Okay, let’s talk about this gem of a book! As someone who reads to my niece every weekend, I was *immediately* drawn to the whimsical illustrations—think cozy watercolors that make you want to hug the pages. But here’s the kicker: it’s not just pretty. Each fable is like a tiny life hack wrapped in a bedtime story.

One night, we read ‘The Cloud Who Forgot to Rain’ (yes, that’s a real story in here!), and my niece actually paused mid-sip of her cocoa to ask, ‘But why was the cloud sad?’ Cue the *perfect* conversation about emotions. The discussion prompts at the end? Chef’s kiss. We spent 20 minutes giggling and brainstorming ‘kindness clouds.’

Pro tip: Don’t be fooled by the ‘kids’ label. I caught my teenage brother sneaking peeks at ‘The Mirror That Told Too Much’—a fable about self-image that even had *him* nodding. The stories scale with age, like literary Russian nesting dolls.

Bonus: It’s my go-to birthday gift now. Last month, I gifted it to a friend’s 5-year-old… and the mom texted me later saying *she* teared up at ‘The Seed Who Thought It Was Too Small.’ Universal wisdom, delivered via talking vegetables? Sign me up.