Storytime Issue 81 Out Now!

One of the most exciting experiences in life is to discover something new! The latest issue of Storytime is all about that special thrill.

Storytime Issue 81 – The Thrill of Discovery

In our cover story, a young girl named Pippa goes on an underwater adventure and discovers (or is discovered by) The Big Green Kraken. This friendly mythological monster does his best to care for the oceans and the planet – and is pleased to learn that Pippa and her friends want to do their bit to protect the environment. Artist Dyru did an absolutely brilliant job capturing the two lead characters and the magic ocean around them.

This story is also special as it reveals the winning letter of our Letter to Planet Earth competition! We hope you like it! 

Continuing the theme of discovery is The Bone Hunter – the story of real-life fossil-hunter Mary Anning. The art, by the redoubtable Miriam Serafin, transports us back to the early nineteenth century, when little Mary helped her father find ammonites and fossilised bones in the cliffs of the Jurassic Coast. Mary’s discoveries helped change the way we think about life on Earth! 

Not all discoveries are so profound, of course! Giorgia Broseghini had a lovely time illustrating Hook’s Island, the tale of what happens when Captain Hook (of Peter Pan fame) gets trapped on a tropical island with a crocodile! is thrilled to learn that surfing is more fun than pirating – especially if a crocodile lets you use them as a surfboard! 

River-dwelling reptiles also feature in our Indian tale, The King of Crocodiles. A farmer’s daughter is promised in marriage to the muddy monarch of the title, but discovers that appearances can be deceptive, and there is more to her husband than meets the eye. Rogério Coelho adds his own magic to this enchanting tales with his illustrations. 

Rosanella is a classic French fairy tale about twelve betwitching maidens – who all have the same rose shaped birthmark as a kidnapped princess. A charming prince who was determined to never fall in love learns about the maidens and himself when he finds himself falling for the lovely ladies. Valeria Abatzoglu is the artist behind the beautiful illustrations for his tale. 

The Wasps and the Bees is a first for us, because it is a thrilling courtroom drama with a sting in the tail! Matteo Gaggia loves drawing insects, so it’s not surprising that he did a fantastic job on the art. When the wasps and the bees disagree about who owns a honeycomb, it’s up to a hornet judge to discover the truth. Who do you think it belongs to? 

The Raspberry Worm takes us to the forests of Finland! The talented Beatriz Mayumi provides the illustrations for the story of two sisters who get lost in the woods – but find help from an unexpected source. You’ll have to read the story to discover who they were thrilled to meet! 

Our final story this month is a classic tale of adventure. In fact, you could argue that it is the earliest ‘action blockbuster’ in the English language, and it is even on the UK’s KS2 curriculum! The redoubtable Rowena Aitken brings new life to Beowulf and Grendel, the story of a brave hero who goes hunting for a bothersome monster – and discovers that the beast’s mother is even more formidable!