African Stories: Once Upon Animals by Ken Wilson-Max 10 Books Collection Set - Ages 3-5 - Paperback

Titles in This Set
Once Upon a Zebra
Once Upon a Rhino
Once Upon a Leopard
Once Upon a Hyena
Once Upon a Hippo
Once Upon a Giraffe
Once Upon an Elephant
Once Upon a Chameleon
Once Upon a Buffalo
Once Upon a Lion

Details
Condition: Brand New
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Age Range: Ages 3-5 (Preschool-Kindergarten)

Overview
This brand-new paperback set gathers the African Stories: Once Upon Animals series by Ken Wilson-Max, ten playful picture books inspired by traditional animal fables from Africa. Each story answers a favorite kid question—why does Zebra have stripes, or how did Lion find his roar—through a warm, rhythmic "Once upon a time" telling. Bright, bold illustrations and a consistent, friendly storytelling voice make the set ideal for read-aloud time, bedtime stacks, or a classroom library corner, giving young readers ten satisfying animal adventures from the African savanna to explore again and again with a grown-up or on their own.

About the Books
The African Stories: Once Upon Animals collection is author-illustrator Ken Wilson-Max's colorful tribute to the traditional "just so" style of African animal fables, where every creature's famous feature has an origin story. In Once Upon a Zebra, a plain white animal earns his now-iconic stripes after a head-to-head clash with an angry baboon, while Once Upon a Lion follows a nearly silent big cat whose encounter with a prickly porcupine leads him to find his mighty roar. Once Upon a Rhino turns on a tangle of tall tales that shape the rhino's horn, and the remaining seven books—Once Upon a Leopard, Once Upon a Hyena, Once Upon a Hippo, Once Upon a Giraffe, Once Upon an Elephant, Once Upon a Chameleon, and Once Upon a Buffalo—carry readers across the same sunlit savanna, introducing each animal's personality and place in its community. Told in Wilson-Max's warm, rhythmic "Once upon a time" voice and brought to life with bold, vibrant artwork, the set suits shared reading aloud, short enough for one sitting yet rich with repeatable phrases that invite children to join in. Every title follows the same friendly structure, so kids quickly learn what to expect and delight in spotting differences from one tale to the next. Parents and teachers can use the collection to spark conversations about courage, honesty, and belonging, or simply enjoy ten breezy bedtime stories that never feel repetitive. As a complete paperback set, it builds a library shelf devoted to African-inspired storytelling.

Key Benefits

• Ten complete brand-new paperback picture books in one African-inspired collection
• Consistent "Once upon a time" fable format builds reading confidence for ages 3-5
• Bold, vibrant illustrations from author-illustrator Ken Wilson-Max hold young readers' attention
• Short, satisfying stories perfect for one-sitting read-alouds at bedtime or story time
• Great starting point for conversations about courage, honesty, and belonging
• A ready-made gift set for birthdays, holidays, baby showers, or classroom libraries

Book-by-Book Guide
Once Upon a Zebra — A plain white animal earns his now-famous stripes after a head-to-head clash with an angry baboon.
Once Upon a Rhino — A tangle of tall tales shapes the rhino's horn in this playful fable about honesty.
Once Upon a Leopard — Joins the same Once Upon Animals series, following Leopard's place in the African savanna.
Once Upon a Hyena — Part of the collection, telling a lighthearted animal tale in Wilson-Max's signature style.
Once Upon a Hippo — Brings Hippo into the storytelling series with the same warm, rhythmic "Once upon a time" telling.
Once Upon a Giraffe — Introduces Giraffe's story within the sunlit savanna setting shared across the series.
Once Upon an Elephant — Continues the series' animal-origin format, this time centered on Elephant.
Once Upon a Chameleon — Explores Chameleon's tale as part of the same African-inspired storytelling collection.
Once Upon a Buffalo — Rounds out the set with Buffalo's story, told in the familiar Once Upon Animals structure.
Once Upon a Lion — A nearly silent big cat meets a prickly porcupine and discovers his mighty roar.

About the Author
Ken Wilson-Max is a British author-illustrator celebrated for vibrant, diverse picture books that put African-inspired settings and everyday family life at their heart. Described by booksellers as an award-winning creator, he brings a bold, colorful visual style and a warm, rhythmic storytelling voice to the African Stories: Once Upon Animals series, drawing on traditional "just so" animal fables to explain how familiar creatures got their signature traits. His work is widely used in homes, nurseries, and early years classrooms for its accessible read-aloud rhythm and gentle, relatable lessons about courage, honesty, and community that resonate with young children.

Why You'll Love This Set
Ten brand-new paperbacks in one set mean ready-made variety for bedtime, story time, or a classroom library corner. The consistent "Once upon a time" format makes each African-inspired animal tale easy to follow, while bold artwork keeps little eyes engaged. It's a natural pick for birthdays, holiday gifting, baby showers, or back-to-school reading corners.

Please Note: This is the UK edition with the ISBN as listed; the cover may vary slightly from the image shown.