By Sally Anne Garland (author) , Sally Anne Garland (illustrator)
"A lovely book to explore big feelings."
Paperback In Stock £7.99 £7.19
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Poor Cub, he arrives at school his head full of thoughts – endpapers showing stormy grey seas matching his mood. His friends try to cheer him up, but he snarls at them, and when little Mo offers him her teddy to cuddle, he throws it high up into the big tree.
It’s then, as he swings on the tree’s lower branch, that Cub begins to work through his big feelings. Pushing against the branch and letting it sweep him back makes him feel likes he’s going somewhere good. Soon his friends join in, and the branch has become a boat for them to row through stormy seas. They ‘heave ho’ together until the bell goes, landing safely back on shore.
This lovely story offers all sorts of opportunities for discussing big feelings with little children and will show them ways to cope – through play, movement, friends. With its friendly school setting it will also be very good to share with young children about to start school or in their first weeks.
And if you’re worried about little Mo’s teddy, stuck in the tree, don’t be: Cub climbs up to rescue it. Peace and happiness restored, and ‘the smile on Mo’s face made a space inside Cub that felt as big as the sea’.
Cub swings angrily from the branch of a tree - until he calms himself down and welcomes his friends on an imaginary journey.
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“I wanted to gently open up conversations about big feelings and why some young children might seem to be acting out or behaving differently in a way that is relatable to children or even helps a child to find ways to process their own big feelings,” Garland says.
Heave Ho plays upon the Winnie the Pooh series by A. A. Milne, which showcases different characters with unique neurodivergence types. “I reread ‘The House at Pooh Corner’ recently while writing Heave Ho Sally says. “It struck me how it is not necessarily just about different personalities all trying to get along, but rather a group of characters thinking about the world in their own individual ways.”
Sally Garland’s picture books are a perfect pick for storytime at home, in the classroom, or at the library and will resonate with kids’ emotional intelligence and empathy.
Praise for The Moon Seed;
“A quietly spectacular picture book, reimagining the journey of a seed aboard Apollo 14.” – The Guardian
Praise for The Chalk Garden;
“A lush, joyful picture book, full of growth, colour and creativity.” – The Guardian
Sally Anne Garland grew up in the Highlands of Scotland. According to her parents, her first really good drawing, at the age of four, was a large mural in crayon on the sitting-room wall.
A graduate from Edinburgh College of Art, Sally Anne has illustrated over 60 picture books. She has also authored many of her own stories that have received critical acclaim from The Guardian and starred reviews from Kirkus.
She is now settled in Glasgow with her family and enjoys finding and telling stories from the everyday that inspire creativity and curiosity in children.
Stuck Inside was inspired by her interest in the small world children inhabit, the way the simplest things can be so new and exciting, and how the best fun often begins when children are at their most bored. When she's not drawing or writing stories, she has fun reading books or watching movies INSIDE, and going on walks OUTSIDE.
Thoughts from Sally about her book, The Chalk Garden;
Stuck Inside is inspired by your holidays with her grandparents. How important is the urban setting for your latest book, The Chalk Garden? It’s lovely the way the garden is slowly revealed!
I live in a city so I suppose it was only natural for me to set the story in an urban setting. It fascinates me how quickly nature can invade and take over even the most man-made of environments. Weeds that can push through tiny cracks in pavements or sapling trees that miraculously grow on top of tall buildings - it amazes me how determined nature is to reclaim what was once it’s and I thought a yard that is completely concreted over and seemingly lifeless was a good start for a story.
There’s lots of research to show that gardening is good for mental health – as well as good for the environment....
Yes, I think during lockdown a lot of people discovered this and actively sought out natural spaces and gardens to feel relax. Both drawing and gardening are mindful activities and good for mental health.
Do you have a garden? And time to spend in it?
I live in a tenement flat so I don’t have a garden however I have access to a lovely, large communal garden which I share with my neighbours. I am often in it with a mug of tea (particularly in the summer) and also when my son was very young we used it a lot
It’s good to see a Dad with his child – why did you decide on a father as the person to help Emma transform the chalk garden?
I wanted to show Emma learning through her own observation and drawing. Her garden is wild, growing naturally without interference, her Dad is busy cultivating their garden in the background but his activity only mirrors what Nature is doing in Emma’s small patch of earth. Although there is a parental presence, the book is essentially about what Emma discovers for herself by simply observing and instinctively following Nature rather than being instructed or shown by a parent.
Emma is the only child in the book. She creates the garden herself. She doesn’t have friends with her. Is this significant?
That’s a good question. To be honest I wasn’t conscious of doing so, I think maybe because childhood can have such big moments of solitary exploration and self-discovery, I may of unconsciously reflected this. Kids are noisy but also occasionally have a great capacity to be quietly absorbed in the self-study of something.
There is very little dialogue in the book – is this significant? Action speaking louder than words?
I suppose this book is about looking and learning through drawing - an act that requires little or no discussion. Talking and sharing information is extremely important but so too is silent observation and one of the best ways to do this is by drawing - even if it is with chalks in a garden.
Emma longs for the birds to come but has to be patient - How important is it for children to understand that things don’t happen immediately?
I think it is important, particularly in a era of digital communication and instant information . Nature is perhaps the best teacher of patience and also learning how to slow down and self-regulate in a very stimulating world which is a key skill now.
We've got some great stuff related to this book in our KidsZone. Head over there and check it out now.
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Cub is in a bad mood and doesn’t want to play. He finds a game which sparks his imagination and lifts his mood in this beautifully illustrated book about our emotions.
A simple book dealing with complex emotions: anger and how to cope with angry feelings. Cub starts the day in a bad mood and reacts grumpily to all his friends, repelling their approaches, until he finds an activity that relieves his mood and sparks his imagination, and in which his friends can take part. The story doesn’t attempt to tell children how to react to angry feelings but accepts that anger is part of a child’s natural span of emotions. It is also a charming read about an imaginary adventure; that it is set in a background that most children will recognise whether they are nursery or school age is a bonus.... Read Full Review
A beautifully illustrated story that acknowledges big feelings and the importance of friendship.
Heave Ho is a beautiful story about Cub who comes to school feeling unsettled. His friends try to help him, however he is so full of anger, he needs to find his own way of calming himself down. From this, he creates his own imaginary game that soon all of his friends join in with. Cub is now filled with another big feeling - happiness.
Heave Ho is a really effective story at exploring big feelings. The beautiful drawings support the plot and provide a clear visual image of how the character is feeling. The shift from the opening end papers of a violent storm to the ending end papers of a calm sea are stunning and would provide great opportunities for discussion around managing storms within ourselves.... Read Full Review
Heave Ho certainly moves in the right direction!
This book oozes class! Friendly, inviting and enjoyable to follow I'm certain that it will be a welcome addition to book shelves around the country!... Read Full Review
Cub swings angrily from the branch of a tree - until he calms himself down and welcomes his friends on an imaginary journey. “I wanted to gently open up conversations about big feelings and why some young children might seem to be acting out or behaving differently in a way that is relatable to children or even helps a child to find ways to process their own big feelings,” Garland says. Heave Ho plays upon the Winnie the Pooh series by A.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Heave Ho and determined it is suitable for children aged 3-6 years old
Heave Ho features in the following genres: Featured Books for 3+ readers, Featured Books for 5+ readers, Books Reviewed by our Reader Review Panels, Recommendations, Stories about Family and Friends, Animal Stories, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational
Paperback. £7.19, down from the £7.99 cover price. In Stock.
Heave Ho was written by Sally Anne Garland and published by Sunbird Books
Heave Ho has 40 pages
£7.19, reduced from £7.99. In Stock.
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