Category: The Standard Goodies

14th May 2018 WHEN a young boy begins to play on his family’s piano, just plunking the keys, his father signs him up for lessons. Raj learns notes then songs and finally classical pieces. But…

21st May 2018 THE young mouse Wemberly worries constantly despite her family telling her not to. Her biggest worry is her first day of school. When she arrives…

28th May 2018 DESPERATE to protect ships from German torpedoes, British commander Norman Wilkinson propose what became known as a dazzle. These stunning patterns were meant to confuse the enemy about a ship’s speed and direction…

11th June 2018 IT is another wet, boring day and the mother tells her child off for playing computer games all day. The child skulks off into the woods…

7th May 2018 PING is the subject of a Chinese emperor who is exceptionally gifted at growing things. When it is time for the old king to choose his successor, he tests the children…

30th Apr 2018 From the award-winning creators of What Do You Do With An Idea? This story is about a child who is unsure what to make of a chance encounter. After not taking some initial chances, the child sees that…

25th Apr 2018 STONE Soup, set in rural China, follows three monks who take a journey into the mountains to try to understand what makes one happy. They pass through a war-torn village…

16th Apr 2018 IN The Sound of Silence, which is set in the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, Yoshio asks a musician, “Do you have a favourite sound?” She replies, “The most beautiful sound is the sound of ma, of silence.”

9th Apr 2018 WHAT do you do with a problem that follows you around and does not seem to go away? Do you worry about it? Ignore it? Do you run and hide from it? The longer the problem is avoided, the bigger it seems to get.  

19th Mar 2018 THE Lost Horse is a wonderful ancient Chinese folktale about Sai, a Chinese man who believes everything happens for a reason. With every hardship – such as the loss of his horse and the injury of his son – he says, “You know, it may not be such a bad thing.” One… Continue reading The Standard Goodies: Reversal of fortune