Little Billy Goat Gruff says, "Some of our words and letters have fallen out of our book! The color has been lost too! Please, can you help us? Color us in again and put all our words back together. Thanks!

This activity book accompanies the retelling, by Carnegie Medal winning author Susan Price, of the old favourite 'Three Billy Goats Gruff.'

First, enjoy reading the story, with its funny illustrations and repeated phrases.

Then open this book and color-in the illustrations - and see if you can help the goats by filling in the missing words and letters.

While small people will enjoy being read the story and coloring-in large letters spelling 'Eat him!' they won't appreciate, as bigger people do, how much they're learning.

Learning to listen and absorbing the pattern of stories is highly educational. Listening is a learned skill, and these old stories teach empathy as they increase vocabulary.

Closely observing the shape and grouping of letters in order to copy them into the blank spaces - with loving help from adults, of course - prepares children for both reading and writing. It makes children comfortable with books and pens, while the repetition of the task helps them memorise letters and spellings.

Research* has shown that children who are read stories at home before starting school, and who are encouraged to draw and color-in and do such simple 'missing word' exercises, start school with the equivalent of two years advantage in education.

* See the work of Dr. David Rose.