Carpool Readeoke

We all love reading. Encouraging reading for pleasure and a passion for reading in children is pretty much why most authors get into the game.

A couple of weeks ago, I had a great time recording a couple of videos with the awesome Phil Page of the DSAT academy. Phil shares a passion for reading and has worked tirelessly to grab, cajole and encourage tons of amazing authors and teachers into getting through their fears and to share their love of reading on camera.

It's all in the name of encouraging children to read, and boy has it been successful. Each author has read some of their own work whilst the teachers have chosen their favourite books. Schools around the county have joined in and loads of children have taken it upon themselves to add to the project.

You can see my videos embedded below (and my daughter's attempt on my YouTube channel), but check out the whole lot here (especially Halil Tamgumus - it will change the way you see the Gruffalo!).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwsexXnEalo
Watch my reading of The Halloween Parade - I apologise for my awkwardness!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cT2zg_cGkq0
You thought that was awkward, my post-poetry discussion takes it to new levels!

The Elephant And The Dormouse

Another attempt at a children's poem from a while back. I'm not sure about the ending, but it's best I can wrangle into place for now. I may revisit this one later.

The Elephant And The Dormouse

The Elephant and dormouse

are quite different indeed.

One’s big as a house

the other, as small as a seed.

One has ears as big as the moon,

a nose that hangs to the ground,

a tail that swishes to and fro

and it makes an almighty sound.

 

When stomping through the jungle

or drinking from a lake,

you can always spot an elephant

by its trunk as long as a snake.

 

But the mouse is very different,

just between you and I,

it’s very hard to spot, you see

and perhaps you’re wondering why…

 

Its feet are soft and silky,

it barely weighs a pound

and when it scurries to and fro

it doesn’t make a sound.

 

But as with every animal,

Including you and me,

they’re also very similar,

just have a look, you’ll see…

 

Of ears, they both have two,

a pair of eyes to see,

a swishy tail, a nose to smell

and I think you’ll quite agree

that though you and I are similar

our differences abound,

but that's just fine by me because

they make us fun to be around!