Little Rabbit Foo Foo

Author: Michael Rosen

Illustrator: Arthur Robins

Story sack ideas: DVD version, rabbit puppet, thought bubbles for the rabbit, activity based on what they would get a good fairy to change, a mallet!

Oscar Got The Blame

Author: Tony Ross

Illustrator: Tony Ross

Life is so unfair for Oscar!

Book-based word game idea - dice game "...and this is Oscar's friend, Billy"children could draw what they think.

The Wolves in the Walls

Author: Neil Gaiman

Illustrator: Dave McKean

Interesting for PSHCE. How do the wolves feel? Also would be great for persuasive writing - write a note persuading the family that there are wolves in the walls.

Beware of the Storybook Wolves

Author: Lauren Child

Illustrator: Lauren Child

Herb's fears break into this book despite his mother knowing that storybook wolves are not dangerous. Explores the power of books. Interesting typography.

Intertextual references to Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and The Three Little Pigs.

Story sack ideas: Wolf toy, Little Red Riding Hood book, typography exercise/game, design a better outfit for Little Wolf, pattern making exercise, cards of other things that could escape from books.

Book based game: reveal game or word bingo based on the little wolf standing in a ballgown, character building game or a track game to Herb's bed.

Little Mouse's Big Book Of Fears

Author: Emily Gravett

Illustrator: Emily Gravett

Humorous and interesting for looking at altered books, journals/scrapbooks and personal books.

FArTHER

Author: Grahame Baker-Smith

Illustrator: Grahame Baker-Smith

Breathtaking; a mixture of sadness and hope. The different ways the father and son choose to work are conspicuous.

The Paper Bag Princess

Author: Robert Munsch

Illustrator: Michael Martchenko

Would be marvelous for drama activities - conscience alley and discussing feelings. Suited to looking at comic story conventions.

The Tunnel

Author: Anthony Browne

Illustrator: Anthony Browne

Complex and question provoking. A brother and sister find they really do care for each other.

Varmints

Author: Helen Ward

Illustrator: Marc Craste

Deep and dark.

Potential link into bees - maybe a trip to Buzzworks.

Story sack ideas: a non fiction book about the environment or bees, a birdsong CD, an activity based around things we would miss

The Sad Story of Veronica Who Played the Violin

Author: David McKee

Illustrator: David McKee

Quirky and tragic.

Story sack ideas: a picture of a lion, a violin, a CD of sad and happy classical music, a non-fiction book about the jungle, sound cancelling ear phones, resources from the RNID

The Gruffalo

Author: Julia Donaldson

Illustrator: Axel Scheffler

A rather surprising ending for a children's book - lying works out well for the little mouse.

Story sack ideas: a Gruffalo toy, a mouse toy, a picture of a Gruffalo, a non-fiction book about food, a story map of the forest, a matching grid game with words, a story CD or video.

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales

Author: Jon Scieszka

Illustrator: Lane Smith

Great for looking at conventions of stories and books. Fantastic typography.

Susan Laughs

Author: Jeanne Willis

Illustrator: Tony Ross

Looking at how we are all similar and have similar experiences despite obvious differences. Encouraging empathy.

Story sack ideas: a puppet, a video from a disability website.

The Good Mood Hunt

Author: Hiawyn Oram

Illustrator: Joanne Partis

Exploring what we can do to cheer ourselves up, being proactive and the counter intuitiveness of our moods. Useful to look at verbalising and acknowledging how we feel.

Story sack ideas: a box of stuff, pictures of people in different moods, a girl puppet.

Potential for a 'Big Game' book based game. Possible words for the dice - lost gloves, lost toffees, lost money, old bones, old hairbrush, missing dinosaurs, sleeping centipedes. Requires a box and toys to match the dice.

Something Else

Author: Kathryn Cave

Illustrator: Chris Riddell

Exploring and helping dispel the myth that there is a large group of normal people and a few outlying people who are different from everyone, including each other.

Story sack ideas: a mirror, a game based on finding similarities

Mister Magnolia

Author: Quentin Blake

Illustrator: Quentin Blake

Story sack ideas: one boot, two odd boots, a trumpet, a non-fiction music book, a rhyme matching game.

The True Story of The 3 Little Pigs

Author: Jon Scieszka

Illustrator: Lane Smith

Witty and menacing yet disconcertingly plausible. Brings into question the motivation of the press.

Story sack ideas: toys of pictures for the wolf and the pigs, a non-fiction book about pigs or wolves, a newspaper.

Mr Gumpy's Outing

Author: John Burningham

Illustrator: John Burningham

The most beautiful pictures in any book. The story follows the inevitable conclusions of many animals in a river boat.

Story sack ideas: A figure of Mr Gumpy, toys or pictures for the various animals, a non fiction book on rivers, a tea set.

The Day I Swapped My Dad For Two Goldfish

Author: Neil Gaiman

Illustrator: Dave McKean

Complex and glorious.

Story sack ideas: a swapping game, Would you rather...? questions, a map.

All Join In

Poet: Quentin Blake

Illustrator: Quentin Blake

A lively, fun book for whole class noise making.