Highway Rat

[Wheels79]

Does anyone else have trouble reading Highway Rat. I can't get the rhythm to work. Do you have any tips?

[Sweetsecret]

Yes! it is really difficult to get into any rhythm with it. I think it's the extra "the highway" that makes it difficult. Have no advice other than reading it a few times, to get to grips with it.

[HarrietSchulenberg]

I adapted it to make it scan better, until ds3 realised he could read it and I'd missed a "the highway" out. He made me read it the "proper" way

[BikeRunSki]

I don't like it either

[NormHonal]

Yes, I struggle with that too.

Keep meaning to download the audio book and listen to how it's done on there.

[Princessdeb]

I love reading this book. I use a similar metre to the way I read The Highway Man, the poem it is based on. I find a slightly faster tempo works well. I love Julia Donaldson books mainly because of what a joy they are to read out loud. Although my DD is 8 now and is outgrowing them.

[Only1scoop]

I don't like it

[Coffeeinthepark]

Like it a lot and haven't found it a problem to make it scan. Loved it when my then 3 year old said his toy car was driving "faster, ever faster"

[pasbeaucoupdegendarme]

As princessdeb says, it's a parody of The Highwayman... The metre is just the same. There must be a YouTube version of that somewhere you could listen to to get an idea. The repetition bit is supposed to give the sound of the horse's hooves cantering, I think... The highway, the highway, the highway...

I think it's very clever

[pookamoo]

[pookamoo]

Full poem

[Branleuse]

i love this one, and dont find it a problem

[Chocolatewaterfalls]

I heard Julia Donaldson & family read (and act out!) this at the Oxford literary festival. It was brilliant. I think it sounded great with a scottish accent

[hugoagogo]

I'm not keen either.

Some Julia Donaldson books are brilliant, but they don't all work so well.

Move on and read something else

[LaurieMarlow]

I adore it. But I love The Highway Man so the rhythm is already ingrained.

[ThinkIveBeenHacked]

Im donating mine to an English teacher friend as I hate it and she loves teaching poetry and said she would use it with her lower sets.

Now Stick Man....theres a great JD book. And the Snail and the Whale