A boy is born with a birthmark in the shape of a crown.  This must mean that he will marry a princess when he grows up.  But the King won’t have it!  He tries to prevent it from happening, but he is stopped by his own greed! (DLM) 

  Bryan, Ashley. African Tales, Uh Huh. New York: Atheneum, 1998. 

“Listen Frogchild, listen carefully to what I have to say.  Snake comes from the Snake Family. They are bad people. Keep away from them. You hear me, child?” Why can’t Frog and Snake children play together—they have SUCH a good time? This is one story in a charming collection of African Folk Tales. Other stories describe how animal got their tails when the wind falls down while playing, and what if you just can’t keep yourself from counting EVERYTHING even when it’s really rude? (DS) 

Bryan, Ashley.  Turtle Knows Your Name.  New York: Atheneum, 1989. 

A little boy has a hard name to remember because it is so long.  His name is Upsilimana Tumpalerado.  He finally learns it after his Granny takes the time to teach him, but the village children do not take the time to learn it and just call him Long Name.  Granny tells him his name is long, but not the longest.  What does she mean?  (JD) 

Buckley, Helen.  Moonlight Kite.  New York: Lothrop, 1997. 

This magical tale intertwines the life of three monks, two young children, and one special kite.  By day, the children come to the hill alongside the monastery to fly their kite.  At the end of the day when the children leave the kite in a tree for the following day, it mysteriously moves from the tree.  The children do not know that the monks fly the kite again at moonlight.  With beautiful illustrations, this story touches the child spirit in all.  (MJ) 

  Carle, Eric. Seven Stories by Hans Christian Andersen.  New York: Watts, 1978. 

Some of the Andersen stories included by Carle are “Big Klaus, Little Klaus,” “The Traveling Companion,” and “The Winners.” Carle has done a good job in editing the stories and reducing the subplots to appeal to young readers and listeners. He has also reduced the complexity of Andersen’s illustrations by doing his own artwork for this book. (JHP) 

  Climo, Shirley. The Irish Cinderlad.  USA:  HarperCollins, 1996.  unp. 

A male version of Cinderella!  When the big-footed little boy leaves home and becomes a cowherder, a bull soon befriends him.  When the bull dies, Becan is told to twist off the bull's tail.  "For it will help you when you need it most."  Becan fights a giant and wins his shoes.  He fights a dragon to save a princess, but when he leaves, he loses one of his shoes.  The princess says she will marry the man who fits the shoe.  Sound familiar? (DH) 

Cole, Joanna.  Doctor Change.  New York: Morrow, 1986. 

Tom is a poor boy who goes to work for Dr. Change. When Tom finds out that Dr. Change can change shapes, he becomes scared and uses some of Change’s magic to escape. When Dr. Change comes after Tom, Tom must use his cunning three times to finally outwit the doctor. (JHP) 

  Demi.  The Firebird.  New York: Holt, 1994. 

This beautifully illustrated Russian folktale tells of a young archer named Dimitri, who tries to impress the king by giving him a feather from the Firebird. The greedy king demands Dimitri to capture the Firebird and to help him marry the lovely princess. Will Dimitri be successful in marrying the princess himself and in stopping the constant misfortune that is brought on by the Firebird? (TD) 

  De Paola, Tomie. Strega Nona.  New York: Putnam, 1975. 

This is an Italian folk tale about a magic old lady known as Strega Nona. Strega Nona leaves Big Anthony alone with her magic pasta pot and he shows off to the townspeople by making it produce pasta. The only problem is that Big Anthony doesn’t know how to stop it and it soon poses a threat to the townspeople. (JHP) 

Emberely, Rebecca.  Three Cool Kids.  Boston: Little, Brown, 1995. [32] p. 

Meet Big, Middle, and Little, three young goats who live in the city but want to move to a vacant lot with the greenest grass they've ever seen. The only thing that keeps them from moving there is the story about a huge rat that lives in the sewer. They finally decide to take a chance and start to cross the street, but the ugly rat stops them in their tracks. Will they ever be able to live in happiness on the vacant lot full of grass? (TD) 

  Ernst, Lisa Campbell. Little Red Riding Hood:  A Newfangled Prairie Tale.  New York: 
 Simon and Schuster, 1995. 

“What big eyes you have, Grandma,” and “What big ears you have, Grandma,” are familiar lines from a familiar tale.  But, this time the tables are turned.  The wolf has found Little Red Riding Hood on her way to Grandma’s house with freshly-baked wheatberry muffins.  The wolf plans to steal the muffins and the recipe, but when he gets to Grandma’s house, he doesn’t find the feeble old woman he expects.(CG) 

  French, Vivian. Lazy Jack.  Massachusetts: Candlewick Press, 1995.  unp. 

Jack may be lazy, careless, and silly, but he is also very funny.  What do you do with a boy who sleeps all day, only to get up to eat?  His mother decides to send him to work.  He loses all his wages, though.  "I just did what you said," he tells his mother.  At the weeks end, he finally learns how to keep his wages.  He will work all week, but on Saturdays - he'll sleep all day! (DH) 

French, Fiona.  Snow White in New York.  Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1986. 

Set in the New York of the roaring twenties, Snow White must deal with an evil stepmother—the “classiest dame in New York.”  When the jealous woman plots to get rid of her, Snow White runs away  and stumbles upon seven jazzmen in a club.  When they invite her to sing, she becomes a star, much to the angry dismay of her wicked stepmother.  The angular, spectacularly shaded illustrations help bring the story to its climax as the stepmother prepares to get rid of Snow White. (CG) 

  Goble, Paul.  Iktomi and the Buffalo Skull.  New York: Orchard Books, 1991. 

Iktomi, the Sioux Trickster, falls asleep with his head inside a buffalo skull. While he is asleep, the mouse people nibble off his hair for their nests. When Iktomi awakes, he finds his head is stuck inside the skull. Goble includes questions in italics for the reader to ask his audience. This is an excellent read aloud book. (JHP) 

Hamilton, Virginia. Her Stories. Illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon. New York: The Blue Sky Press, 1995.

African American folktales, fairy tales, and true tales about women.  (SH)

  Kellogg, Steven. Jack and the Beanstalk.  New York:  Morrow, 1991. 

When money becomes scarce, Jack and his mother must sell their cow, Milky White.  Jack trades the cow in for a handful of magical beans.  But when the beans grow into a magical beanstalk, problems begin.  Kellogg creates a superb retelling of a beloved tale.  (MJ) 

Kimmel, Eric. Seven at One Blow: A Tale from the Brothers Grimm.  Illustrated by Megan Lloyd.  New York: Holiday House, 1998. 

The poor tailor has killed seven with one blow and manages to outsmart a band of giants, two ogres, a unicorn, a wild boar, and the king’s henchmen. Only the reader and the tailor know the real story. Fortified with an extra dose of self-confidence, the tailor becomes the hero he pretends to be. (MJG) 

  Lester, Julius. John Henry.  New York: Dial, 1994. 

The animals gather around to admire new baby, John Henry.  He grows up to be a big and strong man, always carrying his two hammers with him wherever he goes.  John Henry outworks dynamite to move a boulder  so the road can be built and a steam drill to get the mountain out of the way so the railroad can be built.   (JD) 

MacDonald, Margaret Read. Slop! A Welsh Folktale. Golden, CO.:Fulcrum Kids, 1997. 

Every day the old woman fills the slop bucket with scraps as she prepares the meal. Every evening the old man walks ten steps outside the door and dumps the slop over the stone wall. One evening is different, however, when the old man hears a wee little voice. The old man gets a magical view of the place where he was dumping the slop. The old man and old woman change their ways and are rewarded by their mysterious little neighbors. (MJG)

Mann, Pamela.  The Frog Princess?  Milwaukee: Gareth Stevens, 1995.  unp. 

The little frog lived alone at the pond because it was ugly and told lies.  Famous animals came to get drinks from the pond and each one tells the frog that it had a book written about it!  “Reddit!” says the frog.  Finally, a prince comes to see the frog.  An unexpected ending to a delightful story. (DH) 

Martin, Rafe.  The Rough-Face Girl.  Illustrated by David Shannon.  New York: Scholastic, 1992.

Over 1500 versions of Cinderella stories exist, but this one from the teachings of the Algonquin Indians is perhaps one of the most beautiful.  Join the rough-face girl as she looks upon the Invisible Being and eventually becomes his princess, much to the dissatisfaction of her sisters. (SR) 

McDermott, Gerald.  Musicians of the Sun.  New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997.  unp. 

The four Musicians, Red, Yellow, Blue and Green, were being held prisoners by Sun.  Lord of the Night sends Wind to set them free.  Will Wind be able to take the Musicians to Earth so they can bring happiness, song, and color to the people? (DH) 

  Paterson, Katherine. The Tale of the Mandarin Ducks.  New York: Lodestar, 1990. 

When a greedy lord captures a beautiful mandarin duck, Yasuko, the kitchen maid, is disgraced.  She goes against the lord and releases the innocent bird.  When Shozo, the one-eyed servant, and Yasuko are sentenced to death, the couple is saved and reunited with their feathered friends.  (MJ) 

Medearis, Anglea Shelf.  Too Much Talk.  Illustrated by Stefano Vitale.  Cambridge, MA:  Candlewick Press, 1995. 

When the yam, the fish, the cloth, and the water talk, the king must be told.  But the King does not believe the stories.  That is, until his chair talks to him and he is never seen again! (DLM) 

Osborne, Mary Pope. Kate and the Beanstalk. Illustrated by Giselle Potter. New York: Atheneum, 2000.

A reworking of the classic tale of Jack and Beanstalk with a girl named Kate outwitting the giant instead.  (SH)

Philip, Neil. Celtic Fairy Tales. Illustrated by Isabelle Brent. New York: Viking, 1999.

A beautifully illustrated collection of traditional Celtic fairy tales.  (SH)

Rattigan, Jama Kim.  The Woman in the Moon.  Boston:  Little, Brown, 1996.  unp. 

Although we believe in the man in the moon, people from Hawai'i tell the tale of the woman in the moon.  Hina was the best tapa maker in the land, but she was tired of making cloth for others.  She wanted to be able to look over the land she loved.(DH) 

Rohmer, Harriet. The Invisible Hunters / Los Cazadores Invisibles. Illustrated by Joe Sam. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 1987.

A Nicaraguan folktale about the influence of the first European settlers on the natives’ way of life.  (SH)

Rosen, Micheal, ed. South and North, East and West: The Oxfam Anthology of Children’s Stories. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick, 1992.

A collection of tales from all over the world, including Cyprus, Africa, and the Middle East.  (SH)

  San Souci, Robert D.  Centrilllon.  New York: Simon & Schuster, 1998. 

In this Cinderella tale, the storyteller is none other than Cendrillon’s Nannin”, or godmother.  When Nannin’ was a girl, her mother died and left her a magic stick that she could only use to help someone she loved.  You know how the story goes, but don’t miss this version with its Caribbean flavor and unique illustrations. (KS) 

San Souci, Robert D., illus. by Stephen T. Johnson.  The Samurai's Daughter.  New York: Dial, 1992. 

A samurai is exiled by a crazy leader, and his daughter decides to join him.  She makes the dangerous journey across the ocean and battles a fearsome sea beast when she arrives.  The death of the monster lifts the curse from the leader, and she and her father are allowed to return to their homeland as heroes. (MA) 

San Souci, Robert D.  Weave of Words.  Illustrated by Raul Colon.  New York:  Orchard Books, 1998. 

A prince meets a lovely lady who insists he must learn a trade, learn to read, and to learn write before she will marry him.  He does so and they marry.  After becoming the king, he is captured by a three headed monster.  By using his trade, he is able to weave a message to his wife.  She reads the message and conquers the monster. (DLM) 

San Souci, Robert D., illus. by Daniel Horne.  Young Merlin.  New York: Doubleday, 1990. 

The boy Merlin grows up as an outcast, supposedly the spawn of an inhuman father.  His magical powers help him win favor with the king until he predicts the king's defeat in battle.  The new king befriends Merlin, but it is the king's brother, Uther, who will one day bear the famous King Arthur, with whom Merlin made his name. (MA) 

Scieszka, Jon.  Squids Will Be Squids.  Illustrated by Lane Smith.  New York: Penguin, 1998. 

With credit given to Aesop and his moral tales, Scieszka and Smith again collaborate to create hilarious text and illustrations.  They now address contemporary fables with their typical tongue-in-cheek humor.  Topics are geared for the modern child, with lessons to learn in homework, curfews, and television. (SR) 

  Shannon, George. Still More Stories to Solve: Fourteen Folktales From Around the World.  New York: Greenwillow, 1994. 

Fourteen folk tales have a problem to solve before an answer is given.  This method is a clever way to enhance the audience of folk tales.  Third in a series of three, it also includes notes about the origins of each folk tale, what other sources each can be found in, and other  versions of the story.  (JD) 

Shepard, Aaron. Forty Fortunes:  A Tale of Iran. New York: Clarion, 1999. 32 pgs.

Ahmed and his wife Jamell live in the royal city of Isfahan.  Jamell insists that Ahmed become a fortune teller to earn more money.  When the royal treasury is robbed, the king asks Ahmed to find the thieves.  (DR)

Sierra, Judy.  Nursery Tales Around the World.  New York: Clarion, 1996. 

Each one of the eighteen stories captures a part of the world and relates it to two other stories that share the same theme.  Themes include Runaway Cookies, Incredible Appetites, The Victory of the Smallest, Chain Tales, Slowpokes and Speedsters, and Fooling the Big Bad Wolf.    (JD) 

Snyder, Dianne.  The Boy of the Three-Year Nap.  Boston: Houghton, 1988. 32p. 

In Japan, a widowed mother had a son, Taro, who was very, very lazy and never worked. When his mother told him that they were poor and he needed to help out, Taro dressed as ujigami, the patron god of the town, to scare a wealthy merchant into forcing his daughter to marry Taro. This way his mother and he would be rich and he would not have to work ever! Will Taro's plan work? (TD) 

Souhami, Jessica.  The Leopard’s Drum:  An Asante Tale from West Africa.  Boston: Little, Brown, 1995. 

Osebo, the leopard, has made a huge drum but he won’t share it, not even with Nyame, the Sky God.  When Nyame offers a reward for the capture of the drum, the animals try to get Osebo’s drum, but none of them are successful.  Then the small tortoise steps forward and uses her clever wit to capture not only the drum, but Osebo as well.  When she presents him to Nyame, she gets her reward—a hard shell to protect her from her enemies. (CG) 

Stanley, Diane.  Petrosinella: A Neapolitan Rapunzel.  New York: Dial, 1995. 

Two hundred years before the story of Rapunzel was ever published, Petrosinella appeared.  Written n the Neapolitan dialect, it was translated to English.  Named after a parsley-shaped birthmark on her chest, Petrosinella ventures against the ogress for her freedom.  (JD) 

Stevens, Janet.  Coyote Steals the Blanket.  New York: Holiday House, 1993. 

Coyote believes that he can do whatever he wants, go wherever he wants, and take anything he wants.  Hummingbird even tries to warn him about the danger he can get into for taking something that doesn't belong to him.  The rock tries to teach him really fast, but he'll never learn.   (JD) 

Stevens, Janet.  Old Bag of Bones: A Coyote Tale.  New York: Holiday House, 1996. 

Coyote thinks he is just an old bag of bones.  He can't see, catch his food, or chew it.  He would do anything to be young and strong again and not die.  Young Buffalo agrees to give him strength and youth, but no power.  Experience in life is what is essential, but he'll never learn.   (JD) 

Stevens, Janet. The Three Billy Goats Gruff.  San Diego:  HBJ, 1987. 

When three billy goats have to cross a bridge to get to the hillside beyond the mountain where there is sweet grass, a troll stops them.  He lives under the bridge that the billy goats have to cross.  They decide to disguise themselves so that the troll won’t eat them.  Will it work? (RC) 

Stevens, Janet.  Tops & Bottoms.  San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace,1995. 

What do you get when you have a wealthy, but lazy bear and a poor, but clever hare? Tons of laughter! In this Caldecott Honor book, a clever hare tries to outsmart a lazy bear by reaping all of the rewards of each harvest. With each of Hare's business proposals, Bear sleeps while Hare does all the work. Will Bear ever learn his lesson? (TD) 

Trivizas, Eugene.  The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig.  Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury.  New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 1993. 

You’ve heard the story of the Three Little Pigs, but boy, is this one told with a twist!  Imagine the three little wolves being chased by a big bad pig!  And this pig will stop at nothing to huff and puff their houses down, that is until he stops to smell the flowers. (SR) 

Wells, Rosemary.The Fisherman and His Wife. Illustrated by Eleanor Hubbard. New York: Dial, 1998.

Two cats live happily by the sea until one of them meets a magic fish who grants his wishes. Soon the wishes get out of control. (JM) 

  Yep, Laurence. The Khan's Daughter.  New York: Scholastic, 1997. 

In this Mongolian folk tale Mongke, a poor shepherd, is given three challenges before he can marry the Khan's daughter, Borte.  However, the Khan's wife finds no pleasure in Mongke and he must also overcome her evil plotting. Although successful with two out of the three challenges, Mongke realizes that his ability to admit mistakes is his real strength. (JHP) 

  Zemach, Harve and Margot. Duffy and the Devil.  New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1973. 

This is a Cornish tale of a woman by the name of Duffy and her pact with the devil. The only thing that can stop the devil from taking Duffy is the discovery of his name. Things look bleak for Duffy until her husband Squire Lovel of Trove wanderers into a cave of witches. (JHP)