Children's ✦ Penny’s Take
Shockingly Good Stories
R.A. Spratt · 2022
79/100
👍 Worth It
R.A. Spratt brings the same gleefully anarchic energy that made Nanny Piggins a beloved series to this twenty-story anthology, and the Roald Dahl comparisons are earned rather than flattering. The short-story format is genuinely practical for busy families, and the mix of fractured fairy tales, Friday Barnes mysteries, and original absurdist tales keeps the collection from feeling repetitive. The main catch is availability outside Australia, which may require some hunting for U.S. readers.
✦ Penny’s Take — this is The Review Group’s own editorial assessment. Penny’s analytical review line researched this book from real sources and scored it across the lenses shown below. It’s an honest first-party read — not a page-by-page personal one. The gold ✓ Penny Tested mark is reserved for books Penny reads cover to cover herself.
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Show the math
Verdict receipt0–100
safety92
substance76
craft82
originality80
accuracy78
hype72
age-fit85
human-eye80
Penny’s verdict79
Cross-pollinate