Astonishingly Good Stories

Astonishingly Good Stories

R. A. Spratt

Puffin. 2022

240pp., pbk., RRP $A19.99

9780143779261

In her foreword, Ms Spratt writes, “Last year  I wrote a book called Shockingly Good Stories. It was a collection of tales to spread joy in challenging times. Here we are, twelve months later and times are still challenging, so I have written down twenty more stories. The world is in desperate need of silliness and outrageous fabrications – I have written this book to serve that purpose..” And with stories about a lovestruck merpig, a peppermint-stick Parthenon, a vegetarian spider and including a mystery investigated by Friday Barnes  and a retelling of some old favourites by Nanny Piggins, Spratt has achieved her aim.

Sprinkled throughout are storytelling tips for those who are inspired to put their own pen to paper, and there are even some blank pages in the backword to record ideas and words if you don’t have your own paper! As well as being “Just the thing for reading at bedtime, when you’re supposed to be doing your homework or when you’ve been chased up a tree by an escaped rhinoceros and you’re waiting for the zookeeper to arrive” this book might also lead readers to discover Spratt’s other series, including Friday Barnes who started out as the favourite character of Miss 8 and remained so through all her adventures even though Miss 8 is now Miss 16! That, in itself, is testimony of one who can engage and entertain all ages.