Literacy activities: Thanks For Telling Me, Emily

Thanks for Telling Me, Emily by Deirdre Madden (Orchard, £4.99 PB) is set in the quaint village of Gillnacurry. Quintessentially English, the pretty village is particularly remarkable as all of its residents own a pet of some description. One summer, Emily, the village pet shop owner, has her niece, Keira, to stay. Keira soon discovers Gillnacurry to be a magical place, made more compelling by the bizarre Mrs Fysshe-Pye. Various troubles and shenanigans follow when Henrietta Fysshe-Pye buys some of the pets, and proves to be a very mean owner. As the story progresses, the pets decide to take over and get their own back!

Thanks for Telling Me, Emily is an engaging and straightforward read, making this an ideal story for children taking their first steps to reading longer novels. It’s a great example of an animal story, a much used genre in children’s fiction, and includes some of the best features of such tales —no pun intended!