The Mumsnet Book of Animal Stories

 

Recently we were lucky enough to be sent a copy of The Mumsnet Book Of Animal Stories

 

 

As you can see by the crinkled state of our dust cover it is now (after just 4 days!). Firmly established as a family favourite!

 

What They Say

Aimed at children aged seven and under, the book features10 original stories contributed by Mumsnetters, each beautifully illustrated by an up-and-coming artist. It's perfect for reading aloud at bedtime, and can be enjoyed again and again.

How did the book come about?

Back in February, Mumsnet and Walker Books launched a competition asking the Mumsnet and Gransnet communities to submit children's stories starring animals. We received a tremendous 635 entries and, after much deliberation, shortlisted 20, which were passed on to an expert judging panel chaired by former Children's Laureate Anthony Brown. 10 winning authors were then selected to make up the anthology, which features a hedgehog who won't sleep, a hamster with dreams of becoming an astronaut, and a bat who's scared of the dark.

Justine Roberts, Mumsnet CEO, says: "We were very impressed by the professional quality of the stories submitted by Mumsnet and Gransnet users. The 10 winners are fun, imaginative and a joy to read. I hope The Mumsnet Book of Animal Stories will be a collection that parents and grandparents enjoy reading with their children for years to come."

And one of the winning authors, Susannah O'Brien says: "I have been immersed in books my entire life and to have my own work published is wonderful! Still better, it is in the form of a story that I can read to my son at bedtime. I can't wait to tell him all about Arthur, Teddy and the hamster who went into space."

The 10 winning stories (in author alphabetical order) are:

• Little Miss Wolfy Good by Jenny Louise Davis
• The Great Meerkat Escape by Nina Hoole
• A Pile of Panda by Julie Innes
• Up In the Trees is Not For Me! by Lindsay Littleson
• The Tale of the Winged Lion by Eilidh Mackay
• Captain Yuri and the Space Mission by Susannah O'Brien
• The Elephant Carnival by Kate Peridot
• Atuki and Serai by Jo Tiddy
• The Hedgehog Who Wouldn't Sleep by Alison Webb
• Basil the Brave by Alice Westlake

What We Say

Described in the blurb ( my daughter loves to call the writing on rear of a book 'The Blurb' she thinks it's ever so grown up) as 'A beautifully illustrated treasury of captivating animal stories for families to share together'. This description is spot on, the illustrations are lovely with lots of different artistic styles, and the stories are varied and interesting, each one is around a 5-10 minute read so perfect for bed time stories.

Our favourite has been 'Captain Yuri and the Space Mission' told from the perspective of Hamish the Hamster this story really captivated my son, I shan't spoil it as it's a fun read, but we are hoping there's a follow up story with Hamish's adventures!

We think this book would make an ideal gift for a child of any age and if you would like to buy one you can purchase here

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