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Jane Yolen
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Not One Damsel in Distress: World Folktales for Strong Girls Hardcover – May 1, 2000

by Susan Guevara (Illustrator), Jane Yolen (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 62 ratings
See all formats and editions
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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.
Previous page
  1. Reading age
    8 - 12 years
  2. Print length
    128 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    3 - 7
  5. Dimensions
    8.25 x 0.75 x 10.25 inches
  6. Publisher
    HMH Books for Young Readers
  7. Publication date
    May 1, 2000
  8. ISBN-10
    0152020470
  9. ISBN-13
    978-0152020477
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7-This collection of folktales from around the world presents a range of tales that all feature strong women. While the majority of stories (7 out of 13) are European in origin, most are relatively unfamiliar. Only four of the tales, "Atalanta the Huntress," "Fitcher's Bird" (a Bluebeard/Mr. Fox variant), "Burd Janet" (a Tam Lin variant), and "Molly Whuppie," are likely to be recognized by readers. Yolen's retellings are consistently engaging and well written, whether she is dealing with the history of the White River Sioux in "Brave Woman Counts Coup" or "Nana Miriam," a culture hero of the Songhai of Niger. Ample source notes and explanations of Yolen's additions and changes are included as is a thorough bibliography. Unfortunately, the cover painting of a buxom girl on a ship seems much more suited to a "damsel in distress" collection than to these stories that eschew the helpless female. However, the interior illustrations are better.
Ellen A. Greever, University of New Orleans, LA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

The title says it all: this is a spirited collection with a lively pace. Yolen's introduction, written as an open letter to her daughter and granddaughters, and her notes and bibliography frame the collection well. Like a bezel that holds a gem, her beginning and ending pieces remind us that girls know how to be heroes (but that boys need to know it, too) and that every time and culture has stories of female heroes that need to be heard again and again. So Yolen tells tales that may be familiar--among them, Germany's "Fitcher's Bird," related to "Mr. Fox and Bluebeard," in which the young Erna saves herself and her sisters from the clutches of an evil wizard. Other tales will be less well known: in a tale from Romania, Mizilca serves in the sultan's army in her sick father's place; and in a tale from Argentina, Maldonada's kindness to a puma and its cubs saves her. The stories sing and soar in Yolen's supple language, and each is contained enough for a read-aloud. Illustrations not available in galley. GraceAnne A. DeCandido

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ HMH Books for Young Readers; First Edition (May 1, 2000)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 128 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0152020470
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0152020477
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 8 - 12 years
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 3 - 7
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.35 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.25 x 0.75 x 10.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 62 ratings

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Jane Yolen

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
62 global ratings
Looking for the Female Hero’s Journey....
5 Stars
Looking for the Female Hero’s Journey....
I was in Costa Rica recently and a story teller told the story of Tatter-hood. It was told probably much better than stories in this book but it occured to me that the hero’s journey from a womans perspective do exist and I wanted to read more. Just got the book so hope lives up to my expectations
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Top reviews from the United States

Sassylobsterhands
5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite collection of children's fairytales
Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2017
Verified Purchase
I first got this book as a child and absolutely loved it- I'm the daughter of a staunch feminist, so I always looked for stories where girls weren't expected to wait around for men to come save them. The bonus with this collection is that they're stories from all over the world, not just the Greeks and Disney tales. I just bought another copy to keep in my classroom for my students, and I may buy another copy if I can't find my original (which hasn't had the illustrated jacket in at least a decade) to keep for when I have kids of my own. I highly recommend these fairy tales for boys and girls, they rich in culture and adventure and different perspectives, and just a plain good read.
4 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great stories!
Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2022
Verified Purchase
A dear friend found this when we were looking for a story to turn into a ballet. Loads of strong women characters and exciting plots. We made a beautiful ballet from one and are planning to do another.
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Emili
4.0 out of 5 stars A great gift for a special little lady in your life
Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2015
Verified Purchase
These stories were delightful, and came with wonderful illustrations and large print for children to read. I can't wait until I can give this to a niece or daughter. I originally bought this to read for myself but it is bound and formatted like a children's book, so that is who I suggest buying this for.
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C. Bussell '76
5.0 out of 5 stars So great, I gave a copy to a 12 year old
Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2022
Verified Purchase
This is a wonderful collection of stories. Girls can be strong, brave, wise, and smart. Traditional tales prove it.
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Terry Finisterre
5.0 out of 5 stars I especially love the British
Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2015
Verified Purchase
Do you have a daughter? If you do, read this for her. If you are a little girl, or a woman, for that matter, get this book. Heck, if you're raising a boy, this should help teach him to appreciate female human beings. I especially love the British, feminist version of Jack and the Beanstalk. The heartwarming tale of The Girl And The Puma is good, too. And The Pirate Princes is a brilliant, whirlwind ride. I'm not sure I love the moral of The Samurai Princess or the Atalanta story, but dang, those two girls can kick some major butt. GET THIS FOR YOUR CHILD!
2 people found this helpful
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D. Hodnett
5.0 out of 5 stars Looking for the Female Hero’s Journey....
Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2019
Verified Purchase
I was in Costa Rica recently and a story teller told the story of Tatter-hood. It was told probably much better than stories in this book but it occured to me that the hero’s journey from a womans perspective do exist and I wanted to read more. Just got the book so hope lives up to my expectations
Customer image
D. Hodnett
5.0 out of 5 stars Looking for the Female Hero’s Journey....
Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2019
I was in Costa Rica recently and a story teller told the story of Tatter-hood. It was told probably much better than stories in this book but it occured to me that the hero’s journey from a womans perspective do exist and I wanted to read more. Just got the book so hope lives up to my expectations
Images in this review
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Hedonist In Moderation, aka Jenn Lee
4.0 out of 5 stars Using this as summer reading for my cousin
Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2013
Verified Purchase
As a feminist, I constantly look for alternative books I can use when I tutor my younger 12 year old cousin. This is new for both of us, so I'll be using this to devise and inspire projects I'm assigning her.
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Deborah S. Anderson
5.0 out of 5 stars Great discussions start here!
Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2014
Verified Purchase
An excellent book that my 9-year old daughter loves (along with Yolen's Mightier Than the Sword". Yes, there are references to cannibals, and some gruesome images (the bathtub someone else mentioned). If anything, these actually made the book MORE appealing to my daughter. There are disturbing references to the value of girls in history. For us, these have been fantastic points of conversation. They have made us think, and my daughter think, and helped us talk about roles and views of women. This book has been a fantastic resource in our homeschooling.
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

K. Rosee
4.0 out of 5 stars Well portrayed heroines, but we might outgrow them too quickly
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 25, 2013
Verified Purchase
I am reading the stories with my daughter and we have not yet actually covered them all. What we have seen so far is a really nice selection of heroines who, in their own way, deal with and overcome dangers or problems.

I liked the fact that this is not a 'versus' book. There was no common thread of boys bad, girls good but where there were male characters involved, it was more like cooperation to succeed.

Overall, the feel of the stories are very folksy (I know, it says 'World Folktales for Strong Girls') and I'm wondering whether they could be more up to date without losing their fairy tale character. Probably not an easy feat, but we're reading to/with girls of the 21st century now.
5 people found this helpful
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