Fairytales for Mr Barker

By Author / Illustrator

Jessica Ahlberg, Jessica Ahlberg

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

Publisher

Walker Books Ltd

ISBN

9781406355888

Format

Hardback

Published

01-10-2015

Synopsis

Peep through the holes in this delightful fairytale adventure.

Peep through the holes in this delightful fairytale adventure. \"Once upon a time, there was a troll,\" says Lucy. But Mr Barker isn't listening. He's off on his own fairytale adventure. Who will he and Lucy meet and will their story end happily ever after? A beautifully illustrated peep-through story book from Jessica Ahlberg, daughter of Allan and Janet Ahlberg - creators of the classic The Jolly Postman. The charming details from favourite fairytales will delight children again and again and make this a book to treasure.

Reviews

Jessica Ahlberg's story is very reminiscent of her parents' marvellous books. Fairy Tales for Mr Barker is a clever story that takes the reader on an interesting journey with well-known fairy tale characters. However, for the story to work well and for the humour to be understood the child reader needs to know fairy stories and fairy story characters. In the story Lucy follows her dog, Mr Barker, into fairy story land. The first place the two visit is the three bears' cottage where they find Goldilocks eating a bowl of porridge. She joins the two of them as Lucy tells her that the three bears will be cross with her for eating the porridge. From cottage the three visit the three little pigs and help them escape from the big bad wolf and then they visit Jack and Sleeping Beauty. On the journey they are constantly chased by their foes: the three bears, the big bad wolf and the giant. Lucy leads her characters back to her bedroom where she tells them they can have a sleepover and she reads them a another fairy story which includes gruesome character. This is a fun book, which has a delicious ending. Picture book / Ages 5+ / Reviewed by Fiona Collins, consultant.