This is a riotous story featuring Boris the vulture from brilliant storyteller Sally Grindley and the acclaimed master of animal characterisation and illustration, Michael Terry. Boris is a very sulky vulture - nothing ever goes quite right for him! When his friends try to take his mind off things and cheer him up, everything goes wrong: the swing he is swinging on breaks, he can't find the zebra in hide and seek, he ends up with a rhino chasing him when he plays catch. Even when mum offers him a hug he's still not happy. Some vultures are never pleased!
Sally Grindley is the award-winning author of many popular books for young children, and here she tackles the whole problem of feeling moody. All children go through phases of feeling that everything is against them and refuse to be cheered up. Boris the vulture is no exception, and in this charming story he defies the attempts of all his friends to make him feel better. His refusal to eat his dinner is the first in a long line of disastrous encounters for the grumpy little vulture, and children everywhere will empathize with him only too well. How many of them will have been told to eat it up or do without? As Boris stomps off in a huff he adopts that familiar attitude which could apply just as well to a recalcitrant toddler: 'Head pulled down, shoulders hunched up, toes curled in, Boris the vulture is sulking.'
His friends do their best, but in this mood Boris doesn 't like any game he can't win. When Marvin the baboon suggests playing on the swing, it seems to do the trick, and Boris's sulks start to evaporate - until he comes crashing to earth and storms off to his mother with a bad head and a worse temper. A cuddle with Mum is just what's needed, but Boris is determined not to be won over quite so easily. This is an entertaining story packed with vibrant illustrations by the talented artist Michael Terry. It's perfect bedtime reading for young children from three upwards, and a painless way of getting children to talk about what makes them feel grumpy sometimes - is it because they can't bear to lose at games or do they just want a few more cuddles from Mum? Ages 3-6' - Kirkus UK
Author
About Sally Grindley
Sally was our Guest Editor for December 2010. Click here to see her book selections.
Sally began writing in 1984 while she was working for a nationwide children's book club. She has been a full-time author since 1995 and has had over 140 books published. She won the prestigious Smarties Gold Prize in 2005 for her novel ‘Spilled Water’, and 'Shhh' won the Children's Book Award in 1992 and was shortlisted for the Smarties Prize. She has also won and been shortlisted for a number of other awards. Sally is lauded for her ability to write across a wide range of subjects and for a wide range of ages – from street kids to giants and from toddlers to pre-teens.
