Heave Ho - by Sally Anne Garland (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Cub wakes up with a lot of big feelings...so big that there is no space inside him for anything else, or any of his friends at school. During recess, Cub stomps off and swings angrily from the branch of a tree. He finds that he likes the rumbling feeling of his feet dragging in the dirt as he swings. It sounds like the sea! Soon he begins to settle down and welcomes his friends on an imaginary journey across a wild sea to calmer waters. This gentle story provides a valuable lesson in how to self-regulate and finding the space to do so"--

Book Synopsis

Cub wakes up with a lot of big feelings...so big that there is no space inside him for anything else, or any of his friends at school. During recess, Cub stomps off and swings angrily from the branch of a tree. He finds that he likes the rumbling feeling of his feet dragging in the dirt as he swings. It sounds like the sea! Soon he begins to settle down and welcomes his friends on an imaginary journey across a wild sea to calmer waters. This gentle story provides a valuable lesson in how to self-regulate and finding the space to do so.

Praise for Sally Anne Garland's books:
Nook
"A sensitive character study with feelings that run deep."
‒ Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

The Moon Seed
"A quietly spectacular picture book, reimagining the journey of a seed aboard Apollo 14."
‒ The Guardian

The Chalk Garden
"A lush, joyful picture book, full of growth, colour and creativity."
‒ The Guardian

Review Quotes

Poor Cub, he arrives at school his head full of thoughts - endpapers showing stormy grey seas matching his mood. His friends try to cheer him up, but he snarls at them, and when little Mo offers him her teddy to cuddle, he throws it high up into the big tree.

It's then, as he swings on the tree's lower branch, that Cub begins to work through his big feelings. Pushing against the branch and letting it sweep him back makes him feel likes he's going somewhere good. Soon his friends join in, and the branch has become a boat for them to row through stormy seas. They 'heave ho' together until the bell goes, landing safely back on shore.

This lovely story offers all sorts of opportunities for discussing big feelings with little children and will show them ways to cope - through play, movement, friends. With its friendly school setting it will also be very good to share with young children about to start school or in their first weeks. And if you're worried about little Mo's teddy, stuck in the tree, don't be: Cub climbs up to rescue it. Peace and happiness restored, and 'the smile on Mo's face made a space inside Cub that felt as big as the sea'.

--LoveReading4Kids "https: //www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/book/9798384602507/isbn/Heave-Ho-by-Sally-Anne-Garland.html" (8/1/2025 12:00:00 AM)

After a bad night, Cub is so full of big feelings that there's no room left inside his mind and body for anyone or anything else. As a result he lets fly at his friends and classmates refusing to allow them to participate in activities and even tosses Mo's teddy bear way up into a big tree when she offers it to him to cuddle. Then having stamped and stomped around he begins to swing on a bendy tree branch that is even stronger than his feelings.

Gradually as he does so, with each pull and push, Cub's big angry feelings begin to get smaller and smaller and he starts to feel he's going to a good place. Eventually his friends Ossie, Flick, Rhu, Mo and Nook feel able to come and swing with him on the branch and they set off on a flight of fancy to an imaginary world far from their classroom: joy and happiness have replaced Cub's inner turmoil and all is well once more.

A story that young children can relate to as they watch and hear how Cub responds to his big feelings that push him over the edge. If shared in a nursery setting or EYFS classroom, it could be followed by a circle time discussion.

--Red Reading Hub "https: //redreadinghub.blog/2025/07/12/heave-ho/" (7/12/2025 12:00:00 AM)

As with Sally Anne Garland's earlier book, The Chalk Garden, a child's encounter with nature sparks new understanding and - subtly and with the lightest touch - provides the opportunity to explore emotions that all readers will recognise, to varying degrees. Cub is tired and distracted when he arrives at school, 'so full of big feelings that he had no space left inside for anything, or anyone, else'. He's grumpy with his friends when they try to play and when little Mo gives Cub her teddy to cuddle, angrily throws it up into the branches of a tree. He feels bad for that but can't move on from his dark mood. Cross and guilty, he starts pushing on a branch of the tree, keen to 'make the branch SNAP!' But it resists, and the harder Cub pushes, the smaller his big feelings become. Swinging on the branch, the noise it makes, the noise his feet make, sounds like sea. Now his friends join him, and the branch is transformed into a boat, all them pulling on the oars. By the time the bell rings for the end of break, Cub's big feelings have been swept away, finally replaced by the feelings he has when he fetches little Mo's teddy down from the tree, feelings that don't need to be named but which make a space inside him that feels 'as big as the sea'.

For children, this will primarily be a story about the joy of playing with friends and the scenes of the little friends rowing their boat across the ocean are full of fun and action, but the real story - just as clear - is the interior one. It will be reassuring for any child who, like Cub, pushes against feelings they find it hard to control; the story finds space for them and the perfect way in to talking about feelings they would find it hard to describe. Another outstanding book from this author.

--Books for Keeps "https: //booksforkeeps.co.uk/review/heave-ho/" (7/14/2025 12:00:00 AM)

Cub swings angrily from the branch of a tree... until he calms himself down and welcomes his friends on an imaginary journey. In fact he was, ' so full of feelings that he had no space left inside for anything or anyone else.'

However much his friends tried to help Cub was having none of it and he just carried on not wanting to talk with them or share why he was grumpy. But after quite a lot of swinging on a branch things started to get better and his imagination took him and his friends into a stormy sea, where Cub saved the day!

A beautifully written and illustrated book by Sally Anne Garland, an absolute joy to have nearby to read at times when things don't always work out the way they should.

Lovingly published by Sunbird Books, an imprint of Phoenix International Publications and will be a joy to have at home, at school or nursery. Definitely a book that will be read and shared time and time again.

--Dolphin Book Sellers "http: //www.dolphinbooksellers.co.uk/blog/2025/06/27/heave-ho-by-sally-anne-garland/" (6/27/2025 12:00:00 AM)

About the Author

Sally Anne Garland grew up in a small town called Alness in the Highlands of Scotland. According to her parents, her first really good drawing, at the age of four, was a large mural in crayon on the sitting-room wall. She went on to study Illustration and Graphic Design at Edinburgh College of Art before settling in Glasgow, where she lives with her partner and their son. When she's not drawing or writing stories, she has fun reading books, watching movies, and going on walks.