These tales are written for a younger level of a reader unlike Manning-Sanders' more familiar "A Book of..." series.

According to the dust jacket: "Animals are a basic part of the traditional stories of most countries.

The author has selected short, simple stories, each so lively that it makes an immediate impact on the listener or reader.

This collection has the right combination of humor, pathos, and suspense to captivate preschoolers as well as older children.

Kirkus Reviews wrote "Disappointingly only the first three tales are about Tortoise" and "You'll recognize most of the ploys but these are for slightly younger readers than are most of Manning-Sanders' collections and they are appropriately snappy and short.