The Borrowers by Mary Norton illustrated by Beth and Joe Krush

 

The idea that tiny people live under your house is an appealing and intriguing one and could explain the things that seem to go missing such as socks, pins, pegs, and pencils. I remember loving a book I read as a child about a family of fairies or tiny people who lived in a doll house. The best things about that house were the electric lights and hot and cold water in the bath tub. I think my life long fascination with dolls houses dates back to that book but sadly I have no idea about the title. 

Pod, Homily and their daughter Arrietty live under a large old house. They are borrowers. Their house, under the kitchen, is made from their borrowings. 

"The bathed in a small tureen, which once held pate de foie gras."

"Homily would simmer soup ... in a silver thimble."

"She looked at the homemade dips set in upturned drawing pins which Homily had placed as candle-holders among the tea things ... Homily had put out the silver plates - the silver florin ones for herself and Arrietty and the half-crown for Pod."

The Clock family are the last family living in the house. There is a lot of speculation about the fate of the other borrower families.

"Borrowing's a skilled job, an art like. Of all the families who've been in this house, there's only us left, and do you know for why? Because your father, Arrietty, is the best borrower that's been known in these parts since - well before your grandad's time."

Arrietty joins Pod on a borrowing expedition but she is SEEN. Is this the beginning of the end for the Clock family?

"What had happened seemed too big for thought; she felt unable to believe it had really happened; not only had she been talked to but she had (talked)."

I think the most surprising aspect of this story, for me, was the change of voice. The story opens with Mrs May recounting a story from long ago that she heard from her brother about the tiny people who lived under the house where he had been sent to convalesce after falling ill in India. Then there is a shift and from Chapter two through to Chapter eighteen we enter the world of the Borrowers. Chapter nineteen then switches back to Mrs May and Kate and by the end of the book the scene is set for further adventures.

Mary Norton wrote further adventures: The sequels are titled alliteratively and alphabetically: The Borrowers Afield (1955), The Borrowers Afloat (1959), The Borrowers Aloft (1961), and The Borrowers Avenged (1982).  The Borrowers won the 1952 Carnegie Medal. 

I am always on the lookout for older classic stories that I may or may not have read as a child. I thought I had read The Borrowers but re-reading it yesterday now I am not so sure because my mind could be confusing the book with the Studio Ghibli movie Arrietty which I also loved.

The Borrowers was first published in 1953 so it is a classic story. It is still in print and I am going to stay it has stood the test of time. Here are some old and newer covers:

Above and below are bind up editions with all the stories in one volume.

There have been several screen adaptations of The Borrowers:

• The Borrowers: a 1973 American made-for-TV movie in the Hallmark Hall of Fame.
• The Borrowers: a 1992 BBC TV series and its 1993 sequel The Return of the Borrowers, both starring Ian Holm and Penelope Wilton.
• The Borrowers: a 1997 film with a British/American cast including Tom Felton, John Goodman, Jim Broadbent, Celia Imrie and Mark Williams.
• Arrietty: a 2010 Japanese animated film from Studio Ghibli, known as The Secret World of Arrietty in North America.
• The Borrowers: a 2011 BBC production starring Stephen Fry, Victoria Wood, and Christopher Eccleston.

After reading The Borrowers you might try to find these picture books:

I read about this book which was recommended for younger readers. There are three books in the series:

I have also had The Secret of the Blue Glass on my to read list for a long time after it was recommended by a friend.

Kirkus star review: Originally published in Japan in 1967, this is a powerful mix of fantasy and historical fiction depicting the impact of war on civilians—children in particular—and offering insights into the Japanese experience of the Second World War. Although filled with lovely imagery and charming descriptions, for example, of the Little People’s ingenuity with scavenged objects and their friendship with a helpful pigeon, there is ample drama and anguish as well. A child’s goodness in difficult times animates this touching story for fans of The Borrowers and the Chronicles of Narnia.

The Fish in the Bathtub by Eoin Colfer illustrated by Peter Bailey

I am a huge fan of Barrington Stoke books and the Little Gems series but while this one is a sweet story I was left with so many questions. I kept wishing this book had a notes or back matter section.

What year is this book set? There is a hint that ABBA is a popular music group. Mamma Mia is mentioned and after some quick research I discovered that song was released in 1975. The publisher site says this book is set in post war Poland so I would have assumed it was closer to 1950-1960.

What was life like in Poland during this time if the setting is 1975? The story refers to food queues but perhaps this is just to emphasise that Lucja has an impatient personality.

The story also refers to the black market:

"Even the soldiers pretended not to see the old women who walked around the streets of Warsaw with big baskets that looked as if they were full of rags. ... Inside the basket were plastic bags, and in the bags there were lots of different sorts of meat."

Is Lucja neurodivergent? She cannot sit still. She cannot concentrate?  She asks questions but does not listen to the answers. Yet she is also very focused on topics that interest her and has a keen eye for tiny details. 

What is the tradition of fish for Christmas Eve dinner? Is this always carp? How is it cooked?

What has happened to the grandfather in the past? He is so bitter about Germans and Communists.

"No German or Communist is going to tell me I can't eat the fish from Polish rivers. First they took my house, they they blew it up, then they built us this ugly block of concrete. But I will have my carp. I have to make a stand."

The old woman does bring a fish for Grandpa. Trouble is - it is alive. They put it in the bathtub. Lucja seems to know a lot about the care of fish. She is also able to sit still with her fish. She enjoys talking to him and a friendship begins to form. Of course every reader will anticipate the problem. Christmas Eve is not far away. Grandpa wants his carp dinner but there is no way Lucja will allow him to "kill" her beloved fish.

This slim book has 54 illustrated pages. It is an enjoyable story but I just had so many unanswered questions. This story was first published in 2007 as one story in an anthology with the title The Midnight Feast. Then Barrington Stoke  published a version in 2014 with colour illustrations and later my copy was published in black and white in 2022. You can read the first chapter here. 

Featuring an introduction by Fearne Cotton, Midnight Feast includes stories and artwork by the best authors and illustrators in the business. Including: Darren Shan, Anthony Horowitz, 

Meg Cabot, Eoin Colfer, Garth Nix, Joe Craig, Kath Langrish, Brian Jacques, 

Oliver Jeffers, Jonathan Stroud, Maeve Friel, Annie Dalton, Margaret Mahy, Helen Dunmore, 

Chris d'Lacey, Jamie Oliver, Tony Hart and Eleanor Updale

Blurb: Heartwarming story set in post-war Poland charting a grandfather-granddaughter relationship, from the bestselling Artemis Fowl author. Little Lucja's Grandpa Feliks has seen off the German army, and the Communists, and now he is looking forward to a long and peaceful retirement. He plans to begin with a tasty Christmas Eve dinner of carp. But when the carp arrives alive and takes up residence in the bathtub and Lucja's heart, has Grandpa Feliks finally met his match?

Here is the website of Irish author Eoin Colfer who is famous for his Artemis Fowl book series. 

Hide till Day-time by Joan Phipson

This book is very very old - first published in 1977. The library I visit each week still has/had a copy but it is in very poor shape and so sadly it will now be culled. Very old Puffin books always go yellow and the print size is too small and while I do like the internal illustrations by Mary Dinsdale, they would not appeal to a modern child.

BUT this is a terrific short story and it is not at all dated. If you have ever visited a large department store you will recognise the scenes and if you have been to our David Jones store in Sydney then the story will really come to life especially for adults with fond memories of the Food Hall in their old store. Sadly the food hall has been moved and it no longer has the charm or delights of the previous offering.

It has been a long shopping day. The children - Agatha aged nine and her little brother are tired. Their father is exasperated and feeling cross and their mother just wants to pick up something easy for dinner as they make their last shopping purchase for the day.

The David Jones Food Hall is full of people. It is nearly closing time (which in the olden days was 5.30pm) and Agatha and George are separated from their parents. Then there is a disaster. George knocks into a woman who is waiting for honey to be poured from a huge container and he falls to the floor covered in honey and flour. Agatha knows her parents will be so upset and she is sure all of this is her fault so she hustles George away and up the escalator and lift trying to find a bathroom where she can wash off all the sticky honey. All of this takes a long time and when Agatha eventually arrives back in the Food Hall everyone is gone including her parents. The store is closed and it seems the children will need to spend the night but why do they need to hide?

The next scenes will remind you of books like From the Mixed up files of Mrs Basil E Frankweiler and the picture book Corduroy. Do you remember the scene in Corduroy when the night watchman is hunting through the store after hearing a loud crash. In Hide till Day-time Agatha rides a scooter and knocks over a display and the night watchman comes up with his torch so, just like Corduroy, she quickly adds herself to a store display beside a store dummy or mannequin. It is very funny.  

Hide till Day-time contains a delicious amount of tension. I do hope one day someone will reprint this book with a new cover (the old cover above from 1979 is actually okay) and new illustrations.

Here are some older covers - I was pleased to see this was published as an Antelope book they were always terrific. 

Joan Phipson was born in 1912. She died in 2003. Two of her novels, Good Luck to the Rider (1953) and The Family Conspiracy (1963), won the Australian Children's Book of the Year Award. Maurice Saxby, the children's literature expert, wrote: "More than any other writers, Eleanor Spence and Joan Phipson have perhaps helped guide the direction of Australian children's literature in the past 30 years. They have both expressed in their novels of family life not only social changes but the concerns and preoccupations of a growingly complex Australian society."

Here is her obituary by Julia Eccleshare.

I would like to discover more about Mary Disdale - her art style reminds me of the fine line work of Charles Keeping, Edward Ardizzone, and Noela Young. 

Marigold and the Dark by Annie O'Dowd

Marigold and the Dark is the second book in this series which began with Left Shoe. I have read the whole series previously but when I spied Marigold and the Dark at a recent charity book sale I decided I would like to revisit the sweet little world of the Seadogs.

Jacket flap blurb: "Nearly a year has passed since Marigold first came to live with the Sandburrow family. Everything would be perfect if only she wasn't so afraid of the dark. One day, Marigold begins a journey that leads right into the territory of a strange looking Mr Many Coats. And he isn't the only strange thing Marigold encounters. How is it that the youngest pup in the Sandburrow family knows about things before they happen?"

The youngest member of the Sandburrow family is Sea Gem.  All Seadogs are twins and they are named after their birth using floatsom washed up on the beach. Sadly in the first book Left Shoe's twin has died but Marigold and "they started to think of her as one of their very own pups. She had become Left Shoe's favourite, of course, and even though she wasn't his real twin, she was always at his side."

Sea Gem "was named for a piece of glass, smoothed by sand, roughened by the sea. Her eyes were the colour of the ocean and she was completely white." Her twin is Tumblegrass. Knowing Sea Gem is white is important because later we will read that white Sea Dogs can often foretell the future.

Left Shoe and Marigold are sent to the local market. Their parents - Old Cork and Blue Bottle - only offer one important piece of advice. The young pups need to be careful goannas. Goannas like to eat Seabog pups and they are skilled tricksters who can use hypnotism. I am sure you are anticipating a disaster. 

"Left Shoe began to gaze into their inky spheres without knowing why. He mind felt feather light, as if he were on a soft cloud. He was sleepy but he wanted to keep staring into the glistening eyes, as shiny as wet stones."

Marigold and the Dark has just the right amount of tension and it would be a terrific book to read aloud in a family to children aged 7+.  You might be luck and find books from this series in your school or local library. If you are fan of cosy little worlds such as Brambly Hedge you are sure to enjoy this series. 

Take a look at the Seadogs Adventures web page

(Note some links no longer work because these books were published around 2005)

Many schools here in NSW Australia use a fairly prescriptive writing program called Seven Steps to Writing. I am not at all convinced that it produces creative or even interesting writing by children but a couple of days ago some one asked for a book like this on a Facebook forum:

We are doing narratives this term so would love some good examples of sizzling starts, backfill, tightening tension (series of events that grows in suspense and complexity), exciting endings etc.

All of this from one book? And for Grade Five? Probably impossible but in terms of tension Marigold and the Dark has some wonderfully tense scenes. This is such a short book with only 72 pages so if you can find a copy it could be used with a younger grade as an example of effective ways to build tension in a story.

Here are some text quotes:

"Are you afraid of the dark? I'm not. I don't know why, but to me the dark is like a soft cloak. I feel safe there, hidden from danger, veiled from the curious gaze of strangers. But there is someone I know who used to be absolutely terrified of the dark."

Questions - who is the narrator? Marigold is the focus of this story - is she the character who is afraid of the dark? If she is terrified of the dark who is telling her story?

"Had she been asleep for long? The last thing she remembered was the nice leathery gentleman looking into her eyes. Now she wasn't on the beach any more but somewhere else entirely. There was a dreadful stench in that airless place ...  She was trapped, a prisoner in the dark!"

"The creature was laying wood for a fire. More lizards came into view. They laughed silently. ... It was the laugh of the goanna that his mother had warned him about!"

There are two more books to read in the Seadog Adventure series  and I would also pair this book with another older Australian book (sadly also out of print).

Meannie and the Min Min

Children's Book Council of Australia 2023 shortlists

 

A few days ago I talked at length about our Children's Book Council Awards for 2023. I was so lucky to be selected as a judge in the Picture Book and New Illustrator categories. This does mean, however, I cannot yet talk about these books on my blog.

For our National Book Award there are six categories. This link will take you to the official CBCA page and if you click on each title you can read comments by the judges - I highly recommend doing this as a way to understand more about each book. One of our children's book review journals - Reading Time have collated their reviews of all of the 2023 Notable titles if you would like to dip into some book reviews.  Here are the short listed (6 titles) books for each category. 

Reading to Preschoolers parent talk Part Five

 

Image Source: Leunig cartoon 23 October, 2019

I am penning this post to draw together my four previous posts on the topic of reading to and with preschool aged children. I am so lucky to be able to talk with a group of parents in a preschool tonight.

Here are my previous posts:

Part One some book ideas

Part Two books to good to miss and books with a repeated refrain

Part Three older book treasures to find in a library and parent reference books

Part Four asking questions/talk handout

Here are some resources to explore:

Book Trust "The Benefits of Reading"

Reading to Children: Why It’s So Important and How to Start

READING WITH PRESCHOOLERS

10 ways to encourage your preschooler - on the road to reading

Momo Pinterest collections

Here is the script of my talk for tonight:

Preschoolers know a lot of things they didn't know as babies. They don't yet read independently and no one expects this, but IF they've been read to a lot, they know a thing or two about reading:

·       They know books are read from front to back.
·       Pictures should be right-side up
·       Reading is done from left to right
·       The language of books is different from spoken language
·       Words have different sounds in them
·       There are familiar and unfamiliar words

 

Choosing lots of different books to read aloud will build your preschooler's vocabulary, and help your child learn about different topics and understand how stories are structured and what characters do in them.

AND they will associate this activity with fun and pleasure

AND your child will begin to develop a longer attention span which will help later when we talk about reading stamina

BUT it is not your role to teach your child to read – reading aloud every day is a vital stepping stone to later reading achievement and success. It also helps develop listening skills!

The issues of phones and distractions are real! Plan to turn off or put your phone away – your child needs your undivided attention – they need to hear you read and share books and they need to have conversations.

If you want to have a discussion (hold off until your second reading and don't ask all of these just one or maybe two):

For example:

• What do you see on this page?

• How do you think the characters feel?

• What do you think is going to happen next?

 

When you have finished, talk about how your child feels about the book (don't ask all of these just one or two):

• What did they like?

• What didn’t they like?

• What can they remember about what happened?

 • Who was their favourite character? Why?

• Link the story to the children’s experiences. Can they remember when they did something similar? Make connections.

Most importantly, have fun!

Fill spaces with books so it all seems natural when you reach for a book to share – books in their room and books on the coffee table

Let your child see YOU reading (including dad)

It’s okay to abandon a book

Some popular series do not always make good read aloud books but you can use these in other ways to talk about the pictures if the text is too tedious

Choices in a library – you choose 5 I’ll choose 5 – negotiate this

You will develop your own taste and your child will develop taste through exposure to the best books and exposure to fine art through illustrations – a picture book can be a child’s first introduction to art!

 

Here are 7 great reasons reading aloud to children:

1. Children learn a great deal about reading when being read to. By reading the books together children learn to recognise words and how they are used. Children who are read to regularly in their preschool days perform better once they get to school.

2. Reading a book with a child is a really rewarding and special way to spend time together. Seize the moment, foster curiosity. Plan to read and re-read. “Read it again” is a huge compliment from a child.

3. It's a fun time often full of laughter, especially when special voices are used for different characters and emphasising adventurous events. Laughing with a child is one of the best things in life.

4. Children respond so well to routines, to consistency and having a regular routine of reading together and helps creates feelings of safety and security. Before you begin, look at the cover and talk about it, notice the end papers, say the title, author and illustrator names.

5. Having the focus and attention of an adult makes children feel valued and improves their self-esteem. It also gives a great opportunity to have open conversations about what's happening with their life - vital for keeping the lines of communication open and giving the opportunity to know about any potential problems or risks.

6. Reading aloud and sharing stories with children helps them fall in love with reading and books. Associating positive feelings like happiness, warmth and safety with reading helps children. ENTHUSIASM!! Follow their interests eg Diggers child. Find poetry books, read nursery rhymes, match fiction and nonfiction. Ask for help in the library!

7. You don't have to be a great reader yourself for a child to enjoy you reading to them - they love you, they will love the story, time and attention you are giving them. Reading regularly to a child will help you gain confidence. It will become easier the more you do it.

 

Every day, make a quiet, restful place for ten, fifteen or even twenty minutes. Put your child in your lap and read a book aloud. This should feel like a beautiful break during or at the end of your busy day.

 

Finding books

We speak English and so we can access books from UK, USA, NZ, Canada and Australia!

Visit your local library. There are hundreds of book ideas out on the internet but don’t be afraid to just pick up a huge selection from your local public library. Talk to their staff and use their catalogue!

Blogs:

The Bottom Shelf

Kids' Book Review

Book fairs such as Lifeline are terrific

When you visit your local school ask to see the library – if your older child is at school ask to borrow books – the Teacher-Librarian will welcome you.

Give books as gifts

Television commercial using We're going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen

I nearly fell out of my chair when I saw the Australian version of this car advertisement on television a couple of weeks ago. It uses (I wonder if they asked for permission) the famous children's book We're going on a Bear hunt as the sound track.

About the ad: A couple notices something moving in the bushes and wonder if it's Bear. The couple and their friends take off in their Grand Cherokee SUVs to go find Bear. As "We're Going On a Bear Hunt" by Michael Rosen plays in the background, the vehicles traverse rivers and rocky trails. Finally, they spot Bear. Bear, it turns out, is their chocolate-coloured Newfoundland dog. (in the US version) 

The end of the Australian advertisement is different and it infuriated me - the bear at the end is not a furry dog -  is a koala!  Koalas are not bears. 

The voice over from the young child says: "Look at Bear!" and we see the image in their rear view mirror.

• Did they ask permission?
• Will Michael Rosen receive a royalty fee?
• Did they ask Michael Rosen if they could change the text? "We're going to see a big one" the real text says "We're going to catch a big one". 
• Children do not buy cars - why did they choose this song/text?
• This car commerical comes from the US and yet this is an iconic British book - confusing? And it has been "tweaked" for an Australian audience - again confusing?
• This book was first published in 1989 I wonder how it came to the attention of the advertising agency - perhaps someone has been reading this book to their young child - I do hope so.
• If you want to share some books about koalas with your students take a look at this post by my friend from Kinderbookswitheverything. 

We're going on a Bear Hunt won the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize in 1989.  In 1989 it was an Honour Book in the Boston Globe–Horn Book Awards. The book also won the School Library Journal Best Book of the Year and it was highly commended for the 1989 Kate Greenaway Medal.

Here is my popup version of this famous book. Sadly it is out of print. 

Here are the song lyrics:

We're goin' on a bear hunt 

(We're goin' on a bear hunt) 

We're going to catch a big one, 

(We're going to catch a big one,)I'm not scared

(I'm not scared)

What a beautiful day!

(What a beautiful day!)

 

Uh-uh! 

Grass! 

Long wavy grass. 

We can't go over it. 

We can't go under it. 

Oh no! 

We've got to go through it! 

Swishy swashy! Swishy swashy! Swishy swashy!

Chorus: We're going on a bear hunt...

Uh-uh! 

A river! 

A deep cold river. 

We can't go over it. 

We can't go under it. 

Oh no! 

We've got to go through it! 

Splash splosh! Splash splosh! Splash splosh! 

Chorus: We're going on a bear hunt...

Uh-uh! 

Mud! 

Thick oozy mud. 

We can't go over it, 

We can't go under it. 

Oh no! 

We've got to go through it! 

Squelch squerch! Squelch squerch! Squelch squerch! 

Chorus: We're going on a bear hunt...

Uh-uh! 

A forest! 

A big dark forest. 

We can't go over it. 

We can't go under it. 

Oh no! 

We've got to go through it! 

Stumble trip! Stumble trip! Stumble trip! 

Chorus: We're going on a bear hunt...

Uh-uh! 

A snowstorm! 

A swirling whirling snowstorm. 

We can't go over it. 

We can't go under it. 

Oh no! 

We've got to go through it! 

Hooo wooo! Hooo wooo! Hooo wooo! 

Chorus: We're going on a bear hunt...

Uh-uh! 

A cave! 

A narrow gloomy cave. 

We can't go over it. 

We can't go under it. 

We've got to go through it! 

Tiptoe! Tiptoe! Tiptoe! 

WHAT’S THAT! 

One shiny wet nose! 

Two big furry ears! 

Two big goggly eyes! 

IT’S A BEAR! 

Quick! 

Back through the cave! 

Tiptoe! Tiptoe! Tiptoe! 

Back through the snowstorm! 

Hoooo woooo! Hoooo woooo! Hoooo woooo! 

Back through the forest! 

Stumble trip! Stumble trip! Stumble trip! 

Back through the mud! 

Squelch squerch! Squelch squerch! Squelch squerch! 

Back through the river! 

Splash splosh! Splash splosh! Splash splosh! 

Back through the grass! 

Swishy swashy! Swishy swashy! Swishy swashy! 

Get to our front door. 

Open the door. 

Up the stairs 

Oh no! 

Mel Fell by Corey R Taylor

Pre-schoolers know a lot of things they didn't know as babies. They don't yet read independently and no one expects this, but IF they've been read to a lot, they know a thing or two about reading:

• They know books are read from front to back. 

• Pictures should be right-side up. 

• Reading is done from left to right. 

• The language of books is different from spoken language. 

• Words have different sounds in them. 

• There are familiar and unfamiliar words.

Reading tons of books to a preschool child, or an even younger child, and knowing all of the above means they will also understand books can break conventions. Of course they need to be familiar, through the reading of hundreds of books, to know conventions such as how pages turn, how books are held, how stories work.

Mel Fell breaks some of these conventions and that is why it is a terrific reading experience and why it won a Caldecott Honour in 2022 and a Wanda Gag Read Aloud Book Award. I talked about that award yesterday.

Mel is a young baby bird - a Kingfisher. She has been in the nest with her siblings for a long time and she is certain today is the day she should fly. Her tree is very tall. To understand just how tall, as a reader you need to turn this book sideways to see the full trunk of the tree. We all watch as Mel falls down. Mel is scared but also brave or is she foolhardy? 

"She jumped. She flipped. She spread her wings. And then .... she fell."

On the way down she passes a family of owls on a tree branch - take a look at their faces! A family of squirrels try to catch her "but it was no use. They missed her by a whisker."

And so as she continues down the bees try, the spider grabs her with all eight legs, and the ants, a slug and a tiny ladybird look on helplessly as she falls past. 

Until you reach the middle page which contains the unexpected word - SPLASH.

The simplicity of this story along with the joyful outcome and the tiny visual jokes, especially towards the end are the strengths of this wonderful book. 

Here is an interview with Corey R Taylor where he talks about his idea for and creation of this book. 

This playful and innovatively designed book tells the story of a small bird who is eager to fly. Horn Book

The unusual orientation, coupled with the gripping idea of first flight (or fall!), inspires both excitement and anxiety. Muted pastel illustrations set against ample, bleached-out white space convey craggy bark, Mel’s soft blue and russet feathers, and clusters of oval celadon leaves. ... Young people, who find themselves on the precipice of new activities, routines, schools, and challenges so frequently, will savor this little kingfisher’s success and perhaps feel they can right themselves the next time they fall into a downward spiral. Kirkus Star review

I have previously talked about these books by Corey R Tabor: