Fables and Fairy Tales Books

Reading this really makes you want to get away, just like Tom does in the story. Although this is sort of a longish fairy tale, it is delightful and intriguing. For me, though, this book's biggest selling point is the illustrations by Warwick Goble. As a fairy tale fan, I first came across Goble in The Moon Maiden and Other Japanese Fairy Tales, where all the color illustrations are in the middle of the book. Here, they are sprinkled throughout the book, more closely accompanying the story, and adding that much more to the reader's enjoyment. While the text is crisply printed on stone-white paper, the color illustrations have a glossy finish that really makes them pop. Old and young should derive plenty of satisfaction from this book.

I read this book nearly half a century ago in my native England, then I read it to my American step daughter, and saw the same sense of wonder and delight in her face that I probably had on mine. It taught me Karma, it taught me the value of home, that kindness can be a gift; and it still provides the subtitles to emotions I feel today - "to the sea, to the sea". Perhaps it struck a chord with me, the father of another man's child, rereading Tom's struggles to find his way without a parent. It was a sweet return.

Joyce Carol Thomas proves that classics can be fun in her adaptation of Zora Neale Hurston stories in WHAT'S THE HURRY, FOX? AND OTHER ANIMAL STORIES. The book contains a sampling of tales included in Hurston's Every Tongue Got To Confess. In addition to the title story, some of the collection includes "Why Buzzard Has No Home," "Why the Waves Have Whitecaps," and "Why Donkey Has Long Ears."

Collier's illustrations lend themselves to the folksy theme throughout the book. I particularly enjoyed the fact that each stories illustrations have their own unique look and style. The stories in the collection are diverse, some will make you laugh out loud and others will make you say "hmmmm." WHAT'S THE HURRY, FOX? is a terrific, child-friendly introduction to a very important American literary figure.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

What's The Hurry, Fox?: And Other Animal Stories, Collected by Zora Neale Hurston, Adapted By Joyce Carol Thomas, Illustrated by Bryan Collier

Why do dogs hate cats? Why do waves have whitecaps? Why is the fox in a hurry?

What's the Hurry, Fox? is a delightful and humorous picture book of porquoi tales. In the introduction to these tales, acclaimed children's author, Joyce Carol Thomas tells her young readers that the rich words in these stories, which were collected by Zora Neale Hurston in the 1930s, fell like "diamonds from the mouths of poor people." Thomas has skillfully and beautifully adapted these jewels so that any child who reads them will be both tickled and enchanted. Zora Neale Hurston, according to Thomas "willed us a legacy of laughter." Joyce Carol Thomas, in her own unique and signature way has adapted these stories "for a child's eye and ear." Additionally, the rich collages of Bryan Collier capture the spirit of rural storytelling tradition. What's the Hurry, Fox?: And Other Animal Stories should be in every child's library.

Hmong is a group of people that live in the high mountains in South China or they could live in Laos but in the mountains. They speak four different kinds of languages: Lao, Chinese, Thai, and Vietnamese. Whenever I read a book about a language like Lao I get very interested and I want to ask my parents about it because they are from a refugee camp, too. I ask my parents lots of questions until it blows their minds because I ask too much questions!! For example I ask "Did you swim to Thailand?" "How did you get to New York?" and lots more. I ask lots of questions until they answer me. My parents survived from the refugee and the soldiers. They swam to Thailand, if the army or soldiers saw one of my parents they would ask questions or instead they would shoot one of them. What I heard was the army took the Lao people and took them to the refugee camp! This book is a believable story and you use your imagination about the cloth talking and speaking. I would recommend this book to any child or grown up who is interested in a refugee's story.

I wish I would have spent more time with the Hmong in Thailand. I found this story very moving and the immigrants strength and resilience in surviving wonderful to see. I am excited to share this with my students several of whom are refugees from war and conflict.

Synopsis: This folktale explains how the sun and moon became part of the sky. The story begins by explaining how the sun and moon lived together on the Earth in a large and beautiful home. The sun would travel the earth, and during his travels he befriended the sea and invited her to visit him and the moon at their home. The moon was a homebody who liked to be amongst her prized possessions. The sea eventually visits them, bringing along with her all the contents of the sea, her children. As the sea and her children engulf the sun and moon's home, both entities take refuge in the sky to keep from drowning. The moon is extremely upset with the sun's foolish decision to invite the sea to their house, and she decides to live on the dark side of the universe to avoid contact with the foolish sun.

Evaluation: The story begins with a citation, written by the author, explaining that this story originated from a Nigerian myth. The plot of this story is simple; the impulsive sun ruins his home by inviting the sea for a visit. He is not aware of the sea's size and believes the sea and all her children will fit comfortably inside his rather large home. The language is vivid and expressive. The sea is described as having "liquidy dances." The text describes the moon "turning blue" over the thought of the sea and all her children visiting her finely decorated home. A theme does emerge from the telling of this story. The sun was too prideful, believing his house was bigger than the sea. His miscalculation cost him his home and his partner, the moon. Also, the sun had an opportunity to ask the sea to leave before his home was destroyed, but pride prevents him from turning the sea and all her children away. Children will learn that pride can have consequences. The story conforms to western norms. Although it is a Nigerian tale, the language does not depict this culture in any way. The illustrations are whimsical and child friendly. Primary age children will enjoy the story. One activity that could accompany this story would be for children to create their own mythical story explaining how some force of nature came to be. This tale provides a humorous and entertaining reason for the sun and the moon.

This is a book that succeeds for children and adults. The artwork is unique and reminiscent of both Renaissance works as well as children's books of the 1940s. The story is simple, well-told and to the point. It highlights both the value of hospitality and the price of vanity. Highly recommended.

This book entertains, points out the importance of reading, and makes you laugh out loud.

An excellent book for teaching the importance of reading and gaining an awareness of simlarities in plot. Poor Winnie learns that she may the next 'stuffed chicken for dinner' as a result of not wanting to read a famous tale. The story takes the reader on a rollercoaster of 'what-ifs' and creates wonderful moments for predicting text. I will be using this story for numerous lessons in my classroom, from developing a sense of story to partner predictions. Excellent illustrations, too!

The story begins when the two tired children arrive home from boarding school to see their dear wishing chair and Chinky the pixie. Mollie and Peter were going to the Land of Treats, The Land of Surprises and Mr Grim's School for Bad Brownies where they rescue Winks and go to lots more lands.

When I read this book I found it exciting and in some adventures it was pretty alarming. The story was so interesting that it made me read on and on so that once I started reading I couldn't stop until I finished it! It had a nice ending.

It made me ask myself "If the Wishing Chair series is so good, why not read all of Enid Blyton's books?" I just had to read them all! Now I'm on the search for Enid Blyton books.

You've got to read these books too and I suggest you read The Adventures of the Wishing Chair first then read The Wishing Chair Again and last of all More Wishing Chair Adventures. I think you should try one.

(Review by Isabella)

I read Enid Blyton's The Wishing Chair and the Wishing Chair Again when I was a child. I loved them. The brother and sister (Peter & Mollie) discovered a magical chair that can fly when it grows its wings. They also met a Pixie named Chinky who goes with them on their adventures and helps them navigate fairyland. I'm currently reading this book to my 4 1/2 year old twins. They love it. They can't wait for bedtime so we can read more chapters. They also loved the Faraway Tree stories. I highly recommend these books to be read to 4 to 6 year olds. They have great values woven into the stories without being preachy.

At First I thought that this book was a little over priced but it is the coolest book ever! My child loves to have me read it over and over again for her!!

The Adventures of Molly Whuppie and Other Appalachian Folktales is a collection of brief yet enjoyable tales blending the spirit of traditional Appalachian folklore with modern-day awareness. Featuring an extroverted young girl named Molly Whuppie, the stories include encounters with witches, giants, an ogre who refuses to do housework, cornbread-baking mice, unwanted boyfriends, Molly's sisters, and even the Appalachian hero Jack. A handful of simple black-and-white illustrations enhance this rip-roaring fun storybook with a brave and clever heroine. Especially recommended for young girls.

Adventures of the Rat Family is one of Verne's most unusual stories, in which he diverged from his usual formula to write his only fairy tale and one of his few pure fantasies. First published in France over a century ago, it is now published in an elegant children's edition by Oxford University Press (72 pp., ...). Included are all 17 original color illustrations by Felician Myrbach-Rheinfeld, reproduced from the January 1891 holiday issue of the fashionable Parisian journal Le Figaro illustre.

Adventures of the Rat Family was not published in book form until after Verne's death, with the
appearance of the 1910 anthology Yesterday and Tomorrow, containing only a few of the engravings and a text revised by Verne's son, Michel, his literary executor. The Oxford edition is
the first time that Adventures has been published in book form in any language with all of the original illustrations.

As Adventures of the Rat Family attests, Verne's writing is far more diverse than his reputation as the father of science fiction suggests. He wrote more than 60 novels, as well as numerous short stories, plays, articles and poems, covering a range of genres and literary forms. He was actually most prolific in the genres of adventure, mystery and comedy.

Adventures of the Rat Family deals with evolution, a problematic and controversial idea when the story first appeared in 1891, and one that was surely prohibitive for American publishers. This was especially true since Adventures of the Rat Family was also one of Verne's few stories accessible to a very young audience. However, like many fairy tales, its larger significance requires more sophisticated adult reading.

Verne portrays a magical movement up and down the evolutionary ladder, as a close-knit family of rats is transformed into various lower forms of life, from mollusks to birds. The instigator of these deeds is a genie, hired by a cruel prince who desires the family's daughter, although she loves another.

Verne both recognizes and mocks the idea of evolution by having his characters change from one species to another, finally making a metamorphosis into men and women. Added amusement is
provided by one cousin who never quite catches up as he makes each transformation, always retaining a feature of his previous incarnation, until finally he has a donkey's tail even after
becoming a man.

Verne had long been interested in evolution and basically accepted the theory. His 1858 play, M. de Chimpanze (untranslated), is of a chimp that readily adapts to high society, and a giant prehistoric man is sighted in Journey to the Center of the Earth. Verne portrays a "missing link" species in his 1901 novel, The Aerial Village, and speculates that the tribe will be incorporated into an imperial colony. "The Humbug" is the story of a P.T. Barnum-like character whose successful hoax convinces New Yorkers that he has unearthed the bones of early man near Albany.

By cloaking his use of the evolutionary theme within the fantasy of Adventures of the Rat Family, Verne hoped to circumvent disapproval of his more serious and controversial subtext. He had first related the story during a European lecture tour in 1887, and he was so delighted with the idea that he enlarged it into a novella. He cleverly imbued it with his satirical expertise, lending it a light touch that concealed much of its bite. Verne was skilled in comedy, especially when it involved bizarre characters in unusual locales, as demonstrated by his treatment of the stuffy British travelers in Around the World in 80 Days.

Adventures of the Rat Family is a rewarding, one-of-a-kind story that will be enjoyed in different ways by all ages.

Aesop's fables are fun! I enjoyed the short stories when I was young, and my children are enjoying them now. I like the book because it is easy to pick up and just read a short story or two when I am pressed for time (or tired!). Each story is accompanied by a wonderful illustration and a short moral at the end. The stories teach compassion for others,the value of hard work and perseverance, honesty, and so much more. Our children need to be taught right and wrong, and these stories do it in a fun way.