Making parachutes out of different materials and working out the best design, then dropping traction man from a height and see what the best design is Create a set of speech / thought bubbles for Traction Man at different points in the story to explain how he is feeling. Can you tell by his facial expressions and body language? It was a little spooky to see every child so absorbed. BUT, I lived for those silent moments during Reading Time. SO, I decided what the hey - a little magic never hurt anyone. Can Traction Man overcome the humiliation of his desperately dowdy new look and rediscover the action hero within or will the burden of the knitted green monstrosity be too great? Teaching Ideas and Resources: English

This is a great book for reluctant readers & for kids who enjoy making up stories when they play. The mix of play fantasy & everyday interactions with parents & relatives is quite entertaining. The gift from Granny is a challenge that Traction Man can & will overcome! Because every time you read a book it is different: Since the previous time I read this I read Dazzle Ships: World War I and the Art of Confusion. So, for the first time I get the "dazzle-painted battle pants" joke. My killjoy objections have to do with two throwaway scenes here. The first is a scene where a bad guy (the characters are all toys or household objects) kidnaps a feminine character to make her his "wife," which is really not a funny joke in any context, and pretty messed-up to include in a story for kids. The other is a scene where the hero rescues a bunch of naked Barbie dolls from a pit, and they breathlessly ask, "How can we ever repay you?" It's one of those cultural tropes that, if you think about it, just doesn't belong in a kids' book.I had planned on reviewing a different book today, but, hell, after last night, I think we need all the levity we can get . . .

Retell the story from the point of view of Traction Man, Scrubbing Brush, Turbodog, the boy or one of his family members. Using the pictures in the book, children can tell the story in their own words and making their own sound effects. Watch the story Explore Mini’s Sketching Weakly blog. Can you challenge yourself to complete a weekly sketching challenge? Could your work be shared with others on a blog or other space? The imagination & creativity of Traction Man will provide possibilities for expanding the story with activities. The action and dialog will attract readers. I recommend this humorous book for school and public library collections. And so is Scrubbing Brush, his brave and rather bedraggled pet. But one night Scrubbing Brush mysteriously vanishes and in his place is the utterly hygienic Turbodog, in indestructible Purple Plastic with Flashing Eyes, Electronic Bark and three AA batteries. But it’s not the same without Scrubbing Brush. Where can he be? Traction Man sets out on his greatest rescue mission yet.

Engage children with digital learning

We can clearly see how Traction Man is feeling and his emotional journey (happiness, joy, despair, worry, concern, excitement, confusion...) The inside cover shows a letter from Traction Man’s owner to Santa, explaining that his old Traction Man had a ‘Terrible Parachute Accident’. Can you write a story about this to explain what happened? I am going to be a killjoy about this one, which my kids love. I'm disappearing it the next time I do a book purge. Find the descriptive language used in the story (e.g. foamy waters, supersonic, hoist) and use this to create a collection of vocabulary that you can use in your own writing.

Children can draw their own Traction Woman and tell the story of her amazing adventures. Unusual pet Create a map of the house and label it to show the different adventures that Traction Man has in each part. Make a list of persuasive words and phrases that could be used in an advert to promote Traction Man and / or Turbodog.This book didn't move my world but I can see where it would appeal to some children. There is a lot of adventuring which for some children would really draw them in. The thing I did like was at the end where there was a link to science in regards to electricity. It was also a very moralistic story with lessons on the importance of friendship and cleanliness. Look at the illustrations of the boy’s house and imagine a new adventure that Traction Man could have in one of the locations. This is a sequel to the original Traction Man book. Can you read it and compare the two stories? Which do you prefer? Why? A little boy gets what he REALLY WANTS for Christmas - a Traction Man Generic Action Figure! Boo-ya! ( Warning: Contains small parts and loud shirt. Do not microwave.) Traction Man immediately leaps into action battling some Evil Pillows. Hooray! The Farm Animals are saved!