Warm and Joyful Tales by the Author of All Creatures Great and Small

James Herriots stories have always been favorites of mine, and I was pleased to send this book of his stories for children to a nephew of mine who loves animals as well. The beautiful illustrations compliment the stories. Any child who is a softie for animals will love this book.

Despite challenging vocabulary for preschoolers, my three and five-year-olds have been enthralled by this book. These stories are beautifully written and illustrated and capture farm life in Great Britain during the early 20th century. It would be a worthwhile read for even my pre-teen and teen.

Our 8-year-old granddaughter (an avid reader currently racing through the Nancy Drew series) loves it! I worried when it arrived that the large type seemed aimed at a younger audience. However, the incredibly beautiful illustrations that cover the pages turn it into a piece of art, and James Herriot's stories are heart-warming, making it a great gift.

From a lover of James Herriott's stories, I found this volume to be superb. The full-page illustrations are simply magnificent and complement the wonderful stories. The gentle pace of reading and gazing at the illustrations provides a fulfilling and completely absorbing experience. Of course, the stories are wonderful, and are very skillfully edited to suit younger readers who might not understand the original dialects. I'm getting another volume just for ME!

These touching stories appeared in James Herriot's other books but they've been adapted for a younger audience and the illustrations are fabulous additions that my little girl loved - 20 years ago! We keep ordering new books for our extended families' children - they're that good.

I dare you to get through The Christmas Kitten without a tear in the middle and laughter at the end!

Good original stories and a great way to expand your child's vocabulary. Probably better suited as a book to read to children then for them to read on their own. This would depend somewhat on the age of the child. I'm going to purchase other books from this author.

These stories are great for kids, but also great for the adults who read them to the kids. The stories are full of both human and animal interest and truly touch the heart. The illustrations are wonderful. These are some of my most favorite stories to read to my grandchildren.

The stories in here are not just bedtime tales. This is life-enriching literature with quirky characters and poignant emotion which you will treasure for years to come. I got as much out of reading these to our son as he did, and you will all enjoy the illustrations. As with real living, the death of a beloved pet is included in one of the tales, so if your children would be upset by this, you might discuss beforehand.