Step into a world of micro-tales that pack a mighty punch of humor!
Short Stories presents eleven hilarious encounters between unexpected animal pairings, each told with remarkable economy. From the unseen dangers of a hedgehog at a birthday party to the unexpected uses of a chameleon’s color-changing abilities, these bite-sized narratives showcase the art of storytelling at its most precise and playful.
Silvia Borando’s masterful comic timing turns each page into a lesson in narrative craft. With just a few words and simple illustrations, she creates moments of surprise, irony, and pure delight that will have readers of all ages chuckling.
This collection is more than just a funny book―it’s a masterclass in brevity and wordplay. Perfect for:
- Young writers looking to craft their own micro-narratives
- Teachers seeking an ideal tool to spark creativity in the classroom
- Families searching for funny books that support early literacy goals
Short Stories proves that when it comes to humor and narrative, less can definitely be more.---from the publisher
48 pages 978-1964992150 Ages 4-7
Keywords: animals, short stories, wordplay, cause and effect, storytelling, Language Arts Curriculum, irony, humor, fun, 4 year old, 5 year old, 6 year old, 7 year old, creative writing, creative process
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Anyone who picked up this book for the first time, glanced at it and immediately assigned it to the realm of the youngest readers could be forgiven because its minimal text and simple block-colour illustrations -reminiscent of Dick Bruna and Miffy - suggest that they are its target audience.
But, in fact, it is unlikely that, without adult assistance, they wouldn't understand the stories that are told because they don't yet have the maturity to appreciate the humour and irony embedded in the wordplay and the integral link between text and picture. Because, between the two, using a minimum of words and bold illustrations, Borando has crafted ten clever stories, each beginning with "Once upon a time", each featuring an animal as it main character and each telling a story that needs nothing more.
While little ones will enjoy explaining what happened when the hedgehog went to the party, thus starting to develop their understanding of cause and effect, they might not yet understand the tale of Henry and Henry the parrots, and so this could become a tool for teachers to encourage students to appreciate how humour is developed and used in stories, as well as using sophisticated wordplay. It could lead on to examining other versions of telling stories in just a few words such as haiku or six-word stories such as Ernest Hemingway's classic "For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn.". Such stories not only encourage them to delve deeper to work out what has actually happened and expand on the story, but begin to understand that less can be more so they can try their own hand at writing and illustrating their own. An ideal challenge for those who think writing a story involves crafting a novel, but then realise how much more is involved As Mem Fox once told an audience of enthralled teachers, “When you write with such a limited word count as in a picture book, every word has to count.”
On the other hand, they can also be used as story starters as they develop something like, "I turned, face pale with fear" into an intriguing tale. Perhaps, even challenged to tell their life story in six words... What is the story behind the story?
https://youtu.be/5xmfLk6tHCg?si=6QN1gAEl7jtJEAuL
Whether it is just a fun read appreciated for the masterpiece it is, or a springboard to encourage students' appreciation of the art of story, this is one for all ages. "Don't judge a book by its cover."
This review can also be found here.
Recommended by: Barbara Braxton, Teacher Librarian, New South Wales AUSTRALIA
See more of her recommendations:
500 Hats http://500hats.edublogs.org/
The Bottom Shelf http://thebottomshelf.edublogs.org/
