Stanley
When these two classic 'I Can Read' stories (about Stanley, the kind and civilised caveman, and a small boy's day of adventure in the company of a dinosaur) were first published, TV was in black-and-white: colour was added by the imagination. Today the full-colour fantasy world of advertisements and computer games demands and distracts the attention of children. In such a world, the more subdued appearance of the original titles with their limited use of colour may have been thought to be in danger of being ignored. But it's the humour and simplicity of the stories which have proved so appealing to generations of apprentice readers. These strengths and the added attraction of full-colour illustrations should ensure their continued appeal with today's more sophisticated children. That the world has grown smaller is reflected in the fact that British children are now thought able to cope with the American texts.