Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Book?

Now if you were going to fall into a book, a book of fairy tales would probably not be your first choice. Because in every story there is always a wicked this, an evil that or a hungry somebody. It could only happen to Herb, child star of that thrilling tale, Beware of the Storybook Wolves.

Book Author: Lauren Child

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Teaching Ideas and Resources:

English

• This is the second story about Herb. Read Beware of the Storybook Wolves and discuss which is your favourite.
• Could you write your own story about Herb?
• In this story, Herb falls into a book. Write your own story about a character who falls into a book. Could you be the character? What type of book would you like to fall into? Why?
• The first line of the book is ‘Herb loved storybooks’. Could you use this as the first line for your own story?
• Can you write a story that Herb would love? What might happen in it?
• Retell the story (or a part of it) from Herb’s point of view.
• Can you identify the stories that Herb falls into? Which characters does he meet?
• Create a new page for the book in which Herb falls into a different story.
• Write a newspaper report about a boy who fell into a book.
• The stories in this book are a little mixed up because Herb has scribbled on the pages and cut things out. Could you use this idea to adapt a different story?

Maths

• Herb likes scary books best. Can you create a survey to find out the favourite types of books of the children in your class?

Computing

• Look at the layout of the text on the page and the uses of different fonts. Could you create a page for a storybook using similar techniques?
• Create a game in which a character falls into a story and has to escape.
• Design an invitation for the ‘private Royal party’.
• Watch this animated version of the book. Could you make your own version?

Design Technology

• Could you make a ‘pop-up’ version of one of the pages in this book?

Art

• Look at the illustrations in the book. How have they been created? Could you use a similar technique / style in your own pictures?
• The queen loses her throne and Herb has to draw one for her. Can you design a new throne?
• Draw a picture of yourself after you have 'fallen' into the page of your favourite book.