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Five Little Fiends
Five little fiends each live in a statue and come out each day to enjoy the world around them. Then, one day, they decide that they want to keep their favorite parts of the world to themselves. So one takes the sun, one the moon, one the land, one the sea, and one the sky. But when the fiends discover that the sun can not stay up without the sky, the sea can not flow without the pull of the moon and so on, they decide to return each element so that the world might be in balance once again. This is a book for any child (or adult) and one of the few that is truly universal.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published May 3, 2002
6 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
June 5, 2020
This was a big favourite of my son when he was small, we read this one again and again and again...
On a lonely plain stands five sculptures, inside each lives a little friend. The fiends come outside and each take something from nature back to their sculpture homes to look at. When they get their stolen items inside they aren't quite as nice as they were in their proper places.
A lovely story with a subtle message of enjoying nature where you see it and not having to take some home, remove something from it's rightful place or own it.
This is a nice story to read aloud and some very cute fiends.
On a lonely plain stands five sculptures, inside each lives a little friend. The fiends come outside and each take something from nature back to their sculpture homes to look at. When they get their stolen items inside they aren't quite as nice as they were in their proper places.
A lovely story with a subtle message of enjoying nature where you see it and not having to take some home, remove something from it's rightful place or own it.
This is a nice story to read aloud and some very cute fiends.
November 7, 2018
Bercerita tentang lima buah patung yang memutuskan mengambil dan menguasai elemen-elemen di sekitar. Mereka masing-masing mengambil awan, laut, hutan, angin, dan matahari untuk diambil dan disimpan bersama mereka. Lalu perubahan demi perubahan terjadi. Alam sekitar berjalan tak seperti semestinya lagi.
Nah, apakah kelima patung ini cukup egois untuk tetap menyimpan setiap elemen mereka?
Pictbooknya menghangatkan hati sekaliii!
Ceritanya sederhana tapi keren, mengena!
Gambarnya sangat sangat lucuuuu!
Mengangkat tema lingkungan dan mengandung pesan tersirat tentang bersikap bijak , buku ini direkomendasikan untuk anak usia dini. Misinya, menumbuhkan kecintaan mereka pada alam sekitar.
Selamat membaca, ya!
Nah, apakah kelima patung ini cukup egois untuk tetap menyimpan setiap elemen mereka?
Pictbooknya menghangatkan hati sekaliii!
Ceritanya sederhana tapi keren, mengena!
Gambarnya sangat sangat lucuuuu!
Mengangkat tema lingkungan dan mengandung pesan tersirat tentang bersikap bijak , buku ini direkomendasikan untuk anak usia dini. Misinya, menumbuhkan kecintaan mereka pada alam sekitar.
Selamat membaca, ya!
January 26, 2014
Five Little Fiends live in statues far away, but they regularly come out to marvel at the world around them. They marvel so much that each fiend desires to hide in his statue the thing he marvels most. Each fiend then takes for himself the sun, the sky, the land, the sea and the moon and hides each one in his statue, where each fiend can marvel at their stolen object to their heart’s content. However, each one finds that the moon cannot shine without light from the sun, the sea needs the moon to pull the tides, the plants of the land need light from the sun to grow, and so forth. So the fiends agree to put their cherished objects back where they found them and return to marvelling at them as they had done before.
Aimed at Key Stage 1, this is not only an enjoyable book and well illustrated, but a very useful tool in geography and/or science lessons to help identify how the different aspects of our natural environment are interrelated and as a jumping off point for further discussion and investigation of such links as between sunlight and plant growth and the moon and the tides.
Aimed at Key Stage 1, this is not only an enjoyable book and well illustrated, but a very useful tool in geography and/or science lessons to help identify how the different aspects of our natural environment are interrelated and as a jumping off point for further discussion and investigation of such links as between sunlight and plant growth and the moon and the tides.
June 9, 2012
Five Little Fiends by Sarah Dyer is about Five little monsters that are called Fiends and they each live in a statue. They would come out of their statues everyday to admire their surroundings and one day they each decided to take something that they liked the best. One took the sun, one took the moon, the other the land, the other the sea and the other the sky. They soon realise that this was not the best idea and that they would have to return these things back.
This book can be used as a way to introduce sharing and greed to younger children. It can also be a great way to introduce science and the importance of everything working together in nature. A lovely and very interesting picture book.
This book can be used as a way to introduce sharing and greed to younger children. It can also be a great way to introduce science and the importance of everything working together in nature. A lovely and very interesting picture book.
February 7, 2010
One of my all time favorite picture books - and by my friends' reports, a favorite of their little ones. A charming story about five little "fiends" that come out of their rock homes one day and decide to covet the one part of the world they love the most: the sun, the ocean, the land, the air, the moon. Once they claim their piece of the world and take it back into their rock home, the quickly realize that their piece of the world cannot exist and thrive without all other pieces (e.g., the land requires the sun). They restore their pieces and marvel at how beautiful the world in its natural entirety is. Fantastic message, and WONDERFUL illustrations.
September 11, 2011
Five Little Fiends by Sarah Dyer is a heart-warming children’s story that just might teach a valuable lesson about appreciating the world we live in and sharing what’s around us. The story has beautifully drawn illustrations which young readers will find emotive. The nature of the story means that it would make a wonderful book to read in school, as it teaches important lessons to children and promotes conversations about the importance of sharing. I would recommend this book for early years and key stage one around 3-6 years. If you are looking to read a short but well written story with good lessons to be learnt then this story ticks those boxes.
April 7, 2025
This story follows five little "fiends" who emerge from their rocky homes, each of who claims to be their favorite part of the world: the sun, the ocean, the land, the air, and the moon. They each take their prized element back home, only to discover that their treasures can’t survive in isolation—the land needs the sun, the ocean needs the moon, and so on. Realizing the beauty of nature lies in its balance and connection, they return everything to where it belongs and stand in awe of the world’s full glory.
January 26, 2021
This picture book had very simple sentences/text however, the structure of the book was extremely helpful for the preschool children I read it with! The way the children used the pictures to help them understand the story was lovely - they also thought the fiends were strange little creatures!
December 11, 2021
I love the meaning behind this text. I think that the children are really interested in why they stole the elements of the landscape. Additionally, the book introduces different tier 2 vocabulary words, so this is beneficial for the children.
December 30, 2019
A subtle little tale. I liked the depiction s of the fiends and their statue homes. I hope every 3 - 5 year-olds read and re-read this.
December 27, 2012
Brief Plot Summary:
This book is about five little fiends, who live in statues on their own far, far away. Every day they come out to marvel at the world together. One day they decide they would all like a small piece of the world, and they take what they each like best. The first fiend takes the sun, the second takes the land, the third takes the sky, the fourth takes sea and the fifth takes the moon. Each of the fiends stow away their parts of the world in their own statues. They admire their prizes, but come to realise that their parts of the world mean nothing without the rest:
‘The sun would not stay up without the sky, the sky was nowhere to be found without the land, the land started to die without water from the sea, the sea could not flow without the pull of the moon, and the moon could not glow without the light from the sun.’
So the fiends decide it best to put everything back in the world as it was. Once they had done this, they were able to appreciate their surroundings again.
Why I like, or don’t like the book:
I enjoyed reading this book, because it reminded me of my own childhood. Even though, this book was published in 2011, the subject is familiar and relatable. It is similar to many stories I read when I was a child. All children want a piece of the world to themselves, and sharing can often be a difficult choice to make. However, the message of the book draws attention to the benefits of sharing, and how experiences are often best with others.
Outline appropriate age range:
This book is most appropriate for children aged 3-9.
How it could be used in the classroom:
The ‘Five Little Fiends’ can be used in both literacy and PHSE lessons, due to the subject and content it presents.
In English lessons this book can be used to help children:
- Make predictions about a story
- Listen to a story, comment up on it and justify their opinions.
- Explore the differences between fiction and non-fiction
- To re-write the story in the form of an explanation text
- To re-write the story from a different point of view
- To write a descriptive piece of writing about a treasured object
- To write a similar story about children in the class and sharing objects
- Use drama to re-tell a story
- To think about how connectives make a piece of writing better etc.
In PSHE lessons this book can be used to teach children about:
- The importance of sharing
- Friendship
- The world and our place in it
- Identity etc.
This book is about five little fiends, who live in statues on their own far, far away. Every day they come out to marvel at the world together. One day they decide they would all like a small piece of the world, and they take what they each like best. The first fiend takes the sun, the second takes the land, the third takes the sky, the fourth takes sea and the fifth takes the moon. Each of the fiends stow away their parts of the world in their own statues. They admire their prizes, but come to realise that their parts of the world mean nothing without the rest:
‘The sun would not stay up without the sky, the sky was nowhere to be found without the land, the land started to die without water from the sea, the sea could not flow without the pull of the moon, and the moon could not glow without the light from the sun.’
So the fiends decide it best to put everything back in the world as it was. Once they had done this, they were able to appreciate their surroundings again.
Why I like, or don’t like the book:
I enjoyed reading this book, because it reminded me of my own childhood. Even though, this book was published in 2011, the subject is familiar and relatable. It is similar to many stories I read when I was a child. All children want a piece of the world to themselves, and sharing can often be a difficult choice to make. However, the message of the book draws attention to the benefits of sharing, and how experiences are often best with others.
Outline appropriate age range:
This book is most appropriate for children aged 3-9.
How it could be used in the classroom:
The ‘Five Little Fiends’ can be used in both literacy and PHSE lessons, due to the subject and content it presents.
In English lessons this book can be used to help children:
- Make predictions about a story
- Listen to a story, comment up on it and justify their opinions.
- Explore the differences between fiction and non-fiction
- To re-write the story in the form of an explanation text
- To re-write the story from a different point of view
- To write a descriptive piece of writing about a treasured object
- To write a similar story about children in the class and sharing objects
- Use drama to re-tell a story
- To think about how connectives make a piece of writing better etc.
In PSHE lessons this book can be used to teach children about:
- The importance of sharing
- Friendship
- The world and our place in it
- Identity etc.
January 29, 2013
Mommy's review from 11/21/11 -
I don't think Julia had ever heard the word 'fiend' before this book. It never occurred to me until we picked this up though.
This is a simple story but a wonderful one. Another one that can spark a lively conversation or two. The illustrations are as simple as the story.
The "fiends" made the story much better than any human character would have although I'm not sure what made Dyer chose to portray them like she did. There's nothing wrong with them in my opinion, I'm simply interested. Why these fiends and not human characters? Or an animal? I'll have to wonder.
I found it interesting how Julia pulled apart the 'why' of their actions, especially once we started nearing the end and they all learned their lesson.
It's somewhat unique and while the lessons aren't it's worth reading a time or two.
I don't think Julia had ever heard the word 'fiend' before this book. It never occurred to me until we picked this up though.
This is a simple story but a wonderful one. Another one that can spark a lively conversation or two. The illustrations are as simple as the story.
The "fiends" made the story much better than any human character would have although I'm not sure what made Dyer chose to portray them like she did. There's nothing wrong with them in my opinion, I'm simply interested. Why these fiends and not human characters? Or an animal? I'll have to wonder.
I found it interesting how Julia pulled apart the 'why' of their actions, especially once we started nearing the end and they all learned their lesson.
It's somewhat unique and while the lessons aren't it's worth reading a time or two.
June 28, 2016
Five little fiends live in their own little statues on top of a hill. Every day the five little fiends come out to marvel at the world. Each fiend covets and takes home a different thing: the moon, sea, earth, land and wind are all taken home. However, the fiends soon realise that one thing is nothing without the whole, and they put it all back again, learning about sharing on the way.
This story has lovely illustrations and is a fantastic short story. The story can be used during philosophy lessons to discuss feelings. It also introduces children to begin to value and respect the differences and the world around them.
This story has lovely illustrations and is a fantastic short story. The story can be used during philosophy lessons to discuss feelings. It also introduces children to begin to value and respect the differences and the world around them.
April 4, 2014
Five little fiends took their surroundings.(sun sea moon land )
- They took one thing they admire best. And they stow away them in thier statue.
= They realize everyting in the nature should be in right place.
- They took one thing they admire best. And they stow away them in thier statue.
= They realize everyting in the nature should be in right place.
September 30, 2014
This, in my opinion, was an odd story. Very basic in a way nice but in another very odd. But the message in the end is one of you can't take away parts of the world-nature and expect it to still be beautiful. Everything works together to make the world what it is.
June 9, 2015
Originally published in the U.K.
A lovely metaphor for the idea that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Also, really fantastic connections to the idea of stewardship and ecological interdependency.
A lovely metaphor for the idea that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Also, really fantastic connections to the idea of stewardship and ecological interdependency.
March 16, 2008
Love, love, love this book! Great short story. Read it very slowly to kids to get the full effect!
October 14, 2008
A story of interconnectedness and the importance of being selfless.
Out of 5.
Illustrations : 5
Content : 4
Originality : 5
Humor : n/a
Age Level : 0-100
Out of 5.
Illustrations : 5
Content : 4
Originality : 5
Humor : n/a
Age Level : 0-100
November 9, 2008
BORING
September 26, 2014
Weird and good, with a message of stewardship of the earth and how we can't own any part of it.
June 2, 2016
First read to Ivy 21/05/16
July 1, 2016
The kids loved this book.
January 21, 2017
Normally, I would call a parable about little monsters who steal the moon, sun, sky, land, and sea a bit too preachy. However . . . Donald Trump became our 45th President today.
Sigh.
Sigh.
March 3, 2009
Simple and cute little children's book with a good message.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews