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Former Soviet artist Valeri Gorbachev (One Rainy Day) brings back his playfully illustrated animal pals for another romp, this time with storyteller Judy Sierra, who has collected 20 boisterous read-along tales from around the world.

A doctor of folklore (both literally and metaphorically), Sierra did a fine job assembling this motley crew of talking animals, magical monsters,... More

Former Soviet artist Valeri Gorbachev (One Rainy Day) brings back his playfully illustrated animal pals for another romp, this time with storyteller Judy Sierra, who has collected 20 boisterous read-along tales from around the world.

A doctor of folklore (both literally and metaphorically), Sierra did a fine job assembling this motley crew of talking animals, magical monsters, and even a talking pancake: Bahaman witch Koolimasunder W. Diamondpaw loses her treasure to a little girl; a fire and a wave both get speaking lines in the Bangladeshi story "Toontoony Bird"; and a pumpkin sings for a djinni (well, sort of) in Iran's "The Singing Pumpkin." Throughout, Gorbachev provides gleeful backup, easily switching gears from dancing Japanese mice to the Brazilian wedding of Miss Lizard and Jabuti the Tortoise. (And who knew a talking pancake could have such an emotional range?)

Sierra's choices will no doubt be fun for any child to hear or read along with, but the carefully picked stories--while silly and occasionally, yes, even sillier--still teach worthwhile lessons universal to every culture. (Ages 4 to 8) --Paul Hughes

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