In the pages of Storytime, heroes come in all shapes and sizes! We have mighty heroes and heroines, plucky kids, and even supernatural beings, but our favourite stories are probably those that feature amazing animals! That’s why this month’s issue was a special treat for us!

 

Storytime Issue 82 – Lions and Tigers and Lizards, Oh My!

The cover star is Sanka, star of A Tiger’s Journey. She, her mother and brother live in the forests of Siberia, but are forced to go looking for a new home when loggers begin destroying their environment. We did our best to capture an animal’s point of view and take you on a real tiger’s journey – and as you can see, artist Chloe Chang did an absolutely incredible job bringing Sanka and her forest to life.

 

Another big cat stars in this month’s fable, The Lion in Love. The wonderful Fabiana Faiallo illustrates this story of a lion who gets a makeover to impress his special someone – but learns how that you should stray true to who you really are. Like the very best fables, it is a lot of fun, but makes you think at the same time.

 

Uletka and the White Lizard may have an animal in the title – but once you read it, you will see that there is more to that reptile than meets the eye! The story is a wonderful fairy tale about a girl on the run from the evil fairy who turned her mother into a water lily blossom, and Victoria Starskaia has sprinkled the art with a little bit of her own enchantment…

 

Animals come to rescue in our bedtime story too! It’s the time of year where we feel like doing a bit of spring cleaning… but tidying up the house leads to an unexpected mishap in Thumbelina’s Sneeze, illustrated by Storytime favourite Giorgia Broseghini! When the tiny heroine finds herself far from home, she has to ask a toad, a mole and a swallow for help getting home.

 

In our Around the World Tale, the golden boy Kintaro’s life is transformed by a friendship with animals. He is a famous character in Japanese folklore and possesses the strength and costume of a true superhero. He has plays in the woods with his friends – but his strength will not go unnoticed. Ivan Barrera does a wonderful job of bringing this tale to life.

 

Would a fantastic creature count as an animal? We Watch out for the one guarding the Golden Fleece! In our Myths and Legends, we have a whole lot of Ancient Greek heroes teaming up to fulfil an epic quest! Santi Salas illustrates Jason and the Argonauts with some lovely details! It’s the superstar team-up mythology fans have been waiting for waiting for…

 

We have to admit that not ALL of this month’s stories feature animal – but we’re sure you won’t mind! Fabio Mancini captures the fun and whimsy of The Magic Mirror, a Spanish story about how a king looks for love using the powers of a barber’s mystical mirror. As you might expect, it’s a tale with a lesson to teach about how appearances can be deceptive!

 

Have you ever wondered how things are built? This month’s final story is sure to inspire any child interested in STEM subjects. Artist Arianna Bellucci puts her own special touch on The Junkyard Genius. It’s the true story of William Kamkwamba, a teenager from Malawi who taught himself electrical engineering and built an electricity-generating windmill from scrap! We hope this story makes you want to find out more about William and his achievements.

 

We hope this issue will inspire our readers in more than one way! Let us know below which story was your favourite this month!