What Parents Should Know
Gripping, and a little gruesome, exciting adventure stories
are illustrated with at least one black-and-white
illustration.
Common Sense Media Review
"Your power is over," Burd Janet cried out against the evil
Fairy Queen. "For here is the daylight and Tam Lin is mine!" In
this Scottish tale, Burd Janet rescues a prince and defeats
evil with her quick wit. This tale, like all the rest in this
collection, turns stereotypes on their heads with heroes that
are brave, smart, and female.
The folktales are wonderful to read aloud to older children. They have a diversity of origins, from ancient Greece to Niger to Japan to Argentina and the United States. It's an important collection not only because of the way it showcases strong girls in action but also because it introduces the history and culture of many places. The violence, which may be a detraction for some, is appropriate within the folktale genre, and dramatizes the strength and bravery of the heroines.
The black-and-white illustrations are few but detailed. Each story has at least one, which will draw younger, squirmy listeners in. Mostly, these stories are just the right length to be read out loud around the campfire or by the fireplace.
Another collection with a similar theme is Cut from the Same Cloth: American Women of Myth, Legend, and Tall Tale, edited by Robert D. San Souci. There is also the popular Girls to the Rescue series, by editor Bruce Lansky.
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