Traditional Literature

Folktales, Fairy Tales, Mythology and Fables!

Grades K-2 Choices

Princess Hyacinth and the Surprising Tale of a Girl who Floated*

by Florence Parry Heide
Illustrated by Lane Smith

ISBN: 978-0-375-84501-7

This tale is about a young princess with an unorthodox obstacle in her life...she floats!  At first, attempts were made to keep her grounded to Earth.  Heavy jewels adorned her crown, pebbles of diamonds were attached to the tops of her socks (ouch!), and weights were sewn inside of the hem of her dress.  One day, she meets up with a balloon vendor at the local park.  She strips down to just her royal underwear, and the vendor allows her to float with his balloons...but then he accidentally lets go of the string that was tied to her ankle!  She enjoys the freedom of floating.  Needless to say the king and queen were very worried.  A boy (named Boy) rescues her by reeling her in with his kite.  After that, she goes for a "float" every day, and every evening he reels her in.  It's an adorable story about a girl allowed to have her freedoms and the boy that will always be there for her to bring her safely home. 

Me and You*

by Anthony Browne

ISBN: 978-0-374-34908-0

This fractured fairy tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears has a wonderfully fresh text format that conveys a powerful message sure to be a hit with children.  This story is narrated from the perspective of Baby Bear, and it is told in a dichotomy format.  His point-of-view is shown on one side of the page layout.  On the opposite side, a golden-haired girl's (the author never officially names her Goldilocks) point-of-view is conveyed in wordless illustrations with muted color schemes that set a heavy and sad mood.  When the girl gets lost from her large city  and stumbles upon Baby Bear's home, she is then conveyed with the vibrant colors as if she's come alive there. When the bears return home, they are unhappy about having the uninvited guest at their home, and they then are painted in the heavy subdued colors.  This frightens the golden-haired girl, and hurries back to her side of town. The story unfolds to reveal that although Baby Bear has material gifts, he seems uncared for by this busy parents.  The golden haired girl eventually ends up in a touching embrace with her mother...and the author/illustration incorporated sparking gold tones to shine through the subdued tones. 

Young Zeus*

by G. Brian Karas

ISBN: 978-0-439-72806-5

I don't know how the author can do this so well, but he tells the story of Zeus with humor.  What a challenge is must have been to adhere to mythological themes (for instance, his father, Cronus, ate Zeus's siblings as babies so they wouldn't overrule him) and still tell the story with a humorous tone!  Zeus outwits Cronus to bring back his siblings..yes, you guessed it...right out of Cronus's belly.  The books ends with the Battle of the Titans and Zeus's installation as the god of gods. 

Websites for Traditional Literature

Here are some web-based options related to Traditional Literature!

Grades 3-5 Choices

 

Piratology*

by Captain William Lubber

Edited by Dugal Steer

ISBN: 978-0-763-63143-7

Written as a captain's log, this book chronicles the journey of Cpt. Wililam Lubber as he travels the world in search of a lady pirate, Arabella Drummond.  The text structure of the book is alluring.  It captures and highlights many aspects of pirate life of the 17th and 18th century.  Readers will be privileged to such things as weaponry, Jolly Roger flag, and navigational maps (which unfold to reveal more detail).  This certainly is a book that has child magnetism...and to be honest, adults feel the pull too!  If you like this book (and it's had not to), you may be interested in other "ology" books by the same publisher: Oceanology, Egyptology, Monsterology... and more

 

Medusa Jones*

by Ross Colins

ISBN: 978-1410407795

This book intertwines that hardships of today's middle school life with ancient Greek mythology.  Medusa was a gorgon (snakes for hair).  She is dubbed "Miss Hiss" and "Little Miss Slitherface" by the popular circle at the school, The Champions.  Because they bullied her, others made her an easy target, too.  Luckily, she did have two true friends, but their physical make-up (a centaur and minotaur) made them misfits , too.  The main part of the plot revolves around a class hiking trip where Medusa's group is stuck on Mount Olympus with The Champions.  In the end, the reader learns "Nobody's perfect."

Red Ridin' in the Hood and other Cuentos

by Patricia Santos Marcantonio
Illustrated by Renato Alarcão

ISBN: 978-0-374-36241-6

Eleven fractured fairy tales are shared in this folklore compilation that blurs cultural lines.  Traditional tales such as The Emperor's New Clothes, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and others are retold with a Latino flavor.  Traditional themes about life (isn't always fair, human flaws, etc) are balanced with triumphant themes as shown by the strong and wise characters.  Throughout the book, Latino culture such as language, food, and holiday traditions are interwoven into the stories.

Mythical Monsters: The Scariest Creatures from Legends, Books, and Movies*

by Chris McNab

ISBN: 0-439-85492-2

This book serves as a reference source for background knowledge of monsters not only of myths, but also of legends, media, and modern monsters.  Each of these areas has its own chapter, and each page, with amazing illustrations, is set up in certain format.  This text structure allows the reader to access specific information at a glance. 

Covering the mythological monsters of Basilisk, Cerberus, Chimaeras, Cyclops, Fenrir, Gorgon, Griffin, Harpy, Hydra, Kraken, Manticore,  Minotaur, Oni, Roc, Scylla, Sphinx,  Thunderbird, and Wyvern, the reader can learn more about the size, the powers, and the parts of the world that the monsters were from, and even some little known facts about the beasts.  This information is laid out in a side-by-side, two page format.  On the left, the reader will find a color illustration of the monster with its various anatomical information labeled and described. On the right page, the reader will find a paragraph explaining the traditional myth behind the creature, a comparison of the monster’s size to a human body, a map of the geographical region where the monster is from, and a “Did You Know?” section that bullets which covers a few interesting facts about the mythological monster. 

   

Grades 6-8 Choices

Pandora Gets Jealous*

by Carolyn Hennesy

978-1-299-99196-1

This book blends themes of mythology into the modern day era.  The main character, Pandora (or Pandy, as she is nicknamed), is your typical teenager.  She is bullied by other girls at her school, rolls her eyes at her parents, has a couple of misfit friends, and grumbles "gods" in exasperation.  In an attempt to impress others for their middle-school project entitled "The Enduring Presence of Gods in Daily Life," she brings a small wooden box to school that she found in her father's room (Pandora's Box).  Pandy is very careful with the box to ensure the contents remain sealed inside of it.  By giving in to peer pressure, this box is later inspected by the popular and mean girls of her school, Helen and Hippa, in exchange for an invitation for Pandy and her friends to a party.  These girls are less careful with the sealed box, and they accidentally release the evils out of the box to roam the earth.  Needless to say, Pandy gets into BIG trouble, and eventually, she is ordered by Zeus to rectify the situation and recapture the evils.  Zeus's wife, Hera, gives Pandy a map to assist her on her quest.  Other than that, she is all on her own...chasing the evils in the world. 

This book is the first of a series of Pandora books.  The reader can follow the adventure in Pandora Gets Vain, Pandora Gets Lazy, Pandora Get Heart (in search of lust), and Pandora Gets Angry. Also, there is a reference section at the rear of the book that gives explanations of various mythological references and characters to assist readers.  

The Book of Lost Things

b y John Connolly

Described as "Stephen King meets the Brothers Grimm" (American Library Association), this book is sure to thrill teenagers!  Twelve-year old David turns to the books on his shelves after his mother dies...following her advice that stories are alive.  Soon, his father remarries and expects another child.  The fantasy of his books and the harsh reality of his life blend together in his imagination.  David enters a portal to another world where he meets beasts and monsters. Legends such as Little Red Riding Hood and Hansel and Gretel are slightly morphed and interwoven on his journey.  In order to earn his way back, David partakes in a quest for the Book of Lost Things. 

 

Book Trailer

Have you heard of The Sisters Grimm book yet?  Let the author, Michael Buckley, share a little about it in this book trailer. 

Traditional Literature

Take another look at Traditional Literature; I did.  The participatory nature of this genre is inviting for children.  I grew as a reader in this genre as I realized that Traditional Literature truly preserves a culture.  It's deeper than my previous opinions of "they're fun and predictable."  Truly, Traditional Literature serves a bigger function than what I had thought.  So, pick up that folktale, fairytale, or mythology book.  History is woven within.