Be Brave Little Penguin

 

Giles Andrae, illus. Guy Parker Rees
Orchard Books
Age 0-5 years

Little Penguin Pip Pip lives with his family and friends. His friends all love swimming in the sea but Pip Pip is too scared to try and feels very sad. His mum is understanding and helps little Pip Pip take his first tentative steps into the sea. In no time at all he is having an amazing time.

A delightful rhyming, rhythmic picturebook with very appealing illustrations and a strong message about being brave enough to try things that are new to you. Children will enjoy returning to this picturebook and sharing Little Pip Pip’s excitement at the end of the story.

Some of the activity ideas here are likely to be more suitable to over threes so choose what seems most appropriate for your child.

Share the story
Read aloud
Read the story aloud to your child talking about what is happening in the story and pictures as you do.

Join in
As they become more familiar with the story you can encourage children to join in with some of the words eg Little Pip calling out ‘I am swimming, I am swimming’ and SPLASH

Talk about the story
Read the story aloud, taking time to talk together about the pictures as you do. Encourage children to imagine what might happen next and turn the page to see if their predictions were right. Talking about the book deepens children’s enjoyment and understanding of the story.

Talk about the different sizes of penguin in the first picture.
Talk about the bits you both liked best?}
Talk about how Little Pip Pip feels at different points in the story?
Talk about things that are big or small, biggest and smallest.
Talk about when you have needed to be brave like Little Penguin. Share ideas you’re your own memories.

Watch the story read aloud

Watch a musical version of the story

Things to make and do

Role play

Act out the conversation between Pip Pip and his Mummy ‘What if….’ This would be fun with you (the adult) playing Little Pip Pip with all his anxieties and your child playing his mother, reassuring him.
Act out the story in the bath or paddling pool with a toy to represent Little Penguin.
Go swimming – have fun in the water like Little Penguin, putting a toe in first 

Make a picture
Give your child a large piece of paper some paints or crayons to make a big picture of Little Penguin with lots of other penguins of different shapes and sizes.

 Find out more

Read more books by Giles Andrae. Titles include
Giraffes Can’t Dance
Rumble in the Jungle
Commotion in the Ocean.

Find out about illustrator Guy Parker Rees Guy Parker-Rees – Illustrator (guyparkerrees.com)
Find out more about penguins

Share another story about penguins Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers

 

 

 

 

Find out more

More books by Chris Haughton
Oh No George! Click to see our activities

Shh! We have a plan! Click to see our activities

Find out more about the author