What might the book be about? What kind of animals are in the story?
Who’s on the back cover? What do you think they might be up to up to and how can you tell?
What do you notice about the leaves? Talk about collages used. Discuss the farmyard scene – who can you see? what’s happening? different animals. Painting versus collage. Who’s arriving in the trailer?
Collage, glitter and those two characters. Discuss dedications and the purpose.
Pg 1-2: Discuss rhyming, the different animals – can you see the ladybird? Why is the cow wearing a rosette?
Pg 3-4: Animal noises – who says what? Why do you think the text isn’t in a straight line and why are the sounds in capital letters?
Pg 5-6: why do all the animals seem much bigger? Why are they all staring at the ladybird? What do you think they might be thinking about?
Pg 7-8: what time of day is it and how can you tell? Who’s in the van and what do they have in front of them? (Discuss/introduce nocturnal animals)
Pg 9-10: discuss the map and the directions. Which animal is asleep on the map and how can you tell? What are the brown marks? Where’s the ladybird and what do you think he might be doing? Why is there a big red cross above the cow?
Pg 11-2: what do you think the ladybird is doing? What are the lines around it’s head for? What do you think the other animals are thinking? Why is the phrase “being careful not to wake the dog” in brackets?
Pg 13-14: why are the animals all “talking” on this page?
Pg 15-16: what does the dotty, sparkly red line represent? What do you notice about the animals?
Pg 17-18: what’s happening in these pictures? What has Hefty Hugh stood in on page 18? Who’s keeping watch on page 17? Where’s the ladybird? What’s Lanky Len holding?
Pg 19-20: discuss what’s happening – how are the animals managing to trick the two men? Where’s the ladybird? What’s Lanky Len stood in?
Pg 21-22: Oh no! What’s happened? What’s the ladybird doing? Look at the fish – how do you think they are feeling? What’s Lanky Len got on his head on pg 22? How is the farmer feeling and how can you tell?
Pg 23-24: what’s everyone doing? Are they happy or sad?
Endpapers: how does this endpaper compare with the one at the beginning of the book? All the animals are together, sheep looking on, footprints, baddies in police car…
