Little monster did it! - Helen Cooper

A Pipkin of Pepper - Helen Cooper

*The Background* Helen Cooper is the author behind this wonderful book that continues the story of the characters featured in the award winning title, Pumpkin Soup. These books are magical, both for the stories and for the remarkably beautiful illustrations. *The Story* The story begins with a picture of a strange white cabin in the middle of a wood. Coming from the chimney is steam and smoke filled with the scent of pumpkins. "Something was bubbling in the old white cabin. What was in the cooking pot? PUMPKIN SOUP! Made by a Cat, a Squirrel and a Duck, waiting just for a pipkin of salt to make it the best you ever tasted... but..." When the page is ...

A Pipkin of Pepper - Helen Cooper

quietly screaming "Not that one again, please darling!!!"): and some picture books aimed at the 2-5 age group are mind-numbingly boring, others are simply tongue-twisting torture. Thankfully, Helen Cooper s characterful saga of three unlikely friends - the cat, the squirrel and the duck - doesn t fall into either category. I always heave a sigh of relief when my daughter chooses A Pipkin of Pepper... The story continues where Pumpkin Soup left off. To recap: cat, squirrel and duck share a quirky old white cabin in the middle of a wood, where they grow nothing but pumpkins and live on nothing but pumpkin soup. But there s a problem. They ve run out of ...

The Bear Under the Stairs - Helen Cooper

to find somewhere to live. Was he real or imaginary? THE ILLUSTRATIONS The illustrations are fabulous, which was to be expected if you have seen any other books by Helen Cooper; she is the only author to have won the Kate Greenaway award for two consecutive books- "The Baby Who Wouldn t Go To Bed", 1996 and "Pumpkin Soup". The illustrations follow the bear s point of view, which is important to ensure that he does not take over a child s imagination and become altogether too terrifying. From the moment we see him entering the house with his green umbrella and suitcases, he looks a happy friendly bear, and when he is wandering round the house at ...