Y3 & Y4
Grey illustrates Belloc's famous cautionary poem here and although it could be argued that the text could be read quickly in one day, it is the depth and richness of Grey's approach to the poem that makes the reading. Chn will want to return repeatedly in order to see what signs there are that let us know how neglected and alone Jim feels. Endless signs at the zoo, downcast looks from the protagonist all help build up a real sense of pity for the character. Although the discussion of neglect could lead to some interesting booktalk, there is much more here that you could do with the text. Children could enjoy creating their own lift-the-flap/pop-up version of another Belloc poem and learn much from how Grey plays with the size and formatting of the text.