Product Description

Terry Jones, Joan Greenwood, Michael Horden, Bob Hoskins, Helen Mirren and Tim Rice read of a collection of original fairy tales for 8 - 11-year-olds, written by master storyteller Terry Jones, introducing such bizarre creatures as the fly-by-night, the rainbow cat, and the wonderful cake-horse. Terry blends fantasy, morality and humour with mystery and magic, sadness and silliness, that will be listened to and enjoyed again and again. These extraordinary stories lure you into a world where anything can happen and usually does.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11600 in Books
• Published on: 2007-01-04
• Formats: Audiobook, CD, Unabridged
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 2
• Binding: Audio CD
• 32 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
This is a delightful collection of stories full of magic and typically zany Terry Jones inventiveness--silly King Rupert who poured lemonade down his trousers, or the selfish little Corn Dolly who insinuates herself into the farmer's favourite chair. Of course there's a line-up of awesome monsters, one with a thousand teeth, and an innocent lyricism in stories such as Why Birds Sing in the Morning. They all have endings that make young listeners think: In The Glass Cupboard robbers take endless gold out of the fragile cupboard until finally they break it into a million pieces and are killed by the mountain of gold. "If only they had put something back, they would be alive today," muses the King. Although it was originally recorded in 1982, this audio book was released for the first time in August 2000. With an all-star cast including Terry Jones himself, as well as Bob Hoskins and Helen Mirren, Fairy Tales has the timeless quality of the very best children's stories. --Susan Harrison

Angela MacPherson, PUBLISHING NEWS
'These highly inventive, delightful stories are to be reissued on CD. Hurrah! All the ingredents of good stories are there - fantasy, humour, morality, magic, silliness and mystery. Don't miss them.'

Review
'The whole family will ... not want to turn off. My recommended favourite of the season.' (Angela MacPherson BOOKSELLER )

'These highly inventive, delightful stories are to be reissued on CD. Hurrah! All the ingredents of good stories are there - fantasy, humour, morality, magic, silliness and mystery. Don't miss them.' (Angela MacPherson PUBLISHING NEWS )

'agreeably quirky.... What a lucky (and topical) find.' (Sue Arnold THE GUARDIAN )

'well-told tales ... tailor-made fro bedtime reading.' (Simon Evans Park & Holiday Homes )

'hilarious stories.... a side-splitting cast each reading a separate story in their own characteristic way.' (www.writeaway.org.uk )

'a resplendent roll-call of narrators: the irresistible Joan Greenwood ("Dahling!"), rough-and-tough Bob Hoskins, calming Helen Mirren and tweedy Michael Hordern.' (Christina Hardyment THE TIMES )

Customer Reviews

And I though the original book was good ...
Take an excellent book and add to it the voices of Terry Jones (the Author), Michael Horden, Joan Greenwood, Bob Hoskins, Neil Innis, Helen Mirren, and Tim Rice to improve it.

I really enjoyed this - and unusually found that the Narration improved my memory of the story. My daughters where entranced and still go back to listen again and again.

Two negatives spring to mind - my daughters stayed awake on a recent long car journey (when we would have preferred them to sleep) because of the stories and it sets a standard difficult to follow.

Enjoy

not that good - not terrible either - and a misleading title
not what I had expected as the blurb at the time of purchasing did not indicate the relevant age groups, and the tales are not what I had expected. I suspect this CD is trading more on Mr Jones's name, and those of his thespian friends, than its stories, most of which are average. The stories are more suitable for older children who don't actually read (or want to be seen to read or listen to) Fairy Stories, so maybe the title is a misnomer?
Overall rating = disappointed