Teach-Reading-and-Writing-Issue-21

What Happened to YOU? BY JAMES CATCHPOLE, ILLUS. KAREN GEORGE, FABER 2021 2 FOUNDAT I ON S TAGE www.teachwire.net | 13 BOOKS FOR SCHOOLS The Five of Us BY QUENTIN BLAKE, TATE PUBLISHING 2020 3 About this book With Big Eddie driving their yellow bus, five children are off to the country for a picnic with their dog. Plans change when – miles from anywhere – Big Eddie faints. What will Angie, Ollie, Simona, Mario and Eric do? Gleefully inspired by folktale traditions, these amazing children have some very unlikely skills, so the answer to that is quickly resolved. Angie can spot things miles away, and Eric doesn’t need a phone to call for help. But it’s Mario who carries Big Eddie all the way to the rescue helicopter – and although we’re shown his wheelchair on Try this… n Inside an outline of Joe, write words describing how he feels when he’s being asked about his leg. Around it, write how the other kids feel when they’re asking the questions. Create sentences: Joe feels... because.... Yuto/ Ibrahim feels... because.... n Collaborate on two big collages: one about things you have in common, and one about things that make you different. n Joe only has one leg, but it’s a strong leg. Explore hopping and balancing, using PE apparatus to create imaginative challenges. KEY S TAGE 1 almost every spread, no part of the text refers to it. Thinking and talking • Why doesn’t Quentin Blake tell us that Mario uses a wheelchair? • Which super-skill would you have, and why? • What emergency services can people call on for help? Try this… n Write a news report about this incident. Invent quotes from Eddie and the Fantastic Five, and add a hand-drawn ‘photo’. Don’t forget to publish your work! n What real-world skills do you have? What would your amazing superpower be? Talk or write about it. n How could the children have helped Big Eddie in real life? Learn some first aid so you’d know what to do! About this book Joe loves telling stories. Except the one about why he’s only got one leg, but that’s the one most kids want to hear. When Joe finally gets a chance to talk about sharks instead, a marvellous game of Make Believe ensues, and Joe’s frustration is neatly – and humorously – resolved. James Catchpole writes from experience, and this eloquent and touching exploration of difference makes a rich starting point for both personal and group learning. Thinking and talking • What do the other kids keep asking Joe? How does it make him feel? What does he do as a result? • Is it okay to be curious about people? Can you think of a better way to ask questions or discover what you want to know? • Who likes imaginative games? Who prefers playing other things? Why aren’t we all the same? “Gleefully inspired by folktales” Illustrations by Karen George Thinking and talking • Why does the boy think Zibbo is amazing? Why does Zibbo say the same about the boy? • Share experiences of using wheels to get around, to play with, or to help with daily tasks. • What would you do if you had a pet dragon? Try this… n Use the illustrations to inspire new stories. What happens, for example, when Zibbo’s fire makes the boy’s wheelchair go extra-fast? n How many different vehicles can you spot? Which ones do YOU use? Inspired by the cover illustration, create a frieze by drawing yourselves with bikes, scooters, skateboards and wheelchairs. Could you bring some into school to try out? n Tour your school or neighbourhood, looking for challenges faced by people using wheels to help them get around. Could anything be changed to help?