Reader’s Digest UK – August 2019

READER’S DIGEST

Carle, for instance, experienced real

hunger in wartime Germany—which

may explain why his most famous

work was The Very Hungry

Caterpillar. (And in later life, Carle

bitterly regretted accepting his

publisher’s suggestion that after his

big blow-out, the caterpillar had to

suffer for it with a stomachache.)

In this extract, Pollard has just had

her second child. Worried that the

new siblings might not get on, she

turns to picture books for guidance...

The siblings in Shirley Hughes’s

books are a model and a comfort,

always tolerant of each other, fondly

muddling through. Lucy and Tom,

Katie and Olly, Alfie and Annie Rose.

Then, of course, there are Joe, Dave

and older sister Bella in Dogger.

Dogger is another tale of lost and

found, one that can be read over and

over as a reassurance. It is based on a

real toy that belonged to Shirley’s son

Ed. Dogger is not just a bedtime

‘cuddler’ (as we say in our house) but

a constant playmate, being dragged

around on string or wrapped in

blankets. Eventually, Dave leaves

Dogger somewhere. (It is not stated

explicitly, but the pictures seem to

suggest that Dave leaves Dogger

poking through the school railings

He is distracted by an ice-cream van,

then giving his little brother Joe

‘in-between licks’ of his melty

pink cornet.)

The school fair comes, along with

‘‘

Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s

Dairy by Lynley Dodd

A group of dogs head proudly into

town—until they meet the terrifying cat

Scarface Claw. Surely no parent can

resist doing a German accent for the

dachshund Schnitzel Von Krumm—or

hamming up Scarface Claw’s blood-

curdling yell.

Owl Babies

by Martin Waddell and

Patrick Benson

Three owl siblings wake to find their

mother gone. Of course, it ends

happily—but, in the meantime, why not

make Bill’s repeated cry of “I want my

mummy!” as heartbreakingly plaintive

as possible?

Each Peach Pear Plum

by Janet and Allan Ahlberg

An I-Spy game featuring a winningly

random series of well-known characters.

The intricate pictures mean that you

really do keep spotting something new.

Fox in Socks

by Doctor Seuss

One for the braver parent: a collection

of increasingly fearsome tongue-

twisters. Guaranteed to provide a warm

glow of parental pride if you pull it off.

Four picture books that

are particular fun to read

to children

AUGUST 2019 • 125