Publishers Weekly
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Writing in a warm, welcoming voice peppered with humor, Yolen retells more than 30 myths, fairy tales, and fables. "Long, long ago, in far-off Africa, a great lion dozed in the sun," begins "The Lion and the Mouse." "Yes, he was proud, but all lions are proud.... He was strong, but all lions are strong. And he snored." Fables such as this sit alongside stories from the Brothers Grimm and tales from across the globe, such as "How Anansi Spider Got All His Stories" and "Plip, Plop," a Tibetan tale about not always believing what one hears. Yolen includes two original stories, and concludes each entry with a rhyming moral. Dyer's dainty gouache-and-pencil spot illustrations bring additional liveliness to each tale in a collection that's ideal for bedtime or story time. Ages 4-8. Agent: Elizabeth Harding, Curtis Brown. (Nov.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

This beautiful volume offers a selection of the folktales and fairy tales that are just right for sharing with preschool and primary-grade children. The headings for the stories include the country of origin or, in the case of two original ones, Jane Yolen. In retelling the 30 traditional tales, Yolen adds a rhymed couplet at the end of each one, but retains familiar lines that have been perfected by generations of storytellers. While most of the stories are drawn from western European countries, other sources named include Africa, America, Iran, Israel, Japan, Korea, Russia, and Tibet. Yolen's writing ability, her longstanding love of folklore, and her experience in reading to children combine to make this collection a pleasure to read and share. From gouache paintings depicting scenes from the stories to the small black-and-white silhouettes that appear after the closing rhymes, Dyer's lively illustrations appear on almost every page and depict both human and animal characters with energy, warmth, and grace. A fine source of tales for reading aloud.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2018 Booklist

Horn Book
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Divided into "Homey Tales," "Beastly Tales," and "Tales of Magic Makers," the thirty-two stories are mostly European, with a few from America, Africa, and Asia; the Old Testament "Noah's Ark" is here, along with two folkloric Yolen originals. These lovely retellings are highly appropriate for bedtime and group read-alouds, though Dyer's delicate gouache paintings and black-and-white spot art are best enjoyed one-on-one. Reading list. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.