A Book of Magic Animals

It's more of a history book to him...

Manning-Sanders, Ruth. A Book of Magic Animals. New York: E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc. 1975.

Plot: The title offers a collection of tales featuring magical beasts. Some creatures, such as the small-toothed dog and Elsa's bear are actually enchanted humans. Others, like the dolphin king and Mainu the frog are genuine animals, but with extraordinary abilities. They all assist the protagonists to defeat overwhelming evil, conquer complex challenges, and earn fantastic rewards.

Genre: Animals, Fairy Tales, Folktales

Reading Level: Grades 4-9

Similar Titles: The Dragon Emperor, The Sea King's Daughter, The Seven Chinese Brothers

Personal Thoughts: While the title uses dated diction and has an annoying tendency to bounce between past and present tense, it also offers a pleasant blend of stories, mostly from Europe. A lot of the stories have similar counterparts in modern literature, particularly in the "beauty and the beast"-type of fairy tale. It also manages to offer different, less well known stories and can easily satisfy fans of folk and fairy tales.

Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters: An African Folktale

Yes, yesss...

Pay attention to the mirror and not the mosasaur stealing your medal

Steptoe, John. Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters: An African Folktale. New York : Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books, 1987.

Plot: One of Mufaro's daughters is industrious, kind, and generous, while the other is demanding, slanderous, and manipulative. Both are beautiful and the pride of their father. When the local king sends a proclamation requesting a wife, both women seem ideal. The trip to the king's palace will reveal the one with a true queenly nature, however.

Genre: Picture Books, Folktales, Fairy Tales

Reading Level: Grades Pre-K through 4.

Similar Titles: The Blind Hunter, What is My Song

Personal Thoughts: The title earned a Caldecott Honor Book award and enjoyed a feature on Reading Rainbow. While the book is fairly old, it still manages to appeal to modern audiences with its timeless diction and attractive illustrations. Also, like most folktales, it offers a fable about human nature. Two women seek their fortunes, but the kind nature of one ultimately serves her better than the rudeness of the other. Notably, both the good and the bad daughter are beautiful, reminding the audience that beauty is not the only value of a person. The way a person treats others reveals their worth. 

BATTLE OF THE BOOKS: The Boy Who Drew Cats

 BATTLE OF THE BOOKS

Johnson, David. The Boy Who Drew Cats. Westport, CT : Rabbit Ears Books, 1991.

VS.

Levine, Arthur A. The Boy Who Drew Cats: A Japanese Folktale. New York : Dial Books for Young Readers, 1994.

Plot: Both stories closely follow the original folktale about a weak, but artistic, boy's obsession with drawing cats. Johnson's rendition, however, focuses more on the personification of the characters. By contrast, Levine tends to make his protagonists blank slates, offering the readers the opportunity for self-insertion. Levine's book also focuses on fewer characters, while Johnson adds a smith for the boy to interact with.

Reading Level: Grades 4-9

Analysis: Johnson's retelling offering originally came with an audio tape, and its origins show in the text. The story is wordier, and focuses more on the text than the illustrations, which show little color with sharp outlines. Additionally, the naughtiness of the boy finds ample mention, making the tale more of a fable, perhaps earning parental approval. As a result, the story provides a more modern view of the tale than Levine's mystery-laden story.

Levine's text focuses more on the vagueness and unknown aspects of a typical fairy tale. Conversations and interactions are alluded to, instead of described, making the story more like a classic folk story. Characterization also takes a secondary role in the tale. Most of the text relies on the colorful, eerie pictures to set the tone, which is more sombre and strange than Johnson's tale.

Overall, I prefer Levine's story, since it captures the mystery and approachability of classic folktales. By contrast, while Johnson's text is more modern, it leave less to the imagination. Still, people seeking a direct story may prefer Johnson's rendition.

Cinderella's Dress

Sprite is entirely too interested in the princess

Willard, Nancy. Cinderella's Dress. New York : Blue Sky Press, 2003.

Plot: The familiar tale of Cinderella gains a new twist through this retelling. While Cinderella continues to labor under the demands of her stepfamily, two magpies observe her. They adopt her as their daughter and create a beautiful paper dress so she can go to the ball. Her sisters cruelly destroy the birds' labor, though, leaving the heroine dejected. However, a final gift from the magpies could ensure a happy ending for their beloved daughter.

Genre: Fairy Tales, Picture Books

Reading Level: Grades 1-4

Similar Titles: The Rough-Faced Girl, The Talking Eggs: A Folktale from the American South

Personal Thoughts: The book provides a sweet, sad, pretty retelling of the famous fairy tale.   

Tales from the Brothers Grimm and the Sisters Weird

Vande Velde, Vivian. Tales from the Brothers Grimm and the Sisters Weird. San Diego : Harcourt Brace, 1995.

Plot: The text offers a series of re-imagined fairy tales in the tradition of Shrek and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. In some, such as "Rumplestiltskin," the villain actually acts as a hero, and saves a queen from a loveless marriage. "Hansel and Gretel" and "The Frog Prince" take the traditional stories in a different direction. Instead of serving as the protagonists, the heroes become spoiled brats...or worse. Many other stories, such as "Little Red Riding Hood" and "Beauty and the Beast" view the stories through a cynical, modern view, displaying an unexpected results and responses to the story archetypes.

Genre: Fairy Tales, Horror

Reading Level: Grades 4-8

Similar Titles: The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, The Frog Princess, Wolf! Wolf!

Plot: I found some of the stories disturbing, but younger readers will likely find them funny. Much like stories about grief, humor often reaches children differently from adults, so try to avoid over-analyzing the tales. Many are, actually, quite funny, and feature whinny "heroes" and sensible villains. A good example of the fractured fairy tale genre.

Favorite Fairy Tales Told in Czechoslovakia.

Haviland, Virgina. Favorite Fairy Tales Told in Czechoslovakia. Boston, Little, Brown : 1966.

Plot: The text offers a five-story collection of tales from Czechoslovakia. A few stories follow typical themes, such as princes and princesses, but with unexpected twists, such as hair retrieval. Others seem very familiar, such as "The Twelve Months," a variation of Cinderella. Unlike the French heroine, however, the Czech maid finds assistance not through a fairy godmother, but through the personifications of the twelve months of the year. One story seems truly unique. It features a monstrous chicken's attempt to devour everything and everyone in his path. Readers seeking an unfamiliar familiar will enjoy the title.

Genre: Fairy Tales, Folktales

Reading Level: Grades 4-9

Similar Titles: Favorite Fairy Tales Told in England, Once Upon a Fairy Tale: Four Favorite Stories

Personal Thoughts: While this particular series is fairly old, it remains relevant through use of everyday language, timeless stories, and creative illustrations. The illustrations often follow the "national style" of the tales place of origin. In this title, the pictures use few colors and simple facial features with elaborate clothing, hair, and backgrounds, enhancing the exotic appeal of the stories.

Side Note: Toothless! Leave that maiden alone!

Tongues of Jade

Yep, Laurence. Tongues of Jade. New York, NY : HarperCollins, 1991.

Plot: Yep's collection of Chinese folktales at the time of the Gold Rush reflect the ideals, fears, and expectations of immigrants missing their much-loved homeland. Many, such as "Green Magic" focus on familial bonds and personal talents. Others, like "Fish Heads" and "The Little Emperor" caution the immigrants against forgetting their manners and proper behavior while visiting the Golden Mountain. However, even good intentions can lead to unintended results, as tales about professors, kittens, and beggars reveal. A few stories, particularly those including ghosts or monsters, seem to only provide entertainment, but often hide deeper meaning to the careful reader. Overall, the title offers a glimpse of Chinese systems transitioning to Chinese-American culture.

Genre: Folktales, Fairy Tales

Reading Level: Grades 4-9

Similar Titles: The Rainbow People, Mightier than the Sword, The Seven Chinese Brothers

Personal Thoughts: The text provides an intriguing sequel to The Rainbow People. Much like the previous title, the book presents timeless stories in a timeless fashion by avoiding slang, excessively-elaborate diction (see what I did there), and watercolor illustrations. Additionally, the stories play on consistantly relevant themes, such as courage, generosity, bravery, and faithfulness. 

A Book of Magic Animals

Manning-Sanders, Ruth. A Book of Magic Animals. New York : Dutton, 1974.

Plot: A collection of supernatural animal stories from around the world. Some of the creatures, such as a clever monkey, small-toothed dog, golden goose, and eloquent bear, merely hide human beings under the enchanted coats of their respective animals. Other beasts are genuinely what they appear to be, such as a generous ox from Europe. A few, though, hide genuinely magical traits within their furry bodies or slimy skin. All of them participate in the destruction of evil to achieve happy endings.

Genre: Animals, Folktales

Reading Level: Grades 4-9

Similar Titles: A Book of Dragons, The Barefoot Book of Animal Tales from Around the World, Aesop's Fables

Personal Thoughts: A book tragically no longer in print. Rather than try to tempt readers with new stories or updated revisions, Manning-Sanders simply records the stories in a classical manner, which manages to capture ageless themes in a refreshing form. The title proves a book does not need to be original to be entertaining, but needs to offer a good story.

The Beasts of Never: A Natural History and Unnatural Monsters Mythical and Magical

McHargue, Georgess. The Beasts of Never: A Natural History and Unnatural Monsters Mythical and Magical. New York : Delacorte Press, 1988.

Plot: Throughout history, tales of supernatural creatures stalked every culture. The book attempts to identify some of the most famous mythical creatures and their powers. However, the text also tries to recognized the original sources of the creatures. For example, dragons may have sprung from sightings of large crocodiles and snakes. McHargue traces various creatures' changes through history, as well. For example, naturalists initially depicted unicorns as fierce, donkey-like or ox-like creatures, while modern interpretations display them as benign equine animals. Eventually, the text realizes nearly all myths are merely stories. With exceptions. Even in modern times, some myths, such as the Loch Ness monster manage to capture the imagination and inspire new stories.

Genre: Folktales, Fairy Tales, Animals, History

Reading Level: Grades 4-9; some technical language may annoy readers, however.

Similar Titles: Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist series, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, The Magic of Mythical Creatures

Personal Thoughts: While the book presents abundant information, it has not aged well. Many of the facts about modern animals, such as eels, one-horned goats, and narwhals, are not accurate. Some of the "facts" about Nessie became known as hoaxes after the book's publication. Also, the technical language can intimidate the reader. Still, it offers a solid attempt to explain the unexplainable, saving it from the library's book sale bin.

Side Note: The little white dragon in the backgrounds for this week was actually commissioned by a co-worker. I just wanted to show it off a little.

Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast

McKinley, Robin. Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast. New York : Harper & Row, 1978.

Plot: Beauty hates her nickname, since she does not live up to its expectations with her stooped back, spotted face, and big feet. However, her looks become the least of her concerns when disaster strikes her family. Her father looses his fortune and her sister looses her fiancee. Forced into the country to begin again, her family manages to survive and eventually find comfort in their situation. Calamity looms again when her father is confronted by a vengeful beast. To save him, Beauty offers herself in her father's stead. Despite her courage, she cannot decipher the mystery of the enormous beast or his rich castle. Yet, she must, for reasons she cannot bring herself to understand.

Genre: Fantasy, Fairy Tales

Reading Level: Grades 4-8

Similar Titles: Outlaws of Sherwood, Rapunzel

Personal Thoughts: A classy retelling of a classic story. The characters fit more into modern archtypes, but still maintain the expectations and social obligations of the novel's setting. A comfortable read on a cold day.

More Bones: Scary Stories from Around the World

Olsen, Arielle North Olson; Schwartz Howard Schwartz; and Gist E. M. More Bones: Scary Stories from Around the World. New York : Viking, 2008.

Plot: A collection of frightening stories from different cultures. Some stories echo traditional themes, such as being careful what to wish for, obeying parents, being kind to others, and avoiding strangers. Others seem a bit more foreign, such as the story of the grey, hairy arm and the tale of the iron scorpion. Even traditional motifs, such as headless horsemen, restless ghosts, and grim challenges take elaborate variations. Perhaps the only consistent theme in every story is the twist ending.

Genre: Horror, Folktales, Fairy Tales, Monsters

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Similar Titles: Scary Stories: Tales to Chill Your Bones, More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

Personal Thoughts: I have never really been a fan of horror stories (I spook easily). Still, the collection kept my attention without creeping me out too much. The twists kept me guessing, because, like the best horror, the protagonist was not guaranteed to survive the ending. Yet, the majority of the stories end on poetic justice with monsters defeated and unfair bargains broken. Still, every once in a story, someone does not make off quite as well as would be expected...

A Book of Dragons

Manning-Sanders, Ruth. A Book of Dragons. New York : E. P. Dutton & Company, 1964.

Plot: A collection of folk and fairy tales involving dragons. The stories range from the cruel princess devour in "The Thirteenth Son of King Erin" to the benign companions in "Pepito". Some, like the Yellow Dragon and Chien Tang, possess a near-deity status, bringing rain and prosperity to those who gain their favor. Others use their powers to steal whatever or whoever they see fit, such as in "The Nine Doves," "The Three Dogs," and "Baskets in a Little Cart." However, all manage to provide opportunities to raise heroes and create legends.

Genre: Folklore, Fairy Tales, Fantasy

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Similar Titles: How to Train Your Dragon, Grimm's Fairy Tales, My Father's Dragon

Personal Thoughts: The collection manages to include stories capturing every major literary dragon type. Dragons may act as villains, heroes, providers, and problems in the tales and, unlike many collections, Manning-Sanders does not seem to favor one role over another. Instead, readers enjoy each of the variants in a single resource.

Baba Yaga & the Wise Doll

Oram, Hiawyn. Baba Yaga & the Wise Doll. New York : Dutton Children's Books, 1998.


Plot: Too Nice, desperate for respect from her peers, is forced to approach Baba Yaga, a witch eager to remind the girl of her place. The witch forces Too Nice to perform a series of impossible tasks or be eaten. Yet, through the gift of a doll, Too Nice succeeds and even gains the witch's favor.

Genre: Fairy Tales, Picture Books

Reading Level: Ages 9-12.

Similar Titles: Vasilisa the Beautiful, The Black Swans, Mossycoat

Personal Thoughts: The book retells the Russian folktale, Vasilisa the Beautiful, in a child-friendly manner. The original is a bit like a Cinderella story, except instead of going to the ball, the heroine visits a witch that unexpectedly takes out the stepmother and stepsisters in possibly one of the most over-the-top sequences in fairy tale history (I am not going to give it away. Look it up.). The retelling is pretty well illustrated and executed, but the last sentence of the story "And Too Nice - not surprisingly after all she'd been through - stopped being too nice and become...well...Just About Right" seems really...well...pointless. I understand the reasoning behind including it. Many storytellers wish to show how a character grows through the conflicts of the story. However, the tale never really takes her through the process of change, so it is unseemly abrupt. Also, it seems to imply too nice is a negative without really explaining why. Is Oram trying to caution readers about being courteous? Submissive? Generous? Goody-goody? Individualistic? Unaccepted? Unfortunately, readers typically consider the last part of a story to be the most meaningful, and Oram ends the story on a blurry commentary on ideal behavior.

The Sleeping Beauty

Hyman, Trina. The Sleeping Beauty. Boston : Little, Brown and Company, 1977.

Plot: A retelling of the French fairy tale, The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood. After years of waiting, a king and queen finally have a child, a little girl. The princess is blessed by fairies, but one, feeling slighted by the king, places a curse on the child. Before she is sixteen, she will die by touching a spindle. However, another fairy manages to reduce the curse into a plague of sleep. The princess and her castle sleep for a century before a prince manages to arrive when she awakens.

Genre: Fairy Tales, Picture Books

Reading Level: Aimed at 9-12 year-olds, but adults may want to caution younger readers due to scary illustrations.

Similar Titles: Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Beauty and the Beast

Personal Thoughts: Most renditions of this story fall into two categories: the original or the clean. The clean version is, in essence, the "Disney" version. The original, like many first editions of fairy tales, is gory. The "Disney" version actually ends in the middle of the original, which continues after the awakening into a complex tale of the princess versus a cannablistic in-law armed with a snake pit. Both stories probably have something to their merit, but this particular retelling tries take a middle path through both versions. It does not work. The result is a story that is too intense for younger readers but too simple for older ones. There are better retellings available.

Side Note: Toothless is going to eat the prince.

The Golden Slipper: A Vietnamese Legend

Lum, Darrell. The Golden Slipper: A Vietnamese Legend. Mahwah, N.J. : Troll Associates, 1994.

Plot: A Cinderella-esque story from Vietnam. This retelling focuses on Tam, a hardworking, first daughter of a rice farmer. While she is kind and generous, her stepmother treats her cruely, favoring her own daughter, Cam. While Cam enjoys treats, cloths, and play, Tam must take care of the house and fields. Despite her misfortune, change comes through her kindness and a remarkable brocade shoe...

Genre: Fairy Tales, Picture Books

Reading Level: Ages 9-12, but younger readers may enjoy it as well.

Similar Titles: The Sea King, Children of the Dragon: Selected Tales from Vietnam 

Personal Thoughts: The Cinderella story is perhaps one of the most universal fairy tales in the world. Nearly every culture offers some variation of a neglected but kind daughter given the respect and blessings she deserves. This retelling captures the goodness of the protagonist through her actions and the actions of her relatives. The pictures assist the story, offering pretty illustrations focusing on the royal colors of gold and yellow in an unusual, mosaic fashion. As such, the capture the attention of the readers, even if they do not have experience with Vietnamese culture. Overall, this offers the comfort of a familiar concept as a lens into an unfamiliar culture. As such, it can benefit young readers.

Side Note: Why is Jerome holding a dollar? Simple. I wanted to get your attention.

The Boy Who Drew Cats

Hodges, Margaret. The Boy Who Drew Cats. New York : Holiday House, 2002.

Plot: Unlike most of his family, Sesshu Toyo does not possess the strength to help on the farm. However, he is very clever, so his parents send him to become a priest. While he lives up to their expectations, he also harbors a fault. He loves to draw cats, even when he should study. His passion leads to his failure as a priest, but also a gateway to his destiny within an abandoned temple.

Genre: Picture Books, Fairy Tales, Animals

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Similar Titles: Cats of Myths, The Flying Canoe, Puss in Boots

Personal Thoughts: This is one of my favorite fairy tales, and Hodges does it justice. The boy is understandable, the priest is authorative, and the cats are noble. The illustrations also serve the story well. The artist, Ari Sogabe, mimics traditional Japanese watercolors, adding to the exotic feel of the story and adding to the artistic themes of the tale.

Fairy Tales and Penguins

So, this week, we discovered most fairy tales are completely unsuitable for children. Humorous hyperbole aside, some of the original translations may not be quite what people imagine. Nevertheless, the stories are still good.

Next week, at the request of one of my viewers, we will review penguin-based resources.

Showdown!

Japanese Fairy Tales

Ozaki, Yei Theodora. Japanese Fairy Tales. Singapore : Tuttle Publishing, 1970.


Plot: Famous and not-so famous fairy tales originating from Japan unite in this book. Some of the more popular titles include "Momotaro, The Peach Boy" and "The White Hare and the Crocodiles." Other stories describe badgers, princes, and oni.

Genre: Fairy Tales

Reading Level: Aimed at young adults, but, like many of the other titles reviewed this week, the collection includes unsavory aspects, such as cannibalism and abuse. Ye be warned.

Similar Titles: The Moon Maiden and Other Japanese Fairy Tales, Tales from Japan

Personal Thoughts: The collection managed to showcase a surprising number of stories. However, the translation is extremely stiff. For example, samurai are typically referred to as "knights." While this is useful for readers unfamiliar with Japanese culture, the translation does not accurately portray the people discussed in the tales, making some of their actions unnecessarily difficult to follow. Also, the translator's diction follows an Old English style, which is distracting. Overall, it is a good book, but other translations, such as the Pantheon and Oxford collections translate more appealingly.

Norwegian Folktales

Asbjornsen, Peter Christen and Moe, Jorgen. Norwegian Folktales. New York : Viking Press, 1960.


Plot: This collection of fairy tales from Norway includes several classic stories. A few stories almost seem to copy the Germanic tales of the Grimm brothers. Many have their own style, however. Popular themes include fools being wise, heroes defeating monsters, and animals showing human sensibility.

Genre: Fairy Tales

Reading Level: Like most of the books reviewed this week, someone in middle or high school can read this without too much difficulty. Unlike many of the other books reviewed this week, I would feel comfortable recommending the collection to someone with small children.

Similar Titles: The Norse Myths, Norwegian Troll Tales

Personal Thoughts: While I am found of folk and fairy tales in general, this was one of my favorite books to read this week. The tales play on much-loved concepts of heroes (expected and unexpected), trickery, justice, and happy endings. Illustrations copying the style of traditional woodcuts accompany many of the stories. Simply stated, the book is fun to read. 

Russian Fairy Tales

Afanasev, Aleksandr. Russian Fairy Tales. New York : Pantheon Books, 1973.


Plot: A large collection of folk and fairy tales from one of the world's largest nations. Heroes, fools, princesses, farmers, youngest sons, wolves, servants, sheep, merchants, foxes, judges, and kings mingle freely between the natural and supernatural throughout the tales. Common themes in the stories include rescuing princesses, fixing injustice, and tricking leaders. Additionally, many stories feature popular folk characters such as Baba Yaga, golden birds, and Prince Ivan.

Genre: Fairy Tales

Reading Level: While middle schoolers can probably read many of the stories without difficulty, the collection, much like Grimm's fairy tales, involve some intense concepts, so younger readers may need to be cautioned.

Similar Titles: Russian Myths, Russian Folk Belief

Personal Thoughts: I was really struck by the repeated themes of justice and injustice. Many of the tales feature the peasantry gaining savage retribution for the seemingly minor transgressions of the nobility. Perhaps this stems from the long history of near-caste social structure in Russia. Still, the stories are amusing, if not necessarily for children.