Tashi tells the most wonderful adventure stories to Jack, and often Jack’s dad and mum like to listen too. Tashi lives in a very old village with a Dragon’s Cave, Bluebeard’s Castle, Emperor’s Palace and The Mountain of White Tigers, so you can imagine what scary tales he can tell.
Today, he’s at Jack’s house and Dad’s so excited that he’s come down from the roof where he’s been working with Agir, the roof man who also wants to meet the famous Tashi. Mum joins them with some orange juice and Tashi starts to tell them about the year the trees disappeared.
This is serious as Tashi’s village is right in the middle of the forest where the villagers collect their wood for winter.
Not Yet, the village shoemaker, had seen ugly stumps where living trees should have been. Someone is cutting down their trees! So Tashi must be brave and go deep into the forest on a moonlight night to catch these robbers.
In this exciting story we meet many of the goodies like Wise-as-an-Owl and his son Much-to-Learn who was in danger of disappearing too. And real baddies like the Baron and the River Pirate.
For 25 years Anna Fienberg and her mum, Barbara Fienberg, have been telling Tashi’s much-loved stories. And for many years Kim Gamble, who was one of Australia’s leading children’s illustrators, worked with Anna and Barbara to help create these classics. And even though Kim is no longer with us, the authors have made sure his magical and ethereal artwork that speaks to all children, still graces every page.

Reviewed by Merle Morcom
Age Guide 5+