Wigglesbottom Primary: The Shark in the Pool

By Author / Illustrator

Pamela Butchart, Becka Moor

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

Publisher

Nosy Crow Ltd

ISBN

9780857634818

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

02-07-2015

Synopsis

Life at Wigglesbottom Primary is often lived on the edge. Is there a shark in the local swimming pool? YES! Can playing with the class parachute make you invisible? YES! Are there dinosaur bones buried in the playground? YES! What are 2F going to do about it all? Have a lot of fun!Laugh-out-loud school-based fun in two-colour stories, perfect for encouraging independent reading!Three short stories in each book keep just confident readers engaged while lively two-colour illustrations bring these hilarious early readers to life and perfectly bridge the gap between picture books and chapter books.Written by the bestselling, Blue Peter award-winning author Pamela Butchart and illustrated by Becka Moor.Look out for all the Wigglesbottom titles!The Toilet GhostThe Shark in the PoolSuper DogThe Classroom CatThe Break-Time Bunnies

Reviews

This is the second book about life at Wigglesbottom Primary school. Three chapters of madness designed to appeal directly to primary age children.

These children are faced with really dangerous situations which demand action on their part, but not necessarily the reaction their teachers would expect. The stories read as if a child is telling them - with exaggeration, becoming more and more extreme.

The school swimming pool has sharks, piranhas and then jellyfish lurking in wait for unsuspecting pupils. A dog's bone was really a dinosaur's remains and during PE, the parachute made students invisible. All of which will prompt young readers to read on or make for a great story read to them before bedtime without frightening them or keeping them awake at night.

There are a suitable number of diverse names and nationalities, including children with glasses, although no token wheelchair, so an inclusive primary school with stories about life as experienced by any primary age child, with no preachy 'message' - just fun.

The huge colourful shark, smiling with huge teeth, on the front cover will attract many readers. The illustrations inside are shaded rather than in colour, although this does not detract from the stories, the pages good quality paper giving value for money.

This book will be enjoyed by young readers starting to read for themselves, whether they are age 7 or a more reluctant reader at 11.

112 pages / Ages 7+ / Reviewed by Dawn Woods, librarian