On the Way Home

My 2 and a half years old son keeps asking me to read this again and again, not only at bedtime.I read in a couple of the reviews that the story has kind of an abrupt ending, and that there is no message. I couldn't disagree more. Each time a page is turned, a new fantastic story unfolds. I can be rather theatrical, and it seems to work amazingly well with my son. It is the classical portrait of a kid who in front of her peers is all adventurous and courageous, but when coming back to the loving mother's protective arms reveals she is frail and vulnerable after all. And aren't we all?

This is a brilliant and very imaginative book. It works well at so many levels, and thus is appealing at different age ranges. I am a big fan of Jill Murphy anyway, the Large family are superb. But this book is touching at a different level. It says so much about children’s imagination and their ability to rise above the everyday hurts of childhood. And then the courage to solve this as soon as one gets back home and mum is there to comfort. Full marks to Jill for creating a story at one level so simple and entertaining, but with a deeper message about childhood.

Love this story to capture a pre school child’s imagination. It uses some excellent extended language to model to children around size and extends their vocabulary. I had this book for my own daughter and bought this one for nursery where I work. Children always like to tell you about grazes and bumps and this has been great fun and a new favourite in the class.

I have encountered this book when my twin daughters brought it from their school library for reading at home. Everybody's tastes are different, but I would say I enjoyed this book probably more than my daughters did. The story and the pictures complement each other perfectly. Since then this is what I gift to all my friends with children 3 - 6 years, particularly to those whose children study English as a foreign language.

Nice story. Would have preferred a british version. American wording 'bad knee' 'sidewalk'. It is popular with the kids!