MD 2006 The Isle of Coll All the Katie Morag When she was 17 she stories were written and went to the Isle of Coll to illustrated by work as a mother’s help. Mairi Hedderwick. She was born in She loved the island so Gourock, Scotland much that when she got Welcome to Katie Morag’s in 1939. married and had a family she decided that they Isle of Struay should all move to live on Lots of the Isle of Coll. holiday Who is Mairi Hedderwick? makers visit the town They lived in a house that was 3 miles away from any other house. Introducing character, setting and plot where Mairi There wasn’t a road near to them and they had no electricity. Hedderwick When they needed water they had to get it from a well because there was born. Finding out about characters was no water in the house! Ideas What can you tell about Gourock by looking at these pictures?

Did you know that the first of Mairi Hedderwick’s Mairi Hedderwick has used lots of imagination to write her stories Katie Morag books was published in 1984, more but lots of little things in her stories are based on her own than 20 years ago! It was called Katie Morag experiences. Delivers the Mail. Some of Katie Morag’s adventures are the very same adventures that The story introduces us to Struay and all the characters in the book. Mairi had when she was a little girl or they are based on the adventures of Mairi’s two children, Mark and Tamara. The setting for the Katie Morag stories is a made up place that Mairi really did throw her teddy into the sea – not once but twice! Mairi called Struay but when she was writing her stories they were Look closely at It is an aerial all based on the Isle of Coll – she just gave the island a different this satellite view of In Mairi’s imagination, her children’s toys name. picture. Coll and Tiree! Mrs McColl is fed up are the toys Katie Morag plays with in the because the baby is Can you tell what stories and Grannie Island’s you are All stories have a plot . A plot is what teething and everyone is Rayburn stove is the one that looking at? happens in the story. getting under her feet. It’s time for Katie Morag Mairi had in her kitchen. In this story Katie Morag’s mum to help out. Let’s Cook with Katie is fed up. Do you know why? back Listen to Mairi Hedderwick talking about her books back

There are a lot of characters in Mairi Hedderwicks stories. What do you know about Mr and Mrs McColl? The main character is Katie Morag of course but what do you How can you find out about them? know about her? We know that they are Katie Morag’s mum and Now click to find out if you knew all Words help us to know about dad and that Katie Morag sometimes helps them these things about her. Her illustrations tell the character too. out. us a lot about them Mairi Hedderwick uses lots of We know that she is a little girl with red hair. They run the island post office and shop. so we can look at the describing words to help us Mr McColl is the shopkeeper and Mrs McColl is illustrations for know what her characters are the postmistress. picture clues. like. Her mum and dad own the island shop and post office. They live in the busiest part of the island. She has little brother called Liam and a baby sister, Flora Ann.

It’s easy to know what a They don’t have gas or an electric hob or oven to cook on. Her birthday is on the same day as Grannie Island AND Grannie What do you know about character looks like, especially They have a range that they use for cooking they don’t just use it Mainland! for cooking! each of the characters? if there is a picture to show us, but how does Mairi She has two cats, Mr Mistake and Fabbydoo. Who do you think is Hedderwick describe what Mr McColl has a brother called Matthew. Mr McColl visits him but they are like as people? Mrs McColl won’t go to see him. Mr McColl calls his brother the main character She can be stubborn, stormy and tearful and she can be mischievous “a slovenly disgrace to the McColl family” in the stories? but she is also a very charming and determined little girl. What do you know about Grannie Island? What do we know about Granma Mainland? She used to be a What do we know about Neilly Beag? nurse and a She lives on the other side secretary. Friday is baking day on the Isle She doesn’t live on the island. She lives far away Neilly Beag is of the bay with all her of Struay. Neilly Beag and the from Struay, over the sea, in a flat in the city. the baker. animals and birds. Her house ferryman’s wife are the best is the last house at the end bakers on the island so Katie When Grannie Island was ill, Granma Mainland was of the road. Katie Morag always Morag makes sure she visits amazed when she found out that Grannie Island comes to see him on them on Fridays! She wears dungarees and wellingtons and likes to be busy. doesn’t have a Hoover or a washing machine. Fridays. Do you know why? She drives a grey tractor and loves making soup. She calls it broth. We know a lot about Granma Mainland He grows herbs because of what Grannie Island says in his window box She is Mrs McColl’s mum and Katie Morag’s Grannie. and chops them about her. In the story. Grannie He likes a bit of up to put in his Island is ill, it says that She’s not very keen on Granma Mainland and her fancy ways! Grannie Island says she has fancy peace and quiet and soups and stews Grannie Island hated ways. Why does she say this? don’t like it when the on baking day. Granma Mainland’s fancy Its name ferryman and his She won a silver trophy for her prize sheep on Show Day. cooking and even more is Alecina She likes fancy clothes and jewellery. wife stay up late. Can you remember its name? all her tidying. a smart wee Bobby Dazzler! She gets married to Neilly Beag and he Not many people know about her husband, Captain Nils J Olsen What does he call Granma Mainland? a helicopter pilot. calls her a smart wee Bobby Dazzler! Ideas

Can you guess who these characters are? There are two of use and we are best friends People say I’m quite Who am I? eccentric, they think I love gardening. I sometimes do Who are we? strange things. One of us is fat and Fabbydoo and Mr Mistake of course! ginger coloured. The My garden is like a maze. I have a other is small, white sculpture garden and blind in one eye. and my grass is Mrs Bayview of course! often very long. Sometimes I even get lost in it! The Lady Artist of course! At night you won’t find us in During the day we the house spend most of our Who am I? I was a bit cross because we like time sleeping and with Katie Morag to prowl around stretching on Katie when she was the island hunting Morag’s bed. delivering the for mice. mail.

Choose a character from a story you know well. Who am I? Try looking at the different Katie Morag books, or you could look at I live in a hut on the other favourite stories. Write the character’s name and the title of the story the character is in. other side of the island. Draw a picture of the character and write 3 or 4 words that describe what I am Katie Morag’s uncle Matthew. You could start by making a list of all the characters in the book. sort of character it is. People say I am a hermit. Then you could ask yourself…. Pick out of the story What sort of Once a month my brother How do I some things the What do the characters Pick out of the story (Mr McColl) comes to see characters know what some things the character said which if I am alright. are they? look like? they are character did which shows what the How do I like? show what the character is like. His wife (Mrs McColl) won’t visit me. know? character is like. Mr McColl calls me ‘a slovenly disgrace to the McColl family’ but What do I I’m glad Katie Morag wants to visit feel about me again. them? Welcome to the Isle of Struay

Learning targets: To talk about characters in a book. To identify and discuss characters – appearance, behaviour, qualities To speculate on how characters should behave To evaluate behaviour in stories To study (leading to writing) character profiles describing characteristics and behaviour. www.ks1resources.co.uk

Notes on the Katie Morag stories

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