When the Storm Came

By Author / Illustrator

Chris Naylor-Ballesteros

Genre

Representation & Inclusion

Age range(s)

Publisher

Andersen Press

ISBN

9781839132575

Format

Hardback

Published

04-04-2024

Synopsis

Discover that a little bit of kindness can bring an entire community together in a crisis.

The frog family love their home on the riverbank, but they know to always stay away from the old tree stump - because a Big Scary Thing lives in there. When a huge storm comes and his friends and family are swept away, Little Frog is blown right into the terrifying stump . . . but what he finds inside changes his community forever.

A story of kindness, community, and coming together in a time of crisis from award-winning author and illustrator Chris Naylor-Ballesteros.

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Reviews

Little Frog and his family live by the river and play on its bank, but they stay away from the old tree stump where the Big Scary Thing lives. One day, however, a very big storm suddenly arrives and Little Frog falls right into the tree stump where he comes face to face with Big Scary Thing…and realises that it might not be quite so scary after all. When the storm blows them all into the water, Little Frog is safe and happy, but the Big Scary Thing and some little scary things are in trouble so all the frogs work together to save the day!

In When the Storm Came, Chris Naylor-Ballesteros has come up trumps yet again with another wonderful story. Seemingly simple, there is so much to explore and enjoy, making it a wonderful book to share at home, at school - everywhere!

'Big Scary Thing' personifies all those unknown entities which, because they are unknown, unfamiliar or simply different, swell to nightmare status without really deserving it. Once faced with this particular Big Scary Thing, Little Frog initially misreads its actions and assumes he is going to be eaten, but he soon realises that the action was protective and that the Big Scary Thing was just as scared of the storm as he was and was only seeking to look after and comfort Little Frog along with the little scary things.

The story offers a wonderful starting point for encouraging children (and adults!) to get to know others before judging them and to consider other viewpoints. Re-telling the story from the Big Scary Thing's perspective offers a wonderful writing opportunity - perhaps creating a play script and acting the story out using glove puppets, or hot-seating the characters and using role play / freeze-framing to explore their feelings.

Little Frog needs the support of his family to help Big Scary Thing. Big Scary Thing - although big and scary - needs the help of the frogs. We all need help from time to time and we should all be ready and willing to offer support when needed.

With its fabulous illustrations and big-hearted story, When the Storm Came is sure to be a winner with adults and children alike!

Picture book / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher