The Terrible Plop

Inspired by a folktale from Tibet, this is an accumulative story told in rollicking rhyme and great fun to read aloud. Young listeners will want to predict the end of lines, whilst enjoying the tension building in this runaway tale. Six rabbits, panicked by a terrible PLOP, begin a gallop of terror as multitudinous other creatures ask why the hurry, why the scare, and join their flight. The expressive illustrations, bold and emotive, aid the reader in predicting what happens next; the tempo of the rhymes gathers force as the fleeing company swells. But Big Brown Bear will not be intimidated by tales of a terrible PLOP and demands to be shown this terrifying thing. As the audience, we already know exactly what it is but how does Big Bear deal with the terror? Whilst reminiscent of Henny-Penny, Butterworth’s wonderful Thud! and maybe The Gruffalo, this telling has an appealing freshness. The text will provide opportunities to discuss real and imaginary fears, and make an exciting starting point for interactive drama in KS1.