From Supertato to Barry the Fish with Fingers, Norman the Slug with the Silly Shell, and No-Bot, the Robot with No Bottom, their stories combine humor, adventure, and playful characters in a way that keeps children excited about reading.
Whether you’re teaching in an ESL classroom, homeschooling, or working in a primary school, these books are memorable, interactive, and full of learning opportunities.
Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet are a successful author and illustrator team known for creating funny, imaginative picture books loved by children and teachers.
Their books often feature unusual characters, silly situations, expressive illustrations, and themes such as friendship, confidence, teamwork, and problem-solving.
The language is playful and accessible, making their stories ideal for young children and language learners.
Why Use Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet Stories?
Highly Engaging and Funny
Children love stories that make them laugh. Humor increases motivation and attention during storytime.
Great for ESL Learners
Repetitive phrases, clear storylines, and strong illustrations support comprehension and vocabulary development.
Rich in Social-Emotional Learning
Themes such as teamwork, bravery, kindness, persistence, and confidence are naturally included.
Encourages Speaking and Participation
Children enjoy predicting what will happen next, retelling scenes, and reacting to funny moments.
Memorable Characters
Characters like Supertato, Evil Pea, Barry, and Norman are unforgettable and inspire creative learning.
Favorite Sue Hendra Books to Explore
These laugh-out-loud stories are filled with energetic characters, playful humor, and expressive illustrations that make them perfect for interactive read-alouds. Sue Hendra’s books encourage participation, creativity, friendship discussions, and lots of classroom laughter while supporting early literacy and social-emotional learning.
Barry the Fish with Fingers
A hilarious underwater story about a fish who discovers he has fingers and suddenly becomes the most talented fish in the ocean. This playful story encourages conversations about creativity, confidence, and sharing talents with others.
Great for: Ocean themes, friendship, creativity, humor, self-confidence
You can extend this story with: ocean sensory bins, fish crafts, drawing activities, dramatic play, and talent-sharing games.
Supertato
A superhero potato must save the vegetables from the mischievous Evil Pea in this action-packed and hilarious classroom favorite. Full of humor and adventure, the story encourages teamwork and problem-solving.
Great for: Superheroes, vegetables, humor, teamwork, dramatic play
You can extend this story with: vegetable stamping art, superhero role-play, healthy eating discussions, sensory bins, and comic-book creation activities.
Keith the Cat with the Magic Hat
Keith discovers a magical hat that can make incredible things appear, leading to funny surprises and chaotic adventures. The lively story inspires creativity and imaginative thinking.
Great for: Imagination, magic themes, storytelling, humor, creative thinking
You can extend this story with: magic trick activities, hat design crafts, imaginative storytelling prompts, dramatic play, and drawing challenges.
No-Bot: The Robot with No Bottom
A silly and imaginative story about a little robot searching for his missing bottom. Children love the outrageous humor and repetition while practicing listening and prediction skills.
Great for: Robots, humor, STEM themes, prediction skills, imaginative play
You can extend this story with: robot building activities, junk-model creations, coding games, movement activities, and invention stations.
Norman the Slug with the Silly Shell
Norman desperately wants to fit in by having a fancy shell like the snails around him, leading to a series of funny adventures. The story gently explores self-acceptance and individuality in a humorous way.
Great for: Friendship, self-esteem, individuality, minibeasts, social-emotional learning
You can extend this story with: shell crafts, bug hunts, role-playing activities, nature studies, and classroom discussions about uniqueness.
Discussion Time
After reading, ask students:
- Who was your favorite character?
- What problem happened in the story?
- How was the problem solved?
- What made the story funny?
- What would you do differently?
This builds speaking confidence and critical thinking.
Act It Out
Turn the story into a role-play:
- Assign characters
- Recreate favorite scenes
- Use simple props
- Add voices and actions
This improves confidence, comprehension, and fluency.
Sequencing Practice
After reading, ask students to:
- Put events in order (first, next, then, last)
- Retell the story using simple sentences
- Match pictures to story events
This supports both ESL learners and native speakers.
Draw and Tell
Ask students to:
- Draw their favorite scene
- Create a new ending
- Design a new character
- Illustrate another adventure
Then invite them to explain their ideas.
Vocabulary Practice
Choose key words from the story:
- Match words to pictures
- Use words in simple sentences
- Sort vocabulary into groups
Examples:
- Characters
- Foods
- Actions
- Feelings
- Places
Problem-Solving Connections
Many stories include a challenge or conflict.
Ask:
- What was the problem?
- Who helped solve it?
- What other solution could work?
This develops reasoning skills.
Writing Activity
Use simple prompts such as:
- “My favorite character was…”
- “If I were in the story, I would…”
- “The funniest part was…”
- “Next, Supertato should…”
Students can write or draw responses.
Hands-On Activities
If possible:
- Create vegetable superheroes
- Make puppets
- Build story scenes with blocks
- Design character masks
- Create comic strips
These activities make learning memorable and fun.
Create an Exciting Storytime Environment
- Use props or puppets
- Create a reading corner
- Add character voices
- Encourage audience reactions
- Celebrate laughter and creativity
These details increase participation.
Stories by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet are more than just funny—they are powerful tools for building language, confidence, creativity, and classroom engagement.
Through playful storytelling and unforgettable characters, children develop communication skills while enjoying every moment.
Whether you focus on speaking, writing, sequencing, or vocabulary, these books adapt beautifully to your classroom.
So choose a story, gather your students, and get ready for lots of laughter and learning.
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