Chocolate Porridge by Margaret Mahy and Terry Milne (Children's, 5 years +, 10E/10E)

March 2014, Orion Children's, 80 pages, Paperback, Review copy

Themes: brothers and sisters, traditional roles, stereotyping, feeling left out, creativity, imagination, having fun in the garden, baking, spending quality time with parents, gardening, learning through play

 

Content: Lots of humour, one tissue is needed

Summary from Orion

Early Readers are stepping stones from picture books to reading books. A blue Early Reader is perfect for sharing and reading together. A red Early Reader is the next step on your reading journey.

Timothy's sisters think that boys are all rubbish at cooking so Timothy sets out to prove them wrong - by making the most delicious chocolate porridge ever. The only trouble is... who is going to eat it?

Nayuleska's thoughts

It has to be said that before I read the book I was convinced it was real chocolate porridge. I guess it is a safe type of chocolate which trees can eat... How Timothy comes to make the plant delicacy is something most readers can relate to. As the youngest in my family I hated not being old enough to do what my sibling could do. Unlike Timothy I didn't go and make my own version of the activity up-I used to be a brat and sulked. I wish I'd read this book because sulking got me nowhere and Timothy did something which benefited the whole family (sort of).

His happy attitude stays strong despite his sisters putting him down all the time. I did like Sally's outfit, just not her attitude. Readers learn that plants need certain food to help them grow (I guess some soil has salt in it naturally...maybe.) I smiled so much at the cute pictures and how Timothy worked hard on his type of porridge, never giving up until he was satisfied.

Suggested read

Another fun read is The Dragon's Dentist by John McLay & Martin Brown (Children's, 5 years +, 10/10E)