The Giant Turnip

A good reworking of a familiar tale – transposed to a school setting which will draw young children to relate to it more readily. Miss Honeywood’s class grow fruit and vegetables in the school garden and come back after summer to find a giant turnip. There is a naïve, child-like quality to the beautifully coloured illustrations, some of which go across a double page spread. I particularly like the fact that there are smaller drawings illustrating details (what they decided to grow this year) and sequences (feeding, watering and looking after the plants). Some of the children’s ideas on how to pull the turnip out are illustrated in fuzzy-edged thought bubbles. Of course, at the end, as in the original tale, it’s the help of one more little person that makes the difference.

The size of print and layout of both texts in this title is pleasingly unfussy and clear. A lovely book for early years classrooms. (Available in 21 dual language editions.)