Innehållsförteckning för December 2020 från Storytime

Dark clouds covered the sky, chill winds blew, and a thick layer of snow covered everything. The animals were worried that they were going to freeze or starve. Food was running out, and the ice and snow chilled them to the bone. The animals held a great council, and agreed that the bravest among them should go on a quest to the Upper World above the clouds, where the Great Spirits lived. There they might find the warmth and sunlight that they desperately needed. The Lynx, the Fox, the Wolverine, the Wolf, the Mouse, the Dogfish and the Pike volunteered to go in search of the sunlight and set off through the snow and ice. After a long journey, they found a hidden path to the Upper World, the beautiful…

The brothers quickly got tired of throwing snow at each other, though, so they decided to make a snowman instead! First, they made a snowball and rolled it around the garden. It picked up snow as it went, and soon was very big indeed. That made a fine body for the snowman. They then added another ball on top for a head, and two branches for arms. “Hello chaps!” Old Mr Tompkins, their next-door neighbour, was leaning on the fence and looking at their handiwork. “That’s a fine snowman – but these things will give him the finishing touch!” He handed them a carrot and some pebbles and winked. “I used to use a carrot and these pebbles to make snowmen when I was a boy.. There’s a little bit…

1 WOLF ESCAPE The rash kid has to escape from the hungry wolf and get back to his mother – can you help him find his way through the rocks and bushes? 2 SCARY SHADOWS Pinocchio has spotted more scary shadows on the wall! Can you work out which animal cast each shadow? 3 COUNT IT! Oh no! Some evil spirits from Pandora’s Box have escaped onto these puzzle pages! Can you find them all? Write how many you found here. 4 MUSICAL MESSAGE Little Wolferl has written a message – but has used music as a code to hide some of the words. Can you work out what he meant to say? Musical notes are named after letters and are written on lines called ‘staves’. You…

When Pinocchio woke up in his snug bedroom in the attic of Gepetto’s house, he was sure he could hear something moving about downstairs. Was it Cinderella’s mice, coming in to borrow some cheddar? He slipped out of his cosy bed, crept over to the top of the stairs, and listened. From down below he could hear Geppetto’s snoring, which sounded like a squeaky old saw cutting a log… but not the scratching sound. He tiptoed carefully down the stairs to the living room. The Christmas tree was there, decorated with brightly painted wooden ornaments, and a pile of presents was ready to be opened in the morning. The door to the kitchen was partly open, and through it Pinocchio could hear a scrabbling noise. Just then, he saw a…

SANTA JAWS by Mark Sperring, illustrated by Sophie Corrigan (Bloomsbury) is a fun Christmas story with bite! When a shark named Shelly decides to spread some Christmas cheer, the other fish don’t believe her. Fear not, this story has a happy ending – and lovely art as well! CAN’T SEE SANTA! by Mandy Archer, illustrated by Chris Jevons (Little Tiger) is a short book that is full of surprises! A mouse is looking for Father Christmas – and you can help by opening the many secret doors scattered throughout this gorgeous volume! THE THREE WISHES written and illustrated by Alan Snow (Pavilion) is a fresh and fascinating Christmas tale! The beautiful words and art tell the story of a young Saami reindeer-herder who finds a magical land beneath the Earth.…

Otto was young and handsome. He was much admired by the ladies of the city, but he paid no attention to them and said he never wanted to get married. That was why the people of Strasbourg called him ‘Count Stoneheart’. One frosty winter’s day, Otto held a great hunt for the city’s nobles. Wearing fine furs and riding their most magnificent horses, they set out from the count’s castle and into the forest. The hunters chased a deer through the trees, across streams and down into narrow ravines. Count Otto galloped ahead, but even he could not keep up with the deer, and it escaped. When he looked around, the young man noticed that he had lost the rest of the hunting-party! He found a small spring in the…

The gods of Olympus demanded that humans should worship them. At this time, people did not suffer from old age or disease, but lived like wild animals. They ate their food raw, and when night came, they had no way to make light or keep warm. They would huddle together in the dark and pray to the gods for protection. One Titan, named Prometheus, had not taken part in the war against the gods. He took pity on the poor humans who were afraid of the cold and the dark, and decided to get them something that would make their lives better. So Prometheus climbed the heights of Mount Olympus and stole the secret of fire from the gods. He gave it to the humans, and this incredible gift changed…