Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Reading Time
    • Home
    • Reviews
      • Highly Recommended
      • CBCA Short Listed
      • Early Childhood Books
      • Younger Readers
      • Intermediate Readers
      • Older Readers
      • ANZAC books
      • Great Read Alouds
      • Information Books
      • LGBTQIA+
      • Picture Books
      • Professional Development
    • Interviews
    • Suggestions
    • News
    • Meet The Review Team
    • Contact Us
    Reading Time
    You are at:Home»Reviews»Early Childhood Books»Introducing Teddy

    Introducing Teddy

    0
    By Admin on September 7, 2016 Early Childhood Books
    introducing teddy
    Click on book cover to buy from Booktopia

    Jessica Walton (text), Dougal MacPherson (illus.), Introducing Teddy, Bloomsbury/Allen & Unwin,  June 2016, 32pp., $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781408877623

    Errol and his teddy, Thomas, play together every day until one day Thomas seems depressed and sad. While Errol tries his best to cheer up his companion, Thomas  is worried about telling him what the problem is as he fears losing his friend. After Errol’s reassurance that they will always be friends, Thomas reluctantly admits that in his heart he has always been a girl teddy not a boy teddy and wishes to be called Tilly. Errol respects his teddy’s wishes stating, “I don’t care if you’re a girl teddy or a boy teddy! What matters is that you are my friend.” Their friendship remains and they continue doing the same things as before while the smile on Tilly’s face reveals the joy she feels in her new identity. Soon they are joined by their free-spirited friend, Ava, who has built a robot for companionship. Ava tosses away her hair ribbon and when Tilly shifts her bow tie to her head as a hair ribbon, Ava encourages Tilly to wear whatever makes her happy. The story ends with a happy gathering of the friends enjoying each other’s companionship and differences.

    Introducing Teddy ventures into the difficult and controversial area of gender identity in young children. Its resolution is joyful and an atmosphere of acceptance and happiness pervades. Thomas’ relief at being able to tell the secret that had limited his joy in life is palpable in the energy and enthusiasm that infuses Dougal MacPherson’s illustrations in the later stages of the text when Tilly is free to be herself. While such changes of gender identity in real life may be more complicated and harrowing, Introducing Teddy emphasises the importance of friendship and of accepting a person for who they are. Suitable for pre-school and primary age children, it broaches a complex topic with sympathy and sensitivity that will hopefully promote discussion, openness and understanding about gender identity.

    Teaching Notes can be found on the Scholastic website.

    Reviewed by John Nolan

    • Read an interview with Jess Walton about what inspired her to write this book
    • Read Sharon Seymour’s review of Introducing Teddy

    Related Posts

    Wonderful Shoes

    Grumble Boats

    Walk of the Whales

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    • Themes
    • Curriculum
    Action adventure Airplanes Alphabet Anxiety autism Bullying CBCA Awards Coming of age Dystopian emotions family fantasy friendship grief Historical humour magic Mystery Post apocalyptic Readers Cup reluctant readers school Sci-Fi series of books siblings Sport Starting school Teacher Notes
    ANZAC Australian animals Australian history Biography Culture & Diversity Disabilities First Nations Geography health Humanities mental health Poetry Reconciliation resilience Science STEM Stolen Generation sustainability Wordless books



    Recent Comments
    • Cherie on Elephant Island
    • Patricia Tilton on Freddy the Not-Teddy
    • Jilanne Hoffmann on Freddy the Not-Teddy
    • Penelope Pratley on The Secret of Sapling Green
    • Emily Flint on Walk of the Whales
    Recent Posts
    • The Bravest Word
    • The Ghost Locket
    • The Ghost Locket
    • Enough Love?
    • Wonderful Shoes
    Recent Comments
    • Cherie on Elephant Island
    • Patricia Tilton on Freddy the Not-Teddy
    • Jilanne Hoffmann on Freddy the Not-Teddy
    • Penelope Pratley on The Secret of Sapling Green
    • Emily Flint on Walk of the Whales
    © Copyright 2021 The Children’s Book Council of Australia - All rights reserved

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    Posting....