Sometimes I Like to Curl up in a Ball is the tale of Little Wombat and the things he enjoys doing. He knows, for example, that when he curls up in a ball no-one can see him. Yet he doesn't always want to be so inconspicuous: he also takes pleasure in jumping high in the air and seeing how much ... Read review
Life is a lot of fun for Wombat! There are plenty of things he likes to do: shouting at ... more
the top of his voice for no reason, stepping in circles until he falls over, getting in a muddy mess...but can you guess what Wombat likes to do best of all?
Life is a lot of fun for Wombat! There are plenty of things he enjoys doing: shouting at ... more
the top of his voice for no reason, stepping in circles until he falls over, poking out his tongue and pulling funny faces, getting in a muddy mess... but can you guess what Wombat likes to do best of all?
Advantages: Beautiful and humorous picture book Disadvantages: It ends so quickly...
Sometimes I Like to Curl up in a Ball is the tale of Little Wombat and the things he enjoys doing. He knows, for example, that when he curls up in a ball no-one can see him. Yet he doesn't always want to be so inconspicuous: he also takes pleasure in jumping high in the air and seeing how much noise he can make on landing, disturbing a mole as he does so. Other activities he delights in include screaming, running, pulling funny faces, and getting ... ...book to own.
Sometimes I Like to Curl up in a Ball
by Vicki Churchill and Charles Fuge
Gullane Children's Books, 2006
Paperback, 24 pages
Price £5.99 (Amazon £4.49)
This is not an audio book, but a printed book. ... more
Sometimes I Like to Curl up in a Ball is the tale of Little Wombat and the things he enjoys doing. He knows, for example, that when he curls up in a ball no-one can see him. Yet he doesn't always want to be so inconspicuous: he also takes pleasure in jumping high in the air and seeing how much noise he can make on landing, disturbing a mole as he does so. Other activities he delights in include screaming, running, pulling funny faces, and getting in a muddy mess. Oh, to be a Little Wombat. But at the end of the day, after all those antics, that's when he likes to curl up into a ball, cuddled up next to Mum, of course.
This is a beautiful picture book for very young children. Charles Fuge's illustrations are a feast for your eyes, not least the sight of Little Wombat splattered in mud while frog adds some muddy footprints to his tummy, rabbit uproots carrots (oblivious of the muddy paw prints on his back), and a bemused worm looks on, probably wondering if everyone has gone mad. Equally enchanting is the sunset scene of a tired Little Wombat running toward his mother's arms, whilst koala, tortoise, frog, rabbit and pigeon wave goodnight in the distance. Almost all of the pictures are double-page spreads, including one where you turn the book sideways on and see Little Wombat holding up a branch and standing as still as the tree next to him. His animal friends are seen scurrying around the hill below.
If you are reading aloud to a very young child, it would be fun to pretend to be Little Wombat and imitate the activities he goes through, especially of course pulling funny faces and getting covered in mud. As a bedtime story, it would serve as a good prompt for then talking about things the child has done during the course of the day, or for asking them what things they like doing best of all.
The story reads almost as a poem, with rhymes and pararhymes such as can/land or mess/chest. It has quite a strong rhythm that keeps the pace going and the interest alive. The font is quite large and simple, with either a couple of lines per page or perhaps four lines on one page and none at all on the facing one. It might be a suitable book for an emergent reader, as the phrase 'sometimes I like' is repeated throughout the story, and the illustrations will give a clue as to what the text is about.
On the whole I would recommend this as a book to be read aloud to very young children. There is a lot of fun in it, but it ends on a peaceful, cosy note where Little Wombat is seen asleep, so it would make an ideal bedtime story. The Sunday Times used the phrase 'joie de vivre' to describe it, and I can't think of a better one. In terms of both story and illustrations, it is a beautiful book to own.
Sometimes I Like to Curl up in a Ball by Vicki Churchill and Charles Fuge Gullane Children's Books, 2006 Paperback, 24 pages Price £5.99 (Amazon £4.49)
denella 23.04.2008 (23.04.2008)
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Review of Sometimes I Like to Curl Up in a Ball - Charles Fuge, Vicki Churchill
Advantages: Endearing story with excellent illustrations. Disadvantages: Not gone win the Booker Prize!
...to think too long about! Sometimes this is messy, but it also gives me a chance to keep up to date on what the little people are enjoying and what they may like to hear at our regular Storytime sessions. Sometimes I Like to Curl up in a Ball is written by Vicki Churchill and illustrated by Charles Fuge. They are a familiar partnership and have worked together on a few picture books, such as Doubling Fun With Annie Ant, Lonely Wasp, Butterfly Kiss ... ...~~~THE PLOT. Sometimes I Like to Curl up in a Ball (henceforth to be known as “sometimes” because I’m getting “typer’s cramp”) is the story of a lovely little wombat. It tells the events during the wombat’s day ~ we learn his favourite things and activities. We also find out that the thing he likes to do most is curl up into a ball to sleep and be quiet. He runs about, plays, is mischievous and downright loveable…and all this backed by wonderfully ...
tange 27.02.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Sometimes I Like to Curl Up in a Ball - Charles Fuge, Vicki Churchill
Advantages: Included a soft toy, very simple story, beautifully illustrated. Disadvantages: None
I decided to buy my son a new book for his birthday, so out came my books for children book catalogue that had just arrive. I decided on this book as there was a soft toy included, was a sturdy board book and was on offer at the time which was even better.
What more could you want for your child, a book they can't destroy(well hopefully anyway), a soft toy that's not been handed down from big sister only to be re-claimed when the mood takes her ... ...the book I hear you shout.
***SOMETIMES I LIKE TO CURL UP IN A BALL***
*Cost*
As I can't remember exactly what I paid for the book from Books for children, and am no longer a member, I looked elsewhere to give an idea of cost.
Amazon - From £1.69 which was a for a new book, but it didn't include the toy.
*Description.*
It is a board book with 9 inner board pages, the book measures 15 cm square and 1 cm thick so it is a nice size for little ...
craggsy23 11.06.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Sometimes I Like to Curl Up in a Ball - Charles Fuge, Vicki Churchill
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