Amazon.co.uk:Customer reviews: The Big-Hearted Book

Top positive review

Big Hearted Book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 August 2013

This is a wonderful book to share with a child about love and friendship, a moving and heartwarming text alongside the lovely illustrations, make a perfect combination for anyone who has ever lost a friend and then found them again, great for adults too, tugs at the heartstrings. Great to see the book supporting The International Children's Heart Foundation, a worthy cause if ever there was one.

2 people found this helpful

Top critical review

Critical reviews›

P M Buchan

Well intentioned

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 January 2014

I read this book over the Christmas holiday with my 5-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter and neither particularly engaged with it.

The plot, about the friendship between a dog and little girl, and what happens when the little girl goes to hospital, never seems to gel - they're friends, she vanishes, he sort of misses her, she returns and they're happy. I realise that the book is about raising awareness of a heart charity, so I don't want to be mean spirited about it, but it feels like a missed opportunity. It's not that I wanted it to tackle the big issues more directly, just that it feels so oblique as to miss the point. The symbolism of two friends connected by a string of hearts was not lost on me, but doesn't really mean a lot to a small child. It's too literal.

Maybe we'd have got more out of this if we were already fans of Nicholas Allan, but overall we're unlikely to read it often. Which is a shame.

33 total ratings, 31 with reviews

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From United Kingdom

The Sherwood

Big Hearted Book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 August 2013

Verified Purchase

2 people found this helpful

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Kinski

Lovely book with proceeds going to a fantastic cause!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 August 2013

Verified Purchase

A charming and touching story with beautiful illustrations, as always, from Nicolas Allan. Telling the tale of Babette and her dear doggie friend Bill and how their love keeps them together.
A superb book that any child would love with the benefit of proceeds going towards the amazing work of The International Children's Heart Foundation.

2 people found this helpful

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ann b

Love it

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 August 2013

Verified Purchase

A truly delightful book. A lovely story of friendship which has a really happy ending. Is definitely a MUST to buy .

One person found this helpful

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paulbrad

charming

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 October 2013

Vine Customer Review of Free Product( What's this? )

This is a charming book on so many levels - great humour and pathos; a trademark of Nicholas Allan. This book just works. Lovely illustrations that are heart-warming; a well told story of true-love; it would be easy to substitute Bill the dog for a sibling, parent or close-friend. Certainly a book to be treasured and shared. Best of all it has all been done in aid of the International Children's Heart Foundation.
Buy it.

One person found this helpful

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P M Buchan

Well intentioned

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 January 2014

Vine Customer Review of Free Product( What's this? )

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Mrs. K. A. Wheatley

Not my cuppa, but buy it anyway for a good cause

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 September 2013

Vine Customer Review of Free Product( What's this? )

Nicholas Allen writes funny books like The Queen's Knickers, and joyful, clever and also funny books like Jesus's Day Off. Jesus's Day Off has a wonderful message of hope, which is also clever and witty and rather thought provoking when you look through the humour of it.

In this book, 'The Big Hearted Book', Nicholas Allan has joined forces with the International Children's Heart Foundation to help them raise funds to save children suffering with heart problems.

It is a truly worthy cause.

Allan's illustrations are their usual, gorgeous, under stated and likeable selves.

It is the story, which to me, is weak. I feel terrible saying this because it is a book to raise money for charity, but I really didn't enjoy this much. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend that you buy it by the way. It is a nice enough story, beautifully illustrated and packaged, for a very good cause. A lot of children I know would be perfectly happy with this story and not notice that the usual Allan magic is missing.

In the story, Bill and Babette are best friends. Bill is a dog who loves to play and read and eat with and spend every waking moment with Babette, who carefully looks after him. They are joined by a ribbon of hearts, which neither of them can see, but both can feel.

One day Babette gets ill, and Bill has to look after himself. He feels lonely and wonders where Babette has gone.

It turns out, that Babette has been in hospital, having her heart mended, and once it is better, she and Bill can have a much stronger, more equal relationship.

A sweet story which appeals to people of a more sensitive and sentimental nature than me I'm afraid.

2 people found this helpful

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S. A. Broadhurst

Good book but not the usual humourous Nicholas Allan

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 December 2013

Vine Customer Review of Free Product( What's this? )

Nicholas Allan has written a number of children's books, all of them fantastically written and have a great message within the story. This book has been written and published in support of The International Children's Heart Foundation.

The book tells the story of a friendship between a dog and a girl, who spend all their time together and do things together. Babette usually looks after Bill (the dog) but when she feels unwell and ends up in hospital, both are heart broken. However, the invisible ribbon of hearts that keep them together is never broken. A true story of friendship. It does not however, have the usual humour you expect from a Nicholas Allan storybook, instead it has a more serious message. The story is accompanied by great illustrations, also by Nicholas Allan.

I would recommend this as a great book to give as a gift. It is also a good resource which could be used to discuss friendship or a relative in hospital or of ill health and one which raises the profile of a worthwhile charity.

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Beansmummy

Sweet story, ideal for hospital visits

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 November 2013

Vine Customer Review of Free Product( What's this? )

This story about a little girl and her dog is very touching. They are best friends and do everything together. Then she becomes ill and goes to hospital. But their ties are so strong that he comes looking for her. She recovers and returns home - so a happy ending! It is a great book to help children prepare eg for a hospital stay, but is also a rather lovely story without needing a particular reason to read it. My 5 year old enjoyed reading it aloud and talked about it for days.

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Jay Rainbow

very unusual childrens book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 January 2014

Vine Customer Review of Free Product( What's this? )

I must admit I didn't really look too closely at the subject matter of this story but got it with a few other bits for my youngest niece who is 5. The story is a rather sad one of illness and pinning and loneliness but it does have a happy ending.

In truth I think these things affect us as adults far more than they affect the young children. If you think about it quite a lot of children's books are deeply sad or have gruesome bits that taken out of the story you'd never deem suitable but in the story I guess it teaches children the way of the world. This one is no different.

I knocked a star off only because I would imagine if you have a sensitive or an anxious child it might not be the wisest choice

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SonicQuack

Touching

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 January 2014

Vine Customer Review of Free Product( What's this? )

The BIG-Hearted Book is an odd choice for children whom have never been affected by parental sickness and is probably more touching to an adult reader. However, the message conveyed is one of love and dedication, it's poignant stuff for a children's book.

For younger children the artwork is brightly coloured and makes good use of the white background to make the images clear and easy to follow. For children who can read, the narrative is easy to follow, almost entirely composed of simpler words, although emphasis is well presented so it's message is not missed.

It's rather niche in it's message, however it's for a good cause, which touches many families and is a heart-warming read.

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The Big-Hearted Book

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