Use stop-motion animation software to make an animated version of the story using sticks and your own pictures. Donaldson’s rhymes bound along, like vintage Dr Seuss, while Scheffler’s slyly witty illustrations are a pleasure. You can either use the cut out images as decals for the background, or as extra stick puppets to pop onto craft sticks. Why can't you see, I'm Stick Many, I'm Stick Man, I'M STICK MAN, that's me, And I want to go home to the family tree! I used to memorise poems as a child and it means a lot to me when parents tell me their child can recite one of my books.

We follow Stick Man through some unexpected adventures that begin one day, as he goes out for a jog and is abducted by a dog. Best of all, we’ve also included some stick on background elements for a beach scene, a Christmas scene (and more) so if drawing isn’t your thing – you can use those!This is a great story that is perfect for any time – but especially Christmas as Stick Man’s “claim to fame” is helping the ‘stuck man’ out the chimney – and we all know who that is! I loved the process of stringing things together, with no end destination in mind – just a beautiful piece of art! For the adult sticks, attach the craft stick at least half way up the puppet, otherwise, it can be a bit floppy. He is eventually reunited with his family in the "family tree" as a result of his interaction with Father Christmas.

We work separately - he’s in London and I’m in Glasgow - but he sends me letters with lovely funny pictures on the envelopes. There is a variety of punctuation and literary devises to enrich a child’s understanding and practise of reading and writing, yet simple sentence structure. We want a song about throwing crumpled-up wrapping paper into the bin” was a typical request from the BBC. A. When Axel Scheffler illustrated The Gruffalo’s Child, he gave her a little stick doll which she carries around with her.An irresistibly jaunty picture book, spiced with the danger familiar to all those who love The Gruffalo. Featuring the voices of Hugh Bonneville (Santa), Rob Brydon (Snail, Park-keeper, Swan Dad, Frog, Beach Dad, Crab and Cat), Martin Freeman (Stick Man), Sally Hawkins (Stick Lady, Pigeon, Swan Mum, Robin), Jennifer Saunders (Narrator), Russell Tovey (Dog).

This may well be my favourite Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler book and it is no surprise to read that the Daily Mail critic commented, 'You'll read this book again and again. My novel THE GIANTS AND THE JONESES is going to be made into a film by the same team who made the Harry Potter movies, and I have written three books of stories about the anarchic PRINCESS MIRROR-BELLE who appears from the mirror and disrupts the life of an otherwise ordinary eight-year-old. This award-winning production, from the team behind Zog and Zog and The Flying Doctors features a trio of top actors and is packed full of puppetry, songs, live music and funky moves. The story has everything a picture book should have, a lovable character, adventure, love and family. Through various misadventures he is determined to be reunited with his family, it's rather fitting that having been stranded since the summer he finally makes it back at Christmas.Beginning readers may need some help with higher level vocabulary ("deserted," "frolicking," etc), but should also enjoy this funny and adventurous tale. But Stick Man suddenly finds himself involved in a game of Pooh sticks, used as part of a swan's nest and then atop a sandcastle as a mast, complete with flag attached! What starts off as a morning jog becomes quite the misadventure for Stick Man: a dog wants to play fetch with him, a swan builds a nest with him, and he even ends up on a fire! One day he's out for a jog and gets snatched by a dog, taken by a girl, found by a swan, and the adventures continue. The dog who sees Stick Man and thinks it is merely 'an excellent stick' is mistaken for he is told, 'I'm not a stick!

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Ask your child to imagine a slightly different story ending and use the puppets to act it out together – what would have happened if Stick Man had not helped Santa? The dangers of being a stick man away from home; dogs want to play, swans want to build and fire wants to burn. The answer appears to be 'No' when he is collected to form part of a fire and is laid on top of other sticks ready to be set alight. Used by a dog in a game of fetch, by a series of children for such things as a pen or the arm of a snowman, by a swan as part of a next, Stick Man keeps insisting that he is who he is, rather than some sort of inanimate toy or tool. Julia Donaldson has written some of the world's best-loved children's books, including modern classics The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo's Child, which together have sold over 25 million copies worldwide and have been translated into over one hundred languages.