The Stories Julian Tells

The Stories Julian Tells is a book that has six stories. You should read all the stories! One of the stories is about a father that makes a pudding!

I teach third grade and just read "The Stories Julian Tells" to my students as a read-aloud. They absolutely loved this book! The five stories in the book each are a chapter, told from Julian's point of view. Julian and his little brother, Huey, get into mischief, including eating the lemon pudding their father has lovingly made as a present for their mother. The boys' parents teach them loving lessons whenever they get into trouble. This is a book that celebrates the joys of childhood. I want to read Ann Cameron's other books in the series now. Ms. Cameron truly understands what makes good reading!

After reading the first story about the father and the lemon pudding, i just had to try some lemon pudding and now it is my favorite. All the stories are great and very interesting. I liked how Julian had such a creative imagination. I'm 11 years old and I still love to read it.

One of my all-time favorite read-aloud books, with lively, expressive illustrations. This book and its sequel - More Stories Julian Tells - describes the trials and tribulations of our hero, the ever-inventive Julian. The author, Ann Cameron, lovingly shows how Julian's curiosity and voracious desire to learn get him in and out of all kinds of scrapes. For example, the unforgettable story of how Julian convinces his little brother, Huey, to taste a pudding made for their mother. Taste they do, that fabled pudding, which according to both mom and dad, tastes "like a whole raft of lemons, like a night on the sea." And they keep on tasting 'til the pudding is gone. The punishment leveled by their father - a "beating" and a "whipping" of a new pudding - is both tender and just. Cameron's creative use of language and the way she repeats key phrases, make each story memorable and a pleasure to read aloud. You won't be surprised when you hear your audience chiming in with you!

An excellent book, with an excellent father figure, who figures as the primary caregiver in this intact family. A great early reader, too.