Shh We Have a Plan

Story

In the dead of night, deep in a wood, four friends out together spot a bird in a tree. Can they catch it? They have A Plan...Shh!

Why we chose it

A simply told and very funny story with few words and beautifully expressive illustrations. Children will love the suspense as the hunters approach and delight in the outcome each time.

Where it came from

Chris Haughton is an Irish author and illustrator living in London. Before becoming a writer, he travelled the world, working in San Francisco, Hong Kong, India, and Nepal. This story was inspired by a show at Edinburgh Fringe called Mr Bunk, by Swamp Juice. This led to thoughts of Road Runner, and of plans gone wrong...

Where it went next

Shh... has been translated into many languages, including French, Japanese, and Portuguese. It won the Ezra Jack Keats Award and the Irish Book Prize, and was longlisted for the Kate Greenaway.

Associated stories

Haughton has written and illustrated a number of picture books, including Goodnight Everyone, Hat Monkey, Oh No George, Don’t Worry Little Crab, Little Earth and A Bit Lost, the story of a little baby owl looking for his mummy.

In 2014 he launched an app called Hat Monkey, and in 2017 he created a VR experience called Little Earth.