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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Fiction & Literature

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Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children

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Aesop's Fables

American Tall Tales

Andersen's Fairy Tales & Stories

Asian Myths & Fairy Tales

Grimm's Fairy Tales

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	Aesop for Children by Aesop, Milo Winter from Scholastic Inc. for 3rd-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $3.20 (1 in stock)
	Andersen's Fairy Tales Illustrated Junior Library Series 2 Paperback by Hans Christian Anderson, illustrated by Arthur Szyk from Grosset & Dunlap Fairy Tales for 3rd-6th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Beat the Story-Drum, Pum-Pum by Ashley Bryan from Aladdin Paperbacks Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for 3rd-7th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $8.49 $4.40 (3 in stock)
	Cat Who Went to Heaven by Elizabeth Coatsworth PF from Collier Books for 4th-6th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $2.00 (1 in stock)
	Children's Homer Adventures of Odysseus and the Tale of Troy by Padraic Colum & Willy Pogany from Aladdin Paperbacks Greek Mythology for 3rd-8th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $9.34 $4.80 (3 in stock)
	Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales by Brothers Grimm, Josef Scharl from Pantheon Books for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $6.40 (1 in stock)
	Cow-Tail Switch And Other West African Stories by Harold Courlander, George Herzog Reissue from Square Fish Publishing for 5th-7th grade 1948 Newbery Honor Book in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $15.29 $4.80 (1 in stock)
	D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths by Edgar & Ingri D'Aulaire from Yearling Greek Mythology for 4th-8th grade in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER) $16.99 $11.20 (2 in stock)
	Dance Me a Story Twelve Tales from the Classic Ballets by Jane Rosenberg from Thames and Hudson for 3rd-8th grade in Dance (Location: ELE-DANCE) $10.00 (4 in stock)
	Deirdre A Celtic Legend by David Guard; illustrated by Gretchen Guard 2^nd edition from Celestial Arts for 4th-6th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Each Peach Pear Plum by Allan & Janet Ahlberg from Puffin Books Rhyming Story for Preschool-Kindergarten in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $7.64 $3.20 (2 in stock)
	Favorite Folktales from Around the World by Jane Yolen from Pantheon Books for 4th-Adult in Short Story Anthologies for Kids (Location: FIC-ANTH) $7.20 (1 in stock)
	Favorite Greek Myths by Bob Blaisdell from Dover Publications for 4th-6th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $2.00 (1 in stock)
	First Book of Fairy Tales by Mary Hoffman from DK Publishing Fairy Tales for Preschool-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $5.60 (1 in stock)
	Funny Little Woman by Arlene Mosel & Blair Lent Reissue from Puffin Books 1973 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $5.09 $2.80 (1 in stock)
	Gingerbread Man by Jim Aylesworth from Scholastic Inc. for Preschool- 3rd Grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $1.60 (1 in stock)
	Golden Fleece And the Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles by Padraic Colum & Willy Pogany from Aladdin Paperbacks Greek Mythology for 3rd-8th grade 1922 Newbery Honor Book in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $9.34 $4.80 (1 in stock)
	Golden Goose by Dick King-Smith from Yearling for 2nd-5th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $5.09 $2.80 (1 in stock)
	Greek Myths by Olivia Coolidge, illustrated by Edouard Sandoz from Houghton Mifflin Greek Mythology for 4th-6th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $9.34 $4.00 (4 in stock)
	Hansel and Gretel by Rika Lesser & Paul Zelinsky from Putnam Juvenile for 1st-2nd grade 1985 Caldecott Honor Book in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $7.64 $4.00 (1 in stock)
	In the Beginning Creation Stories from Around the World by Virginia Hamilton, Illustrated by Barry Moser from Houghton Mifflin for 3rd-8th grade 1989 Newbery Honor Book in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $17.00 $8.80 (1 in stock)
	Johnny Appleseed: The Story of a Legend by Will Moses from Puffin Books for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $3.20 (2 in stock)
	King's Chessboard by David Birch & Devis Grebu Reprint from Puffin Books for Kindergarten-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $5.94 $2.80 (1 in stock)
	King's Equal by Katherine Paterson from HarperCollins Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for 1st-3rd grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $5.94 $2.80 (1 in stock)
	Kingfisher Treasury of Stories from Around the World by Linda Jennings from Kingfisher for 3rd-5th grade in Short Story Anthologies for Kids (Location: FIC-ANTH) $2.80 (1 in stock)
	Kitchen Knight A Tale of King Arthur by Margaret Hodges; illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman from Holiday House Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $7.64 $4.40 (1 in stock)
	Lightning Thief Percy Jackson & the Olympians #1 by Rick Riordan from Hyperion/Madison Press for 4th-6th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $9.34 $4.40 (2 in stock)
	Lon Po Po A Red-Riding Hood Story from China by Ed Young from PaperStar Books Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for 1st-4th grade 1990 Caldecott Medal winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $5.94 $3.60 (1 in stock)
	Many Moons by James Thurber from Scholastic Inc. for Preschool- 3rd Grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $2.00 (1 in stock)
	Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters An African Tale by John Steptoe from Scholastic Inc. for Preschool-3rd grade 1988 Caldecott Honor Book in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $2.00 (2 in stock)
	Odyssey (retold) by Barbara Leonie Picard from Oxford University for 3rd-4th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $6.50 (1 in stock)
	Once a Mouse by Marcia Brown 2^nd edition from Aladdin Paperbacks Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for Kindergarten-3rd grade 1962 Caldecott Medal Winner in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $6.79 $3.60 (1 in stock)
	Opossum and the Great Firemaker A Mexican Legend Legends of the World by Jan M. Mike; illustrated by Charles Reasoner from Troll Publishing for Kindergarten-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $2.00 (1 in stock)
	Quilt Story by Tony Johnston & Tomie dePaola from Penguin Putnam for Preschool-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $3.20 (1 in stock)
	Robin Hood in Easy-to-Read Type Dover Children's Thrift Classics by Bob Blaisdell (reteller), illustrated by Thea Kliros from Dover Publications for 3rd-5th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $3.40 $1.60 (1 in stock)
	Rowan Hood Outlaw Girl of Sherwood Forest by Nancy Springer from Scholastic Inc. for 3rd-6th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $2.40 (1 in stock)
	Rumpelstiltskin by Paul Galdone from Sandpiper Books for Preschool-3rd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $6.76 $3.20 (1 in stock)
	Saga of Erik the Viking by Terry Jones New Ed from Puffin Books for 1st-4th grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $3.20 (1 in stock)
	Salmon Princess by Mindy Dweyer from Paws IV Publishing Fairy Tales & Fables for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $1.60 (1 in stock)
	Sea of Monsters Percy Jackson & the Olympians #2 by Rick Riordan from Hyperion/Madison Press for 4th-6th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $9.34 $4.40 (1 in stock)
	Seven Chinese Brothers by Margaret Mahy, illustrated by Jean and Mou-sien Tseng from Scholastic Inc. for Nursery-1st grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Shakespeare Stories by Leon Garfield X from Sandpiper Books for 7th-12th grade in Classics Retold (Location: FIC-RET) $9.00 (1 in stock)
	Shakespeare Stories II by Leon Garfield 1st American Ed from HMH Books for Young Readers for 4th-8th grade in Classics Retold (Location: FIC-RET) $7.20 (1 in stock)
	Silver Cow by Susan Cooper from Margaret K. McElderry Books for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $2.40 (1 in stock)
	Spider and the Sky God An Akan Legend Legends of the World by Deborah Newton Chocolate from Troll Publishing for Kindergarten-3rd grade in Short Story Anthologies for Kids (Location: FIC-ANTH) $2.50 (1 in stock)
	Story of Jumping Mouse A Native American Legend by John Steptoe from Scholastic Inc. Native American Fable for Preschool-2nd grade 1985 Caldecott Honor Book in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $2.00 (1 in stock)
	Sweet and Sour Tales from China from HMH Books for Young Readers in Short Story Anthologies for Kids (Location: FIC-ANTH) $7.61 $4.80 (2 in stock)
	Tailor's Sword by K.J. Forster, illustrated by Kerilynn Ayers from Doorposts in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $4.80 (1 in stock)
	Tale of the Mandarin Ducks by Katherine Paterson from Puffin Books for Preschool- 3rd Grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $7.64 $3.60 (1 in stock)
	Tales from Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb, introduction by Marina Warner from Penguin Classics for 7th-12th grade in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $11.90 $6.40 (2 in stock)
	Tales of a Korean Grandmother 32 Traditional Tales from Korea by Frances Carpenter from Tuttle Publishing Eastern Fairy Tales for 1st-6th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $9.00 (1 in stock)
	Tales of Robin Hood by Tony Allan, illustrated by Ron Tiner from Usborne for 4th-6th grade in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $4.80 (1 in stock)
	Tales of Troy and Greece by Andrew Lang from Wordsworth Editions for 3rd-6th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Tales of Wonder Volume 1 by Edited by Brian Phillips, Matt Bianco, & David Kern from Circe Institute for 1st-3rd grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $14.41 $7.20 (1 in stock)
	Tanglewood Tales Copper Lodge Library by Nathaniel Hawthorne from Classical Conversations for 3rd-6th grade in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $14.40 $9.00 (2 in stock)
	Tanglewood Tales Dover Evergreen Classics by Nathaniel Hawthorne from Dover Publications for 4th-8th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $7.64 $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Tatterhood and Other Tales by Ethel Johnston Phelps (editor), illustrated by Pamela Baldwin Ford from Feminist Press for 3rd-6th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Three Little Kittens by Paul Galdone from Clarion Books Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for Nursery-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $6.79 $3.20 (1 in stock)
	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) $9.34 $4.40 (1 in stock)
	Trojan War by Olivia Coolidge, illustrated by Edouard Sandoz from Houghton Mifflin Mythology for 4th-6th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $8.49 $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Trojan War by Olivia Coolidge, illustrated by Edouard Sandoz from Houghton Mifflin Mythology for 4th-6th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Twenty Jataka Tales by Noor Inayat Khan from Inner Traditions International for 4th-7th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $5.20 (1 in stock)
	Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine from HarperCollins for 4th-7th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $6.40 (1 in stock)
	Usborne Illustrated Guide to Greek Myths and Legends by Rodney Matthews from Scholastic Inc. for 3rd-6th grade in Ancient Greece (Location: HISW-ANGR) $3.20 (1 in stock)
	Wise Words by Peter Leithart from GCB Publishing Group for 3rd-8th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $6.40 (1 in stock)
	Yeh-Shen A Cinderella Story from China by Ai-Ling Louie from Puffin Books for Preschool-2nd grade in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE) $6.79 $3.60 (1 in stock)
	Yu the Great Conquering the Flood A Chinese Legend by Paul D. Storrie from Graphic Universe for 3rd-6th grade in Comic Books & Graphic Novels (Location: FIC-COMIC) $3.60 (1 in stock)
	Zlateh the Goat and Other Stories by Isaac Bashevis Singer from HarperCollins for 3rd-6th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $6.76 $4.00 (1 in stock)

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