Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children

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Not that these are "soft" versions of the fairy tales we know and love—they're just not quite as jarring as the original material. Whereas the Brothers Grimm didn't hesitate to include excessive violence, genuine terror and even (on occasion) sexual references, authors like Andrew Lang opted to gentle the stories a bit so as not to spook the youngsters too much. While we certainly encourage you to read the originals and introduce them to your kids at some point, the books you'll find in this section are a great place to start small children on traditional tales and folklore.

It's not so much that fairy tales offer kids a new way of seeing the world, it's more that they are already in line with the way kids do see the world. For a child, monsters really do lurk in the shadows, pumpkins can turn into vehicles, and animals really do have rational thoughts and can even (at times, if you listen closely enough) talk. To force children into an adult world where only the unavoidable and routine can take place is to rob them of not only their youth, but their ability to imagine.

More than any other kind of story, fairy tales are only a segue to genuine creativity. Kids read about Princes Charming, Princesses in Distress, Dragons, Dragon-Fighters, dwarfs, elves and pixies—and then become each of these things in turn in the backyard. Not that most children need inspiration, but it certainly can't hurt, nor can it hurt for them to realize they aren't the first ones to imagine fairies in the trees and gnomes in the garden. We've chosen the books you'll find here for the quality of artwork, faithfulness of adaptation, and overall appeal both to kids and their parents (who may have missed out on good fairy tales themselves).

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.

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Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children

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American Tall Tales

Andersen's Fairy Tales

Asian Myths & Fairy Tales

Grimm's Fairy Tales

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	Adventures of Robin Hood Everyman's Library Children's Classics by Roger Green, illustrated by Walter Crane from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for 5th-9th grade in Everyman's Library Children's Classics (Location: FIC-ELC) $20.00
	Adventures of Robin Hood Puffin Classics by Roger Green, illustrated by Arthur Hall from Puffin Books Legends and Folklore for 5th-9th grade in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF) $8.99
	Anpao An American Indian Odyssey by Jamake Highwater from HarperCollins for 5th-9th grade 1978 Newbery Honor Book in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $8.99
	Battle of the Labyrinth Percy Jackson & the Olympians #4 by Rick Riordan from Hyperion/Madison Press for 4th-8th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $7.99
	Beowulf the Warrior by Ian Serraillier from Bethlehem Books Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for 4th-8th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $11.95
	Book of Legends by Horace E. Scudder from Yesterday's Classics for 1st-5th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $9.95
	Famous Legends Adapted for Children by Emeline G. Crommelin 2022 Reprint from Living Book Press for 5th-9th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $7.99
	Fifty Famous Stories Retold by James Baldwin from Yesterday's Classics for 1st-4th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $11.95
	Gilgamesh the Hero by Geraldine McCaughrean from Eerdmans for 4th-8th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $20.00
	King Arthur Tales from the Round Table by Andrew Lang, illustrated by H.J. Ford from Dover Publications for 4th-8th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $5.99
	King Arthur and His Knights by Maude Redford Warren 2^nd edition from Yesterday's Classics Arthurian Legends and Myths for in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $11.95
	King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table Everyman's Library Children's Classics by Roger Green from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for 7th-10th grade in Everyman's Library Children's Classics (Location: FIC-ELC) $17.95
	King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table Puffin Classics by Roger Green from Puffin Books Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for 6th-10th grade in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF) $8.99
	King of Ireland's Son by Padraic Colum from Yesterday's Classics for 3rd-7th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $14.95
	Last Olympian Percy Jackson & the Olympians #5 by Rick Riordan Reprint from Hyperion/Madison Press in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $7.99
	Stories of Beowulf Told to the Children by H. E. Marshall from Yesterday's Classics Myth & Legend for 2nd-5th grade in Classics Retold (Location: FIC-RET) $9.95 $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Stories of Robin Hood Told to the Children by H. E. Marshall from Yesterday's Classics for 2nd-5th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $9.95
	Stories of Roland Told to the Children by H. E. Marshall from Yesterday's Classics for 2nd-5th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $9.95
	Stories of Siegfried Told to the Children by Mary MacGregor from Yesterday's Classics for 3rd-7th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $9.95
	Story of King Arthur and His Knights Howard Pyle's King Arthur series book 1. by Howard Pyle from Dover Publications Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for 7th-10tth grade in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $14.95
	Sword and the Circle Arthurian Trilogy #1 by Rosemary Sutcliff from Puffin Books Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for 4th-8th grade in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $7.99
	Tale of the Cid: and Other Stories of Knights and Chivalry by Andrew Lang from Dover Publications for 6th-Adult in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $9.95
	Tale of Troy Puffin Classics by Roger Green from Puffin Books Greek Mythology for 6th-9th grade in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF) $7.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Tales from Silver Lands by Charles J. Finger from Dover Publications for 4th-8th grade 1925 Newbery Medal winner in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $12.99
	Titan's Curse Percy Jackson & the Olympians #3 by Rick Riordan from Hyperion/Madison Press for 4th-8th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $8.99
	Tristan and Iseult by Rosemary Sutcliff from Sunburst Book Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for 7th-9th grade in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $15.99
	Viking Tales by Jennie Hall from Yesterday's Classics for 7th-10th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $10.95
	Viking Tales by Jennie Hall from Living Book Press for 1st-4th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $8.99
	Winged Girl of Knossos by Erick Berry First Paul Dry Books from Paul Dry Books for 4th-8th grade 1934 Newbery Honor Book in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $15.95

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