Not One Damsel in Distress: World Folktales for Strong Girls »

JaneYolen lives in Massachusetts.

John Schoenherr lives in New Jersey.

These thirteen folktales have one thing in common: brainy, brawny, brave heroines—and not one damsel in distress! From Bradamante, the fierce female medieval knight, to Li Chi, the Chinese girl who slays a dreaded serpent and saves her town, these heroines use their cunning, wisdom, and strength to succeed.

Drawing from diverse cultures around the world, renowned author Jane Yolen celebrates the smart, strong, and sassy heroines of legend and lore in a collection that will encourage bravery in every girl.

Children's Literature

Peopled with princesses and paupers, kings and their sons, dragons and strange creatures of all sorts, this book trumpets the theory that girls can (and should) tackle anything that happens along and taunts them to withdraw or be afraid. There are many Esthers and Vashtis within its pages. The collection of thirteen (is this a message to disdain fear?) tales from cultures as disparate as Argentina, Japan and the Ozarks of the U.S. features girls of every description who run off, á la Joan of Arc or Mulan of Disney fame, to persevere, conquer and ultimately win their reward (usually including, sad to say, the prince of their dreams). One story, The Pirate Princess, designated as "Poland/Jewish" and attributed to Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav, has a long publishing history, having first appeared in the Rabbi's Hebrew Sippure Maasiyot (1881) and more recently in Howard Schwartz's Elijah's Violin & Other Jewish Fairy Tales. Every bit as magical and clever as its companion stories, it revolves around the very Jewish concept of bashert, the intended one provided by God, whose designs cannot be thwarted regardless of how long or winding is the road to togetherness. Jane Yolen confesses in her endnotes that she has taken liberties with most of the stories, adding here and changing there. But that is how folktales endure--in the turning and twisting and reflecting of the countries where they first emerge and the migrations they sustain, until nearly every story (and they all appear in many versions, in many volumes) survives with exotic flavorings and delightful discoveries. The book will, unfortunately, not be available until May so it misses this Purim season; but grab it as soon as it appears--it's great reading for any time of the year.