This resource is great for:
Getting your class excited about reading, writing, drawing and performing.

Summary:
Watch a clip of Kristina Stephenson’s 2017 Book Festival event and then use our activities to help bring your own favourite picture book to life.

Download this resource:
Performing Picture Books with Kristina Stephenson – PDF
Performing Picture Books with Kristina Stephenson – Word doc

Introduction:

Watch the below video of 2017 Book Festival Illustrator in Residence Kristina Stephenson reading her book, Sir Charlie Stinky Socks: The Dinosaur’s Return. Don’t be afraid to take part along with the rest of the audience, with sound effects, actions, songs and suggestions!

Then, use our activities to help your class get creative by acting out a book themselves and writing their own adventure story.

Activities 

Part One: Expressive Arts

Kristina Stephenson’s events are more of a theatrical performance than a reading – with props, scenery, songs and costumes.

Create your own performance using one of the Sir Charlie Stinky Socks books (or another one of your favourites). Cast the various parts required – you will need a narrator to read the text of the book, with characters just saying their lines. Then choose sound effects or songs you know – or create your own using musical instruments! Find props, costumes and a set, or design your own using objects from around the classroom. Then, start acting out the story as your narrator reads along.

After a few practices, you could perform your story for parents or other classes in your school.

This is a great way to let pupils develop their presentation skills and grow in confidence.

Part Two: Creative Writing

Kristina Stephenson got the inspiration for her Sir Charlie Stinky Socks books from her young son Charlie, who imagined the Wiggly Woos were tickling his toes in their car one day. Make up a story about someone in your family. Imagine they’re a knight, like Sir Charlie, or maybe they’re an astronaut, an explorer or someone else who goes on adventures.  What silly or scary creatures are they going to meet on their adventure? How will they save the day at the end of the story?

You could write down your story or draw a picture, then tell someone about it. You could even go round a circle in class with each person contributing the next part of the story.

Further Information

For more fun ideas including songs, videos and activity sheets, visit Kristina Stephenson’s website.