Nen and the Lonely Fisherman

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Bookshops, libraries and the local farm shop are the highlight of our week, well alongside reading copious amounts of books snuggled together wherever we go. TRAILBLAZER – Nen and the Lonely Fisherman I’d also recommend getting in touch with A New Chapter, which is a new online bookshop. They are able to curate sets of books for you relating to the themes you are exploring with your class and are very reasonable.

Children at every age have a right to see same-sex couples represented in their books in an age-appropriate, positive and celebratory way. This is a three-session spelling seed for the book Nen and the Lonely Fisherman by Ian Eagleton. Below is the coverage from Appendix 1 of the National Curriculum 2014. There are two very special illustrations in the book. One is of Nen and Ernest staring lovingly into each other’s eyes after a terrible storm. We felt this special moment really deserved a close-up of their faces to capture the love between them. Nen and the Lonely Fisherman by Ian Eagleton (author) and James Mayhew (illustrator) is a classic ‘little mermaid’ tale focussing on a beautiful and blossoming LGBTQ+ relationship. Nen is a merman in search of true love, he sends a song of hope across the sea where it is heard by Ernest. Ernest is a gentle and caring fisherman who hopes to find warmth in his heart, and when the two meat they form a special connection. However, Nen’s father Pelagios isn’t happy with this special friendship and creates a wild storm at sea to protect his son and his ocean home. Will Nen be able to save Ernest from his father’s dismay? Having taught in primary schools for 13 years, I can honestly say that this is not the type of thing that children need to be shielded from. Learning about different, diverse relationships and people encourages children to see beyond their own world and gives them the ability to empathise with others.

I hope you find so much joy, wonder and magic in our little book. That it helps you to imagine and dream and know that everyone deserves a happily ever after. Spelling Seeds have been designed to complement Writing Roots by providing weekly, contextualised sequences of sessions for the teaching of spelling that include open-ended investigations and opportunities to practise and apply within meaningful and purposeful contexts, linked (where relevant) to other areas of the curriculum and a suggestion of how to extend the investigation into home learning. A lyrical, beautiful celebration of love, acceptance and faith, with a gentle message about how we treat our oceans, and each other. Text Rationale: What message would this be giving to our children? Personally, I would be horrified to find an advisory label attached to this book. The other story fills me with such hope – when a class I had taught found out I was getting married to a man they all cheered and clapped and were so pleased for me. A sense of shame and anxiety should never cloud the way we speak to children – they deserve to hear about our world and the many ways in which we love and live.

Every so often a book comes along that makes you go – wow. Nen and the Lonely Fisherman is one of these books. If you haven’t already discovered the independent publisher Owlet Press they are certainly one to watch, some truly incredible books already published and more to come.... This picture book paints a beautiful story about love, acceptance and hope. Lyrical language and vivid imagery reflect subtle messages about the state of the world’s oceans and the human impact on the environment, creating links to the science and geography curriculums. An important book for LGBTQIA+ representation, the story also lends itself to discussions around relationships and family. Links and themes: Oh, so many! It’s probably best to ask what’s my favourite book right now, as it changes all the time. I love reading crime thrillers – a passion I think I’ve got from my mum. In terms of children’s picture books I love Dapo Adeola, Rashmi Sirdeshpande, David Litchfield and the Fan Brothers. I’m a huge fan of Jessica Love and ‘Julian is a Mermaid’, which made me gasp! I also love Abi Elphinstone, Ross Montgomery, Louis Stowell, Sophie Anderson, so I try and read a children’s book every week! With the help of her loving Nan, and her Uncle Tony and his husband Sebastian, Violet learns to face her fears and turn her whisper into a roar! It’s illustrated by Clara Anganuzzi and published by Lantana.While on supply I was also able to link it to other expressive arts, using drama techniques and roleplay to delve deeper in to the characters through hot-seating and using freeze frames to discuss aspects of the story. These tied closely to discussions around identity, health and wellbeing, as well as child-parent relationships. This isn’t just a book with one story. There’s historical stories and a wish for a different story, a future of hope, all rolled into one. In James’ blog post he talks about the suggestion from some that Nen and the Lonely Fisherman should come with an advisory label for LGBTQ+ content.

It’s a truly beautiful read, full of tenderness and emotion, a wonderful love story" @mrs_w_loves_reading Mommy it’s like we’re diving into the sea and we’re swimming deeper and deeper into the ocean where it gets darker and more mysterious. Floss – 4 years oldA tender and powerful tale of longing and love between two men – one of whom lives under the sea! Nen is a merman, who finds Ernest, a lonely fisherman. But they come from two different worlds. Can they find a way to be together? Can they find their happy ending? I very simply and delicately explores loneliness, friendship, affection and love in a positive way. The story is about a lonely merman called Nen. He loves exploring his world under the sea but he wants to find a special friend. Finally, while visiting the water’s surface he meets Ernest, the fisherman. They like each other instantly but Nen’s father isn’t happy about it. He blames human’s for destroying the seas. Adaptations abound Andersen's The Little Mermaid but I think that Nen and the Lonely Fisherman is the first book to take the original and cast it as a love story between two men. It does so with warmth, beauty and sensitivity, making it a beautiful tale for readers of all ages. This three-week Writing Root begins with a treasure chest of mysterious objects which children explore and discuss to support them in making predictions about the story. The sequence of learning continues by exploring the text through a range of tasks which include reading skills, book talk, explicit grammar teaching in context, vocabulary building and shorter written outcomes. Children will make predictions and explore the themes of the text, before developing their understanding of the characters to support them to write a character description in the form of a lonely-hearts advert. They will infer characters’ thoughts and feelings through freeze-framing, thought bubbles and diary entries. Children will also develop their literary bank by exploring how to use language to change atmosphere and create deeper imagery through the use of different descriptive literary techniques. Finally, they will finish by writing their own version of Nen and the Lonely Fisherman, with twists to the original plot and characters and making comparisons to the traditional tale The Little Mermaid. Synopsis of Text: