Aesop's Fables > Books of Fables > Series Books > Val Biro: The Wright Group Fables from Aesop

Val Biro: The Wright Group Fables from Aesop

1986/95 The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs. Val Biro. Tenth impression. Paperbound. Bothell, WA: The Wright Enrichment Reading #2: The Wright Group. £.15 from Javaslublu books, UK, through eBay, August, '05.

Number 2 in the series.  Here is a quirky eBay find. I had found one other book in this set, which now includes not twelve but rather eighteen members. Biro's work is always lively, and this eight-page presentation of GGE does not disappoint. Just two golden eggs are enough to have the greedy couple cutting open the goose. On 7, either of the two holds a half of the dead goose! Now I will have to see if I cannot find the full set!

1986/95 The Donkey in the Lion's Skin. Val Biro. Tenth impression. Paperbound. Bothell, WA: The Wright Enrichment Reading #3: The Wright Group. £.15 from Javaslublu books, UK, through eBay, August, '05.

Number 3 in the series.  Here is a quirky eBay find. I had found one other book in this set, which now includes not twelve but rather eighteen members. Biro's work is always lively, and this eight-page presentation of DLS does not disappoint. Biro has created one of the best composite donkey-lions I have seen for the title-page. The two-page spread of townsfolk fleeing is full of dynamism. In this version, the lion's skin falls off of the donkey and he brays. On the last page, the townsfolk are running after him. Now I will have to see if I cannot find the full set!

1986 The Eagle and the Man. Told and illustrated by Val Biro. Printed in Great Britain. San Diego: The Wright Group. $.75 at Adams Avenue Book, San Diego, Aug., '93.

A simple pamphlet by the illustrator of Collected Tales from Aesop's Fables (1986). This fable is not included there. #8 of a set of twelve.

1986 The Donkey and the Lapdog. Val Biro. Paperbound. San Diego: The Wright Group. $1 from Super-Fly Books, Phoenix, AZ, through Abe, March, '11.

Number 11 in the series.  I am doing what I can to find the full set of these eighteen pamphlets. Biro's work is always lively, and this is a fine sixteen-page presentation. Biro is particularly good at giving this donkey revealing facial expressions. The double-page spread on 10-11 may be the best of these good illustrations. The donkey is smiling as he upsets the table and breaks dishes. Even grandfather, in the picture on the wall, looks aghast! "I am no good at being a lapdog. I will just be a donkey" (16). Again, the resigned but puzzled expression of the donkey is excellent as he hangs his head over the gate of his stable. Finding the whole set will not be easy, but I am on my way.

1988 The Lion and the Mouse.  Told and illustrated by Val Biro.  Paperbound.  San Diego: Fables from Aesop #13:  The Wright Group.  $0.71 from Bookznprintz on eBay, Jan., '16.

I already had this little booklet as it was produced in 1988 by Ginn and Company.  Then I found a later copyright (1990) and printing (1994) by the Wright Group.  Now here is the Wright Group's first edition from 1988.  As I wrote of the Ginn copy, this is a sympathetic and engaging eight-page pamphlet with stiff covers.  Biro's great work with facial expressions starts here with the title-page.  This lion is not happy with this mouse!  Pique shifts to wonder to smiling and musing--and then to desperation.  All this development leads up to the fine two-page spread on which the lion is astounded by the mouse's ability to bite through his net.

1990/94 The Lion and the Mouse.  Told and illustrated by Val Biro.  Paperbound.  San Diego: Fables from Aesop #13:  The Wright Group.  $0.01 from Dale Hawkins, Charleston, SC, through eBay, Nov., '13.

I have this little booklet already as it was produced in 1988 by Ginn and Company.  Now here is the Wright Group's edition.  It set or tied a record for my dealings on eBay, since I got the booklet for one cent!  It once belonged to an elementary school in South Carolina.  It is #13 of a set of eighteen.  I now have seven of the eighteen in the Wright Group edition.  As I wrote of the Ginn copy, this is a sympathetic and engaging eight-page pamphlet with stiff covers.  Biro's great work with facial expressions starts here with the title-page.  This lion is not happy with this mouse!  Pique shifts to wonder to smiling and musing--and then to desperation.  All this development leads up to the fine two-page spread on which the lion is astounded by the mouse's ability to bite through his net.

1988 The Sick Lion.  Val Biro.  Paperbound.  San Diego: Fables from Aesop 13-18:  The Wright Group.  $0.71 from Bookznprintz on eBay, Jan., '16.

Previously I had found a 1990 printing of this book.  Now here is the original 1988 printing.  As I wrote then, this is another nicely conceived work by Biro.  Sixteen pages.  The tired lion here wears a sport jacket, vest, and tie.  Deciding to look sick, he puts on pajamas.  A lovely double-spread page (6-7) has the fox warning the animals as they consider a visit to the "sick" lion that the lion might eat them.  Day after day, unwitting victims visit the sick lion, and nobody sees them again.  Good condition.

1990 The Sick Lion. Val Biro. Paperbound. San Diego: Fables from Aesop 13-18: The Wright Group. $2.54 from Stormyriders Emporium, Port Townsend, WA, through eBay, Oct., '10.

Another nicely conceived work by Biro. Sixteen pages. This -- #16 -- is the only copy I have from the latest series, 13-18. The tired lion here wears a sport jacket, vest, and tie. Deciding to look sick, he puts on pajamas. A lovely double-spread page (6-7) has the fox warning the animals as they consider a visit to the "sick" lion that the lion might eat them. Day after day, unwitting victims visit the sick lion, and nobody sees them again.

1988 The Bear and the Travellers.  Val Biro.  Paperbound.  San Diego: Fables from Aesop 13-18:  The Wright Group.  $6.33 from Lots of Books 254, through eBay, April, '15.

Another nicely conceived work by Biro.  Sixteen pages.  I have been fortunate to find the whole set of #13-18 on eBay.  TB in this volume has an older and a younger friend.  The latter forsakes the former.  The bear surprises them at very close range and chases them.  Does not this element hurt the story when the chasing bear comes upon one of the two men suddenly "dead"?  Biro's illustrations have fun with the story.  Among the best illustrations is the two-page spread on 10-11, where the bear approaches the old man playing dead and the young friend looks on from his tree perch.  Someday I will figure out the varying dates that the Wright Group used for its publications.

1988 The Fox and the Stork.  Val Biro.  Paperbound.  San Diego: Fables from Aesop 13-18:  The Wright Group.  $6.33 from lots of books, 254, through eBay, April, '15.  

Another nicely conceived work by Biro.  Sixteen pages.  I have been fortunate to find the whole set of #13-18 on eBay.  Biro's style remains engaging.  Clouds of steam arising from the delicious food are important in this version.  So is the repetition of the phrase "What a sly fox!" in "What a clever stork!"  This version of the story is developed differently from Biro's presentation in "The Fox and the Stork and The Man, His Son and the Ass" from Award Publications in 2001.  Perhaps the best illustration in this version has the fox laughing while the stork looks down chagrined at her full, steaming bowl of soup.

1988 The Monkey and the Fishermen.  Val Biro.  Paperbound.  San Diego: Fables from Aesop 13-18:  The Wright Group.  $6.33 from lots of books, 254, through eBay, April, '15.  

Another nicely conceived work by Biro.  Sixteen pages.  I have been fortunate to find the whole set of #13-18 on eBay.  Biro's style remains engaging.  This version of the story tells of the monkey who wanted to catch fish and so tried to imitate the fishermen who spread a net, only to get himself tangled in the net.  The monkey is rescued by the fishermen.  In the end, the monkey realizes that he does better catching coconuts.  Perhaps the best illustration in this version is the two-page spread in which the monkey gets caught up in his own net.

1988 The Hare and the Tortoise.  Val Biro.  Paperbound.  San Diego: Fables from Aesop 13-18:  The Wright Group.  $6.33 from lots of books, 254, through eBay, April, '15.  

Another nicely conceived work by Biro.  This booklet has only eight pages, while most others in this series have sixteen.  I have been fortunate to find the whole set of #13-18 on eBay.  Biro's style remains engaging.  This version of the story tells it very simply, especially because of the shortness of the booklet.  Perhaps the best illustration in this version is the two-page spread in which the two competitors face each other and agree to compete.  Visually they are lovely contrasts!  The narration skillfully repeats important words: "hop, hop, hop," "plod, plod, plod," and, most tellingly, "snore, snore, snore."

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