Gorilla

Product Information

Perform a reading of the story using expression to make it interesting to those listening. Use this video for inspiration: The book could be used as a class story because of the numerous talking points i.e. discussing Hannah’s emotions (there is a wide range throughout the text), whether animals should be kept in the zoo (Hannah says she feels “sad” when visiting the zoo) and the depiction of a single parent family (Hannah’s mum is absent from the story). The story could also help inspire creative writing; children could develop their own adventure/dream stories with their favourite animal. Or alternatively children could write a letter to Hannah’s Dad (or vice versa) explaining how she feels during the first part of the book, this activity may be better suited to older pupils. There is no comfort in this house — not even a sofa to sit on, and no carpet. Notice the map of Africa on the wall — a part of Hannah’s imagination. The truly masterful part of this illustration is that the light coming out of the television turns the pattern on the wallpaper into butterflies. The light coming out of the television is Hannah’s only company — her only brightness in an otherwise dark home environment. Could you create your own picture which is based on a famous work of art, but where the people are replaced with animals? This fantastical picture book from 2009-2011 Children's Laureate and Hans Christian Andersen Award winner Anthony Browne is a warm and sensitive story. With its beautiful, slightly surreal illustrations, it is a magical story to treasure and share again and again.

Description: Hannah spends all of her time reading gorilla books, watching gorilla TV shows, and drawing gorilla pictures. She has gorillas on her bedside lamp Gorilla’ tells the story of a young girl called Hannah who only wants nothing more but to spend some quality and valuable time with her father but Hannah’s father never seem to have time for her, so she is often left alone. Anthony Browne". Walker Books. Archived from the original on 14 December 2007 . Retrieved 26 December 2007. Browne, Anthony". Original artwork from children's book illustrators. Images of Delight. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007 . Retrieved 26 December 2007. A less well-executed story may have started with something like, “Tomorrow it was Hannah’s birthday…” It is particularly masterful that Anthony Browne withholds this information until the conclusion. Why? Because the brightness associated with birthdays lightens the ending. Since the first part of the book is melancholic, a birthday tone would not fit well.

Into the Forest

Hannah, a young girl, absolutely adores gorillas. The posters in her room; the bedside lamp, the box of cereal, are all adorned with her favourite animal. She spends her time reading, drawing or watching programmes about them. She has yet to see one in the flesh. According to CCSU, some runners-up through 2002 up were Commended (from 1959) or Highly Commended (from 1974). There were 99 commendations of both kinds in 44 years; 31 high commendations in 29 years, including Browne and two others for 1988, Browne alone for 2000. Anthony Browne, a Hans Christian Andersen Medalist, is the author-illustrator of many acclaimed books for children, including Silly Billy and Little Beauty. He lives in Kent, England. Hannah spends all of her time reading gorilla books, watching gorilla TV shows, and drawing gorilla pictures. She has gorillas on her bedside lamp Browne's books are translated into 26 languages and his illustrations have been exhibited in many countries including; The United States, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, France, Korea, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, and Taiwan. He currently lives in Canterbury, England.

Look at the use of speech within the text. Could you rewrite the story as a play? Could you perform the play to others? Browne and writer Annalena McAfee won the 1985 Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis, Picture Book category, for Mein Papi, nur meiner! (The Visitors Who Came to Stay). He also won the Kurt Maschler Award "Emil" three times, which annually (1982 to 1999) recognised one British "work of imagination for children, in which text and illustration are integrated so that each enhances and balances the other." [15] Browne was a winner for Gorilla (Julia MacRae Books, 1983), Alice's Adventure in Wonderland (MacRae, 1988) and Voices in the Park (Doubleday, 1998), as the illustrator of all three books and the writer of two. [15]Hannah's father is always too busy to spend time with her. One night, her toy gorilla comes to life and takes her on a long-awaited trip to the zoo. The next day, Hannah's toy is restored and her father has a surprise for her. Although very sad at the beginning I found this story to be refreshingly honest and deeply gratifying. D. Martin, "Anthony Browne", in Douglas Martin, The Telling Line: Essays On Fifteen Contemporary Book Illustrators (Julia MacRae Books, 1989), pp.279–90.

Hannah was frightened. “Don’t be frightened,Hannah,” said the gorilla, “I won’t hurt you. I justwondered if you’d like to go to the zoo.”The gorilla had such a nice smile that Hannahwasn’t afraid. “I’d love to,” she said.In the middle of the night, Hannah woke upand saw a very small parcel at the foot of thebed. It was a gorilla, but it was just a toy. Hannah and the gorilla see the primates at the zoo. Can you find out about primates? What different types of primate are there? How are they similar / different? Look at photos of different primates and draw your own pictures of some of them. You could also look at video footage of gorillas and other primates. For example:

The family visit the zoo, where they display behaviour which mirrors that of some of the animals, but where it also becomes apparent that the animals are equally unhappy. Hannah loved gorillas. She read books aboutgorillas, she watched gorillas on television, andshe drew pictures of gorillas. But she had neverseen a real gorilla.A Ana le encantan los gorilas. Sueña gorilas y dibuja gorilas, pero su papá nunca tiene tiempo para ir al zoológico. Cuando Ana le pide un gorila para su cumpleaños, ¡nunca imagina lo que el gorilita de peluche que le regalan es capaz de hacer!