Princess Sophie is exhausted, and it’s all because that grumpy old giant up on the beanstalk can’t sleep. His stomps and stamps keep everyone awake. But as the resourceful Princess Sophie reads her favorite book of fairy tales, she wonders if she might just have the answer. She bravely climbs the beanstalk carrying a tasty bowl of porridge, a cuddly teddy bear, and cozy blanket to help soothe the giant.
So, you think you know the story of Cinderella? Well, you’d better think again because in this hilarious tale, nothing is what it seems. Did you know that Cinderella wasn’t actually very nice? And that there were three Ugly stepsisters? And that the youngest sister, Gertie, was absolutely the nicest person you could ever hope to meet?
Willy dreams of being a movie star, a singer, a sumo wrestler, an artist, a giant, and other exciting figures.
Jumping over the moon is fine as long as you don’t trip and end up needing cow-size bandages. And having a blackbird peck off your nose can leave a person very sore indeed. Led along by bright, humorous illustrations and an energetic rhyming text, little readers will have fun guessing who the next Storyland victim might be, following hints like, “Who could be covered in egg?” and “Who went up and tumbled down?”
In separate encounters with a rooster, a burro, and a wolf, a young Mexican girl is able to magically make things better. Each story uses some Spanish words, which are listed in a glossary.