When she was a young girl, Barbara McBride-Smith was introduced to the ancient Greek myths but she didn't quite hear right. When her teacher told her they lived in the cradle of western civilization, young Barbara thought she said Western civilization - as in central Texas, around about Waco, where they seemed to fit right in. Ol' Man Zeus, after all, was a gun-totin' Big Daddy, sort of the J.R. Ewing of Mount Olympus. You know Aphrodite, the school basketball queen or Pandora the debutante, the best guitar picker around was Orpheus - Tom T. and wasn't Medusa the one who started the fashion trend known as Big Hair? With her incurable Texas drawl, feminist sympathies, and cheerleader's do-right attitude, master storyteller Barbara McBride-Smith spins the Greek myths as you've never heard them before.
This collection of 30 stories about wise judges, clever lawyers, and deceitful tricksters, were collected from places as diverse as ancient Greece, Morocco, Germany, China, and Ireland. Some date back to pre-biblical days while others come from the American colonies.
Nationally acclaimed storyteller J.J. Reneaux has compiled highly engaging animal stories, fairy tales, ghost stories, and humorous tales from her native Cajun culture.
This collection of 31 stories comes from all over the world and different variations can be found in a variety of cultures that have been passed over the grapevine and adapted in different cultural traditions.
This collection of Hindu folktales for middle readers features stories about the Hindu god, Ganesha, who is easily recognized because of his elephant head. Krishnaswami introduces the stories by recalling her own introduction to Ganesha and goes on to offer a mythological context for the tales. Included among these classic stories are "Ganesha's Head", "The Broken Tusk", and "Why Ganesha Never Married". Most of the stories come from Hindu legend; one comes from Mongolia, where Ganesha made his way into the Buddhist tradition. The simple pen-and-ink illustrations support the themes and a helpful pronunciation guide and glossary are also included.
This collection of delightful tales from around the world and through the ages explains why an animal, plant, or natural object looks or acts the way it does.
Just who was Robin Hood? What did William Tell do that was so special? Why is Joan of Arc so famous? Author Lorna Czarnota presents medieval tales that answer these questions and many more in a highly entertaining format. Czarnota offers solid historical background for each story so that young readers have a framework to enhance the significance of each story. As they explore these action packed stories, young readers will be able to imagine themselves pulling Excalibur from the lake, untying the Gordian Knot, or fighting with Roland and the Frankish army.
As a companion to her award-winning story collection Three Minute Tales, Margaret Read MacDonald has compiled another delightful collection of entertaining stories from around the world edited especially for the tastes and interests of young readers.
For the past three decades, Pleasant DeSpain has explored Latin America its people, customs, cultures, and especially the myths and legends. The tales in this collection are full of compassionate souls, tricks and humor, explanations of nature and geography and as always, memorable characters and places. Mario Lamo-Jimnez's Spanish translation that accompanies the English version reverberates with the rich, vibrant quality that has become the bench mark for the best stories from Latin America.
If you love animal stories or like turtles, then this collection of eleven turtle stories is for you. Turtle carries the world on her back: this story has been told by different cultures around the world for generations. Like Mother Nature, Turtle is unhurried, wise, and enduring. She walks on land, swims in water, and breathes the air and so embodies three of the four elements of creation. We have much to learn from Turtle in these timeless, classic turtle stories.
In this new millennium, we are faced with a critical question: are we willing to work together to ensure the survival of the planet? Eleven ancient stories address this challenging issue through tales of natural elements such as Sun, Moon, Stars, Ocean, Wind, Fire, Mammals, Reptiles, Birds, Insects, Rocks, Trees, and Humans.
This collection of traditional tales and proverbs from over twenty ethnic groups touches upon both human and ecological themes such as environmental protection, the care of other creatures, and the connection of all things in nature.
This collection of humorous folktales from around the world share one common feature: the character of a fool.
This collection of classic and timeless short folktales from Mexico, Israel, Poland, and other parts of the world, demonstrates wisdom and justice.
A collection of nine traditional scary stories from various parts of the world, including Japan, Uruguay, and other countries. The stories are sure to entertain young readers.
A hilarious collection of short folktales from all over the world featuring silly characters, nonsensical situations, and general tomfoolery.
This book contains nine short traditional and very entertaining folktales about tricksters, featuring selections from Persia, India, Poland, France, and other parts of the world.
Nine traditional tales about insects from various parts of the world, including Mexico, Japan, Jamaica, and Fiji.
These nine short folktales feature stories about traditional holidays celebrated from Czechoslovakia, Russia, France, the United States, and other parts of the world.
Nine inspiring folktales about heroes, including selections from Hungary, Switzerland, India, Japan, and other parts of the world. Each of these classic stories shares an inspiring message of courage and perseverance.
Everyone remembers the exploits of Br'er Rabbit and his cohorts Br'er Fox, Br'er Possum, and other sly characters. But while these tales were circulating among slaves in the southern United States, another set of stories was passed along just as enthusiastically only here the clever tricksters were female. Who better to tackle the stories of these sister tricksters than the San Souci brothers? Utilizing a contagiously rhythmic, pitch-perfect dialect, writer Robert gleefully interprets the exploits of Molly Cottontail, Miz Grasshopper, Miz Duck, and Miz Goose against worthy (and not-so-worthy) foes such as Mistah Slickry Sly-fox, Mistah Rooster, and Mistah Bear. Brother Daniel's comically realistic paintings capture the slapstick frenzy of these characters engaged in battles of wits against the rural Southern landscape that nourished the tales in their infancy.
A collection of nine traditional tales about leprechauns, dwarfs, shapeshifters and other enchanted creatures from various countries, including Russia, Norway, and Germany.
This collection of nine short stories features a range of cat "tales" from different countries that are especially worth sharing. You will find stories that explain why cats choose women over men, how cats trick other (in cat's view) "lesser" animals, how cats outwit humans, and how cats wait patiently for their time in the sun.
This unique collection of American stories from the frozen tundra of Alaska to the lush green hills of Virginia; from the sweltering bayous of Louisiana to the windswept prairies of South Dakota is told in DeSpain's signature gentle style. Every reader will find something of interest - the stories range from practical tales of wisdom such as Pulling the Rope to silly and scary ones such as The Haint that Roared and The Big, Smelly, Hairy Toe. The stories represent not only the geographic diversity of the United States but also offer a portrait of our nation's character, values, beliefs, and customs that differ from region to region yet retain a fundamental sense of shared community.
Tales of outlaws and desperadoes are one of the few types of folklore that are peculiarly American. The myths and legends surrounding such people as Belle Starr, Frank and Jesse James, and Wild Bill Hickock grip the national imagination just as tightly today as they did a century ago.