The Bad-Tempered Ladybird

 

The Bad Tempered Ladybird is a picture book that follows the day’s journey of a Ladybird.  This ladybird likes to cause fights and to try and create trouble with other animals until she finally lands back where she started alongside a friendly Ladybird. This picture book is designed in very creative way. Each page presents a different time and a different kind of animal in which the Ladybird is trying to create conflict with. Each new animal the Ladybird meets is larger and larger and this is seen through the size of the page starting small and then becoming larger. This also applies for the text as it starts off very small and also becomes larger and larger.

There is a great deal of repetition within this book as the Ladybird has the same conversations with different animals and it always ends up the same until it encounters an unfortunate incident. This text would be very appropriate within a junior primary classroom as it is open to interpretation and students could talk about the journey that the Ladybird went on, and what she could do differently next time. The mood of the Ladybird is essential to the overall message within this text as the fighting with every animal result in the Ladybird realising the importance of friends. Younger students would find this book entertaining, engaging and see many themes such as kindness, feelings, humour and the importance of friendship.

Author: Eric Carle

(1977) Puffin Books

ISBN: 0-140-50398-6

Genre/Theme: Friendship and feelings

Age: Years 3-6

Blog Contributor: Keelan Mackle