Tell Me A Story 3: Women of Wonder
Let's hear it for the girls! CD audiobooks, or what I still call "books on tape are my secret weapon against boredom in the car. Our newest gem is Tell Me a Story 3: Women of Wonder which follows in the footsteps of its much loved predecessors, Tell Me a Story and Tell Me a Story 2: Animal Magic. And, as the mother of two girls, I am thrilled that the heroes of these new stories by Amy Friedman are actually heroines. In just over an hour's drive, my kids move from Cambodia to Turkey to the old, Wild West in these six stories culled from legends and folktales from the past. And while many stories from days gone by focus on those important (male) gods, soothsayers and heroes, in all of these stories, it's the girls who save the day using their brains, their cunning and, sometimes, their brute strength. The clever Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind uses all three in her American tall tale which is narrated by the perfectly-suited voice of Paula Poundstone. The Whisker of the Lioness turns the tables on typical stepmother; stories in such a totally clever, yet meaningful, way that I think all new stepchildren deserve to hear its message. Laura Hall, who I remember as the affable pianist on the improv TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, has created a lively score to suit each story. And since none is longer than 14 minutes, even a short car ride can squeeze in one or two. It's even been a hit with my son who thinks all superheroes are boys. -Christina --Cool Mom Picks, September 19, 2009In this impressive production, each of the five stories story radiates a message of lifelong significance regarding human compassion, cleverness, conflicts, triumphs, and patience. Writer and producer Amy Friedman has redesigned standard conventional folktales from a variety of cultures into enchanting and compelling narratives. In each story, a female character is confronted with a challenge that initially seems impossible. The opening story, "The Cleverest Tune," demonstrates the wit of the young daughter who was given the daunting task of completely filling a 200-room palace-from corner to corner, floor to ceiling, wall to wall. In "The Goddess and the Ogre" the heroine uses kindness to overshadow the fierceness of the villain. Children will be fascinated as the adventures of these legendary characters unfold. The rich voices of the professional readers expertly chill, charm, and captivate. The highly gifted musicians boost the story's magic from the opening overture through the final "Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind." Although the CD title and the story characters might imply that the stories would appeal to young women, boys will equally appreciate the journey of each story's protagonist. All young listeners should have the opportunity to immerse themselves into these delectable tales. Dr. Flora Joy ©2009 Parents' Choice --Dr. Flora Joy, Parents' Choice Storytelling Gold Medal 2009KIDS READER REVIEWS Reviewed by Sophia (age 6.5) and Madeline (age 8) McElroy for Reader Views (7/09) Sophia: I thought it was more interesting to listen to the CD stories instead of reading, because I liked hearing the different voices and music. My favorite story was The Whisker of the Lioness. I like this story because I like animals. I think it would be crazy to try and pull a whisker off a lioness in real-life. I also liked Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind. This is a story about a girl who was really sweet, but she was tough! She even picked-up rattlesnakes! I thought this was an exciting story. Madeline: It was fun listening to the CD instead of reading it. It was like someone was reading me a story from a book. I liked the music a lot and the stories were funny and interesting and sometimes very scary! The funniest story was The Goddess and the Ogre. I thought the Ogre s voice was really funny. The scariest story was called The Whisker of the Lioness. This is a story about a young girl who had to be brave enough to pull a whisker off a lioness. Her Grandmother told her she needed the whisker to make a love potion. The little girl missed her Mother very much after she died. This story is not only scary, but sad and has a very happy ending. I would like to listen to more tales from the Tell Me a Story series. Parent Comment: Great stories and music! I enjoyed this collection by Amy Friedman as much as the kids. We decided to listen to Tell Me a Story 3: Women of Wonder (Audio CD) mostly while driving in the car and boy what a great idea. The car was silent as they listened to the tales being told. I loved that the collection of stories were from all over the globe. --Kids Reader Reviews, Austin, Texas