Short stories by Silvia Borando

Enticed by the colourful cover and different title, I eagerly devoured Short Stories, delighting in the eleven encounters between animal pairings and laughing aloud at the surprises that the very short narratives bring.

Once upon a time there was an elephant
And there was an ant.
"What ant?” asked the elephant.
The End

Borando can tell a mind-blowing story in just a few words. No story takes more than two or three pages with ten or so words per page, and each story ends quickly with the words “The End." Younger children will be able to predict the ending of some of the stories, for example the tale of the hedgehog and the birthday party, while others like the one featuring two turtles and a colander will challenge older readers to guess what is going to happen.

All the stories are illustrated with vivid colours and memorable characters who have expressive faces. There are tiny details like the grin on the crocodile’s face as he spies a very good sheep that also hint at what might be the ending to the stories.

Adults are sure to enjoy sharing this book with children and I can see it becoming a firm favourite in the home, school or public library. Teachers may find great personal enjoyment from reading it to a class while using it to demonstrate how a very few words can tell a memorable story.

Themes: Jokes, Humour.

Pat Pledger