Author: Becca Price
Publisher: Wyrm Tale Press
Rating: WORTHY!
This is one of the most charming little books I've read in a while. Becca Price is talented. I favorably reviewed her children's story The Snarls back in April 2015, and although some of the six short stories, for me, faded somewhat the more I read through this, they reminded me a bit of Kipling's Just So stories, or of simple morality tales from yesteryear. They have a sweet gentle air of bygone times and are told beautifully. They were short, too, and so are perfect for bedtime stories - finally, a book cover that's honest! Who knew!
The stories are very short. Here are the intriguing titles:
- A Princess for Tea
- The Grumpy Dragon
- Sunflower
- The Third Precious Thing
- The Dark
- Child of Promise
The first two stories about dragons were excellent, as were the next two, about a fairy and about three brothers who would be king. The last two, however, were a bit flat for me, but will probably prove quite appealing to young children. The first four make this book worth the price of admission in my opinion, even if you don't like the others.
A Princess for Tea explores a misunderstanding between a dragon and the princess sent to appease it. The Grumpy Dragon is about just that, and you can probably guess what his problem is - but can your children? Sunflower is a weird and wonderful tale about a fairy's wish gone wrong which still turns out right. The third precious thing is about three brothers who want to succeed their father, and how he decides who will be the one. The Dark is about exactly that, and Child of Promise tells the tale of a village stricken with a hard winter and how the villagers seek to fix the problem.
The stories are perfect for very young children. There's no violence here, and while some stories are a tiny, teensy bit scary, but not really, they all have wonderful solutions and resolutions designed to assuage fear and promote a comfortable night! I recommend this book, as indeed I do for keeping an eye on this author for future output.
