Welcome lovelies. Why not grab a cup of tea and a biscuit (imagine that phrase in an English accent) along with a comfy blanket and snuggle down to read this one. I would like to introduce you to Peggy. Peggy is the central character in Anna Walker's beautifully illustrated picture book Peggy. I would first like to say how much I adore Anna Walker as an author/illustrator. Her stories are simply told but in the most beautifully, creative ways accompanied by gorgeous water colour illustrations which make you squeak in delight about how cute they are. Walker's stories always house a loveable and unique character which in this case is a chicken. I can't explain enough how brilliant Anna Walker is and I strongly recommend picking up a book or two of hers next time you are at your local bookshop. The inspiration for Peggy goes back to one windy day in Melbourne when Anna thought her chooks might fly away in the weather. When telling a friend about her worry they said that it sounded like a story of hers and ta-da, the idea for this book was born. (ps. the chooks didn't fly away for all of those who were wondering). This book follows the adventure of a lone chicken who lives in a small house in a quiet street. Everyday Peggy fulfils her routine of playing in the yard and watching the pigeons. Whether it be rain, hail or shine, Peggy always does the same thing. One day, a big gust of wind comes along and takes Peggy with it. It is then that she finds herself in the middle of the big city. Cold and alone, Peggy decides to explore the city. In her journey on the bustling streets her eyes are opened to the outside world. The story then continues to follow Peggy and her discoveries, and although she finds some comfort, she misses her cosy home on her little suburban street. Her luck then changes when she comes across a flock of pigeons who she thinks might know the way home. Now, I'm not going to tell you the end...although it is rather predictable...but that's what I love about this book. Following the classic 'home, away, home' structure of children's literature, this story reminds me of my childhood reading the Beatrix Potters books about Peter Rabbit and Jemima Puddle Duck. In my experiences in the classroom ,teaching kindergarten, it was obvious that this book was a crowd favourite. The children delighted in the story of a brave chicken out in the big city and when looking closer at the illustrations, found it quite hilarious spotting all the different activities Peggy was engaging in - including riding the shopping mall escalator. This story is beautifully simplistic and one that I could see being shared and loved by many.
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AuthorBook lover, tea drinker and Primary School teacher. Archives
April 2017
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