Magic Porridge Pot: Level One

by David Pace

Suitable for children ready to attempt reading, this book retells The Magic Porridge Pot in a simple way using a number of frequently repeated words. The sentences are closely supported by pictures and the story begins with a detailed scene introducing the main characters and vocabulary.

Genres: Childrens, Picture Books

32 pages, Hardcover

First published May 2, 1989

Reviews

[Asanda Elias]

3.5 stars

[Amandeep Daffu]

This story is a wonderful book I have used in both the Early Years Foundation Study and Key Stage 1. It is about a little girl who lives with her mother in a small village. They have no food to eat so her mother asks the little girl to go to the forest to find some food. In the forest she meets an old lady who gives her a magic pot. The old lady gives the little girl specific instructions to make the pot cook and to make it stop cooking. She takes the pot home, and her and her mother eat porridge all day long. However one day her mother falls asleep whilst forgetting to say the magic instructions to stop the pot from cooking. In the end the town are left to eat porridge for breakfast, lunch and dinner because the porridge has poured out all over the streets.

I believe this book can be used in a cross-curricular way by incorporating food technology with literacy so children can get an idea of what porridge tastes like and use adjectives to describe this.
Like with most stories role-play can also be incorporated into a literacy lesson based on this book. The illustrations in this book propose that the story is set in the past, when villages were more common than cities. Therefore the illustrations can also be used as a starting point to a history lesson, where children can discuss costumes, buildings and sources of food.

[Amy]

I think this may be the first time I saw this story outside of "Strega Nona".

[Molly]

Good book for both genders at 3-7 for new readers

[Sarah A]

Great early reader. My favourite book when I was just starting to read! And now I get to enjoy it with my daughter. Love this tale and great illustrations!