I have been enjoying and sharing this book with my Year 2 class during guided reading. The story is about two small sisters who go fishing in a "magic pond". However, they catch something much better than a "frog or a newt". They find a "Bog Baby" ad decide to make him their secret. The story tackles the issue of secrets and captured the group of children immediately. The opening sentence sets the scene with the statement "Long ago, when we were little, me and Chrissy did something bad". Pausing, whilst these words are absorbed by the children seemed to fire up something in most of the children that resonates a "Hang on a minute, this sounds like an interesting story." The breaking of rules is intriguing for children who generally know how to do the right thing. This moralistic tale proceeds with punchy sentences, detailed language and intriguing illustrations. The friendship between the little girl and her friend Chrissy is charming and seems typical of curious children of that age (7-8 years). The mysterious Bog Baby is described beautifully and the tale lends itself to reenactment. The moment where the girl and Chrissy wanted to share their secret with Mum highlights how small "fibs" can become tangled and complex. The age old story of higher love is subtly told alongside the moral that if you love and care for something or someone then you should let it live in its natural habitat. The moment when Mum discovered them is made tangible by the succinct and simplistic style. I let the moment hang for a time and many of the children gasped. The realisation that Mum knew all about Bog Babies was subtle and yet delivered a global message that adults often understand the nuances of telling the truth. Captivating and beautifully illustrated, I would heartily recommend "The Bog Baby" for Key Stage 1 children. This book turned me off in the first sentence: "Long ago, when we were little, me and Chrissy did something bad." I can't stand when authors use poor grammar in children's books. Children will never learn correct grammar if they are surrounded by books with poor grammar. If the author had only said "Chrissy and I," I might have given the book another star. But really, I wasn't all that excited by the book anyway. Two little girls tell their mother they are going to play at a friend's house, but they end up going to the nearby magic pond instead, which is not allowed. There they find a bog baby, which they bring home and try to make their pet. The bog baby, however, does not do well in captivity. They learn that if they really love the bog baby, they will have to do what is best for it.I thought that perhaps the bog baby was supposed to be symbolic of something else - a child's imagination, maybe? - but I didn't care enough about the book to try to unpack any hidden deeper meaning.The illustrations are lovely - very simple and colorful. They were definitely my favorite part of the book.
Do You like book The Bog Baby (2008)?
one of my favorite stories to read the kiddos, and one of theirs, too! awesome book.
—BOM123
If I could give this one 6 stars, I would. Love love loved it.
—sarah
Lovely, detailed art, and a sweet story about imagination.
—KeshalOvesU
