUT
Who came out of the house?
How did Laika know that the man was not the sailor?
What is the name of the place they are now in?
What did Laika smell and hear than made her feel uneasy?
Why do you think the door ‘didn’t need to be locked’?
Why might the dogs be locked up? Who is locking them away and why?
Chapter 7: THE DOG WHO LOST THE ROCKET
Which word describes how Laika moved along the railway line? Which animal(s) is it usually associated with?
The answering wee was ‘pungent’ – what does this mean?
What does the word ‘slavering’ mean?
Why is the word ‘ghosts’ a good descriptive word for sand?
How do you think Laika is feeling at the end of the chapter?
Chapter 6: THE DOG WHO CAUGHT THE TRAIN
When chasing the motorbikes, how was Laika able to catch them up from time to time?
The train had “mighty wheels” – what does this tell you about the size/shape of the train?
How does the author use the metal rail to tell you about the weather on the journey?
Where do you think the food came from? Is it is a trap… a dream… or something else?
What had Krasavka been right about all along?
Chapter 5: THE LAST DOG IN TOWN
" 'You’ve ruined everything' they said in unison." What does ‘unison’ mean?
Why do you think Laika nodded when the other dogs decided to join the quest?
How does the Man with the Head Shaped like an Egg lure the dogs?
Why was Laika was kicked away and not captured too?
What do you think Laika should do now? Is it more important that she rescues her friends OR to continue the quest?
Chapter 4: THE DOG WHO ATE THE SAUSAGES
“Pleased to meet you – Meat to please you” Explain the word play of this pun.
The food was ‘turning their jaws to water’ – how does this metaphor help?
What else could the dogs do with sausages, apart from eat them?
What happened when they pulled the handle? Which machine started up?
Who might have been holding the meat cleaver?
Chapter 3: THE DOG WHO ATE THE PIES
Why does Laika only describe things on the floor of Freezing Cold City?
What makes the statue, and its name, humorous?
Why might dogs not need to know numbers above 4?
How do dogs identify if a new down is looked after or not?
If a dog had eaten your pie, how might you have reacted/felt?
Why do you think the conductor threw the dogs off the tram?
Chapter 2: THE DOG WHO WENT FOR A SWIM
Why does the author use the word ‘icicle’ when describing a dog’s tail?
Draw what you think the “Man with the Head Shaped like an Egg” looks like.
Krasavka says she went for a ‘brisk swim’. What does brisk mean?
What language do the dogs think the sailor is talking in?
How/Why did ancient cultures use the stars to help them?
The chain has a ‘laughing jingle’ What does this tell you about its actual sound?
“A dream you can share is a quest” What do you think this means?
Before there was a man on the moon – there was a mutt on the moon !
This month’s book offering is by Liverpudlian author Frank Cotterell-Boyce and is called “The Great Rocket Robbery”. This particular book may well be accidentally on your book shelves as it was free to purchase with a UK World Book Day token in 2019. In researching the book I contacted Frank himself on twitter and he seemed to a) be excited about me reading the book and b) very pleased about my choice of accent !
Our narrator, Barker, wades through the fake news regarding the history of space travel and reveals the ‘real’ story behind the most famous dog ever to leave the earth – Laika. Listen/read along as a mysterious gang muddles through an extraordinary set of coincidences & conjectures to end up being legends. Believe me, once you’ve heard ‘Dezik’s theory’ you’ll see it everywhere!
Chapter 1: THE DOG WHO LISTENS
What does Barker say is “Mr Mellor’s job” ?
Who is Mrs Cotton?
Why do dogs want to know about shoes, carpets and pavements more than faces?
What was the name of Laika’s rocket?
Which book does Chelsea start reading?
Do you think “The True Story of Laika” will really be the true story? Why?
Episode 11 - Mariana Pajón, Katie Ledecky, Simone Biles, More Women In Sport and Conclusion
Mariana Pajón
Why might Mariana have been the only girl in the races?
Which part of her body did she have to keep strong?
How many people ride in a BMX race?
Why do you think the fourth lane was not her favourite?
Katie Ledecky
Who was her first swimming teacher?
What would be a synonym for ‘ethic’?
How old was Katie when she qualified for her first Olympic Games?
Which event was her most intense? Why might this be?
Simone Biles
Why do you think ‘The Biles’ is named after her?
Who adopted Simone as a child?
Research what a ‘double layout’ and a ‘handspring’ are.
Why was 'the pressure on’ before the Rio Olympic games?
More Women In Sport
How many of these had you heard of before? Why do you think you had/hadn’t?
Out of this section, who has done something you would like to achieve?
Make a list of 5 other sportswomen that might have been included in this section. Try to make sure they are from different spheres of sport
Write your own 3 minute script about someone you have been inspired by in this section (1 minute is about 180ish words)
Episode 10 - Mithali Raj, Kelly Clark, Lindsey Vonn, Ronda Rousey and Ashley Fiolek
Mithali Raj
What is a synonym for ‘standby’ – be careful as this is one word not two !
Why did the team not always have access to proper equipment?
In which discipline was Mithali ranked number 1 at?
Which cricketing prize did she become the first woman to win?
Kelly Clark
When did Kelly starts skiing?
What is the other word the author uses for ‘height’?
Why did Kelly not train as much as she possibly should have leading up to the 2006 Olympics?
How do you think Kelly felt after her first run at the 2010 Olympics?
Lindsey Vonn
When was her first Olympics?
How old was Lindsay when she first became overall champion?
Which bone did she break just before the 2010 Olympics?
Why did Lindsay get extra recovery time? Do you think she would have competed otherwise?
Ronda Rousey
In which sport did Ronda first become a champion?
In which year did Ronda debut in MMA?
What was the name of the women’s fighting organisation she joined?
How long was Ronda’s shortest ever match?
Ashley Fiolek
Who in Ashley’s family also took part in motocross?
Why is hearing important to motocross riders? What did Ashley use instead of sound?
What does WMA stand for?
Why was the televising for races problematic for Ashley? Do you think this situation was fair?
Episode 9 - Ellen Macarthur, Melissa Stockwell, Serena Williams, Danica Patrick and Nicola Adams
Ellen Macarthur
How old was she when she first went on a yacht?
In 1996, what place did she gain in the race across the Atlantic Ocean?
What injury did she sustain during the Equator race? How might this have affected her ability on the boat?
Put into your own words what a ‘circular economy’ is.
Melissa Stockwell
How did Melissa become injured?
What is a ‘prosthetic’?
Name the three parts to a (para) triathlon.
Why do you think she had to ‘change legs’ for each stage of the paratriathlon?
Serena Williams
Who was her very first coach? Do you think you would like this?
Which year did Serena win her first US open title?
What is a ‘Serena Slam’?
Why was her win at the 2017 Australian Open seen as ‘breaking a taboo’? Why do you think this was seen as unusual?
Danica Patrick
What happened when on Danica’s first go-kart trip?
Which three years was she the Grand National Champion at karting?
Why do you think so few women have competed in motor sports?
How many laps did she lead the 2005 edition of the Indy 500?
Nicola Adams
When was the ban on women’s boxing lifted? Why do you think it had been banned previously?
Why did Nicola – and her mum – need to work so many jobs?
How did she fracture her spine in 2009? Why might this been seen as ‘ironic’?
Why was her Olympic win in 2012 a landmark moment in women’s boxing?
Episode 8 - Manon Rheaume, Deng Yaping, Valentina Vezzali, Katherine Grainger and Influential Sports Teams
Manon Rheaume
Which position did she play in?
What happened in the match when she was hit in the face with a puck?
Do you really think the men would feel ‘embarrassed’ about not scoring against a woman player?
Name two of the pro hockey teams she played for
Deng Yaping
Why did the table tennis community not always take her seriously?
What medals did she win at the 1992 Olympics?
How old was she when she retired? Do you find this surprising?
What did she concentrate once she was no longer competing?
Valentina Vezzali
What are the names of the 3 types of fencing weapons?
Why was the 2008 Olympics different for her as a person?
Which medals did she win in 2012? Why was this significant?
Find the word that means ‘voted for’ in the final part.
Katherine Grainger
In which subject does she has a PhD?
Where did she win the Eva Bailey Trophy, and what was it for?
Who was her partner at the 2012 Olympics?
Why do you think she decided to make a ‘comeback’ in 2016?
Influential Sports Teams
Which sport did the Bloomer Girls participate in?
Find out what ‘bloomers’ are and why that might have been their nickname?
At which university would you have found the Tigerbelles?
Who was their coach?
How many people watched the 2015 Women’s Football World cup?
Do you think it is fair that men and women are paid differently for playing exactly the same game?
Which countries did some of the Olympic refugee team come from?
Why would the Olympic committee allow them to participate even though they probably would not win?
Episode 7 - Kim Soo-Nyung, Kristi Yamaguchi, Layne Beachley, Mia Hamm and Lisa Leslie
Kim Soo-Nyung
How many medals did she win at the Seoul Olympics in 1988?
Who beat her in the 1992 Olympics? Do you think this made the result easier or harder to take?
How old was she when she decided to retire? Do you think people thought this was a wise decision?
Considering she won a Bronze medal on her ‘comeback’ do you think the sport was worse off without her?
Kristi Yamaguchi
What was the history of Kristi’s family in America?
Do you think skating was thought as a suitable sport for her? What physical problems did she have?
Who was her skating partner? Why might they have parted ways?
“The melodies were written on her skates” How does this describe how she danced to the music?
Layne Beachley
What personal event motivated her as a child?
When did she win her first professional surfing competition?
How many times in a row did she win the World Championship?
Now that she has retired, what does she do?
Mia Hamm
Why did Mia pause her studies in 1991?
What footballing world record did she achieve in 1999?
Why did FIFA want the World Cup moved to different venues?
What did Mia set up in 2001?
Lisa Leslie
At 12 years old, how tall was Lisa? How tall are most 12 year old girls?
What happened at the 1996 Olympics?
Which club team did she play basketball for?
What is an MBA? What did Lisa do with hers?
This is the final part of three installments of my reading of Roald Dahl's "Dirty Beasts". In this podcast I read aloud the tales of The Cow, The Toad & The Snail and The Tummy Beast.
If you would like to listen to each poem in isolation poem one starts straight after the intro music, poem 2 starts at 4:00 and poem 3 begins at 14:20.
The Cow
How old was the cow when it came to stay?
What colour were her wings?
Which word tells you that she was flying very fast?
Do you think the man deserved his punishment? Do you think birds do this on purpose too?
The Toad and The Snail
To describe the toad’s size, what other animal does the narrator compare it to?
Why did the boy not like sitting on the toad’s back?
Find three synonyms for the word ‘clung’.
“His face all wreathed in smiles” What does ‘wreathed’ mean? What does this tell you about the attitude of the frog at that moment?
How do you know that the place in France they had landed in was very, very quiet?
The narrator says they were ‘brandishing’ knives. Find out its meaning and think about what this tells you about the inhabitants’ feelings.
Which parts of the frog do the French supposedly like to eat?
Why do you think the toad turned into a snail, even though he knew they would still want to eat him?
“I murmured through quivering lips” How does the phrases describe the sound of the boy’s voice and the shape of his mouth?
Is the Roly-Poly Bird real?
The end of the poem refers to “Wonderland” Research what this poem has in common with “Alice in Wonderland”
The Tummy Beast
What does the person in his tummy tell him to do?
What does the word ‘asinine’ mean?
List the onomatopoeia found in the poem
How do you feel towards the narrator and mummy at the end? Whose side are you on?
This is the second part of three installments of my reading of Roald Dahl's "Dirty Beasts". In this podcast I read aloud the tales of The Scorpion, the Ant-Eater and The Porcupine.
If you would like to listen to each poem in isolation poem one starts straight after the intro music, poem 2 starts at 3:15 and poem 3 begins at 9:30.
The Scorpion
What does the phrase ‘armour plate’ tell you about the scorpion’s body?
How would your face look if you were scowling?
Where does the child say the scorpion is in their bed?
Find the word in the second part of the poem which means the same as ‘rump’ in the first part.
The Ant-Eater
Find the word that tells you that Roy was rather large?
Which of Roy’s toys would you like to have had instead of him?
Who did Roy’s dad contact in order to find an ant-eater?
Find out how much 50,000 rupees is in pounds. Is this a lot of money for a pet?
Why was the ant-eater so hungry in the first place?
What was Roy’s aunt’s name?
What is the grammatical term for two words that look different but have the same sound e.g. sea and see ?
What do you think might have happened after the poem ended? Create two more rhyming lines to give the poem the ending you want!
The Porcupine
Which day of the week does the narrator get their pocket money?
What do they buy from the sweet shop?
Do you think visiting the dentists is the best idea? Who else might have been able to help?
Which word does the dentist say that mean ‘payment’ or ‘price’?
A guinea is an old fashioned coin. Find out how much 50 of these would have been.
How do you think the narrator is going to change their ways from now on?
Last year for Roald Dahl Day I gave you "Revolting Rhymes, this year I give you another three installments this time reading aloud "Dirty Beasts". In this podcast I read aloud the tales of The Pig, The Crocodile and The Lion.
If you would like to listen to each poem in isolation poem; one starts straight after the intro music, poem 2 starts at 4:30 and poem 3 begins at 6:30. Enjoy!
The Pig
How do you know the pig was clever?
“He jumped up like a ballet dancer” How does that describe his movement?
What are chitterlings?
“Because there was so much to eat” What does this phrase tell you about what the farmer may have looked like?
Try to think of a synonym for ‘remorse’
The Crocodile
How does the name “Crocky-Wock” compare with his attitude? What name would you chose instead?
Which sauces does the crocodile eat with the girls and boys?
Who do you think is saying the second part of the poem?
What parts of the crocodile does the poem describe?
The Lion
What does the word ‘tender’ mean when describing meat?
Make a list of the different meats in the poem. Can you think of anything else they might like?
If the lion said this to you what would you do?
Episode 6 - Bonnie Blair, Violet Palmer, Tanni Grey-Thompson, Anjali Bhagwat and Clare Balding
Bonnie Blair
How old was Bonnie when she won her first state competition?
Why was she not the stereotypical shaped speed skater?
How did the Police help her to get to the Olympics? Why do you think she needed this?
When did she break the 39 second barrier? How far can you run in this time?
Violet Palmer
Why do you think she started refereeing games rather than playing in them?
Why did people think women could not/should not be involved in men’s games?
What does ‘promoted’ mean? Can you think of a suitable synonym?
When did she referee her first NBA game? How do you think she felt on that day?
Tanni Grey-Thompson
What is Tanni’s real first name?
When did the London Marathon change the rules about wheelchair competitors?
Can you work out how many Olympic medals she has won in total?
Why did she spend her honeymoon in Switzerland?
Anjali Bhagwat
What does NCC stand for?
How many gold medals did Anjeli win at the 2002 Commonwealth games
Do you know how scoring works in shooting? How good is 399/400?
Which Indian award did Anjeli win in 2003?
Clare Balding
Who else in Clare’s family were involved in horse racing?
What was the name of her first pony?
Apart from horse events, which other sports has she presented?
What happened to Clare in 2009?
Episode 5 - Flo Hyman, Susan Butcher, Bev Francis, Naia Comaneci and Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Flo Hyman,
Why did Flo not fit the stereotype for a volleyball player?
How tall was she? What can you find that is the same height?
What does the word ‘boycott’ mean? Can you find a suitable synonym or phrase?
Which colour medal did she win at the Olympics?
Susan Butcher
In which state of America did she start training for the Iditarod?
Name some of the problems she encountered during the races.
When did she finally win?
What was her record time? How hard do you think this race is?
Bev Francis
Which sporting event did Bev do as a teenager?
She was the first female to bench press how much?
What was the name of the movie she took part in in 1983?
What do you think about bodybuilding?
Nadia Comaneci
Why could the scoreboard not show 10.0 ?
At what age did she start gymnastic training?
In which disciplines did Nadia win gold medals in 1976?
Nadia said she felt like a ‘prisoner’, why?
How did she flee Romania?
Jackie Joyner-Kersee
How did Jackie get to UCLA?
How many events are in a Heptathlon?
What happened at the 1984 Olympics? How do you think this might have made you feel?
What is special about her 7,291 point score in the Heptathlon?
Episode 4 - Junko Tabei, Wilma Rudolph, Jody Conradt, Billie jean King and Patti McGee
Junko Tabei
Why do you think some men did not want to climb with her?
How many women did Junko take to Mount Everest?
What happened to her team when the avalanche hit?
What is meant by the term ‘seven summits’? Can you find out whet these 7 are?
Wilma Rudolph
Which disease did Wilma contract as a child?
Why could she not get treatment at a local hospital? How did this situation make her a fighter?
In the two games she participated in, which medals did she win?
How come her victory parade was almost cancelled?
Jody Conradt
In which state was Jody born?
How were the rules of women’s basketball different to those of the men’s game?
Find out how much $1,200 is and do you think this is enough money for three sports teams
How many consecutive games did the Lady Longhorns win with Jody as coach?
Billie Jean King
How old was Billie Jean when she won the doubles at Wimbledon
What was the male and female prize money amounts for Wimbledon 1968? Is this fair?
When did the USTA finally award equal prize money?
Do you think her win at “Battle of the sexes” just changed tennis, or had a wider significance?
Patti McGee
Why do you think Patti took up skateboarding? What was the sport she loved most?
What does the word ‘daredevil’ mean? Can you find a suitable synonym?
How did she become the fastest woman on a skateboard? Do you think you could do that?
What was ‘First Betty’ ?
Episode 3 - Toni Stone, Althea Gibson, Ann Calvello, Beryl Burton and Sue Sally Hale
Toni Stone
When did professional women’s baseball start?
Why could Toni not participate at this time?
What does the word ‘integrated’ mean? Can you think of a suitable synonym?
How fast could she run 100 metres? How does this compare with modern sprinting records?
Althea Gibson
What might a ‘play street’ look like? Does this sound like a good idea?
Why do you think she had to join an ‘all black tennis club’?
Which title did she win to become the first black Grand Slam winner?
Althea's doubles partner was white. What kind of statement do you think this made?
Ann Calvello
Draw a picture to show you think Ann might have looked?
How far did the team have to skate? How far is this in comparison around the world?
What does the phrase ‘get into scrapes’ mean?
Would you like to play or watch Roller Derby? Why?
Beryl Burton
What is a tailor?
In which years was Beryl the British best all rounder?
Which record did she beat in 1967?
When did she win her last title? Can you calculate how old she would have been?
Sue Sally Hale
What was Sally’s fake name?
Why do you think women were not allowed to compete in polo?
Why did her teammates help keep the secret?
When did she, and other women, receive her membership card?
Episode 2 - Gertrude Ederle, Aileen Riggin, Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Keiko Fukuda and Marion Ladewig
Gertrude Ederle
Which colour medals did Gertrude win at the 1924 Olympics?
What happened on her first attempt at crossing the channel? If this had been you, would this have spurred you on to try again or put you off?
What happened on her second attempt? Do you think she was right to try again?
Her record remained unbroken for 24 years? Why do you think this was?
Aileen Riggin
Who suggested to Aileen to take up swimming?
What was she almost excluded from the Olympic diving team? Why did they let her stay?
How long did if have the team to get to Antwerp? What do you think this might have been like?
What feat did she achieve when she was 85?
Babe Didrikson Zaharias
Why is she described as a ‘one women athletics team’?
How many events was Babe allowed to compete in at the Olympics?
Do you think her silver medal in the high jump was fair?
In which year did she become the first woman to qualify for a PGA event?
Keiko Fukuda
The women’s class she attended is described as ‘progressive’. What do you think this means?
How do you think her family and peers felt when she chose judo over getting married?
What is a ‘dojo’ ?
Why do you think the Judo Institute did not allow women above 5th level black belt?
Marion Ladewig
Do you know what the game of softball is?
What is the perfect score in a game of bowling?
How many times in total did Marion win the All-Star game?
What did Marion do when she retired? Do you think this was really retirement?
The next book follows on nicely from "Little Leaders" but this one has a sporting lilt. This series of mini biographies is written by Rachel Ignotofsky and not only showcases famous sportswomen in well known sports like tennis and athletics but finds unsung heroes in lesser known pursuits such as skydiving and roller derby. As you will discover, finding your way to sporting glory is a rocky road and does not just require talent but also hard work and in many cases a healthy dose of serendipity. You may well think that you are no good at sport, but maybe just maybe, you just haven't found the right one...
There are some great quotes and illustrations in the book as well as a couple of 'visual chapters' that I have not been able to include in my reading - for obvious reasons! I would heartily recommend you find the book in your local library or school library or from you local bookshop as it is not only a great read but a beautiful book to own. If you enjoy this book there are other books in this vein - "Women In Science" and "Women In Art".
Episode 1 - Introduction, Madge Syers, Tiny Broadwick and Bobbie Rosenfeld
Madge Syers
Why were women not allowed to compete in competitions?
How was she allowed to compete in the 1902 World Championships?
Which year did she win the first ever Women's gold medal for Skating?
Who was her pairs partner?
Tiny Broadwick
What was her real name? And why exactly was she nicknamed ‘Tiny’?
Which acts from the carnival was she inspired by?
In 1913, she the first person to do what? How do you think she (or her family) felt?
Why did she have to retire?
Bobbie Rosenfeld
Although Bobbie was Canadian, where was she born?
Who did Bobbie beat in her very first 100 metre race?
In which events did Bobbie participate during the 1928 Olympics?
Why did Bobbie have to retire from playing sport? How do you think this made her feel?
Episode 9 - Zaha Hadid, Maya Lin and More Little Leaders
Zaha Hadid
Where was Zaha Born?
Which Russian Painter inspired her final school project?
What did the nickname ‘paper architect’ mean?
Which building, created for the 2012 London Olympics did she design?
Maya Lin
Maya’s mum was a ceramist – what do they make?
Which competition did she win?
What are ‘renewable resources’?
What award did May win in 2009?
More Little Leaders
How many of the 18 had you heard of before?
Which of the ‘mini leaders’ did something you would like to achieve?
Make a list of 5 other women that could have been included in this section. Try to make sure they are from different spheres of life
Write your own 3 minute script about someone you have been inspired by in this section (1 minute is about 180ish words)
Episode 8 - Thancoupie Gloria Fletcher, Eiko Ishioka, Wangari Maathai, Calypso Rose and Flossie Wong-Staal
Thancoupie Gloria Fletcher
In which state of Australia did she grow up?
What did her tribe usually use clay for?
How did she help chronicle the Thaynakwith language?
What do people celebrate at the Weipa Festival?
Eiko Ishioka
What did Eiko’s father do?
What is a ‘mantra? Which 3 words became Eiko’s mantra? What would yours be?
Which award did she win in 1993?
Name three people or companies Eiko has created costumes for.
Wangari Maathai
What did Wangari’s parents do?
Which country ruled Kenya when Wangari was young?
What did she suggest women should do to help the environment in Kenya?
Why did she promote growing food at schools?
Calypso Rose
What is Calypso Rose’s real name?
Where was she born?
What was her song “Glass Thief” about?
Why did they change the name of the Calypso King competition?
Flossie Wong-Staal
Why did Flossie and her family leave China?
How did her dad choose the name Flossie?
Which 2 subjects did Flossie choose between to study at high school?
What does the acronym AIDS stand for?
Episode 7 - Vera Rubin, Yayoi Kusama, Toni Morrison and Ester Mahlangu
Vera Rubin
Who was Vera’s inspiration?
Why did she get turned away from Princeton?
What subject did Vera study at Vassar College?
What did Vera prove most of our galaxy was made of?
Yayoi Kusama
Why do you think her parents ‘did not approve of art as a career’?
What is a ‘happening’?
What was the symbolism of using dots? What did they represent?
Where else might to see a room covered with mirrors – especially one that might confuse you…?
Toni Morrison
Why did Toni hear her family’s stories and not write/read them?
Who were her favourite authors growing up?
Why might the girl in ‘The bluest eyes’ have felt ugly? What ist just about eye colour…?
Which awards has she won?
Ester Mahlangu
What do the women paint in Ndebele culture? Would you like to do this?
Where did Ester work? How do you think this helped her art?
How did she make her paint?
Why do you think she never used pinks and neons in her work before?
Episode 6 - Sister Corita Kent, Esther Afua Ocloo, Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian and Mahasweta Devi
Sister Corita Kent
What was her real name? What does ‘Corita’ mean?
At what age did she leave home to become a nun?
What medium did she mainly use at first? Whose art work later inspired her?
What is a serigraph?
Esther Afua Ocloo
How much money was Esther given by an aunt?
What did she initially need to buy to make her marmalade?
What is Nkulenu Industries?
In 1976 the WWB was set up – what do the three letters stand for?
Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian
How did she initially learn to draw?
Where is she Shah Cheragh masque?
Why did Monir stay in New York for 20 years
Why do you think so much of her art got destroyed? How might this make you feel?
Mahasweta Devi
Which jobs did some of the family members have?
Why do you think Mahasweta never showed her work to anyone?
In the book “The Queen of Jhansi” what/where is ‘Jhansi?”
What does the word ‘indigenous’ mean?
Episode 5 - Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Asima Chatterjee, Maya Deren, Amalia Hernández and Violeta Parra
Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Why was it unusual to see a girl with a guitar? Do you think this is the same today?
What genre of music was Decca records most famous for?
What term was used to describe her song “Rock Me” ?
Search for her on youtube and describe her performance style
Asima Chatterjee
What did Asima do when there was no Chemistry department at the university?
Which phrase from the text tells you she did experiments multiple times before she got the technique correct?
From which plant did she derive an anti-epilepsy drug?
What did she discover about the Madagascar Periwinkle?
Maya Deren
Who was Maya the personal assistant of?
Find the meaning of the phrase ‘avant-garde’
When did she create “Meshes in the afternoon” ?
How does the phrase ‘visual jigsaw puzzle’ make you imagine her work?
Amalia Hernández
Why do you think Amalia learned European style ballet before learning her own cultural dances?
How would you describe when ‘danzas’ usually happen?
Why might the Mexican people have really liked seeing the dance group on the TV?
How many dancers were in her troupe in 1959?
Violeta Parra
With whom did Violeta tour around Chile with? Do you think you could do this with one of your family members?
Who gave her information about the songs she had never heard or sung before?
What does the Spanish phrase “Nueva cancion” translate to in English?
As well as singing, what other 3 art forms was she exceptional at?
Episode 4 - Chien-Shiung Wu, Bessie Blount Griffin, Hedy Lamarr and Claudia Jones
Chien-Shiung Wu
There was no school for girls where she lived, so what did her parents do?
What was the Manhattan Project all about?
What did ‘The Wu Experiement’ prove?
Do you think Chien-Shiung Wu should have received a Nobel prize too? Why?
Bessie Blount Griffin
List the different ways Bessie learned to write.
Why did these skills come in useful when working with injured soldiers?
What device did she invent and why do you think some organisations were not interested?
Where did she become known as ‘Mom Bessie’ ?
Hedy Lamarr
What was Hedy’s real first name?
Why did she need to keep her Jewish heritage secret?
Although her wartime invention was not used, it is the basis of which modern technologies?
Which award is the ‘Oscar of Inventing’ ?
Claudia Jones
What is ‘discrimination’ and why might Claudia have been discriminated against?
What does FBI stand for?
Which weekly newspaper did Claudia found?
When was the first Notting Hill Carnival held?
Episode 3 - Frida Kahlo, Gyo Fujikawa, Katherine Dunham and Mary Blair
Frida Kahlo
What happened to Frida’s leg? How did she disguise it?
Why did she end up doing so many self-portraits?
Why did she not classify herself as a ‘surrealist’?
How did she show her Mexican culture in her work?
Gyo Fujikawa
What did Gyo paint as a child?
What happened to Gyo’s family during WW2?
Which books did she write and illustrate herself?
What do you think the author means by ‘characters of many ethnicities’ ?
Katherine Dunham
How old was she when she had her story published?
What was the name of the group she created that was the first black ballet company?
Where in the Caribbean did she travel?
What do you think the word ‘matriarch’ means?
Mary Blair
What did Mary start out life as doing?
Why do you think her husband was chosen for the trip and not Mary?
Name some of the films Mary worked on? Have you seen any of these?
Which ride did Mary design? Find a picture/video of it and see if you can understand her style.
Episode 2 - Marie Curie, Edith Head, Peggy Guggenheim and Grace Hopper
Marie Curie,
Why could Marie not go to ‘normal’ university?
How old was she when she went to Paris?
Which 2 elements did Marie and Pierre discover?
Which 2 Nobel Prizes did she win?
Edith Head
Why did Edith not have many friends as a child?
How many Oscar nominations did she get?
Which movie stars did she work with
Can you draw what Edith’s own personal style looked like?
Peggy Guggenheim
How old was Peggy when she became an art collector/owner?
What was the name of the first gallery Peggy opened?
Why did the Nazi’s destroy art?
Where did Peggy smuggle her art to?
Grace Hopper
What did Grace to to her alarm clock? What do you think would happen if YOU did this?
Grace was rejected from the Navy several times – for what reasons?
Which idea did her co-workers laugh at?
When did she return to the Navy and why?
Written by Vashti Harrison, "Little Leaders: Visionary Women Around the World" chronicles in short biographies the lives of many pivotal women in various spheres. But in many cases, because they were women or of colour or both, their legacies were overlooked. These names were lost to the general consciousness and would never get the recognition they deserved. Many of the names that come up will be new to many but their influence and worldwide reach may amaze you!
Episode 1 - Introduction, Fatima Al-Fahiri, Wang Zhenyi and Ada Lovelace
Fatima Al-Fahiri
When did Fatima live?
How did Fatima and her sister get the money to build the Mosque?
What is a ‘masdrassa’ ?
Which Pope studied there? What did he introduce to the western world?
Wang Zhenyi
If girls at this time did not go to school, how did she learn?
What different subjects did she write about?
What equipment did Wang Zhenyi use to recreate an eclipse?
Why do you think so much of her writing was published AFTER she died?
Ada Lovelace
What were the names of Ada’s parents?
Why might Charles Babbage have declined to work with Ada?
How did she prove she was worth working with?
Ada is thought of as the first person to be a… what? Why do you think her name is barely remembered/taught?
This audiobook is the final installment of my reading of "Revolting Rhymes". In this podcast I read aloud the tales of "Little Red Riding Hood" and "The Three Little Pigs" which end up being strangely connected... Poem one starts straight after the intro music, poem two commences at 4.45.
Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf
What does granny say is going to happen?
What did the wolf do to make sure he looked like granny?
Where did the wolf sit once dressed up?
Why use the word ‘caviar’ to describe the taste of Red Riding Hood?
How many times does red shoot the wolf? How do you know?
What ended up happening to the wolf? How do you feel about this ending? Who is the baddie of the piece?
The Three Little Pigs
Why does the wolf shout “Bacon, pork and ham”?
What is the meaning of the word ‘trifle’ in this text?
Why phone Little Red Riding Hood?
“Spit was dripping from his jaw” – what does this tell you about how the wolf was feeling?
Why is the phrase ‘the upper crust’ a clever phrase to use in this story? What are its two meanings?
How do you feel about Red Riding Hood now?
This is the second part of three installments reading Roald Dahl's "Revolting Rhymes". In this podcast I read aloud the tales of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Poem one starts straight after the intro music, poem two starts at 8.20
Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
Where did the king write to to find a wife?
Why does Dahl describe the mirror as a ‘curious toy’?
After how long did the mirror start to rebel against the queen?
What did the Huntsman really bring back to the queen?
What job did the dwarves used to do?
Which horse does the mirror say will win?
How do the dwarves get money to gamble on it?
Do you think the moral of this story is suitable?
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
How does Dahl feel about Goldilocks at the start of the poem?
What was on the breakfast table?
What does ‘plonked’ mean?
The phrase “lousy chair” could mean one of two things – what could this be?
Where are the beds?
What do the bears end up eating? Is this a suitable finish?
Go through the poem again and note down the negative words used to describe Goldilocks and magpie any new ones.
This is the first part of three installments reading Roald Dahl's "Revolting Rhymes". In this podcast I read aloud the tales of Cinderella and Jack and the Beanstalk.
Just so you know there is a tiny bit of bad language (more rude than sweary) around the 7.20-7.25 mark if you want to filter or miss out. I'm just reading what's on the page!!!! Poem one starts straight after the intro music, poem 2 starts at 8.30
Cinderella
Why do you think Roald Dahl warns you at the very start of the poem?
What does ‘cooked up’ mean?
How did Cinderella feel when the fairy appeared?
What was the crate of beer for? How does this make you feel about the prince?
When the prince found the owner of the show what did he do?
Who did Cinderella marry?
Which version of Cinderella do you prefer and why?
Jack and the Beanstalk
What colour was the cow?
Which word tells you mum threw the bean away?
What did Jack mean when he described the giant as having ‘a clever nose’?
Once Jack had his wash, he smelt like what…?
What do you think the moral of this rewritten tale is?
Which version of Jack and the Beanstalk do you prefer and why?
Chapter 10 - Captured
Who out of the children was turning out to be the leader?
How did the children discover what was in the boxes? Why were the children disappointed by this?
How did Polly fall over?
What did Millington do to make sure the phone no longer worked?
Where did Mary kick Grainger?
Where did Grainger and Millington trap Norman and Mary?
What were Grainger and Millington REALLY up to?
At the end of the story where do Norman, Dennis and Mary end up living?
Why was the answer “Give it to the goat” a funny reply?
“Behind the laughter there was sadness”. How do you think Norman is feeling at the end of the story?
Chapter 9 - The Secret Quarry
Who was hammering the door of the greenhouse?
Who can’t whistle?
Where did children believe the tunnel led to?
What did Grainger have in his hand to threaten the children?
What did the children think was in the boxes? What do YOU think they are full of?
Why has Luigi been arrested? Why do you think Grainger did this?
Who might Vivienne be calling?
Do you think Mike Johnson’s advice is good and genuine? Should they do as they are told?
Chapter 8 - The Pilot
Which word tells you how the pilot showed the children where to sit?
What food did the children give the pilot?
Where did the children put the pilot’s papers?
How did Grainger accidentally get involved?
Who spoke German to the pilot? Do you think this suspicious?
How does Amy react to their story?
What is a crucifix? What does it symbolise?
Do you think Mary is wise to follow Grainger into the woods? Why?
Chapter 7 - Surprise
What does Polly mean when she says ‘it was one of theirs’ ?
Through where did Norman take a shortcut?
What do you think might have been in the brown paper package?
What presents did Norman get for his birthday?
Why was the cake Norman's mum brought not real?
Do you think the items in the suitcase mean anything?
Did all the cake get eaten?
What would you do in the children’s situation at the end of the chapter?
Chapter 6 - Bombs In The Country
What is the lady’s real name and where did she sleep?
How many sweets were left in Mary’s coat pocket?
Where did Mary hide?
What ‘base’ do you think Grainger and Millington are arguing about?
What did Mary keep eating under her bed sheets?
What did Belling say her job was? Do you think she is telling the truth?
Mike Johnson left the children two presents – what were they?
How might you have acted in Polly and Norman’s position when you saw the plane?
Chapter 5 - The Poster Comes To Life
Where had Norman’s mother moved to?
Who had sent Luigi to work on the farm?
What were the four steps Mary had to do to get the clothes clean?
What did the GI want to do at the riverbank?
Where did the children hide when Millington came into the greenhouse?
Why did the lost lady look familiar? Do you they are right to be wary?
Which two characters have Kodak and Leica cameras?
Why do you think the woman at the door angry?
Chapter 4 - Trouble For Mary
How did Mary know that Millington and Grainger were definitely up to something?
Why do the children NOT think Millington is a spy?
What three items of food were on the notices in the shop?
Where does Millington eventually put the pound note?
What did the yellow circle indicate?
Do you think Luigi will cause trouble on the farm? Why?
What did Mary get for supper?
The author says about Millington: “She sounded like Mary’s father”. What do you think Mary’s father is like?
Chapter 3 - Spies All Around
How does ‘hammered’ describe the knocking at the door?
Where was the meeting taking place?
Why do you think Millington lied about where Mary was?
Although wearing gas masks seemed like a good idea – what were the main two problems?
What does a ‘spiv’ do?
What disguises did Mr Jenkins suggest spies might be wearing?
What had happened to Mary’s chocolate?
What might Grainger be up to in the middle of the night?
Chapter 2 - Grainger Danger
Who is Polly?
Why are Norman and Dennis so shocked at the sight of their breakfast?
What does Mary have for breakfast and what does Miss Millington have?
Miss Millington says “Clear the table”. Which sentence type is this?
After Norman puts his foot in a cowpat, name 4 places or animals the children visit in the farmyard.
How does the phrase ‘inching closer’ help describe how the cows were moving?
Who does Amy pay rent to?
Why can’t you milk a bull?
Instead of using her proper name, how does Grainger refer to Amy Hobbs when he talks to Millington?
The next book I'm reading is the Look and Read book "Spywatch", a BBC School series that originally aired in 1996. It starred Lesley Joseph as Miss Millington, a young Russell Tovey as Dennis and Keith Barron as the older version of Norman, who was the focus of the modern day educational inserts. Access to episodes from almost the whole Look and Read canon can be found at https://www.youtube.com/c/lookandreadtv and you can find out further information about the shows by following their twitter account at https://twitter.com/LookandReadTV
Chapter 1 - Sent Away
Who is Mrs. Thompson?
Why did Norman have to put a label around his neck? What might have been on it?
Why might Mary have still been wearing her school uniform?
Do you think Mary likes chocolate too? Why?
What did Mrs Hobbs give Norman to eat?
How might Miss Millington make sure Mary doesn’t go ‘snooping around’ ?
Where did Amy find Dennis and why was he there?
What do you think the author meant when he describes Dennis and Norman as ‘the lucky ones’?
Who or what might be at the window?
Chapters nine & ten - Panic on the Lake & Stripey the Superbadger
Using alliteration, Deal says "There's more money in........."
How did Norman convince the others he was good with boats?
Who told the Badgerman that they had gone to the wrong place?
What was dangerous about the lake?
Who were Barker and Deal trying to fight off?
Which 3 people arrived at the scene to catch the baddies?
At the very end of the story, Debbie says "See you next year!" How do you think her attitude to the countryside has changed since the very start of the story?
Chapters seven & eight - Mick's Map & Finding the Ponies
What does the Badgerman say will happen to the ponies in France?
Jane Miles kept finding what in the photos?
What does Mick think happens to the ponies? Do you think he is being truthful?
How did Jane's photos help the children discover they had made a mistake?
Why did Norman not go with Kiran and Debbie?
Where was the little hut?
Chapters five & six - Lost on the Moor & The Secret Passage
Why was Norman scared when he heard the sound?
What are the names of the two men? Are they RSPCA men?
Why do you think Mick gets upset when talking about the pony rustling?
What word printed on the letter means 'animals'?
Which 3 words describe the secret passage as they climbed the steps?
How did the men discover there was someone else in the church?
Why do you think the ponies were going to France? What might they be used for?
Chapters three & four - Running Away & The Badgerman
Who did Norman first meet when searching for Debbie and Kiran and why could they not help immediately?
Why was Norman disappointed that a paper trail had been left?
What is the Badgerman's real name?
Who does the Badgerman say is the badger's main enemy?
What did the two men feed the ponies?
Do you think the two men really are from the RSPCA? Why?
This is Badger Girl one of the many stories created for the series Look And Read - some of you reading may remember Wordy, Magic E and Bill the Brickie some of the many insert characters for the original TV show. However here on the podcast, I am simply reading from the children's read-along book, with each chapter only being about 4-6 pages long.
With each episode comes a number of comprehension questions, which will test your retrieval, sequencing, grammar, vocabulary and inference skills on the way !
Chapters one & two - Sounds in the night & Stripy
What is the name of the area where Debbie and Kiran were going to stay?
Name 2 things the that Debbie liked about the city.
Why did Mick call Debbie "Badger Girl" ?
What does 'trouble with a big T' suggest to the reader?
Can you explain what 'nocturnal' means?
What do you think Debbie is going to do next?