Alrightreads: Tastes

Angela Slatter, Sourdough and Other Stories

2006-10 (collected 2010) / Ebook / 238 pages / Australia

*****

Variably dark, consistently enchanting fairy tales from the de facto bard laureate. It may be a while before I can share these bedtime stories.

Faves: 'The Shadow Tree,' 'A Porcelain Soul,' 'Lavender and Lychgates'

Angela Slatter, The Bitterwood Bible and Other Recountings

2011-14 (collected 2014) / Ebook / 278 pages / Australia

****

Dark fantasy becomes outright horror in the Sourdough prequel scrapbook, occasionally overly infatuated with its own lore.

Faves: 'The Coffin-Maker's Daughter,' 'The Night Stair,' 'The Bitterwood Bible'

Howard Pyle, Pepper & Salt, or Seasoning for Young Folk

1885 / Audiobook / 109 pages / USA

**

Original fairy tales and crap verse with old-timey morals and some satisfying strangeness.

Faves: 'The Skillful Huntsman,' 'Clever Peter and the Two Bottles,' 'Hans Hecklemann's Luck'

Jeff Lemire, Sweet Tooth, Volume 1: Out of the Deep Woods

2009-10 (collected 2010) / Ecomics / 128 pages / Canada

**

Dystopian Farthing Wood, with guns. I'd planned to read the whole story, but couldn't really be bothered.

Liz Franklin, Kids' Cookery

2001 (revised 2005) / Paperback / 64 pages / UK

**

Completing a 4 for £1 offer with something potentially useful for lack of worthwhile frivolity, but it's too advanced for me, let alone a preschooler.