Product Description

This is a modern picture-book classic - there's never a dull moment with the Large family! When Mrs Large decides she is too fat, she puts the whole family on a diet. Biscuits and crisps are out; healthy meals and healthy jogs are in. But for hungry elephants, dieting is definitely not a piece of cake! "The Large Family" series has sold nearly four million copies worldwide.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1559878 in Books
• Published on: 2006-06-05
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 32 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Mrs. Large, that peerless pachyderm parent last seen in Five Minutes' Peace , makes a return engagement. This time, she decides that she's just a tad too elephantine (as her baby succinctly puts it, "Mummy's got wobbly bits"). Accordingly, she dons an enormous orange sweatsuit emblazoned with the word "FIT" and puts her reluctant husband and the four little Larges on a diet. There's watercress soup, grated carrots and other unappetizing fare, as well as lots of jogging. Nothing seems to work, however, and the fitness kick is undermined by the arrival of a cake from Granny. None of the Larges can resist its sugary allure, and in a hilarious climax they unwittingly rendezvous in the kitchen for a midnight snack. Murphy's drawings are both delicate and droll (the sight of Mrs. Large tiptoeing determinedly to the kitchen in nightgown and curlers is particularly memorable), and the tale's message--that it's important to love yourself the way you are--will strike a universal chord in readers. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
"* "Family life is beautifully observed with a humour that appeals to both adult and child." The Daily Telegraph"

About the Author
Jill Murphy is one of this country's best-known author/illustrators. She wrote and illustrated her first book, the bestselling The Worst Witch, while still only eighteen. She won the Smarties Prize for The Last Noo-noo in 1995. She lives in Bodmin, Cornwall.

Customer Reviews

Roxie's Review
When Mama Elephant put the family on a diet, their will power remains strong until Grammy sends a cake. With the jogging before breakfast and the jogging after school there isn't much time to think about food, the Elephant family is sure to lose weight, right? Wrong! Maybe Elephants are meant to be fat! The illustrations are very good. Each has terrific deatail and facial expression. A warning is due for this book however because of the focus on weight loss. I'm not so sure the book goes about the issue as sensitively as it should. The first words of the text are "I'm Fat." Although Mama stresses the Elephant family should "get fit," not lose weight, the focus is still on being fat. Knowing the damage being called fat can cause, this book should be read in an educated manner if you choose to read it to your child. After reading it, try to have a short discussion of the healthy foods the Elephant family could eat instead of cake.

Brilliant
An excellent book, both for reading to children and for new readers to read themselves. The antics of the Large Family will have you in stitches!

Delightfully funny
This book is delightfully funny, both with the text and the pictures. The mother is described at one point by the baby as having wobbly bits. The only down side with this book is that it sort of sends a mixed message regarding weight. They do all the right things and don't lose weight. The Fats end up deciding elephants are meant to be fat. Confusing. Overall though, the story and the pictures make up for this mixed message.