Mabel and the Mountain

Mabel may be small, but she has some big ambitions. Number one of these is to climb a mountain. Her fellow flies are not very supportive, pointing out amongst other things that flies fly- they don’t climb. But Mabel is bursting with positivity and sets off immediately.

However, she soon discovers just how hard a task she has set herself. Others are quicker, stronger, louder and downright rude so Mabel considers adjusting her plans until she listens to the little voice inside, telling her that she can! She perseveres, triumphs and inspires others to follow their dreams too.

What a wonderful story for encouraging perseverance! It is not often that a fly gets a starring role, but small though she is, Mabel is delightful, showing that anyone can achieve their dreams if they work hard. Perfect for assemblies or PSHE lessons, Mabel is easy to relate to and when the going gets tough, children could be reminded of her attitude. I particularly like the references to others who seem better at mountaineering than Mabel, making her achievement seem all the greater for her hard work and tenacity.

Although the story packs a powerful message, it is done with humour and a light-hearted touch. The illustrations are delightful and it would be easy to engage children with creating their own fingerprint fly characters and setting them off on their own adventures. This would be a lovely story to use for a Book Hook session…

‘Mabel and the Mountain’ buzzes with its positive message about believing in yourself, persevering and achieving your dreams.

Mabel and the Mountain

Kim Hillyard

Ladybird ISBN: 978-0241407929