View source for Pom Pom the Champion by Sophy Henn

{{infobox2
|title=Pom Pom the Champion
|author=Sophy Henn
|reviewer=Sue Magee
|genre=For Sharing
|summary=A delightful story which shows that winning isn't everything and that winning on your own is no fun at all.
|rating=4.5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|pages=32
|publisher=Puffin
|date=September 2015
|isbn=978-0723299844
|website=http://www.sophyhenn.com/
|video=
|aznuk=0723299846
|aznus=0723299846
|cover=0723299846
}}

Pom Pom is on a winning streak.  He first discovered it when mum suggested that they should play a game - and he won!  He liked winning.   After that he won at all sorts of things, including not being the tallest or the shortest, finishing elevenses first, getting ready to go out, and packing his bag at the supermarket.  Fortunately there was no prize for packing everything ''safely'' because he certainly wouldn't have won ''that'' one.  He didn't go down too well with the librarian when he announced that he was the winner of the 'first to finish reading your book' competition.

The winning streak continued at the park: first down the slide - but then Baxter and Scout and some of their friends asked if Pom Pom wanted to play with them.  They started with scooters - and Pom Pom was left eating dust.  When they played on the swings, Pom Pom couldn't swing as high as any of the others.  He'd only have won at Catch if there was a prize for the first person to drop the ball and the climbing frame defeated him.  Pom Pom stalked off in a huff.

''It's NOT fair!  I'm a winner!  I'm going to GO and WIN on my OWN!''

And that is what he did.  Only it wasn't very much fun.  Fortunately Scout and Baxter and their friends were sensible and kindly and when they invited Pom Pom to join them in a race, they decided that they could all win together and that's what they did.

It's a lovely story with a subtle message that winning isn't everything and that playing together is much better than playing on your own - but it does require just a little bit of give and take.  A child who is prone to this sort of behaviour can laugh at Pom Pom whilst gently receiving the message that it isn't actually all that much fun and possibly just a little bit silly.  It's neatly done.  There's another message too: being the first to finish something doesn't necessarily mean that you've done it ''well''.  Sophy Henn's illustrations in strong colours, but subdued tones show this point perfectly.

There's plenty to discuss in the illustrations and the story will appeal to both boys and girls.  It's a book that will be read time and time again and I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.

My personal favourite Sophy Henn story is [[Where Bear? by Sophy Henn|Where Bear?]].

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