Little One Inch (STORYBOX REVIEW)

 

Little One Inch

by Steve Light

Guidecraft

Storybox, $50.00

Wooden box containing hand-painted characters, unique props, settings and a story booklet

SKU #: G6502

           

Book Review by Kam Williams

“Kids love stories, and what could be more fun at playtime than stories that come to life? Author, illustrator, storyteller and pre-K teacher Steve Light has teamed up with Guidecraft to create Storyboxes based on classic stories from around the world. Each beautifully-crafted wood Storybox, containing hand-painted characters, props, and settings, will inspire creative play and send kids’ imaginations soaring.

Storytelling and make-believe play a crucial role in child development, forming the basis for language comprehension and subsequent reading skills. With Steve Light Storyboxes, kids can use the intricately-detailed miniature figures and props to retell stories over and over, acting them out in their own words and creating new stories.”

-- Excerpted from press info

            If you’re like me, you lament how the Digital Age has come to redefine human life to the point that most people are always hooked-up to some form of electronic media, whether a cell phone, laptop, tablet or TV. Personally, I relish any culturally-enriching opportunity to push back against that unfortunate trend, and the Little One Inch Storybox affords just such a chance to go off the grid.

            Created by pre-K teacher Steve Light, this educational tool effectively brings the Japanese folktale of the same name to life via a combination of narration and audience participation using props and improvisation. For the stimulating Storybox includes not only a copy of the classic story, but hand-painted, resin characters to encourage children to act it out while listening to a reading.

            Little One Inch chronicles the effort of a brave little boy only an inch tall to rise to the challenge of protecting the beautiful Princess from a monster using just a needle for a sword. Ultimately, he is handsomely rewarded, being blessed in the end with both normal height and the hand of the Princess in marriage before they ride off together into the proverbial sunset. The set of figures features the Princess, the Prince, the Big Fish, the Oni Monster and Little One Inch himself.

            Besides Little One Inch, the talented Mr, Light has also adapted Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel, and The Girl Who Loved Danger into Storyboxes. If you are unfamiliar with The Girl Who Loved Danger, that African fairytale from the Congo, revolves around a headstrong little girl who’s always landing in trouble with her parents. 

            A fantastic collection of old-fashioned throwbacks to the days when an active imagination mattered more than being transfixed by mind-numbing gigabytes.