Tidy

 Emily Gravett
Two Hoots Books
Age 5-7

Pete is a badger who likes things to be tidy. He keeps the forest tidy even tidying away the Autumn leaves! Not content with this he decides to get rid of the trees as well and even goes as far as concreting over the forest. Now the forest is really tidy but Pete soon discovers he has no food and no way to get into his home either. Has he done the right thing?

A clever story about the natural environment and what happens when it is destroyed. Are there possible perils in being just too tidy?! Lots to talk about here in this stunning picturebook. The cut outs in the cover and end papers make a lovely woodland scene. The rhyming text makes it perfect for joining in.

Share the story

Read the story aloud
Before you start to read the story aloud take time to look at the end papers and talk about what you both can see and what the story might be about. Read the story aloud, pausing now and then to talk about what Pete is doing and what might happen next.

Join in
As you read the story again leave gaps so children can join in with parts, for example finishing some of the rhymes and the repeated section ‘No mud, no leaves’ etc.

Talk more about the story
Which part of the story or illustration did your child like most?

Did anything puzzle them about the story?

Talk about Pete – what would your child tell someone else about him? What do they think the other animals might have said to Pete about all of his tidying up?

Watch an animation of the story

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Things to make and do

Have an imaginary conversation
Make two masks, one for the badger Pete and one of the other animals in the story (eg the fox or the rabbit). You and your child could then act out imaginary conversations between the characters. This sort of play will help children think about the story, be creative and have fun too.

Write a letter
Children could imagine they are one of the animals and write a letter to Pete complaining about his tidying up.

Make a poster
Make a keep our forest tidy poster to encourage (human!) visitors not to drop litter

Make your own cut out ‘peep through’ scene
With some adult help with cutting, children can make their own peep through picture.

Your child can draw their own picture of Pete or another woodland animal in the centre of a piece of A 4 paper. (Find the centre of the paper by folding it in half and then half again). Fold the second in the same way then draw a wiggly circle around the centre and cut around the line to make a hole slightly bigger than your child’s picture, the drawing should peep through. Children can decorate the frame with a woodland scene using crayons or felt pens.

Find out more

Find out about badgers here

Find out more about our woodlands here 

See here for how to finger print leaves and some activity sheets designed by author/illustrator Emily Gravett:

Read more books by Emily Gravett.

titles include:

Blue Chameleon – see our activities

Orange Pear Apple Bear – see our activities

Wolves – see our activities