The Boy Who Turned into a Goat

The six tales in this collection revolve around magical transformations and, with the exception of 'Old Mrs Vinegar', are comparatively little known. Though written with new solo readers in mind, the tellings have the resonance of the oral tradition and read aloud very well. The format of the book is most approachable: well spaced print and plenty of illustrations, almost one for every double spread. I was puzzled though at the use of Babette Cole's illustration for the cover: her jokey style does not truly reflect the tenor of the stories.