fergus's Scary Night (Fergus's Scary Night - Tony Maddox)

Member Name: juicy_lucy

Product:	Fergus's Scary Night - Tony Maddox
Date:	27/06/06 (91 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: simple storyline

Disadvantages: none

One of a series of Fergus books, this features as the main character, a farmyard dog, and is another delightful book to read to young children.

**THE STORY **

The story starts with Fergus sitting in the farmyard watching three pigs walk past. Yes, they really are walking to bed and don’t have time to stop to speak to Fergus.

Fergus watches them go into the barn, followed by the hens and ducks. Overcome with curiosity, Fergus goes inside and sees cow sitting on a bale of hay telling the animals a story. It’s a strange fact but children don’t seem to question why the animals are sitting down but rather comment that it’s like when they are told a story by their teacher.

Fergus realises they are being told a ghost story, and because he thinks they are silly and not scary, he wanders off to his kennel. Suddenly, he hears a TAP TAP TAP on his kennel roof, and when he asks who it is,is told that it’s the “big scary monsters”. When he peeps out, the pigs are dancing around (still on two legs) and laughing at the trick they have just played.

The ducks call Fergus to come with them because they can hear skeletons bones rattling, but when he gets there it’s only the pots banging together. Similarly, when the hens are afraid that they have seen a monster, when Fergus looks, it’s the sacks.

They are all on their way to bed when they hear the most horrible sound coming from the shed, and stop in their tracks.The door is opened, and they run as quickly as they can, when they see the horrible shape… what we actually see is a shadow of what looks like two feet, but the expressions on the animals faces distract children from this fact. In a nearby shed they wait and the creature gets nearer and nearer. At this stage, children are usually anticipating what the creature will be, until a familiar voice calls to them, and it’s Farmer Bob, who has been playing on his bagpipes

Brave Fergus, he knows there are no ghosts on the farm…”or were there?” The last page shows Fergus fast asleep in his kennel with little ghosts flying around the kennel roof.

**THE ILLUSTRATIONS**

The illustrations are ones which really appeal to children. The animals have very human expressions and we can tell when they are scared, happy, sad etc. Even the fact that they walk around the place and sit down as people would appeal to children because they can relate to this.

The pictures are muted water colour type and are usually double spread with the text in the corner of the double spread.

For anyone worried that the ghosts at the end may be a bit scary…they are very smiley ghosts and I haven’t yet come across a child who is afraid of them or gets a shock when the page is turned over.

**OTHER BOOKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR**

Also in the series are:

Fergus The Farmyard Dog
Fergus’s Big Splash
Fergus’s Upside Down Day
Fergus And Marigold
Fergus Goes Quackers

**OTHER BITS OF INFORMATION**

My copy is published by Piccadilly Press, ISBN 1-85340-631-7 but it can be bought from www.amazon.co.uk from 99p

**WHAT I THOUGHT**

This book is suitable for very young children, and they seem to really enjoy the story and the characters, possibly because of the simplicity of the illustrations and the story line.

It’s great for predicting what will happen next, and the first time they hear the story, children love to guess what the clanging might be, and what Fergus will find when he investigates the shadow. They somehow realise it won’t be what the animals think it is and usually guess there is a “twist” in the tale.

I usually read this when the children have read Fergus The Farmyard Dog, because this sets the scene for them, and they are then familiar with the farmyard and the characters. Once they meet Fergus, they usually love him because he looks all fluffy and not at all vicious.

The story line is simple, the characters are loveable and all in all it’s a delightful bedtime story.

Thanks for reading.

Daniela xx

Summary: simple story book