The Large family collection

There is a temptation, especially on the part of publishers and booksellers, to assign age groups to books. Feelings puts books into different key stages, but only as a general guide.

As teachers, of course, you know that much depends on individual children and their previous experiences of life and books. And with just a little imagination, the same books can be used with children of different ages in different ways. Angela Redfern's suggestions for discussion and follow-up activities with The Large family collection is a case in point.

The Large family collection contains all four of Jill Murphy's stories about the Large family in one volume:

• Five minutes peace when Mrs Large tries to have a peaceful bath;
• All in one piece where the parents prepare for a night out at a dinner dance;
• A piece of cake when Mrs Large decides to lose some weight;
• A quiet night in where Mrs Large plans a romantic birthday dinner for two.

Children instantly recognise familiar hectic moments from their own home life when things don't go quite according to plan, and where exasperated parents struggle to keep control. They never fail to spot the tiny details in the illustrations that speak volumes - note especially the elephants' eyes!

Suggestions for guided discussion

• Talk about the fact that parents are only human, and that they get tired and feel unwell sometimes. What are the consequences? Frayed tempers? Cross words? Making more demands on children? Forgetting promises? Ignoring children's requests?
• What can children do to help? Play quietly? Don't interrupt? Tidy up?

Suggestions for follow up activities

3-5 year olds

• In shared writing you could retell the children's favourite Large family story.
• Children could make a birthday card for Mr Large.
• Children could make granny's sponge cake in cookery sessions.

5-7 year olds

Children could

• make paper glove puppets and act out one of the stories in groups;
• in pairs or small groups, re-sequence the text cut up into large chunks;
• write a recipe for Mr Large's birthday cake.

7-9 year olds

Children could

• enjoy a paired reading session with the nursery or reception class;
• write a character study of their favourite Large family member, giving reasons for liking him or her... despite some flaws!
• compile a non-fiction book about healthy eating;
• collect recipes for a book of Summer salads/birthday party fare/special dinners.

9-11 year olds

Children could

• write a letter from Mrs Large to her sister, giving a parent's eye view of her daily trials and tribulations;
• write a letter to a TV editor protesting about the image of women in adverts on television;
• publish another episode in the life of the Large family to present to a younger class in the school.