Review Detail

‘Ten-Word Tiny Tales to Inspire and Unsettle’ by Joseph Coelho is a book whose ten-word tales are only the beginning of the story. The beautiful illustrations on each page expand on the storytelling, and allow readers to become more deeply involved in what they are considering as they read each page. Readers’ imaginations will soar as they consider what’s beyond the portal in the teacher’s classroom, how a dog is hovering outside of a tenth-story window, where the carnival is that sits right next to a cave and a deep, dark-looking lake, how astronaut suits ended up in the ocean, what’s beyond the clouds, above the ladders in the sky, and so many more stories of intrigue and wonderment.

The end of the story asks readers to read more about how to lengthen a ten-word tiny tale, possibly by illustrating one, expanding on the story, or a host of other ideas. Starting off with a few words and adding more and more till the story expands and becomes longer is a great exercise for any aspiring writer. Any writer who feels blocked can use the stories in this book as prompts to start their writing off and see where it might go.