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Traditional literature is the term used to describe various forms of folklore, stories that come from the oral tradition. They do not have a known originating author, but have been collected and retold by people like the Grimm Brothers. Traditional literature includes folktales, mythology, legends, tall tales, folk songs, nursery rhymes and fairy tales.
Rimonah of the Flashing Sword: A North African Tale
After Rimonah's mother dies mysteriously, an evil sorceress bewitches Rimonah's father, the king and forces him to marry her. The sorceress, jealous of the princess Rimonah's beauty orders a huntsman to take her to the dessert and kill her. The huntsman lets Rimonah escape to a cave with 40 thieves. Here, Rimonah grows into a warrior princess whose "skills with a dagger and a sword were unsurpassed." The sorceress, unaware of Rimonah's existence for so many years discovers her again with the help of a magic, reflective porcelain bowl. The sorceress tries to kill Rimonah with magic and spells but instead sends her into a deep sleep....
You may have guessed that this is the story most Americans know as Snow White. Adapted by Eric A Kimmel, this African Snow White, Rimonah is a dynamic, strong-willed and self-assured warrior princess who gets revenge for herself and her family and marries the "prince of her dreams" in the process.
Reviewed by Lorisa Harvey
By Anne Isaacs
Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky
Traditional literature had been waiting for a heroine like Swamp Angel from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee! This giant gal seems to follow in the footsteps of Paul Bunyon as she takes on a giant bear who is terrorizing the settlers. Tarnation is no match for the wit and strength of Swamp Angel. This tall tale helps explain constellations, the popularity of bear hunting in the mountains, and how the Shortgrass Prairie of Montana might have been formed from this epic battle. Readers who can't get enough of Swamp Angel's heroics can follow her to Montana in the next book, Dust Devil, by the same author and illustrator duo.
Interest Level: Grades 3-5
Reading Level: 5.3
Reviewed by Robin Hosemann
Dust Devil
By Anne Isaacs
Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky
If you enjoyed Swamp Angel's antics, find out how she tackles yet another giant problem in another state. This time it's the twisting tornado of a dust storm that charges across the prairie of Montana. Swamp Angel has already made an impact on the geography of this state and she continues to do so as she jumps on the dust devil and tries to ride it like a horse. Little does she know that the storm will actually become a horse and her trusty giant sidekick as she battles the Backwards Desperadoes, a rag-tag group of outlaws who attempt to rob the settlers. Swamp Angel and Dust Devil resort to a variety of tricks to help fight the bandits, and along the way, you'll find out how the Grand Canyon might have been formed and how gold might have ended up in the streams of the Wild West.
Interest Level: Grades 3-5
Reading Level: 5.3
Reviewed by Robin Hosemann
The Three Snow Bears
Interest level: K-3
Reading level: 2.8
Jan Brett pairs her wonderful illustrations with the familiar story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears...with a twist. In this version, Goldilocks is Aloo-ki, an Inuit girl who loses her huskies while fishing and finds comfort in the snow bears' igloo.
Reviewed by Lesley Hermann