Mrs Pepperpot's Outing by Alf Prøysen

This is the first Alf Prøysen book I have ever read and it was a delightful read, nothing deep, stories about a little lady who shrinks at the least inopportune moments, and whose clothes intriguingly enough shrink with her which is very convenient. The Norwegian author, Alf Prøysen,  was born back in 1914 and sadly only lived to be fifty-six. He was well known for his children's books as well his contributions to the music and television industries. Mrs Pepperpot, the protagonist, lives with her husband Mr Pepperpot on a hillside in Norway. The main story in this book revolves around a car ride with Mr Pepperpot searching for some interesting activities in which to partake.  Whilst he is muddling through these, Mrs Pepperpot is busy collecting stray animals, all of whom rescue her during her shrinking episodes. The stories don't require a great deal of brain power to decode, but they are intriguing and obscure enough to keep you reading. To my way of thinking, students who enjoy the adventures of Pipi Longstocking and Enid Blyton books,  may well find the Pepperpot series of interest. 

The Shrinking of Treehorn by Florence Parry Heide

I read this book in my first year of teaching at Edith Creek; it was part of a reading kit. It could be read in one silent reading session. Treehorn, the main character, discovers he is shrinking and how very inconvenient that proves to be. When he tries to tell people in his life of his predicament he just keeps getting inane and unrelated comments back. "Heaven knows I have tried to be a good mother,"sniffs his mum. "We don't shrink in this class," says his teacher. This humorous story will delight any child who has felt ignored by grown-ups. It is an easy read with quirky illustrations done by Edward Gorey which set the stage for Treehorn's helplessness and dratically dimishing stature. Treehorn eventually finds his own solution.