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Just So Stories

Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

A dozen fables by one of the world’s great storytellers.
 
The twelve magical JUST SO STORIES tell, how the leopard got his spots? Why the rhinoceros  has his wrinkly skin? Why is a kangaroo very fast on land? Why won't cats come when they're called? And, how one curious elephant with a nose for trouble changed the lives of all elephants everywhere? Many of the tales are origin stories, explaining how an animal came to be the way it is. These delightful tales will hold the listener spellbound.

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  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      O, my best beloved, what a feast is this collection of Kipling's JUST SO STORIES! His luxurious language is meant to be heard, and storyteller Jim Weiss adds to the magic of these High and Far-Off Times. His narration is teeming with enthusiasm, immersing the listener in the humor and rhythm of Kipling's picturesque language. Every character is animated with a voice brimming with personality. The sibilant hiss of the Bi-Colored-Python-Rock-Snake will lure listeners to join the Elephant's Child on the banks of the great grey-green, greasy Limpopo River. The slow drawl of Slow-Solid Tortoise, the panting eagerness of Dog, the "Humph!" of smug Camel--all enhance these enduring tales. N.E.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      June 1, 2001
      HarperChildren's Audio continues its re-release rollout of classic backlist titles with Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories and Other Tales performed by the late British actor Boris Karloff. Just So stories include "How the Leopard Got His Spots" and "The Elephant's Child"; the "other stories" are tales from Kipling's The Jungle Book, including "Mowgli's Brothers."

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Boris Karloff delivers Rudyard Kipling's beloved animal stories in his inimitable style. This new format for a vintage Caedmon recording will become a family favorite. Travel to the "high and far-off times," when once again the elephant's child with "satiable curiosity" will have his nose elongated, the hedgehog and tortoise will confound the jaguar, the camel's laziness and "humpf" will be immortalized with a hump, and even the mighty whale will be outmatched by someone in suspenders. Karloff narrates with eloquent locution and a full repertoire of creature voices that delight the ear. His command of the territory from "the banks of the turbid Amazon to the high veldt" rewards the listener with vivid images. State-of-the-art remastering adds a richness not found in the original presentation. A.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine
    • AudioFile Magazine
      Rudyard Kipling's imperialistic yet fanciful stories for children are presented by Shelly Frasier in this imaginative production. Kipling gives listeners the stories behind the elephant's long trunk, the camel's spots, and the taming of the first dog, to name just a few of the dozen yarns featuring animal escapades in India and Africa. Frasier's reading reflects the Victorian age in which the stories were written. Sounding oh so proper throughout, her tone is reminiscent of a nanny or a school mistress. Her stuffiness, however, might lose a younger listener after a couple of stories, regardless of the clever and entertaining subject matter. H.L.S. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine
    • AudioFile Magazine
      These literate and imaginative beast fables contain serious moral messages, but 101 years after their publication children still love them because they're fun. Kipling believed his stories should be read aloud, "just so," and narrator Geoffrey Palmer is just superb. He reads with the gentle assurance of a beloved grown-up, providing Kipling's wildly improbable explanations to inquisitive children. We discover "How the Whale Got His Throat," "How the Camel Got His Hump," "How the Alphabet Was Made," and much more. From South Africa to Jerusalem, from the mid-Atlantic to a fictional island in the Red Sea, all are set in that wonderful place where animals can talk. This charming production includes a pamphlet with drawings and a snippet of classical music as a prelude to each of the 12 stories. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine
    • AudioFile Magazine
      Kipling's JUST SO STORIES are a travelogue of famous places--the Amazon, the Limpopo, the Gobi Desert, and many other well-known global landmarks. The diversity of the animals in the stories dictates that they inhabit numerous continents. In David Thorn narration listeners can appreciate Kipling's sense of humor, as well as the lesson embedded in each story. He reads all the stories with a quiet, understated cadence that lulls listeners into a different time and place. As Thorn narrates with a twinkle in his eye, each listener can easily imagine him- or herself as "Dear Beloved," the recipient of these wonderful imaginings. This is a classic to be listened to again and again. J.K.R. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      September 30, 1991
      The graceful prose and pungent humor of these 12 tall tales (which include such favorites as ``How the Camel Got His Hump'' and ``The Elephant's Child'') place them in the same league with such children's classics as Winnie the Pooh and Alice in Wonderland. Kipling's verbal dexterity remains audible over time--even the openings of his fantastic fictions hark to a golden age of storytelling. Frampton's elegant, elaborately detailed woodcuts are attractive embellishments to this hefty 122-page collection. Stylistically, however, they are perhaps more suited to the tastes of adults than children, as they are neither as colorful nor as playful as the stories. They do not reach out and hook the audience in the distinctive, visually arresting manner needed to keep pace with this eminent author's topsy-turvy logic. Ages 8-12.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Lexile® Measure:1190
  • Text Difficulty:9-12

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