Whatever Next ? - Jill Murphy

This book was first published in 1983, and was a favourite of my daughters' when they were little - where have the years gone! I had forgotten all about it until a work colleague's grandaughter came in clutching it in her hands the other week, saying it is her favourite book and wanted to show me. As I sat down and looked through the book with her, a lot of happy memories came flooding back, as I recalled reading it with my children. Whatever Next is written by Jill Murphy, who also wrote and illustrated the very successful 'Worst Witch' books and also who could forget her enchanting books about a family of elephants - 'Peace At Last' and 'All In ...  Read the complete review

As an Easter present this year my parents bought the children Book Tokens. A fabulous idea as it meant that they could choose some books to add to the collection of the many books which they have already. For Murray it is often quite hard to strike a balance on a not too simple book and not too grown up for him yet book. He loves "Peace at Last" by Jill Murphy, so when I saw "Whatever Next!" by Jill Murphy, I decided that we would get that one for him. Whatever Next introduces us to the Bear family again. Baby Bear is peering out of the ...  Read the complete review

Whatever next Another of our well read favourites, and having first been published in 1983, it has been read to all 3 of my children and to many classes of children. **THE STORY** Great opening line "Can I go to the moon?" asked Baby Bear. We like this because it is the kind of question children can ask when employing bath or bed delaying tactics and are looking out of their bedroom window. Mrs Bear soon puts a stop to these musings because she tells Baby Bear that he needs a bath first (typical mummy style) and that he would need a rocket. The bath appears to be forgotten, and baby Bear finds a rocket ...  Read the complete review

" Whatever next ? ", is another book by Jill Murphy that I like. I recently took this out from the children's library and it was on the Tweenies story time a while ago. Its about little bear waiting for a bath but he wants to go to the moon. So while he is waiting he gets in a cardboard box and WHooshsh... ,up the chimney and to the moon... meeting a few friends on the way and stopping on the moon for a picnic before going home. I think this is a lovely story and encourages children of all ages to use their imagination. In this age of computer games, television and play station, children no longer imagine that they have something or are going ...  Read the complete review

Reading books with my son, I'm frequently amazed how good the pictures are, compared with the books from when I was a kid. Any of the pictures in this book, all full page in size, wouldn't look out of place on a nursery wall. The story tells of baby bear who decides he wants to go to the moon. Mummy bear tells him he can't because it's nearly bathtime but he goes off and finds a rocket under the stairs, a box for a spaceship, a colander for a space helmet, packs some supplies for the journey and sets off up the chimney. He meets an owl on route, has a picnic on the moon and then comes home, all before bathtime! The story is told in such a matter ...  Read the complete review