About the Holiday

A desire for world peace is an idea that most people can agree on and that many around the globe are working toward. One way to bring this about on a direct and personal scale is to build and strengthen families and communities. Which brings us to today’s holiday and what Global Family Day is all about. Today’s holiday has its underpinnings in the United Nations General Assembly’s January 1, 2000 launch of the International Decade for the Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World, which revolved around the idea that some day, in the future, there could be a time when there is no more war on the planet. Because the launch was so successful, the United Nations decided to make it an annual event called Global Family Day. Today’s book, which brings families together through 30 international cultural tales contains the seed for more understanding and peace among individuals and communities.

Thank you to Bloomsbury Children’s Books for sharing a copy of this book with me for review!

Super Great Kids’ Stories: From Storytellers Around the World

Stories curated by Kim Normanton

Would you like to take your kids on a global adventure this year? How about taking that trip without ever leaving home? You can do it with Super Great Kids Stories, a new companion book to the popular Super Great Kids Stories podcast. Through the thirty tales in this collection, families can travel through North America, South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and Oceania while enjoying glimpses into the culture and traditions of a wide range of countries.

Young readers will gain a sense of camaraderie with their peers around the world as they read or listen to stories with familiar characters and themes that just undergo a tweak here and a name change there. For example, kids who know the Cinderella story will be excited to recognize similar aspects in “Keeya and the Purple Fish,” an intriguing tale from Eswatini, a country in southern Africa.

For kids who can’t make up their mind between hearing a ghost story or a funny story, there’s “The Ghost of the Bloody Finger,” a tale from the United States retold by Tiernan Douieb, which if read with the spookiest and most dramatic voice, will have them shaking . . . with laughter! Children will also travel to South America to discover “How Snakes Got Their Poison,” a story of a sly trade from the Indigenous people of the Amazon rainforest retold by Tuup, and two other stories.

Visiting Asia, readers find six stories, including “Inch Boy,” a story from Japan, retold by Masako Carey that offers a thrilling twist on a tale many may recognize as “Thumbelina.” They’ll also marvel at “The Boy Who Used His Head,” a story from South Korea retold by Pamela Marr. Wending their way to Europe, children will be engaged by “Molly and the Leprechaun,” an Irish story perfect for Saint Patrick’s Day retold by Kate Corkery. They’ll also love “Little Half Chick,” a story from Spain retold by Rebecca Lemaire that they’ll remember whenever the wind changes, plus four more delightful tales.

Leaving Europe kids land in Oceania, where they learn two First Nations stories from Australia retold by Warren Foster, one about Bungoo the flying fox who jumps from friend to friend, and the next about how the Lyrebird got its voice. Two Māori stories from New Zealand retold by Emmy Bidois follow—the first about the trickster demigod Māui, and the second a legend about how the kiwi lost its wings.

To enhance listeners’ experience each story is visited by the Story Owl, who offers interesting tips on how the story can be made interactive with sounds or motions and provides facts about an aspect of the story. Back matter includes short biographies of the book’s storytellers and illustrators as well as quotes from each storyteller about where they first heard the story they tell here.

You can’t help but be pulled into the intrigue, twists, and surprises of the tales curated by Kim Normanton in this beautiful book. Each story sings with the unique voice of the storyteller and stunning illustrations that bring the action and characters to life. Super Great Kids Stories provides a perfect way for families to spend rainy or snowy days together, send kids off to dreamland, or spark a child’s imagination. Teachers, homeschoolers, and other educators or group leaders will find the stories in this book to be a high-interest way to introduce world cultures to students or to inspire meaningful writing or presentation projects.

Ages 5 – 7

Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2025 | ISBN 978-1547619283

Kim Normanton is the curator of this collection and presenter of the podcast Super Great Kids’ Stories. She has been telling traditional stories in schools and museums around the world for 20 years. Kim uses rhymes and singing and has a wide repertoire, from African fables to Indian fairytales. She also produces social documentaries for BBC Radio. To learn more visit www.supergreatkidsstories.com.

Stories retold by

Sheila Arnold, Emmy Bidois, Masako Carey, Kate Corkery, Peter Chand, Tiernan Douieb, Amy Douglas, Warren Foster, Wangari Grace, Emily Hennessey, Rebecca Lemaire, Juliana Marin, Pamela Marre, Daniel Morden, Kim Normanton, Winston Nzinga, Baden Prince Junior, Gayle Ross, Simone Shüemmelfeder, Wendy Shearer, and Tuup.

Stories illustrated by

Sally Agar, Camila Carrosine, Tinuke Fagborun, Melissa Greenwood, Kaley McKean, and Terri Po.