Tashi series by Anna Fienberg and Barbara Fienberg
Illus. by Kim Gamble. Allen & Unwin, 2020.
Tashi: The book of magical mysteries. ISBN: 9781760525200.
Tashi: The book of giant adventures. ISBN: 9781760525163
(Age: 7-9) Highly recommended. Allen & Unwin have republished
many of the Tashi stories written between 1995 and 2009 in
four volumes, richly illustrated by Gamble. Initially selling over a
million copies worldwide, Tashi is now a TV series and there
have been many other books featuring this wonderful character.
Republished in volumes of eight stories compiled under titles such
as The book of giant adventures and The book of magical
mysteries, younger readers will have the thrill of reading
about Tashi for the first time, while older readers will pick up a
volume to be reacquainted with an old friend.
Each of these two volumes contain a clutch of stories, all about
thirty pages long accompanied by Gamble's readily recognised
illustrations of the tall hatted hero. Each is followed by its
companion story.
In The book of magical mysteries, for example is a story
called Tashi and the ghosts, when Jack as usual is telling his
parents a tale about Tashi eating ghosts. They settle in for a story
in the front room, as Jack retells Tashi's experience with a ghostly
invasion that had the whole village wondering how to get rid of
them. This story of working with his uncle and his telescope is
followed by an expose of Tashi's bravery in The mountain of
white tigers.
Each of the stories tells an adventure and also gives a precept for
life: being kind, being careful of strangers, helping others, being
kind to your friends and so on.
In The book of giant adventures is the first Tashi
story simply called Tashi, first published in 1995. Reading it
recalled my initial fascination for this little person and the
effect of friendship on Jack. He introduces his new friend to his
parents at tea, telling them about the boy he has met. Dad asks all
the wrong questions, prompting Jack to be a little impatient with
him but eventually they learn about Tashi, the boy who arrived on a
swan. This wonderful story is followed by Dragon breath.
With their bright new covers, the stories will be wonderful read
alouds as well as being most attractive for younger readers to pick
up. Themes: Tashi, Adventure.
Fran Knight