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GAIL DE VOS 
MERLE HARRIS 

This collective descriptive review essay encapsulates all of the remain-
ing titles that I received for reviewing in this journal in 2003. As you 
will see, two major publishers of storytelling and folklore material have 
been strong submitters to your review columnist. Storyteller Merle Har-
ris and myself divided up the titles for review and I have arranged them, 
for the most part, by publisher and series. 

World Folklore Series published by Libraries Unlimited. 

The World Folklore Series is aimed at school librarians and teach-
ers, but much of the text is accessible to older students. The series not 
only contain folktales, but also brief histories as well as information on 
the role of folklore and storytelling in the various regions and is a won-
derful introduction to new stories and a better understanding of distant 
countries and their peoples. The series could be made more inviting for 
children by improving the book cover design. With the exception of the 
cover of When Night Falls! the series look more like textbooks than the 
storybooks they truly are. All volumes contain line drawings and colour 
photographs. Thematic indices in all the books would also be appreci-
ated. 

The following volumes are only a few of the titles from this ongoing 
series which both of us were quite impressed with the presentation, 
background information and rhythm of the tales. 

Folktales from Greece: A Treasury of Delights. Mitakidou, Soula, An-
thony L. Manna, and Melpomeni Kanatsouli. Illustrated by Anas-
tasia Valavanidou and Photography by Georgios Katsagelos, 2002. 
1 56308 908 4 

From the Mango Tree and Other Folktales from Nepal. Shrestha, 
 Kavita Ram and Sarah Lamstein, 1997. 1 56308 378 7 
Gadi Mirrabooka: Australian Aboriginal Tales from the Dreaming. 
 Retold by Pauline E. McLeod, Francis Firebrace Jones and June E. 
 Barker. Edited by Helen F. McKay, 2001. 1 56308 923 8. 
Jasmine and Coconuts: South Indian Tales. Spagnoli, Cathy and Pa- 
 ramasivam Samanna. Illustrated by Paramasivam Samanna. 1999. 
 1 56308 576 3. 
Tales from the Heart of the Balkans. Marshall, Bonnie C. Edited by 
 Vasa D. Mihailovich, 2001. 1 56308 870 3. 



 

REVIEW ROUNDUP 2003 

The Celtic Breeze: Stories of the Otherworld from Scotland, Ireland 
and Wales. McNeil, Heather. Illustrated by Nancy Chien-Eriksen. 
2001. 1 56308 778 2. 

When Night Falls, Kric! Krac! Haitian Folktales. Louis, Liliane Ner- 
 ette, edited by Fred Hay, 1999. 1 563089 579 8. 

Folktales from Greece: A Treasury of Delights was the result of 
meeting with Manna, visiting from America, and Mitakidou when they 
were both doing research in the same Greek pre-school where the oral 
tradition was alive and well. The introduction offers a brief historical 
background of the area, and explanation of the function and classification 
of Greek tales, information on the art of Greek storytelling and the 
selection criteria for the tales in the book. The twenty tales are divided 
into five sections: supernatural beings, tales of transformation, clever 
folk, stories with strong morals, and humorous stories. Each section 
begins with an introduction about these tales and comprehensive notes 
follow each story. This is a strong collection, beautifully translated and 
containing stories that are suitable for all ages. There are good references 
and a useful index but pronunciation guides for some of the names would 
have been helpful. 

As with the other volumes in this series, From the Mango Tree and 
Other Folktales from Nepal starts with a brief introduction to Nepal—its 
history, religion, people and daily life. Lamstein points out that it is the 
first collection of Nepalese folktales published in North America. The 
fifteen folktales, collected and translated by Kavita Ram Shrestha, are 
stories of royalty, the common people and pour quoi tales of the origins 
of lakes and caves in Nepal. There is a combination of gentleness, 
humility and humour in these stories which should appeal to adults and 
children alike. The final story in the collection has been written out in the 
Nepalese script. The end matter includes a glossary of terms and a 
bibliography. 

The introduction to Gadi Mirrabooka states that this is the first 
collection of stories from the Dreamtime of the Australian Aboriginals 
told by Aboriginal storyteller custodians. The informative introduction 
explains the importance of these stories to the culture and belief system 
of the traditional audience as well as the concept of the Dreamtime. 
Material in the first sections of the books looks at the physical landscape, 
the flora, the fauna and the aboriginal people of the land and includes 
historical and contemporary background information. The thirty-three 
short tales, the majority of which are pour quoi tales, are told in various 
localities within the Australian continent. Back matter includes a 
glossary, a bibliography and information about the three storytellers and 
editor of this volume. This volume puts these tales in their proper content 
and allows the non-aboriginal storyteller/reader a strong glimpse into this 
ancient culture. 

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In Jasmine and Coconuts: South Indian Tales, Spagnoli and 
Samanna write of a region and people they know well. Their exploration 
of this area includes a brief history of the four southern states, as well as 
an overview of religions, arts, crafts and daily life. The authors also 
explain the differences in telling styles in South India covering the many 
facets of storytelling: language, gesture, pronunciation, music and much 
more. The forty-two tales are divided into seven themes consistent with 
South Indian values, such as "Value of Simplicity, Problem of Greed" 
and "Respect for Family and Elders," and, where necessary, explanatory 
notes precede the story. The stories are wide ranging from ancient to 
modern, from folklore to true stories, and all of them have a strong oral 
rhythm to them. The appendix covers festivals, resources, pen pals and 
websites, and a glossary. As well there are sources for the stories, 
bibliographies for both adults and children, an index and thematic index. 
This book is a real treasure trove - a delight for the ears and the eyes. 

Tales from the Heart of the Balkans is the most diverse of all the 
collections reviewed. The book covers five independent countries: 
Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia and Macedonia. 
The introduction includes a concise but good history of the region, with 
an overview of oral literature and its importance, as well as some of the 
problems associated with translating stories from three official languages 
and their many dialects. The thirty-three tales are divided into myths and 
legends, animal tales, fairy tales and tales of everyday life. All the 
regions are represented in all the stories and the retellings should work 
well whether they are read aloud or told to the students, or used for 
independent reading. A glossary and pronunciation guide and a good 
index round off a book that is a great introduction to a diverse region and 
its stories. 

In her search for her Celtic roots, author Heather McNeil travels to 
the country of her ancestors. The Celtic Breeze briefly introduces this 
region and its people, tales and songs before retelling fifteen traditional 
tales, many accompanied by related ballads and their musical notation. 
Faery folk of the earth, of the water, and their interaction with ghosts 
and music are the focus of this collection. Each tale is put in context by 
the author. The back matter includes a brief inventory of items offering 
protection from the faery folk, a glossary, bibliography and a recom-
mended reading list as well as an index. 

In Liliane Louis's introduction to When Night Falls, Kric! Krac! 
Haitian Folktales she uses stories to give what she calls "an overview of 
the beautiful and mysterious land." Together with Hay's introduction, 
readers learn about Haiti's geography and history as well as the 
importance of voodoo and magic to the Haitian people. The twenty 
eight stories are divided into six sections: That Stupid Bouki, Step-
mother Can Never be Real Mother, Animal Stories, Kings and Princes, 

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REVIEW ROUNDUP 2003 

Unpleasant Encounters and Stories of Love and Courtship. There is a 
gentle reminder before the stories begin about the importance of pre-
reading because several stories in this book reflect the harsh realities of 
life in a culture different from that of our readers. There are, however, 
stories for everyone from young children to adults in these tales which 
Louis has both heard and told over the years. She also includes some of 
her favourite recipes. A much needed glossary, good index and coloured 
photographs round out this collection which will have many calling out 
"Kric" and waiting for the "Krac" to get story time going. 

Titles from August House 

A prolific producer of books of storytelling material and folktales 
for adults and children, August House offers various series and collec-
tions for use in schools, libraries and by storytellers of all ages. The titles 
that reached your book reviewer's desk revealed a great diversity in the 
types of materials that they publish. 

The Books of Nine Lives series bv Pleasant DeSpain 

All nine volumes of this series, written by Pleasant DeSpain and il-
lustrated by Don Bell, are aimed at young tellers. These tales were 
originally published in "Pleasant Journeys," a weekly newspaper column 
in The Seattle Times between 1977 and 1978 and were reprinted several 
times in book form before they appeared in this most recent 
transformation. I have only two volumes in hand (Volume 2: Tales of 
Nonsense & Tomfoolery (2001) and Volume 3: Tales of Wisdom and 
Justice (2001)) but they all have the same format. Each slim volume 
begins with an introduction of the theme, nine or ten tales from diverse 
cultures, simply written and accompanied with a full-page line drawing, 
and adequate source notes with a brief commentary for each of the tales. 
I have used these books very successfully with elementary school 
students coming to the art of storytelling for the fust time. Not only are 
these tales writing succinctly, the students are not intimidated by the size 
of the books themselves 

The other titles in the series are: 

Volume 1: Tales of Tricksters 
Volume 4: Tales of Heroes 
Volume 5: Tales of Holidays 
Volume 6: Tales of Insects 
Volume 7: Tales of Enchantment  
Volume 8: Tales to Frighten and Delight 
Volume 9: Tales of Cats 

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World Tales Series by Martha Hamilton and Mitch Weiss 

How and Why Stories: World Tales Kids Can Read and Tell. Hamilton, 
 Martha and Mitch Weiss. 1999.0 87483 561 5. 
Noodlehead Stories: World Tales Kids Can Read and Tell. Hamilton, 
 Martha and Mitch Weiss, 2000. 0 87483 585 2. 
Through the Grapevine: World Tales Kids Can Read and 
 Tell. Hamilton, Martha and Mitch Weiss, 2001. 0 87483 624 7 

Martha Hamilton and Mitch Weiss, also known as Beauty and the 
Beast, have been telling stories and teaching storytelling to children and 
adults for over twenty years. Their first book Children Tell Stories: A 
Teaching Guide (Richard C. Owen, 1990) is a classic. Their first col-
lection of stories for children to tell is Stories in My Pocket: Tales Kids 
Can Read and Tell (Fulcrum, 1996) was a huge hit with students and 
teachers alike. We have used and recommended these books in work-
shops for both children and adults. These three collections are aimed at 
children, full of wonderful suggestions on how they can become story-
tellers in their own unique way, but they are equally as useful to all 
beginning storytellers 

Each collection has an introduction to the type of stories in the 
compilation and a world map showing where the stories come from. The 
stories are one to two pages, retold simply but effectively with a black 
and white illustration for each story followed by brief "About the Story" 
which discuss the origin of each story and "Tips for Telling" which 
cover gestures, body language and use of voice. Following the stories 
there is a chapter "General Tips for Telling Stories" which covers 
choosing, learning and telling stories and throughout the authors 
emphasise that the tips are suggestions only and should be used to help 
tellers find their voices when telling the stories. Back matter includes an 
Activities chapter for children who want to make up their own stories 
and an appendix of sources where children can find other versions of 
these stories. 

There are twenty-five stories in How and Why Stories which answer 
many questions such as "Why the Sun Comes Up When Rooster Crows," 
"Where All Stories Come from" and "How Owl Got His Feathers." In 
the "Activities" section the authors make suggestions for original 
pourquoi stories, using the library to see if there are. stories unique to 
regions and also provide a bibliography of scientific explanations for 
some of the stories. Children love stories where they can laugh out loud 
and Noodlehead Stories delivers twenty-three hilarious stories. The 
authors warn against using derogatory terms and point out that the 
joy in these stories is "laughing at the noodlehead in all of us. A bibli-
ography of literary noodlehead stories is included. Through the Grape- 

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REVIEW ROUNDUP 2003 

vine includes thirty-one tales that have been passed down through the 
years (or grapevine), from mouth to ear to electronic transmission. 

Other August House offerings 

Czanota. Lorna MacDonald.Medieval Tales That Kids Can Read & 
 Tell. 2000.  0 87483 589 5. 
DeSpain, Pleasant.Sweet Land of Story: Thirty-Six American Tales to 
 Tell, 2000. 0 87483 600 X. 
 MacDonald, Margaret Read. The Parent's Guide to Storytelling: How to 
 Make Up New Stories and Retell Old Favorites. 2nd Edition, 2001. 
 0 87483 618 2. 
MacDonald, Margaret Read Shake-It-Up Tales! Stories to Sing, Dance, 
 Drum and Act Out.. 2000, 0 87483 570 4. 
McBride-Smith, Barbara. Tell It Together: Foolproof Scripts for Story 
 Theatre. 2001. 0 87483 650 6. 

Each of the fifteen classic legends in Medieval Tales is simply and 
briefly told to be accessible for young tellers. The tales are placed in 
context with a very concise history of the story and precise tips for the 
telling of the tale. The legendary characters in these tales include Wil-
liam Tell, Robert Bruce, Robin Hood, Joan of Arc, the Knights of the 
Roundtable, Duke Lech of Poland, Beowulf, Roland, Saladin, Alexander 
the Great, Eleanor of Aquitaine and Boudicca. Back matter includes 
information on the role of the medieval storyteller, additional pointers 
for telling the tales, and a bibliography instead of source notes. The 
stories themselves are extremely short and are attractive to children 
beginning their storytelling endeavours. 

DeSpain's collection of American tales is a treat for those who wish 
to get a sense of the United States through its regional tales. While some 
of the tales are folktales, many of them are tales of the folk, gathered by 
the author from tellers living in the various regions. The collection, 
divided up by regions, includes ghost tales, hero tales, tall tales, and a 
few tales from the Native people. Entertaining and informative source 
notes conclude the collection. 

Both of Margaret Read MacDonald's volumes follow her well-
established formula for presenting stories for retelling. The stories are 
printed in sound bites for ease of reading and learning and include notes 
on telling the tales and relevant background notes on when to tell and 
why to tell stories. Shake-It-Up Tales! offers information on playing 
with stories, using chants, songs, motions and sound effects, as well as 
stories which encompass a more dramatic flair using multiple tellers and 
audience participation, Besides the twenty tales in this collection, 
MacDonald includes an extensive list of resources and guides for each 

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GAIL DE V as AND MERLE HARRIS 

of the elements of story she discusses. An added benefit of this collec-
tion is the introduction of little known folktales from around the world. 

Story theatre is the focus of Tell It Together. After a brief discussion 
about story theatre, McBride-Smith provides tested scripts for seven 
classic myths, nine folktales and seven literary offerings adapted with 
permission from the various publishers. The scripts call for five to fifteen 
cast members and are designed for middle school students although 
many are appropriate for use with older teens. One of the strengths of 
this compilation is that the story scripts can be told by one voice, making 
it a valuable addition to any variety of collected works. 

Folktale Collections from Other Publishers 

Congdon, Kristin G. Uncle Monday and Other Florida Tales. Illustrated 
by Kitty Kitson Petterson. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 
2001, 1 57806 385 X. 

Dorson, Mercedes, and Jeanne Wilmot. Tales from the Rain Forest. 
 Hopewell, NJ: The Ecco Press, 1997,0 88001567 5. 
 Hazell, Rebecca. The Barefoot Book of Heroic Children. Illustrated by 
 Helen Cann. New York, NY: Barefoot Books, 2000, I 9 0228 323 
 6. 
 Ryan, Patrick. Shakespeare's Storybook: Folktales that Inspired the 
 Bard. Illustrated by James Mayhew. New York, NY: Barefoot 
 Books, 2001. 1 84148 307 9 
Spagnoli, Cathy. Terrific Trickster Tales from Asia. Fort Atkinson, WI: 
 Alleyside Press, 2001, 1 57950 045 5. 
Spencer, Ann. Song of the Sea: Myths, Tales and Folklore. Illustrated 
 by Mark Lang. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2001, 0 88776 487 8. 

A collection of the diverse cultures that comprise the state of Flor-
ida, Uncle Monday presents tales of magic, humor, adventure and crea-
tion. The introduction discusses the origin of the stories of and the 
tradition of storytelling within the state. Each story is accompanied by a 
reflection to that guides the reader to a deeper understanding of the 
issues, historical context and contemporary relevance of the tale. The 
fifty tales are arranged according to their overall focus: pour quoi tales; 
people with special powers; food, friends and family; unusual places, 
spaces and events; and ghosts and the supernatural. The back matter 
includes endnotes for the descriptive material, source notes, a glossary 
and bibliography. An accessible and enjoyable collection. 

Tales from the Rain Forest begins with a brief introduction to the 
Amazon basin, the Amerindian culture, and the flora and fauna of the 
area. The importance of the oral tradition among the various tribes is also 
discussed. Paintings and etchings from early explorations to the Amazon 
accompany each tale. Dorson (who grew up in Brazil) and 

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REVIEW ROUNDUP 2003 

Wilmot acknowledge that the material available to them was so abun-
dant that they chose to concentrate on myths of origins as being most 
engaging for young listeners. The book ends with a glossary of Amer-
indian and Portuguese words as well as bibliographies. The ten myths 
and legends explain the origin of humans, rain and thunder, birds, water 
lilies, fire and other wonders. Each story is followed by brief cultural 
comments. The stories (translated from Portuguese) allow the reader a 
glimpse of a mysterious and rich relationship between humans and their 
environment, and leave her or him with a desire for more of these sto-
ries. 

Rebecca Hazell has chosen to write biographies for twelve young 
people from around the world who exemplify bravery and determina-
tion. Some of the names and their stories are well known, while others 
are not so well known. In the introduction, Hazell explains what makes a 
person heroic and how she is presenting their stories in the first person. 
Each biography is written in three parts - beginning with a 'you are here" 
setting in which the place and time and a brief history is given, followed 
by the child telling the story in the first person, and then a summary of 
his/her accomplishments. I wanted to like the book but found the format 
frustrating and false. The "first person" voice did not ring true for me 
and travelling back and forward in time did not work. The book would 
have far more impact if the children's stories were in more traditional 
biography format. 

In his introduction to Shakespeare's Storybook, Patrick Ryan points 
out that in all probability Shakespeare had listened to stories all his life 
and "read everything he could lay his hands on" and so knew which 
stories his audiences would enjoy and wrote to please them. Ryan 
presents the seven stories he feels inspired Shakespeare to write The 
Taming of the Shrew, Romeo and Juliet, The Merchant of Venice, As 
You Like It, Hamlet, King Lear and The Winter's Tale. An essay in 
which Ryan talks about the themes, characters and sources Shakespeare 
might have used for the play precedes each folktale. He also brings in 
snippets relating to Shakespeare and his family. Each essay is accom-
panied by small illustrations of the characters and a border introducing 
elements and words from the play. Mayhew's full-page watercolour 
illustrations accompanying each story are dreamy and theatrical. This 
book is a great introduction to children who have never seen a Shake-
speare play, and at the same time offers much to those who have already 
been introduced 

Divided into three major sections, the collection, Terrific Trickster 
Tales from Asia, acquaints the North American reader with Asian trick-
sters. Spagnoli first introduces trickster tales and how to get ready to tell 
them, pointing out that "Everyone loves a trickster, except the one being 
tricked!" Her instructions are excellent and should encourage would-be 
storytellers to relax and enjoy themselves. Twenty-five dis- 

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tinctive trickster tales comprise the second section of the book. They 
have universal appeal and there is a brief explanation of the origin of 
each tale, telling tips, resources and follow-up activities for each story. 
Part Three "More Ideas and Resources" encourages the reader to explore 
the world of storytelling beyond the trickster tales. Highly recommended. 

Poetry, historical accounts, superstitions, folktales and ballads from 
around the world and featuring the folk that live beneath or sail upon the 
waters, Song of the Sea evokes the watery spirits and adventures of a 
distant time. The collection seems aimed at a young audience and while 
it includes a bibliography, it does not include any source notes for the 
wealth of information contained within its covers. 

Picture book titles: 

Hallworth, Grace. Sing Me a Story: Song-and-Dance Tales from the 
Caribbean. Illustrated by John Clementson. [Little folk] Little 
Rock: August House, 2002. 0 87483 672 7. 

MacDonald, Margaret Read. Fat Cat: A Danish Folktale Retold. Illus-
trated by Julie Paschkis. [Little folk] Little Rock: August House, 
2001. 0 87483 616 6. 

Mora, Pat. The Race of Toad and Deer. Illustrated by Domi. Toronto: 
 Groundwood Books, 2001, 0 88899 434 6. 

Five traditional stories from Jamaica, Haiti, and Trinidad and To-
bago are playfully retold in Sing Me a Story. Musical notation and 
dancing instructions, where applicable, accompany each tale which 
jumps right out of the brilliant pages. Folk art illustrations create a frame 
around each tale to produce this small collection of delightful tales. 

Fat Cat is a combined retelling of the traditional Norwegian tale of 
the Fat Cat and a Czechoslovakian tale, "Kuratko the Terrible," that was 
a long established element in storyteller Margaret Read MacDonald's 
repertoire. Cat and Mouse are friends and when the greedy cat not only 
gulps everyone in sight including his friend and roommate, mouse, 
something has to be done. Mouse to the rescue and Cat no longer is a fat 
hungry cat but a fancy one as well. Folk art illustrations dance across the 
pages of this colourful and rollicking version. Great source notes! 

Pat Mora has provided an adaptation of the Mayan variant of the 
fable of the "Hedgehog and the Hare" in which cooperation in the race 
aids victory in The Race of Toad and Deer. The story was told to the 
author by a mason and scholar in Guatemala. The text is reminiscent of 
the chatter of the jungle and is highly complemented with the rich col- 

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REVIEW ROUNDUP 2003 

ours and shapes of the illustrations by artist Domi of Oaxaca, Mexico. A 
treat to the ears and eyes. 

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