Fables You Shouldn't Pay Any Attention To

August 1, 2017

Gr 2-4-The title says it all in this updated edition that features colorful cartoon illustrations of the anthropomorphic characters that soften the message of the immoral fables. These are not to be shared with the faint of heart. There's the story of a generous squirrel, Jennifer, who shares her nuts all winter, then drops dead when she runs out and friend Cyril doesn't share; and careless Genevieve the cat, who is rewarded at Christmastime with new clothes and toys because she ruins all of hers while her siblings get nothing. Then there's Annette, a monkey, who lies about being sick to get out of doing work only to take advantage of the new swing her father and siblings were too tired to play on after doing chores all afternoon. The oversized text and simple format is a comfortable mix of short and more complex sentences, appropriate for new readers looking for stronger vocabulary and a challenge. VERDICT A tongue-in-cheek offering, best shared one-on-one with older readers who can appreciate sarcasm.-Kristine M. Casper, Huntington Public Library, NY

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