Stick Man lives in the family tree With his Stick Lady Love and their stick children three.’ But it’s dangerous being a Stick ManA dog wants to play with him, a swan builds her nest with him. He even ends up on a fire! Will he ever get back to the family tree?
Stick Man by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler Review
A Seasonal Tale of Family Love
My girls have been brought up on the fantastical world of children’s author and poet Julia Donaldson. From scary cowardly Gruffalos, Tabby McTat cats and Superworms, to giants, dragons, daydreaming fish and globe trotting brave snails, her vivid characters have brought prose, laughter and much joy at bedtime in our household.
So when my four year old checked at the back of her book and saw she was missing the tale of Stick Man I was curious. How would the genius that is Donaldson make a simple stick as loveable and engaging as she did with all of her other characters.? Well she did…and some.
Hear what our Glass House Kids think in our Christmas Wish List Video:
Chosen as the latest Donaldson book to be made into a short animated BBC movie this Christmas, Stick Man follows the tale of the Stick Family who live in a big tree in the park. One day Stick Man goes for a walk and gets mistaken for a simple stick; then follows a year of drama where he’s passed from dog to child, through all four seasons, being used as a play thing, kindling, bat and sandcastle decoration – all the while desperately trying to return to his wife, three stick children and his family tree! Until Christmas Even when he gets rescued by the big man himself, Father Christmas, who makes sure that the Stick Man gets home safely.
Young children will laugh at all the different ways the poor Stick Man gets mistaken for a stick and gets dragged further and further away from his home, whilst parents will enjoy the loving stick dad’s quest to get back to his family before Christmas.
Olivia, aged 4, summed the book up best…
“I love it when mummy reads me that book at bedtime because it is so funny, then at the end he helps Santa. I would love to help Santa! And I am so excited about Christmas coming so I am very happy that the Stick Man’s children get their daddy back in time for Christmas.”
Well done Julia Donaldson, you’ve completed our collection and once again brought a smile to the faces of my kiddies at bedtime!
Stick Man is published by Scholastic
ISBN:978-140710-6-175