Barnaby of Bramble Bay · Book 4 of 4
A warm winter read-aloud picture book for ages 4–8 about a grumpy cat, a glowing lantern and a friend with big paws.
Winter has come to Bramble Bay, and Barnaby has found the last warm spot in town: a little glowing lantern tucked behind the fishmonger’s shed.
He is NOT sharing it. Not with a chatty seagull, and certainly not with a puppy who has grown into a very big, very bouncy dog.
But when an avalanche of snow traps him in the dark, Barnaby learns that the warmest thing of all might be a friend with big paws.
The fourth book brings winter to the seaside: snow on the cobbles, a frozen harbour and one small lantern glowing behind the fishmonger’s shed. It also brings back two familiar faces. Pip, the chatty seagull from Barnaby and the Golden Fish, is here, and so is the Puppy from The Flea-Market Hat, whose paws have grown huge, which is perfect for digging a grumpy cat out of the snow.
It’s a story about sharing, asking for help and forgiveness, and about discovering that friends are warmer than any lantern. It works on its own, but children who know the earlier books will love seeing Pip and the Puppy again.
Bring back Pip’s fast, chirpy chatter, and give the Puppy a bigger, deeper version of his happy, bouncy voice now he’s grown. When the snow traps Barnaby in the dark, soften your voice and slow down: it’s a natural place to pause before you turn the page.
Afterwards, talk about why Barnaby didn’t want to share the lantern, and how it feels to need help from someone you were grumpy with. The read-aloud guide for parents and teachers has more questions.
Who’s in it: Barnaby · Pip the seagull · The Puppy
