Book picks similar to
Mightier Than the Sword: World Folktales for Strong Boys by Jane Yolen
short-stories
fantasy
fairy-tales
folklore
The Ordinary Princess
M.M. Kaye - 1980
Unlike her six beautiful sisters, she has brown hair and freckles, and would rather have adventures than play the harp, embroider tapestries . . . or become a Queen. When her royal parents try to marry her off, Amy runs away and, because she's so ordinary, easily becomes the fourteenth assistant kitchen maid at a neighboring palace. And there . . . much to everyone's surprise . . . she meets a prince just as ordinary (and special) as she is!"This delightful fairy tale is sure to please young romantics . . . Neither Kaye's princess nor her book should be considered ordinary." (School Library Journal)
Tatterhood and Other Tales
Ethel Johnston Phelps - 1978
All the central characters are spirited females—decisive heroes of extraordinary courage, wit, and achievement who set out to determine their own fate. Some of their stories are comic, some adventurous, some eerie, and some magical. The Chicago Sun-Times writes: "A sparkling gathering of traditional, yet little-known, tales from all parts of the globe. The female characters. . . manage to outsmart, outdo, and over-power the villains with nerves of steel, cunning minds, and disarming senses of humor."
Sootface: An Ojibwa Cinderella Story
Robert D. San Souci - 1994
The two older girls were lazy and bad-tempered, and made their youngest sister do all the work. When the flames from the cooking fire singed her hair or burned her skin, they laughed and called her Sootface.While she worked, Sootface dreamed that one day she would find a husband. Then a mighty warrior with the power to make himself invisible decides to marry. Only a woman with a kind and honest heart could see him, and be his bride.Though her sisters ridicule her, Sootface sets off to try her luck, never looking back. Her courage and good nature bring her the husband she has longed for.
Cinder Edna
Ellen Jackson - 1994
Cinder Edna was forced to work for her wicked stepmother and stepsisters, just as her neighbor, Cinderella, was.Edna, on the other hand, had learned a thing or two from doing all that housework, such as how to make tuna casserole sixteen different ways and how to get spots off everything from rugs to ladybugs. And she was strong and spunky and knew some good jokes.Then one day the king announced that he would give a ball ...
The Complete Fairy Tales
Oscar Wilde - 1891
This volume collects exquisite and poignant tales of true beauty, selfless love, generosity, loyalty, brilliant wit, and moral aestheticism, such as "The Birthday of the Infanta," "The Selfish Giant," The Nightingale and the Rose," and "The Happy Prince," among others.A true classic of wonder for all ages.
Her Stories: African American Folktales, Fairy Tales, and True Tales
Virginia Hamilton - 1995
Each story focuses on the role of women--both real and fantastic--and their particular strengths, joys and sorrows. Full-color illustrations.
D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths
Ingri d'Aulaire - 1967
Children meet Bragi, the god of poetry, and the famous Valkyrie maidens, among other gods, goddesses, heroes, and giants. Illustrations throughout depict the wondrous other world of Norse folklore and its fantastical Northern landscape.
Russian Fairy Tales
Alexander Afanasyev - 1855
The more than 175 tales culled from a centuries-old Russian storytelling tradition by the outstanding Russian ethnographer Aleksandr Afanas’ev reveal a rich, robust world of the imagination that will fascinate readers both young and old.With black-and-white drawings throughoutPart of the Pantheon Fairy Tale and Folklore Library
A Treasury of Curious George
Margret Rey - 2004
Rey more than sixty years ago. Here you will find eight timeless stories about George, the man with the yellow hat, and their friends.In this hefty 192-page hardcover treasury, the eight stories are illustrated in the charcoal style of H.A. Rey by Martha Weston and Vipah Interactive*:'Curious George Takes a Train' (2002); 'Curious George Visits a Toy Store' (2002);'Curious George and the Dump Truck' (1999);'Curious George and the Birthday Surprise' (2003);'Curious George Goes Camping' (1999;'Curious George Goes to a Costume Party' (2001);'Curious George Visits the Library' (2003);'Curious George in the Big City' (2001). A wonderful collection for your own mischievous monkey. For more monkey fun, investigate www.curiousgeorge.com and discover all the latest on Curious George books, promotions, games, activities, and more!* Vipah Interactive comprises of: C Becker, D Fakkel, M Jensen, S SanGiacomo, C Witte and C Yu.
The Cat, the Dog, Little Red, the Exploding Eggs, the Wolf, and Grandma
Diane Fox - 2014
What's her special power?"Cat says, "She doesn't have any special powers. It's not that kind of a story."And then the fun ensues!The zany, fun back-and-forth of Dog and Cat celebrates the joy of reading -- and questioning. Young children will cheer Dog's persistent questions as well as Cat's dedication to keep telling the story.
Where's Halmoni?
Julie Kim - 2017
Two young children pay a visit to Halmoni (grandmother in Korean), only to discover she's not home. As they search for her, noticing animal tracks covering the floor, they discover a pair of traditional Korean doors, slightly ajar, new to their grandmother's home. Their curiosity gets the best of them, and the adventure begins when they crawl through and discover an unfamiliar, fantastical world. As they continue to search for their grandmother and solve the mystery of the tracks, they go deeper into the world of Korean folklore and experience their cultural heritage in unexpected ways, meeting a number of Korean-speaking characters along the way. Translations to Korean text in the story and more about the folktale-inspired characters are included at the end.
A Bean, a Stalk and a Boy Named Jack
William Joyce - 2014
Morris Lessmore.You might think you know the story of Jack and the Beanstalk, but you might want to think again. In this fairy tale with a twist, it hasn't rained in days and the king has dictated that something must be done; his royal pinky is getting stinky! With a little magic from a wizard, young Jack, paired with his pea pod pal, will find a GIANT reason as to why there's no water left in the kingdom...and prove that size doesn't prevent anyone from doing something BIG.
Hansel and Gretel
Rika Lesser - 1984
Lesser and Zelinsky retell the story of a pair of children lost in the woods who run into a witch with a very tasty house.
Somebody and the Three Blairs
Marilyn Tolhurst - 1990
How would you react if Somebody visited your house while you were gone, especially if the Somebody were a bear?
A Story, a Story
Gail E. Haley - 1970
He kept them in a box beside his throne. But Ananse, the Spider man, wanted them -- and caught three sly creatures to get them. This story of how we got our own stories to tell is adapted from an African folktale.