Circle Square - Bestest Book Day (S1E12)
It's Bestest Book Day but book lover Grindle the yeti isn't coming to the big event for some reason. Vanessa and the kids go to investigate and find book day outfit inspiration.
| Runtime (min) | 7 |
|---|---|
| Air Date | 2021-08-03 |
| Genres | Kids, Animation |
| Network(s) | 5 |
Storyline
Circle Square celebrates Bestest Book Day, a special event honoring books and reading. The community is excited for the festivities, but Grindle the yeti, known for his love of books, is noticeably absent from the celebration. His absence puzzles everyone, especially since this event seems perfectly suited to his interests.
Vanessa and the children decide to find out why Grindle isn't participating. They set off to investigate his absence and discover what's keeping him away from Bestest Book Day. Along the way, the group explores different outfit ideas inspired by their favorite books and characters, turning their search into an opportunity for creative expression and celebration of literature. The episode weaves together themes of friendship, problem-solving, and the joy of reading as the characters work to include everyone in the special day.
What kids learn
Children learn the importance of noticing when friends are missing from group activities and taking action to include them. The episode demonstrates that when someone who usually enjoys something isn't participating, it's worth checking in to understand why. This teaches empathy and the value of making sure everyone feels welcome and included in community celebrations.
The episode also reinforces a love of reading and books through the celebration of Bestest Book Day. Children see that books are worth celebrating and that reading can be a shared community experience, not just a solitary activity. The connection between books and creative expression is highlighted through the outfit inspiration segment, showing kids that stories can inspire imagination in multiple ways.
Young viewers also learn problem-solving skills as they watch Vanessa and the children investigate Grindle's absence. The episode models how to approach a puzzle methodically, ask questions, and work together to find answers, all while maintaining care and concern for a friend's wellbeing.
Parents' top 5 questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Why is Grindle absent from Bestest Book Day if he loves books? | The episode uses Grindle's absence as a gentle mystery that drives the story forward. His love of books makes his non-attendance puzzling, which motivates Vanessa and the children to investigate. This setup teaches children to notice when friends behave unexpectedly and to care enough to find out why, rather than simply assuming someone doesn't want to participate. |
| What is Bestest Book Day meant to teach my child about reading? | Bestest Book Day presents reading as a joyful, community-wide celebration rather than a solitary or academic task. By making books the center of a special event with costumes and festivities, the episode helps children associate reading with fun, creativity, and social connection. This positive framing can encourage reluctant readers to see books as sources of enjoyment and imagination. |
| How does the episode handle the theme of inclusion? | The episode demonstrates inclusion through action rather than lecture. When the group notices Grindle is missing, they don't continue without him—they actively seek him out to understand what's wrong and help him participate. This models for children that true inclusion means noticing absences, investigating barriers, and taking steps to ensure everyone can join in community activities. |
| What are the book day outfit inspirations about? | The outfit inspiration segment connects reading to creative self-expression, showing children that books can inspire how we present ourselves and celebrate our interests. This element makes the abstract concept of loving books more concrete and actionable for young viewers, giving them ideas for how they might celebrate their own favorite stories through dress-up and imaginative play. |
| Is this episode appropriate for children who don't enjoy reading yet? | Yes, the episode's celebratory and social approach to books may actually appeal to children who haven't yet developed a love of reading. By focusing on community, friendship, mystery-solving, and creative expression rather than the act of reading itself, the episode creates positive associations with books and literary culture that can plant seeds for future interest in reading. |
Writing
Directing
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Duster the dog's pyjamas are accidentally destroyed by Vanessa. It's a race against the sunset to find some that match up to Duster's high expectations. |
| 1 | 2 | Tuft Owl wants to make a portrait of her father. Vanessa enlists the help of the wizards, Isabella the bear and Grindle to make paintings, photos and sculptures. |
| 1 | 3 | Caylee can't find her toy armadillo in the Ruffles' house. Vanessa enlists the help of some super-cleaners for help find the toy. |
| 1 | 4 | Shy yeti Grindle is trying to get to sleep, but some of his neighbours are making a lot of noise, so Vanessa the dragon tries to help him find the courage to speak up. |
| 1 | 5 | Wizard Gwen wants to top up her pocket money for a special purchase, so she runs a bric-a-brac sale with her brother Ben. |
| 1 | 6 | When the neighbours are enjoying a boat trip, the fog moves in. Vanessa the dragon rushes back to switch on her lighthouse but it fails to shine. |
| 1 | 7 | Keys has promised a new song to Radio Wyndley, but hasn't left herself much time to write it. She's low on ideas so visits her neighbours for inspiration. |
| 1 | 8 | Vanessa the dragon is looking forward to some personal time to fix up the lighthouse, but her neighbours are also in need of her assistance. |
| 1 | 9 | Douglas Pine is under pressure to win the sunflower growing contest, but he hasn't been listening to his grandfather's top growing hints. He looks for a handy shortcut to success. |
| 1 | 10 | Isabella the bear wants to find an exercise that suits her. She heads off with Vanessa to find inspiration with their neighbours. |
| 1 | 11 | Duster the dog's kennel is taken for repairs and he's left with a bland replacement. Vanessa appeals to their neighbours to find ways to make his new abode more homely. |
| 1 | 12 | It's Bestest Book Day but book lover Grindle the yeti isn't coming to the big event for some reason. Vanessa and the kids go to investigate and find book day outfit inspiration. |
| 1 | 13 | Tommy the drum and Keys the keyboard disagree on the ending of a song and break up their band. Tommy goes solo while Keys looks for a new bandmate around the island. |
| 1 | 14 | Wizarding architect Dilys is designing a new magical tower, but also writing a scroll to granny, cooking buns, magically watering houseplants and now she's got hiccups too. |
| 1 | 15 | Caylee wants to organise a surprise birthday for yeti Grindle. With Vanessa and Ma Ruffle's help she organises a big, bold, brash birthday celebration just the way she likes it. |
| 1 | 16 | Isabella the bear and Vanessa discover an old treasure map left by Isabella s adventuring mother. They follow the clues around the island, picking up helpers along the way. |
| 1 | 17 | Dustin finds a teddy bear, Mr Hugglesworth, and claims it as his own, not knowing that it actually belongs to one of his neighbours. |
| 1 | 18 | Gwen s mum Kira Kazam takes Gwen and Ben on a camping trip, but Kira s expert wizarding skills threaten to ruin the experience for the kids. |
| 1 | 19 | Tommy decides he needs a new look, but he s soon trying on a new personality along with a new outfit. |
| 1 | 20 | Daddy Dillydally may be a wizard of a cook, but he doesn t eat enough veggies! Vanessa takes him on a culinary tour of the island to discover just how tasty veggies can be. |
| 1 | 21 | Nelson Pine shows his neighbours around a long forgotten part of the greenhouse. But when he loses his way, he's too proud to accept their help. |
| 1 | 22 | Snowdon Owl is anxious about the family trip to Funfair Island. He's not a fan of the big rides, but doesn't want to admit either. |
| 1 | 23 | Wizard Ben is super excited to get his new rollerskates, but then worries about falling over, so Vanessa steps in to help. |
| 1 | 24 | Ma Ruffle has an audition for a role with a famous director! Her friends help her to practice for the audition. |
| 1 | 25 | Teacher Pa Ruffle has forgotten to book the school trip to Dinosaur Island! But perhaps there's more prehistory right here on their own Island than he realised. |
| 1 | 26 | Duster the dog's cousin Barrel comes to visit the island. But he finds Duster's neighbours a real bother and persuades a reluctant Duster to lead a more solitary life. |
| 1 | 27 | Alba Owl feels overwhelmed by the climate emergency. Vanessa and little Tuft Owl accompany her on a visit to their neighbours to see what local changes can make a difference. |
| 1 | 28 | Tuft Owl and Vanessa have a spooky mystery to solve on the island! A Spooky Cheese may be haunting the neighbours. |
| 1 | 29 | Baljit the lion comes to celebrate Diwali with his friends on Circle Square Island. |
| 1 | 30 | Snowdon Owl is worried his police detective skills are rusty. But then Duster the dog's pizza goes missing, so Snowdon and his assistant, Vanessa the dragon, try to find it. |
| 1 | 31 | When everyone else embarks on a big holiday, Grindle opts to instead stay behind on the island. |
| 1 | 32 | Isabella the bear, adventurer, and author, is supposed to be running a creative writing workshop for the children. However, she's run out of ideas. |
| 1 | 33 | Duster wants to sing with the island choir, but he doesn't have the patience to practice. |
| 1 | 34 | Vanessa loses a suitcase in the sea so goes on an underwater search with Grindle. |
| 1 | 35 | Douglas Pine wants to win a race at the wizards' magic sports day, but he won't listen to any advice. |
| 1 | 36 | Tommy the drum is babysitting Caylee Ruffle, but calming people down isn't his speciality! |
| 1 | 37 | Dub comes to visit the island. She has something important to tell Keys, but wants to find the best way to say it. |
| 1 | 38 | Vanessa is doing a sponsored silence, but really needs to tell her friends something important. |
| 1 | 39 | Gwen Dillydally uses magic to run the island's shop, but soon the products are all magically floating away! |
| 1 | 40 | Nelson Pine feels bah-humbug about Christmas, especially because he's a Christmas tree and people expect him to dress up in baubles and tinsel. |
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