Short story collections

[JaneEyre]

From Hereabout Hill by Michael Morpurgo is a collection of short stories. But beware, not all stories are suitable for a year 3 child.

Avoid definitely at that age the one about the civil war in Bosnia which I would set for year 6 able pupils or secondary school children... And there is also a story happening in Crete or Greece; I can’t remember the title but it is for 16 years and + old in my opinion.

I have been very touched by the last story , which - if I remember well - would be suitable for a year 3 child. Also the story ‘a bear, a convict, a father’ (something like that; unfortunately, my memory plays to me a lot of tricks) should be alright.
Also I don’t think you could let him read ‘Giant necklace’ on his own as he might need help to understand a few bits... (not telling you more to let you discover it with him)
and anyway, Morpurgo’s choice of words is usually very beautiful and stretching the children at that age... so your help would certainly be needed.

A Morpurgo's fan, who just finished Twist of Gold and found it soooooooooooooo great!!! More challenging in term of vocabulary than many of his others book ... and with many twists, to my delight!! I would recommend this book for 9-10 + years old

[fatbananas]

Thanks for all that Jane Eyre: I will look into those. DS has read Kaspar, Prince of Cats and Butterfly Lion, but found bits of them really quite sad. Maybe short stories are a way back into Morpurgo.

With a screen name like yours, I shall take all reading recommendtions from you very seriously!!

[JaneEyre]

Hi fatbananas,

Here is another book with short stories by Morpurgo I just remember now: The Marble Crusher . My DS read it in year 3; he loved it, as for me, I was in stitches reading the story ‘The marble crusher’ (one of the story inside that book)!! But make your DS read it only once he knows about Henry VIII and his many wives and it’s better if you are with him to be sure he understand all the jokes! There are two other short stories in the same book. This volume is aimed at young readers.

There is another Morpurgo’s book that we DS read alone when young and I could hear him laughing out loud: Tom’s Sausage lion.

Otherwise, in my opinion, many of Morpurgo’s book can’t be read really alone at that age but they are excellent support for interesting conversations (though it is not everyone’s cup of tea, I reckon. Personally I am not at all into fantasy stories! So DS and I really read each of Morpurgo’s book with great pleasure, though I have to put some ‘easy read/funny read’ between them).

In year 3, we read together ‘cool!’ but beware that it is about coma... However the story is very simple and at an easy level concerning the vocabulary.

On a lighter note, your DS might enjoy The Sandman and the Turtles.

A sad story based on a true event: This Morning I Met a Whale. We haven’t read it, but I guess it is a beautiful book, suitable for a year 3 child (a bit like The Silver Swan, which also have brilliant illustrations by Christian Birmingham, but which ends also tragically with the swan’s death)

If you feel your child is not having pleasure to read these any of Morpurog’s book yet, pleaaaaaaaaaaase, don’t force him in order not to disgust him ... and try again in a year! Personally, I felt that my DS read Private Peaceful one year too early (he read it in year 5, I should have waited year 6 but I didn’t know about that as I hadn’t read the book. Hence, it might be a good idea for you to read the book before him, though it spoil the excitement that both of you could have while discovering the story together and making assumptions about the events coming up). Twist of gold, I read it alone because we are busy together with another book* at the moment, but I know that he’ll have to read this book as it is great in term of plot and vocabulary.

*We are currently reading together The boy in stripped pyjamas. There was a conversation last year about this book and the suitable age to read it. I have read it already so I know about the sad ending. My DS, knowing now about the holocaust through the history curriculum at his school (he's in year 6), has guessed that one boy will die (so it hasn’t yet guessed everything!). But so far, we have been really laughing a lot and enjoying ourselves, because of innocent perception Bruno has of the world. DS is really looking to our reading time each night!

With a screen name like yours, I shall take all reading recommendtions from you very seriously!!

I am afraid that if I get started on books, I can’t stop!!!
By the way, in my yesterday’s message about From Hereabout hills, maybe I didn’t emphasize enough the last story as I have forgotten its title. Please, once you have this book between your hands, go straight to that last story!!
Be careful the story 'the giant necklace' is very sad... and very very strange... but it is a very good short story. Check first to decide if your DS will be too upset by it or not.

[fatbananas]

Thanks Jane Eyre. The truth is I am a serious blubber and when we were reading The Butterfly Lion, DS would OFTEN turn to me when my voice was wobbling or my eyes streaming and say "Are you ok mum?"

I will definitely get all those short stories you mention though because, as you say, Morpurgo has a real knack for story and for great characters. And we will work through them together ... just as soon as I feel emotionally able to

[menagerie]

Perfect short stories are the Just William stories by Richmal Crompton. If they seem a bit out of date, Martin Jarvis has an abridged version in print, which is wonderful. Crompton really understands the form, how it ties up all ends but also creates an unexpected outcome. She's first rate.
Books of Greek Myths are pretty good too, as are classic fairy tales (some are quite gruesome, check them first if your children are sensitive.)