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Q Pootle 5
Q Pootle 5 thinks he knows what the problem is, in fact he is sure. The problem is that the rocket is broken, it needs a new rocket booster. But where on earth will this little alien find a rocket booster? A green earthing comes along but he can't help and neither can three birds. Perhaps Colin the Cat might be able to help - when he's finished his dinner that is...
32 pages, Paperback
First published September 4, 2000
2 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Nick Butterworth
369Ìýbooks39ÌýfollowersNick Butterworth was born in London and grew up in a sweet shop in Essex. He worked for various major graphic design companies before becoming a full-time author and illustrator. Among his picture books are Thud!, QPootle5, Jingle Bells, Albert le Blanc, Tiger and The Whisperer, winner of the Nestlé Gold Award. But he is best known for his stories about Percy the Park Keeper, which have sold more than 9 million copies worldwide. Percy has also appeared in his own television series.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 25, 2014
Anyone who doesn't have a child addicted to CBeebies (the 'early years' BBC channel) may not have heard of Q Pootle 5. I've become rather fond of him. He's an affable little green alien who lives on the planet Okiedokie, and potters around having gentle adventures with his alien buddies.
Having seen the show so many times, when I spotted this book amongst the large box of kids books we were given, I was rather chuffed. I'm a sci-fi geek, and there's just not enough good sci-fi for toddlers!
Unfortunately, I'm kind of disappointed with this one - and it's not really the book's fault - but it no longer sits right with the TV series.
Nick Butterworth initially wrote two Q Pootle 5 books, and then went on to develop the TV series. The TV series is massively more fleshed out and... different to the books. It's a coherent little universe - and this book now kind of jars with that.
In this book, Pootle crash lands on Earth. One of his rocket boosters is busted, so he goes looking for a replacement. He asks a frog (because the frog is green) and some birds (but they don't need rockets to fly) - and then a cat called Colin, who lets him use his empty tin of cat food as a new rocket booster. With the spaceship repaired, Pootle flies off to his friend's party and at the end we get a nice, big, fold-out pic of the party.
The pictures are crisp and lovely and my boy, Fin, loves the big swooping words that go right across the page at the start for when the spaceship crashes - he's a fan. The story/language was OK, but a bit so-so (I prefer kids books with rhyme, or at least funny words, funny voices, etc).
As far as Fin is concerned, that's all there is to it.
But I can't help doing a compare and contrast with the TV show. In the book, Pootle has gone to Earth. On TV, Earth is never mentioned. In the book, Pootle repairs his spaceship with a tin can. On TV, the components for the ships are all sensible spare parts. In the book, Pootle is going to a party for Z Pootle 6. On TV, no such character exists.
It's not a bad book, but it lacks most of what makes the TV show good, so fans are bound to be a little dissapointed. It's easy to see how the basic concept presented here helped inspire the show, but I think it's fair to say that if Nick Butterworth were to write a Q Pootle 5 book now, it would be very different. Unfortunately, that is the book I hoped to share with my son.
After this I read: The Big Sleep
Having seen the show so many times, when I spotted this book amongst the large box of kids books we were given, I was rather chuffed. I'm a sci-fi geek, and there's just not enough good sci-fi for toddlers!
Unfortunately, I'm kind of disappointed with this one - and it's not really the book's fault - but it no longer sits right with the TV series.
Nick Butterworth initially wrote two Q Pootle 5 books, and then went on to develop the TV series. The TV series is massively more fleshed out and... different to the books. It's a coherent little universe - and this book now kind of jars with that.
In this book, Pootle crash lands on Earth. One of his rocket boosters is busted, so he goes looking for a replacement. He asks a frog (because the frog is green) and some birds (but they don't need rockets to fly) - and then a cat called Colin, who lets him use his empty tin of cat food as a new rocket booster. With the spaceship repaired, Pootle flies off to his friend's party and at the end we get a nice, big, fold-out pic of the party.
The pictures are crisp and lovely and my boy, Fin, loves the big swooping words that go right across the page at the start for when the spaceship crashes - he's a fan. The story/language was OK, but a bit so-so (I prefer kids books with rhyme, or at least funny words, funny voices, etc).
As far as Fin is concerned, that's all there is to it.
But I can't help doing a compare and contrast with the TV show. In the book, Pootle has gone to Earth. On TV, Earth is never mentioned. In the book, Pootle repairs his spaceship with a tin can. On TV, the components for the ships are all sensible spare parts. In the book, Pootle is going to a party for Z Pootle 6. On TV, no such character exists.
It's not a bad book, but it lacks most of what makes the TV show good, so fans are bound to be a little dissapointed. It's easy to see how the basic concept presented here helped inspire the show, but I think it's fair to say that if Nick Butterworth were to write a Q Pootle 5 book now, it would be very different. Unfortunately, that is the book I hoped to share with my son.
After this I read: The Big Sleep
March 17, 2014
Q pootle 5 has landed. But earth is not the place he wants to be in. He was on his way to his friend’s party on another planet. But his rocket was broken and would not work. He meets a small green frog, three frogs and a cat called Colin. But will they be able to fix his problem? His running really late for his friend’s party on the moon and the cat’s empty can of food was not enough to make his rocket work.
The children can do many things with this book. I will recommend it to years 3-5. Firstly, they can engage in hot seating and role plays to gain an understanding of the characters in the story. They can continue the story in their own version to tell us what happens next. There is a great deal of creativity of words and crushing sounds used in different shapes and with exclamation mark. Children can explore these in comprehension, why the author did this and what effects he wanted to create.
In geography children can look at space, the moon and the earth and its relationships using the book as a starting point. In science and geography they can look at how different components go together in making cars, bikes and then spaceships and they can explore what the spaceship needs for it to work.
This is a good book and I will definitely recommend it.
The children can do many things with this book. I will recommend it to years 3-5. Firstly, they can engage in hot seating and role plays to gain an understanding of the characters in the story. They can continue the story in their own version to tell us what happens next. There is a great deal of creativity of words and crushing sounds used in different shapes and with exclamation mark. Children can explore these in comprehension, why the author did this and what effects he wanted to create.
In geography children can look at space, the moon and the earth and its relationships using the book as a starting point. In science and geography they can look at how different components go together in making cars, bikes and then spaceships and they can explore what the spaceship needs for it to work.
This is a good book and I will definitely recommend it.
April 7, 2018
QPootle5 is a good book it is about a alien that crashes his spaceship on earth, Earth is not the place where he wants to be. He wants to at a moon party. One of the rocket booster are broken a frog comes he can't help some bird come they can't help him butt a cat comes by and helps him he finished eating his food and put the cat food on he clicks start button it doesI l doesn't work there is food still in there he clicks the start button.does he make it to the moon party? It a surprise.
is a surprise
is a surprise
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 2, 2020
My Mum told me she used this book to inspire a whole 6 week topic for Y2/3! She included English/Phonics, Science (planets/space) and DT (junk modelling - spaceship is made out of hairdryers and tin cans)!
It's such a funny story! And the final fold-out illustration of the alien moon party would made a brilliant end of term party!
It's such a funny story! And the final fold-out illustration of the alien moon party would made a brilliant end of term party!
July 6, 2019
Have been reading Nick Butterworth since I was a young child. The illustrations are just adorable and the alien's story is equally cute! I love the added effect of the full page pullout illustration of their space feast.
November 12, 2022
-many opportunities for a variety of voices to be used with the different "earthlings" and Q Pootle 5
-funny story that engages the children, especially by the ending of the moon party
-funny story that engages the children, especially by the ending of the moon party
July 28, 2007
Good story with wonderful illustrations. Lots of opportunities to use different voices for all of the characters. This was the first book that I really enjoyed reading to my daughter and she loved it for over a year. Now she seems bored with it but I bet she'll re-discover it when she begins reading. She named our cat Henry after the name of the cat in the book. We have the hardcover version and my only complaint is that at the end of the book, the last pages fold out into a giant picture. While this is sort of cool, it's hard to hold the whole picture in front of a child while she's in bed. The folds are already well-creased and it's only a matter of time before the end of the book tears apart completely. The softcover edition may not have this problem.
March 16, 2015
This is a lovely little book that I have just come across on throughout my second PGCE placement. Q Pootle 5 has landed on earth whilst on his way to a moon party. He has a problem with his spaceship. He meets 'earthlings' - a frog, three birds and a cat and asks for their help to fix his spaceship. Can one of them help him get to his party?
This book is great with nursery and I would use this with reception also. It is great to use while looking at space as a topic as it mentions the moon and earth. It's also good when talking about PSED and helping others and thinking how to problem solve.
This is a lovely story that I will definitely be reading to children again!
This book is great with nursery and I would use this with reception also. It is great to use while looking at space as a topic as it mentions the moon and earth. It's also good when talking about PSED and helping others and thinking how to problem solve.
This is a lovely story that I will definitely be reading to children again!
March 18, 2008
Cute story
January 1, 2009
Ahh so cute.
January 10, 2015
A nice, cute little book my grand kids enjoyed!
January 21, 2016
PreK about an alien's spaceship breaking down and stopping on earth for help.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
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