Once There Was a Story: Tales from Around the World, Perfect for Sharing

There are thirty-two stories listed in the table of contents. The stories are from many places, like Africa, England, Russia, Greece, and Japan. “The Gingerbread Man” and “The Turnip” were the only stories I received to review.

Everyone knows the story of “The Gingerbread Man.” This version was okay. “The Turnip” is a story from Russia. Old Mishka can’t pull out a turnip because it’s too big. He gets his wife to help him. It doesn’t work. Their granddaughter, the dog, the cat, and the mouse help pull, and it still doesn’t come out. The flea helps, and the turnip comes out. There’s a moral at the end. The morals aren’t that good. I’m not sure little kids will understand “lifelong plan.”

These are good stories to read out loud. I like the pictures. My favorite picture is where the gingerbread man runs away. The first letter of the first word of each story has a picture inside it, related to the following story. The pictures add to it.

I’d like to read the “Tales of Magic Makers” stories, like “Silly Wishes.” It’s hard to rate this book with most of it missing. I give three stars for the first two stories.