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Gregory Cool
When Gregory wakes up on his first day in Tobago with his grandparents, his heart sinks. The food is strange, the sun too hot, his cousin Lennox is on another wave length and there are none of the televisions, video games and other high-tech gadgets that a cool city-boy takes for granted.
24 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
August 13, 2015
Gregory was sent to Tobago to spend the summer holidays with his grandparents, whom he is meeting for the first time. His first impression of Tobago was not one of delight. It was far too hot and the food was very strange. He was not impressed with his grandparent’s house, which was really small with lots of lizards and mosquitoes. He struggled to cope with this adjustment, as he was away from what he knew without his gadgets. Lennox his cousin, tried to encourage him to join in daily activities available in Tobago. The fact that Lennox walked around barefoot, climbed trees for fruits and played in the intense heat was foreign to Gregory. Throughout the book Gregory used the phrase “cool” for most things, hence the title. Over time he discovered that Tobago wasn’t so bad after all. The story ends with Gregory adapting to life in Tobago. Lennox finally admitted that Gregory was cool after all. Gregory enjoyed drinking fresh coconut water with sweet bread on the picturesque beach with his family. “Gregory kicked off his trainers, he wanted to be barefoot too”.
This story was read to a year two class as part of Island life topic. They really enjoyed it as we previously looked at the Isle of Shruay in Scotland, which was very different to Tobago. I did revisit at a later stage, as I adored reading this book because it brings back memories of growing up in Jamaica. The illustrations are done in a way that it transports you on to the beach under the palm tree with the family sipping on some coconut water. The only minor critique is that I would have preferred to have a bit more of the book written in creole.
This book is beautifully illustrated, so Early Years can benefit from having this book shared as a whole class. It is one of those books that I believe children would like to revisit, so it would be great to have as an independent read also.
I think a lot of children can relate to this story, as often they go back home to spend holidays with grandparents or other relatives.
This story shows how we might view things in a negative light without trying but once we do it is not as bad as we first thought.
I believe this book could be a useful resource for literacy as part of a block creative writing task for key stage 1. The children could write a diary or series of letters to his mother about how Gregory might be feeling in this unknown place. How his perception of Tobago has changed throughout his stay. The differences between the way his grandparents live and his life in the city.
The story says Gregory enjoyed coconut water and sweet bread on the beach. So, perhaps the children in the class could be given some of this to try. This will make them get a real sense of Tobago making it easier for them to write a more realistic piece of work.
This story was read to a year two class as part of Island life topic. They really enjoyed it as we previously looked at the Isle of Shruay in Scotland, which was very different to Tobago. I did revisit at a later stage, as I adored reading this book because it brings back memories of growing up in Jamaica. The illustrations are done in a way that it transports you on to the beach under the palm tree with the family sipping on some coconut water. The only minor critique is that I would have preferred to have a bit more of the book written in creole.
This book is beautifully illustrated, so Early Years can benefit from having this book shared as a whole class. It is one of those books that I believe children would like to revisit, so it would be great to have as an independent read also.
I think a lot of children can relate to this story, as often they go back home to spend holidays with grandparents or other relatives.
This story shows how we might view things in a negative light without trying but once we do it is not as bad as we first thought.
I believe this book could be a useful resource for literacy as part of a block creative writing task for key stage 1. The children could write a diary or series of letters to his mother about how Gregory might be feeling in this unknown place. How his perception of Tobago has changed throughout his stay. The differences between the way his grandparents live and his life in the city.
The story says Gregory enjoyed coconut water and sweet bread on the beach. So, perhaps the children in the class could be given some of this to try. This will make them get a real sense of Tobago making it easier for them to write a more realistic piece of work.
October 20, 2011
Gregory Cool is a book about a boy who suddenly finds himself in a brand new environment. The central character, Gregory is visiting his grandparents in Tobago. From the outset he has his suspicions about this new place, he is scared of what he will encounter and would prefer to have stayed at home. His fears are realized when he wakes up on the first morning. His grandparent's house is small, it has no toys, no books and no television. Worse still he cannot handle the stifling heat and the incessant insect bites. He doesn't eat the traditional breakfast offered to him by his grandfather, instead he dreams of fries and hamburgers. He is introduced to his cousin Lennox whom he deems strange and 'uncool'. Lennox spends his days outside, feeding the goats and the hens and wandering the spectacular countryside. Lennox himself has his own preconceptions of Gregory, he can instinctively sense the displeasure which Gregory takes in his new surroundings. Neither is he shy in telling Gregory what he thinks of him 'Gregory you think you cool'. Opportunity for a change of heart comes with a trip to the beach with the boys' grandparents. Gregory is thrilled at the thought of chips and ice-cream but soon becomes very disillusioned when he discovers nothing but a long palm-filled shore and an abundance of coconuts. However after encountering 'sharks' in the water Gregory suddenly becomes intrigued by the wonders of the local beach and this continues when some nearby fishermen quench his thirst with some fresh coconuts. Gregory begins to admire the sights and smells of Tobago as well as envy Lennox's carefree lifestyle, he even mimics him by going barefoot! This is a good book for classroom discussion. It demonstrates the difficulties children find with change and new situations as well as introduces them to new environments. It develops a sense of appreciation of place. Suitable for ages 6-9.
September 16, 2011
I just adore the pictures in this book, as you open the first page you get a crash of waves coming straight you and this image is also repeated at the end of the book. You know immediately that Gregory has gone on holiday from the illustrations in the front of the book. First you see one of him saying goodbye to his parents and then there is one of the plane landing.
After the flight the first illustration in the book of is of Gregory slumped over sitting with his Granny and Grandpa in Tobago. This story is delightful as Gregory learns the difference between the city and the Caribbean and that going away is different but fantastic. It take him a little while to so see that but his cousin Lennox helps him on his way. There is an illustration of the two boys playing together in the sea which is glorious. I cannot imagine how long it took to illustrate this book.
There is an outstanding illustration in this book for me of Granny who ‘appeared, carrying a big basket.’ The way the sun dapples her face through the straw hat she is wearing is amazing as is the way she holds the basket.
I would use this book with EYFS and KS1 children as the illustrations are so luscious and the story is told so wonderfully. With KS1 children I would look at geography and literacy and find Tobago on maps and in relation to where we live. We could also contrast elements of Gregory’s grandparents and Lennox’s lives with our own and discuss the differences e.g. food, drink, games etc...
This book was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal in 1995. I have looked into the Kate Greenaway Medal which was established in 1955, it is awarded for outstanding book in terms of illustration for children and young people and this book certainly deserved to be shortlisted.
After the flight the first illustration in the book of is of Gregory slumped over sitting with his Granny and Grandpa in Tobago. This story is delightful as Gregory learns the difference between the city and the Caribbean and that going away is different but fantastic. It take him a little while to so see that but his cousin Lennox helps him on his way. There is an illustration of the two boys playing together in the sea which is glorious. I cannot imagine how long it took to illustrate this book.
There is an outstanding illustration in this book for me of Granny who ‘appeared, carrying a big basket.’ The way the sun dapples her face through the straw hat she is wearing is amazing as is the way she holds the basket.
I would use this book with EYFS and KS1 children as the illustrations are so luscious and the story is told so wonderfully. With KS1 children I would look at geography and literacy and find Tobago on maps and in relation to where we live. We could also contrast elements of Gregory’s grandparents and Lennox’s lives with our own and discuss the differences e.g. food, drink, games etc...
This book was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal in 1995. I have looked into the Kate Greenaway Medal which was established in 1955, it is awarded for outstanding book in terms of illustration for children and young people and this book certainly deserved to be shortlisted.
June 16, 2012
I have used this book with a year 2 class and they thoroughly enjoy it. It is a straightforward story of a young boy who travels by himself to visit his grandparents and cousin on Tobago. At first he suffers from culture shock. The story tracks his changing attitude to his family and the island.
From a teaching perspective it is excellent resource to help the children understand a simple plot and then be confident to write their own versions of the story. It is beautifully illustrated and it can also be used as a great introduction to topics involving changes in children's lives and their attitudes to these changes. There are several topics and points to help children relate this story with their own.
And if you just want to read it and enjoy it, that's great too. The illustrations and the gentle way in which the characters are developed makes it a lovely book for a parent to read with a child or for the child to read for themselves.
From a teaching perspective it is excellent resource to help the children understand a simple plot and then be confident to write their own versions of the story. It is beautifully illustrated and it can also be used as a great introduction to topics involving changes in children's lives and their attitudes to these changes. There are several topics and points to help children relate this story with their own.
And if you just want to read it and enjoy it, that's great too. The illustrations and the gentle way in which the characters are developed makes it a lovely book for a parent to read with a child or for the child to read for themselves.
May 2, 2013
Gregory Cool by Caroline Binch is a story about a young boy Gregory who travels to Tobago to meet his grandparents. However, once he goes to Tobago, he finds himself in a place that is very different, its too hot, the house is small; there are no toys or a television. He finds Tobago a different place and is unable to settle in, as things are different to where he comes from. As the story progresses Gregory faces new experiences and begins to change his view about Tobago and his grandparent’s lifestyle. This book is suitable for pupils in KS1 and lower key stage 2. This book can be used in Literacy for writing letters to Gregory, writing about characters feelings and experiences and it can be used in Drama for role-plays.
March 26, 2017
Binch’s picture book ‘Gregory Cool’ offers an insight into the journey of Gregory, the central character, who learns to adjust and acknowledge a different culture than what he is used to.
The storyline is regarding a city boy, Gregory, who has travelled alone to spend the summer with his grandparents and cousin in Tobago. As soon as Gregory arrives he feels out of place and recognises how different his surroundings are; including the “stifling air” and the “strange smells”. The use of descriptive language emphasises the contrast between his current environment and what he was used to. However, in the end the reader sees Gregory embracing the culture through the language depicted on page 21 (would insert picture in assignment - too much to quote) as it creates in-depth imagery in the reader's mind, at a deeper level than the illustrations. This is an appealing book to young children, especially for them to understand the different lives other children lead in different parts of the world.
Additionally, each page contains a lengthy amount of text. Although the illustrations offer a great insight into the cultural differences in Tobago, the language contributes to the story through providing detail about the characters feelings as opposed to reinforcing what the pictures portrayed. Meek (1988) suggests skilled writers and artists provide learning opportunities for children which far outweigh the books which offer readers no interpretation opportunity. For example, the juxtaposition between the ‘cool’ in the title and the warmth of the Carribean reflects the journey of Gregory’s adjustment to a new culture.
In terms of framing and perspective, Binch uses an approach which is also portrayed in one of her earlier books, ‘Amazing Grace’ by depicting the illustrations through a variety of frames including bleeds to the end of the page and different sized frames. In looking at the illustrations closely, it was recognised that the frames portrayed on pages 4 ,5 ,9 and 14 were not fully closed. Binch illustrates Gregory as the outsider by breaking him out of the frame, perhaps indicative of Gregory’s feeling of not fitting in. At the end of the book, there is one closed frame with a white border (p.20) which incorporates a diminishing return, in which Gregory and his cousin are playing together, suggesting their relationship has developed and Gregory feels as if he fits in. This is a clever way to use the frames, but one which children may not realise and would need an adult to interpret the meaning behind this.
The use of intense bright watercolours helps the reader gain an experience of hot summer weather in the Caribbean as the saturation of the colours red, yellow and blue represent warmth. A contrast was found in the use of light, fainted watercolours in Burningham’s work, ‘Mr Grumpys Outing’. This reflects Doonan’s (1993) point which suggests the use of saturation and tone are often associated with “emotional connotations” (p.31) as the colour of both picturebooks reflects the different atmospheres in the books. Binch’s use of highly saturated colours represents the weather and culture of a different country. An important aspect that adults could convey and engage in conversation with children about is asking what the colours represent. This applies the idea that children’s interaction with picturebooks is influential on their “construction of knowledge about people and the world” (Medoza and Reese, 2001, p.4).
Although this picturebook was written in 1993, the message it conveys continues to be appealing and current as it allows children who have family in other parts of the world to relate and understand although they lead different lifestyles, it is important to adjust to new experiences. Lysaker and Sedberry (2015) suggest readers of different ethnicities can also “identify with characters unlike themselves” (p.105) which helps them to develop their thinking of other individuals. Thus, this book could help address cultural differences with children and how to deal with change.
The storyline is regarding a city boy, Gregory, who has travelled alone to spend the summer with his grandparents and cousin in Tobago. As soon as Gregory arrives he feels out of place and recognises how different his surroundings are; including the “stifling air” and the “strange smells”. The use of descriptive language emphasises the contrast between his current environment and what he was used to. However, in the end the reader sees Gregory embracing the culture through the language depicted on page 21 (would insert picture in assignment - too much to quote) as it creates in-depth imagery in the reader's mind, at a deeper level than the illustrations. This is an appealing book to young children, especially for them to understand the different lives other children lead in different parts of the world.
Additionally, each page contains a lengthy amount of text. Although the illustrations offer a great insight into the cultural differences in Tobago, the language contributes to the story through providing detail about the characters feelings as opposed to reinforcing what the pictures portrayed. Meek (1988) suggests skilled writers and artists provide learning opportunities for children which far outweigh the books which offer readers no interpretation opportunity. For example, the juxtaposition between the ‘cool’ in the title and the warmth of the Carribean reflects the journey of Gregory’s adjustment to a new culture.
In terms of framing and perspective, Binch uses an approach which is also portrayed in one of her earlier books, ‘Amazing Grace’ by depicting the illustrations through a variety of frames including bleeds to the end of the page and different sized frames. In looking at the illustrations closely, it was recognised that the frames portrayed on pages 4 ,5 ,9 and 14 were not fully closed. Binch illustrates Gregory as the outsider by breaking him out of the frame, perhaps indicative of Gregory’s feeling of not fitting in. At the end of the book, there is one closed frame with a white border (p.20) which incorporates a diminishing return, in which Gregory and his cousin are playing together, suggesting their relationship has developed and Gregory feels as if he fits in. This is a clever way to use the frames, but one which children may not realise and would need an adult to interpret the meaning behind this.
The use of intense bright watercolours helps the reader gain an experience of hot summer weather in the Caribbean as the saturation of the colours red, yellow and blue represent warmth. A contrast was found in the use of light, fainted watercolours in Burningham’s work, ‘Mr Grumpys Outing’. This reflects Doonan’s (1993) point which suggests the use of saturation and tone are often associated with “emotional connotations” (p.31) as the colour of both picturebooks reflects the different atmospheres in the books. Binch’s use of highly saturated colours represents the weather and culture of a different country. An important aspect that adults could convey and engage in conversation with children about is asking what the colours represent. This applies the idea that children’s interaction with picturebooks is influential on their “construction of knowledge about people and the world” (Medoza and Reese, 2001, p.4).
Although this picturebook was written in 1993, the message it conveys continues to be appealing and current as it allows children who have family in other parts of the world to relate and understand although they lead different lifestyles, it is important to adjust to new experiences. Lysaker and Sedberry (2015) suggest readers of different ethnicities can also “identify with characters unlike themselves” (p.105) which helps them to develop their thinking of other individuals. Thus, this book could help address cultural differences with children and how to deal with change.
November 18, 2020
American boy named Gregory is sent to visit his grandparents and cousin Lennox. The obvious issues of culture shock crop up right away-unfamiliar foods, no TV, different games, each magnifying Gregory's discomfort. When he tries to mask his uncertainty with indifference, Lennox shrewdly observes, ``You sure know it all, Gregory. You think you cool.'' A trip to the ocean with their knowing grandparents helps the boys discover some common ground and as they romp in the water, they find the first threads of friendship.
July 1, 2013
Gregory Cool is a fabulous book written by Caroline Binch. It tells the story of a young boy who goes to visit his grandparents in Tobago. Gregory is at first overwhelmed by all the many differences there is between Tobago and his home land. He does not see the beauty in fields and empty beaches but longs for his computer games and familiar food. He furthermore cannot seem to bond with his cousin Lennox who is so happy with the simple things in life.
The book takes us on a new adventure through the eyes of a young boy. It is an honest, heart touching story as we see Gregory beginning to appreciate the real beauty that is nature. The illustrations are bright and vivid which allow the reader to appreciate the beautiful island of Tobago.
This book would be a great to use as a hook for a year 4 lessons. It could be used for diary writing for how Gregory is feeling or for letter writing to tell his parents how homesick he is feeling. It could also be used as part of the English units, stories from another culture to compare and contrast the cultures.
Overall a great book whether reading for pleasure or using as part of a lesson.
The book takes us on a new adventure through the eyes of a young boy. It is an honest, heart touching story as we see Gregory beginning to appreciate the real beauty that is nature. The illustrations are bright and vivid which allow the reader to appreciate the beautiful island of Tobago.
This book would be a great to use as a hook for a year 4 lessons. It could be used for diary writing for how Gregory is feeling or for letter writing to tell his parents how homesick he is feeling. It could also be used as part of the English units, stories from another culture to compare and contrast the cultures.
Overall a great book whether reading for pleasure or using as part of a lesson.
December 10, 2011
Gregory goes to visit his grandparents in Tobago for the first time. When he gets there, he finds life is very different - it's too hot, the food is strange and there aren't any toys or games - and his cousin Lennox doesn't even seem to mind! Gregory has to learn how to adapt and enjoy his time and become 'Gregory Cool'.
This is a good story, helping children to discuss feelings about change and difference and how important possessions are to happiness. It formed part of a range of Literacy lessons for a high ability Year 2 class and I'd say it could be read to a Year 1 class and would stretch to Year 3. We did a range of activities around this including role play, letter writing and sentence structure.
This is a good story, helping children to discuss feelings about change and difference and how important possessions are to happiness. It formed part of a range of Literacy lessons for a high ability Year 2 class and I'd say it could be read to a Year 1 class and would stretch to Year 3. We did a range of activities around this including role play, letter writing and sentence structure.
December 21, 2012
WIDER READING FOCUS: Cultural differences/Dealing with change
Gregory has just been shipped off by his parents in the UK to spend the summer with his grandparents in Tobago. In this totally different environment in which he is not used to, we learn of the surprises; the sights & sounds; the people he meets along the way and how his feelings change as he gets to know his cousin and grandparents.
A good short story to introduce kids in KS2 to cultural differences and the variations of the English language in this part of the world. It could be used in English lessons as a piece for retelling the main events using the vocabulary in the text.
Gregory has just been shipped off by his parents in the UK to spend the summer with his grandparents in Tobago. In this totally different environment in which he is not used to, we learn of the surprises; the sights & sounds; the people he meets along the way and how his feelings change as he gets to know his cousin and grandparents.
A good short story to introduce kids in KS2 to cultural differences and the variations of the English language in this part of the world. It could be used in English lessons as a piece for retelling the main events using the vocabulary in the text.
August 26, 2012
Gregory thinks he's pretty cool, coming from the city to spend a month with his grandparents in Tobago and looking down on their simple lifestyle. But after a few days, he develops an appreciation for their scene: fresh coconut water, swimming with dolphins, and stars like he's never seen before. Realistic water colors make the story come alive. The font makes this feel dated.
January 6, 2014
it was gregory cool awesome
September 28, 2019
Gregory Cool follows a young boy on his visit to his grandparent's house over the summer holidays. Gregory’s grandparents live in Tobago. Greggory finds Tobago very different from home. Tobago is hot and smells different, his nan and grandad's house is small and they don’t have a television. Gregory isn’t feeling good about his summer. Gregory’s cousin, Lennox lives with his grandparents. Lennox is only a year older than Gregory, Lennox is used to Tobago and enjoys everything it has to offer. Eventually, Gregory sees through his initial perceptions and has a wonderful time.
This text is great for sharing with pupils. Many pupils will have the same experiences as Gregory and staying with their grandparent over half terms, and perhaps not feeling too excited by this. Children will immediately have a personal link to the story, this means that the perhaps different nature of Gregory’s grandparent's location will be interesting, but importantly relatable. This book will be further relatable to many children that will have friends or family members that live, in potentially very different climates or cultural areas and it is great that they can see themselves represented.
I really like the use of place-specific language and colloquialisms. If a pupil in the class is familiar with these, I’m sure it would be exciting to see these in a book. These, however, were very subtle and I think had their been some more then this would have inspired questions from readers and could have been discussed and explored further by a class after reading the book, hopefully, they would ask (or be prompted to) anyway. Increasing children’s world knowledge, through understanding and knowledge of different people, different languages and different places will support positive perceptions and acceptance in the future.
This book, with its rich illustrations and relatable nature would be ideal as an immersion activity into a geography topic. The island of Tobago has similarities and differences to England that could be compared. Even better, a comparison could be made between where children in the class visit their family members, and if one is further afield, using this location as a class study will really help pupils to feel represented and will celebrate their different heritages.
This text is great for sharing with pupils. Many pupils will have the same experiences as Gregory and staying with their grandparent over half terms, and perhaps not feeling too excited by this. Children will immediately have a personal link to the story, this means that the perhaps different nature of Gregory’s grandparent's location will be interesting, but importantly relatable. This book will be further relatable to many children that will have friends or family members that live, in potentially very different climates or cultural areas and it is great that they can see themselves represented.
I really like the use of place-specific language and colloquialisms. If a pupil in the class is familiar with these, I’m sure it would be exciting to see these in a book. These, however, were very subtle and I think had their been some more then this would have inspired questions from readers and could have been discussed and explored further by a class after reading the book, hopefully, they would ask (or be prompted to) anyway. Increasing children’s world knowledge, through understanding and knowledge of different people, different languages and different places will support positive perceptions and acceptance in the future.
This book, with its rich illustrations and relatable nature would be ideal as an immersion activity into a geography topic. The island of Tobago has similarities and differences to England that could be compared. Even better, a comparison could be made between where children in the class visit their family members, and if one is further afield, using this location as a class study will really help pupils to feel represented and will celebrate their different heritages.
January 4, 2026
Gregory Cool is a short story about a boy who is apprehensive about visiting his grandparents in Tobago.
The story feels like a chapter one, or even a prologue, to a larger narrative, but that works well. It still offers a strong cultural insight into Tobago and reinforces the idea that stepping outside your comfort zone can be rewarding—you may be surprised by what you see and experience.
The story feels like a chapter one, or even a prologue, to a larger narrative, but that works well. It still offers a strong cultural insight into Tobago and reinforces the idea that stepping outside your comfort zone can be rewarding—you may be surprised by what you see and experience.
March 3, 2020
Such a fab book with gorgeous illustrations. I can’t wait to teach with it next week.
March 22, 2020
Great as a book for pupils who are struggling with change perhaps new EAL pupils.
September 7, 2023
I didn’t want it to end! Provides fun insights into life in Tobago which I imagine could inspire a lot of fun discussions whilst building interest in their own and other cultures.
May 31, 2013
Gregory Cool is a lovely picture book that tells of Gregory's visit to rural Tobago to stay with his grandparents and cousin, none of whom he has previously met.
Initially he is very homesick, as he is introduced to a very different life from the one he is used to, with spicy food that he doesn't enjoy, and a lack of TV or computer games. He also gets off on the wrong foot with his cousin Lennox, which makes him more miserable.
But inevitably over time he gets used to this world, has some positive experiences and sorts out his differences with Lennox.
I used this book as the basis for a week of literacy lessons for my Year 4 class earlier this year. As a large number of the class had family in other countries it seemed very relevant - exploring the idea of a culture clash between the life a child knows and that of other members of their family. They wrote diary entries and letters home from Gregory's point of view, did a hot-seating activity where I played Gregory and had to answer all their questions, and a writing exercise involving Lennox visiting London.
Initially he is very homesick, as he is introduced to a very different life from the one he is used to, with spicy food that he doesn't enjoy, and a lack of TV or computer games. He also gets off on the wrong foot with his cousin Lennox, which makes him more miserable.
But inevitably over time he gets used to this world, has some positive experiences and sorts out his differences with Lennox.
I used this book as the basis for a week of literacy lessons for my Year 4 class earlier this year. As a large number of the class had family in other countries it seemed very relevant - exploring the idea of a culture clash between the life a child knows and that of other members of their family. They wrote diary entries and letters home from Gregory's point of view, did a hot-seating activity where I played Gregory and had to answer all their questions, and a writing exercise involving Lennox visiting London.
September 16, 2014
Gregory cool is a story about a young boy from the city who visits his grandparents in Tobago, this book can be used in literacy at key stage 2, as the children can write diary entry's and recounts etc around this story on how Gregory May feel, as he is experiencing a different culture with people that he doesn't really no.
This is a book that children can relate to as Gregory is visiting a new place and he doesn't understand the culture and it takes him to adjust just as it would for most children who may go and visit family, or when they go abroad or even starting a new school etc. there's loads of different experiences that we go through in life not only as children but also as adults that can be very daunting. This book shows that we shouldn't always be so judging and so quick to dismiss things that we aren't to sure off, or that we don't have much knowledge about.
This is a book that children can relate to as Gregory is visiting a new place and he doesn't understand the culture and it takes him to adjust just as it would for most children who may go and visit family, or when they go abroad or even starting a new school etc. there's loads of different experiences that we go through in life not only as children but also as adults that can be very daunting. This book shows that we shouldn't always be so judging and so quick to dismiss things that we aren't to sure off, or that we don't have much knowledge about.
October 4, 2016
Binch's book does what she does well, which is to encourage children to see the positive in life rather than the negative. Here, we find her drawn to the Caribbean (Tobago) which is different from her Grace stories and yet there is still a strong call for the child to go back and accept and embrace their cultural history.
In Gregory Cool though, although the setting is particularly beautiful as well as the architecture, the characters themselves do feel staged at times and not as relaxed or as real as they could do - ironic considering how beautifully she paints.
In Gregory Cool though, although the setting is particularly beautiful as well as the architecture, the characters themselves do feel staged at times and not as relaxed or as real as they could do - ironic considering how beautifully she paints.
May 2, 2012
Gregory is just an ordinary boy who goes on holidays to his grandparents in Tobago. At first Gregory does not enjoy the holiday; it’s too hot, the food is very spicy and his bedroom is tiny.
As he spends more time in Tobago, these challenges seem to melt away and Gregory starts to enjoy his stay. Great story that explores differences in culture and how a positive experience can be had if one is willing to embrace diversity.
As he spends more time in Tobago, these challenges seem to melt away and Gregory starts to enjoy his stay. Great story that explores differences in culture and how a positive experience can be had if one is willing to embrace diversity.
April 3, 2011
I think this is just a perfect book to read to students who are hesitant to try new things. Many children are never given the opportunities to explore things out of their comfort zone and when they are give a chance to do so, they do not fully enjoy it. I hope that my students are able to see that doing different things can be alot of fun and make us better people.
April 7, 2010
A young boy goes to visit his relatives in Tobago for the first time and experiences culture shock coming from the United States.
August 5, 2016
Loved this cute story! Makes want to visit Tobago! :)
January 21, 2015
It Is Good
Want to read
January 27, 2016speech marks
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