Product Description

Long ago when the world was brand new, before animals or birds, the sun rose into the sky and brought the first day. To begin with, all the creatures were pretty much alike - very different from what they are now. Those that wanted to be lions practised being lions. But there were other creatures - including the whale, the elephant, the cat and the donkey - that came about in different ways…Ted Hughes' classic text is accompanied by the beautiful illustrations of Jackie Morris to bring a lyrical and witty version of the creation myths to young readers.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #147123 in Books
• Published on: 2008-09-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 96 pages

Review
Ted Hughes' explanations of the development of animals and their particular characteristics are creative, funny and sometimes sad: they are stories he read to his own children and they are a joy to read aloud still...Jackie Morris' splendid illustrations really do capture the magical quality of the stories. --The Ultimate First Book Guide

This collection of fables and creation tales introduces young readers to the pleasures of a great poet's prose style and his core material of the natural world and the stories that shape it. The eleven tales, written for Hughes's own children, demonstrate his refusal to compromise on sophistication of language and ideas when writing for children, confident that their minds were ready for his vision. They are ripe for reading aloud, and children will develop storytelling skills as they enjoy the jokes in each story. --1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up by Julia Eccleshare

About the Author
Ted Hughes is ranked as one of the best poets of his generation. His final two collections won the Whitbread Prize for Book of the Year in successive years. He was Poet Laureate from 1984 until his death in 1998. In the same year he had been appointed to the Order of the Merit. He wrote children's stories and poetry throughout his life.

Jackie Morris lives in Wales with her two children, two dogs and five cats and makes a living by drawing, colouring in and dreaming. She enjoys walking, swimming in the sea and reading, especially children's books. Jackie is well known for her illustrations on Ted Hughes's How the Whale Became. She regularly exhibits her paintings in galleries nationwide.

To visit Jackie's website click here

Customer Reviews

A whale of a time
This is a magnificent book, ravishingly illustrated with integrity and style. I loved these stories as a child and was haunted by them. I've had a whale of a time revisting Hughes' masterly prose, especially in such a fittingly lavish edition. An absolute classic.