Stories from Firefly Island
 First edition cover | |
| Author | Benedict Blathwayt |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Publisher | Greenwillow Books |
| Publication date | October 1, 1993 |
| Pages | 128 |
| ISBN | 0-688-12487-9 |
Stories from Firefly Island is a 1993 children's fantasy book written and illustrated by Benedict Blathwayt.
Synopsis
Stories from Firefly Island is structured as a collection of short stories, each set on an jungle island populated by anthropomorphic animals. Each chapter is presented as an story within a story, with Tortoise (a wise elder of the island) teaching the other animals of the island a moral lesson of some kind through a fable.
Publication history
The book was published in the United States by Greenwillow Books on October 1, 1993.[1]
A selection of stories from the book was published in Rolf Harris' 2000 anthology Favourite Animal Stories.[2]
Reception
Stories from Firefly Island was well received upon release. A review in School Library Journal praised the prose for its use of "unusual, old-fashioned, out-of-the-ordinary words" and complimented the art.[3] The Independent was slightly more critical, describing the stories as being "not quite Kipling" but complimenting the art and "entertaining" prose.[4] Publishers Weekly said that the writing maintained a good balance between the moral of each story and the book's overall narrative, writing that "the messages never overpower" it.[5] Kirkus Reviews was similarly positive, complimenting Blathwayt's characterization of each animal and the ease of reading the stories aloud, while Booklist also published a positive review.[1][6]
References
- 1 2 "Stories from Firefly Island". Kirkus Reviews. 1993-10-01. Retrieved 2026-08-23.
- ↑ Harris, Rolf (2000). Favourite Animal Stories. Random House. pp. 206–222. ISBN 0-370-32544-3. Retrieved 2026-08-24.
- ↑ Judge, April L. (December 1993). "Stories from Firefly Island". School Library Journal. 39 (12): 80. ISSN 0362-8930. EBSCOhost 9312097537 – via EBSCO Host.
- ↑ Blake, Robin (1994-11-20). "Books for Children". The Independent. ProQuest 313268158 – via ProQuest.
- ↑ "Stories from Firefly Island". Publishers Weekly. 1993-10-04. Retrieved 2026-08-23.
- ↑ Corsaro, Julie (1994-01-15). "Stories from Firefly Island". Booklist. 90 (10): 935. Gale A14955017 – via Gale General OneFile.