Little Beauty by Anthony Browne

Who could resist a story about a gorilla who signs? A very special gorilla has been taught sign language, but he is sad. He signs that he is lonely and wants a friend. His keepers give him a little cat called Beauty and they become the best of friends. But one day the gorilla gets very cross with a TV show and breaks the television. Will his keepers think he is too violent to have a tiny cat for a companion? However Beauty is loyal and manages to do some quick thinking to save the day.

This is an engrossing story about loneliness and the power of friendship. The reader becomes very engaged in the story and empathises with the gorilla as he looks after his little friend. Anthony Browne's illustrations are amazing. Each picture begs to be examined closely and it would be an excellent book to read aloud. It could also be used when looking at zoos, animals in captivity and animal intelligence.

Themes: Loneliness, Friendship, Zoos.

Pat Pledger