puddles and the christmas play
DESCRIPTION
Puddles longs for a part in the Christmas play. “But there are no cats in the Christmas play,” the Sunday School teacher tells her. On each Sunday of Advent, Puddles watches the children practise and wishes she could join in. And then the day of the play arrives and Puddles’ help is needed! Is this the chance of playing a part that Puddles has been waiting for…? This is the third in a series of big books which introduce very young children to aspects of the Christian faith. They are designed to capture the interest and imagination of children through the adventures of Puddles – a very mischievous cat. Available from www.booksatpress.co.uk, ISBN 978-0-9558886-1-8TRANSCRIPT
Puddles longs for a part in the Christmas play.“But there are no cats in the Christmas play,”
the Sunday School teacher tells her.On each Sunday of Advent, Puddles watches the
children practise and wishes she could join in. And then the day of the play arrives and Puddles’
help is needed! Is this the chance of playing a partthat Puddles has been waiting for…?
Also availableIn the Puddles big book series: Fabulous soft toys of:
A Wet and Windy Harvest for Puddles Freddie the vicarPuddles Lends a Paw Puddles the cat
For a complete catalogue of all Books@Press products please visit
www.booksatpress.co.ukIllustrations by
Louise GwillymGill Vaisey9 780955888618
ISBN 978-0-9558886-1-8
Puddles Xmas Jkt purple2 10/9/08 4:11 PM Page 1
Published by
Books @ Press7 Butlers Mead • Millend
Blakeney • Gloucestershire GL15 4EH • UK
ISBN: 978-0-9558886-1-8
Text © Gill Vaisey 2008Illustrations © Louise Gwillym 2008
First published in the UK 2008
The right of Gill Vaisey to be identified as theauthor of this work has been asserted by her in accordance
with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved.No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means,electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
without the prior written permission of the Publisher. Any personwho does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may
be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
Design by David RosePrinted in China through Printworks International Ltd.
Copies of this book and accompanying resources are available from:
Gill Vaisey
Primary Religious Education Support Service
7 Butlers Mead • Millend
Blakeney • Gloucestershire GL15 4EH • UK
Telephone: 01594 516490
Email: [email protected] • Website: www.booksatpress.co.uk
For Biscuit ~ my inspirationGill
For NeilLouise
To all our cats –Matt, Morris, Merlin, Magic, Guinevere,
Arthur (who is away on an adventure), Thornton,Truffle, Mustard and Midnight
Gill
Lily and HoneyLouise
Acknowledgements:Many thanks are extended to the following for their valuable comments and support:The Revd Alex Pye, Martin Holmes, Lynda Jones and Ruth Lawrence.
About the Illustrator:Louise Gwillym is a Nursery Nurse who has beenworking within the school environment for elevenyears. Through working with primary age children,Louise has developed her individual style of artwhich captures the interest and imagination ofchildren of all ages, and in particular those inthe early years phase of education.
Teacher Consultant:The advice and expertise ofMelissa Griffiths has beeninvaluable in producing this bookand accompanying resources.Melissa has many years’experience as an RE Co-ordinatorand has worked with early yearspupils for six years.
About the Author:Gill Vaisey is a Religious Education Consultant specialisingin the primary and early years phases of education.After studying for her B.Ed. Hons. degree, with ReligiousStudies as her specialist subject, she taught primary agepupils before taking up a post as an Advisory Teacher forReligious Education in Gwent. Gill has been a successfulfreelance consultant since 1996 and has developed apassion for early years education through her mostrecent work with this age group.
Puddles and the Christmas Play is the third ina series of big books which introduce veryyoung children to aspects of theChristian faith. They are designedto capture the interest andimagination of children throughthe adventures of Puddles – a verymischievous cat.
Look out for other titles to follow more adventures ofPuddles, accompanied by the Reverend Freddie Fisher.
Puddles purred as she lay by the warm, cosyfireplace. She loved winter evenings – as longas she was snuggled up indoors!
The next morning, the ground was whitewith frost as Puddles followedthe Reverend Freddie Fisheralong the path to the frontof the church. Witheach step, she feltthe icy cold againsther littlepink paws.
Today was the first Sunday of Advent.Puddles watched as the ReverendFreddie Fisher lit the first candle of theAdvent wreath. The one flame flickeredbrightly and Puddles felt warmer.
The Reverend Freddie Fisher remindedeveryone that Advent was a time forlooking forward to celebrating the daywhen Jesus was born.
Today the children were going to start practising for the Christmas play. They were all very excited.
Puddles scampered over to the children asthey entered the school room. Everyone hadbeen promised a part in the play and herfluffy tail wagged with excitement.
When the children were ready,Miss Lewis read from the Bible.
Puddles enjoyed listening to thestory. She was glad that Maryand Joseph had found somewherewarm and cosy for their specialbaby to be born.
“Mary and Joseph were cold andtired after their long journeyto Bethlehem. The only placefor them to rest was a shelterused for the animals!
That night, amongst the cowsand the sheep, Mary gave birthto the baby boy who would growup to be a very special teacher.”
Everyone had fundeciding who wouldbe Mary and Joseph,and the angels,kings and shepherds.Ben was to be theinnkeeper.
But what aboutPuddles?
Puddles wondered which partshe would have in the play.
Had she been forgotten?!
She meowed loudly and rubbedherself against Miss Lewis’ legs.
“Oh Puddles,” said Miss Lewis,“there were no cats in the Christmas story.You can just watch.”
“But I could be a sheep,” thought Puddles.“Baa, baa,” said Puddles in her best sheep voice!
“Oh Puddles,” said Miss Lewis,“that’s very clever, but we havesome sheep for the stable.”
“But I could be a cow,” thought Puddles.“Moo, moo,” said Puddles in her best cow voice!
“Oh Puddles,” said Miss Lewis,“that’s very clever, but we havesome cows for the stable.”
“But I could be a chicken,” thought Puddles.“Cluck, cluck,” said Puddles in herbest chicken voice!
“Oh Puddles,” said Miss Lewis,“that’s very clever, but we havesome chickens for the stable.”
“Well, then, I could be a donkey,”thought Puddles.“Ee-aw, ee-aw,” said Puddles in herbest donkey voice!
“Oh Puddles,” said Miss Lewis,“that’s very clever, but we havea donkey for the stable.”
Puddles longs for a part in the Christmas play.“But there are no cats in the Christmas play,”
the Sunday School teacher tells her.On each Sunday of Advent, Puddles watches the
children practise and wishes she could join in. And then the day of the play arrives and Puddles’
help is needed! Is this the chance of playing a partthat Puddles has been waiting for…?
Also availableIn the Puddles big book series: Fabulous soft toys of:
A Wet and Windy Harvest for Puddles Freddie the vicarPuddles Lends a Paw Puddles the cat
For a complete catalogue of all Books@Press products please visit
www.booksatpress.co.ukIllustrations by
Louise GwillymGill Vaisey9 780955888618
ISBN 978-0-9558886-1-8
Puddles Xmas Jkt purple2 10/9/08 4:11 PM Page 1