Storytime Issue 134 Out Now
Storytime Issue 135 – Sharing the Joy of Christmas!
Christmas is a time for giving, and the latest issue of Storytime is filled with festive spirit! It’s packed with tales about the different ways in which we can be generous to others.
The holiday brings to mind are brightly wrapped presents under a tree, but there are many other gifts we can give… and they don’t even have to be wrapped!
Our cover story is a tale from the far future called ‘Christmas Rebooted’. When a recycling robot called D1G finds a strange object beneath his city, he learns about a holiday celebrated by humans in the past and decides to share it with his friends. They exchange small presents, but the real gift they give each other is togetherness and Christmas cheer. The amazing artist PAO will brighten your day with the story’s illustrations, too!
The next tale is set in the toy department of a shop – when all the customers and staff are gone, the inhabitants hold a party to celebrate the season before they all go off to new homes. The gifts that they give each other are joy and togetherness! ‘The Toys’ Christmas’ is based on a classic tale by Clement C Moore, and the very talented Sara Freidoony has brought it to life with lovely new art!
Father Christmas isn’t the only legendary gift-giver! In Japan, a jolly wanderer called Hotei is said to bring gifts and good fortune, and ‘The Laughing Monk’ is about two kids who are lucky enough to meet him. Though he does give them presents, his main gift is guidance and comfort when they get lost in the winter woods. Cuong Pham takes you along with them, courtesy of his amazing illustrations.
‘The Many-Furred Princess’ is the star of our fairy tale, and she definitely has a mind of her own! Instead of marrying someone she does not love, she runs away and becomes an expert cook. Her gift is nutritious and delicious soup, which warms hearts and lifts spirits. This Christmas, you could do the same by cooking or baking for others! The art for this tale is absolutely enchanting, and it was created by Alessandra Canu.
We can all give Christmas cheer in our own way – that’s the message of our bedtime story, ‘The Snow Queen’s Gift’. How does the title character do it? You’ll have to read the story to find out – and enjoy Dominik Nene’s illustrations while you do so!
Stories can inspire us, and giving them as a gift (by telling them to others or by giving books or even issues of Storytime) is a wonderful idea. In ‘His First Voyage’, a young boy discovers an amazing tale of adventure, and it inspires him to go off on his own epic journey. Giulia Maidecchi charts young Ernest’s travels in wonderful style, courtesy of her images.
Knowledge is a gift that keeps on giving, and teaching someone how to do something is wonderfully empowering! ‘The Magpie’s Nest’ (featuring illustrations by the wonderful Yunus Altigan) is about what happens when a bird tries to reach his friends how to make a better home. It’s a pity that they don’t pay attention! So that’s a lesson we can learn: when someone wants to teach us something, we can return the favour by listening!
Our final story is about a very special gift that an ancient Indian mathematician gave us. ‘The Discovery of Nothing’ is about Brahmagupta, who came up with the idea that zero is actually a number! This idea might sound strange, but a number representing ‘nothing’ made so many things possible in the modern world… including computers and the internet! Vanessa Gomes did an amazing job of rendering the mathematician and his world, so we give her special thanks for sharing her art with us!
What is the most wonderful and meaningful gift you have ever received? We wish you a very merry Christmas, and we look forward to bringing you many more wonderful stories in the New Year!
