This evening as we finished off our dinner, Lara refused to share her pudding with Daddy! I'm sure there is a fable, or a parable which preaches that those who share will see great benefits in return and I resolved to find something suitable to read to Lara at bedtime to plant the seed of thought. Then it occurred to me that Anthony and the Ants (which was sent to me for review by Parragon books) would be the perfect bedtime store to teach the girls about sharing.
Anthony and the Ants is a children's picture book by Gemma Raynor. Anthony is an anteater (although the story rather suggests he wouldn't eat an ant!); the first time Lara read the story with me she thought he was a mouse with a long nose! Anthony notices that his food is disappearing in front of his eyes and when he finally finds out who is responsible (could it be those pesky ants?) he tries to escape.
But Anthony discovers that even ant-eaters are considered to be food in some places and just as he is about to be gobbled up, someone comes to his rescue and he is suddenly quite grateful that he shared his food after all.
There is a gentle rhyme throughout the book - nothing too in your face or repetitive. I love the illustrations which are all soft with a hand-drawn style and Anthony himself has super-cute eyes.
Lara enjoys the element of suspense at several places throughout the book. Who could be stealing? what will disappear next? Will Anthony get eaten? Who will rescue him? It is a funny tale and a great addition to our bookcase. I'd recommend it for reading to children age 2-7 and it is suitable for young readers.
