My Pet Star: Make your own My Pet Star shadow puppets

Published on: 13 May 2020 Author: Julie Peppiatt

We're giving copies of My Pet Star by Corrinne Averiss and Rosalind Beardshaw to families across the country through food banks, refuges and more - and we want you to join in the fun!

Once you’ve finished reading the book, why not continue the story with these colourful shadow puppets and make your own adventures?

What you will need: 

• Cardboard or thick paper
• Paints/colouring pencils
• Scissors
• Sticky tape
• Straws/old felt-tip pens/lollipop sticks

Your step by step guide

1. Draw your characters on to a piece of cardboard. You could draw a Pet Star, other night-themed characters, or anything you want to take part in your story.

2. Colour in your characters with paints or pencils. You could even add glitter, ribbons  or pom poms if you like!

3. Ask an adult to cut out your characters.

4. Your shadow puppets are almost ready! It’s time to add the lollipop sticks/old felt-tip pens/straws so that you can hold up your characters. We’ve used old felt-tips. 

Tape the lids to the pens to make sure they are secure. Then take a piece of tape and wrap this around half of your pen, then stick a bit of extra tape to the back of your characters to keep the pens in place.

5. Now your characters are ready to play with! Close the curtains, make your room dark and shine a torch in the direction of your puppets. What story will their shadows tell?