I am delighted to welcome Pippa Goodhart to Library Mice for a brand new Fabulous Five. Pippa is the bestselling author of You Choose, which has always been a family favourite, as well as Glog (published in Walker First Stories, again a favourite in our house, see here) and of course, the brand new Just Imagine, which I reviewed yesterday (see here)
Pippa Goodhart completed a history degree and then trained as an infant teacher before taking on a job at Heffers Children’s Bookshop in Cambridge where she worked for five years, latterly as a manager. She began to work as a publisher’s reader and to teach when she moved to Leicester, but also began writing when her children were little. Her first book was published in 1994 and over forty more have been published since then. She teaches writing to adults and works as a consultant.You can find out more about her on her website.
Five Fabulous Simple but Profound Picture Books
by Pippa Goodhart
I love these stories because each one of tackles a moral issue that leaves you thinking about the story ever after reading it. ‘Simple’ stories that are truly profound … and very lovely, and mostly very funny too. Brilliant!
A Squash And A SqueezeJulia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler
A Squash And A Squeeze is funny and moving as it tells a tale that makes you think again about the value of what you already have. An old lady who wants more room takes the advice of a wise old man, filling her house with unsuitable animals. The feeling of space she gets when those animals are all removed is a revelation!
Dogger Shirley Hughes
Dogger is a love story with the power to make me cry. Dave loses his beloved Dogger, and when they find Dogger it seems impossible that Dave will ever get him back … until kind sister Bella does something ‘very kind’ to make everything right once more.
Farmer DuckMartin Waddell & Helen Oxenbury
Farmer Duck is the ultimate ‘it’s not fair’ story. In which over-worked, under-valued Duck is saved from slave labour by his kind farmyard friends.
That Pesky RatLauren Child
That Pesky Rat sees smelly rubbish bin dwelling Rat tell the tale of his search for a nicer home, and how he eventually finds one, but because his new owner hasn’t quite understood that he is a rat. Moving and funny.
Tadpole’s Promise Jeanne Willis & Tony Ross
Tadpole’s Promise is a story to be given only to children who can take the truth it carries. It’s a story that demonstrates how life can play tricks that can upset even the most profoundly intended declarations of love. Tadpole and Caterpillar promise never to change …..
****
Thank you so much, Pippa, what a wonderful selection of classic picture books!
The first is based on an old Yiddish folktale. I’ll have to check out the others!