Fairy Tales and Fables »

Gyo Fujikawa creates magic with this enchanting collection of fairy tales and fables. These are the stories that all children should experience, that will nourish their young minds and imaginations: Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, The Hare and the Tortoise, The Little Red Hen, The Three Little Pigs, and many more. Some are well known and beloved; others are unfamiliar, but they’re all beautifully written and illustrated. As always, Fujikawa’s characters (human and animal) are endearing and rich in personality. Her stunning images include the ugly duckling looking up plaintively at swans flying in a sunset sky; a lovely princess atop dozens of colorful mattresses (but she can still feel the pea); and tiny Jack chased by a giant large enough to take up nearly an entire spread!

Children's Literature

AGERANGE: Ages 6 to 10.

This reissue of Fujikawa's classic collection makes 49 well-known traditional tales accessible to a new generation of children. Many of the stories are "softened" for young listeners. For instance, the wolf does not eat either Little Red Riding Hood or her grandmother. Grandmother is hidden in the closet when Little Red arrives and a woodsman shows up at just the right moment to chase the wolf into the forest. Rumpelstiltskin does not tear himself in two, but simply rushes from the room when his name is guessed. There is an exception. The fox does eat the arrogant Gingerbread Boy. Many of the fables appear on one page, and although the folk tales do extend to two or three pages each, most of the space throughout the book is covered with Fujikawa's charming illustrations. Pages with pictures in full color alternate with black-and-white drawings, as was the custom in the 1970s. Titles of the entries and page numbers are listed on the Contents page, but no distinction is made between folk tales and fables, and there is no apparent order or organizational pattern. The retellings are brief, relying on basic storylines and stereotypical characters, making these selections good choices for introducing the tales to young children. Reviewer: Phyllis Kennemer, Ph.D.