Magical Tales from Many Lands

Magical Tales from Many Lands Retold by Margaret Mayo. Illustrated by Jane Ray
Youth Non-fiction – Lower Level – J 398.2 M

I’m always on the lookout for good stories to read curled up with my six-year-old. Key features would include stories that work well read aloud, hopefully short enough to read at bedtime or before little sister becomes loses patience, and good pictures, as well as just the right blend of excitement without being too scary. I’ve loved Jane Ray’s work in Berlie Doherty’s Fairy Tales for years, but only recently found this earlier work. I still love Jane Ray’s style, folk-art like with lots of gold highlights. In this book, she blends her distinctive style with elements of the art of the culture she’s representing to create work that’s both cohesive throughout the book and reflective of the culture each story is from. The stories are Arabic (“The Lemon Princess”), Japanese, Chinese, Russian (a slightly less frightening “Baba Yaga Bony-Legs” than I’m used to), African (a version of “Unanana and the Elephant,” a story I remember from one of my favorite childhood storybooks of feminist folk tales.), African-American, Native American, French and more. It’s a good mix of cultures, and while the collection doesn’t feature all women, there are enough stories of strong women for balance. They are well told, with lots of the repetitive language that works so well for story-telling. Although perhaps less interesting to children, I really appreciated her notes on each tale, explaining the source or sources and her deviations from that version. This gem is now out of print, so enjoy it at your library!

Other favorite fairy tale collections:

Fairy Tales by Berlie Doherty – J 398.2 D

Mightier than the Sword by Jane Yolen – J 398.2 Y

Not One Damsel in Distress by Jane Yolen – J 398.2 Y