Pigs Can't Fly Or Can They?

Pigs Can’t Fly is a exciting new picture book, written by Anand S and illustrated by Izzy Bean. It is a heart warming tale about a a little pig, named Zig. Zig wants to fly more than anything. But Zig is repeatedly told, “Pigs can walk, pigs can run, but pigs can’t fly.” The question is: ‘Will Zig prove the doubters wrong?’

Anand S tells us,

“I am excited about the release of book as it conveys an important message in an entertaining manner. The message is that dreams can come true if you put the effort in. I hope that it will help children see their abilities as something that can be developed through effort. I would like to thank my family, my friends, the writers’ club and the illustrator for helping me to create this book.”

Anand S was born in India, in 1985. He moved to England aged 10. Anand S studied Medicine at the University of Cambridge. While training to be a surgeon, he discovered a passion for writing so he exchanged the scalpel for the pen.

“For me, making the learning experience enjoyable is important. I believe that children are more likely to learn, if they are having fun. This is why, I try to create stories that are funny, humorous and imaginative.”

Pigs Can't Fly is available for purchase from the Amazon bookstore. For more information on the author and/or activities inspired by the book characters visit www.storytime.website.

The MCBF2015 team are looking for your blogs, stories, book reviews, photos, poems - simply anything and everything to do with your favourite children’s books! Email mcbf@mmu.ac.uk to get involved.

Happy Anniversary Alice in Wonderland!

By Chelsea Klaasen

This year the literary world celebrates the 150th anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

The story, or at least a version of it, was once told to three little girls on a boating trip. After that Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (Lewis Carroll was his pseudonym) planned to expand and publish it. One of the first manuscripts was given to one of the girls (Alice Liddell) as a Christmas gift. For this little book, Carroll made his own illustrations and he called it Alice’s adventures underground. Later versions of the book have been illustrated by John Tenniel, he made the images we all know and love. The title of the book also changed slightly and now we know this story mainly as Alice in Wonderland.

Nowadays, many different publications of this book exist as well as films, musicals and plays. I have decided to celebrate this loved children’s book myself and that is why I made an Alice in Wonderland workbook for you to use in the classroom. It can be used as a whole, but you can also pick the activities that suit your age group best. Of course, I also encourage you to add your own activities.

For some of the exercises it is important that the children have read the story. For others they can use their knowledge of the book or films and for some they can just use their creativity.

I hope you like this workbook and please let me know what you think of it or how it went down with the children you teach.

I have not included the answers to any of the activities because I am sure most of you can figure it out. If you would like some help, or you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to leave a message.

Download Chelsea's Alice in Wonderland Workbook here

Enjoy!


After her teacher training Chelsea Klaassen studied Children's Literature at Reading University to learn more about the wonderful worlds of children's books. After her degree she decided to start a blog on which she posts creative reading and writing ideas and exercises for teachers, parents and carers to use. You can find her blog here. Follow Chelsea on Twitter at @Chelseamorag1.

The MCBF2015 team are looking for your blogs, stories, book reviews, photos, poems - simply anything and everything to do with your favourite children’s books! Email mcbf@mmu.ac.uk to get involved.