Waiting for the Monster of the Woods

I enjoy hamming up the suspence in this story and seeing my sons’ eyes widen in anticipation, adding in some stormy noises for good effect. I also love the illustrations by Russell Julian that show owl’s cosy tree house, with warm glowing windows radiating out of the darkening forest – all children want to stumble across a home like this and get tucked up warm inside! My sons are fascinated by it. This is a lovely, reassuring story by Claire Freedman that has wide appeal both to young (18mths) and older (5 yrs) listeners.

The story centres on two best friends who go down to visit a magic pond where they find the bog baby – a small blue creature with wings like a dragon. They smuggle him home and look after him as best they can – loving him very much. But the bog baby is a wild thing, and he becomes sick in captivity, so mum is let in on the secret and she helps the girls return him to his pond – remembering that she also used to look for bog babies as a girl.

Jeanne Willis’ story is very simple but full of poignancy. It is narrated by one of the two girls and at the end, we jump forward in time and realise it has been an adult voice remembering her childhood experience. There is a sense of family tradition, and of the cyclical nature of life as each generation ventures out searching for these magic creatures as if it was the first. But most of all the message is about letting go of the things that you love.

Bella and Monty are best friends but whereas Bella is fearless, Monty is scared of everything (including scrambled eggs). One sleepover night Bella helps Monty confront his fear of the dark – by introducing him to the very things he fears. Once he realises that ghosts and ghouls go to school like normal people, that spider families enjoy a good takeaway and that the moon is carefully watching over the nighttime while the sun gets some sleep, things don’t seem so bad. But of course he has to prove that Bella isn’t as fearless as she thinks by popping a large balloon in her ear – and everyone listening to this story enjoys anticipating that large bang.

I like the humorous path the story takes through common childhood fears, offering comfort to young readers and maybe encouraging them to question their own fears. I also really love the illustrations – the cute ghosts and ghouls, the interesting layering of textures make the book very visually appealing.

No one understands Beegu, not even the leaves

With simple backgrounds and muted colours, Beegu is illuminated on the page, emphasising her difference and her isolation. She doesn’t find Earth to be a very friendly place initially, no one understands her language, and adults either ignore her or send her on her way. Of course it is when she stumbles across children playing in the playground that she feels a moment of acceptance and friendship. But this is short lived when the teacher intervenes. Luckily at the end, Beegu is reunited with her parents – and my sons’ eyes light up with relief and happiness that she is safe. I think we all feel the warmth and comfort of that last big hug.

A herd of cows, a goat, a flock of sheep, a brood of hens, two dogs, three cats and a...

Julie Sykes’ story is fun and quirky and teaches children to have the courage of their convictions. Again I love the illustrations by Melanie Williamson, with their rolling patchwork-quilt hills and expressive animals. In the end everyone agrees that a dragon is very much an asset to any farm – and my sons couldn’t agree more.

Even the ogre is scared

The three little ghosties are busy boasting to each other about how much they have managed to scare other scary things – from ghouls to witches to ogres – until they set on a plan to scare some little girls and boys for fun – namely the little boy who is narrating the story. But what the bullies don’t bargain for is a taste of their own medicine – and so with one big BOO! the little boy sends the ghosties tumble-tangle-fleeing out of his bedroom and into the night, where their mummies await to scold them and send them to bed.

The ending never fails to make my sons laugh and they love anticipating all the boos! throughout the story. I love Pippa Goodhart’s desciptive and onomatopoeic language as the ghosties creak-push open doors and slither-slide through window cracksies, making it great fun to read aloud. This is a perfect book for boys. But the pictures are cute enough for girls too – I like the glitter on the cover in particular.

The sheep are unimpressed

Luckily the sheep uncover the plan and manage, against the odds, to outwit the wolf with a little bit of cunning and some all important teamwork – sending him off in humiliation, never to be seen again. My sons like remembering the ‘three important things’ at the end. Most importantly – to never trust a wolf. Indeed.

I can totally remember my fantasy as a child to be a little miss doolittle/mowgli/animal rescuer-type figure, opening up my heart and (my parents’) home to any number of waifs and strays – and this story enacts this beautifully. My sons also enjoy imagining which animals they would like to bring home and laugh at the pictures of Lulu attempting to accomodate her new bevvy of friends. Although Lulu is well meaning, it soon becomes rather cramped in her house (penguins and seals in the fridge, bears in bath – that kind of thing) and rather obvious from the outside that she is harbouring an entire zoo. And so the zoo keepers find them – but luckily, Lulu manages to speak to them on behalf of the animals and ensure that they are not returned to their cages but instead to a more acceptable safari-style park called Lululand. And so it all ends happily ever after, with Lulu smuggling the animals home once in a while for a midnight feast. Something we need to aim for, according to my son. You can see the story on Cbeebies Bedtime Stories.

You can’t help but love Russell Ayto’s chickens in this story – stripy or spotty, they have a deadpan look that can’t fail to make you smile. They’re definitely up to something. In this story, written by Andy Cutbill, they are helping Marjorie, a rather insecure cow, regain her self-worth by secretly planting (after much chicken plotting) a cow-print egg beneath her – and there the farmyard and media hoopla begins. Marjorie feels unremarkable but is surrounded by clearly over-achieving cows (that ride bikes and do handstands), so in fact is just a normal cow. The chickens are pleased as Punch that they have managed to cheer Marjorie up and give her a sense of purpose, but with all the farmyard jealousy and the impending arrival of what can only be a chicken, you worry it might be short-lived. But the ending reaffirms the strong acceptance and bond of maternal love and the kids just love anticipating that great big moo! This is a really sweet, funny story. Perfect for bedtime.