At the British Library workshop for the 5-7 age-group today, I read out a story about a black dog.
Mr Hope is afraid of the black dog because it’s as big as a tiger.
Mrs Hope is afraid of the black dog because it is as big as an elephant.
Adeline Hope is afraid of the black dog because it’s as big as a Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Maurice Hope is afraid of the black dog because it is as big as Big Jeffy.
“What do you think Big Jeffy is?” I asked.
“I think it’s a very very very very very very very very very very very big alien,” responded one six-year-old.
We discussed what an alien is. We discussed whether or not aliens are friendly, whether or not aliens are like humans, whether or not aliens are monsters, and whether or not aliens have LASER guns.
But we all agreed to the suggestion that Big Jeffy was an alien.
One of the children, when it came to colouring her thoughts, drew a big, smiling, two-legged alien with horns.
After a whole story about a scary black dog, that’s what she chose to draw.
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