The best children’s books are simple and beautiful and today I’m reviewing one that fulfills both those criteria with ease, Oliver Jeffers How to catch a star, in honour of its 10th anniversary. I’ve also got a copy to give away along with some other related goodies at the end so if you’re lucky you can experience it for yourself.
Oliver Jeffers – How to Catch a Star
Once there was a boy and the boy loved stars very much
Oliver Jeffers How to Catch a Star was inspired by an evening in a fish market counting star fish as the real stars came out. It led to a series of drawings of someone attempting different approaches to catch a star which were eventually combined to produce this lovely picture book aimed at kids around 3 to 7 years old.
The story follows a boy who loves stars so much he wants to catch one to keep and be his friend. Unsurprisingly this turns out to be a bit harder than he expected but he keeps trying until eventually he manages it, albeit in a rather unexpected way. It’s a lovely simple narrative that even very young kids will understand and also uses vocabulary that will make it suitable for early readers.
The illustrations are charming using pencil drawings filled with deep water colours which beautifully imply the passing of time through the day with their tone and the use of shadows.
The large, hard back edition celebrating the 10th anniversary of its publication would make a fabulous gift that families will want to keep and come back to again and again.
Oliver Jeffers books always have such a sense of fun and having seen this little video of him talking about his work you can see why.
If you’d like to get your kids more involved in the story, Harper Collins have also produced a set of activity sheets including colouring pictures, a maze, dot to dot etc as well as directions for making your own mobile. Just click the link to download:
Oliver Jeffers How to catch a star activity sheets
Oliver Jeffers – How to Catch a Star Giveaway
I have a super How to Catch a Star prize to give away. As well as a beautiful hard back 10th anniversary edition of the book one lucky winner will also get:
- A set of activity sheets
- A set of glow in the dark stars
- A How to Catch a Star poster
- A special How to Catch a Star USB stick loaded with copies of the activity sheets so you can print more and the Meet Oliver Jeffers video
If you’d like to be in with a chance of winning just leave me a comment naming another Oliver Jeffers book (hint: have a look over here if you need some ideas) and record your entry in the rafflecopter widget along with any other entries you’d like to make. The giveaway will close on Monday 7th April 2014.
Samantha R says
he illustrated The Day the Crayons Quit
Anne Stone says
Up and Down
Emma Davis says
I LOVE Oliver Jeffers – he is my favourite author by a country mile. I’d be hard pushed to pick a favourite book as they are all fantastic but I do particularly enjoy ‘Stuck’. I love the simplicity of the story, the illustrations and the repetition is great for engaging young children. Your prize is amazing so I have my fingers, legs and everything else very tightly crossed!!
david bernie says
The Incredible Book Eating Boy
iain says
Incredible Book Eating Boy
Emma Baker says
Lost and found!
kim neville says
The Incredible Book Eating Boy
Holly S says
Lost and Found
kay says
This moose belongs to me
Ashleigh Allan says
Lost and FOund – we love it! Loved the little short film too
Liane Ging says
Lost and Found
Debbie Burfoot says
Lost and Found
Mum of One says
Lost and Found
clair dutton says
lost and found
Stephanie Tsang says
Lost and Found
Gina M says
This Moose Belongs to Me
jo glasspool says
Stuck
julie laing says
Lost and Found
katie skeoch says
This moose belongs to me
cherie shaw says
Stuck
Alyson Chapman says
The Great Paper Caper!
Tracy Nixon says
The Incredible Book Eating Boy
CHRISTINE ANDREWS says
This Moose Belongs to me
Katrina Ambrozevich says
The heart and the bottle <3
Judith Allen (@JudeVFR400) says
This Moose Belongs Belongs to Me
Don’t we want a Marcel?
Jill Webb says
The Day The Crayons Quit
Susie Wilkinson says
Lost and found
Emma Abdulaal says
Up and Down. I love Jeffers! Such gorgeous books
clair downham says
Incredible Book Eating Boy
Sheryl Keene says
Lost and found
claire woods says
Lost and Found
Christine Caple says
Lost and Found
olivia kirby says
Lost and Found
Claire Tucker says
Lost and found
melanie stirling says
The way back home
victoria thurgood says
Up and Down
Clint Howat says
Lost and Found
Samantha Fernley says
Lost and Found ( a regular one from the library for us)
Alison Johnson says
Lost and Found
MARK THOMAS says
Lost and Found
karen cowley says
The Incredible Book Eating Boy
tracey huber says
Lost and Found
Kathy D says
Lost and Found
Paula Barker says
Lost and found
Angel says
Lost and Found
michelle banks says
Lost and found x
Nancy Townsend says
This Moose Belongs Belongs to Me
Claire D says
Lost and Found
olga says
lost and found
Kathy Cakebread says
lost and found
Sarah Spencer says
The Incredible Book Eating Boy
sarah rees says
lost and found
richard hill says
LOST AND FOUND
Spencer Broadley says
Up and Down
laura stewart says
Lost and Found
Harley says
Lost and found
Blake Ahearne says
Lost and found
EMMA WALTERS says
lost and found
Patricia Avery says
Lost and found 🙂
Glenn Marvell-James says
Stuck
Hannah ONeill says
Lost and found
emma falvi says
The Incredible Book Eating Boy
Sophie Buckle says
Lost and found
Samantha Atherton says
Lost & Found
Danika Lloyd says
Lost & Found
Emily Knight says
Lost and Found
sarah fleck says
Lost and Found
Janine Atkin says
The Incredible Book Eating Boy
Isabell Whitenstall says
Lost and Found
Ali Thorpe says
Lost and Found.
Emma Lewis says
The Hueys in the New Sweater
Gail Bennett says
The Way Back Home
monika s says
Lost and Found
Joanna Sawka says
Lost and Found
amy beckett says
Lost and Found
Eleanor Powell says
Lost and found
Lynn Heath says
The day the crayons quit
Keith H says
This Moose Belongs to Me
emma kinsey says
lost and found
Erica Price says
Lost and Found
Hayley Todd says
Lost and Found
Greig spencer says
This moose belongs to me
Lorraine Tinsley says
Up and Down
adeinne tonner says
Lost and found
Lynsey Buchanan says
Up and Down
Zoe Roxby says
The Day The Crayons Quit
Tammy Tudor says
Up and Down
Amy Skinner says
THIS MOOSE BELONGS TO ME
Helen Atkins says
Lost and found x
Julie Ward says
The day the crayons quit
Lynsey Ward says
Up and Down
claire matthews-curtis says
Lost and found
Diana Croos says
Lost and found
Diana Croos says
<>
Elizabeth Ferguson says
Lost and found
angela muir says
Lost and found
sian hallewell says
The way back home
Tracy Sinclair says
The Day The Crayons Quit
Nicola Holland says
Lost and found
Phyllis Ellett says
Lost and Found
Mark Palmer says
The Incredible Book Eating Boy
alex fowler says
Lost and Found
Diana says
Lost and found 🙂
Richard Doak says
Lost and Found
Rachel Craig says
Lost and found.
Laura Morris says
Lost and Found
Allan Fullarton says
Incredible Book Eating Boy
Elizabeth yeates says
lost and found
Kelly Summerfield says
Lost and Found 🙂 x
Pam Gregory says
The Incredible Book Eating Boy
Laura Pritchard says
Lost and Found
Lani Nash says
Lost and Found
rosie d says
The Day the Crayons Quit
Rebecca Powell says
Lost And Found
Rachel Gilbey says
Lost and Found
Natalie Henderson says
The Incredible Book Eating Boy
Helen Garner says
Up and Down
esme mccrubb says
up and down
Robyn Logan Clarke says
Up and Down
Melanie W says
Up and Down
tarbs gill says
Lost and Found
Ian Yates says
Lost and Found
Tricia Cowell says
Lost and Found
simon hardy says
the way back home
George Brown says
this moose belongs to me
Emma Green says
Lost and Found is my fave
Stef says
Lost and Found! The penguin is the cutest 🙂
Kate Sabin-Burns says
the way back home x
carol boffey says
lost and found
Robby Price says
Lost And Found
jodie harvey says
The Incredible Book Eating Boy
Joanne Benham says
The Incredible Book Eating Boy
Natalie Gillham says
This moose belongs to me
Michelle lintern says
Lost and found
Sue Carter says
Lost and Found
Wendy Guy says
Lost and Found
Jill f says
Lost and found
Catherine Gregory says
The Moose Belongs To Me
Charmaine Godolphin says
Lost and found
claire little says
LOST AND FOUND 🙂
Lydia Graham says
The Moose Belongs To Me
Natalie Crossan says
The way back home 🙂 x
Linda Streater says
Up and Down