I'm a teacher in the Oakland Schools in California and these tales are wonderful to read aloud. Particularly to black children because it picks up the nuances of the spoken word as they hear it. The criticism by a reviewer that the tales aren't true to their source is irrelevant. So what? These tales are for fairly young children, grades 3 through 5. Naturally, they've been cleaned up a little. I can't see by doing this that the author has robbed them of their energy or humor.

The children love them. That's all that counts.

Judith Cohen

This book was so good! I just loved it. My little sister just loved it too. The discriptions in the book were really good! I also just loved all of the characters! I recommend this book to people young and old.

This book was really excellent and suspenseful! So far the best in the series and it's scary but not too scary! I think that it is actually one of my all-time favorite scary story books!

Windigo Island

The Rolling Head

The Croglin Grange Vampire Like San Souci's earlier collection Short & Shivery (1987), this contains a sampling of folktales in which supernatural elements take center stage. Vampires, disembodied heads, ghosts, and evil entities of varying descriptions terrify unsuspecting mortals, the nice as well as the nasty kind. Several of the 30 stories--for example, the often anthologized "King of the Cats" from the British Isles and "Knock . . . Knock . . . Knock," a popular North American urban legend--may be known to scary-story fans. But most of the tales, which have been gathered from countries as far flung as Russia, Haiti, Iceland, and Nigeria, will be unfamiliar. Some of the stories were Me, Myself,The Accursed House,and and The Thing in the Woods. Katherine Coville, who illustrated the earlier collection, will contribute 20 drawings, which, given the sample provided, promise a few chills of their own. Though creepy enough, San Souci's straightforward retellings (he sometimes uses dialogue) keep the grisly details well under control, and his thorough source notes can lead readers on to other collections of folklore, fairy tales, and myths.

The young prince must search for what his father requests. He immediately finds a magical castle instead, and by trusting the White Cat he finds all he needs. In between there are some great adventures, fanciful and courageous. My daughter enjoys this book and we've read it many times.

The illustrations in this beautiful book are worth getting it for alone. But when you add to this an exciting and interesting story - one that I never tire of reading and my children never tire of hearing - this book is an all-around winner. I highly recommend this book as a mother and a teacher.

This is a wonderful story to tell the metaphors like "boldly as the wolves who sense the hunt is ending soon" add so much to the story. I never liked Jacobs version because of the maiming of Turpie. San souci has made wonderful addition of the dogs and he builds up the suspense from coming silently to their final bold attack. The Hobyahs are scary but not too scary and the dogs faithful. This version kept an audience of 700 spellbound last month and 6th graders last week.

Little Gold Star offers a wonderful blend of story and illustrations from San Souci and Martinez. Little Gold Star is a Spanish American fairy tale similar to Cinderella. However, the role of fairy godmother is filled by Blessed Mary, showing the traditional Catholic influence in this culture. San Souci is always wonderful with words, but Martinez gives the story a serene beauty with his illustrations. The book has a peaceful feeling with its subdued tones. The reader knows the story will end happily and enjoys the journey to the end all the same. I highly recommend this book.

The third grade class I shared this book with sat on the edge of their seats. The author was very careful to define the spanish vocabulary used right after in the next line. It was great to graphically map out using imaginary verses a real horse having the children site examples. The folktale was quickly identified by the children. They compared it to others they had shared or read at home or school. Great for compare and contrast concepts! The illustrations were wonderful and vivid! My third grade daughter couldn't put it down until she was finished.

N.C. Wyeth studied under Howard Pyle, the father of American illustration, and it clearly shows in this book about the Pilgrims. In 1940 Wyeth was commissioned by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in New York to paint the murals used to illustrate this book, completing fourteen murals in five years before dying in a car accident. Wyeth proposed a historical series entitled "The Ballad of America" that would begin with the Pilgrims and continue through the California gold rush, but Met Life decided to limit the series to the Plymouth colony. Wyeth challenging the prevailing belief of Pilgrim society as unremittingly grim by painting scenes that reflected his romantic and lyrical style. He expanded his original vision to include scenes of wildlife, trying to give an idea of the beautiful land the Pilgrims found in the New World.

This book was inspired in part by the restoration of the murals in 1984. The text accompanying the illustrations is by Robert San Souci, who provides details on what is known about the real pilgrims. While not as dramatic as the illustrations he did for "Treasure Island," "Robin Hood," and "The Last of the Mohicans," these murals have their moments. Particularly memorable is one of the Pilgrims standing on a hill, watching a ship sail back to England. The mural of Thanksgiving seems odd because there is only one Indian seated at the long table awaiting the turkey (while the text recalls how "Chief Massasoit arrived with ninety men, women, and children"). Young readers will learn something about the Pilgrims from reading this book, but the chief charm is clearly the murals by Wyeth. Certainly these deserve to be preserved for future generations to enjoy.

With similarities to The Elves and the Shoemaker comes The Secret of the Stones, a folktale based on African and African-American narratives. The illustrations transport the reader to the Ozark mountains. Each day from sun-up to sun-down a childless couple, John and Clara, tend the cotton and vegetables before retiring to their simple meal--peas, okra, corn bread. One evening on the long walk home, Clara stoops to pick up two white stones. She plans to use them to whet her knives and instead brings a mystery into their home. The next evening they find the clothes ironed, wood sawed, floor swept, corn pounded, fire made, and the supper things laid out. Not even a footprint is left. Aunt Easter sends them on an errand to solve the mystery and possibly change their lives. An enchanting book to share.

This Japanese folktale receives Toriko Ito's warm drawings as it tells of a little boy named Satsu, whose best friends are a puppy and a fox cub. Good reading skills or parental assistance will aid in this magic story of a boy who disobeys his parents and trades his silver charm for his life, encountering new problems in the process.

The story Song of Sedna is a great book to read. This is a great book for children in which they will want to read over and over again. This story is also beautifully illustrated with beautiful and captivating pictures which will mesmerise young and old alike. This book also teaches the value of trust and deceit. It teaches you to look beyond a pretty face and look through a persons heart like the adage "Don't judge a book by its cover". This is a must have book for every collector.