The Elephant and the Bad Baby by Elfrida Vipont illustrated by Raymond Briggs

I picked up a copy of this classic story from a library discard pile. I have read The Elephant and the Bad Baby (1969) to thousands of kindergarten children between 1985 and 2017. The story is terrific to read aloud because there is a chorus line which invites the children to join in "and the bad baby said yes and they went rumpeta, rumpeta, rumpeta, all down the road ... ". If you are making a list of books to share with your Kindergarten group or in a preschool you should add this title - and yes it is still available.

Publisher blurb: Join a playful elephant and mischievous baby in this timeless story of friendship and adventure. An Elephant meets a Bad Baby. And so begins a wild adventure - going 'rumpeta, rumpeta, rumpeta' down the road, and helping themselves to ice creams, lollipops, and all manner of sweet treats. But as a long line of disgruntled shopkeepers and salespeople begin to follow them, Bad Baby learns the importance of saying 'please,' and all the trouble you can get into if you forget! Packed with delightful illustrations and repetitive text, The Elephant and the Bad Baby is the perfect bedtime story for toddlers.

Here is the Kirkus review from 1969. Notice the intriguing word dirigibuilt. Read more about Raymond Briggs here. 

I did find this video which you could use without the sound as a way to read the book aloud to a larger group. I love all the things the elephant and the baby eat - ice cream, a pie, a bun, crisps (chips), and a chocolate biscuit. 

In this post, though, I want to feature the delightful art by Raymond Briggs.

British children's author Michael Rosen writes in his obituary on the death of Raymond Briggs: "I first became acquainted with Briggs' work as a parent when I read his books The Mother Goose Treasury and Father Christmas and Elfrida Vipont's The Elephant and the Bad Baby, which he illustrated. Briggs created landscapes, scenes, and familiar characters with a seemingly gentle comic ease. There were then – and still are for readers today – humorous corners and details that could amaze the child's eye, such as the tip of the elephant's trunk coming to the side from the right and grabbing an apple. 'There he is!' the children shouted."  The Guardian (Online) 11. August 2022

Thinking about picture book forms

This week I have been so privileged to read the Master's Thesis of a friend entitled "Shapes and forms: Some recent uses of techniques in picture books". This thesis was written in 1990 but it is thrilling to see how many of her selected titles have really stood the test of time and I hope that nearly all of them are still available in your school library.  The thesis explores twenty forms - I won't list all of her choices here, but I have added a couple more of my own so I have a total of fourteen forms you could explore. The more I dip into this topic the more possibilities I have found such as stamping or using stamps (Jarrett and Jarome Pumphrey); dual functioning books (such as The Ribbon Le Ruban a book I long to own); clay sculpture illustrations such as Barbara Reid; photographic illustrations; narrative and illustrated nonfiction; and diorama constructions - try to find books illustrated by Soyeon Kim to see this form.

Here is a video of this book (in French)

I have listed the thesis picture book example first and then examples of my own. This thesis was originally given the title 'innovations in the picture book' but many of the forms/shapes listed are actually very old for example the popup book and the leporello. The book at the top of this post is a leporello! I do love that word (and form). So the thesis author changed her heading to Shapes and Forms.

I also need to think about where to place one of my most shared and most treasured but very obscure books:

1 is for One

1. Wordless

Up and Up by Shirley Hughes

Check out my Pinterest of Wordless Books (IBBY call them Silent books)

I have tons of favourites but I first thought of one special favourite, because it was the first wordless book I ever read, Sunshine by Jan Omerod. Thinking about more recent ones I would list Stormy by GuoJing and The Midnight Fair by Gideon Sterer illustrated by Mariachiara Di Giorgio. If you haven't discovered Peter Collington try to find his books in a library. My own favourite is The Tooth Fairy.

2. Paper engineering (pop up and die-cut or laser cut)

Haunted House Jan Pienkowski

The die cutting process is a way to create unique shapes in material. It’s often used artistically on covers to cut windows into a book or on interior pages to create flaps, pop-up structures or interesting shapes.

The master of the popup is Robert Sabuda. His paper engineering will amaze you. An older book I marvel over with amazing die cut pages is The Story of Snowflake and Raindrop. This book also fits into the category of a flip over book. More recent examples of die cut pages are found in books by Britta Teckentrup for example her book A Happy Place. You might also look for books by Aaron Becker and Su Blackwell. I recently spied this edition based on Mary Poppins with die cut or laser cut illustrations.

Read more about Hélène Druvert here.

3. Lift the flap

Where's Spot? by Eric Hill

I stumbled on Mouse's Wood by Alice Melvin a couple of years ago and now I see there are sequels. I also love the bird books by Bridget Farmer which have the sturdiest flaps and incredible art. Searching for Treasure by Johanna Bell illustrated by Emma Long made me gasp and you do need to add Who Lives here by Julia Donaldson illustrated by Rebecca Cobb to your collection. All of these books show that flaps are not just for our tiny reading companions but of course every little child does need to see and touch lots of books about Spot.

4. Flip over book (reversable)

Round Trip by Ann Jonas

I cannot cite many examples of these but I do love them. I always think of an old book - And then it Rained by Crescent Dragonwagon. Another example could be Mirror by Jeannie Baker. You don't flip this one over but readers see the action side by side in two different locations simultaneously.  An Australian example is Room on our Rock by Kate and Jol Temple. 

5. Stitching (using textiles)

The Shoemaker and the Elves stitching by C & W Birrer

I find books with illustrations made from embroidery or stitching or fabric patchwork very appealing. One UK illustrator to look for is Rachel Griffin. You could also look for The Whispering Cloth: a refugee's story by Pegi Deitz Shea and illustrated by Anita Riggio. I love the work by US textile artist Salley Mavor. I would love to own her book called My Bed. 

6. Letters in envelopes

The Jolly Postman by Allan Ahlberg (and sequels)

I have so many book forms that I adore but I think the value-added of real letters inside envelopes is one I find the most delightful. AND I thank publishers who are willing to invest money into the production of these. Santa Post by Emma Yarlett; Maisy's Christmas Letters by Lucy Cousins; Letters from Felix: A Little Rabbit on a World Tour by Annette Langen; Meerkat Mail Emily Gravett; and of course The Jolly Christmas postman by Allan Ahlberg.

7. Collage

Where the forest meets the sea by Jeannie Baker

This is an enormous topic. My friend has a terrific Pinterest on this topic and I have one too of illustrators who use collage. Apart from our wonderful Australian illustrator Jeannie Baker,I love the work of Eric Carle; Ed Young; Robin Page; David Wisniewski and Susan L Roth. You may already have a new Australian picture book called Hope is the Thing. And there are so many other names such as Rachel Isadora; Melissa Sweet; Leo Lionni; Ezra Jack Keats; Lois Ehlert; Ellen Stoll Walsh. Another favourite Australian illustrator of mine is Patricia Mullins. I was also delighted to discover this book made with illustrations made from pebbles:

Stepping Stones

8. Reality (illustrations) versus fantasy (text) or illustrations show a fantasy which contrasts with reality.

Drac and the Gremlin by Allan Baillie illustrated by Jane Tanner

Another older example is Kirsty Knows Best illustrated by Anthony Browne. I also thought of Magic Beach by Alison Lester; A House for Wombats by Jane Burrell; Suri's wall by Lucy Estela illustrated by Matt Ottley and When You're Older by Sofie Laguna illustrated by Judy Watson. I recently discovered this old book: Two Little Trains by Margaret Wise Brown illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon. There are sure to be lots more for this category. 

9. Page turner (anticipation and a guessing game)

I went walking by Sue Machin illustrated by Julie Vivas

Eyes in the Dark by Kim Dale; An animal guessing game by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page; Who's Next? Guess Who! by Anton Poitier illustrated by Sophia Touliatou; Animalphabet by Julia Donaldson illustrated by Sharon King-Chai; and for older readers a title from many years ago - Guess What? by Mem Fox illustrated by Vivienne Goodman. I also need to mention What's Inside: The alphabet book by Satoshi Kitamura and Brown Bear Brown bear by Bill Martin Jr illustrated by Eric Carle.

10. Participatory story 

We're going on a bear hunt by Michael Rosen illustrated by Helen Oxenbury

Participation was always the focus of my early weeks with a new Kindergarten group. We read lots of books with a repeated refrain including We're going on a bear hunt; My Brown Bear Barney by Dorothy Butler illustrated by Elizabeth Fuller; There's a Hippopotamus on our Roof eating cake by Hazel Edwards illustrated by Deborah Niland; Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina; Peace at last by Jill Murphy; Owl Babies by Martin Waddell illustrated by Patrick Benson; and The Elephant and the bad baby by Elfrida Vipont illustrated by Raymond Briggs.

11. Leporello

I added this one to the list but I know the author of the thesis enjoys discovering these. You could add tunnel book to this category too. There is one of these inside The Jolly Christmas Postman by Allan Ahlberg. I also have a book based on Can't you sleep little bear by Martin Waddell which you fold out and join into a circle or a carousel. 

Books that have accordion-style, or zig-zagged, pages are called leporellos (or concertinas). These books can be experienced in a few ways: readers can keep the book folded and turn the "pages," flipping the book at the end to experience the other side of the book; or they can completely unfold and expand the book to create one giant, linear narrative. Some leporellos are printed on the front and back, while others are one-sided. Let's Talk about Picture books (you can see examples)

Pages of Look by Gavin Bishop Gecko Press

12. Breaking the fourth wall and the off-stage narrator

This one is also my headings and I talk about this with lots of examples here. Look for Hide me, Kipper! by Mick Inkpen; Let’s Play! by Hervé Tullet; A Squiggly Line by Robert Vescio illustrated by Kathy Creamer; Fish and Crab by Marianna Coppo; Bear Hunt by Anthony Browne; The Dictionary Story by Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston; Press Here Herve Tullet; and Escargot by Dashka Slater illustrated by Sydney Hanson. Another very curious example is Zoom by Istvan Banyai.

13. A catalogue book

Imagine by Alison Lester

I love this term catalogue book as used by the writer of this thesis. It is a perfect label for so many picture books that have no narrative but are filled with things to talk about. The big question by Leen van den Berg and illustrated by Kaatje Vermeire; Things to Look Forward to by Sophie Blackall; What to say when you don't know what to say by Davina Bell illustrated by Hilary Jean Tapper (and sequels); The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown; Pablo Neruda Book of Questions illustrated by Paloma Valdivia translated by Sara Lissa Paulson; If I had a little dream by Nina Laden illustrated by Melissa Castrillon; and the most obvious example The Baby's Catalogue by Allan Ahlberg.

I need to mention two more titles for this catalogue book category:

Who is the world for?

Do you wonder?

14. Poetry with pictures

Read more here. 

A Life Song

Here is a quote from the final sentence of the thesis which inspired this post (I hope you have found it interesting and useful).

The book features explored in this thesis "support the proposition that the contemporary picture book is a subtle and skillful artform. Artists, authors, publishers and most importantly readers are increasingly aware of this fact. There can be no turning back."

Our Pool by Lucy Ruth Cummins

Pure summer fun. Kirkus Star review

"Everyone is sweating, and smiling, and skip stepping toward ... OUR POOL."

"First stop is the locker room, where clothes come off lickety-split and swim suits go on luckety-spitter."

The pool is like "An ice-cold bowl of City People soup."

"You can feel TALL in the shallow end. And OH-SO-SHORT in the deep end."

This is a joyous, noisy, fun book with the most vibrant illustrations in bright Fluro colours. And the way the text is presented in capital letters it just begs to be read aloud.

While I was in Melbourne this week I took the opportunity to spend a couple of hours in the narrm ngarrgu Library which opened just one year ago. One of the books I read was Our Pool and it 'blew me away'. Click the LOOK button the publisher site to see inside this book. You can see all the pages in this video but do try to find the book to read to your group - that would be way better than just showing this video. 

Publisher blurb: On a hot day, people come from all over the city to spend the day at the pool in this joyful picture book that’s a love song to summer, the city, community, and staying cool! Today is a pool day in the city! The sun is shining, so what are you waiting for? Friends and family. Kids and grandparents. Big bodies and small bodies. Everybody is welcome at our pool! Get ready for swimming and splashing, zigzagging and dunking, and racing and laughing.

Image source NPR (listen to an interview with the author)

Lucy Ruth Cummins is an author, illustrator, and art director of children’s books. She was happily paired with Jean Reidy for both Truman, which was named a New York Times Best Children’s Book of 2019, and Sylvie. She is also the author-illustrator of Stumpkin, Vampenguin, Dalmartian: A Mars Rover’s Story, Our Pool, and A Hungry Lion, or A Dwindling Assortment of Animals. Lucy has swum in creeks, streams, gorges, rivers, swimming holes, pools (above- and in-ground), lakes (both Great and Finger), decorative fountains, and oceans. Her very favorite place to swim, however, is at her community pool in Brooklyn with her sons and her neighbors.

Fire Engine No. 9 by Mike Austin

Told almost entirely in sound words, this day-in-the-life look at firefighters and their fire truck will appeal to the youngest vehicle enthusiasts and to parents with a penchant for exuberant read-aloud sessions. With art reminiscent of Donald Crews’s transportation books, Mike Austin evokes the excitement of a 911 call as we follow firefighters sliding down the fire pole, racing through town, and up the ladder truck.

Sticky tape? I imagine, unless you are a teacher-librarian or a archivist you probably don't have strong opinions about sticky tape but this can be a very hot topic in a school library. I volunteer at an amazing school library (one of the best in Australia) and a couple of weeks ago this book - Fire Engine No. 9 was returned. The baby in the family had ripped many of the pages.  The class teacher correctly asked the parent not to attempt any repairs. BUT alas the parent went crazy with her sticky tape! Sticky tape!  In a library we use very special tape which doesn't bleed, crumble, discolour or wreck a perfectly good book. 

The library staff were so upset. This book is a favourite with the youngest preschool children and it is regularly included as a read aloud so I offered to source a replacement. The 'new' copy arrived today. Fire Engine No. 9 was first published in 2015. The board book edition is still available but the library wanted the full size hardcover. I do love using Better World Books.  This copy of Fire Engine No. 9 is slightly damaged - there are some tiny tears on a couple of pages - but I know the skilled library staff can easily administer their repair kit and this book will once again look almost new. 

Take a look at Mike Austin's web pages and  flick through his illustrations - they are so fabulous. There are more here.  You can see inside Fire Engine No. 9 here but if you can get your hands on the actual book please use it as a read aloud - it will be a way better experience than using a video. It is especially fun when the book turns length-ways.

Other fire engine books that will be in your school or local library which are perfect to share with preschool children:

Here is the sequel to Fire Engine No. 9 and Mike has another book about first responders.

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.

Happy 40th Birthday to The Hippo on the Roof!

Every, every, every year this is the FIRST book I read to new Kindergarten children as a part of their first visit to our school library.  I read it because it will be a familiar text, because it allows for fun and participation, because young children love the word hippopotamus (I do too) and because I own a really cute little hippo. He lives in my library bag and if the children are very calm and settled he might come out to meet them!

Our roof leaks. 
Drip! 
Drip! 
Drip!

What a perfect first page. The roof is leaking. Why? Turn the page to discover the answer. Dad says there is a hole in the roof but surely that cannot be the truth. Our little narrator knows so much more than her dad. The hole is connected with the hippopotamus who is on the roof right now and yes, he is eating a delicious slice of cake. I think it might be a cream sponge with jam.

This hippo is a wild and carefree character. He can do so many of the things that our little narrator longs to do but is perhaps not allowed to do. He takes showers not baths. Our narrator would love to do this. She does not look happy in her bath. When I read this book I like to sing with the hippo "I'm singing in the rain, just singing in the rain, what a glorious feeling I'm happy again."

We know the hippo eats cake but what about the humans in the house. Poor mum is on a diet and has to eat bland things like lettuce, tomato and cheese. Her brother eats peanut butter sandwiches which is an interesting idea in this age of anaphylaxis and Epipens. And our narrator eats delicious honey sandwiches.  I love the build up of food here from lettuce etc. to peanut butter to honey and then cake!  "The hippopotamus on our roof eats cake all the time."

Now we need to think about this cake. It has been mentioned three times. Is it a birthday cake? The children can chorus NO. Is it a chocolate cake? By now the children are in on this game and loudly chorus NO again. Is it special cake? Well of course it is special - after all it is being eating by a large pink hippo on a suburban roof and what could ever top special cake.

So we have had a laugh or two now it is time for a little emotion. Our narrator has had a fall. She is a fabulous drama queen. Her cut knee has produced a "lot of blood" and lead to a hospital visit where "the doctor put three stitches in my knee."  Our narrator needs a sympathetic friend. Luckily her hippo understands her pain because he also has a sore knee.

Moving on from pain and sadness the next emotion is indignation. Every child relates to this. Our narrator is not allowed to watch television. "After dinner and a story I have to go to bed." That lucky hippo can watch his television for as long as he likes.

One more emotion. Getting into trouble with your parents. Our little narrator has drawn on a book that belongs to dad. This page is fun because the words have been changed. The original editions say "I drew on Daddy's best book. Daddy gave me a smack."  This is now considered child abuse!  Hazel Edwards was asked by her publisher to change these words in later editions to say "Daddy growled at me." When I read this book aloud I do not change the words. I do not think this little smack is something adults need to stress over but I guess opinions on this will vary.

Next - every story needs a gasp moment. 

"He wasn't there last night."

Where could a roof hippo go?  To the zoo of course. I love his job. He watches people. Of course when he is not working he comes back to the roof where he has the great freedom to ride his bike - anywhere. "Mummy won't let me ride on the road. There are cars on the road. There are no cars on the roof. He can ride anywhere." You can just hear the absolute injustice of this in our narrator's voice.

Now it is time to go full circle. The issue of the leaking roof needs to be resolved. Dad has bought in some men to make the repairs with their three hammer bangs we hear an echo of those three earlier drips. Luckily the men don't see the hippo because he climbs down their ladder while "the men had their lunch".

"But he'll be back tonight.
Then I can say -
There's a hippopotamus on our roof eating cake."

Looking at the pages side by side is interesting. Family life is presented on a stark white background with no extra details or background. The facing pages are filled with the hippo on his pink shingled roof eating cake and having fun.  He is even smiling when he shows off the bandage on his knee. You might also think about the title - it is "our" roof. This is an inclusive word. There could be a hippo on your roof too or perhaps a lion or a monkey or even an alligator.

In 2012 I talked about There's a Hippopotamus on our Roof Eating Cake. This book has long been a favourite of mine and I am happy to see it is still in print. In 2020 this delightful and imaginative story is turning 40. There are now seven books about this wonderful character. Here is an interview with Hazel Edwards where she explains her processes, inspiration and thoughts about changing the words.

I was interested to discover Hazel has written her memoir with the delightful title - Not just a piece of cake.

Why does a book appeal to an adult? It is a mystery.  And what about the way books appeal to children.  This is also a mysterious and almost magical process. I imagine someone has written a PhD thesis about this concept. I think of the appeal of books like the Spot series, Where is the Green sheep and today - There's a Hippopotamus on our roof eating cake.

Happy Birthday Hippo - now I will head off to eat some cake!

Owl babies by Martin Waddell illustrated by Patrick Benson

As January approaches my thoughts are turning to the early weeks when Kindergarten students visit our school library for the first time.  There is so much excitement attached to borrowing the first library book and taking it home for mum or dad to read.  

I have a small set of books that I like to read over these weeks - I call them participatory stories because each one allows the children to join in as storytellers. I also like to read books that are perhaps familiar either from pre-school or from home collections.  One of these books which is always popular is Owl Babies.  This is one of those books can boast the most special accolade of all because children always say "Read it again".

Every child and adult has experienced the feeling of loss conveyed in this beautiful book.  The mother owl has gone hunting leaving the three little owls at home alone.  The baby owls have feelings of anxiety and concern, but each little owl has a different coping mechanism.  

Sarah is the practical one, she takes charge and explains why the mother owl has gone.  She knows the younger owls need comfort, so she gathers them all together on one branch.  

Percy is a future thinker.  He knows the mother owl has to go away so they can all have delicious food. He is looking forward to a reward for his patience. Yes, he is worried, but he is also philosophical.  

Bill is the smallest of the baby owls, and his experience of this separation is almost too hard to witness. He just knows his mother is gone and he wants her back.  His anxiety builds and builds through the story until finally 

"Soft and silent, she swooped through the trees to Sarah and Percy and Bill....

WHAT'S ALL THIS FUSS?  ... 

You knew I'd come back."  

The baby owls are thinkers and yes, they knew she would come back.  Bill is especially pleased all the tension and anxiety are gone and he can happily say "I love my mummy!"

The joy of reading this book comes from the individual characters of the baby owls.  I love to use different voices for each one.  The illustrations are so luminous you can almost touch the owl feathers. Martin Waddell is a master storyteller.  I was once lucky to hear him read Owl babies.  He read with such affection and with a perfect languid pace. We have a DVD of this book in our library too but we only look at it after a careful reading of this classic heartwarming story. Here are some teaching notes. As a final touch I have three tiny baby owl puppets which come out of my library bag when we read this book.

Here is a comment that sums up the power of Owl Babies:

'Books have long been used to give children a way of looking at and understanding issues that are familiar to them by putting them in a different context'

Knock knock who's there by Sally Grindley illustrated by Anthony Browne

If someone says knock knock to you I am sure you would reply who's there?  This is the premise of this very clever book with its perfect illustrations by Anthony Browne.'

A little girl is in bed with her large teddy bear when there is a knock on the door. A voice from the other side says "I'm a great big gorilla with far furry arms and huge white teeth and when you let me in I'm going to hug your breath away!"  Yes it does sound scary so the little girl says "Then I won't let you in!".

This pattern continues with a witch, ghost, giant, and dragon all knocking on the door. Finally her dad arrives with a cup of hot chocolate and a story to tell.

When you find this book in your library go back and look carefully at the slippers, the wall paper and the little hints around each door frame.  If I was collecting books to show how young children grow and develop in their understanding of plot this is the perfect example. When I read this book to Kindergarten they have all sorts of explanations about those slippers and the 'scary' characters at the door.  It is a very rare child at this age who realizes that the dad has just been using his voice in a game with his daughter.

This is a book I adore reading aloud to Kindergarten.  They all participate in the repeated refrain and enjoy the sense of tension and release when her dad finally arrives at the door with that hot chocolate.