Tales of the Elf Storekeeper
26 Short Tales of Toys That Come to Life

When the last customer leaves and the lights go down, the department store wakes up. The goods start to talk — and they all have a problem.A shirt on the rack is crying because nobody wants to take her home. A guitar string is hopelessly out of tune. A box of matches has grown far too vain. A doll that was built to wink simply can't. A toy car can only turn left.Luckily, someone is listening. The Elf Storekeeper is a small, kind-hearted sprite who knows the department store better than its manager and would give you the shirt off his back. He solves every problem with wit, patience and a great deal of love — and never with a lecture.Written by Vladimír Mráz — Czech director of the feature-length animated film Wonderful Show and creator of beloved children's television programmes Draci v hrnci and Tý Brďo! — these tales carry the warm, playful humour of the Jan Werich storytelling tradition: funny on the surface, quietly wise underneath. Twenty-six short stories, each about four minutes long and each ending with a gentle lesson, narrated in English by David Livingstone — who speaks directly to the children listening.Perfect bedtime listening for children aged 5 to 9, and for the grown-ups listening with them.More about the author and all language editions: www.vladimirmraz.cz/elf