Category: Folklore
LB School Podcast: Lindsey Becker
The Three Billy Goats Gruff
The Three Billy Goats Gruff
By Jerry Pinkney
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Curriculum Subject: Adventure: Animals, Folk Tales/Fairy Tales/Classics: Animals, Personal Development: Conflict Resolution, Adventure: Monsters
Grades: Pre-K-3rd
Jerry Pinkney puts his indelible stamp on another beloved folktale in the same vein as the Caldecott Medal-winning The Lion & the Mouse and the highly acclaimed The Tortoise & the Hare and The Grasshopper & the Ants.
When the three billy goats Gruff are hungry, they see bountiful grass to eat across an old bridge. But the bridge is home to a terrible troll, who is peckish himself, and looking for a tasty morsel to gobble up. In his interpretation of the timeless tale, Jerry Pinkney shows there’s little good to come from greed–but in the end, redemption for even the most trollish bully is possible. A dramatic gatefold heightens the climax of this brilliant rendition.
PRAISE
★ “Pinkney’s creative interpretation adds drama and a touch of morality to this well-known tale… Beautiful, exciting, and memorable retelling.” —Booklist
★ “This will be a sterling introduction to a classic for young kids—the human kind. An excellent and informative note explains Pinkney’s adaptation choices, and the closing endpaper gives a peek at the new goat-friendly troll. ” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
★ “Pinkney’s graceful note invites readers to ponder issues of forgiveness, redemption, and peaceful coexistence in a terrific tale well-suited to family and group read-alouds.” —Kirkus
★ “Pinkney is generous with his gifts; his paintings are splendid, nuanced, and unfailingly entertaining.” —Publishers Weekly
★ “With a seasoned storyteller’s ear for language and an extraordinary mastery of his medium, this wise and gentle bookmaker helps readers see that cleverness, community, and confrontation all have a time and place in dealing with a bully. Sure to become a storytime staple.” —School Library Journal
VIDEO
When The Sea Turned to Silver
When the Sea Turned to Silver
By Grace Lin
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Curriculum Subject: Adventure: Magic/Fantasy, Folk Tales/Fairy Tales/Classics: Heroes/Heroines, Family Life: Grandparents and Extended Family
Grades: 3-7
Listen to Author Interview Activities Readers Theatre Educator Guide
Pinmei’s gentle, loving grandmother always has the most exciting tales for her granddaughter and the other villagers. However, the peace is shattered one night when soldiers of the Emperor arrive and kidnap the storyteller.
Everyone knows that the Emperor wants something called the Luminous Stone That Lights the Night. Determined to have her grandmother returned, Pinmei embarks on a journey to find the Luminous Stone alongside her friend Yishan, a mysterious boy who seems to have his own secrets to hide. Together, the two must face obstacles usually found only in legends to find the Luminous Stone and save Pinmei’s grandmother–before it’s too late.
A fast-paced adventure that is extraordinarily written and beautifully illustrated, When the Sea Turned to Silver is a masterpiece companion novel to Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and Starry River of the Sky.
PRAISE
A 2016 National Book Award Finalist
★ “Lin’s evocative language sweeps readers away, and the stories within the story are juicy and delicious.” —Booklist
★ “Lin’s stonecutter claims that storytellers ‘can make time disappear… bring us to places we have never dreamed of…feel sorrow and joy and peace’; the description is a fitting one for author-illustrator Lin herself, who has proven herself a master.” —The Horn Book
★ “The meticulous craft delivers what Lin’s fans have come to expect… This beautifully told companion to Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and Starry River of the Sky offers lyrical storytelling, bringing ‘us to places we have never dreamed of.'” —Kirkus
★ “Lin’s fans will not be disappointed: she again delivers a rich interweaving of ancient tales with fast-paced adventure, fantasy, and slowly unfolding mysteries told through captivating language with beguiling similes.” —Publishers Weekly
★ “A stunning addition to a deservedly beloved set of novels; recommended for all middle grade collections.” —School Library Journal
VIDEO
The Lion & the Mouse
The Lion & The Mouse
By: Jerry Pinkney
Genre: Picture Book
Curriculum Subjects: Folk/Fairy Tales: Animals, Folk/Fairy Tales: Principles
Grade: p-1
In award-winning artist Jerry Pinkney’s wordless adaptation of one of Aesop’s most beloved fables, an unlikely pair learn that no act of kindness is ever wasted. After a ferocious lion spares a cowering mouse that he’d planned to eat, the mouse later comes to his rescue, freeing him from a poacher’s trap. With vivid depictions of the landscape of the African Serengeti and expressively-drawn characters, Pinkney makes this a truly special retelling, and his stunning pictures speak volumes.
PRAISE
Winner of the 2010 Randolph Caldecott Medal
★ “Pinkney’s soft, multihued strokes make everything in the jungle seem alive, right down to the rock.” –Booklist
★ “A classic tale from a consummate artist.” –School Library Journal
★ “A nearly wordless exploration of Aesop’s fable of symbiotic mercy that is nothing short of masterful.” –Kirkus
★ “Pinkney has no need of words; his art speaks eloquently for itself.” –Publishers Weekly
Saint George and the Dragon
Saint George and the Dragon
By Margaret Hodges, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman
Genre: Picture Book
Curriculum subjects: Adventure: Knights/Dragons, Folk/Fairy Tales: Heroes/Heroines
Grade: P-1
Retells the segment from Spenser’s The Faerie Queene, in which George, the Red Cross Knight, slays the dreadful dragon that has been terrorizing the countryside for years and brings peace and joy to the land.
★ “[The illustrations] glitter with color and mesmerizing details.” — Publisher’s Weekly
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
By: Grace Lin
Genre: Fantasy
Curriculum Subjects: Folk/Fairy Tales: Magic, Friendship, Adventure
Grade: 3-7
This Newbery Honor book features magic, adventure, friendship, and even a dragon who can’t fly! In the valley of Fruitless Mountain, a young girl named Minli lives in a ramshackle hut with her parents. In the evenings, her father regales her with old folktales of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man on the Moon, who knows the answers to all of life’s questions.
Inspired by these stories, Minli sets off on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man on the Moon to ask him how she can change her family’s fortune. She encounters an assorted cast of characters and magical creatures along the way, including a dragon who accompanies her on her quest for the ultimate answer. Grace Lin, author of the beloved Year of the Dog and Year of the Rat, returns with a wondrous story of adventure, faith, and friendship.
A fantasy crossed with Chinese folklore, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a timeless story reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz. Her beautiful illustrations, printed in full-color, accompany the text throughout. Once again, she has created a charming, engaging book for young readers.
PRAISE
★ “Children will embrace this accessible, timeless story about the evil of greed and the joy of gratitude.” – Booklist
★“The author’s writing is elegant, and her full-color illustrations are stunning … compelling and thoroughly human.” –SLJ
★“Minli emerges a stalwart female role model who learns the importance of family, friendship, and faith during her amazing journey.” –Kirkus
Thor’s Serpents
Thor’s Serpents
The Blackwell Pages
By M. A. Marr and K. A. Armstrong
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure
Curriculum Subjects: Adventure: Magic/Fantasy, Folk Tales/Fairy Tales/Classics: Magic, Personal Development: Friendship
Grade: 3-7
For fans of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, the thrilling conclusion to The Blackwell Pages, written by New York Times bestselling YA authors, K.L. Armstrong and M.A. Marr.
Thirteen-year-olds Matt, Laurie, and Fen have beaten near-impossible odds to assemble their fellow descendants of the Norse Gods and complete epic quests. Their biggest challenge lies ahead: battling the fierce monsters working to bring about the apocalypse.
But when they learn that Matt must fight the Midgard Serpent alone and Fen and Laurie are pulled in other directions, the friends realize they can’t take every step of this journey together. Matt, Laurie, and Fen will each have to fight their own battles to survive, to be true to themselves, and to one another – with nothing less than the fate of the world hanging in the balance.
Bayou Magic
Bayou Magic
By Jewell Parker Rhodes
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Curriculum Subject: Social Studies: African American Heritage, Adventure: Magic/Fantasy, Folk Tales/Fairy Tales/Classics: Africa
Grades: 3-7
Read Author Interview Educator Guide
If only Maddy sees the mermaid, can it be real?
It’s Maddy’s turn to have a bayou summer. At first she misses life back home in the city, but soon she grows to love everything about her new surroundings — the glimmering fireflies, the glorious landscape, and something else, deep within the water, that only Maddy sees. Could it be a mermaid? As her grandmother shares wisdom about sayings and signs, Maddy realizes she may be only the sibling to carry on her family’s magical legacy. And when a disastrous oil leak threatens the bayou, she knows she may also be the only one who can help. Does she have what it takes to be a hero?
A coming-of-age tale rich with folk magic, set in the wake of the Gulf oil spill, Bayou Magic celebrates hope, friendship, and family, and captures the wonder of life in the Deep South.
PRAISE & ACCOLADES
★ “Her coming-of-age story is set in a world of magic, folk history, and rituals that’s easy to embrace. Bayou Magic revels in friendship, and love while reflecting life in the Deep South. Looking to add diversity to your shelves? Look no farther than the characters that populate Bon Temps and experience the community in which they live.” – Booklist, starred review
★ “Maddy is a brave and hopeful heroine, and the descriptions of the bayou are almost as magical as her legacy. Hand this to middle grade readers who enjoy family stories, history, and a dose of fanciful magic.” – School Library Journal, starred review
VIDEO
Sisters Red
Sisters Red
By Jackson Pierce
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Curriculum Subjects: Adventure: Magic/Fantasy/Mysteries, Folk Tales/Fairy Tales/Classics: Magic, Teen Life: Family/Relationships/Sexuality
Grade: 10-17
Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris–the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She’s determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.
Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls’ bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves. She finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax and Scarlett’s only friend–but does loving him mean betraying her sister and all that they’ve worked for?
Praise & Accolades
* “This well-written, high-action adventure grabs readers and never lets go….A satisfying read with a fantastic cover.” –School Library Journal (starred review)
“Unfolds with steadily increasing tension and unexpected twists to a shocking climax…may well appeal to Melissa Marr’s readers and teens who like their fantasy on the gritty side.” –Kirkus
“Lushly romantic … Readers of Stephenie Meyer, Donna Jo Napoli, and Shannon Hale will enjoy the excitement, romance, supernatural elements, and fairy tale references.” –Booklist