Synopsis/Review:
Traction Man is here! And in case you hadn’t worked it out, that is a very good thing! Every good action story needs a hero, and Mini Grey has created a hero for our time with her strong, brave and oh-so-fashion-conscious action figure (who bears absolutely no resemblance to a real-life action figure…none at all!). Traction Man travels from room to room, discovering and resolving all manner of disasters whilst defeating domestic super-villains including, but not limited to, a poisonous dishcloth and some evil pillows. With an outfit for every occasion, both suitable and stylish, our hero faces his greatest challenge yet when presented with a very…thoughtful gift on Christmas Day. Will our very own man for all seasons be able to save the day even if he doesn’t quite look the part?
‘Traction Man Is Here’ is, it is no exaggeration to say, the picture book which ignited my love for picture books. As I’ve commented in my blog post ‘Help… I’m a PictFictAddict!’, I did not have a great deal of experience of picture books growing up. When I found myself working as a Teaching Assistant in a Year One class, this was the first picture book I read to the class. I was hooked! Mini Grey has taken several familiar concepts: action heroes, toys, make-believe and many more, and woven them into a thoroughly enjoyable comic-book style adventure. With its action and comedy for pupils and clever humour for older readers with some experience of the superhero genre, notably his cool catchphrases and Bond-like suave…ness, this is one of the most requested stories whenever I bring my own books in to share! And with books 2 and 3, ‘Traction Man meets Turbo Dog’ and ‘Traction Man and the Beach Odyssey’, already released, there is plenty for this part-Bond, part-GI Joe, all-hero to bring to your classroom. He’s the man the dolls want and the men want to be, and for the teacher he provides a treasure trove of learning opportunities.
Recommended Age: KS1 (Though I’ve heard of use in LKS2 too!)
Themes/Topics:
- Superheroes
- Toys
- Homes
- Adventure
- Explorers
- Fashion
- Pets (Books 1-3)
- Comic Books
- Family
- Special Occasions
- Christmas
- Holidays/Seaside (Book 3)
Teaching ideas:
- Create comic strips for a Traction Man adventure – including speech
- Write persuasive letter asking for Traction Man toy for Birthday (as seen at very start of story)
- Design, describe and create own Traction Man sidekick/pet
- Myriad drama/role-play possibilities!
- Write own Traction Man story based in your school – which objects could be the villains?
- Design stylish, yet suitable, outfits for Traction Man and have a fashion show
- Science: materials – investigate suitable materials for a Traction Man outfit for different adventures
- History: Compare modern toys to those played with in the past
- Music: Create a composition for each scene of the story – could be performed alongside drama
- Art: Use variety of media to design outfits for Traction Man
- PSHE: Explore the range of emotions displayed in book
- PSHE: Write a letter to advise Traction Man what he should do when he receives a gift he doesn’t like
- RE: Use the Christmas gathering to explore celebrations
