Item - Los músicos de Bremen

Even though the title suggests this book is based exclusively on the "The Town Musicians of Bremen" fairy tale, only one of the pathways actually follows the Grimm Brothers' story, while the rest of the branches reference other popular fairy tales and children's fables (most of them very familiar, except for "Quirico the Rooster" which will likely be known mostly to readers acquainted with Spanish culture). Parents should note that while the book is aimed at young children, it assumes that readers have already read or listened to the tales it is based on, so they should not try to use the book to substitute for the source material. The full-colour illustrations by Horacio Elena are excellent, and combined with the use of flaps instead of numbers to indicate text sections (reminiscent of the French Aventures à construire series) they make the book very attractive visually.

Despite being outside the target audience, I enjoyed this book quite a bit. The writing is entertaining and the author usually introduces an unexpected twist into each of the classic stories, meaning that the book's endings are seldom predictable. I certainly wouldn't mind reading the rest of the series (which unfortunately seems to be quite difficult to find at reasonable prices). This is a great way to introduce young children to interactive fiction.

More reviews by Guillermo