Folklore and Fairy Tales

The Musician

In ancient China, a young musician named Yu Boya gained fame for his talents. On the night of the Moon Festival, he encounters a mysterious woodcutter who is also a musician and admires Boya’s most famous song: Lofty Mountains and Flowing Water. Their friendship deepens and Boya vows to play the song for his new friend every year on the festival night. But the next year, upon hearing of his friend’s death, Boya smashes his instrument and never plays again. To this day, the word for “close friendship” means “understanding the music.”

Telling Stories Wrong

Grandpa playfully recounts a familiar fairytale or his version, at least to his granddaughter, and try as she might to get him back on track, he keeps on adding things to the mix, resulting in an unpredictable tale that comes alive as it is being told.

Featured in WOW Review Volume XV, Issue 2.

The Three Hunters

Akagaq, the youngest brother of three, is confident but forgetful. When he gets caught in a blizzard he makes a tent, but it is no match for the powerful winds. Trapped in the cold, Akagaq is helped by his brother Tiriaq. Tiriaq digs into a snowdrift for shelter, but the wind is still too strong and blows out their lamp. Akkiutaq, the eldest brother, arrives to save them, and brings them to the iglu he has carefully built. The wind threatens to destroy the iglu as well, but the shelter proves strong, and the brothers are safe. The brothers learn an important lesson about paying attention to their Elders, and taking care in what they do.

Amarurjuk

In this faithful retelling of a traditional story from the Kugaaruk region, told by Elder Levi Illuitok, a father must save his infant child from an amajurjuk, an ogress known to steal children. When the ogress takes advantage of the child’s mother being blind to trick her into giving away her child, the child’s father embarks on a quest to save his infant from certain death.

Cloud Bread

Cloud Bread tells the story of cats who are able to fly after eating bread made of cloud. It is the story of two sibling cats with cloud fragments eating bread baked by their mother.

Three Little Vikings

“From the creator of the New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book, Little Red, comes another thrilling and spunky fairy tale retelling about three very brave and rebellious Viking girls”–

Charlie Hernández & The Golden Dooms

Inspired by Hispanic folklore, legends, and myths from the Iberian Peninsula and Central and South America, this third book in the Charlie Hernández series follows Charlie as he fights against an army of the dead.

The Sea-Ringed World: Sacred Stories Of The Americas

“Fifteen thousand years before Europeans stepped foot in the Americas, people had already spread from tip to tip and coast to coast. Like all humans, these Native Americans sought to understand their place in the universe, the nature of their relationship with the divine, and the origin of the world into which their ancestors had emerged. The answers lay in their sacred stories.”

Celtic Tales

Perilous quests, true love, and animals that talk: The traditional stories of Ireland, Scotland, Brittany, and Wales transport us to the fantastical world of Celtic folklore. Features 16 stories that were translated and transcribed by folklorists in the late 19th and 20th centuries that focus on themes such as Tricksters, The Sea, Quests, and Romance. These timeless tales brim with wit and magic, and each one is brought to life with elegant silhouette art in this special illustrated edition.

Celtic Tales is an extraordinary collection that conjures forgotten realms and rare magical creatures in vivid prose. Discover the impactful and stunning illustrations by Kate Forrester in this special edition that is sure to impress any true fan of cultural and mythological literature. Discover delightfully entertaining tales such as Master and Man, The Soul Cages, The Red-Etin, and The Witch of Lok Island.