Fairy Tale Spotlight: The Talking Parcel [Book Review]

"The Talking Parcel" is a book written by Gerald Durrell. It was published in 1974. It is a very obscure book these days. You are lucky to even find a copy. Apparently it has been out of print for quite some time, and it doesn't look like anyone really cares about it anymore. This is kind of sad since I really enjoyed reading it.

"The Talking Parcel" is a fairy tale to the tune of the Oz books. It revolves around three children, two boys and one girl---Peter, Simon, and Penelope. They find a wrapped parcel floating out on a beach, and when they open it up, there is a talking parrot (his name is actually just Parrot) inside who claims to be from a magical land called Mythologia. Apparently the land has been taken over by cockatrices, who are like large birds that shoot fire out of their beaks. And so the children agree to follow Parrot there in order to help free the people from the cockatrice's tyranny.

One thing you will notice about this story is that it is extremely British. It's in the way everyone talks, acts, and how they get along with one another. Parrot especially is the very pinnacle of a British gentleman. He even has a little umbrella and a pocket watch. He is probably my favorite character in a story that actually has a lot of endearing characters in it already.

There is a toad named Ethelred who fancies himself as a really good spy, even though everyone always sees through his disguises and lies. That said, he is actually really lovable and funny. The girl, Penelope, especially liked him because of how hard he seemed to be trying to be the perfect spy. I imagine Ethelred's creation was likely inspired by the Cold War which was happening at the time. Imagine that: a children's character based on the Cold War. It worked though!

Mythologia is a pretty good name for this fantasy world. Most of the creatures there are mythological animals such as unicorns, dragons, sea monsters, will-o'-the-wisps, werewolves, firedrakes, and mandrakes. There are also regular talking animals living there as well.

Hilariously there is a colony of extremely cowardly weasels. Oh my god, I loved the weasels. They were presented in such a cartoonishly, cowardly way with really good comedy beats. In fact, most of the humor is extremely spot on throughout this book. This is a very funny book that will put a smile on anyone's face. The author went into it with humor in mind, but it is still there to entertain the young child.

Did you know that "The Talking Parcel" was made into a feature length animated film? It came out in 1978, and I have watched it. It's pretty darn good, although the animation can be a little wonky at times. Also the two boy characters, Peter and Simon, were omitted for the movie. It was only Penelope going on the adventure. It's a truncated, somewhat altered story, but it carries you through the main points of the book just fine.

I am giving a high recommendation for both the book and the movie for "The Talking Parcel." I literally have no idea why this story fell out of public favor. It's really a solid adventure that can be enjoyed by young and old. I guess sometimes this sort of thing happens. Finding the book is doable, but it's a lot easier to watch the movie on YouTube. Either way, I do recommend you experience this story any way you can. It's worth it.

This blog was written on April 7, 2025.

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