Pistes d'exploration

Make a list of three things you know about Toot (he loves to travel, likes his own bed, loves his friend Puddle, is curious to try new things, is forgetful . . .).

Write a postcard from Toot in Paris to Puddle back at home. Draw a picture on the front of the postcard and write your message on the back.

On a map of your community, indicate where each student lives.

Practise writing your full address.

Categorize what Toot and Puddle do individually and what they do together. Talk about activities you enjoy and compare them to the activities in the book (skiing, going to the beach).

Use a map to find the different countries visited.

Write an imaginary postcard to someone you know, from a place of your choice. Use the postcards in the book as models.

Plan a trip to a place you would like to visit and make a poster about it. 

Check out the LES: @@

The Gardener, Miss Rumphius, Gifts, Toot & Puddle: Top of the World, A Trip With Grandma, An Armadillo in Paris, Madame Martine, Dream: A Tale of Wonder, Wisdom, & Wishes

Mots-clés

Picture book , around the world , character , friendship , illustrations (watercolours) , letters , pigs , point of view , postcards , recurring patterns , seasons , setting , travel

Commentaire descriptif

Best friends Toot and Puddle have very different interests. Toot is a traveller, while Puddle is a homebody. When Toot decides to leave Woodcock Pocket and spend a year travelling abroad, Puddle explores the rich adventures of his own backyard. This engaging read-aloud about a pair of two sweet pigs is part of an ongoing picture book series. In this one, charming watercolour paintings on opposing pages compare and contrast their very different lives during the year spent apart—the left-hand page featuring Toot’s exuberant postcards from India, Africa and Europe and an accompanying illustration of his cultural experiences; the right page depicting Puddle’s “mirrored” adventure at home. While Toot writes home about the Spanish bullfights, for example, Puddle is jumping into Pocket Pond, shouting “Olé!” When the two are finally reunited, the message—that true friendship knows no boundaries—is one that readers of all ages will appreciate. The perforated back flap comes with instructions for making three postcards.