Monday 1 October 2012

Award Winning Books – pets and friendship


Often pets and toys are used to help children learn about the way in which friendships work. Here are some books which do just that.


Wanted: The Perfect PetWanted: The Perfect Pet by Fiona Roberton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A humorous tale of longing and friendship. One the one hand, Henry wants a dog more than anything in the world; on the other, duck needs a friend. Duck sees Henry's advert for a pet in the paper and decides that this is his opportunity to get a friend. He tries, with hilarious outcomes, to be the perfect pet that Henry longs for. I won't spoil the ending, but just say that both learn a great deal about compromise and friendship before the book ends. I adored this book, loved the ways in which duck tries to make himself more acceptable to the boy with egg box, old socks and string. This book provides scope for some great extension activities - I loved it!
Award:
IRA (International Reading Assn.) Children's and Young Adults' Book Award winner - Primary Fiction category



Not Norman: A Goldfish StoryNot Norman: A Goldfish Story by Kelly Bennett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fun tale about a boy who is given a fish for his birthday when what he really wants is a cat or a dog. He sets about talking up his fish so that he can offload his fish on someone else. The plan fails and the two share a number of experiences that bring boy and fish together. Eventually the boy gets the opportunity to swop his fish, but will he? The illustrations are simple and humorous and enhance the story.
Awards: 
Booktrust Book of the Month for August 2005 (UK)
Texas Institute of Letters Friends of the Austin Public Library’s Best Children’s Book for 2005.
CBC (Children's Book Council) Children's Choice
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio 2006 Gold Medal
A FamilyFun Magazine Best Children’s Book for 2005



Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken IdentityKnuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity by Mo Willems
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Trixie now goes to school and one day takes Knuffle Bunny too. Things don't quite go as expected when another child has a similar bunny. A nice tale of jealousy and friendship. Not as charming (for me) as the first book, but still worth sharing as a read aloud as well as a one-to-one.
Awards: Caldecott Honor 2008


View all my Goodreads reviews

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