Billy's Bucket

Product Information

This books is brilliant in getting children to use their imagination and seeing what they can find in their own bucket. This is a classic 'low thresh-hold, high ceiling' book which can be used as a basis to form many activities - from arts and craft such as filling their own bucket, to deeper discussion delving around the need to accumulate the more typical 'stuff'. Whilst reading the book we transcend into Billy's world, which is a great one that children will love being a part of. The story of course, subtly is reinforcing to children that they do not have to necessarily be materialistic to have good play! Re read the book encouraging children to join in with some of the things Billy says such as ‘You must never ever borrow my bucket.

Many Hamilton units come with interactive Grammar Presentations integrated into the overall teaching and textual context. Billy’s parents are sceptical and are left shocked and surprised one morning after his dad borrows the bucket to wash his car. This book is perfect for children in Key Stage 1 as it encourages children to use their imagination.His parents offered him a number of gifts including trainers, a computer game and a bike but Billy insisted that he would much rather have a bucket. Anyone would think that Billy is just using his imagination once they hear what he says is in the bucket but he is actually telling the truth! Parents need to make sure they are listening to their children and allowing them to play as they please. This is such a lovely, beautiful, light-hearted story that gets your brain thinking as to why a boy would want a bucket for his birthday.

Billy only wants a bucket for his his birthday - not a bike, trainers etc, like his parents suggest to him. When Billy fills his bucket with water, it sets in motion mystical forces that defy the laws of nature.They offer suggestions of other more regular run-of-the-mill gifts but he sticks to his original request. Children could bring in their own buckets and decide what kind of things they would like to imagine being inside it. We finished the day reading one of our favourite stories from the Autumn term, Somebody Swallowed Stanley. When he found the special one he was looking for he filled it with water and then he could see many amazing things. It is even a very fun book for adults to read, as it really arouses your curiosity the very first time that you read it.

The illustrations that go along with the story really let you the reader dive right into Billy’s magical watery world. You are constantly wondering where this story is going, and whether or not Billy’s parents will ever believe him about the world of nature that is living inside his bucket. In the same way as the game I went to market and I bought adds a new item with each turn play ‘In Billy’s bucket there was’ with children. He sees many different sea animals at the bottom of his bucket, whilst his parents laugh away at what he's describing. I read a very funny review about this book, whereby a parent wrote that children can learn disastrous things can happen when people do not listen to what they have been told, just like Billy telling his parents never to use his bucket.We used a map to find attractions in South Shields including; The Word, Arbeia Roman Fort and the South Shields Museum and Art Gallery. During our English lessons, we thought about what we would like inside our magic bucket, we identified features of an invitation and wrote our own birthday party invitations.