A Dark, Dark Tale

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You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences, as described in the Cookie notice. Vere’s silly artwork provides a lightening effect that will get kids giggling despite the tension of the story. I remembered the illustrations so well that I oftened wondered if it was a film I watched and not a book. From the very first page the reader is pulled in to this suspenseful story, slowly following the narrator on to each page. This book is a picture book with the theme of Halloween making it unique and good for the children who like spookier story lines.

Ruth's books are translated in many languages around the world, and she has won the Earthworm Award, the English Association Award, the Prix Sorcière and been shortlisted 3 times for the Kate Greenaway Medal.The faces that are drawn on the curtain really caught my attention, because it's not everyday that you see a lot of faces on a curtain. The simplicity of the text and the expressive beauty of the illustrations build up the tension to culminate in a surprising ending in this stunning picture book. A black cat takes the reader from one dark place to another: from a dark, dark moor to the dark, dark corner of a cupboard. My preschoolers also love it when I turn the last page towards me for dramatic effect and then at the last second say “there was a mouse!

The pictures are dark and creepy and fun, and my 5 yr old got to learn some new words like "moor" and "passage". In particular, there is one about a forest and a witch that was a read-a-long that I read over and over and I can’t find it. For both children, I hover on all the fabulous prepositions as the book follows the cat "behind" the door and "up" the stairs and "in" the box. I also use this book to teach my students to look at the pictures to further their understanding of reading the text.I feel like this book would bring a sense of curiosity to young readers because they would want to find out for themselves what lies in that house. Tout au long de l'histoire on suit un chat qui entre dans diverses pièces d'une maison pour y trouver.