The hilarious picture book Not Cute by Philip Bunting was shortlisted for the CBCA 2021 Picture Book of the Year. This witty and thought-provoking story is a perfect addition to your classroom library and will quickly become a student favourite.
This funny tale follows an adorable Quokka who desperately wishes to be described as anything but cute. Instead, he longs to be seen as dangerous, scary, or ferocious. As Quokka encounters a variety of Australian animals, he grows increasingly frustrated when everyone insists on calling him cute. His anger escalates until he meets an animal who finally agrees with him—with unexpected and rather unfortunate consequences.
The story closes with a thought-provoking Aesop quote:
“The stubborn listen to nobody’s advice and become a victim of their own delusions.”
This moral is the perfect springboard for classroom discussions about choices, behaviour, and the consequences of one’s actions.
How to Use Not cute. in the Classroom
Philip Bunting’s clever dialogue and expressive illustrations make Not Cute an engaging text to support lessons in literacy, drama, and social-emotional learning. Below are some classroom teaching activities you can try.
1. Dynamic Dialogue Lesson
The dialogue in Not Cute is ideal for exploring how characters express themselves. I used this story in a Dynamic Dialogue lesson, and the students loved it! We acted out the story together and experimented by swapping out the word said for more interesting vocabulary.
Some examples of “words that are better than said” in the text include:
Students then used my Dynamic Dialogue writing prompts to create their own hilarious conversations between different Australian animals.
2. Exploring Punctuation in Direct Speech
After performing the dialogue, we shifted our focus to punctuation in direct speech. Using the text as a model, students practised writing sentences with quotation marks, commas, and full stops in the correct places.
3. Drama and Role-Play
Because the book is so dialogue-heavy, it’s perfect for role-play activities. Students can take on the parts of Quokka and the other animals, experimenting with tone, volume, and expression to reflect how the characters are feeling.
4. Discussing Themes and Morals
The Aesop quote at the end provides an excellent discussion starter. Ask your students:
- What does it mean to ignore advice?
- How do our choices affect the way others see us?
- What lesson did Quokka learn?
Try It Out in Your Classroom
To save you time, I’ve created a ready-to-use resource:
👉 Not cute. Print and Go Activities and Worksheets
And don’t miss my freebie:
👉 Dialogue Writing Prompt Freebie
This free resource is the perfect way to extend your students’ learning and make your dialogue lessons even more engaging.
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Dynamic Dialogue Writing Prompts
