Barnaby of Bramble Baypicture books by Alan Cuzen

For grown-ups

Read-aloud guide for parents and teachers

How to read the Barnaby of Bramble Bay picture books aloud to children aged 4–8, with questions about friendship and sharing to talk about afterwards.

Every Barnaby book is written to be read aloud, with big sound effects, silly voices and a little lesson tucked inside. These ideas work just as well at bedtime as with a whole class on the carpet. Each book is a complete story, so you can start with any of the four: Barnaby and the Golden Fish, The Coziest Box in the World, The Flea-Market Hat and The Winter Lantern.

Doing the voices

  • Barnaby: a low, grumpy growl. He is not a sweet cat and he doesn’t want anyone to think he is. Keep a bit of grumble in his voice even at the gentle moments: he never turns sweet, he just makes a little room.
  • Pip the seagull: fast, chirpy chatter that barely stops for breath. “Is it fish? I adore fish! Are we having lunch together? I’m Pip!”
  • Pipkin, Penny and Peanut: three small, polite voices. Make Pipkin sound the bravest and Peanut the tiniest of all.
  • The Puppy: bouncy, breathless and delighted with everyone. By The Winter Lantern he has grown into a very big dog, so try a bigger, deeper version of the same happy voice.

Sound effects to shout

The noises in Barnaby’s stories are there to be shouted. Teach them before you start, then let children join in when they come round:

  • FLAP-FLAP-SQUAWK! Pip arriving in Barnaby and the Golden Fish. Flap your arms too.
  • “BEGONE, YOU NOISY LUNCH-THIEF!” Barnaby at his grumpiest. Big and loud.
  • PLINK! Another one from Barnaby and the Golden Fish that’s made for saying out loud.
  • TAP-TAP-TAP in The Coziest Box in the World. Knock on the book or the table.
  • WOOF! The Puppy, who won’t get out of the way in The Flea-Market Hat.

With a group, give different children a sound each and let them listen out for their cue.

Pauses and page-turn moments

Picture books are built around the page turn. Before you turn, pause and ask, “What do you think Barnaby will do?” Some moments are made for it:

  • Barnaby and the Golden Fish: “The paper lifted. The fish tail tipped.” Read it as two slow little steps, then let Barnaby watch “in horrified slow motion” before you turn the page.
  • The Coziest Box in the World: after TAP-TAP-TAP, stop and ask who might be outside the box.
  • The Flea-Market Hat: when the royal parade meets the puppy, ask who will move first: the King of the Alleyway, or the puppy?
  • The Winter Lantern: when the snow traps Barnaby in the dark, drop your voice, slow right down and wait a moment before you turn the page.

Barnaby’s face tells half the story. Point out his fur puffed up like a bottle brush, or his ears flattened in fury, and ask, “How is Barnaby feeling now?”

Questions about friendship and sharing

Pick one or two, not all of them. The best conversations usually start with the question children are already asking.

Barnaby and the Golden Fish

  • Why didn’t Barnaby want to share the fish tail with Pip?
  • Pip wanted to be friends straight away, and Barnaby wanted to be left alone. Is it OK to want some time on your own sometimes?
  • How do you think Pip felt when Barnaby shouted “BEGONE”?
  • What changed when Barnaby said please?
  • Does lunch taste better when you share it with a friend?

The Coziest Box in the World

  • Why did Barnaby want the box all to himself?
  • How do you think the mice felt, out in the rain?
  • Barnaby’s temper got the better of him. What could he have done instead?
  • Why does saying sorry matter? How do you say sorry when you’ve been grumpy?
  • The mice were brilliant at squeezing through gaps. What are you good at that could help a friend?

The Flea-Market Hat

  • How did the bowler hat make Barnaby feel?
  • Was the Puppy being naughty, or was he trying to be friendly?
  • What does “making room for someone new” mean? Have you ever made room for a new friend?
  • Is it hard to be patient? What helps you?

The Winter Lantern

  • Why didn’t Barnaby want to share his warm lantern?
  • How do you think Barnaby felt, stuck in the dark?
  • The big dog helped Barnaby, even though Barnaby hadn’t wanted to share. Why do you think he did?
  • Is it easy to ask for help? Who could you ask?
  • What does it mean to forgive someone?

Across the series

  • Barnaby says he doesn’t want any friends, but friends keep finding him anyway. Why do you think that is?
  • Barnaby never turns sweet, but by the end of every book he makes a little room. Is he a good friend?
  • What makes a good friend?
  • Who would you most like to meet in Bramble Bay?

Try it before you buy

You can read the first six pages of Barnaby and the Golden Fish free on this site, or watch the read-aloud on Barnaby’s YouTube channel. To find out who’s who, meet the characters. All four books are in paperback and on Kindle.