Unexpected Tales From A to Z by Robert Wenson

This charming and clever collection of tales is perfect for family snuggling. The stories all stand on their own and are just the right length for bedtime reading. Young readers will enjoy Robert Wenson's sweeping imagination, which takes them from old New Orleans (Esme and the Eloquent Eggplant) to the fictional kingdom of Perinnia (Reynard and the Robotic Robberies), to ancient Greece (Xenophon and the Xanthios Xiphios), to all around the whole world (Yolanda and the Yak Yoghurt). Along the way are daring escapes, dastardly villains, settings historical and fantastic, and an assortment of resourceful and brave young heroes and heroines. Sarah Neville's illustrations provide just the right flourish for each tale.

The above description is from Brendan Hodge's review which he is particularly suited to give since the stories in the book were written over the past few years for his children. Imagine being lucky enough to receive one of these stories in the mail!  This is like the sort of magical experience that sets up the beginning of an adventure in a children's book. What a treat that must have been for the Hodge children.

I found these light, funny stories very appealing and not just for children. They are just a few pages long, featuring quick-witted children who must overcome unlikely, whimsical predicaments, often with equally unlikely solutions. The titles give you a sense of the range but not of the author's comic imagination: Alexandra and the Argumentative Alligator, Hendrik and the Horrible Hollyhocks, Neville and the Negligent Neanderthal, and Yolanda and the Yak Yoghurt.

Anyone who has a sense of whimsy will enjoy these stories as much as I did. They were particularly good for my own bedtime reading as one or two were just the thing to prepare me for sleep with a smile on my face.

The Kindle price is inexpensive and it is well formatted with the charming illustrations well displayed. I also picked up a print version because when my grandson is old enough I know he'll enjoy these imaginative, charming stories as much as I do.

Brendan features one of the stories in his review and I urge you to sample it. It is simply delightful as, of course, are all the stories in the book. Then buy the book and read my favorite, Sarah and the Stranded Saturnians. This is going on my Best of 2022 list. Highly recommended.

Note: the author has been diagnosed with cancer. Please keep him in your prayers.