Ten-Word Tiny Tales

A global roster of 21 distinguished illustrators contributes imagery for Coelho’s cryptic 10-word stories. Invoking multiple dimensions in his notes to readers and the tales themselves, Coelho invites illustrators to consider interplanetary space, undersea caverns, and realms between… . Twisty, playful fun. * Kirkus Reviews *Each tale is thought-provoking and guaranteed to elicit questions and debate. An afterword encourages readers to illustrate and expand a tiny tale, offering additional prompts and questions to help would-be writers tap into their creativity… this will engage sophisticated readers and be welcomed by creative writing classes. * Booklist *Laughter, puzzlement, shivers—10-word morsels from U.K. children’s laureate Coelho, each illustrated by contemporary artists including Raissa Figueroa, Júlia Sardà, and Shaun Tan, evoke a startling panoply of thoughts and feelings… . Various artist contributors take different tacks in visualizing the lines, many developing the concepts… . Front and back matter detail the book’s beginnings and suggest using the tales as writing prompts, inviting readers to expand, create, and let their pens and imaginations soar. * Publishers Weekly *In an exercise destined to end up in language arts classes, author Coelho teams up with twenty-one artists to create ten-word short stories… . There’s really not a dud in the bunch; from humorous to scary to melancholy, there’s something here for everyone, meaning readers of all sorts can follow Coelho’s writing tips in the front and backmatter to create and expand upon their own tiny tales. * The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books *Illustrated by twenty-one accomplished artists from around the globe, each of the twenty “tiny tales” gives the reader just enough in word and picture to generate curiosity and discussion… this is a book for older children to pore over and let their imaginations flower. With twenty-one different illustrators representing many styles, media, and settings, each of the spreads stands apart so viewers can concentrate on a single page or read the book through for a disquieting experience. * The Horn Book *

Joseph Coelho is an award-winning poet, playwright and children’s book author. His first poetry collection, Werewolf Club Rules!, won the CLPE Children’s Poetry Award, and he has been writing and performing ever since. His picture books include If All the World Were… illustrated by Allison Colpoys and Luna Loves Library Day, illustrated by Fiona Lumbers. He is also the author of the Fairy Tales Gone Bad trilogy, Zombierella, Frankenstiltskin and Creeping Beauty, all illustrated by Freya Hartas.