by Anthony Browne
Questions for discussion:
- Look at the front cover of the book. Is there anything unusual? Compare the gorilla of the photo with a real one.
- Read the title of the book. Who do you think the title might refer to? What do you like about the front cover? Why?
- Before reading the whole book, ask the children to predict how the book might end.
- Focus on the images. Anthony Browne is the author and the illustrator. He draws very detailed pictures and sometimes hides a picture within a picture. He also likes to include things that make his readers laugh.
- What is the gorilla doing? (watching tv, drinking coffee etc) He looks very human. Why is he sad although he has everything he needs?
- It was a risk putting the little cat into the cage with the gorilla. How do you think she might feel?
- They are very happy together despite being so different.
- What are they watcing together? ( King Kong, a film about a gorilla that wasn’t well treated, that’s why he got angry) How do the kids feel when they look at the picture?
Additional activities:
- Create a story map with the class. Ask them to tell the story to other audiences.
- Create a comic strip version of the story and invite the children to write captions and provide the illustrations.