Anthony Browne Links
Throughout July and August 2012, pupils from Brynteg Comprehensive and attendees of the Bridgend Summer Schools in: Ogmore Vale Life Centre,Maesteg Sports Centre, Bridgend Recreation Centre and Pencoed Comprehensive School, explored a variety of creative writing techniques and workshops inspired by the Anthony Browne Exhibition at the National Museum Cardiff.
One hundred and sixty individuals worked with performance poet Mike Church to create a series of stories and poems inspired by characters such as Willy the Wimp and Buster the Gorilla. The young people were also involved in creating willow figures inspired by the illustrations. The sculptures and poems were displayed at the National Museum Cardiff in September 2012.
Retelling of Willy the Wimp
Willy the wimp was walking and a fly was walking all over him. Willy the wimp carried on walking down the street and a bully barged right into him. He was on his way home when three robbers attacked him. One of them strangled him. Willy was in his chair reading a magazine. He was shattered. He saw a bully advert in the magazine on how to get strong. He ordered a book. Willy was reading his book all morning. Willy took right to the ideas in the book and started exercising first by jogging. At 12 o’clock it was lunch time. He was eating too many bananas. After dinner he started doing ballet. When he finished ballet at 1.30 he did boxing, but he was too small. He couldn’t reach his opponent. He was at the gym posing. While he was at the gym he did weight lifting. He got stronger and stronger. He went home to check himself in the mirror. He was no longer a wimp. He was proud. He was walking along the street and he was strong. He was proud. The robbers were picking on a lady, Willy the wimp came and scared them off. The girl gave Willy a kiss because he saved her. Willy walked away really chuffed. He was smiling so much. After walking into the lamppost, he felt more like a wimp again.
Gorilla
Abigail
Gorillas are not good at Maths or Language,
They do not study R.E., Times Tables, PSE, swimming and singing
But, they are really good at
Banging their chest and peeling bananas
And they are good at making noise,
They can’t however, cook yummy cakes.
Monkeys and Gorillas
Naomi
Monkeys and Gorillas eat bubble-stingies
But, they can’t draw like Leonardo
They can’t write like Francesca Simon about Horrid Henry
They can’t work on computers like my Mum
They can’t sing like pop stars JLS or Justin Beeber
They can’t put a bobble in their hair like I do
They don’t wear earrings like Britney Spears
They can’t cook like Jamie Oliver
Monkeys and Gorillas are happy scratching all day long
They can swing through the trees
They can play hide and seek
They are very cheeky
Bananas are their favourite food
They can make loud noises
Monkeys and gorillas.
Gorillas
Ellie May
Gorillas feel so sad sitting by frozen bars
All day long
They probably sing songs
Gorillas have five feet
They like eating world meat
I’d like to have one
So they can have fun
They can’t cook
But can eat with their foot
They sometimes have friends
Or play at the end
Then find some friends
Or climb up vines
They can be good or bad
But are mainly good like me
They’re so, so icky
But so, so cheeky
But then, they can eat bananas.
Gorillas can’t
Jack
Gorillas can’t
Play the violin
They can’t drive cars
Gorillas can’t
Play x-box
Can’t play guitars
Gorillas can’t play chess
But gorillas are good at
Banging their chest
And good at
Picking nits.
Gorillas
Shauna
A gorilla can’t eat chocolate
A gorilla can eat apples and bananas
A gorilla can’t ride a bike
But gorillas can make a bed out of leaves
Can gorillas eat meat? – no one knows
But gorillas can eat fruit
Gorillas are hairier than a dog and a cat
Gorillas can’t feed their pets
But gorillas can find bugs
One thing gorillas can’t do is read a book.
Gorillas
Gracie
I’d love to have a gorilla in my house
So I can have a friend to play with all day
They are so noisy and so cheeky
And they especially love banging their chests
But I wouldn’t want them banging mine.
The Gorilla
Bethan
Gorillas are bigger than monkeys
But not bigger than a house
But they can step on a mouse
You can have films about gorillas
And they eat lots of fresh bananas
They can sleep, play and fight
But most of all they can go out like a light.
Gorilla Tales
Ruby
Gorillas are friendly beasts
You normally find them in the East
They eat stuff like wheat
Never touch a single piece of meat
That’s gorillas for you
There are many types of gorilla
There is Sid, Chris and Bill
All rare types of species
Muscular and meaty
That’s gorillas for you.
Gorilla
Megan
Gorilllas can’t read, write or sing
Gorillas are good for everything
They can’t watch TV, dance or swim
But you could have a gorilla called Kim
They can’t tap dance on a rolly-bin, or drive
A fast car or fly like a bird in the sky
But they can’t lie, like a human can lie
They can’t talk, dream or go to school
Some might say that they’re a hairy fool
But one thing they can do is pop a
Banana better than me or you
That’s one thing a gorilla can do.
Gorilla
Jack
Gorillas can’t write or
Do many things that human beings can
But they can swing from tree to tree
They can’t do a forward roll or can they?
They can’t fly like a bird
Or tap dance
They can’t lie like human beings
Or read, or clean
They can’t drive a car
But the one thing they can do
Is be themselves.
The Big Gorillas
Izzy
When the big gorilla reads a newspaper
He never gets off his seat
Even when he reads a comic
And the morning, is when he’s at his worst
A gorilla always plays no matter what
Gorillas would like to be human
But they can’t do this
And they can’t do that
But what they can do is play a lot.
Gorilla
Isabella
Gorillas are naughty
They like swinging in the trees
They are funny
Gorillas are.
Gorilla
Lucy
Gorillas are really good at climbing trees
They can also make very loud noises
If you wanted the gorilla could read newspapers
Gorillas can do anything.
Gorillas can swim
Gorillas can win every race
Gorillas can write essays
Gorillas can do anything
Gorillas are the champions of eating
They hardly ever drink
Gorillas are the best
Gorillas can do anything.
Gorilla Lessons
Freya
I wanted a pet gorilla
But my parent said
“No, it’s smelly”
But I said
“They’re funny, they’re cool,
What else could you have?
I’ll be a gorilla teacher
My parent said
“We’ll see”.
My special gorilla
Jessica
My gorilla can juggle
My gorilla can play football
And play on his bike
He can balance thirty things
On his knee
He sometimes likes to have
A cup of tea
But most of all
He loves me.
Gorillas
Ffion
I wonder what it is like to live with a gorilla
Are they big and hairy?
What about scary?
Would they eat Mum’s blackberry?
Would they watch Dad’s TV?
What if they needed a wee?
They would eat all the pears.
What about all of their hair,
It would go everywhere!
Would he go to ballet with me?
So I have decided with my Mummy,
We will have a gorilla
Just for me!
My Gorilla
Jordan
My gorilla likes to sleep all day
But he always has a party, every Saturday night.
He eats all the bananas
And goes for a jog every Sunday morning
He often plays computer games
He plays on the Wii when he wants to keep fit
Sometimes he is sick,
When he eats too many bananas
He likes to play on the swings in the park
He likes playing on the slide too
When it is ‘take your pet to school day’
He always comes with me
The best thing is that he loves me
And I love him
My gorilla is a girl too.
Gorilla
Elise
Gorillas can’t do much
They can’t do what humans can do
They can’t read, sing or
Disco dance in Bridgend
Or fly like a bird in the sky
They can’t talk like us
Or say “hello” or “goodbye”
They can’t swim like a fish in the sea
Or cook an exotic curry
They can’t lie, dream or go to school.
The only thing a gorilla can do
Is peel a banana
Better than me or you.
Gorilla
Erie
Gorillas can’t read, write or cook
Gorillas can’t swim like fish or play football
Gorillas can’t play rugby. Although we could do with some for Wales
Gorillas can’t juggle or tame a tiger like in the circus
Gorillas can’t drive nor do gymnastics like to people in the Olympics
But gorillas are really good at ripping leaves off a tree.
Gorilla’s rules
Emily
Gorillas love cold weather
Because they have furry coats
If you have a gorilla in your home
You are mad.
Gangsta Gorilla
Jasmine
Gorillas are gangsters
They need fillers for
Pillars when they crash
Through them and bash
Their heads and as they tread
They start to dance then
They see Lance
From the knights of the round table
They start to chant into
A world of fancy pants
So goes those gangsta gorillas
For you the
Chimpy, chimps chorus.
Queen of Hearts
Owan Dancey
If I was the Queen of Hearts
I would make up all the rules;
Shoplifters, Robbers,
Bullies, Bosses,
Hostages,
Off with their heads!
Negotiators,
Kidnappers,
Swearing rappers,
Pranksters and those who are rude in public,
People who abuse bus drivers,
People who disable train tracks
Off with their heads!
People who make fun of Leonardo Da Vinci,
Or the Mona Lisa,
Or Mona Lisa Simpson,
Vandals,
Scandals,
Mangles and murderers,
People who hog the television
And switch off the Olympic coverage
Off with their heads!
If I was the Queen…..
Or King of Hearts
You had better watch out!!!!
Queen of Hearts
Bridgend Rec Play Scheme Crew August 2012
If I was the Queen of Hearts
Then hairdressers who ruin your fringe
Would be the first to go
Off with their heads!
Or little brothers who wander into your bedroom
Or people who tell you to get up…or to go to bed
Parents who are always arguing
Off with their heads!
Whoever took the last Starburst from the fridge
People who cause power cuts when you’re on the computer
People who wake you up with a loudspeaker asking for junk
People who sneak around in your private stuff
Off with their heads!
Little sisters who want to play princesses all the time
Teachers who shout at you for no reason
People who tell you you look lovely in clothes you don’t like
Family walking into the bathroom when you’re in the shower
Brothers who get their own room while I share with my sister
Mums who hurry you up when you’re talking to friends
My brother screaming when he can’t get his own way
Make me Queen of Hearts for one day
And then
Off with their heads!!!!.
