Fergus Ferry Review and Giveaway

You know we love books around here! Have you heard of Fergus Ferry? Today’s sponsored post is all about this 24-book series for kids ages 2-6 and the fun app that goes along with it. Think Thomas & Friends for little boat lovers.

And one lucky reader is going to get a FULL SET of books  for the home or classroom. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway at the end of this post! It could be you!

When we first received our complimentary set of books we started reading them right away. The girls were immediately interested in the series. “Just, one more Fergus book, Mommy?” has been a frequent request during story time. 

Author John Williamson Noble came up with the idea for Fergus Ferry during his daily commute on the ferry in Sydney, Australia. As he came up with new stories he shared them with his young son, and the series was born.  Since then over 70,000 copies have been sold.

As an early childhood teacher I see many great educational aspects within each of these books. The stories themselves are well written for the target age group. And the vibrant illustrations and creative characters keep kids actively engaged through each page of the book. The use of rhyming text  also provides the opportunity for discussions about rhyming words and early phonemic awareness activities.

I also personally love that the series is set in Australia. In each of the stories readers get a glimpse at aspects of Australian life, and it allows for a meaningful integration of social studies concepts into literacy time.

Each story also relates to a common character education theme like friendship, courage, anti-bullying, acceptance, respect and more. As the characters work through the different challenges, parents/teachers and kids can discuss these big topics together.

On the Fergus Ferry website you’ll also find teacher’s notes  that share talking points, related book activities, and the overall theme of each book.

Fergus Ferry Books and Resources

There are many different ways to experience Fergus Ferry. Paper books come in four box sets with 6 books each, or you can purchase ebooks individually through your ebook store.

Below is a list of the titles included in each box set.

First Fleet

Fergus the Ferry
Fergus at the Fire
Fergus at the Race
Fergus at the Fireworks
Fergus Makes a Difference
Fergus at the Zoo

Second Fleet

Fergus and Angus
Fergus and Boris
Fergus Breaks Loose
Fergus to the Rescue
Fergus Goes Bang!
Fergus and the Whale

Third Fleet

Fergus Joins the Search
Fergus and Hydro
Fergus and Max
Fergus and Lady Jane
High Tide Fergus
Fergus and Ark

Fourth Fleet

Fergus Says Farewell
Fergus and C
Fergus Thinks Fast
Fergus and Jet
Fergus and Jess
Fergus Goes to Sea

Kids can also enjoy the Fergus Ferry books via the Fergus Ferry app.  Within the app they can read the stories, have the stories read to them, play an interactive game, and explore the harbour.  While the game sections have interactive features, there are no interactive features within the books. I personally think this is great. It allows kids to focus on reading or listening to the flow of the story.

My girls love the narrator’s voice. And I have to giggle a little as they use make their best impressions and say, “Chug-chug-chug, what’s that sound? It’s Fergus Ferry on his round!”

And right now the FULL app is free on iPhone and iPads/99 cents on Android and Free on Amazon Devices until May 31, 2014. Get direct links to all the different app types on the Fergus Ferry app page.

There are also online games and free printables. On the computer kids can do puzzles and play two card games. There are also multiple version of the coloring pages, word search, and connect the dot free printables.

You can learn more about Fergus Ferry and connect with them via the following social media sites: Twitter,  Facebook,  Google+,  YouTube, and Pinterest.

FULL BOOK SET GIVEAWAY!

The creators of Fergus Ferry are generously giving away one complete 24 book Fergus Ferry set valued at $89 USD. And the giveaway is worldwide, so everyone can participate!

There is one required entry. Leave a comment telling us what you think you and your child will like most about Fergus Ferry. Then don’t forget to click “I Did It!” in the Rafflecopter widget below.  If you’d like more chances to win, you can choose any of the additional options, too. The winner will be announced Saturday, May 24.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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