Traditional Literature Books

Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
Illustrator- Carol Liddiment
2009
RL- 1.5
A humorous folktale from Arabia about a man that takes ten donkeys to the market and keeps counting only nine. As soon as he gets off his donkey, he counts again and counts ten. He is then happy that the lost donkey came back.

Publisher: Holiday House
Illustrator- Will Hillenbrand
2009
RL- 2.3
Based on an old folk song, a young girl asks her dad to trade their donkey for a silver coin to buy a wedding dress. The dad goes out and keeps trading and trading the items. Through hilarious trades, the daughter gets her wish.

Illustrator- Stacey Schuett
Publisher: August House
2007
RL- 2.8
This Choctaw folktale puts a different spin on the rabbit and tortoise race. It all begins when Turkey tries in turtle's shell when Rabbit wanted to race. Turtle learns a valuable lesson at the end.

Illustrator- Katya Krenina
Publisher: Holiday House
2010
RL- 1.6
This folktale sends many important messages. First, there can be Christmas without the presents. Second, if you show kindness and compassion, greater gifts will come.

Illustrator- Susan Gaber
Publisher: August House
2007
RL- 2.0
This Aesop Fable is a great story to use with young children. Its story line encourages kindness and compassion instead of force and meanness.

Illustrator- Boris Kulikov
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
2006
RL- 2.0
This retelling of this famous folktale is geared towards young elementary students that can gain a great lesson of the importance of telling the truth.

Illustrator- Laura Dronzek
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
2007
RL- 2.5
This fable from China teaches a lesson of compassion and kindness. As Rabbit knows, you need to think about the need of others and to share with your friends. In the end, something special will come your way too.

Illustrator-Julie Paschkis
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
2007
RL- 4.1
The author takes a variety of Cinderella tales from all over the world and combined them into this tale of Cinderella.

Illustrator-Francisco Mora
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co
2008
RL- 3.6
This folktale comes from the Philippines. Tuko the gecko moves in an area with birds. Tuko sings through the night and the brids can't sleep. They teach the young gecko a lesson and he moves to the swamp.

Illustrator- Polly Borland
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH
2006
RL- 4.8
This is a fairy tale based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen. A prince is looking for a girl to marry. Then one night a young girl is at the castle. She has to prove to the king and queen that she is a real princess.

Illustator- Will Terry
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
2008
RL- 3.1
A traditional tale from South America. This humorous story is about a frog that loves to brag. He doesn't learn his lesson though even almost being eaten by a jaguar.

Illustrator- Anne Yvonne Gilbert
Publisher: Ann Arbor Editions
2007
RL- 3.5
This Grimm Brothers folktale endures the message of always following through with what you said. Greatness may come in the end if you do.

Illustrator- Bagram Ibatoulline
Publisher: Candlewick
2007
RL- 4.2
This fairy tale involves a witch having a soldier go down a tree. In the tree he gathers gold and a tinderbox. One night the soldier discovers the magic held within the tinderbox.

Illustrator- Max Grafe
Publisher: Candlewick
2007
RL- 4.0
This is a retelling of a Grimm's famous fairy tale. It is geared for older children. A man sell's his soul to the devil. He overcame the hardships. The lesson is to be happy with what you have and always share with people who have nothing. It is very rewarding to help others.

Illustrator- Leonard Everett Fisher
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
2005
RL- 4.2
This Anglo-Saxon story retells children about the hero Beowulf and how he saved Heorot Hall from a terrible monster. This story can be traced back to the sixteenth century.

Illustrator- Richard Johnson M.D.
Publisher: Kingfisher
2007
RL- 4.2
This is a collection of eight of Aesop's Fables. It includes some more common stories like "The Lion and the Mouse" and some not so familiar like "The Jay and the Peacocks."

Publisher: KidHaven
2006
RL- 6.2
This book retells the legends and tales surrounding the Banshees. The Banshees were female supernatural beings that were able to bring warnings of death.

Illustrator- Laura Bannon
Publisher: NYR Children's Collection
2007
RL- 6.5
This is a Newbery Honor Book that contains nineteen tales of the legendary American Cowboy Pecos Bill.

Illustrator- Sophy Williams
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
2007
RL- 6.5
This Arabian Nights tale has a poor young man become a prince with the help of a magic lamp.