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Traditional Literature Annotations
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Camilla is the main character in this story that tells the tale of a little girl who loves Lima beans but is too afraid to let people know. She is afraid to just be herself and suddenly becomes what others want her to be. Every time something is suggested, Camilla becomes what is said. She changes colors and goes from having rainbow colored stripes to resembling the American Flag. When she finally gives in and eats her favorite beans, she returns to normal. I love reading this to the students in grades one and two every year. It lends itself nicely to a lesson on being unique and appreciating other’s differences. ** A Good Day. Written by Kevin Henkes. (Greenwillow: 2007) ** This book is great for children ages four to eight years old. It tells the story of how a bad day can turn into a good day. The day seems to begin as what would be a bad day for bird, dog, fox, and squirrel. Soon everything changes and suddenly it becomes a good day for everyone, even a little girl. The beautiful illustrations were done in watercolor, pencil, and pastel and they lend themselves to the text within the story. Children will also enjoy the song at the end of the story. ** Little Night. Written by Yuyi Morales. (Roaring Brook/NealPorter: 2007 **     .Mother Sky and Little Night are part of this wonderful bedtime story. It contains the common rituals that children complete each night before bed such as snack and stalling in getting in bed. The stars and clouds are all included in this story of Mother Sky tries to get her lovely child to sleep. A dress made from the clouds, the moon ball, and the stars in the Milky Way become a tasty drink for Little Night. This book is great for students in Preschool through grade 2
 * Kathi’s Picks: **
 * // [[image:stripes.jpg width="79" height="97"]]A  //** **// Bad Case of the Stripes. //** Written by David Shannon. (The Blue Sky Press: 1998)

** Megan's Picks **


 * // How Chipmunk Got His Stripes //**** . Written by Joseph Bruchac & James Bruchac. Pictures by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey. (Dial Books for Young Readers: 2001) **

This is a Native American pourquoi folktale about a bear, and a squirrel that came to be called chipmunk. One day Brown Squirrel heard the bear bragging that he could do anything. He asked Bear if he could tell the sun not to rise the next morning. Bear bragged that he could and went on to demand the sun not come up the next day. The other animals joined them to see who would be right, Bear or Brown Squirrel. Of course the next morning the sun rose in the sky. That made Brown Squirrel very happy and he started to tease Bear. Bear was angry that he was wrong, and naturally he grew even angrier as Brown Squirrel teased him. He grabbed the squirrel with his paw in anger and threatened to eat him. Brown Squirrel convinced Bear to lift his paw so he could apologize. Bear lifted his paw and the Brown Squirrel ran away, but not quickly enough to avoid getting scratched by Bear. The scratches made stripes down Brown Squirrel’s back. He then became known as Chipmunk, which means striped one. The colorful pictures in the story add humor. My favorite is the picture of all of the animals sitting with Bear and Brown Squirrel as the sun is about to come up. The bear is sitting on a log with both paws on his knees and a grimace on his face as he realizes he was wrong. The theme of this story is that it is good to be right, but it’s not good to brag about it. It also teaches lessons regarding anger and pride. This story is appropriate for students in K-3.


 * // Ananse and the Lizard. //**** Retold and illustrated by Pat Cummings. (Henry Holt and Co.: 2002)[[image:ananse.jpg width="97" height="119" align="left"]] **

This West African tale features the popular Ananse the Spider. In this tale, Ananse sees a notice from the Chief posted on a tree. The Chief is going to give whoever guesses his daughter’s name her hand in marriage as well as half of his land and rule as the Chief. Ananse hurries to the Chief’s village thinking that this could not be that difficult. Ananse ends up overhearing the Chief’s daughter talking to her servants, who reveal her name. He can’t believe his good fortune! A lizard convinces Ananse that he should be announced to the Chief. Ananse agrees to let Lizard announce him, and gets tricked into revealing the name of Chief’s daughter to the lizard. Naturally, Lizard presents himself to the Chief instead of Ananse, and ends up marrying the Chief’s daughter. Ananse leaves the village and warns that he will find Lizard and tear him limb from limb. The legend is that Lizard was warned, and that’s why lizards stretch their necks back and forth nervously. The colorful illustrations include insects and people dressed in traditional African clothing. The theme is trickery and mischief. I thought the book was humorous because Ananse was so confident that he would be Chief, and in the end, Lizard fooled him! This story is appropriate for K-2.

This is the retelling of a fable about a chicken who gets hit on the head by an acorn. Chicken Little runs for his life without a plan crying, “The sky is falling! The sky is falling!” The climax builds as the other animals, like Henny Penny and Loosey Goosey join Chicken Little, running for their lives. Finally, they run into Foxy Loxy who suggests they go into a warm cave (his mouth) to be safe. At the end, the fox sneezes and Chicken Little and his friends come flying out of Foxy Loxy’s mouth. The bold, collage type illustrations of Chicken Little and the other animals make this story hilarious. The Emberleys add large text to complement the pictures, such as BONK! and EEP! making it even funnier! One of my favorite pictures is of Loosey Goosey, with her large round eyes, standing sideways after being knocked over by the group running for their lives. The style of text adds dry humor to the story that adults may appreciate more than children. For example, the story begins with “Chicken Little was not the brightest chicken in the coop.” There are two implied morals to this version which has a happy ending: One is not to believe everything you hear. The second is to have courage, instead of being a chicken. The idiom, “the sky is falling”, is still used today to mean that disaster is imminent. I often think of that idiom when people blow storm forecasts out of proportion. This story is great for students in PK-2.
 * // Chicken Little. //**** Written and illustrated by Rebecca and Ed Emberley. (Roaring Brook Press: 2009) **

Tarah’s Picks

//The First Feud//, by Lynn Plourde. Down East Books, 2003. Children’s book author Lynn Plourde tries her hand at something different- a fable about the creation of the land we now call Maine. //The First Feud// tells the tale of a mountain and an ocean who brag about how beautiful they each are even though they can’t see each other. To prove their beauty to the other, they each send an eagle and a moose back and forth with examples of their beauty, but each time the examples arrive changed and not beautiful anymore. In their anger, they use their awesome powers to trigger avalanches, blizzards, floods, and hurricanes. When the land between them is destroyed, they can see each other for the first time and they realize that they both really are beautiful and they decide to work together to create the green, lush North Land we know as Maine. An original story appropriate for elementary students that teaches the importance of working together and having respect for each other’s specialness.

//The Odyssey,// retold by Adrian Mitchell. Dorling Kindersley Classics, 2000. As is the case with most Dorling Kindersley books, this vibrant retelling of Homer’s story of the Greek hero Odysseus does not disappoint. While reading the story, broken down into fifteen short chapters, we are also treated to many photographs of items relating to the Ancient Greeks (sculptures, paintings, pottery, the landscape, etc.) and extra information pages about the Trojan War, the Greek gods and goddesses, and a map of Odysseus’s journey. Always colorful and exciting and with beautiful illustrations by Stuart Robertson, this edition would be appropriate for upper elementary and middle school.

//Stories from India//, by Anna Milbourne. London: Usborne Publishers, 2005. Though this volume is small in size (a perfect fit in your hands), it is full of large stories that have been told for thousands of years in India. As Milbourne says in her author’s note, no one knows who first told them and no one knows how much of the stories are true, since with each retelling they get changed a little bit. But it doesn’t matter, for the stories are very entertaining and offer readers a glimpse into the colorful culture of India. With Indian gods, magical creatures, and common people with the usual longings and wishes, this book will please readers of any age, but especially elementary students.

This powerful tale is a bit too edgy for younger students, but would appeal to both boys and girls in the fifth grade and up. The main character is a soldier who strikes up a messy deal with the devil and finds his way from desperation and neediness to selflessness and wisdom in the bargain – it’s a long road. In the end, he finds his path has led him to his true love and there’s a very satisfying happily-ever-after sort of ending. I love the rawness of this story, the devil is named outright -- he’s a well-dressed gentleman, and our friend Bearskinner is so named for what he will have to wear for seven years – one of the terms of his bargain. I appreciated the Bearskinner’s humanness. He is not a greedy man, but one who has suffered and lost – “all he loved were dead” -- and for this reason, he is an easy mark for the devil. I think the story’s power comes in part from its grit. Like its main character, it hasn’t been sanitized to suit our contemporary sensibilities. A friend of mine said she felt uncomfortable reading it to students because it has religious language. It may be that the language is too close to our own Judeo/Christian tradition, and this might be one aspect of the story I’d want to share and discuss. Also powerful are the sepia-toned illustrations that are as dark and seemingly ancient as the tale.
 * Audrey's Pick s **
 * //The Bearskinner: A Tale of the Brothers Grimm//. Retold by Laura Amy Schlitz, Illustrated by Max Grafe. (Candlewick Press: 2007)**

Tall tales are among my favorites. This one, we learn in the author’s note, is an amalgam of several tales from the upper peninsula of Michigan about voyageurs making bets with rich and powerful giants. The fact that the protagonist is a smart, persistent girl is (predictably?) the author’s own modern-day twist, but that’s one of the beauties of traditional stories, they evolve and grow with us. Like her British counterpart Jack, Beatrice has a big, dumb giant to contend with. Beatrice’s mother says, “When you are a rich giant, you do not have to be smart.” Beatrice thought about this… which is how Beatrice happens to set out into the deep woods. The giant surely appears to have the upper hand in his contests of strength with Beatrice, but wits will go a long way, we find, and not once, not twice, but three times Beatrice beats the giant. This story of how the little are mighty is very satisfying to everyone, especially children, and the folk art is woodsy and more than fun.
 * //Clever Beatrice: An Upper Peninsula Conte// by Margaret Willey, illustrated by Heather Solomon (Atheneum: 2001)**

Mythology is tough. I think it’s difficult to convey these stories to modern audiences of any age, and especially children, but this book is truly moving and accessible. The author gives us a bit of background to get started, setting the scene in the foreword. The characters are listed and described in the front of the book, and the question of whether Pandora opened a jar or a box is taken up and explained. These are wonderfully helpful features. The author’s text is a blend of prose and poetry. The poetic elements convey the story’s tone and emotion and the narrative prose connects and explains. The lyrical elements also help to create a voice from the past. I found the storyline to be very clear and engaging – we relate to Pandora’s fixation immediately, and we are terrified by what she eventual does. Her final act, to hold on tightly to hope, is human, but heroic. Possibly the book’s best hook is in the illustrations that grab the reader right from the start on the front cover. Resembling ancient mosaics, the illustrations show the style of the times, but with the emotion and drama we need for the connection to today.
 * //Pandora// by Robert Burleigh, illustrated by Raul Colon (Harcourt: 2002)**


 * Tessa’s Pick! **
 * “The Dragon Prince A Chinese Beauty & the Beast Tale” by Laurence Yep, illustrated by Kam Mak. (Harper Collins Publishers: 1997). Ages 5-8. **

In China, a poor old farmer lived with his seven daughters, who are named in birth order following Chinese tradition. The youngest and prettiest daughter, Seven, had a special knack for weaving the finest silk and embroidering the most elaborate stitchery. The third daughter, Three, was always jealous of her sister Seven. One afternoon, when the farmer was coming back from town, a huge dragon seized the farmer in its paw. “Give me one of your daughters for a wife, and I’ll give you your life as her bride price!” The farmer begged each daughter to save his life by marrying the creature, but one by one they all ran and hid, except for Seven who agreed to be his bride. She climbed onto his back, and they ventured to his palace beneath the sea. It is there that the dragon exposed himself as a handsome prince. The two lived happily ever after until homesick Seven took a trip home. Three, more jealous than ever, tried to drown her sister and take her place in the palace. The prince, weary that something was not right with his wife when she returned home, searched the lands until he found the true Seven, and banished Three from the palace. This is a marvelous version of the classic Beauty and the Beast Tale with a spin based on ancient Chinese mythology. The vibrant colors used in Kam Mak’s illustrations jump off the pages and are a great supplement to the narrative. ** Tessa’s Pick! **  “GROARRR!” In this Korean spin of the classic “Little Red Riding Hood” tale, a mother goes out to market to fetch corn cakes, only to stumble on a fearsome tiger that swallows her whole. Still hungry, the tiger puts on the woman’s clothes and proceeds to her home to try to snack on her son and daughter. Realizing that the tiger is an imposter and not their mother, the children make a run for it and try to outwit the hungry tiger. The children are saved with the help of their mother, who extends a rope down from the sky. The girl turned into the sun, the boy the moon, and the mother the stars to glitter in the sky, so that there is “enough light for people to stay safe from danger.” I would recommend this tale for Choi’s vivid illustrations and a taste of Korean culture and beliefs.
 * “The Sun Girl and the Moon Boy A Korean Folktale” retold and illustrated by Yangsook Choi. (Alfred A. Knopf: 1999). Ages 4-8. **


 * Tessa’s Pick! **
 * “The Three Silly Girls Grubb” written and illustrated by John and Ann Hassett. (Houghton Mifflin Company: 2002). Ages 4-8. **

Where are the Billy Goats? John and Ann Hassett don’t need the traditional characters as they saturate the classic folktale with three silly sisters and a bully named Ugly-Boy Bobby. When the Grubb sisters (one small, one medium, and one large) miss the bus in the morning, they have to cross a bridge to get to school. Ugly-Boy Bobby, who never went to school, waits in a hole under the bridge and tries to grab each of the Grubb’s lunches filled with jelly donuts. The small and medium Grubb convince Ugly-Boy Bobby to wait for the large Grubb sister, for she has the most jelly donuts of all. However, instead of a dozen jelly donuts, Bobby ends up with a threat of a dozen mushy kisses from a set of “extra-large-sized lips,” an offer that will change his ways forever. Scenes of a grassy countryside evoke the story's timeless appeal, while modern details (the school bus, backpacks, a lined roadway) offer kids something they can relate to.

__ Iktomi and the Berries __ by Paul Goble, Franklin Watts, 1989, grades 1-6 This is one of the Lakota creation myths retold and illustrated by Paul Goble. Iktomi is a boastful plains native who decides to go hunting, dressed in all his hunting clothes (a coyote disguise) and carrying all his weapons. When he does not find prairie dogs to shoot, he goes to the river to hunt ducks. When he fails, he decides to capture berries he sees in the water, but he does not realize the berries are a reflection in the water. Iktomi narrowly escapes drowning through his own poor choices, and goes home without berries. Wonderful story that teaches children about choices, and can be read aloud seriously or with humor. Iktomi is conceited and not very wise, and the story is told in clear and simple language, so it’s easy for children to analyze his misadventures (even the background creatures like prairie dogs and ducks can see how foolish Iktomi is). He makes multiple mistakes, which children can relate to and learn from. I love the side notes on each page to help the storyteller interact with the audience, as the story was originally told. This is one of many Iktomi books written by Goble, and after hearing one they will want more. Other books in the Iktomi series by Paul Goble: __ Iktomi and the Ducks: A Plains Indian Story __ __ Iktomi and the Coyote: A Plains Indian Story __ __ Iktomi Loses His Eyes __ __ Iktomi and the Buzzard: A Plains Indian Story __ __ Iktomi and the Boulder __ __ Pegasus __ retold by Marianna Mayer, illustrated by K.Y. Craft, Morrow Junior Books, 1998, Greek myth, grades 5-8 Bellerophon is the brave and youthful son of the king of Corinth, and he is sent to kill the evil lion-faced creature Chimera in order to win the hand of the woman he loves. He is unaware of his impossible task, and is told his only chance of beating Chimera is on the back of the wild and untamable winged horse, Pegasus. A goddess foretells the brotherhood to be formed by Bellerophone and Pegasus, and by treating Pegasus as an equal, they trust and work together. They defeat the mighty Chimera, and win the respect of all people. Pegasus goes back to his free life, and Bellerophon lives happily with his love, but the bond of friendship between the two remains forever. The illustrations in this book are gorgeous; they show the background and characters of the myth in stunning detail. Several two-page illustrations add a lot of interest to this complex story, and the single-story format looks like a picture book. This is the kind of book kids should read as a beginning to Greek mythology, and hopefully the action and depth of the story will entice them to read more. The visual beauty of this book is what won me over, and hopefully will have the same impact on students in grades 5 to 8.
 * Pat's pick:**
 * Pat's pick:**

__ Cyclops __ by Leonard Everett Fisher, Holiday House, 1991, from Homer’s //Odyssey,// grades 5-8 One episode from Homer’s epic poem //Odyssey// is written as a single adventure. The Greek general Odysseus and his men are washed ashore on an island after winning a great battle in Troy. They find shelter in a cave which turns out to be the home of a Cyclops, a one-eyed giant, who traps them there and begins to eat them one by one. They cleverly outwit the giant by blinding his one eye, and they escape to the sea.
 * Pat's pick:**

This is a story of the little guy outsmarting the big guy, and without any background on Odysseus and his army, it’s hard for readers to be sympathetic toward them based on their merits. Once the fearsome Cyclops begins eating the warriors, readers turn against the giant and hope Odysseus prevails. Although this story is only a fraction of the original epic, this simply told tale is an elementary introduction to difficult characters and plot, and I like it as a straightforward adventure for grades 5 to 8.

** **//Stone Soup//** written by Jon J Muth. 2003.Grade Level: PreK-2.
 * Mary's Favorites!

Jon J Muth takes the classic folklore and transfers it to a small village in China. In the story three monks travel amongst the mountains when they stumble upon a village. As the monks enter the village they notice how unwelcoming and disengaged the villagers are. In the middle of the village square the monks decide to stop and make stone soup. A brave young girl approaches them and something spectacular begins to unwind. I truly enjoyed this book as it brought in the culture of China both artistically and symbolically, from the ingredients in the soup, to the banquet and festivities. It is a story that makes you smile at the end and truly see the goodness in people.

**//Kate and the Beanstalk//** written by Mary Pope Osborne, Illus. by Giselle Potter. 2000. Grade Level: PreK-2 Mary Pope Osborne took the classic tale of Jack and the Beanstalk and created a new character, a girl, named Kate. The story follows the same pattern as the classic with Kate selling the family cow for beans, the beans getting tossed out the window and a beanstalk growing up to the sky. But when Kate travels up the beanstalk she meets an old woman. The old woman tells Kate a story about a mean giant who killed a noble knight leaving his wife and child homeless and poor. The giant not only took over the knight’s castle but also stole three precious treasures. Kate decides to enter the castle and retrieve the treasures that rightfully belong to the knight’s family. As Kate leaves the castle with the last of the treasures, she narrowly escapes the mean giant, only to chop down the beanstalk in time to toss him to his death. Kate is surprised to find who the treasures truly belong to. I enjoyed Mary Pope Osborne’s version. I liked how the story ended with Kate being the noble knight’s daughter. I thought it was a clever and enjoyable twist at the end.

Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal takes the classic folktale of Cinderella and shares the different versions that have spanned the globe. Julie Paschkis’ illustrations are beautifully and cleverly mastered as they touch on each countries symbolism and uniqueness. What I found interesting is that each country has its own unique story of Cinderella, which has developed independently of each other from country to country, but yet they are all very similar. This is a beautiful book to share with young children the similarities and differences on such a favorite story.
 * //Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella//** written by Paul Fleischman, Illus. by Julie Paschkis. 2007. Grade Level: K-4.

**Laurie’s Favorites!** //  The Fairy Tales //. Written and Illustrated by Jan Pienkowski. Translated by David Walser. Viking: New York, 2005. Ages 4 – 10. This collection of four fairy tales remains true to their original versions by Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm. These versions are unique, however, because of Pienkowski’s illustrations. His exquisitely detailed silhouettes create a mood of beauty and magic. They are captivating even after several readings. The four tales chosen for this collection; Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Hansel and Gretel and Cinderella, provide a traditional look at fairy tales. This book would be a special addition to any library collection and fun for all ages.

// The Kingfisher Treasury of Myths and Legends //. Written by Ann Pilling. Illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton. Kingfisher: Boston, 2003. Ages 4 – 10. If you are looking for a collection offering a variety of traditional literature for children, this book is a gook choice. The tales are short and colorfully illustrated. Many cultures are represented, from Iroquois, Nigerian and Celtic to the traditional Greek and Norse myths. Students can have a taste of different types of traditional literature such as the creation myth, //Iyadola’s Babies//, or the Russian folktale, //The Wishing Fish//, along with traditional Greek myths like //King Midas// and //Persephone//. This volume is a great way to expose students to traditional literature.
 * Laurie’s Favorites!**

// Swamp Angel //. Written by Anne Isaacs. Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky. Dutton Children’s Books: New York, 1994. Ages 4 – 10. Tall tales are a favorite with young children. The exaggeration and silliness of the characters combined with exciting heroic deeds and the cultural realities they reflect make them a hit. //Swamp Angel// is a favorite of mine. From the moment she was born “scarcely taller than her mother and couldn’t climb a tree without help,” students are hooked. When she decides to take on that nasty varmint, Thundering Tarnation the action really picks up. As Swamp Angel uses a tornado as a lasso and drinks a whole lake dry she puts the tough men on the frontier to shame. Students will quickly learn there is no one quite like Swamp Angel!
 * Laurie’s Favorites!**

Baba Yaga is a witch who likes to eat people but lives in the deep forest and can’t find any. One day, she is flying in her mortar and pestle and spies a little girl. Baba Yaga offers her a ride to market to her dad but, of course, kidnaps her to eat her. Thinking quickly, the girl suggests the witch goes to pick up some turnips from dad to make a good soup and fatten her up. Dad figures out what’s happened, follows Baba Yaga and saves his daughter. They end up befriending the witch and they all eat soup and promise to visit often. The paintings are beautiful, detailed and colorful, reminiscent of traditional Russian art. K-Gr.3
 * Helen's picks**
 * Yolen, Jane. //The Flying Witch//. New York, Harper Collins, 2003**

Translated by Susan Ouriou, this is a collection of fables from several sources, many of which are probably familiar, like “The Tortoise and the Hare” or less so like the “The Reed and the Oak”. The appeal of this book is that it’s small enough to drop into a bag or large pocket and has modern art style illustrations. A picture accompanies each fable with the moral on the page facing the end of the fable. Each fable is rewritten in a clear and concise manner and when needed the morals are explained. K-Gr.4.
 * Uribe, Veronica. //The Little Book of Fables.// Toronto, Groundwood Books, 2004.**

This classic tale is translated by Naomi Lewis in celebration of the bicentennial of Andersen’s birth. It is true to the original, fanciful and magical. The beautiful princess saves her eleven brothers who were turned into swans by their father after their stepmother turned him against them. Princess Elisa is also banished and only saves her brothers through her diligence and devotion. Highly detailed colored pencil drawings add to the fairytale, dreamlike style of the book. The introduction by Lewis gives a brief but interesting biography of Andersen and some of the tribulations he had to endure. Gr2-6
 * Andersen, Hans Christian. //The Wild Swans.// Cambridge, Barefoot Books, 2005.**


 * Marcia's picks**

//**Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella**//**. Written by Paul Fleischman, illustrated by Julie Paschkis. Henry Holt and Company: 2007.**



Paul Fleischman begins his Cinderella story with an author’s note, “A chameleon changes color to match its surroundings. Stories do the same. Traveling across the globe, it changed it clothes but not its essence.” And so it goes, with each fragment of the story told in the tradition of a different country: from Mexico, where the widow gives the girl //pan dulce// to eat; to Korea where she spends her day weeding the rice fields; to Japan were she is given a red kimono to wear; to Iraq where sandals of gold are placed on her feet. Each page is brightly illustrated with traditional folk art representing the country mentioned. This story shows us that Cinderella is a global tale, one that is a part of many cultures no matter what we may call her or how she is dressed. It would be a fun story to conclude a Cinderella study since it takes all the threads of the tale throughout the world and weaves them into a brightly colored volume. This would be a great book to use with students in grades 2-6.

//**The Legend of the Old Man of the Mountain**// **by Denise Ortakales, illustrated by Robert Crawford. Sleeping Bear Press: 2004.** In the White Mountains of New Hampshire, Chief Pemigewasset was a handsome, fearless warrior. So much so, that when battling the neighboring Mohawk tribe, the Mohawk Chief’s daughter Minerwa stayed behind to become his wife. There was peace among the tribes and they lived happily until one day Minerwa was summoned back to her tribe to visit her ailing father on his deathbed. Vowing not to rest until her return, Pemigewasset kept vigil on the top of a cliff where he could see for great distances. The season’s changed and she did not return. Over the winter the great chief died, and was buried on the Cliffside. The Great One immortalized his face in the stone cliff, what we know as the “Old Man of the Mountain.” This nicely illustrated Native American legend is appropriate for children in grades 2-6 and would be especially appealing to those who had visited the White Mountains and seen the site of the Old Man of the Mountain.

//**The Firebird**// **by Jane Yolen. Illustrated by Vladimir Vagin. Haper Collins Publishing: 2002.** In the garden of Kostchei, the wizard who could not be killed, were nine stone statues of men and nine captive princesses. Out hunting one day, Prince Ivan ventures into the garden where he captures the beautiful red Firebird. Begging to be released, the Firebird promises a magical gift, and leaves the prince a feather. Prince Ivan vows to free the captured princesses and battles the demons in the garden and Kostchei “the Deathless” himself. With the help of the Firebird, Prince Ivan slays the evil wizard, frees the princesses and marries the prettiest maiden himself. This telling of the Russian folktale is unique in that it incorporates scenes from the George Balantine/Igor Stravinsky ballet into the illustrations as a border on the bottom of each page. This provides an interesting comparison into how the story is interpreted visually. Bright and appealing with the elements children love: a brave hero, magic, battles and a happy ending, this classic folktale would be appropriate for children in grades 1-6.

Tracy's Picks for Traditional Literature

**Nacho and Lolita** written by Pam Munoz Ryand, Illustrated by Claudia Rueda (Scholastic 2005). For ages 5 – 9 A swallow named Lolita falls in love with a pitacoche named Nacho on her annual trek to Capistrano. Their love grows as Nacho gives Lolita one of his colorful feathers. Nacho tries to fly to Argentina with Lolita, but he is not meant to fly long distances. With a heavy heart, they separate with Lolita saying they will be together in their dreams. Nacho decides that he will give up all of his colorful feathers in an attempt to attract the swallows back the next March. Lolita returns and they build a nest together. The beautiful colored pencil illustrations create a soft, peaceful tone and mood. The dull Mission San Juan Capistrano is captured beautifully in contrast to the colorful Nacho. I love this story, based on a Mexican folk tale, because it demonstrates the power of love and kindness. The Author’s Note is offers a fascinating look at how she came to write this story, which is based on her memories of a story she heard as a child and a Mexican folk tale.




 * Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal A Worldwide Cinderella** written by Paul Fleischman, Illustrated by Julie Paschkis (Henry Holt and Company, 2007) For ages 5 – 9

The author and illustrator of this beautiful book have weaved many countries and their cultures into this version of Cinderella. As the subtitle suggests, this tale seamlessly moves from country to country as the story progresses incorporating each country’s version of Cinderella. Each page has beautifully colored illustrations to indicate which country is being represented. For instance, when Cinderella gets ready for the ball, there are three blocks of color. The block for France is lavender with drawings of a fleur de lis with the words “and on the girls feet appeared a pair of glass slippers.” Below that is a block of red with illustrations from India with the words “diamond anklets”. Finally, there is block of green with Iraqi illustrations and the words “sandals of gold”. I love this book because of the illustrations, but also because it shows an appreciation for all of the different countries and cultures. The author and illustrator were able to blend them together, while capturing the essence and beauty of each culture.



According the authors, this Native American tale has evolved over the years as it has been told, first orally, and then in written form. A bear and a brown squirrel learn about bragging and teasing when the bear brags that he is the biggest, strongest and the loudest; and he can do anything. He tells a brown squirrel that he can stop the sun from rising. When the sun rises, the squirrel teases the bear, causing him to claw at the squirrel’s back, creating the stripes. This is why the chipmunk gets up early when the sun rises to get his food, and why the bear gets up at night. The bear doesn’t want to be reminded that he can’t do everything (nobody can); and the chipmunk rises with the sun to sing about the sun coming up. The illustrations are child friendly, and the expressions on the animal’s faces show the emotions accurately; giving clues to the reader. This tale offers a timeless lesson about tolerance and being humble.
 * How Chipmunk Got His Stripes** written by Joseph Bruchac and James Bruchac, Illustrated by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey (Dial Books for Young Reader, 2001) For ages 5 – 9.


 * Meghan's Picks:**

"Froggy Went A-Courting: An Old Tale With A New Test” By Marjorie Priceman. 2000. Bright colorful illustrations depict scenes of landmarks throughout New York as Frog and Mouse prepare for their wedding despite objections from Aunt mouse who proclaims “You cannot marry an amphibian!” The animals all begin to arrive for the wedding including the black cat who runs after auntie. Love conquers all and the two marry. Firefly gives a speech to auntie ad proclaims “Auntie at last made someone smile.” This is a fantastic story to read aloud and will be a great addition to any story hour.

Kibititzers and Fools: Tales My Zayda Told Me” By Simms Taback. 2005. This book contains 13 traditional Jewish tales each accompanied by a popular Jewish saying. The wonderful cartoon like illustrations which include cut pieces of fabric in many patterns have a lot of depth and texture. The tales are short and teach a lesson and are often humorous. ”Made -to-Order-Suit” is the humorous tale of a tailor who rather than sew his suit he has the man bend in unusual ways to make his suit fit. When the man leaves another man asks him who his tailor is because with such an unusual body he must be unbelievable to be able to fit his suit. Although the illustrations will attract younger children the stores and humor will be better understood by older children.

"The Flying Witch” By Jane Yolen Illustarted by Vladimir Vagin. 2002. The story of a scary looking witch who like to eat plump little girls and a not so plump little girl who has just fallen off of the back of her father’s turnip truck. The two meet when the witch promises to give the girl a ride to town on her mortar and pestle. She takes the girl instead to her chicken footed hut. The girl outwit’s the witch by convincing her to fatten the girl up with turnips from the market. When the witch buys the turnips the father becomes suspicious and follows the witch home. The story ends happily when the girl feeds the witch turnips and she decides turnips taste better than little girls after all. The realistic illustrations add to this scary but not too scary story for children.

Mia's Picks

[[image:yehshen.png width="94" height="126" align="left"]]A Cinderella Story from China Yeh-Shen retold by Ai-Ling Louie illustrated by Ed Young
Tells about a baby girl, whose mother, the second wife of Chief Wu, dies leaving the baby in the care of the other wife. “Yeh-Shen, the little orphan, grew to girlhood in her stepmother’s home. She was a bright child and lovely too, with skin as smooth as ivory and dark pools for eyes. Her stepmother was jealous of all this beauty and goodness, for her own daughter was not pretty at all.

[[image:domatilla.png width="106" height="142" align="left"]]A Cinderella Tale from the Mexican Tradition Domitila Adapted by Jewell Reinhart Coburn Illustrated by Connie McLennan
The story begins “ On a rancho, sun bleached and dry, in the Mexican state Hidalgo, lived a poor famer and his gentle wife. Their only child was a daughter. “She is sweeter than a cactus bloom in early spring,” the townsfolk said. Her name was Domatila.

[[image:princessfurball.png width="113" height="140" align="left"]]Princess Furball by Charlotte Huck and Anita Lobel
This is the story of a young girl whose mother dies, and her father the king pays no attention to her. Her old nurse makes sure that the little girl is “taught the manners of a lady, and arranged for tutors to instruct her in reading, writing, and dancing. And so the princess grew to be strong, capable and clever, besides being beautiful.” The king grants his daughters hand in marriage to a terrible ogre, and this is the story of how the young girl gets out of that situation and ends up marrying a handsome prince and living happily ever after.

Tells the story of a little boy who goes out of his way to protect animals, throwing a pretty red fish back into the ocean (thus infuriating his father), jumping between a hunter and a deer, and so on. As he saves the animals, the animals thank him by pulling a scale or hair for the boy and offering the help the boy should he ever need it. Of course, as he grows, the boy finds that he does need the help of the animals, and the animals repay their debt helping the boy to a happily ever after.
 * The Fisherman’s Son by Mirra Ginsburg and pictures by Tony Chen adapted from a Georgian Folktale**


 * Lois Ehlert’s bright** colorful pictures define her works and set the stage for these tales that “emanated from fragments of American Indian tales, Peruvian tales, and Mexican Tales. The animals, colors, plants, and decorations used in the pictures represent items that are indigenous to the area where the stories take place.


 * **[[image:cukoo.png width="67" height="84" align="left"]]Cuckoo** is told both in English and Spanish Cucu, a beautiful cuckoo annoys the other animals with her beauty and singing. At the end, Cuckoo saves the animals by saving the seeds after the earth is scorched by a fire.


 * **[[image:moonrope.png width="83" height="103" align="left"]]Moon Rope**
 * Mole’s Hill a Woodland Tale tells the tale of a creative mole that when asked by fox, skunk, and raccoon to move her mole hill, as it interferes with their path to the water, works very hard to build a hill that they will all appreciate.


 * [[image:findingfairies.png width="110" height="145" align="left"]]Finding Fairies Secrets for Attracting Little People From Around the World Written by Michelle Roehm McCann and Marianne Monson-Burton**

The books pull tales of fairies from around the world, songs, beliefs, activities (fairy wings, pixie dust, arctic snow cones, Duende Ducle de LEche, Fairy Rattle, Domovoy Soap Carvings), fairy songs and lullaby’s and suggestions for catching fairies.

Beautifully illustrated, realistic pictures add to the believability of the existence of these little people. Stories tell the true natures of these creatures, including those that are mischievous, haughty, as well as those that are fair and lovely.
 * [[image:littlepeople.png width="85" height="119" align="left"]]The Little People Stories of Fairies, Pixies, and Other Small Folk by Neil Philip**

At the back of the book the author discusses the various versions of this story from around the world. “The folktale of a cruel little man who helps a young woman spin thread or straw or flax into skeins of gold is well loved with variants around the world.” There are other versions of this story too, where a young girl is helped by fairies, in one version, the girl is a lazy bore who uses three little fairies to get out of doing work. The author goes on to tell us that this story is her “version of a West Indian variant of the little-man tale entitled “Mr. Titman,” meaning “little man,” from a collection by Pamela Colman Smith, published on 1899…as with several African American variants the West Indian variant is told in a difficult, so-called black dialect. [Ms. Hamilton] translated the language into a far simpler colloquial style, which is easy to read aloud, and is a truer reflection of a lilting West Indian speech pattern hen and now.” The story begins with a description of a tiny sparkly golden man who is hiding in the shadows of trees watching a young girl spin thread. The king rides by and the mother boasts that her daughter can spin golden thread. The king offers to marry the daughter, so there is a big feast, and wedding. The king “had to become even bigger than he needed to be” and insisted that young girl spin three rooms of golden things by years end or else she will lose everything. As the girl and her mother worry over how to get out of the terrible lie the mother told the tiny golden man enters the scene and offers to do the work for her if the daughter can guess his name in three guesses. The girl eventually outwits the tiny man, guesses his name, and the king finally lets her out the room. But he gets greedy, and wants more gold, so he sends her back to spin one more roomful of golden things. The girl is angry at this treatment and then refuses to speak to him for three years. The king comes around, realizes her was being greedy and wrong, and eventually they all live happily ever after. Lessons learned: don’t lie, don’t be greedy…
 * [[image:girlspungold.png width="158" height="113" align="left"]]The Girl Who Spun Gold by Virginia Hamilton Pictures by Leo and Diane Dillon**

In this series, Levine retells some classic tales with her own comical twist: For Biddle’s Sake (retelling of German fairy tale Puddocky), Cinderellis and the Glass Hill (retelling of Cinderella), The Princess Test (retelling of Princess and the Pea), The Fairy’s Mistake (Which fairy tale)Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep (retelling of sleeping beauty), The Fairy’s Return (spoof on the Golden Goose).
 * Gail Carson Levine The Princess Tales**

The story begins: “Raven came. All the world was in darkness The sky above was in darkness. The waters below were in darkness. Men and women lived in the dark and cold.” The story tells how Raven brought light to the world, by turning first into a pine needle that the Sky Chief’s daughter inadvertently swallows while drinking water from the stream. The needle impregnates the daughter and she gives birth to a baby boy, who delights the sky chief and eventually finds the sun locked in a series of boxes, larger to smaller. The Sky Chief lets the baby play with the sun, he turns back into a Raven and delivers the sun to the sky and light to the earth.
 * [[image:raven.png width="158" height="129" align="left"]]Raven A Trickster Tale from The Pacific Northwest by Gerald McDermott**

The story begins: “Zomo! Zomo the rabbit. He is not big. He is not strong. But he is very clever.” The story goes onto describe rabbit’s quest for wisdom.
 * Gerald McDermott Zomo the Rabbit A Trickster Tale From West Africa**

The story begins: “Coyote. Blue Coyote. He was going along, following his nose. He had a nose for trouble.” This book tells the story of why coyotes are the color of dust with tales that look like they have been charred by a fire.
 * Gerald McDermott Coyote A Trickster Tale From The American Southwest**

The story tells the tale of a musical turtle. All of the animals listen to his music, be each hear it differently. “For some, Jabuti’s song was sour.” Those animals that had been tricked by Jabuti into doing things they regret, did not like his music. Some did like his music, and some were jealous that they could not make beautiful music. This story tells how birds got their colors, why some birds have no colors, and why the tortoises shell appears cracked.
 * Gerald McDermott Jabuti The Tortoise A Trickster Tale from The Amazon**

In the prologue to this book the author says, “mythology transforms, making the ordinary into the magical. It brings beauty to the ways of man, giving him dignity and expressing his joys in life. Folklore prepares man for adult life. It places him within his culture with oral traditions. Retold through generations, the social group maintains its continuity, handing down it’s culture.
 * [[image:anansi.png width="159" height="140" align="left"]]Gerald McDermott Anansi the Spider by Gerald McDermott**

“This story is from a long established culture, the Ashanti of West Africa, in the country of Ghana. Ghana is a green stronghold of dense rain forests between the ocean and the desert. This home of the Ashanti people protects their oral traditions. The Ashanti have had a federation, a highly organized society, for over four hundred years. Still, today as long ago, the Ashanti a re superb artisans. They excel as makers of fine metal work and as weavers of beautiful silk fabric. Into this fabric they weave the rich symbols of their art and folklore-Sun, Moon, Creation, Universe, the Web of the Cosmos, and Anansi, The Spider.

“Anansi is a folk-here to the Ashanti. This funny fellow is a rogue, a wise and loveable trickster. He is shrewd and cunning figure who triumphs over larger foes. An animal with human qualities, Anansi is a mischief maker. He tumbles into many troubles. Here is one of his adventures.”

Tells the story of how the moon came to be in the sky. Anansi the spider had six sons. Each son had a special power that they used to save Anansi from trouble. While trying to decide which son deserved the special prize as the one who helped most, Anansi decides to put the ball of light into the sky for them all to enjoy.

McDermotte artistic style is full of bold colors and simple pictures.

This is anthology of tales from around the world that emphasize the relationship between a mother and daughter.
 * [[image:motherdaughter.png width="139" height="166" align="left"]]An Abbeville Anthology Mother and Daughter Tales Retold by Josephine Evetts-Secker Illustrated by Helen Cann**

The gentle watercolors that illustrate this book reflect not only the essence of the story, but also reflect the art, clothing, and colors of the region. At the end of the book in the notes section, the author discusses some of the common themes among the stories: women and nature, women and house-keeping, True amd False Mothers, Witches and Goddesses, The Community of Women, Growing Up. At the end of the notes section the author says, “These stories explore themes universal to the mother/daughter experience. They reflect what it is to be a natural and spiritual woman; to be in the home and alone in the wild; to distinguish the false from the true; to honor the processes of birth and death. All these must be incorporated into the celebration of life that mothers need to share with their daughters. This is the wisdom that women must pass on, and in all cultures, they do so through the medium of the story.”
 * Demeter and Persephone (Greek)
 * The Waterfall of White Hair (Chinese)
 * Mother Holle (German)
 * Vasilisa The Beautiful (Russian)
 * Old Mother Swan and Great Mother Earthquake (Iroquois)
 * Snowflake (Slavic)
 * The Mother’s Mirror (Japanese)
 * Katanya (Turkish)
 * The Girl and Her GodMother (Norwegian)
 * Naomi and Ruth (Jewish)

Modern Folklore….. The author collected sayings from people she met during a tour of the Gulf States. On the inside ‘credit’ is given to the actual speaker of the tale. “That reminds me of one man. He was so mean, he greased another man and swallowed him whole.” An interesting spin on modern folk tales….it makes me wonder about all of the internet myths and whether those will be the stories of our future……
 * [[image:lies.png width="108" height="142" align="left"]]Lies and Other Tall Tales collected by Zora Neale Hurston adapted and Illustrated by Christopher Myers**

Another version of sleeping beauty, **Sleeping Bobby by Will Osborne and Mary Pope Osborne Illustrated by Giselle Potter**. A familiar story with a new twist-the 13th sister not invited to the new baby’s feast, storms into the party in a fit of rage to bestow her gift to the baby: “On his 18th birthday he shall prick his finger with a spindle and fall down dead!” As in the traditional tale, the 12th invited guest had not yet bestowed her gift, so she is able to change the death into a deep sleep. All sharp things, banned, yadadadada, the boy pricks his finger, falls asleep, the whole castle falls asleep, 100 years go by, a princess happens upon the castle, goes inside, finds all of the sleeping people including Booby, falls in love, gives him a kiss, everybody wakes up, there is a wedding/birthday party, and everybody lives happily ever after.

Another familiar tale only this time the protagonist is a girl, Kate, who swaps a cow for some magic beans, much to her mother’s horror. She tosses the seeds out the window, a beanstalk grows while Kate is sleeping, Kate wakes to discover the beanstalk, climbs up, finds the castle, giants, has an adventure, makes off with a hen, comes back another day in a disguise and procures a bag of money, takes it home, goes back another day disguises herself again, goes back up the beanstalk, makes off with a golden harp, chops down the beanstalk, the giant dies on his way down by falling off the stalk, at the end, Kate is met by a fairy who calls her brave and tells her she has won back her father’s castle, she wasn’t really stealing at all it was her stuff after all, happily ever after the end
 * [[image:katebeanstalk.png width="105" height="146" align="left"]]Kate and the Beanstalk Written by Mary Pope Osborne Illustrated by Giselle Potter**


 * Little Red Riding Hood**
 * Many versions from around the World**

[[image:lonpopo.png width="112" height="143" align="left"]]Lon Po Po A red Riding Hood Story from China by Ed Young
The pictures are mystical and frightening. Action is presented in vertical panes, eases reader into the fear of the children in the story. In this story the mother goes to visit the grandmother (Po Po in Chinese) on her birthday leaving the three daughters, Shang, Tao, and Paotze at home with a warning to be good and latch the door after she leaves. In this story the wolf comes to the children’s door pretending to be their Po Po. Has all of the traditional events, but Po Po why is your voice so low, But Po Po why does you foot have a bush on it (feeling the fur under the covers)….the eldest sister realizes that it is really a wolf and not their Po Po and concocts a story about going to pick some Ginko nuts for her to eat. The three children rush out of the house, the eldest fills the other two in one what is really going on and the three children hide out in a tree and devise a plan to defeat the wolf.

A pregnant fisherwoman craves sugar cane (maybe the baby will be sweet) and the poor husband must venture deep into unknown parts to satisfy his wife’s craving. He meets a famous sorceress, madame fate who vows to make the man pay for what he has taken with the baby. On her first birthday, the baby is stolen, locked in a tower, where her foster mother sees to it that she has the best education, taught by heavenly angels and old gypsy’s from spain (“madame fate was a conjure woman who could bring people back from the dead”). The girl, who has very long hair that is used by madame fate to enter the tower is lonely. One night a young boy out rowing a boat gets his oar tangled in her long hair. He falls in love with her beauty and her sweet voice. He climbs up her hair, they become friends, they fall in love, madame fate becomes enraged at the thought of the girl leaving, cuts off her hair, she escapes the tower with a ladder she had been making, her little friend, amonkey at her side, now she is in a strange world, lost and unsure what to do, finally meets up with the man from the boat, get married, and live happily ever after.
 * [[image:sugarcane.png width="116" height="145" align="left"]]Sugar Cane a Caribbean Rapunzel by Patricia Storace Pictures by Raul Colon**


 * The Firebird appears again and again in fairy tales……**

The Golden Mare, the Firebird, and the Magic Ring by Ruth Sanderson
“Brave deeds and wondrous magic come together in this tale based on classic Russian folklore. A young huntsmen names Alexi leaves home seeking adventure and fortune. Instead he finds the Golden Mare, who pledges eternal loyalty in exchange for sparing her life. With the mare’s help, Alexi becomes the Tsar’s best huntsmen, but then the jealous Tsar presents him with several impossible tasks, threatening to have him killed if he fails. Each time, Alexi secretly enlists the help of the Golden Mare-and succeeds. But his fina; task is to win Yelena the Fair, a loveluy young maiden whom the old Tsar wants as his bride. Will Alexi be able to use his own powers to save himself and Yelena?” From the book jacket. Beautiful paintings. The firebird is only in the story for a short bit, as she is captured in one of Alexi’s tasks that he must perform for the Tsar…

Authors Notes Alexanderr Afanasiev (1826-1871), an ethnographer, spent fifteen years compiling his famous collection of more than six hundred Russian folktales. His collection was the springboard for many others in several languages….including Arthur Ransome’s Olf Peter’s Russian Tales. I think Ransome’s translations best capture the spirit of the original Russian versions. And it is his retelling the “The Firebird” that is the basis for this picture book edition.” From back flap: “ Throughout his life, Demi has been collecting versions of “The Firebird,” whether written or danced, sung, or portrayed in art.” From inside jacket: “When Dmitri, a young, foolish archer finds a feather from the legendary Firebird, his wise and magical Horse of Power warns him that it will bring nothing but trouble. But Dmitri picks up the feather anyway. He presents it to the greedy Tsar Ivan, who sends the young archer on increasingly more difficult missions, from capturing The Firebird itself to retrieving the fairy princess Vassilissa from the edge of the world. Fortunately, Dmitri’s clever Horse of Power helps him fulfill the tsar’s wishes-and win the hand of the fairy princess.”
 * [[image:fireborddemi.png width="143" height="145" align="left"]]The Firebird by Demi**

This collection is based on stories Kipling told to his young daughter to answer some of her many questions. The answers in this collection “drew upon fables Kipling had heard as a young child in India and folktales he had gathered from around the world.” The work of eight different illustrators adorn these tales that answer questions such as How the Whale got his Throat, How the Camel got his Hump. How the Rhinoceros got his skin, How the Leopard Got His Spots and several other tales.
 * [[image:justsostories.png width="111" height="141" align="left"]]A Collection of Rudyard Kipling’s Just So Stories**

This story is based on a South African folktale. A boy and his father are banished from the village for constantly playing tricks on their neighbors. They end up saving the village from the monster, Abiyoyo, with their tricks as they make the monster disappear.
 * [[image:abiyoyo.png width="104" height="146" align="left"]]Peter Seeger Abiyoyo Illustrated by Michael Hays**

**[[image:kapiti.png width="179" height="139" align="left"]]Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardema pictures Beatriz Vidal**
A story explaining a drought that Kapit brought to an end-with elements from the environment, a feather from a bird, shot from a bow that pierced the sky and let the rains flow.