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The Hairy Toe: Read and Share
Friendly advice for reading fun included in every book!
READ AND SHARE is a unique first library for parents and children that helps build early readers’ confidence. Grouped in four progressive levels, Read and Share books - available individually for the first time - are specially selected for qualities that encourage literacy skills and a love of reading.
Sixteen top-quality books with notes for extending reading fun inspire the confidence parents and children need to experience the joys of reading . . . together. Plus an informative Parents’ Handbook!
What is Read and Share?
—An expert selection of sixteen high-quality picture books by superb authors and illustrators, featuring a multicultural array of subjects, including poetry and rhymes, traditional songs, stories, and information books
—Four progressive levels - Beginnings, Early Steps, Next Steps, and Taking Off - each including four fabulous picture books
—Two full spreads inside each book offering suggestions and activities inspired by the story, designed to help parents and children get the most out of each book - and build a foundation for reading success
—A separate 24-page, full-color Parents’ Handbook providing extensive practical information and detailed answers to many of the questions parents ask about encouraging their children’s literacy
READ AND SHARE is a unique first library for parents and children that helps build early readers’ confidence. Grouped in four progressive levels, Read and Share books - available individually for the first time - are specially selected for qualities that encourage literacy skills and a love of reading.
Sixteen top-quality books with notes for extending reading fun inspire the confidence parents and children need to experience the joys of reading . . . together. Plus an informative Parents’ Handbook!
What is Read and Share?
—An expert selection of sixteen high-quality picture books by superb authors and illustrators, featuring a multicultural array of subjects, including poetry and rhymes, traditional songs, stories, and information books
—Four progressive levels - Beginnings, Early Steps, Next Steps, and Taking Off - each including four fabulous picture books
—Two full spreads inside each book offering suggestions and activities inspired by the story, designed to help parents and children get the most out of each book - and build a foundation for reading success
—A separate 24-page, full-color Parents’ Handbook providing extensive practical information and detailed answers to many of the questions parents ask about encouraging their children’s literacy
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
2 people are currently reading
128 people want to read
About the author
Daniel Postgate
65 books6 followersDaniel Raymond Postgate was an English scriptwriter, author and illustrator. Some of his books include Smelly Bill, Engelbert Sneem and His Dream Vacuum Machine, and Big Mum Plum. In 2014, he collaborated with Oliver Postgate's business partner and other founder of Smallfilms, Peter Firmin on the production of a new series of The Clangers, with Daniel Postgate writing many of the episodes and voicing the Iron Chicken, The Soup Dragon, and her son, Baby Soup Dragon. He won a Bafta for his episode 'I am the Eggbot'.
After the death of his father in 2008, Postgate inherited Smallfilms, the company set up by Postgate and Firmin. Smallfilms is a company that has made Pingwings, Pogles' Wood, Noggin the Nog, Ivor the Engine, Clangers and Bagpuss, and was shown on the BBC between 1950s and 1980s, and on ITV from 1959 to the present day.
After the death of his father in 2008, Postgate inherited Smallfilms, the company set up by Postgate and Firmin. Smallfilms is a company that has made Pingwings, Pogles' Wood, Noggin the Nog, Ivor the Engine, Clangers and Bagpuss, and was shown on the BBC between 1950s and 1980s, and on ITV from 1959 to the present day.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
December 27, 2023
Terrifying
June 4, 2013
A vulnerable old lady is engaged in an uncertain defensive action on a flimsy premise with no discernible ending. It's "A Traditional American Tale", boasts the flyleaf, as if that excuses the poverty of the plot, and it's not even set in Afghanistan.
February 12, 2018
When I was little I apparently refused to go to sleep until my mum read me this book. All I could remember about it was that it absolutely terrified me! So a few years ago my mother bought me a copy for my birthday.
Rereading this little gem again today and I can still say that this is a scary book for younger readers. My mum used to do the voices and make the sounds that went along with the pictures. I don't know why but there's something about this story that's just wonderfully creepy and beautiful.
There's not much I can say about this book without giving away a major plot point. I suppose I can say that the initial premise is of a little old lady going out to pick vegetables and stumbling across a big hairy orange toe. She then decides to take it home with her (what possesses her to do this I do not know), and then night falls...
This story has stuck with me for so many years, and I'm sure will stay with me for many years to come.
Rereading this little gem again today and I can still say that this is a scary book for younger readers. My mum used to do the voices and make the sounds that went along with the pictures. I don't know why but there's something about this story that's just wonderfully creepy and beautiful.
There's not much I can say about this book without giving away a major plot point. I suppose I can say that the initial premise is of a little old lady going out to pick vegetables and stumbling across a big hairy orange toe. She then decides to take it home with her (what possesses her to do this I do not know), and then night falls...
This story has stuck with me for so many years, and I'm sure will stay with me for many years to come.
February 2, 2020
I have read this to the Infant school children I teach for years and years- it is always a favourite with them! The first time I read it to a class they sit in silence, hanging onto every word with such suspense. They then request it frequently and love joining in with the "Where's my hair-r-ry toe? Who's got my hair-r-y toe?" parts! And even though they know the ending they love hearing it read to them again and again and again! It is always in my story bag! I think that it can be a scary book -if read in the right way -which is rare for a picture book so they love the feeling of being scared (but knowing they are safe at the same time -if that makes sense!) It needs to be read with expression- it deserves to be read with expression!
November 19, 2017
"WHOOOOOOOOOOO'SSSS GOT MY HAIRRRRRRRY TOOOOOOE????!!!!"
An introduction to horror for first schoolers, I love it! Hilarious, too!
Also love a classic picture book and folktale with an old woman protagonist (despite her meeting an implied gruesome end).
I will mark 'The Hairy Toe' as a stand-in for all those books from my young schooldays which I remember reading but can't recall any specifics, like their titles and main character names. I can't find them anywhere. Nothing comes up, even when I describe them on Google (dammit, Google! I thought I could rely on you - now what do I have!?)
"YOU'VE GOT IT!"
Final Score: 4/5
An introduction to horror for first schoolers, I love it! Hilarious, too!
Also love a classic picture book and folktale with an old woman protagonist (despite her meeting an implied gruesome end).
I will mark 'The Hairy Toe' as a stand-in for all those books from my young schooldays which I remember reading but can't recall any specifics, like their titles and main character names. I can't find them anywhere. Nothing comes up, even when I describe them on Google (dammit, Google! I thought I could rely on you - now what do I have!?)
"YOU'VE GOT IT!"
Final Score: 4/5
October 31, 2025
So this rating owes much to nostalgia, but I do love me some hairy toe!
It's such a weird premise, and I love that it leans into the creeping building horror. The writing invites a parent to really ham up the suspense of the story if they are reading to a child. The illustrations have a lot of character, and the squealing laugh you can elicit with the final page makes for a run bedtime read. I'll always be a fan of this.
It's such a weird premise, and I love that it leans into the creeping building horror. The writing invites a parent to really ham up the suspense of the story if they are reading to a child. The illustrations have a lot of character, and the squealing laugh you can elicit with the final page makes for a run bedtime read. I'll always be a fan of this.
August 29, 2020
The story that introduced, kids to horror, without actually being scary. I still remember this story fondly from reception 😀 (for anyone who doesn't live in the uk, reception is the year after nursery and year before your first year of school)
April 23, 2018
This book is very fun story to read aloud. It is silly and entertaining. I love the suspense of wondering who the hairy toe belongs to.
July 3, 2020
so funny and scary!
Read
November 16, 2020Familiar with the muffled cry of 'Where's my hairy toe' coming from under their bedroom, I finally read them the whole story. Aged 15 &13 I thought they could handle it. They are terrified.
December 14, 2025
My little sister told me to read it, so I did and added it here
May 19, 2015
This is an amazing horror story book. This story will be a perfect book if one looks to introduce horror or scary story to reception or year one children. The story is about an old women, one day she finds a hairy toe while she was picking beans and takes to her home. That night really fearful, dreadful things happen, she hears to a strange voice crying, 'Where is my hairy toe?' 'Who has my hairy toe?'. The wind swirls and the roof creaks as the sound of the crying voice gets closer. Then finally the monster finds the old woman, who has its hairy toe.
I used the book for my reception lesson and found the children literally bound to the story and were engaged as a part of that story. I stopped reading after the middle of the story and allowed the children to think what might happen next and I did a shared WB writing assuming if they were the author how they would end that story?
I used the book for my reception lesson and found the children literally bound to the story and were engaged as a part of that story. I stopped reading after the middle of the story and allowed the children to think what might happen next and I did a shared WB writing assuming if they were the author how they would end that story?
October 20, 2015
The Hairy Toe is about a woman who finds a hairy toe. However, she soon wishes she hadn't found it. Someone wants their hairy toe back and they won't take no for an answer.
This book was written to be read aloud to capture the audience. It introduces children to some light, frightful humour. There is a strong sense of repetition, which keeps the children engaged. The illustrates are great, as they show the different facial expressions of the woman. It is a good book for involving children to use different voices, and exaggerate certain words or phrases.
This book was written to be read aloud to capture the audience. It introduces children to some light, frightful humour. There is a strong sense of repetition, which keeps the children engaged. The illustrates are great, as they show the different facial expressions of the woman. It is a good book for involving children to use different voices, and exaggerate certain words or phrases.
December 30, 2010
Could this really only be a book? I remember the story from my childhood, but I felt sure it had to have been made into a cartoon or something, so vivid are my memories of it. After much Googling, I feel forced to conclude that yes, it was only ever a book.
But what a book! I still find this deliciously terrifying and I'm grown up now.
But what a book! I still find this deliciously terrifying and I'm grown up now.
February 28, 2012
I got this book at a Garage Sale and my daughter (now 4) LOVES it! It hasn't lost it's appeal and we've been reading it for 2 years. We snuggle into bed together and skooch under the covers as the creature gets closer and closer to identifying itself. Great fun! plus, I let her imagination run wild as we try to figure out how the creature lost it's Hairy Toe in the first place!
February 6, 2014
ever since ive been little ive loved this book so many childrens books are about the prince and the princess living happily ever after which is pretty cool but this book is original and funny and random i love it!!!
April 5, 2016
What a laugh we had with this book! We still enjoy reading it - both kids can read it themselves. I've even taken it in to my son's class and read it to them - joyously received with squeals of delight and shock at the end - I do get a bit carried away on the last page. He hee!
June 8, 2009
hahaha, i LOVE this book! my mum used to read it to me all the time, and when the wind rrrrrrrrrrumbled down the chimbley, she would growl the words...it was so great :)
February 13, 2012
My kids thought this book was hilarious, but at the same time it scared them to death. Lol
June 16, 2013
This book is amazing. I love reading it over and over again. Anyone who likes a twist at the end will love this book! :) :0 :-)
September 11, 2016
A classic and cute childrens' story. Original.
April 23, 2012
One of the best children's books ever xD
September 16, 2012
this is a really good book a little scary but not that much
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews