Magical Stories, The Hindu, 22 April 2008

PAROMITA PAIN

Eight tales – some old, some new-but all fascinating.

Do you remember the story of the elves and the shoemaker? Haven’t you often wished some genie would spring up and do your homework and all you had to do was to set your books out neatly? Wishful thinking aside it is stories like these that make childhood magical. If you want your younger siblings to enjoy them and make the session a time where they can learn to read for themselves too then ask for the Storytellers set of books. The package has four books, each one a different story, retold by BookBox, with clever pictures and a VCD. The VCD has animations with subtitles that get highlighted with the words spoken on screen to help learn words faster.

And not just old fairy tales. Newer stories like “Tucket the Bucket” are welcome additions. Written by Kuzhali Manickavel, “Tucket the Bucket” is a delightful story of the saddest bucket in the world. Once a garden favourite a hole saw him lose his place of favour. Now how would you feel if you went from being the teacher’s pet to the class dunce? Well Tucket felt a bit like that and worse perhaps. Is Tucket doomed to rust in sorrow? Read on or listen to find out!

Have you ever said boo to a ghost before? Now you never will for after reading Manikavels “The Boo in the shoe” Puzzle the purple Boo and you will soon be friends.

Available in two sets with each one containing a set of five books and a VCD each, these are exciting books to add to your collection.

STORYTELLERS 1 AND 2, Orient Longman Publications, Rs 295