Fables and Fairy Tales Books

I had never heard the real King Arthur tale. I enjoyed it tremendously! Sean Bean's narration of this tale is exquisite. His voice is perfect for books on tape. Such depth. You felt you were really there. I would recommend this to anyone!

This CD was bought for our then seven year old son and we listened to it on a long car trip. What a fantastic way to pass the time. Sean Bean is phenomenal as the narrator and characters of the story. Thrown into this great story is Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, another exciting story within the story of King Arthur. This story on CD appeals to all ages from our seven year old to our sixteen year old and to adults. It is one of a few stories that you really can listen to again and again and still be enthralled. I would highly recommend keeping it in the car for the long trips. In fact, I just convinced myself to listen to it again on our upcoming trip!

The whole family is hooked on this. The classical music that accompanies it is compelling. You think you are there.

Sean Bean does an awesome job on this production. His range of voices and dialects are amazing. Very eerie in the parts that are supposed to be.

It's hard to take such a well known tale and still make it fun to listen to, but Sean Bean's voice and cadences kept me listening to the end.

I can't say enough about Santore's illustrations; the best ones are exquisite, the less-than-best ones detailed and very lovely to look at. The text remains largely unchanged, though Andersen purists will never be satisfied. The story itself, like all good fairy tales, is complicated and open to many different interpretations. Perhaps you are of the feminist stance that views this tale, and all others of its ilk, with horror because of the pain and disfigurement the protagonist must endure to become 'acceptable' to her love interest, or maybe you are the more old-fashioned, evangelical sort who sees the little mermaid's quest for a soul as noble, self-sacrificing, and the definition of true, selfless love. Or maybe, like me, you're somewhere in between. ( ;

Whatever your views on this classic tale, it's still a cracking good story, one that has appealed to the 'old souls' in children everywhere for years, and it's only made more beautiful and poignant by Charles Santore's wonderful illustrations. (Not to mention the fact that it is an 'old school' fairy tale, which means no candy-coated, neatly wrapped up Disney-fied ending. Expecting everyone to live 'happily ever after' is probably not sending our kids the best message!) If you are an Andersen fan -- or just a lover of fairy tales -- buy it. I have yet to find a better version.

this was the first little mermaid story i was aware of. i'm not really a fan of disney because they alter the stories, among other things, and so in retrospect i thank my mother for getting me this book when i was young. The story is beautiful and the pictures are as beautiful as the story. This is my standard for the little mermaid story and to date all other renditions i've read have been sub-par in comparison.

The illustrations are very pretty in this book, The story was also great and good for any mermaid fans! Specifically The Little Mermaid!

My title is correct, I've had this book for 10 years-- I received it as a gift from my father when I was 9 and even now I'll look back on it for more than childish nostalgia. It's truly a gorgeous book.
You can read the story of The Little Mermaid 100 times, but there's nothing like skimming the pages of this book and awing at the illustrations. There is nothing bad I can say about this book...

If you don't have it, get it now!

I would recommend this book for girls between the ages of 14-16, as it is gothic, dark and disturbing. I could only read a few pages at night before putting the book down. This is the original Hans Christian Anderson telling, and not some gay, twisted-up with a happy-ending Disney-version! The Little Mermaid is obsessive about those of us living up here on land... Perhaps, feeling she doesn't belong in her world in the sea. So to show her devotion to her land Prince, she allows the Sea Hag to bewitch her, that she may walk and dance on land. She is in terrible emotional and physical pain, and in the end becomes a silent martyr for love. As this is how things go when one resorts to spells and manipulation! Santore's paintings seem to carry this depth with the pages of dark blue, green and gray colors. Personally, the painting are too dark for my taste. Santore's Little Mermaid could be any little neighbor girl you know. This story comes across as a metaphor for someone who thinks like a victim, or who is self-destructive. It could be a metaphor for someone who is disabled, or wanting to turn towards a spiritual life. I feel this book would make for interesting group discussion for teen girls. Finally, this story is based on true events from Hans Christian Anderson's life as a young man. It was his first original fairy tale for which he is most well-known.

Bobby Mahoney suddenly finds himself friends with a leprechaun that was perched on his bedpost one early morning. This witty and friendly leprechaun, O'Shaughnessey, takes Bobby on small adventures of a lifetime.

But when trouble lurks within Bobby's own house, it is Bobby who has to convince O'Shaughnessey to go on the ultimate adventure to save a young life.

This entertaining story about friendship and family is brought to life by the colorful pictures drawn by the author himself, Jeremy McGuire. McGuire creates a tale that entwines fantasy and the real world. This short children's novel is sure to be a fun and exciting read for all kids.

Reviewed by: Steph

Bobby Mahoney woke up one morning to find a leprechaun sitting on the bedpost. Not knowing what to do, the young boy stayed silent as the little man chatted on about nothing. Bobby was quite glad when his mother called him.

Later that day, Bobby and his little sister Maggie were scheduled to have a day out with their Dad. Bobby's Dad had recently moved out so Bobby was looking forward to spending some time together. If only Maggie didn't have to come. She was such a pain.

Their day was cut short, because of Maggie. At first, it seemed like she'd just eaten too much junk food but once the doctor examined her everyone realized that Maggie's condition was quite serious. Only Bobby understood how dire the situation really was and only he could do something about it.

Bobby Mahoney was a young lad, seven years of age to be exact. Still young enough to believe in mythical creatures but old enough to know that he has the power to change the world if he wished it.

Upon waking one morning Bobby finds a small little man perched on his bedpost. The little man proclaimed himself Shaughnessey as leprechauns never gave out their real names because it beheld too much power in the wrong hands. Shaughnessey and Bobby were about to have the adventure of a lifetime, by taking on a mission to save his sisters life.

Bobby was growing up, his mother and father had a few months past gotten divorced and now his sister came down with Scarlet Fever. Enlisting the help of the little leprechaun, Bobby must face the screaming Ban-Shee, the Spriggin and the Death Coach in order to make sure his sister Maggie did not die because of his wish to be an only child; through this he found he actually loved his sister. Miracles do happen and come to those well deserving, but no matter how much money or gold you may possess you can not always make things perfect...as the story goes.

Jeremy McGuire's children's/early teen book is whimsical and magical. His characters were full of color and life, even if the illustrations were in black and white. Mr. McGuire paints that fairy tale fantasy that children will love, and parents will enjoy reading at bedtime on a regular basis. 5 Hearts

Available where books are sold

Seven year old Bobby is going through a rough time. His parents are getting divorced and they seem pretty angry with each other. He lives with his mother and his annoying four year old sister, Maggie. One day a leprechaun appears to Bobby. He is the only one that can see him. His life takes a turn for the better with O'Shaugnessey in it.
When Bobby's sister becomes ill, he learns that she is slated to die. He must stop this. He takes off into the underworld to try to prevent her death. He must deal with the Ban-Shees and the Coachman who rides the Death Coach. Bobby must reach inside himself to overcome his fears so that he can do something that has never been done before; stop Death.
I loved reading this book. It definitely called out to my Irish roots. "O'Shaugnessey" offers a delightful tale to children. It contains a fun, fantastical adventure, plus there are lessons to be learned that are interwoven between the pages. I think that it is a tale that will be enjoyed both by children and adults. A child whose family is going through a divorce will really be able to relate to Bobby's character. I think that a divorcing parent reading this story, will also have their eyes opened to how their behavior affects their children. The author did a beautiful job illustrating this tale. His pictures convey the emotions of the story.

Bobby Mahoney wakes from a nightmare only to see a Leprechaun, named O'Shaughnessey, perched upon his bedpost. Not quite sure of his eyes, he remains silent and still, until his mother calls him for breakfast. Later when he sees the Leprechaun again, Bobby now believes what he is seeing and begins to talk with the Leprechaun.

At age 7, Bobby's life is fairly typical. He has a little sister who annoys him and he longs for more time with his dad now that his parents are divorced. But when his sister falls ill, Bobby is determined to save her, with a little help from the Leprechauns and other fairy folk.

At the beginning of this children's tale the author states that it is meant to be read aloud in the tradition of the Seanachaí, Irish story tellers, and I couldn't agree more. The style of writing is a narrative that begs for a voice and an audience. I read it over the course of a couple of nights to my son who is 5, it was something he enjoyed and looked forward to.

There is the usage of some "big words" that I think would be lost on most children being read to or older children reading it on their own, but in my case I would explain what they meant to my son and continue on. I plan on passing this book on to my 10 year old niece with the instructions that my sister read it with her; I think it's a charming tale that should be shared.

In my house believing in the fey, Leprechauns and fairy folk is practically a requirement and this story was a fun edition to the tales that already fill our walls. The drawings that accompany the story are detail rich and delightful and they really help bring this story to life. O'Shaughnessey is a magical mix of the real and fanciful, blended together to make the perfect story time tale.

Cherise Everhard, May 2008

Great "Scandinavian" book for a Norwegian like me to share with my children.
My daughter loves all of Jan Brett's books.

I have enjoyed this book with my 6yr old great grandson. The pictures are so bright and interesting and all the small ones on the sides enable a lot of conversation and questions to be asked and answered. I like all of Jan Brett's books. She is a wonderful author. I hope to acquire many more.
Carol Leighton

A little girl named Treva tells her story wen she had trouble with trolls. She lives on the slopes of Mount Baldy and was hiking it to visit her cousin who lives on the other side. With her is her dog Tuffi. Trouble happens along the way as a troll will jump out and declare "I want dog"

She tricks them into taking pieces of her clothing but eventually she reaches the top and discovers they still want the dog. She declares she can fly with her skies but needs all her cloths back. She asks for a push but they can't since they are holding Tuffi. She offers to hold the dog and away she skis to the cries of "Dog, Dog, Dog!"

This is a fun little story and my little girl has taken to it. Probably because the artwork is very good!

There is also a small side story of a hedgehog who wanders into the home of the trolls.

This is a sweet well written and drawn story that will make for any child's bedtime reading. Be prepared to hand over the book so the pictures may be viewed.

Treva lives on the slopes of Mount Baldy. One day she goes to visit a relative on the other side. She will climb up with her dog and then ski down the other side. But on the way up she runs into the trolls. Each troll she meets is interested in her dog. Treva manages to trick each of them into taking some of her clothing instead (mittens, hat, sweater, boots). But just at the top the trolls decide they still want the dog. Treva has one more trick up her sleeve and winds up same with her dog and all of her clothing. The ultimate fate of the trolls is quite interesting.

This is a very nice story with an intelligent and quick-thinking protagonist. Troll legend has been change a little. There is no mention of the trolls wanting to eat the dog (a la Billy Goats Gruff) but instead to help warm them and act as a pack animal. Their fate is also one I am unfamiliar with. Many stories have trolls turn to stone in the sunlight but this transformation is quite interesting.

The illustrations are just what you expect from Jan Brett; beautiful and packed with detail. Earrings and hair ribbons should be paid attention to as well as the happy hedgehog who invades the trolls' home. A truly delightful story from an author who has written more stories about clothes than you can imagine (The Hat, The Mitten, Armadillo Rodeo, Etc).

As parents, bibliophiles, and teachers, we are always on the lookout for good children's books and books with positive girl characters are always needed. This one is fabulous. Treva is smart, creative, courageous, loving, strong, competent and clever. This is exactly the kind of child that we would want our 2 1/2 year old son to be exposed to. It's a fun adventure story that shows how a child can be creative and use their imagination and other intellectual abilities to problem solve and come up with a plan in a tough situation (without resorting to physical force) and then use their physical and creative skills in executing their plan. The last few sentences of the book also add a more abstract, creative idea that expands the depth of the book depending on the age and abilities of the child who's hearing the story. The illustrations are well done - they're good and easy to follow and help the child to understand the story, They also provide additional details and threads for the child to explore. And, something I'm always on the lookout for, it was a great alternative troll story. On the chance that most of his fellow schoolmates would be talking about pirates, superheroes, fairy tale characters and such, I didn't want my son to have no idea what others were referring to simply because we tended to avoid such stories because they tend to be completely objectionable in terms of their values and characters. So, I'm always on the lookout for good alternatives, and this was a very positive way to introduce him to a troll. (As a side note, a good alternative for superheroes is "Max" by Bob Grahm; for pirates try "Pirate Pete", "Edward and the Pirates" and "Pirate Pink"; and there are many fractured fairy tales which are clear winners over the traditional sexist, violent, etc fairy tales, e.g. "The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig", "Wolf" by Becky Bloom, "The Big Bad Wolf is Good", "The Emperor [Penguin] has no clothes", and on video - CinderElmo - where Elmo goes to the Princesses ball). This was my first exposure to Jan Brett and I'm looking forward to more books.

the type of reading material most grandparents search for to excite and encourage our youngsters' reading and interests.

I bought this book of poems while doing a them on Penguins. The children read Mr. Popper's Penguins and I used the Teachers printables for the unit. The poems were used during Writing to immerse the children in poems and cross theme with Penguins. This poem book and them can be used across all grades and guided reading levels. My 5 year old even loves it.

This book gives good basic information on penguins in a very fun format. The poems are catchy. I teach 3-6 year olds and I caught them repeating the phrases they liked the best. I highly recommend it for this age group.

I bought this book for my son since he is interested in penguins. Most penguin story books are promoted to toddlers or are penguin science books; not books for fictional reading for older children. Normally he doesn't choose to read but when he received this book for christmas, he immediately put down his other items and began to look through the book. Later that evening, before bedtime, he chose to read his book before going to sleep. He also liked that the book had poems; something he's been studying in school and hasn't seen how it could be fun to read. Now he likes them a little more. I'm glad it will help to promote more reading for him.

First of all, I love this book because I love penguins. However, as a piece of children's literature, it's so much more. This is an excellent example of how literature (poetry) and science can go hand and hand. There are some poems in this book that seem written just for fun, (e.g. "Be My Penguin"). However, most of the poems in this book are written about and around actual behaviors that penguins exhibit: from regurgiating their food to feed the young ("Regurgitate") to the motherly instincts of father penguins ("A Hatchling's Song" and "My Father's Feet") to poetic riddles about penguin predators (sea lion, killer whale). The book is charming, easy to read, and full of delightful penguin illustrations. A great gift for any child interesting in science or literature or anyone who (like me) just loves penguins.

This is a really fun book that everyone can enjoy. There are a lot of hidden meanings. The author makes you feel in the end that how you make money is probably just as or even more important than how much you make. I think this is a book for every one.

SO AWESOME!!!!!!!!!
I love this book! It is so awesome. Singh really leaves you hanging. You never know what will jump out at you next.

You wanna laugh, don't miss this one. I don't know about what the others are talking about, I didn't get any deep meanings out of this. But what I did get was great entertainment. get this one for your collection. Also nice to add to your collection are: Aesop for Children (Winter), Grimm's complete fairy tales (Grimm), Great Children's stories (Richardson). There are many other great children's books out there, but these were the ones I enjoyed the most. Oh, and I almost forgot the two classics that no children should ever be deprived of: The Little Prince (Exupery) and Charlotte's Web (White).

A brilliant story of contemporary philosophy which draws upon fable, fairy tale, and mythology-as well as modern aesthetic and mathematical thought. Even more brilliant is the style in which it was written, a literary equivalent to Cubism with all sorts of pleasant repetitions and poetic phrases. If Picasso had been a writer, I imagine him writing something like this, although he probably would have stayed away from caterpillars and butterflies, especially pink and blue ones.

The only writer who has made me laugh and cry in the same book. It can be slow at times,but trust me, stick with it! I have recommended it to many others who have told me how they laughed out loud and even cried in cafes, getting a whole lot of other people interested in the book. Now I see why so many people are enjoying and talking about what is but a simple tale of a caterpillar searching for its food plant. I think my only problem with the book is that the author didn't give the caterpillar a name. I think this bothered a lot of people. Poor thing needs a name. Instead she is always referred to as THE BRAVE LITTLE CATERPILLAR. It's tedious and tiring and I wish he had given her a name, any name, couldn't have been that hard. Personally I would have named her. But that's not reason enough to bash a book that has won the heart of so many young Asians. And if great art bears true witness to an experience, I think Singh has quite honestly captured the ambitions and anxieties, the experience, of second generation American Asians, be they Indian, Korean, or Japanese. Myself I had a dad who ever since I was a child would sneak into my room while I was sleeping and whisper, in my ear, 'Doctor, doctor, I want to be a doctor,' in a sad and futile hope to subliminally mold my dreams and desires. But when he saw that wasn't working, it was sort of forced upon me and sadly this was for his own ego. So now for his ego I truly believe I'm wasting my time studying something I really don't want to be studying. But, slowly but surely, I'm summoning up the courage to leave the 'Silk Palace' and pursue my 'food plant' whatever it may be. I admittedly don't know yet. But that's more because I regrettably let someone else define my life. In writing this, I see and feel how powerful this book is and I look forward to anything else this author has to say.

We really appreciate the beauty of this series of books as it covers "The Epic of Gilgamesh" in an appropriate and accessible way for our children. We love to use actual historic documents in our study if possible, but the actual epic is too uncomfortably graphic even for our older children, so we use these for everyone as we study Mesopotamia, Sumer and Babylon. There are not many books that cover these Near East cultures, which makes this set especially valuable. Along with "Our Young Folks' Josephus" as our history spine, "Science in Ancient Mesopotamia" and "Ancient Egyptians and their Neighbors: An Activity Guide (covering Hittites, Nubians, Mesopopotamians and Egyptians) this series helps considerably to round out our ancient history studies and to teach our children about one of the most ancient tales in the world in a beautifully engaging way.

If you are studying ancient history with your elementary student, you must read this series of Gilgamesh books by Ms. Zeman. This one is the first of 3. It is a great story of love, loyalty, and greatness, the oldest written story in the world, and is wonderfully illustrated. I orginally borrowed them from our local library and then purchased them because my 6 year old loved them so much.

While this version is certainly accessible to children, I don't agree with many of the liberties the author took with any of these stories in the series. The many translations out there for adults at least attempt to stay true to the story. I regret that I cannot share these more accurate versions with my younger kids because of the description of at least one particular excerpt; I've had to settle for these. I believe if a person is going to adapt a classic to suit children that one should keep true to the story as best as possible, not adding and creating their own useless elements to the story. The Epic itself is wonderful, but I am still looking for an appropriate version that retains most of the original elements. I do appreciate the efforts of the author to share this amazing story with children.

Gilgamesh the King:

"Gilgamesh was part god and part man. He looked human, but he did not know what it was to be human." And that was his trouble, for he lacked empathy and forced his people to build a monument to his pride in the form of a huge wall.

The people sought help from the Sun God who ordered that a man Gilgamesh's equal be created. When Gilgamesh is told of this wild man, Enkidu, "the strongest man in the world," he seeks to destroy him.

Will the people of Uruk ever have rest from their toils? Can Enkidu survive?

Recommended for eight to twelve year olds, this book is the first in a three part series. The illustrations are done Mesopotamian style and add to the story. An author's note on the last page gives some back-ground information on the story of Mesopotamia, Uruk, and how the tale of Gilgamesh came down to us.

The Revenge of Ishtar

The Last Quest of Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh the King, The Return of Ishtar, and The Last Quest of Gilgamesh are exceedingly well-written and show many different themes and life lessons. The themes of friendship, revenge, good vs. evil, ambition, and immortality. But I think the most essential, underlying message is about love. Enkidu shows love to Shamhat and Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh shows love to Enkidu and his city, Shamhat shows love to Enkidu, and the city shows love to Gilgamesh, Enkidu and Shamhat! Love is woven into the theme of eternal life. I think these stories would be fabulous for anybody but recommended for 5-12. I am in middle school and we are reading these stories in class. I enjoyed these stories tremendously. So if you want to teach your children about death or love or friendship, these would be the ultimate choice.

When I was in 5th grade (25 or so years ago), our teacher, Mrs. Smith had a reward system where if the class got enough checks, we could redeem them for various treats. Time after time, once we got enough checks, we'd beg her to read to us from this book. I don't recall our class ever asking for anything else. I'd strongly recommend this one to parents of kids of any age. This, to me, is as good as American fairy tales get.

This book is very dear to my heart. The stories told in this book came from my family, R.M. Ward. I grew up hearing my grand parents, father & Richard Chase tell these tall tells. I read them to my kids now and I hear my relatives in my head so I begain tellin-um like they told me.My hope is that these stories live on through the generations of my family as well as other families.I love hearing my daughter ask for just one more just like I did.

I remember reading an earlier version of this book as a child. The collection of folk tales is as enjoyable to read as an adult as it was years ago. In fact, I can now bring my children the tales of the Appalachian Mountains and let their imaginations run wild with giants, witches, talking animals, and a witty little scoundrel like Jack. The tales are preserved in a very close "mountain vernacular" language. There is a noticable difference between some stories in the use of terminology, but this helps me to envision another storyteller spinning the yarn in his/her own fashion, which is part of the fun of listening to folk tales. My only complaint is that the collection is not larger.

I had this book as a child, and loved it so much that I bought it for my own children and read them a story out of it every night until they had heard all the stories it offered, and they loved it, too.

I heard about this book from a teacher who used to sub. in inner city schools. She said kids always remembered her for it. It's a compilation of short stories that are supposed to be told orally. They use HEAVY Appalachian dialect and I had thought that might be a problem for my second language learners, but THEY LOVED THEM. The stories tell of how Jack (from the beanstalk) outsmarts giants in different situations. His tricks often have a violent description, but because he's doing it to giants, it's not very traumatizing. A terrific oral language developer, and a whole lot of fun!!

Nice illustrations, good strong story line. For being such an imaginative story, it's fairly realistic in how to think of solutions, instead of quiting. Very good story for young readers.

Steven Kellogg is an excellent artist and storyteller. This is my favorite of his works. I often wished, when I was young, that my uncle in Scotland would send me a huge tadpole, but my uncle only lived 10 miles away in the desert. Not much chance of that!

This book has a great story and is fun! Children will love the vivid pictures as well as the exciting turn of events! I give it two thumbs up! There are two editions out there, the original, and the second edition which has several different illustrations and a few story differences. I like both, but for different reasons and whichever you get, you'll love it!

Sure, the plot is silly. What do you expect when the premise is that a tadpole caught in Loch Ness turns out to be more than Uncle McAllister bargained for? The Mysterious Tadpole is a rollicking romp, rich in absurdity (Only after Alphonse grows four legs and reaches the size of a Volkswagen does the teacher conclude that he's not an ordinary tadpole.), and chock full of Steven Kellog's usual hilarious illustrations. Grab the nearest child, curl up in a big chair, and enjoy The Mysterious Tadpole.

I loved this book as a child and have loved reading it to my son. He received the 25th Anniversary edition for Christmas and while it's very, very good, it has been rewritten and simply lacks the charm of the original (which I would rate an enthusiastic 5 stars). The story is still wonderful and if this is the only copy you have access to, you won't be disappointed. The original, though, is the best and that's why I have to give this edition 4-stars.

This was one of my favorite stories as a kid, but i forgot the name. i asked every kindergarden teacher i could find if they knew the book about the kid who gets a baby loch ness monster from his uncle and no one had any idea what i was talking about. I'm so happy i found it here because now i can get it for my son to enjoy. This is such a cute story!

I bought six of my favorite childhood books for my great-grandson..."Little Black Sambo", "The Three Billy Goats Gruff", "Henny Penny", "Chicken Little", "The Three Little Kittens", and "Classic Tales of Brer Rabbit". My great-grandie is 2-1/2 and I can't wait to read these wonderful stories to him.

Timely delivery. The book was great. My great grandson loved it.

I bought this book on an impulse, simply based on the brightly colored illustrations and a brief refrain that that appears when you look inside the book. I couldn't be more delighted with this purchase. The book is a wonderful addition to my fairy tale library and my kindergarten kids absolutely LOVE listening to and participating in the retelling of the story, especially the rhyming refrain..... "I'm a troll from a deep dark hole - my belly's getting thinner. I need to eat and goat's a treat - so I'll have you for my dinner!".

PS - I agree: How lame that Amazon has mixed together reviews for all these various versions of "Three Billy Goats Gruff." They are all so different and all by different illustrators and authors!

Anyway, this is a comment about Marcia Brown's 1957 version, which I found to be incredibly gory. Rather than merely knock the troll off the bridge, this billy goat gruff graphically dismembers him, poking out his eyes and reducing him to "bits, body and bones." Yuck! There are other, mellower version out there... This one's not a favorite. (ReadThatAgain!)

Cute book with pictures that keep their attention. My boys walk around all the time saying "who is going over my bridge" in their gruff little troll voice! "Don't eat me... I too little," they say. I am so glad I added this book to our collection.