The Big Book of Animal Stories is said to include “eight adorable animal stories with a heart-warming message.” One things for sure, this description is spot on as this treasury of stories all do have a message for children to ponder along with featuring fun animal characters that will make it a popular choice for story time.
The stories all feature beautiful illustrations of brightly coloured animals. It’s a wonderful book to read to your little one, not only will they enjoy the stories, but they will love the pictures too. The Special Guest tells the tale of the zebra who is invited to be a guest at a dinner party with the lion. The elephant tries to delay his friend and eventually shows zebra the lion’s real plan. Then there’s Bailey the dog’s magical space walk in Space Walkies and Elsie the Elephant’s quest to find a job in The Perfect Job for an Elephant, she tries her hand at being a chef, a musician and even an artist before realising what she’s really good at.
The Nearsighted Giraffe tells the story of a giraffe who couldn’t see very well but refuses to get glasses. She tries a bicycle helmet, a bell on her tail, and even boots but nothing helps. Her friends have other plans though, and soon help her to realise that she looks good in glasses and can see! You’ll also find Monty the Hero, Little Hedgehog’s Big Day, Fins, Fluff and Other Stuff and Be Careful, Barney in the book.
There are also suggestions of extra activities you can do with your kids once you’ve read the book together. These include guessing what the story is about by looking at the title page, quizzes about identifying the different animals, and discussing the messages from each of the stories.
The Big Book of Animal Stories is available at bookstores and online retailers for a recommended retail price of R190. It’s recommended for children aged 3 to 6 years old and is also available in Afrikaans.
Thanks to Penguin Random House for letting us giggle at a nearsighted giraffe and an elephant with zebra stripes!
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