Developing curious minds with 'The Thingity-Jig'

The Thingity-Jig by Kathleen Doherty, illustrated by Kristyna Litten(Peach Tree, 2021)Good to Read for:making you laugh!dramatic reading aloudencouraging creative playMaking up words is fun. We all have go-to ones for things we can’t name or describe (mine are Thingamee-bob and Whats-it). Pooh Bear used Whatever-it-is (and more specific nouns, like Wizzles and Jagulars). The bear in this week’s recommendation is even more descriptive.

There’s something incredibly charming about The Thingity-Jig (Peach Tree, 2021). Written by Kathleen Doherty (a reading specialist with over 30 years experience teaching elementary class), its lead character – a small bear cub – is captivating. He’s springy and bouncy and irrepressible and made me laugh aloud. And as with all bears, he’s ever so curious – a characteristic which propels the story forward.

The Thingity-Jig’s premise is simple enough. One night (‘under the light of a silvery moon’), Bear wanders into town in search of fun. Kristyna Litten has done a grand job with her illustrations. Her colour palette is beautiful – deep nighttime blues and purples that contrast nicely with the warm glow of windows. It’s very atmospheric. Litten depicts Bear’s friends with a familiar cut-away device, fast asleep in their hidden burrows underground (which makes me – and kids – feel like we’re being let in on a secret).

   

But Bear is not sleepy. He wants to play – so he scooches down the tree and heads into town in search of some fun.

In a way, picture books work a bit like movies. The reader can see the environment and details in the scene. They don’t need to be overly explained or described. Litten’s illustrations add plenty of visual extras to the story. Take, for example, the vignettes of Bear rummaging through the trash.

 

Tap. Poke. Sniff.

Bear nosed around until he found…

a Thingity-Jig.

   

We don’t need extraneous words to tell us that Bear plays a tune on a discarded recorder (or that he finds some really stinky stuff). The illustrations do the job.

The double-spread scene showing Bear’s discovery of the Thingity-Jig is terrific. A shaft of light spotlights the manky old sofa, and a series of sequential character drawings show Bear enjoying his discovery.

 

Bingity.

Bing.

Boing!

   

Bear races back to tell his friends about the Thingity-Jig and explains how it ‘will be sit-on-it, hop-on-it, jump-on-it fun.’

The only problem is he needs their help getting it home.

 

“Wait till morning,” grumbled Raccoon.

 

But Bear can’t wait. Instead, he ‘[takes] matters into his own paws.’

Bear is quite the inventor (he gives Heath Robinson and Leonardo a run for their money). His contraptions (required to transport the old sofa home) defy explanation and plausibility. And because of that, they are truly wonderful. (They also have suitably imaginative names ‘which are uniquely fitting and great fun to read aloud’. [Booklist]) 

Bear’s first invention is a Rolly-Rumpity (to wheel the Thingity-Jig home). 

 

It was a draggy thing. A pully thing. A pack-it-up, heap-it-up, load-it-up thing.

 

In other words, ‘just what Bear needed.’ (Before the night is through, Bear incorporates items like an old bedstead, umbrellas, rollerskates, coathanger and a tennis racket into his creations.)

But he hits another snag: ‘Bear found it impossible to lift the Thingity-Jig onto the Rolly-Rumpity.’

He was going to need more help.

 

He dashed home.

“Wake up! Wake up! I need your help. Then we’ll climb and jump.’

 

Dismissed by his friends again, the resourceful Bear invents a second contraption – the Lifty-Uppity.

 

It was a boosty thing. A hoisty thing. A pick-it-up, raise-it-up, jack-it-up thing. 

 

Precisely the thing Bear needs to get the Thingity-Jig home!

 

Yippee-doo! Things were working out!

   

Unfortunately for Bear, the Rolly-Rumpity gets stuck in the mud. So ‘smack. Wallop. Whack.’ Bear thunks and thwacks and builds a much-needed Pushy-Poppity.

 

It was quite the contraption!

Bear used the Pushy-Poppity 

to free the Lifty-Uppity

that raised the Rolly-Rumpity

that wheeled the Thingity-Jig 

all the way home.

 

In parts, the story’s structure resembles The House That Jack Built and its story arc of the traditional tale, The Little Red Hen: Bear keeps asking for help, and his friends keep saying no. So Bear does all the work himself. ‘Bear is unfailingly enthusiastic, creative, and generous,’ notes Kirkus Review. His sense of achievement is palpable as he finally makes it home, just as day breaks. So unlike Little Red Hen, Bear is happy to share the final product with his friends.

   

Standing atop the up-ended sofa, like an explorer at the top of a summit, Bear declares,

 

“This is a Thingity-Jig… You can bounce and hop. And leap and climb. You can even do a flip-flap, springy-ding flop.”

 

Understandably, the Thingity-Jig is a sensation. Much to Bear’s delight, his friends (rejuvenated after their night’s sleep) do all that and more. The problem is that they’re having too much fun – and they don’t want to stop.

Bear’s worked all night long. He’s tired now and huffy. And he desperately wants a go on his Thingity-Jig.

   

“IT’S MY TURN!”

“Okay, okay!” said Raccoon.

“We’ll get off.”

 

Poor exhausted Bear flops down onto the Thingity-Jig’s lap.

 

Bingtity…

Bing…

Boing.

Zzzzz…

   

Hats off to Doherty and Litten. The Thingity-Jig (summarised by Kirkus Reviews as ‘[a] delightful, rollicking, joyous romp’) is inventive and playful. Together, they’ve created a joyful story about problem-solving. Bear’s an adorable little character – determined and generous whose creativity knows no bounds. ‘Children will love to study Bear’s clever inventions and laugh at his silly naming conventions,’ notes The Children’s Book Review. It continues, adding that Bear’s stealthy creeping through the town at night ‘is sure to delight children.’ 

   

Kids will love spotting the many tiny details right through until the final endpaper (where we see just how contagious Bear’s joie de vivre is). They will identify with Bear and his desire to climb and jump on the battered sofa. (Likewise, parents will see their kids reflected in Bear’s bouncy and irrepressible nature.) In other words, The Thingity-Jig captures the essence of the early years (a time for fun exploration) beautifully.

Sharing this story is an excellent opportunity to unleash your child’s inner Bear. And when you do, who knows what they might come up with? 

 Tips for sharing The Thingity-Jig

Get junk modelling! See what gadgets the kids can come up with. As well as sparking curiosity and creativity, it’s also a lesson in upcycling.

This is a fantastic story to read aloud, so pull your Brave Boots on and get ready to play! Give Bear an excitable, playful voice to contrast with his quiet, sleepy friends. Have fun and vary your voice as you read, building to crescendoes as each contraption is revealed.

Take time to sit with your child and explore the detailed illustrations. They’ll get a kick out of spotting incidental details like the mouse bouncing on a coiled spring…

STORIES WORTH SHARINGThe Thingity-Jig by Kathleen Doherty, illustrated by Kristyna Litten

(Peach Tree, 2021)

Good to Read for:making you laugh!dramatic reading aloudencouraging creative playAre you stuck for quality stories that you and your kids will enjoy? Sign up for your free weekly email with story recommendations and tips. Copyright © 2021 Kathleen Doherty (Text) & Kristyna Litten (Illustrations)From THE THINGITY-JIG by Kathleen Doherty & Kristyna Litten(Peach Tree Publishing Company Inc.)GOOD TO READPicture books to encourage creative play

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