The arrival of the warm weather is always a reason to cheer up, and the latest issue of Storytime is full of tales that remind us of all the different ways we can make the most 

of this season! Find a shade or a nice place in the sun, and sit down with issue 108 and enjoy reading for fun. 

The eye-catching cover is by Hunor Fogarasi, comes from the fairy tale: ‘The Sun Horse’. This classic Hungarian story is set in a land that is shrouded in darkness, and the only light comes from the magical creature. But when the beast is stolen, a wise man and a young boy have to go into the sunlit lands to find it. This story reminds us to make the most of the sunny days before the dark months return!

‘The First Coconut’ comes from the other side of the world – the islands of Samoa! It’s a wonderful story about a girl who befriends an eel and is given the gift of the world’s first coconut. Babi Wrobel’s vibrant tropical colours remind us to enjoy the special treats of summer while they last. What’s your favourite seasonal treat? Ours are juicy watermelon slices and delicious food grilled on the barbecue!

In summer, we have the chance to venture into the great outdoors and experience everything nature has to offer! That spirit of adventure can be found in ‘The Princess of Red Barns’, inspired by the childhood of Gertrude Bell. She would go on to become an explorer and cartographer and is one of the inspiring biographies in our popular Awesome Adventures section. The wonderful Aude Brisson illustrates her adventures in the gardens of her home, and we should follow her example while the weather is warm!

“The Island of Flowers’ is the magical story of a fairy who blessed one of isles in the Azores with the most gorgeous blossoms. Cherish the vibrancy of the plants around us, because before too long the leaves will be falling as autumn approaches…Every season has its beauty but Blu Pieraccioli used all the colours of the rainbow in her art and made this summer more beautiful. 

After talking about plants, we can’t forget the animals! Ana Stretcu did a fantastic job of illustrating all of the creatures in ‘Louis’s Zoo’, a story inspired by real-life experiences. When his family moves to a new country, a little boy adopts many exotic pets not to be lonely and ends up running out of space. How many lovely animals can you spot running around in your local park? 

Still on some animal wisdom, perhaps you are spending time with people from all ages and our fable ‘The Wise Rat’ is all about listening the elderly! They always have something to teach us and their experience is really valuable in helping us to navigate through life! Perhaps ask someone from your family to read this story with you and share some good old stories they know too! The talented Anna Laera illustrated the story of Gigi the cat and Old Jerome the rat with mastery! 

No summer is complete without pirates! This month’s bedtime story takes inspiration from a classic: Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. Joel Cockrell rendered the characters in a vibrant style that makes them fresh while staying true to Stevenson’s book. ‘Ben Gunn’s Real Treasure’ is about what happens when the pirates get back to England and about the true treasures in life! This story should remind you to spend time with your friends and family this summer – it’s the perfect time to go on adventures and read stories together! 

The heat is on in our latest myth: ‘Sekhmet and the Eye of Ra’ comes from Ancient Egypt. The goddess Hathor unleashes the power of the sun on the ungrateful people of that land and almost destroys it! The art by Damian Zain is suitably epic in scope – you haven’t seen a story quite like this one before! You might need to catch your breath after this one but why not cool down with the awesome puzzles and activities we have this month? It’s bound to get you busy and inspired and keep you talking and reliving the stories all month long! 

If you are going on a long car journey, you can always order an extra back issue bundle of Storytime magazine to keep the summer reading ticking on! We have more than 8 awesome stories and there is something for everyone here: www.storytimemagazine.com/shop 

Ahoy, Me Hearties! Enjoy a summer of stories and adventures!