In old times

This week, we are reading A new coat for Anna by Harriet Ziefert as our Five in a Row book.

 This book tells the true story of a little girl in post World War II Europe who needs a new coat. Her mother has no money but barters various items so that her daughter can have a coat. A fascinating insight into life at the time as well as the processes that go to make a coat.

There are so many things to do from this book-today we carded wool, collected from the hedgerows on holiday, and dyed it with blackberry juice.

We have some other books of a vaguely historical nature to read alongside A new coat for Anna.

Peepo by Janet and Allan Ahlberg shows life in the Second World War from a baby's perspective and is tremendously popular with the children, and their mother!

The Story of an English Village by John S Goodall is a picture book which shows how life has changed in an English village over the centuries. The only words are those which state the century. A useful book for helping little children tell a story.

The old steam train by Heather Amery and Stephen Cartwight is a simple tale about the reopenning of a railway line. Greatly loved by Mr Exubernace; I read this book four times today.

The rag coat by Lauren Mills has a similar theme to A new coat for Anna. A child without a coat although in different circumstances and how the community helped provide one.

This is linked to 5-a-Day books at the Imagination Tree.