King's modern classic from 1963 is enduringly loved because it contains so many irresistible ingredients' - The Times

Make a character profile to describe Barney and / or Stig. What is their personality like? What are their favourite things? What are their hopes and dreams?Barney and Stig use lots of different tools when they are building things. Make a safety poster to teach people how to use them carefully. Stig lives in a former quarry where people toss their trash. He finds new ways to use the things others no longer need. Barney befriends him and works with him on home improvement projects even though they cannot understand each other's language. As the book progresses Stig helps Barney in his modern world until the magnificent ending on midsummer's eve. I wonder how this book has helped youngsters better appreciate prehistoric features like Stonehenge?

Barney and Lou do not share their adventures with anyone, and their parents never realise the truth of Stig's existence, although they jokingly talk about him as a kind of magical being that can fix particularly "odd jobs". It is left unclear whether Barney sees much more of Stig, or even whether Stig stays in the rapidly-filling rubbish dump. A figure that resembles Stig is sighted working with junk in various locations around the area; but the book concludes that "perhaps it was only a relative of his", suggesting that Stig may not be the only caveman alive in the modern world. Stig's role in the story is a fascinating one. Barney does not rely on him at all times and it is interesting that he only visits his friend when he's over at his grandparents. It is only when Barney is bored, in danger and wanting to roleplay that he calls upon his friend. There is more to this, I think. There is a lot of wonderful risk taking in the story which will appeal to most adventurous children. The book opens with the main character falling off the edge of the chalk pit even though he has been warned repeatedly about this possibility and he is fine. The book encourages children to explore and take delight in their ability to learn about the world and create. Clive King’s ‘Stig of the dump’ is about a boy called Barney who befriends a caveman called ‘Stig’ who lives in a quarry. Barney finds Stig by accidently falling into the quarry and through the roof of Stig’s den. From this point onwards they become good friends. Puffin Modern Classics are relaunched under a new logo: A Puffin Book. There are 20 titles to collect in the series, listed below, all with exciting new covers and fun-filled endnotes.

Barney is a solitary little boy, given to wandering off by himself. One day he is lying on the edge of a disused chalk-pit when it gives way and he lands in a sort of cave. Here he meets a boy wearing a rabbit skin and speaking in grunts. He names him Stig. Nobody believes Barney when he tells his family all about Stig, but they become great friends, learning each others ways and embarking on a series of unforgettable adventures. In Chapter 4 Barney and Stig go hunting. Have a class debate to discuss the ‘for’ and ‘against’ arguments about hunting.