The Truck Cat Diary: National Simultaneous Storytime Activity is a creative writing task that invites students to step into the paws of Tinka and explore the story from his unique point of view. Designed to accompany The Truck Cat by Deborah Frenkel, this reflective activity strengthens empathy, comprehension and narrative voice—while giving students space to express themselves through both writing and illustration.

Students will select a significant moment from the story—such as when Tinka joins Yacoub, gets lost, or discovers what home really means—and write a diary entry from Tinka’s perspective. This imaginative task supports students in thinking deeply about character emotion, internal dialogue and descriptive writing. They’ll also draw a visual representation of the moment to complement their writing, with a focus on body language, facial expression and setting.

Two flexible templates are provided to suit your classroom needs: a diary booklet version with a cover and writing pages (printed back-to-back and flipped on the short edge), or a single-page worksheet. Line widths are available in 24mm, 18mm and 14mm to accommodate a range of age groups and writing stages.

This activity is ideal for a writing rotation, whole-class lesson or follow-up comprehension task. Students will enjoy using their imagination to bring Tinka’s thoughts to life while developing their ability to write in first person and describe emotional experiences.

Key Learning Outcomes:

• ✅ Write in first person to explore a character’s perspective
• ✅ Use descriptive and emotive language to reflect on narrative events
• ✅ Illustrate key moments in the story to support comprehension
• ✅ Strengthen narrative voice and character empathy

What’s Included:

• Two template options:
• Single-page worksheet
• Diary booklet version (print back-to-back)
• Templates available in 24mm, 18mm and 14mm line widths

Materials Needed:

• Printed templates
• Pencils, crayons or markers
• Copy of The Truck Cat for reference

How to Use:

• Read The Truck Cat as a class or in small groups, discussing key events and character emotions.
• Invite students to choose a moment from the story to write about from Tinka’s point of view.
• Have students draw a picture that captures that moment, focusing on expression and setting.
• Guide students in writing a diary-style entry using descriptive and emotive language.
• Encourage students to refer back to the book for vocabulary and inspiration.

Ideas for Classroom Use:

• 💡 Use as a follow-up writing task to build perspective-taking and emotional literacy
• 💡 Compile student entries into a class Diary of a Truck Cat
• 💡 Extend with multiple entries across Tinka’s journey—beginning, middle and end
• 💡 Use in conjunction with the other resources in our The Truck Cat: Book PACKAGE

Top Teacher Tips:

• 💛 Model a diary entry as a class using a shared moment from the story
• 💛 Display a word bank of emotions and phrases to support expressive writing
• 💛 Encourage students to read their diary entries aloud to practise oral storytelling

The Truck Cat Diary: National Simultaneous Storytime Activity is a meaningful and creative way to explore narrative voice, build empathy, and reflect on the emotional journey of a beloved story character.