Background

Written by Helen Ward and Wayne Anderson, this book is one that gets children talking

Themes: Fantasy stories, futuristic settings, materials, environmentalism, ecology

Why it's a hit: This is truly a book which gets children thinking. It can be seen as a story about the importance of looking after the Earth, a story about the power of resilience and perseverance or the idea that hope can spring in the darkest of places.

Cross-curricular links: Environment, materials, ecology

Perfect for: All age groups, but especially children aged 5-9.

Published by: Templar Publishing 

 

Summary 

The book beautifully contrasts a bleak, industrial world with the vibrant power of imagination and creation. An elderly man, yearning for nature's beauty, transforms a desolate scrap yard into a thriving, tin-made forest. It's a poignant tale about hope, transformation, and the enduring spirit of humanity. 

 

Personal experience 

I’ve only used The Tin Forest once, in Year 3, and I’m still kicking myself for not sharing its magic with other year groups. It’s a book I absolutely adore. In a previous school, we were stuck with a rigid English planning scheme that included The Tin Forest as a suggested text. While the planning was adequate, I yearned to create something more inspiring. So, I took matters into my own hands. When I became English lead, I convinced the headteacher to ditch the restrictive scheme in favour of more creative freedom. 

 

Before reading

I love to do the good old 'front cover prediction activity'. Yes, we've all done it before but somehow it doesn't get boring and this front cover is one I've had some cracking responses on. After asking some questions, making some observations and drawing some conclusions, I like to give the children some quotes from the book to see if they validate or challenge some of their original thoughts. If you've got some energy in you, you could also collect lots of bits of rubbish in a bin bag and empty it out onto their tables to add to discussion! This could work in your favour too - save the rubbish and add it to your Tin Forest classroom display (if you have one). 

 

Writing sessions

The Tin Forest is a treasure trove of writing inspiration. Children can craft imaginative tales set in wild environments, inspired by the book’s vivid descriptions. Comparing and contrasting the stark wasteland with the lush tin forest offers rich opportunities for descriptive writing. Stepping into the shoes of the old man allows for empathetic storytelling, while exploring environmental themes and the science of plant life cycles provides avenues for persuasive and informative writing but from the planning with which we were provided, we wrote...

- a diary entry 

- a 'protect the environment' persuasive piece 

- a poem

I'm in the middle of creating my own planning for this gorgeous book so stay tuned for some more ideas :) 

 

The pictures

I adore the images in this book. We created some beautiful art pieces, exploring contrast of greys with colour. Just take a look - they speak for themselves.