Reviews: (by author)

McBratney, Sam. The Kingfisher Mini-Treasury of Bedtime Stories. Illus. Kady MacDonald Denton. Boston: Kingfisher, 2004. ISBN 0-7534-5705-9. $9.95. 94 pp.

McBratney’s original stories are charming and engaging from the first sentences. For example, the tale “Bentley, Go Gently” opens with “In days gone by there lived a country gentlemean and his pig. The gentleman’s name was Arthur, and his pig was named Bentley.” Or, from “Stop Daydreaming, Speedwell Bunting”: “Once upon a time and far away there was a Tooth Fairy who loved to daydream. His name was Speedwell Bunting, but his friends called him Bunty for short.” The cadences are enjoyable to read aloud. The stories feature animals with human traits or a mix of such animals and human beings, but whatever the characters are, McBratney’s writing is outstanding for its storyteller’s speedy pacing (lots of action) and its enjoyable humor. Most important for bedtime stories, they all end on a note of repose, relaxation, and calm.

Denton’s illustrations are similarly warm and humorous, suiting the tone of the stories.

It’s a handsome book full of re-tellable stories, and at a very reasonable price for a small, sturdy hardback.

A. Allison, June 2007

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