Home > Categories > Books > Kids - General > The Big Block Of Chocolate review
Miss Jenny buys some chocolate and plans to eat it all on her own. But before she can, first her dog, then her cat, and finally a magpie steal the big block of delicious chocolate.
First published in the 1980s, The Big Block Of Chocolate remains a firm favourite. This reformatted gift edition gives Christine Dale's original, much-loved illustrations a new look for a new generation.
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The Great Big Block of Chocolate... my absolute favourite book growing up as a child, and 1 which I have searched and searched for since having my own daughter, with sadly no luck of finding. When I saw this childhood favourite up for review I was beyond excited to see that it was making a come back, and the words suddenly became flooding back into my head "Miss Jenny bought some chocolate, a great big block of chocolate...", it was like I had read it just yesterday!
The cover and the graphics within the book were done well to represent the story, and illustrated exactly what was happening on each page well. They did in my opinion seem to be quite dull and lacking colouring and looked like they had been possibly done with crayons? They weren't quite like the old version I had many years ago which I remember being full of bright, bold colours, however this didn't stop me from loving this book as much as I used to as a child.
Working in a daycare I took this book along to the centre and I can say it was a hit with all the age groups from babies to preschool, with the children asking to read it again and again, after all what child doesn't love a story about animals and a tasty treat such as chocolate, with the older children learning about science currently this book fitted in quite nicely as it demonstrated what happens when chocolate gets left out in the sun for to long... it melts! Many of the teachers were overjoyed to see this book, as it was one that they also loved from their own childhoods, it is undoubtedly a book we will be purchasing for our centre collection.
Miss 4 has asked me to read her this book each night for the past couple of weeks, as she loves it! After a few times of me reading it to her she has learnt the story and is able to read it to herself, the repetitive text makes this a great book for early readers and the rhyme is fun too. Miss 4 thought it was silly that the ants ate all of the chocolate by themselves at the end of the book by themselves and said that if they had just shared with the rest of the animals that they wouldn't have got sick, this is quite right. A great book for illustrating the importance of sharing with others, especially with treat foods such as lollies and chocolate where overeating can cause sore tummies!
I love that some classic children's books are making a comeback from my own childhood in the 1980's it is so nice being able to share them with children and see that they are loved just as much as they were back then. If you're looking for a great book as a gift for a young child I can guarantee that this one is sure to impress, it is one I will be keeping in my teacher collection for many, many years!
I remember this book very clearly from my childhood it was quite possibly one of my very early picture books being born in the early 1980's and was one I always loved. I had all but forgotten about the Big Block of Chocolate when I saw this book available for review but instantly remembered the cover and the storyline and knew it was a book my own children would enjoy. I always love sharing books with them that I had in my own childhood and the true classics that have stuck around for generations will always be a hit.
The big block of chocolate did not fail to impress the classic artwork and the unchanged storyline even over 20 years later are just perfect and make the ideal picture book for young children and early readers. My 5 year old absolutely adored the story and after a few runs through was chanting the words along with me as I read him the story. The words are very catching and easy to remember with a bouncy rhyming pattern the words just fall off the tongue making it ideal to read a loud.
So Miss Jenny bought some chocolate but did she get to eat it or did others want to share? My son and I decided that sharing is always nice even though a lot of characters in the story wanted the chocolate all to themselves. My 5 year old who is always the sharing type said there was lots of chocolate in the big block and you would get sick if you ate it all yourself! All the same the characters found the chocolate the great big block of chocolate and said this great big block of chocolate is mine and all for me!! Oh dear!
We loved how the ants got to eat the chocolate in the end and they were all happy to share because there was so so much chocolate for tiny tiny little ants, but Miss Jenny may be a little bit upset when she discovers her great big block of chocolate is all gone. Still a true classic in my eyes a story that I think is so well written it doesn't age so suits todays children just as well as it suited children back in the 80's we will certainly treasure the story and i'm pretty certain my son will continue to want me to read it daily for the moment.
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