Pebble and Po

When Pebble falls asleep in a comfy place, she wakes next morning surprised to find that she has been sleeping on the tummy of a bear! Naming him Po, Pebble quickly realises that her new friend is hungry so sets off in search of food. On the way, they meet some new friends, encounter a storm, take refuge in a dark cave . . . and learn about being brave!

Pebble and Po is the most delightful story! Gentle and reassuring, it is perfect for sharing and is sure to quickly become a firm story-time favourite! Pebble is a very endearing and engaging character. Full of life and enthusiasm, she is quick to help others, kind and caring . . . and yet, she doesn't want to admit that she is lost. Finally finding the courage to ask for help, the kindness she showed to others is repaid as they support her and help her find her way. Po is strong and silent, yet just as caring, showing that there are different ways of empathising with others and offering support.

The illustrations are gorgeous, capturing the personality of each character perfectly. Children are sure to notice the little white mouse, unmentioned in the text, who accompanies Pebble and Po on their adventure, perfect for inspiring story telling and adding to the friends' journey.

As well as being a delightful story to share and enjoy, the book also allows adults to encourage conversations about the importance of being confident or brave enough to ask for help when needed and ways of dealing with the 'wobbly' feelings this can give, as well as discussions about being kind to others. It is an absolutely lovely book - and I hope that there are more adventures for Pebble and Po to come! 5 stars are not enough!

Picture book / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 3+

Pebble wakes up one morning on Po's soft tummy and so begins a friendship that sets off on an adventure. Pebble and Po is a gentle story about a group of animals, all brought together by a very friendly bunny called Pebble. Pebble is keen to talk to everyone and help them but soon realises that they may need help themselves, too.

The illustrations in Pebble and Po are beautiful; they're detailed and help to convey the story but are also beautifully calm and gorgeous for children to spend a while studying. The language in the story is good, it's beyond a simplistic child's story, but is still accessible for younger children to have this story read to them.

Pebble and Po is a wonderful picture book to share together; my children and I chatted about the lesson of this story for a while afterwards - that asking for help isn't easy but it is a very brave thing to do.

This is a wonderful book for sharing; gift it, read it, pass it on! A very lovely story that celebrates how important it is to ask for help when you need it.

Picture book / Reviewed by Lizi Backhouse, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 3+

Pebble and Po is a comforting story about friendship and asking for help when you need it. This would be a nice story for any early years setting or KS1 classroom - especially at this time of year.

The text is relatively short and succinct on each page with a good balance of pictures. There’s plenty of opportunities for discussion about potentially unfamiliar vocabulary for younger readers and some lovely phrases are used such as 'the rain started hammering down'.

The characters are endearing in their personalities as well as in their appearances. The illustrations are gentle and attractive; they remimd me a little of Winnie the Pooh. Our favourite spread is where they are all tucked up safely in the cave together with fireflies buzzing all around them. The illustration is lovely with the dark atmosphere and the light of the flies. It’s also a lovely discussion point of how much safer they feel altogether.

My toddler also really enjoyed the picture where the rain is pouring down onto Bear’s face and where Fox think he’s hiding because he has his eyes shut. A lovely story about friendship, which would be great for storytime at home or school!

Picture book / Reviewed by Lucy Hopkins, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 3+