The Three Wishes by Anthony Browne

A new book from Anthony Browne - hooray! On the cover we have three chimp children sitting on a lounge and the light seems to give the scene a glow reminiscent of the light from a television. And yes as we read on the children are sitting on their lounge watching TV. Is it significant that there are three of them? The scene also looks like a stage play with the large curtains you can see on the sides. Turn to the end papers which are filled with (as you might expect from Anthony Browne) bananas. On the back cover we see the TV and the rest of those red curtains. 

And as you turn more pages you will find them filled with so many of his trademark illustrations including the television on the title page which I think I've seen previously in Piggy Book. I need to check this. Later you will see wall paper which reminded me of Bear Hunt. And of course you will recognise Anthony Browne's icon lounge chairs and bananas. 

Our three siblings are named Lambert, Hilda and Ros. I just knew young Ros would be the hero of the story but I did not anticipate quite how this would work out. As the youngsters watch the TV a blue fairy steps out of the screen. She grants them three wishes and then she disappears.

Be careful what you wish for ...

Look a little more closely at the cover. The 'i' of wishes is a banana skin and young Ros is wearing a sweater patterned with bananas. 

My favourite part of this book is not the outcome of the wishes or the solution to their enormous problem but the quiet wisdom of Ros (I told you she was a hero) when she makes this suggestion early in the story when the Lambert wants to change the TV channel but Hilda says no.

"Well' said Ros, 'we could turn the TV off and do something else. Maybe we could go outside?"

It is interesting that the fairy in this book is blue - it reminded me of The Blue Fairy Book of 1889 which I now discover does contain the story of Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp which is of course a quintessential wishes story. 

Here are a few questions you could use when you discuss this book with a group of children:

There are three children and three wishes - did you expect them to share the wishes? Why or why not?

From the early pages of the book where we meet Lambert, Hilda and Ros what do you think about their personalities? Which of these three would you like to be your friend and why?

Lambert didn't actually use the words "I wish" - do you think it is unfair - Lambert says "I didn't know that would count as a wish ... That's not fair."  

Hilda has a very strong reaction to the disaster. She calls Lambert a fool - is this helpful? Why do you think she reacted this way? 

How do you feel about Ros's decision to help Lambert?

Is their floor rug a magic carpet? Why is this significant?

My own favourite Anthony Brown books are the Willy books, Bear Hunt, Through the Magic Mirror, Knock knock who's there, Piggybook, The Tunnel and Kirsty Knows Best. 

Would you like a banana? by Yasmeen Ismail

You may recognise this conversation.

I'm hungry
Would you like a banana?
No. It's too yellow. It's too bendy. It's too wonky. I won't eat a banana.
But you might like a banana. Just try a teeny taste. Would you like one on a plate?
I won't eat a banana.
You might like one with some bread, or maybe standing on your head.
No. I won't eat a banana.

Perhaps you would like it mashed or sliced or made into a cake? NO.

Okay you don't have to eat a banana.

Can you guess what happens next?

This is such a fun book to read to a group but it also contains a grain of truth. A friend, who is a Teacher-Librarian, explained to me recently that the students who visit her library seem to resist borrowing any book she recommends. If she waxes lyrical the children seem to think the book is bad. In relation to food I know of one family that told their youngest child that only very smart, or much older children like a particular vegetable. Success - reverse psychology.

I love the huge illustrations on the bright white background and the inclusion of photos of real bananas. Yasmeen Ismail is a master of facial expression using simple lines and perfectly positioned eye balls.

Image Source Yasmeen Ismail

My friend at Kinderbooks with everything has created a collection of picture books that feature bananas. 

I would pair this book with Green Eggs and Ham; I will not Ever never eat a Tomato; Eat your peas; and Tales for very Picky Eaters.