Shockingly Good Stories

 

Shockingly Good Stories by RA Spratt (Puffin Books) PB RRP$19.99 ISBN 9781761043376

Reviewed by Dianne Bates

Author of three popular book series for young readers, Pratt uses their main characters as mouthpieces for zany fractured fairytales. Thus, we have Nanny Piggins, seemingly prim but very idiosyncratic, who relates classic stories with a twist to her charges, including sensitive Boris and his brother, Derrick. Nanny’s language is precise and quirky. Her first story is about Rapunzel, who, instead of blonde hair, has locks of bacon. The prince, ‘deranged with hunger’, devours all the bacon until the princess in the tower is bald. Despite this, he proposes to her and, when they are married, ‘every morning the prince enjoyed the most delicious breakfast.’

In this collection of twenty funny and highly original tall tales, there’s story about how NASA space station trains cows to go to the moon to make cheese. Another, with the title ‘Little Red Riding Pig’, others about stolen sandwiches, chocolate waterfalls, and piranhas on the run. In between chapters, Pratt provides storytelling tips (such as imagining a great-aunt as a potential mass murderer).

The publisher says that this collection is perfect for fans of Roald Dahl, David Walliams, and Paul Jennings. Certainly, Pratts’ previously unpublished stories can be favourably compared. This book is sure to be exceedingly popular with children from age seven and up.

Pratt’s recently launched podcast, Bedtime Stories, has received over 100k downloads in less than a year, and has a huge following from around the world.

Little Good Wolf

 Little Good Wolf by Aleesah Darlison, illustrated by Shannon Melville (Wombat Books)

PB RRP $14.95

ISBN 978-1-921633-64-5

Reviewed by Jacque Duffy

A junior fiction chapter book for early independent readers.

Little Good Wolf is lonely and sad, the other fairytale kids at Fairytale Land's Top School want nothing to do with him, not even Ugly Duckling. All of Little Good Wolf's problems would be solved if his father The Big Bad Wolf wasn't so mean and terrifying.

Little Good Wolf has a talk with his father and shares his worries, he asks his father to change his ways and his job, the resulting job search outcomes are entertaining.

The humorous black and white illustrations by Shannon Melville have been created in such a way children will relate to them and perhaps be encouraged to draw.

I believe this to be a good book for reading in lower primary classrooms. The story can be used to raise discussions on bullying, and how this antisocial behavior can become expected. The story also fuels discussion as to how this expected behavior can be changed.

Aleesah Darlison is an award winning author of stories for children and young adults. Her twist on the much loved fairytales in this book are stimulating and unexpected and will keep a smile on the reader's face.

 Jacque Duffy is the author and illustrator of the series ‘That’s not a …” learn to read books used in all Queensland State Primary Schools and one local history coffee table book.

www.jacquesartandbooks.com

Long Live Us!

Long Live Us! by Edel Wignell, illustrated by Peter Allert  (IP Kidz)

HB RRP $26.00, ebook $13.00

ISBN 9781921479465

Reviewed by Margaret Warner

Take one greedy troll, add a group of Goodies: three bears, three pigs, one princess and frog prince. Add a group of Baddies: Goldilocks, a hungry wolf, a wicked witch and add Jack’s giant for good measure. Mix them up in a fractured fairytale and you end up with a riotous tale told with quirky humour about Goodies and Baddies and crime and punishment. Readers will realise by the end of the tale that a story without baddies would simply be ‘dreary, deadly-dull’.

This is a wonderful read-aloud story that can be dramatised and thoroughly enjoyed by reader and listener. Readers will love the he rhyme and rhythm of the language…’The witch is a crone –all string and bone. But the Princess and her Guy will be yummy as pie.’

Peter Allert’s illustrations are vibrant and full of humour. They entice the reader to check for small details that reveal more about the characters and scenes.

    

Primary students who are already familiar with all the characters in the book will thoroughly enjoy their new and unexpected adventures.