fiction favorites…The Stories Julian Tells

Julian, aged about 7, tells us six stories about himself, his younger brother, Huey, his father and mother, and his friend, Gloria in this small chapter book.  These are warm, funny, endearing stories about lemon puddings that taste “like a night on the sea,”  ordering cats from catalogs, and unfavorable methods of pulling out a loose tooth.  Julian’s father “is a big man with wild black hair.  When he laughs, the sun laughs in the windowpanes.” He’s a big part of Julian’s stories, and he has a delightful relationship with the two boys.   The illustrations, black-and-white drawings by Ann Strugnell, are fantastic and add a great deal of personality to the book. 

This is a great  read aloud for kids who don’t need a picture on every page, or a fabulous choice to give a child who is moving beyond the Easy Reader stage.  Numerous sequels have been written by Ann Cameron.  We loved Julian, and I still smile when I think about him and that luscious pudding! 

The Stories Julian Tells, written by Ann Cameron, illustrated by Ann Strugnell, copyright 1981.