Stories to Tell a Five-Year-Old - Softcover

This collection is divided into two sections: "Stories of Magic and Adventure," and "Stories of You and Me." The first section includes good retellings of favorite folk and fairy tales, such as "Molly Whuppie," "Rumplestiltskin," and "Lazy Jack," as well as some lesser-known tales, such as "The Prince Who Thought He Was a Rooster," and the hilarious "The Squire's Bride." There are also well-chosen excerpts from books such as Pamela L. Travers's Mary Poppins. Since most of these tales are available in picture book form, my preference for sharing them with five-year-olds would be on the lap or in a storyhour using the full picture book. But for those who want to learn stories to tell young children, this book offers a good selection. The second section, "Stories of You and Me," contains excerpts from longer "chapter books," such as Busybody Nora by Johanna Hurwitz (Morrow, 1976), Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle by Betty McDonald (HarperCollins, 1957), and Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary (Morrow, 1968). There are also some stories that appear in picture book form, such as Alice Low's "The Quilted Elephant and the Green Plush Dragon," a touching story about a child's favorite stuffed toys, truly perfect for a five-year-old. Parents of kindergarteners often ask for recommendations for first read-aloud chapter books; these carefully chosen excerpts provide wonderful introductions. It's also noteworthy that selections in the second section include stories from Asian, African-American, and Hispanic cultures. All in all, a useful purchase for parents, teachers, or librarians.?Joan Hamilton, Pierce School, Brookline,
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Ages 4^-6. With a title and format that beckon adult readers rather than the usual picture-book crowd, this two-part book offers 21 stories with surefire appeal for youngsters. In "Magic and Adventure," five-year-olds will meet established folk characters--Lazy Jack, Molly Whuppie, Clever Elsie, etc.--as well as Mary Poppins, Dr. Doolittle, and other more recent literary creations. "Stories of You and Me" gives children a taste of what they will soon be able to read for themselves, with chapters from books about such appealing characters as Beverly Cleary's Ramona and Johanna Hurwitz's Nora. Funny stories predominate, but the thoughtful and scary are present as well, with several tales featuring strong female characters and a variety of ethnic groups. Black-and-white sketches are scattered throughout. Susan Dove Lempke