Today I review FrazierTales Collection Volume 1, written by Mark and illustrated by Chris Frazier. It’s a hardcover volume of three children’s stories, so it’s a good value for money. And there are a lot of illustrations, all of them quite detailed and of the quality garnered by Ren and Stimpy or Rocko’s Modern Life, both Nickelodeon series.

The first story is entitled “Three Ostriches and an Inchworm named Henry” and is about, well, three ostriches and an inchworm named Henry. It’s a cute tale about how a clever inchworm avoids being eaten by three not-so-clever ostriches. The illustrations tell the story as much as the text does, and readers will get a chuckle at the end. My only complaint is the story’s basis on three ostriches chasing down an inchworm. Given that an inchworm is around an inch long, it is unfathomable that not just one but three ostriches would even see Henry, much less chase him with the idea of sharing him for a snack. I’d have used the largest caterpillar I could identify in Africa, likely a Hawkmoth caterpillar (which is highly nutritious and generally toxin-free), linking an element of education to the entertainment value of the story.

The second story, entitled “Three Elephants and a Field Mouse Named Harry,” is about - you guessed it - three elephants and a field mouse named Harry. In a classic mouse-saves-elephant plot line, this story incorporates baseball in a ludicrous way that will please children who are trying out the sport.

The third and final story is titled “Herman the Goldfish” and is about a goldfish who escapes being eaten by a shark. The plot is reminiscent of the ostrich story above but ends differently in way that is sure to make kids laugh, particularly if read aloud with parental sound effects. Of course, a generic goldfish would never find itself in need of escaping a shark. In anticipation of children’s questions, I would have specified that Herman was a Marine Goldfish, which lives in salt water and may very well fall victim to ocean predators.

Each story is prefaced with a note explaining that it was “created and intended to put a three-year-old to sleep,” which enables the reader to forgive even gross inaccuracies. The preface goes on to say, “Some of [the stories] work, and some of them don’t,” so author Mark Frazier accepts the limitations outright. One of the things I like best about the book is its use of simple language, making it easy for older children and early readers to read by themselves or - better yet - to younger siblings or friends.

FrazierTales Collection Volume 1 gives you three stories for the price of one, with vivid illustrations depicting their plots and crazy looking caricatures that will appeal to older kids (but may disturb some young ones). Learn more about and purchase FrazierTales books by clicking HERE.