You searched for miser magnolia | lovemybooks | FREE reading resources for parents

Mr Magnolia

Quentin Blake
Red Fox
Age 3-5

This much-loved classic picture book, introduces us to the world of Mr Magnolia, a character who is full of life and fun despite having only one boot. The rhyme is humorous and surprising, and shows him playfully dancing with his sisters, giving scooter rides to his friends and juggling fruit in the market place.

It’s a perfect book for young readers, inspiring a love of rhyme and the joy of reading.

Share the story

Talk about the picture
Spend time looking and talking about the cover. What do they think Mr Magnolia is like? Why do they think that? Is there anything they would like to find out about him? Talking together about the book builds children’s interest in the story and they are keen to turn the pages to find out more.

Read aloud
Read the story aloud, talking together about the pictures as you do. Encourage children to guess what the rhyming word will be by leaving space for them to join in. They can find clues in the pictures, too.

Join in
Read the story again and leave spaces for children to join in with the story. They can add their own responses to the dramatic events.

Tell the story
After hearing the story a few times, children will get to know it quite well. Encourage them tell it to you in their own words, with some words or phrases from the story, using the pictures to help them.

Watch the Story
This fabulous version from BBC’s old Words and Pictures programme starts around a minute in.

From TributeToThePast

Things to make and do

Play the story
Children can use props such as a hat, scarf or single boot to dress up and act out the story as Mr Magnolia himself. With a cardboard tube or toy instrument as a trumpet they could dance to the rooty toot! It’s a really good way for them to get to know the character well and helps to build their confidence with books and stories.

Make a picture
Using pens or paint and paper, children can make a picture of a favourite part of the story, show their picture to someone else and talk about it.

Find the rhyme
Go on a word hunt to see how many words rhyme with ‘boot.’ Read it aloud together and listen for the rhyme.

Make a game
Print the game sheet and cut out the cards to play a matching game – you can print two copies to make more cards. See if children can sort the words into groups that look the same, eg all the ‘oot’ words in one group and the ‘ute’ words in another. What other spellings make the same sound?

Make up a story
See if you can make up a new story about Mr Magnolia together. Perhaps beginning ‘Mr Magnolia had only one shoe….’ You can play with the rhyme, taking it in turns to invent a new line.

Find out more

Cockatoos

Patrick

Zagazoo

Clown

The Green Ship

Quentin Blake has also illustrated many books by other writers including Roald Dahl and Russell Hoban

| admin | August 7, 2014

Our top 10 rhyming picture books

Rhyming picture books hold a special place in the realm of children’s literature, captivating the imaginations of young readers and their families with their melodic language and vibrant illustrations. These books use rhyme and rhythm to engage readers, making the experience of reading both enjoyable and memorable. One of the primary benefits of rhyming picture books is their ability to make language fun and accessible. The predictable patterns of rhyme help children anticipate and recognize words, which can enhance their early reading skills. The rhythmic flow of the text also aids in phonemic awareness, helping children understand the sounds within words and how they fit together. This foundational skill is crucial for developing proficient reading abilities later on, also follow https://troycarter4congress.com.

Rhyming picture books are an important way to help young children acquire a natural feeling for rhyme and pattern in language. Here are a selection of some of our favourites:

Animal Boogie
Debbie Harter
Barefoot Books
Age 0-5

Down in an Indian jungle, children and animals have fun boogie-woogie-ing together by stomping, shaking, flapping, leaping, slithering and swaying.

See an animated version here.

The Cat in the Hat
Dr Seuss
Random House
Age 3-7

A classic rhyming story of the Cat in a hat who transforms a dull day into pure joy.
This hilarious book transforms children into readers too!
See the animated version here.

(See also: Green Eggs and Ham, Wacky Wednesday, Hop on Pop and more)

Dinosaur Roar
Paul and Henrietta Stickland
Dutton Books
Age 3-5

Dinosaurs roar, dinosaurs galore in this irresistible tale of dinosaurs weak and strong,
above and below, who gather for a memorable lunch. A great, rambunctious joining-in rhyme.
Click here to see lovemybooks activities.

Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy
Lynley Dodd
Puffin
Age 3-7

A memorable, cumulative rhyme about a gathering of distinctive dogs. Unforgettable characters and great pictures (see also Slinky Malinky).

Lottie Potter wants an Otter Jeanne Willis, Leonie Lord (illus)
Harper Collins
Age 3-7

Lottie Potter is very keen to have a pet, and only an otter will do! She finds Mr Trotter’s shop which is full of otters and Lottie makes her choice. But this otter turns out to be an absolute rotter! So Lottie’s search for the perfect pet continues.

This is a rhyming picture book with a very satisfying rhythm which skips along delightfully making it a great read aloud and easy for children to join in with too. The story is very silly but great fun and the illustrations add to the humour.

Mister Magnolia
Quentin Blake
Red Fox
Age 0-5

Everyone loves Mr Magnolia and his rooty-toot trumpet. He is full of fun and the joys of life even though he has only one boot. Life is complete when he receives a unique present. Children will love the exuberance and humour.(See also All Join In).
Click here to see lovemybooks activities.

Oi Dog
Kes & Claire Gray, Jim Field (illus)
Hodder
Age 5-7

‘Oi Dog!’ is a wonderful and sophisticated rhyming game of a book. The rules are animals have to sit on something which rhymes with their name, from cats sitting on gnats to cheetahs sitting on fajitas. Frog, who in the prequel ‘Oi Frog!’ was squashed by dog, takes charge of the rules in this book and gets his own back. This is quite a tongue twister to read aloud but enormous fun, children could try to guess what each animal might have to sit on and perhaps come up with alternatives of their own. The brilliant illustrations add to the humour.

See a trailer for the prequel, Oi Frog here

This is the Bear
Sarah Hayes, Helen Craig
Walker
Age 3-7

A delightful rhyming story of ‘sibling’ rivalry. Dog is jealous of Bear for the boy’s affections and nudges him into the bin. All ends well when Bear is safely retrieved after his adventure. Thought and speech bubbles reveal what the characters are really thinking.

What the Ladybird Heard
Julia Donaldson, illustrator Lydia Monks
Macmillan
Age 3-5

Ladybird may be tiny but she’s the heroine whose clever plan saves the cow from being stolen by two crafty robbers at the farm. She just needs a little help from her noisy friends. Watch and listen to the author singing the song of the book here.

See our activities for What the Ladybird Heard

(See also : The Snail and the Whale, The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo’s Child, Room on the Broom and more).

Where’s My Teddy?
Jez Alborough
Walker
Age 5-7

Bear and Eddie are frightened when thy bump into each other in the woods, until they realise they have something important in common. They both love their love their Teddy Bears! A humorous, touching tale of vulnerability. (See also It’s the Bear!, My Friend Bear, Duck in the Truck and more).
Click here to see lovemybooks activities.

| admin | April 16, 2015

The BFG

Roald Dahl, Quentin Blake (illus)
Puffin
Age 6-9

Roald Dahl’s BFG is one of the most memorable characters in children’s fiction and this (reportedly) is Dahl’s favourite of all his books.

The story tells of Sophie, living in an orphanage, who is snatched from her bed one night by a giant who takes her far away. Fortunately for Sophie, this is a kind and friendly giant who spends his days catching dreams and his nights blowing them into the bedrooms of sleeping children. The other giants are not at all friendly however and when Sophie finds out they are planning to steal children from their beds in England and eat them she hatches an urgent plan. Sophie and the BFG, with the help of the Queen, save the day. The evil giants are captured and their punishment is to eat a diet of disgusting ‘snozzcumbers’, until then the BFG’s only food.

This is an exciting adventure story set in an imaginary magical parallel world where dreams are created. The story is, at times, scary but full of humour, sadness, acts of bravery and friendship. Moral dilemmas such as the difference between stealing and borrowing provide plenty to talk about, as does ‘Gobblefunk’ the BFG’s made up language which is great fun, ‘scrumdiddlyumptious’ in fact!

The latest edition illustrated above includes a cover image from the 2016 Spielberg feature film, an introduction by Dahl’s daughter Lucy and a list of characters.

Watch a trailer for the movie here

Talk about the story

Which bits of the story did you like most? Did any scene stay in your mind?
Which part was the funniest, scariest, saddest or most exciting?
Talk about dreams and what you remember of them, what ‘ingredients’ would your child like to mix to make a lovely dream?
Talk about the BFG’s funny words and phrases, the ones you each remember and liked. It might be fun to use some of them in everyday conversation eg ‘Is I right or is I left?’
Talk about the BFG ‘borrowing’ a book for fifty years, should he have done this?

Things to make and do

Make a book
Make a zig zag book together. Children can draw the main characters from the story in it, add labels and notes about each character.

Make a dictionary
Children could use a notebook or make a sewn book to list some of the BFGs words and phrases in his special language ‘Gobblefunk’ and write what they mean. They could do this as they read the book or go back to the book when they have finished to collect words.

Make a dream jar
Give children an empty plastic jar or bottle so that they can try ‘mixing’ a dream. They could do this for example, by colouring cotton wool with paint, see here for ideas.

When they have finished children can make a label for their dream jar .

Dress up like the BFG
Collect some old clothes so your child can dress up like the BFG. You could make big ears together and a cardboard tube trumpet.

Try role playing some of the things the BFG does such as taking phenomenal leaps. Take photos of your child dressed up as the BFG and choose a few to print out or share.

Write a menu…
for the BFG or a shopping list for the royal kitchen in case the BFG comes for breakfast at the Palace again. See our template here.

See our print-off activity book with some of these ideas and other activities

Find out more

Find out about dream catchers in Native American Indian Culture

Make a dream catcher

Find out more about giants in mythology and literature

How many other stories about giants can you think of?

Find out more about Roald Dahl: Visit the Roald Dahl Museum in Buckinghamshire

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Fantastic Mr Fox

James and the Giant Peach

The Magic Finger

Boy and Going Solo (autobiographical)

Read the Fantastic Mr Dahl by our patron Michael Rosen which looks at the ‘ingredients’ which make Dahl a fantastic writer for children.

Find out more about illustrator Quentin Blake
Books written and illustrated by Quentin Blake include:

Mister Magnolia – see lovemybooks ideas

Cockatoos

Patrick

Clown

Buy the BFG

| admin | August 29, 2016

The Weed

Quentin Blake
Tate Publishing
Age 3-7 years

When the Meadowsweet family find themselves at the bottom of a deep crack in the earth, they have to depend on Octavia, their talkative mynah bird, and a very unusual seed to rescue them and help them climb back into the world.

With echoes of the beanstalk, this joyfully illustrated fable for our times shows human reliance on the natural world and each other for survival, growth and happiness.

Share the story

Read aloud

Read the story aloud, taking time to talk together about the pictures as you do. Encourage children to imagine what might happen next and turn the page to see if their predictions were right. Talking about the book deepens children’s enjoyment and understanding of the story.

Join in
Read the story again, this time leaving spaces for children to join in.

Talk about the story

Read aloud, pausing to talk about the illustrations, and consider how the family could escape. Before turning the page, predict what might happen next.
How do the Meadowsweet family feel at the beginning of the book and how do they feel at the end of the story? What has made a difference?
Talk about the different characters in the story, your favourite and why.
What is the story is about? What do the Meadowsweet family discover is important by the end of the book?