Though we have a big celebration coming up in our September issue (3rd anniversary!), as a small business, we don’t often get the chance to review what we’ve done. Our latest Storytime Issue 35 marks the fact that, to date, we have published a mind-boggling 250 stories for kids! Actually, 250 stories and poems. As a result, we’ve featured amazing illustrations by some of the most talented illustrators in the world.

We hope you enjoy the celebratory video made with the help of our fantastic intern, Anaelle Despaux. The illustrations are by Josh Cleland for the poem, The Budgie Likes to Boogie, by legendary children’s poet, Brian Moses. It was the cover of last year’s 2nd anniversary issue (which you can pick up here).

Previously, we celebrated reaching 150 stories by picking out some of our favourite stories and illustrations, so we thought we’d do the same for the last 100 stories and poems we’ve published. Here are some of our top picks… for today anyway. It might change tomorrow!

Storytime Magazine’s 250 Stories for Kids – Our Top Picks

 

• From Lu, our art director: “I loved Paco Sordo’s bright and graphic illustrations for The Enormous Turnip in Storyime Issue 29. He added a lot of fun and made it feel modern. How not to like that colourful ending? Plus, I also liked Sebastia Serra‘s illustrations for The Selfish Giant, for similar reasons (in Storytime Issue 28). I was pleased with how the layout and colours embraced the copy. The giant and the kids make me smile and I loved the foliage in the garden too.”

 

• From Les, our marketing director: “I love the idea of taking an old tale and making it feisty and relevant, so I like what Little Golden Hood represents (from Storytime Issue 32), and I think the message of I Want to be a Pencil Sharpener (written by Eszter Molnar in Storytime Issue 35) is one that many readers will relate to. I certainly relate to it from childhood. And I was delighted that we finally had a myth on the cover, so Pegasus with illustrations by El Gunto is my third choice (in Storytime Issue 32).”

 

• And me… I have so many soft spots, but for characterful illustrations and a gorgeous colour palette (oh, and a fun story) I loved The Reluctant Dragon in Storytime Issue 25. (Illustrations were by Mel Matthews.) I also adored Giorgia Broseghini‘s illustrations for Storytime Issue 34‘s White Buffalo Calf Woman, and the precision and imagination in Marko Renko‘s illustrations for Stanley and the Rampaging Robot. It was a fantastic tale in Storytime Issue 32 from Stan Byford. Working with new writers has been a delight this year.

So robots, Sioux legends, giants, school children, a flying horse, turnips, dragons and fairy tale heroines… a nice selection here and a great taster of what Storytime is all about.

We’ll keep mixing things up, and we’ll keep striving to deliver excellent stories, poems and illustrations. We can’t believe we’re at 250 stories for kids already.

We’d love to hear what your favourites are – and why – and what you’d like to see more of in Storytime. Get in contact on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let us know.

 

Have a great story-filled week!