The Enormous Turnip ¦ Rapunzel ¦ Ananse and the Sky God ¦ Wizard of Oz

Four more classic stories which have received the dreaded treatment for the Read it Yourself series. It makes me shudder to see good stories, especially folk and fairy tales, debased to such banal language. It's sad to think of the number of teachers and parents who will seize on them as an adjunct to the reading scheme. Teachers and parents, please - take off your blinkers and let children have what they deserve - it surely isn't these. One glance at, for example, the Heinemann/Piccolo version of The Great Big Enormous Turnip should be enough to convince anyone.