Except our bookshelves are so packed that at some point in the night it fell off and on to the ground. It was still lying on the floor the following morning when M bounded down for breakfast.

M picked it up, read it and then started badgering me to read it to her. Inside I was quietly groaning. “Oh M, we have so many lovely books, if I’m going to have to read a book to you when I’ve barely woken up, not yet had any coffee, am still fighting with my body to bring it into the land of the living, can’t you choose a book I love?”

Now M is able to read for herself, you can’t keep anything from her. “Mum, mum, it says the DVD is double sided, can we watch the other side?” “Mum, mum, it says you get sparkling white clothes if you use it!“, “Mum, mum, what does C -U -N …. umm, -T mean?” (the latter, I hasten to add was some graffiti on a pavement when we were out walking last weekend)…

The book on the floor had a little sticker style announcement on its cover. “For Free Song Go To….”. “Mum, mum, can we listen to the song?” “Mum, mum, mum…”

My body and my brain were still only reluctantly surfacing so I thought, maybe a video would give me a little more peace and quiet. I picked up the book and checked what it said about the free song, and then I saw that it was possible to see the whole book being read on You Tube.

Aahh. Hooray! Someone else could tell M the story whilst I emerged into the land of the living.

So I put the video on for M and the kettle on for me.

…

Before the coffee had even brewed, I was sat next to M swaying, clicking fingers and clapping hands. Wow! The video was really fun! M was immediately hooked. I was immediately hooked! And suddenly I had a lightbulb moment with the previously unloved book.

Photo: Victor Bezrukov

Borrowing heavily from the performers on the video I re-read the book, pretty much copying what we’d seen on YouTube. Wow again! What a transformation. Suddenly the book was tremendous fun to read, and clearly lots of fun to listen to. M was giggling, joining in, begging for more and more.

Next day I even used the book as an excuse to buy a ukelele (a long time hankering) so I could add a bit of what’s perhaps best described as “je ne sais quoi” to my own performance reading!

So what was this book that went from bottom of the pile to top of the pile in 4 minutes 25 seconds?

Pete the Cat: I love my White Shoes by Eric Litwin, illustrated by James Dean (which has been out in the US for a while, but has only recently reached UK shores) isn’t the most beautiful or sophisticated picture book you’ll come across this year, but I can’t deny we’ve had a lot of fun reading it. If you enjoy the opportunity to sing, dance and make silly noises when you read a story, I’m pretty sure you and your kids will enjoy this book. A lot.

Of course, of course, what the girls wanted to do after I had to stop singing because my voice was getting hoarse and my unpractised fingers were getting sore on the ukelele was to try out what actually happens in the book – stepping in strawberries, blueberries and mud to see what would really happen to some white shoes.

We negotiated somewhat and in the end we agreed that we’d make coloured dye from a selection of different fruit. With the summer holidays just around the corner, a new batch of playdough seemed like a good idea and with some guidance from this post by Mini-eco on natural dyes and playdough we got going.

We followed (more or less) Mini-eco’s instructions to extract a coloured liquid from strawberries, plums and blueberries (we also started off with turmeric but I chickened out of using the yellow liquid created, for fear of turning everyone’s hands and the kitchen table yellow).

I love making playdough with the girls as they can do so much of it themselves – pouring, measuring, mixing and kneading. The recipe is simple enough for an early reader to read themselves, then there’s the maths involved if making multiple batches, the sensory experience of handling the flour, salt and the final playdough. All in all a great activity.

Although probably not necessary we mashed up the fruit in the saucepan before simmering it in water – I knew the girls would love the physicality of this. It also gave them the opportunity to see that the inside flesh of the fruit was quite pale, and not the same as the outside skin. Indeed, both girls were quite surprise by how “green” the blueberries were inside.

Maybe you’re better at keeping things under control than we are, but making playdough can be pretty messy!

M covered with strawberry splatter!

Mini-eco’s playdough recipe worked really well, creating lovely-to-feel playdough. The colours extracted from the fruit were not quite what we were expecting (this little activity could make a great mini science project, predicting what colour you’ll get from different fruit). The plums gave us a pleasant pink, the strawberries gave us an almost red, whilst the blueberries definitely did not give us a blue, but rather a really vivid, rich purple.

I was quite surprised by how strong all the natural colours were. Also, the resulting playdough carries a surprisingly strong scent of the fruit used, particularly the strawberry playdough. I’m not sure how long the scent will last, and I’m monitoring the playdough to see how well it survives (I have slight concerns that having bits of fruit flesh in it may mean it doesn’t last so long, but so far so good!)

So there you have it. A book that didn’t immediately sing to me ended up getting me and my girls singing and doing science. In the words of Pete the Cat, “…it’s all good.” In fact, it’s really good!

Whilst we made our playdough we listened to:

Other activities we could have tried alongside reading Pete the Cat include:

What’s the last book you’ve changed your mind about? What helped you change your opinion of it?

Disclosure: I received my review copy of Pete the Cat thanks to 5_minutespeace. However, the opinions expressed in this post reflect my own and honest reaction to the book.

For more views on Pete the Cat, check out what Andi at Laundry on the Line and Janelle at Brimful Curiosities had to say about it – they’re both people whose opinions I listen to!

Barely. I’ve found one or two Danish picture books that were nice enough, but not so brilliant, and I’ve seen references to one or two on the internet which I then haven’t been able to get hold of to read, let alone review. What’s going on with Danish children’s literature? Why are so few Danish picture books translated into English?

Nina Christensen, Associate professor at the Centre for Children’s Literature (Center for Børnelitteratur) wrote to me:

“I think one explanation could be different views on childhood and of the role of the adult in relation to children’s books.

You might find it a provocative statement, but when I enter a children’s book shop in England – or Sweden for that matter – I find that a majority of books are made in a way so that neither child nor parent/adult is challenged too much. Generally speaking picture books seem to confirm existing norms and conventions.

A lot of Danish picture books are also like that. But I think there is also a tendency in picture books from Denmark (and Norway), to expand the borders of how you can address also small children and which kind of stories you can tell them. Today, I am working on a presentation of some recently published Danish picture books: One of them is about children in a concentration camp (illustrations by Dorte Karrebæk), one of them about a girl in a third world country who lives in a dumping ground, and in a new humoristic and ironic version of H.C. Andersen’s “What the Old Man Does is Always Right” the main character, Osama, meets three prostitutes, a drug dealer and a homeless character.

Very simply put: In some Danish (and Norwegian) picture books (older) children are exposed to i.e. cruelty towards children, naked children, sex, less than ideal behavior presented in an ironic manner etc. In relation to these examples, the child reader is supposed to be “competent” – not an individual who should always be protected from strong or strange impressions. I think this could be one of reasons why so few of them are translated. I might be wrong.”

I’d love to be able to research this thesis. Certainly it seems to be a plausible hypothesis if you also look at an article in IBBY’s Bookbird journal, “A Challenge to Innocence – ‘Inappropriate’ Picturebooks for Young Readers” by Carol Scott (2005, Vol 43, no. 1 – available to read for free in pdf form here)

Photo: Mads Boedker

All of this is background to explain with today’s book as part of Reading Round Europe isn’t actually a picture book written or illustrated in Denmark. It is, however, a gorgeous picture book based on a Danish folktale. Fat Cat written by Margaret Read MacDonald, illustrated by Julie Paschkis is an incredibly fun read-aloud full of bright and exciting illustrations, a book I’m really glad to have discovered thanks to my failure to find book translated from Danish!

Fat Cat is a hungry cat. Whatever he eats, his appetite is never sated. He eats a wash lady, a company of soldiers and a king on his elephant before devouring Mouse who was busy sewing.

The seamstress Mouse saves the day by cutting a hole through the greedy Cat’s stomach enabling everyone to escape. And because Mouse and Cat are friends despite everything, Mouse uses her sewing skills to stitch cat’s stomach back together. From that day on Cat is much more careful about what he eats, always leaving a little to share with Mouse.

The story is completely bonkers (part of its appeal, of course, to young readers and listeners) and is carried along by two wonderful catchphrases that everyone will be joining in with before the story’s out. First there’s the “SLIP SLOP SLUUURP!“, always followed by a big burp – every child I’ve met loves being allowed to make a lot a noise as they eat and, like farting, there’s a lot of humour for kids in burping. Then there’s the hypnotic refrain of the cat, “Oh, I’m meow meow FAT! / ‘Cause I’m a HUNGRY HUNGRY CAT!” These oft repeated phrases in the book make it a great deal of fun to read aloud if you’ve the energy to get into performance mode, and they also act as effective hooks drawing in listeners, enticing them to participate in the storytelling.

Paschkis’ recognisably folksy illustrations are big (Fat Cat gradually fills more and more of each page), bold, beautiful and bright. I haven’t recognised any particularly Danish motifs, however. Indeed, although this story is based on a Danish tale, an author’s note at the end of the book points out that the “notion of a greedy animal consuming everyone it meets is popular worldwide”. This picture book won’t give you any particular insight into Danish life or customs, but it’s a supremely enjoyable book to read, listen to and look at.

Looking for cat-craft-inspiration I turned to the ever wonderful Crafty Crow and was rewarded with hand print cats from Meet the Dubiens and a tutorial for drawing an Andy Warhol-inspired cat from Art Projects for Kids. Both simple ideas, easy to follow up without much preparation.

We used the tutorials to make a cat mural…

Here are some close-ups – I think the cats are pretty expressive

Whilst we made our cat mural we listened to:

Other projects that could have been fun to do alongside reading Fat Cat include:

Of course, sod’s law says that now I’ve published this post I’ll get a flood of brilliant recommendations for Danish picture books in English translations. Well all I can say is, “Bring ‘em on!”

Born in 1946 Nordqvist originally trained as an architect before returning to his childhood dream of illustration with the publication of his first book, an alphabet book, in 1982. Three years later he published his first book in what has come to be an extremely popular series about a slightly eccentric farmer, Pettson, and his cat, Findus.

Winner of several prizes, including the Elsa Beskow Plaque (1989), The August Prize (2007) and the German Youth Literature Prize (1992), Nordqvist has seen his books published into many different languages from Hindi to Hungarian. Indeed, his Pettson and Findus books have been translated into English multiple times – originally as Festus and Mercury, and later retaining the original Swedish names Pettson and Findus.

And so it is to Pettson and Findus I turn now, with reviews of two books, Pancakes for Findus (one of the 1001 Children’s Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up) and When Findus was Little and Disappeared.

Pancakes for Findus takes place on Findus’ birthday.

Findus had three birthdays a year, because it was more fun that way. And every birthday, Pettson made him a pile of pancakes.

First he went to the hen house to collect a basket of eggs. Then he sat on the bench outside the kitchen and polished them. Pettson was a tidy man and he wanted them all clean and shiny.

So begins a hilarious story about Pettson, his chaotic life, and the lengths he’ll go to to ensure his beloved cat Findus can celebrate his birthday in style. One thing leads to another and before long baking the birthday pancakes has involved climbing over the shed roof, playing music to a bull, tying a curtain to Findus’ tail and adding that secret ingredient known as trousers to the pancake batter. Sound crazy? Well it certainly is, but it makes for a perfect recipe – both for a story and for pancakes.

Photo: jeffreyw

When Findus was Little and Disappeared is another heart-warming, giggle-inducing testament to the loyalty and love between this original, offbeat farmer and his feline friend. In this tale within a tale we discover how the paths of Findus and Pettson first crossed (a kindly neighbour realises that old bachelor Pettson needs some company and donates one of her kittens), and yet how their friendship almost never was, for one day Findus disappears. Pettson is eventually able to find him on his ramshackle farm only with the help of some mysterious Muckles, friendly little creatures visible to the cat, but living invisibily on the farm as far as Findus is concerned.

The more detailed storytelling in both these funny books, full of Charlie Chaplin style comedy slapstick, was a huge hit with M and will appeal greatly to the 4-8 crowd (and their parents!), but the wonderful illustrations will ensure that this book can be enjoyed by everyone whatever their age.

J reading When Findus Was Little And Disappeared

There are hundreds of details to pour over and smile at. My kids love the disarray that inevitably seems to surround poor Pettson; draws falling open with their contents tumbling out, piles of washing up looking like they are only a breath away from crashing down (could it possible remind them of their own home..?) Virtually every page contains visual jokes; the bent hammer, the bedside cabinet on skis, the spare spectacles hung up among the cooking implements.

We particularly like the pages devoted to Pettson’s woodworking bench in his shed – absolutely crammed with delights, tools, junk, mess and reminding (in the very best possible way) the girls of their own grandpa’s workspace…

Apparently Nordqvist thinks “as much about carpentry as drawing and painting,” so it’s perhaps not surprising that Pettson’s workbench and tools are so lovingly drawn!

M reading Pancakes for Findus

For their humour, warmth, mess and delightfulness both books come highly recommended from all our family. Indeed, we can’t wait to read more about Pettson and Findus, and fortunately two more stories are translated into English: Findus Goes Camping and Findus and the Fox

Pancakes for Findus and When Findus was Little and Disappeared: both *** (3 out of 3 stars)

Tomorrow I’ll be back with a Swedish game we played having read Nordqvist’s books. In the meantime, do you have a favourite picture book set on a farm?

Disclosure: I received When Findus was Little and Disappeared gratis from the publisher, Hawthorne Press. This review, however, reflects my own and honest opinion.

Note: The image of Festus and Mercury Go Camping was used with permission of Helen who is selling her copy of this book on Ebay.