Funny Stories for Five Year Olds - Softcover

K-Gr 3-Sixteen self-contained chapters from prolific British authors present outlandish situations and unusual outcomes. The stories follow a typical premise, with engaging moments interspersed; a king tries repeatedly to find a pet that suits him in Liss Norton's "A Pet Fit for a King," Great Aunt Bun takes part in a hospital fiasco in Linda Greenbury's "Great Aunt Bun and Trouble," and a familiar tale receives a twist when a conniving wolf descends upon a group of youngsters in Tony Ross's "Mrs. Goat and Her Seven Little Kids." Pencil illustrations feature characters' exaggerated expressions to support each narrative. British slang and spelling add a richness to the English setting and introduce many unfamiliar words to American listeners. Unfortunately, the vast majority of these selections, originally published during the 1970s through the 1990s, are more dated than classic. Many Briticisms will be confusing for American children. There are also scenes of characters playing in racially insensitive ways. In Nancy Blishen's "A Little Bit of Colour," originally published in 1989, children play "pirates, and cowboys and Red Indians, crusaders, and explorers." VERDICT Overall, the problematic issues impact the stories' effectiveness, offering more unsettling moments than laugh-out-loud guffaws.-Meg Smith, Cumberland County Public Library, Fayetteville, NC