Gaspard the Fox
- Brand: Unbranded
Description
Alongside the digital concert, you will have access to digital resources, an online workshop with Lucy Drever, and teacher CPD. He is also the creator of the Katie art books and Ella Bella Ballerina series. He has worked with many orchestras and musicians including the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, painting illustrations live on stage to performances of classical music, including The Firebird, Scheherazade and Pictures at an Exhibition. CookieYes sets this cookie to record the default button state of the corresponding category and the status of CCPA. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie. What is it like seeing your story illustrated with such beautiful, warm artwork by James Mayhew? What was your working relationship like? What do you think James’s illustrations add to the story? Radio 4 announcer and author Zeb Soanes based his titular fox on a real urban fox that visits him regularly at his home in London. Gaspard first appeared with an injured leg, and Zeb fed the fox until he recovered … but he had become a regular feature at this point, appearing whenever he heard him return on his bicycle in the evening. Then, one evening, Gaspard revealed that ‘he’ was actually ‘she’ when she brought her cubs to visit him!
Providing opportunities for children to deepen their understanding of culture in Scotland and the wider world. I was saddened to read that there has been ‘a spate of attempts around the world to remove titles depicting gay or transgender characters from library shelves’ (The Guardian, January 2019). Why do you think children’s books that explore the lives of gay and transgender characters and present a variety of relationships are still so important? It’s a story about friendship and being accepted for who you are. Gaspard makes two new friends: Peter the Cat, who has cultivated his own unique identity and a dog named Finty that, instead of chasing Gaspard away (as you’d expect), thinks it’s brilliant to have a fox as her friend. Not everyone thinks Foxes are welcome in the city, so there are kind and unkind humans in the book and I hope children will see how wonderful and exciting it is to share the urban environment with all living creatures. Gaspard is undoubtedly a handsome fox, in life as in the story but there is a prominent tear through one ear. Gaspard isn’t perfect and that’s an important message too. The landmarks Zeb and James decided to show are not the usual tourist attractions and give a really authentic feel to the ‘real’ London such as the beloved James Smith & Sons umbrella shop in Bloomsbury and the Pyramid spire with a unicorn statue! The story provides both a visual treat and a historic journey through London’s capital. Digital concert films, to watch in the classroom, in multiple languages including British Sign Language, Gaelic, French, Polish, Chinese, Urdu, Romanian and Arabic.
About Zeb Soanes
James used a deliberately limited colour palate for his illustrations so there are lots of reds and oranges. ‘The kind man on the bicycle’ cared for Gaspard when he was poorly, so Gaspard trusts him – inspired by my first encounter with the real Gaspard who had a bad leg. I agree that his use of colour helps to suggest an emotional connection between the two characters. I was reluctant, at first, to put a representation of my relationship with the real Gaspard in the book but it forms a link, for this first story at least, between the real fox that many people followed online and the storybook Gaspard and his animal friends. Nobody is born into this world with racist, ageist or homophobic beliefs, we learn them, so children’s books are the perfect place to instil early messages of kindness and humanity. “ Zeb is now the presenter of Smooth Classics at Seven on Classic FM, the UK’s most popular classical music station. Do you think Gaspard and his friends will return in a sequel? Do you think your childhood tortoise, Fred, might make an appearance?
Join us for Gaspard's Foxtrot - the RSNO's 2022 National Schools Concert Programme - featuring free concerts across Scotland, a special concert film, teaching resources, and more! Charlotte’s Web comes instantly to mind from my childhood reading; where a spider saves a pig from being killed by weaving inspirational messages into her web above the pig-sty. It’s a beautiful story. Yes – the programme and resources have been developed in consultation with a SEND music education specialist. The video learning resources and concert film will include British Sign Language interpretation, optional subtitles, and accompanying Boardmaker resources.Before starting to read the story, look at the cover image together and talk about where this story takes place and what might happen to the fox. Read the story aloud to your child pausing to talk about what is happening in the story or pictures or any unfamiliar words. Join in With a variety of in-person and digital opportunities for young learners, primary and secondary schools, and teachers, this year’s activity builds on last year’s successful National Schools Concert Programme, ensuring that everyone can take part. Everything I write for the BBC is written to be read aloud on the radio and so, quite unconsciously, I think I selected words for this book that are pleasurable to say and many adults have said how much they enjoy reading it to children. It is perhaps a bit challenging in places for a very young child to read for themselves; Peter the Cat, for example, uses quite sophisticated language – but I think that is a good thing and I’m grateful to my wonderful publisher, Graffeg, for allowing me ‘Lepidoptery’! I learned a lot of vocabulary reading for myself when I was younger. You feel empowered as a child with exactly the right word for something.
- Fruugo ID: 258392218-563234582
- EAN: 764486781913
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