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The Scrap Rocket and Other Stories
Will Ron Rabbit's Scrap Rocket lift off in The Scrap Rocket? Songbirds Phonics are fully illustrated stories written by Julia Donaldson. The rich, patterned language is decodable making them perfect for phonics teaching and practice. Level 3 Songbirds Phonics books focus on words with consonant clusters, e.g. str as in strap.
112 pages, Paperback
First published March 23, 2006
About the author
Julia Donaldson
1,279 books2,026 followersGrowing up
I grew up in a tall Victorian London house with my parents, grandmother, aunt, uncle, younger sister Mary and cat Geoffrey (who was really a prince in disguise. Mary and I would argue about which of us would marry him).
Mary and I were always creating imaginary characters and mimicking real ones, and I used to write shows and choreograph ballets for us. A wind-up gramophone wafted out Chopin waltzes.
I studied Drama and French at Bristol University, where I met Malcolm, a guitar-playing medic to whom I’m now married.
Busking and books
Before Malcolm and I had our three sons we used to go busking together and I would write special songs for each country; the best one was in Italian about pasta.
The busking led to a career in singing and songwriting, mainly for children’s television. I became an expert at writing to order on such subjects as guinea pigs, window-cleaning and horrible smells. “We want a song about throwing crumpled-up wrapping paper into the bin” was a typical request from the BBC.
I also continued to write “grown-up” songs and perform them in folk clubs and on the radio, and have recently released two CDs of these songs.
One of my television songs, A SQUASH AND A SQUEEZE, was made into a book in 1993, with illustrations by the wonderful Axel Scheffler. It was great to hold the book in my hand without it vanishing in the air the way the songs did. This prompted me to unearth some plays I’d written for a school reading group, and since then I’ve had 20 plays published. Most children love acting and it’s a tremendous way to improve their reading.
My real breakthrough was THE GRUFFALO, again illustrated by Axel. We work separately - he’s in London and I’m in Glasgow - but he sends me letters with lovely funny pictures on the envelopes.
I really enjoy writing verse, even though it can be fiendishly difficult. I used to memorise poems as a child and it means a lot to me when parents tell me their child can recite one of my books.
Funnily enough, I find it harder to write not in verse, though I feel I am now getting the hang of it! My novel THE GIANTS AND THE JONESES is going to be made into a film by the same team who made the Harry Potter movies, and I have written three books of stories about the anarchic PRINCESS MIRROR-BELLE who appears from the mirror and disrupts the life of an otherwise ordinary eight-year-old. I have just finished writing a novel for teenagers.
When I’m not writing I am often performing, at book festivals and in theatres. I really enjoy getting the children in the audience to help me act out the stories and sing the songs. When Malcolm can take time off from the hospital he and his guitar come too. and it feels as if we’ve come full circle - back to busking.
I grew up in a tall Victorian London house with my parents, grandmother, aunt, uncle, younger sister Mary and cat Geoffrey (who was really a prince in disguise. Mary and I would argue about which of us would marry him).
Mary and I were always creating imaginary characters and mimicking real ones, and I used to write shows and choreograph ballets for us. A wind-up gramophone wafted out Chopin waltzes.
I studied Drama and French at Bristol University, where I met Malcolm, a guitar-playing medic to whom I’m now married.
Busking and books
Before Malcolm and I had our three sons we used to go busking together and I would write special songs for each country; the best one was in Italian about pasta.
The busking led to a career in singing and songwriting, mainly for children’s television. I became an expert at writing to order on such subjects as guinea pigs, window-cleaning and horrible smells. “We want a song about throwing crumpled-up wrapping paper into the bin” was a typical request from the BBC.
I also continued to write “grown-up” songs and perform them in folk clubs and on the radio, and have recently released two CDs of these songs.
One of my television songs, A SQUASH AND A SQUEEZE, was made into a book in 1993, with illustrations by the wonderful Axel Scheffler. It was great to hold the book in my hand without it vanishing in the air the way the songs did. This prompted me to unearth some plays I’d written for a school reading group, and since then I’ve had 20 plays published. Most children love acting and it’s a tremendous way to improve their reading.
My real breakthrough was THE GRUFFALO, again illustrated by Axel. We work separately - he’s in London and I’m in Glasgow - but he sends me letters with lovely funny pictures on the envelopes.
I really enjoy writing verse, even though it can be fiendishly difficult. I used to memorise poems as a child and it means a lot to me when parents tell me their child can recite one of my books.
Funnily enough, I find it harder to write not in verse, though I feel I am now getting the hang of it! My novel THE GIANTS AND THE JONESES is going to be made into a film by the same team who made the Harry Potter movies, and I have written three books of stories about the anarchic PRINCESS MIRROR-BELLE who appears from the mirror and disrupts the life of an otherwise ordinary eight-year-old. I have just finished writing a novel for teenagers.
When I’m not writing I am often performing, at book festivals and in theatres. I really enjoy getting the children in the audience to help me act out the stories and sing the songs. When Malcolm can take time off from the hospital he and his guitar come too. and it feels as if we’ve come full circle - back to busking.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 17, 2022
My daughter read this book to me, there was just one word that she wasn't sure of but it was lovely for her to be able to read it with very little help
It was easy for her to read, I liked the repetitiveness of the words in places as that helped her confidence. The images are lovely and bring the book to life
It is 4 stars from us for this one - highly recommended
It was easy for her to read, I liked the repetitiveness of the words in places as that helped her confidence. The images are lovely and bring the book to life
It is 4 stars from us for this one - highly recommended
March 17, 2021
I read with a child at school who is at the begging stages of reading.
December 30, 2023
Dummy Bunny
December 11, 2015
Ron the Rabbit is collecting bits and bobs such as a tin, a tap, a lid etc. to essentially construct a rocket. Visually, his masterpiece does depict a rocket but he soon finds out that it isn't really a rocket as it splashes into lake. Nonetheless, Ron the Rabbit is still happy because he thinks it was meant to be a submarine.
I really liked the extensive list of materials Ron the Rabbit he was looking for as it creates curiosity and the children are wondering what he could possibly build with so many materials. Also, the sound effects were good as the children can imagine the illustrations in their head.
I'd say this stage 3 book was appropriate for year 1 middle ability to higher ability children, aged 5/6.
This book would mainly be appropriate for guided reading. As a follow up, the teacher is able to introduce D&T and Science e.g. material selection and their assosicated benefits
I really liked the extensive list of materials Ron the Rabbit he was looking for as it creates curiosity and the children are wondering what he could possibly build with so many materials. Also, the sound effects were good as the children can imagine the illustrations in their head.
I'd say this stage 3 book was appropriate for year 1 middle ability to higher ability children, aged 5/6.
This book would mainly be appropriate for guided reading. As a follow up, the teacher is able to introduce D&T and Science e.g. material selection and their assosicated benefits
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews