Staff Picks
Good Folk Tales and Fairy Tales for Storytelling
- Rebecca T.
- Friday, April 09, 2021
Collection
In their well-respected book, Storytelling: Art and Technique, Ellin Greene and Augusta Baker tell us:
"A good story for telling is one that has something to say and that says it in the best possible way."
Check out some of these books to learn more about the traditional art of storytelling and to find folk tales and fairy tales that have something to say and are written in the best possible way!
Folk Tales & Fables of Asia & Australia
Published in 1994
Presents seventeen stories from the peoples of Asia as well as from the Australian aborigines and the Maori, including "Baba Yaga and the Stepdaughter," "The Bridge of Magpies," "Rainbow Serpent," and "Maui, the Fisherman."
Folk Tales & Fables of Europe
Published in 1994
A collection of traditional tales from Europe, including "Lazy Jack," "The Lambton Worm," and "The Legend of the Lorelei."
Folk Tales & Fables of the Americas & the Pacific
Published in 1994
Presents eighteen stories from North and South America and from the islands of the Pacific, including "Nanook, the White Bear," "The Legend of Johnny Appleseed," "How the Moon Was Made," and "The Great Shark God."
Folk Tales & Fables of the Middle East and Africa
Published in 1994
A selection of traditional tales from the Middle East and the African continent.
The Rainbow Fairy Book
Published in 1993
A collection of more than thirty fairy tales for young readers of all ages.
Borreguita and the Coyote
A Tale from Ayutla, Mexico
Published in 1991
A little lamb uses her clever wiles to keep a coyote from eating her up.
Perez and Martina
A Portorican Folk Tale
Published in 1991
This Puerto Rican folktale describes the adventures of the sprightly Martina, a Spanish cockroach of high degree, and her many suitors.
The Empty Pot
Published in 1996
When Ping admits that he is the only child in China unable to grow a flower from the seeds distributed by the Emperor, he is rewarded for his honesty.
The Three Billy Goats Gruff
Published in 2011
Three billy goats must cross a bridge that shelters a mean and hungry troll in order to get to their favorite pasture.
Stories in My Pocket
Tales Kids Can Tell
Published in 1996
Includes thirty stories chiefly from folk literature, helpful tips for storytelling, and an overview for the adults involved in the activity.
The Gunniwolf
Published in 2003
A little girl cautioned never to go into the jungle, wanders in deeper and deeper while searching for flowers --and is suddenly confronted by the gunniwolf.
Two of Everything
Published in 1992
A poor old Chinese farmer finds a magic brass pot that doubles or duplicates whatever is placed inside it, but his efforts to make himself wealthy lead to unexpected complications.
Anansi and the Moss-covered Rock
Published in 1988
Anansi the Spider uses a strange moss-covered rock in the forest to trick all the other animals, until Little Bush Deer decides he needs to learn a lesson.
Anansi and the Talking Melon
Published in 1994
A clever spider tricks Elephant and some other animals into thinking the melon in which he is hiding can talk.
Further Tales of Uncle Remus
The Misadventures of Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, Brer Wolf, the Doodang, and Other Creatures
Published in 1990
A retelling of the classic Afro-American tales relating the adventures and misadventures of Brer Rabbit and his friends and enemies.
More Tales of Uncle Remus
Further Adventures of Brer Rabbit, His Friends, Enemies, and Others
Published in 1988
The author retells the classic Afro-American tales.
Anansi the Spider
A Tale from the Ashanti
Published in 1986
In trying to determine which of his six sons to reward for saving his life, Anansi the Spider is responsible for placing the moon in the sky.
American Tall Tales
Published in 1991
A collection of tall tales about such American folk heroes as Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind, Pecos Bill, John Henry, and Paul Bunyan.
Rootabaga Stories
A new edition of Sandburg's fanciful, humorous short stories peopled with such characters as the Potato Face Blind Man, the Blue Wind Boy, and many others.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
Collected from Folklore
Published in 2010
Tapped from the oral traditions of American folklore, these ghost stories and tales of weird happenings, witches, and graveyards have startling, funny, or surprising endings.
Clever Beatrice
Published in 2001
A small, but clever young girl outwits a rich giant and wins all his gold.