Today is Remembrance Sunday and I thought about a school visit I did, talking to some children about picture books and that type of thing. One little girl asked me about The Frank Show which is a book about a boy whose grandfather is a source of some embarrassment to him, until he learns a little about Frank's life.

The girl pointed to the picture below and asked me what type of phone Frank was using. I said it wasn't a phone but a hearing aid to help him hear things better. And she said that if he had a phone he could show people pictures about his life instead of telling stories all the time.

I had to agree with her. But Frank was probably too busy to take pictures during the war because he was a soldier and had lots of more important things to do. She thought that hearing aids were a good idea.

I like how pictures can generate questions as well as make statements about things. Someone told me that children born this century don't recognise a dial-telephone. If they see it they can ask, is my opinion. It keeps them thinking and asking and learning.

Frank wouldn't be patient enough to work a smartphone anyway.