A Twist in the Tale

Among the animal characters we encounter in this handsomely published collection of ten traditional stories from various parts of the world are Los Nobos (wolf) and Bagatta (sheep) from Cape Verde, a unique indigo jackal from India, an elephant-riding tortoise from Nigeria, a dithering platypus from down under and that ubiquitous Caribbean trickster, Anancy. With their universal themes of pride, greed, wisdom and foolishness the stories transcend their cultural origins but at the same time encapsulate the particular richness and joie de vivre of their individual locations. Hoffman's zappy, direct tellings respect the oral tradition from which they come and thus make for a pleasurable read aloud for all involved. Additional vibrancy is provided by Ormerod's bold and colourful illustrations.