Patrick

by Quentin Blake

Welcome to the wonderful world of Patrick! For when he plays his violin, the most extraordinary things start to fish can fly, and cows can dance and trees grow cakes instead of apples.There's fireworks and fun and colours everywhere, when Patrick performs his magical tunes...

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Fantasy

Paperback

First published January 1, 1968

About the author

Sir Quentin Saxby Blake is an English cartoonist, caricaturist, illustrator and children's writer. He has illustrated over 300 books, including 18 written by Roald Dahl, which are among his most popular works. For his lasting contribution as a children's illustrator he won the biennial international Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2002, the highest recognition available to creators of children's books. From 1999 to 2001, he was the inaugural British Children's Laureate. He is a patron of the Association of Illustrators.

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patrick buys a violin, he sits down to play it and magical things happen. The fish jump out of the water and dance in the air, cows become brightly coloured and cakes grow on trees. A fun read about the magic of music.

Read on open library.

[Alma Begum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patrick by Quentin Blake

An unusual, quirky story! Patrick wants a violin and goes in search for one in the town, where they sell fishes, clothes and vegetables. He purchases a violin from the second hand dealer Mr. onion. Fascinating things start to happen when Patrick plays the violin. Fish in the sea can fly, leaves become food. There are bright colours and sparks. Patrick goes around changing people lives by playing his violin and making good things happen. Patrick helps homeless and poor people.

This story is illustrated beautifully in a very different style, warm and unique. When reading Patrick the book becomes alive, the description used is imaginative. All your ideas are jam packed in one story. Young children especially in key stage one will enjoy reading this story on their own or the story being read to them. The story can be used for Literacy where, you ask the children to extend the story by asking them to write about where else Patrick could go and let them use their imagination to create their own version of the story where magical things happen.

Quentin Blake is a very famous children’s author/illustrator and has written many more books that children will enjoy like Mr. Magnolia, Angelo and many more.

[Xiomara Vasquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of Patrick. Patrick is the story of a violinist who manages to change color with his music. Patrick buys a enchanted violin from a marketplace and promptly finds out that by playing a few notes he can make fish jump and cows dance. Soon he has created an exuberant magical procession complete with fireworks and a cast full of happy people. I was fascinating to read this book.

This could be used in the classroom to predict (or write about) what might happen next? And write a story about another musical instrument.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of 5 stars is for the audio, which adds the music that makes all the colorful conversions happen. Beautiful watercolors. Delightful.

[Neftis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me ha sorprendido esta historia. Este libro ha caído en mis manos por casualidad y por curiosidad le he echado un ojo y lo he terminado devorando. Se lee muy rápido porque es un libro cortito pero está lleno de color y de música, la de un violín mágico y su violinista.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I saw this on the shelves of the library, I was keen to review it, because I loved this book as a child and as adults I don't think we can ever really understand how a child might appreciate a book, unless we have an audience to read it to. I found this book absolutely magical. Look at the page of the colourful fish, I loved this as a child, as well as the page with the colourful trees. In a way Kath and Mick are a little like Hansel and Gretel, finding the gingerbread house. This story still makes me smile. Patrick's violin makes everybody well and happy.

[Cail Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

32 pages of pure delight.

[Amber Goss · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed both the illustrations and the story of this book, easy reading and the children in my year 1 class liked it, however I found the ending a little odd and abrupt.

[Rebecca Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

An aptly named story about a man named Patrick, who goes out to buy a violin. He finds his violin, and soon, magical things begin to happen when he's playing it. It causes multi-coloured fish to fly; magics up bright red ribbons in a young girls hair; turns leaves on trees all different colours; cakes, ice-cream and buttered toast to grow on the trees. But the man and his companions come across a very sick, thin man and his wife. The man uses his magic violin to help the man, who gets fatter, better and a brand new colourful suit.

This is a brilliant story for young children with loads of imaginative ideas and full of colour. But it also holds the very important message of the importance of help one another, regardless of who you are.

[Shini · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story about a man called Patrick, who buys a violin. When he plays the violin magical things happen. Leaves on trees turn different colours; food begins to grow on trees; fish start to fly. He then sees a thin, sick man, to whom he plays the violin, and the man gets fatter and healthier and is wearing a brightly coloured suit.

The story is good, but personally I think there could have been a little more substance. Although the illustrations are amazing, and invite everyone to use their imagination, I can’t help but think that the ending could have been better.

This book would be good for an Early Years class or KS1. It could be used in a range of subject matter for example Art, English and even just morals of children.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book when I was a kid. I was totally enamoured by the idea of a tree with cake and hot buttered toast. I read this book (the same edition I had as a child)to my daughter last night and she seems to love it too.

[Simon Cian · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Patrick buys a dusty old violin the world around him changes completely. This is quirky and cheerful but somewhat simple book. I feel that it stays something about the joy and wonder that music can begin to the world in an almost magical way.

[Terri Zumbahlen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It's a sort of pied piper story with a violin. But whenever the violin was played objects become more colorful and fanciful. Great for engaging the imagination. The illustrations are elaborate and engaging as well as beautiful.

[Bridget]

Have the audio version

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it. I liked how everyone changed their colour and their different things. Luke aged 5

[Shahd Rdawi · Rating 5 out of 5]

📀 story

[Adrian · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a story about a young man called Patrick, who set out from his house one day to buy a violin

We do love a Quentin Blake and always scour the children's books section of our local charity shops to see what we can find.

This is another such find and looked a typical colourful affair from the former Children's Laureate, however the story felt a little flat compared to many of the others we have in our collection.

On further inspection, we found it was actually Quentin Blake's first picture book and was first publish way back in 1968.

Lacking some of the humour you expect and using some rather dated language, which could cause offense to some, I can only give this 2 1/2 stars.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know I am biased, but this is one of my favourite Blake books of all time! I love the fun, colourful pictures as well as the playful imagination (and the name) behind the story. Patrick is a person who spreads positivity everywhere he goes. I like encouraging children to think creatively by asking them what wonderful things they would wish for if they could play a magical violin, just like Patrick's!

[Cheryl]

Not Found

[Stacy Atherton Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun, lively, engaging book with brilliant artwork!

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book so much. This is a good book. I like the pictures in this book. I love Patrick because I love magic and I want to be an entertainer when I grow up.

[Nohra Bernal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unforgettable.

[Dhwani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it