Ackamarackus: Julius Lester's Sumptuously Silly Fantastically Funny Fables

This collection of sumptuously silly fantastically funny fables stands up to its incredibly creative bar heightening title.  Any collection with a title that claims as much as this one has to be absolutely amazing.  Well, Julius Lester's fables are pretty creative and quite funny.  But what is most impressive is that each fable brings a introspective and odd moral that may catch you off guard initially, but in reality makes a lot of sense.  The collection includes six original works that will have readers of all ages turning the pages repeatedly.

Lester chooses to take risks in his story telling.  For example, when we learn about how Lionel the lazy lion becomes the king of the jungle it would make no sense to believe that it would be because he was the laziest animal on the face of the earth.  But the twists and imaginative wordplay that Lester uses, along with the quirky illustrations by Emilie Chollat, takes each story off the page into the readers imagination.  In this inventive collection anything is possible.

The collection includes morals of acceptance, creativity, and individuality.  And there is no better expression of individuality than Albert the alligator moving to Vermont to escape the hot Florida summers.  I won't give the story away, but this is one that had me rolling and slapping my knee.  I suggest that everyone get a copy of this great book for their class and homes.  The stories are ingenious and children of all ages will love them. 

"You probably didn't know bees fall in love, did you? Well, there is nothing on this planet that doesn't fall in love. Even rocks fall in love.  I don't know how to tell you when two rocks fall in love because their expressions don't change..."