Puddles and the Christmas Play
Welcome to the third big book in this series by Gill Vaisey. This author, who specialises in education in the Early Years, has succeeded in creating new exciting materials in order to introduce Religious Education in the Early Years.
This book follows the adventures of Puddles the cat. During Advent, the Reverend Freddie Fisher makes preparations for celebrating Christmas with the children in the local church.
The story of the birth of Jesus is beautifully presented and Puddles, in her own inimitable way, succeeds to ensure the success of the Christmas play. Religious ecclesiastical information is woven into the story; a new candle is lit on the Advent wreath each week.
This is a book that demands attention and entices the child to read. The language is simple with the humour and purposeful repetition throughout enhancing the delivery of the story.
The format is fresh, and young children will certainly find the colourful and striking illustrations interesting.
This is a valuable new resource for Early Years teachers.
Lis Rowlands, RE News Summer 2009
The Reverend Freddie Fisher
/ Y Parchedig Pedr Puw
Soft toy vicar
Children familiar with the Puddles books already love the bright and colourful Reverend Freddie Fisher character who is central to the stories, and they will surely be thrilled to see him come to ‘life’ so that they can play with him and their fluffy Puddles cat.
Young children will enjoy telling the local vicar about everything Freddie gets up to and especially to show what he’s wearing at special times of the year!
Wonderful as a multicultural resource and brilliant for learning about Christianity in RE lessons, Freddie is good to handle and is bound to be popular but durable in the classroom. There is seemingly nothing else on the market that allows children to explore liturgical vestments and change them with the seasons, so perhaps ‘Dressing the Vicar’ could become a favourite game!
This is a superbly produced figure to accompany a highly respected series of books.
Sue Holmes,Association of RE Inspectors, Advisers and Consultants (AREIAC), Newsletter Spring 2007
Puddles Lends A Paw
The topic of ‘helping others’, in some form, is widely used with very young children, however, it can be difficult to include a meaningful RE element within it. Puddles Lends A Paw offers teachers a resource which explores the theme from an RE perspective, and is placed within a contemporary context. Pupils begin to learn that people help in different ways and for different reasons. An important reason why Christians help others is because they believe that the Bible teaches them to do so.
Tania ap Siôn, RE News Spring 2007
Puddles Lends A Paw
Puddles the mischievous cat has her second adventure when she is let loose in Church as members of the congregation prepare for their Sunday service. She runs amok but surprises herself as she succeeds in helping people from the organist to the bell ringer in all sorts of ways, so that when Sunday dawns, everyone notices the difference!
This is a delightful book that is bound to be popular with classes that have already enjoyed Puddles’ first adventure at a wet and windy Harvest. The story is especially relevant for Church schools and would be very helpful when introducing themes such as “People who help us”, “What goes on in a place of worship?” or “What’s it like to be a Christian?” Key words about the Christian faith are introduced and repeated so that children will develop their knowledge and understanding of Christian life and practice.
As the story unfolds, there is plenty of opportunity for children to join in with the words to make it their own. They will love the bright original illustrations and the characterisation of the main figures. Puddles can be bought as a cuddly fluffy toy to enhance the story as it is told; then Puddles can join a visit to the local church when the children go to find out what happens there! There is soon to be a Revd Freddie Fisher figure to play with too, and it’s easy to see how local clergy might be happy to take on his persona and extend the role he plays in the Puddles stories.
Teachers will find the accompanying website www.booksatpress.co.uk very useful for the support material that it offers with opportunity to link the story to Early Learning Goals, Stepping Stones and the first steps towards a KS1 RE Curriculum.
All in all a wonderful resource at a reasonable price that will engage everyone who shares it – staff and clergy included!
- Sue Holmes, Association of RE Advisers, Inspectors and Consultants Newsletter Autumn 2006
Puddles Lends A Paw
Gill Vaisey tackles the difficult task of providing young children with an opportunity to engage with simple concepts of Christianity in an appealing and child friendly way. On her second adventure Puddles, the cat, explores the church, this time meeting with a number of people who help the vicar with the essential maintenance of the church. The brightly illustrated pictures and simple repetitive text will no doubt appeal to young readers whilst the story allows opportunities to engage with a range of new vocabulary relevant to study of the church eg. Sunday service, arched door, pulpit, hymns, organ, bell tower, bells, gravestones, church yard, vicarage.
The publishers’ website offers the opportunity to download some simple teaching notes to help practitioners use the book. The materials help identify the importance of backing up theoretical concepts with first hand experiences when working with this age group.
I applaud the author for creating these materials, in an area where there are such limited resources and would recommend its use in reception classes.
A clearly, well written, brightly illustrated book for young children in which Puddles, the cat, explores a church and meets people who help, an opportunity to use a fiction text to explore Christianity in a simple way.
- Kathy Bigio, RE Today Summer 2007
A Wet and Windy Harvest for Puddles
This 32 page 'big book' about the Christian festivities at harvest is a full-colour feast. Vigorous and cheery drawings swing the story (of a cat who wanders into church at harvest festival) along apace. Some very good thinking about how children learn in the early years lies behind the surface - simple story-telling. Links to the wide curriculum for 4 year olds are obvious: you won't use the book without having a discussion about the seasons, working out who we thank and why, talking about people who help us and what happens inside a church. Obvious though these links are, the free downloads about how to use the resource for good RE in early years at the 'Books at Press' website, make all the teaching potential of the resource very easy to see and put into action.
Given the dearth of good resources for RE in this age group, it's a pleasure to discover Gill Vaisey's work, which also includes similar big book approaches to two Islamic stories.
If you work in early years RE, you'll love this example of how to do it. Highly recommended.
- Lat Blaylock RE Today Summer 2005
A Wet and Windy Harvest for Puddles
This Big Book introduces Early Years pupils to the Christian celebration of Harvest Festival through the amusing antics of Puddles who is described as 'a very mischievous cat'. The story begins with Puddles playing with and appreciating the colours and textures of the different leaves around her one autumn day. Her games lead her to the church where she plays her part in the Harvest service and pupils learn something about what takes place and why. Puddles herself is sold separately and this is an inspired idea because it encourages pupils to identify even more closely with the main character in the story. The illustrations by Louise Gwillym are bold and colourful and have an immediate appeal to children in this age group.
- Tania ap Sion RE News Autumn 2004
A Wet and Windy Harvest for Puddles
Puddles is a little grey and white cat and Gill Vaisey has written a charming tale about her adventures in and around the local church. The story opens with Puddles romping in the falling leaves and generally enjoying the autumn weather. It is not long before she finds herself inside the church where a local Christian community is about to celebrate Harvest Festival. Puddles is intrigued by the service, but causes havoc when she begins to have fun with some of the Harvest gifts! Her playful antics will enchant and delight most small children and they will surely look forward to finding out more about her.
The book is beautifully produced with a clear, simple and engaging text and attractively colourful illustrations by Louise Gwillym. Those working in early years settings will find that the book offers several opportunities to discuss different aspects of Christian life and practice. Various key words have been included (such as churchyard, pulpit, aisle and pew) and there is some attempt to describe the significance of the Harvest Festival itself. The accompanying pictures will also provide a suitable focal point for enhancing children's understanding of several of the key characteristics of church architecture, though some staff might welcome a little guidance on how to do this successfully.
The accompanying soft toy can no doubt be used to enhance the impact of the story and many children will surely welcome the opportunity to relate to this lovable little character. Some of them may even be inspired to create their own stories about Puddles, either in their own setting or during a visit to the local church! If so, the book will prove to be a worthwhile investment and a useful tool in enabling children to develop knowledge and understanding of Christianity.
- Lewisham School Effectiveness Service / London Grid for Learning
The Tiny Ants and Seven New Kittens
These big books are colourful and bright and guaranteed to hold the attention of young pupils. The stories are retold in a clear and simple style, and are illustrated with big, bold drawings. In keeping with Muslim beliefs, the prophet Mohammad (PBUH) is not depicted, although clever storytelling makes him the obvious hero in each case.
The ‘Match and Count The Kittens’ game builds on numeracy skills, colour recognition and memory as well as enabling children to explore the meaning of the story. ‘Match the Insects’ and ‘The Care and Beware’ game help children to think through the need for careful actions– they also have links with mathematics and will help children to develop their language and social skills.
These Early Years resources are highly original and attractive. They combine effective teaching strategies with unusual content and are excellent value for money: a great find!
- Rachel Barker RE Today Spring 2004
The Tiny Ants and Seven New Kittens
The stories are wonderfully retold with bold, colourful illustrations by Louise Gwillym. They offer opportunities for considering aspects of the natural world at a level which is entirely appropriate for this age group. Gill Vaisey has produced comprehensive, quality RE resources for an age group that often lacks the same choice of resources in RE which is available to the various key stages.
- Tania ap Sion RE News Autumn 2003