HOW AND WHY STORIES World Tales Kids Can Read and Tell

Eighteen fables explain the origins of common phrases and events. Why rats have dull coats, why hens scratch the dirt, and why the sun comes up when the rooster crows are all creatively described. The narrators rotate, adults alternating reading individually and together, girls reading, boys reading. A few bars of music separate stories, and animal sound effects abound. The kids are the best, sounding about 8 years old or younger. One boy is a bit stilted, as if he's deliberately overarticulating, but all in all, this is a fun collection. A.G.H. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 02]