Fairytale News

Delivering copies of Fairytale News is Jack’s task as newly employed paperboy for Mrs Tattle the newsagent. His customers include The Three Bears, the Hoods and their daughter Red Riding and Granny Hood. Jack’s last customer is his mum Mother Hubbard who, after reading the market news, sends Jack off to sell the cow. His payment of course, is a magic bean, which indirectly leads to Jack’s biggest reader of the Fairytale News.

This interweaving of familiar fairy tales and characters is interspersed with awful jokes and bubble speak; but, the real treat is the copy of Fairytale News to be found in the ‘giant’s’ pocket at the back of the book. This is bursting with news, features, pictures, sport and ads. Reporting on the antics of a whole host of fairy tale and nursery rhyme characters.

Colin and Jacqui Hawkins have had great fun in this playful amalgam of stories and characters. So too, from my experience, will readers and listeners of 6+ already familiar with the straightforward versions, and the newspaper in particular, is a great inspiration for children’s own experiments in writing.