I sometimes find myself watching Cbeebies and thinking what a load of *insert chosen adjective here* about certain programmes that I find myself and my children watching. Some are beyond me, like Baby Jake, which I still don’t ‘get’ and that rabbit is just freaky. Yet my two like dancing to the songs, so I guess *that* is the point to it. Maybe. Who knows.
Another programme which has taken me a few showings to like is Abney and Teal. I recall watching it for the first time and wondering what on earth was it teaching my boys and what was with all the strange little characters like Bop (a furry water dwelling, tea drinking blob?) and Neep (a turnip?). However, after seeing it a few more times and even more now that Burton has suddenly grown a fondness for it, and I have come to realise that it actually doesn’t matter what it is about, because the characters are engaging and its kind of all about recycling and friendship and looking out for each other which are important life lessons to adopt.
It has made me realise that actually, I watched a lot of shows when I was a child that was full of weird and wonderful characters and maybe didn’t make much sense to adults. In fact Abney and Teal reminds me a little of Bagpuss as that had recycling themes (before it was know as that!).
To accompany the popular and acclaimed Cbeebies series, Walker Books have released three Abney and Teal books.
Always out for an adventure its two main characters discover all about Bop and his hiccups in Bop’s Hiccups which are like no other hiccups Bop has ever had before! He creates waves that get bigger and nearer to the shore!
In another book, Brilliant Boots a ‘something’ is found and everyone tries to work out what it is by trying to drink out of it, drive in it and slide down it. What is it?
We have read these books (two per night) every bedtime for the past fortnight! I may have ‘hidden’ them for now *ahem* so I we can have a little break and read I we something different.
The third book, An Island Adventure, is rather special because it is a pop-in-the-slot book. I don’t think I have ever seen a book like this before, but it comes with several character and imagery cut outs at the front of the book which you cut out and then as you read the story you can slot them into their relevant page slots to make a 3D story book.
This is a fabulous way of telling a story, but we haven’t had as much use of this because Jenson is a bit young for it so I dare not use it with the cut outs with Burton in front of him because he would not want to miss out and I am afraid he would tear or crease the cut outs. So for now, I have just read the story to him and Burton and I will use the character cut outs one day soon! (when we get some time alone)
They both adore the little beanie Abney and Teal that accompanies the TV series and to save arguments I closed my eyes and gave each boy a doll; Burton got Teal and Jenson received Abney.
Priced at £5.99 for the two story books and £7.99 for the pop-in-the-slot book, these are sure to please any Abney and Teal fan and are fun to read and there are lots of things to pick out in the illustrations too.
MUMMY MISHAPS PRIZE DRAW
Ideal with Christmas on its way, I have 3 sets of the Abney and Teal beanie dolls and books as featured in this review
Ideal with Christmas on its way, I have 3 sets of the Abney and Teal beanie dolls and books as featured in this review
To win, simply fill in the entry for below (3 sets of the above products to give away)
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I was sent copies of these books for the purpose of this review. All comments made are honest and my own.
I was sent copies of these books for the purpose of this review. All comments made are honest and my own.
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Thank you xx
Thank you xx
Neep! or Meep or whatever it is called, but you know the one 🙂
Definitely Teal!
Can I be honest and say that I dont have one? But Oli adores neep and loves Abney & Teal!! We have recorded episodes ready to watch whenever he needs a A&T fix! 🙂
Emma when i said ‘your’ it was the royal ‘your’ so Oli’s opinion very much counts!! good luck x
I like Abney. I generally think Abney and Teal is such a lovely,gentle programme. It doesn’t overwhelm like so many cBeeebies shows. I don’t get Baby Jake either but Bud is obsessed by him.
I personally like Neep ! Mad little turnip running around :0) My eldest daughter probably prefers Teal. It is a very gentle programme, as you say mimicking lots of elements of Bagpuss …. I’m old enough to remember this too ;0)
I personally like Neep ! Mad little turnip running around :0) My eldest daughter probably prefers Teal. It is a very gentle programme, as you say mimicking lots of elements of Bagpuss …. I’m old enough to remember this too ;0) PS: The comment below is me ! I had a bit of technophobe going on 🙂
I love Teal but my two love Abney! I love the show – and I know what you mean about baby Jake! Arghhhh!
I adore both these cute little characters. My favourite is Abney and I would love to win these books so I can add them to my collection that I’m reading to my blue bump due in February 2013.
We love Teal! We love Abney and Teal but we’re also big fans of Baby Jake! My toddler calls his sister Baby Jake 🙂
I like the poc pocs they are pretty cute. My son has suddenly discovered this program and become obsessed with it even though I thought it would be a bit young for him (he’s coming up to 5). We have one episode recorded about porridge that we have to watch over and over again so it’d be nice to win these books and look at something different.
I love Abney- same colour hair as me!
I love Abney as we love cats here. Very cute!
I love Neep & the Pocpocs. It’s baffling but rather lovely.
Pocs pocs are my favourite :o)
Oh, I love Toby Dog. That little tune he plays on his melodeon is so catchy. Random fact for you – the tune is by Tim van Eyken and several years ago I accidentally ended up at one of his gigs, thought he was fab and bought a cd. 🙂
poc pocs – so cute!
Abney – we are a cat family.
Neep !
Abney
Molly is inseperable from her toy Neep (he goes to nursery in her backpack) – we love A&T – it reminds me of ‘Pogles Wood’ from my childhood in the 60s – gentle, happy, quiet, warm… I rather wish I could live in a park on an island too.
May be boring, but Abney is also mine (and sons) favourite character 🙂 x
Abney, Amy is obsessed with cats at the moment x
both abney and teal are mine & kids favorite and neep is also not bad!
Both my son and I love Teal, she is loopy and we love it!
Teal definitely x
Teal, so cute 🙂
Teal…Too Cute!
Teal
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Abney and Teal DVD (review/give-away) | Mummy Mishaps
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