Twigs and Stones
A funny, warm and wise picture book by world-renowned Joy Cowley and Gavin Bishop that captures the essence of friendship with a gentle reminder about being kind to others
Snake and Lizard live together in a burrow in the desert. They are such good friends that Lizard decides to display their names above the burrow entrance.
But three small words can cause trouble between friends.
They must decide whose name should appear first. Then Lizard makes an unfortunate spelling mistake—he thinks it’s very funny but Snake is not laughing. Snake finds some spelling of her own that will teach Lizard a lesson!
The friends eventually find a way to put the argument behind them in this funny picture book that holds a mirror to our human flaws and reminds us that names and nicknames must be used with care.
Resources
Creators
Joy Cowley lives in New Zealand, and her books are loved by children all around the world. She is a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Gavin Bishop ONZM, Tainui, Ngati Awa, is a leading New Zealand illustrator. He has published over 70 books internationally and been translated into 12 languages. His numerous awards and honors include Te Waka Toi Sir Kingi Ihaka Award, recognising lifetime contribution to Maori art and culture.
Reviews
Snake and Lizzard live together in a hole under the rock and are good friends. When Lizzard puts up their names in large letters over the entrance, using twigs stuck with mud from the river, their friendship is put to the test. Lizzard did it all by himself: Snake and Lizzard. Snake loves it when she sees it, but after a succession of events, the words get mumbled and their meaning changes. Luckily good friendships pass every test!
thekidsbookstagrammer via Instagram
This full colour hard back will be a great read aloud with children on a knee or at bedtime, talking about what the characters are feeling and why, but just as entertaining for children aged 5-8 with the clever word play. Another treasure for kiwi kids!
Whatbooknext
Bishop brings the characters and setting to life, with his distinctive style bursting from the pages. There’s a hint of nostalgia there too, with the colour palette harking back to the stories of Cowley’s adults will love and remember. It’s a timeless book, one that I can see being handed down through the generations. Twigs and Stones is a warm and wise story that will help teach our younger generation about relationships, friendship, compassion and kindness.
NZ Booklovers
There’s a gentle humour in both Joy Cowley’s telling and Gavin Bishop’s pen and ink and watercolour illustrations . The expressions on the faces of both Snake and Lizard are splendidly done heightening the drama throughout the squabbles, making this a great read aloud story with lots of potential for class discussion. It should certainly reassure children that friendships are important and silly incidents should be forgotten quickly.
Red Reading Hub
The title plays on the rhyme ‘sticks and stones’ but unlike the rhyme, Snake and Lizard come to understand that words do matter and must be used with care. Gavin Bishop’s distinctive style and colour palette add depth and vibrancy to the story with illustrations that perfectly capture the mood and personalities of Snake and Lizard. Warm and engaging, this is a book to be shared and treasured by young and old alike
Magpie Magazine
