Rediscover Folktales and Fairy Tales

by Erika Kosin

Most children will tell you that fairy tales begin with “Once Upon a Time” and always have a happy ending. What they don’t know is that fairy tales and folk tales are stories that were passed down by word of mouth for generations throughout different cultures until they were collected and written down. In their original form, these tales were moral and cautionary tales meant to frighten and teach small children how to behave. Some, especially folktales and tall tales were told as a way to explain natural phenomena such as mountain ranges, lakes, or the characteristics of some animals.
Many folk tales and fairy tales have been modified and changed into many different versions. Some have added new characters or changed the cultural setting of the story. In recent years, many of these modified tales have deleted the morbid life stories found in the originals. The early versions of the Brothers Grimm tales may have happy endings, but they contain some gruesome and harsh realities along the way. While originally found in a Nursery Tale book, the original story of the Three Little Pigs has the wolf eating the first two pigs, portraying the wolf’s natural instinct as a predator. While the third pig triumphs, he is aware of the true nature of the wolf in the story and finds a way to protect himself from the predator.
Next time you are at the library, why not rediscover the many different folktales and fairy tales that are held in the children’s collection. From the likes of Hans Christian Anderson and Aesop’s Fables to classic stories like the three Billy Goats Gruff and Snow White, there are numerous retellings of these tales along with the originals found in the 398.2 section of the library.
Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella by Robert D. San Souci – This version of Cinderella is retold with Caribbean flair through the eyes of the Godmother who is not a fairy but a poor washer woman who happens to have a magic wand. The colorful illustrations by Brian Pikney portray the vibrant colors found in the Caribbean. This book won the 2000 North Carolina Children’s book Award.
Anansi and the Magic Stick by Eric A. Kimmel – Losely based on the Liberian tale of the Magic Hoe, this story finds Anansi the spider being very lazy and not wanting to do his chores. When he finds the Hyena’s magic stick, he uses it to do his chores so he can relax. Only when he falls asleep and forgets the magic words chaos ensues. This book won the 2004 North Carolina Children’s book Award.
Rumplestiltskin by Paul O. Zelinsky – From an earlier version of the Grimms Tale, a fair maiden is locked in a room to spin straw into gold and a little man helps her but in return wants her first born child unless she can guess his name. This illustrated version of the classic tale is done in vivid medieval style oil paintings and a was Caldecott Honor book.
The Bremen Town Musicians and Other Animal Tales From Grimm. Retold by Doris Orgel. – This collection of animal tales are close to their original Grimm form. With an introduction by the author and illustrator and a brief description of the Brothers Grimm, this collection of tales illustrates the use of stories as cautionary tales.

Dive into a Great Summer Reading Book

by Dara L. Cain

Children have a lot of free time during the summer. One of the best ways to keep them engaged is to find them a book that they will enjoy reading. Here are some fun and adventurous water themed titles that can be found at Rowan Public Library that are perfect for summer time reading.
An energetic fish named Tiddler travels away from his home to go exploring in the big blue sea in the silly story Fidgety Fish by Ruth Galloway. Tiddler’s mother is hoping that he will return much calmer than when he left. On his many adventures in the sea Tiddler encounters many friendly sea creatures until he finds himself inside the mouth of a dark cave. To his surprise it is not a cave he is in but the mouth of a very BIG fish. Will Tiddler’s wiggly and fidgety self be enough to help him escape?
Another fun book is Way Down Deep in the Deep Blue Sea by Jan Peck. Join a young sea diver as he sets out to find hidden treasure in the depths of the deep blue sea. While on his quest your child will encounter different aquatic animals as the boy hitches a ride with a dolphin, plays peek-a-boo with a sea turtle, and fences a swordfish among many other water activities. Will the boy be able to rescue the pirate treasure to bring home to his mama or is it too protectively guarded? You must read the story to find out.
Froggy Learns to Swim is a silly book about a frog who is reluctant to swim. What draws the reader in are the descriptive sound words like “zook! zik!” and “flop flop…splash” that will have your kids laughing out loud. With a little help from his swimming attire including flippers, a mask, a snorkel, and of course his encouraging mother Froggy becomes an avid swimmer. So much so that he doesn’t want to get out of the pond past nightfall. This book is not only appropriate for reluctant swimmers but for any child encountering a fear that may need a little encouragement. After reading this book your child will want to read the other titles in the series by Jonathan London.
If your child enjoys a good mystery a must read is Nate the Great and the Boring Beach Bag by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat. Nate is a young boy detective who solves mysteries with the help of his dog Sludge. In this adventure Olivia’s boring blue beach bag turns up missing at the beach. To find out what happened to it follow the series of clues and help Nate, Sludge, and Olivia find her bag. The fun doesn’t stop there. You can read the other Nate the Great detective books and help solve more mysteries.
Emily has grown up on a houseboat with her mother and has never been allowed in the water until now. In the book The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler Emily takes swimming lessons at school and makes the startling discovery that she is a mermaid. How long will she be able to keep her secret? Swim along with Emily as she meets other mermaids and discovers a whole new world open up to her below the ocean. If you would like to share more sea adventures with Emily check out the subsequent titles in the series.
Author Gordon Korman’s first book in the exciting Dive trilogy is The Discovery. Four kids on a marine expedition during the summer explore an underwater habitat and unexpectedly discover gold. The suspense and tension builds up as Dante, Adriana, Kaz, and Star fight to retrieve the sunken treasure. Will they be able to work together or will the possibility of wealth divide them? And what about the sharks and the treasure hunters who are after the treasure? Read the story to find out what becomes of the gold.