Book reviews - myths, legends & traditional tales

Rapunzel (Grimm's Fairy Tales) by Saviour Pirotta

Rapunzel has long been one of my favourite fairy tales and I enjoyed this fairly brief retelling with its colourful illustrations. A long-awaited child, Rapunzel was taken by an evil witch when she was a baby - all because her mother wanted the rapunzel plants which grew in the witch's garden. Por Rapunzel is locked up in a tower, with hair so long the witch can climb up it to visit her - but will she ever be saved? Who else can climb up her hair?

Goldilocks and the Three Bears illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark

The story needs no introduction and this is a lovely re-telling that will strike a chord with today's young children as they readily identify with the language used, especially in Goldilocks' words - ' "Eeuch!" she cried. "Disgusting and cold." '  The large format provides plenty of scope for the bright yet delicate watercolour and pencil illustrations which are packed with detail and pattern. Plenty of amusing touches to spot such as Goldilocks reading Little Red Riding Hood while sitting in the chair.

The Pied Piper of Hamelin retold by Michael Morpurgo

Set in a town which is broken-down and riddled with corruption, Michael Morpurgo uses his own inimitable style to give the old fable a real relevance to today. A lame orphan boy tells the story of the piper who promises to rid the town of the rats, but then leads away all the children when the Mayor breaks his promise.  This version of the story has a heartening twist at the end. Emma Chichester Clark has kept a Victorian feel the pictures yet somehow they marvellously feel timelass as well. They are bright and vibrant, full of life and emotion. A retelling that highlights many contemporary issues and gives much food for thought. Highly recommended.

Philip Pullman's Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp illus by Ian Beck

This is a lovely version of the traditional story which will appeal to people of all ages. I thoroughly enjoyed it - it's an inspired re-telling that remains totally true to the spirit of the original yet manages to bring a freshness that makes a delight out of re-reading an old favourite. Glorious language tells the story of a naughty and rather gullible boy and his magic lamp with plenty of quirky pieces of humour. Are wishes all they promise to be? Ian Beck's silhouette-style illustrations are unusual and effective.

Three Little Pigs (Flip Up Fairy Tales) illustrated by Richard Johnson

A classic fairy tale brought up-to-date for today's market, with really effective and fascinating illustrations, which convey the emotions wonderfully. Just look at the details! Children will love lifting the flaps to find the surprise beneath in this well-produced and atrtractive book with strong pages for plenty of re-reading. The repetition in the text makes it a lovely book for children starting to read on their own. Flip Up Fairy Tales is another lovely series from innovative publisher Child's Play and most of the old favourites will be found in this series. You can also find versions with CD - see the whole range here.

Fairy Tales (Read Along) from Priddy Books

Nine magical fairy tales in a beautifully illustrated book, which features tactile embossed pictures on each sturdy durable page. Comes with an audio CD featuring spoken versions of each story, to which children can listen and follow in the book. Encourages reading, speaking and listening skills. Featuring favourite fairy tales: The Gingerbread Man, The Three Little Pigs, The Princess and the Pea, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, The Ugly Duckling, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Hansel and Gretel, and Jack and the Beanstalk. Perfect to introduce children to the world of fairy tales.

The Orchard Book of Grimm's Fairy Tales retold by Saviour Pirotta

Ten classic fairy tales enticingly retold by Saviour Pirotta in a way that brings them to life for young children and offers them the perfect introduction to a world of make-believe. The font caught my eye - it is particularly clear and attractive.  The illustrations by Emma Chichester Clark are masterpieces - some are double page spreads and all are packed with vivid details which perfectly reflect the story. This book is a perfect gift and one that will be treasured for years to come.

The Thousand Nights and One Night retold by David Walser, illus by Jan Pienkowski

Eight favourite tales- some well-known, others less known - from the Arabian Nights make up this collection. As we all know, the stories can be quite gruesome but the retelling is appropriate and perfect for 21st century children. The striking silhouettes by Jan Pienkowski add a real sense of dramatic atmosphere to the stories with their glowing colours shining through the black. A book to treasure and well produced with its heavy shiny paper - an ideal gift and a wonderful way to introduce children to these classic tales.

The Lion Classic Aesop's Fables retold by Margaret McAllister 

Lion Hudson produce some beautiful keepsake books and this is another one to treasure. Heavy shiny paper shows off the lovely illustrations to their best advantage. Each of the 28 fables is fully illustrated in a way which really brings them to life and there is an attractive box at the end of each with the fable quoted. The retellings have all the wit and wisdom of the original and read aloud really well. The well-known stories are here but there are some more unusual ones - I confess there are some I did not know and it's a delight to have some less common fables included. A lovely book to give as a gift.

The Giant Book of Giants by Saviour Pirotta

They are all here, the famous giants of legend - featuring Jack and the Beanstalk, Coyote tricks the giant, Momotoro, Finn and the Buggane, The curious giantess and Sindad's third voyage, this is a larger than lifesize collection. They are excellent retellings of the stories with full colour illustrations by Mark Robertson on good quality paper - the whole book is much bigger than A4.  There's an extra-special surprise - a HUGE pop up giant poster, festooned with special keepsakes from all the stories. As well as being great for a child's bedroom, this would make an excellent classroom resource and the basis of a stunning display. A really eye-catching book - one to treasure.

King Arthur and a World of Other Stories by Geraldine McCaughrean

Geraldine McCaughrean is a great re-teller of stories and this book does not disappoint. Don't be mislead by the title - a story about King Arthur is just one short story in a collection of over 30 stories from all around the world, reflecting a huge diversity of cultures and time periods. Each story is short, making them ideal for the end of school or bedtime. The stories are pacy and the language can be challenging in places but the context makes the meaning clear and it is a great way to extend children's vocabulary. Try  Robin Hood and a World of Other Stories and George and the Dragon and a World of Other Stories in the same series.

The Story of Pegasus retold by Susanna Davidson

Another carefully graded book (this is in Series 1)  from Usborne Books to help children get a head start in reading. This is an easy-to-read retelling of the Greek myth, in which Bellepheron seeks the help of Pegasus, a flying horse. Short chapters, plenty of colourful pictures, and kanguage pitched at the right level mean that young readers can start on the exciting journey of reading with confidence and knowing they will have an enjoyable read. Good to become familiar with classic myths too.

Best Loved Irish Legends by Eithne Massey

This book brings together traditional Irish stories, handed down through the generations, and adapted for children. It is so important that children are made aware of their culture so this is a good book for home and for school libraries. Lisa Jackson's illustrations are modern in feel yet form a perfect complement to the stories. The stories are well written and accessible for children from 5+. The book is an excellent way of introducing a new range of traditional tales beyond those commonly known. There are five stories and this charming pocket format book would make a great gift.

School for Princes: Stories from the Panchatantra retold by Jamila Gavin

This is a collection of five fables based on the Panchatantra,which are ancient Indian texts of wisdom from the 3rd century. These are interwoven with Jamila Gavin's own stories so each forms a pair. The introduction tells us how the stories came into being - tradition says they were told by a teacher inorder to instruct young princes. The themes are Winning Friends; Losing Friends; Loss of Gains; Rash Deeds and The Art of Duplicity. It is a refreshing change to see such an unusual collection and they will make a great classroom/assembly resource as well as for general reading. It is a beautifully produced book, with coloured pages and vibrant and perceptive illustrations by Bee Willey.

The Elves and the Shoemaker - Ladybird First Favourite Tales

Ladybird are well-kmown for their series of re-tellings of popular traditional tales - and deservedly so. It is good to see this tradition continued and this series introduces 2 to 4 year olds to some old favourites. Simple rhyming text, with familiar words makes this an accessible series. The elves help out the shoemaker and in return, he and his wife make them new clothes and boots - but the shoemaker never forgot to whom he owed his good fortune. Bright, colourful yet simple illustrations will appeal to small children. 

 The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse illustrated by Ayano Imai

The attraction of Aesop's Fables never wanes and this attractive new version is an excellent addition. Ayano Imai's illustrations are full of delicate detail and quirky humour, bringing new life to these characters. Country Mouse invites Town Mouse to visit, but Town Mouse is not impressed by the food and persuades his friend to travel back to the town with him. But town life is fraught with danger and Country Mouse decides to return to what he knows best. The generously sized pages allow the inclusion of masses of detail - a story to savour and share with your children as they learn to love Aesop's wonderful tales. A lovely book.

The Three Trees by Elena Pasquali

Three trees on a hill dream their different dreams, as the seasons go by and they grow and flourish. When they are felled and used, they all think their high expectations are not going to come true - but each, in its own way, takes its part in the greatest story ever told. This is a beautifully told story that really got me emotionally involved. it would make a wonderful assembly/Sunday School story and will give rise to plenty of discussion on the differing ways in which dreams can come true. A real message of hope and faith. The illustrations by Sophie Windham are quite stunning and full of detail, which again leads to discussion. This book succeeds on so many levels - a picture book, a storybook, a moral tale... but above all, a story of hope.

Aesop's Fables: a pop-up book of classic tales 

This outstanding book is a masterpiece of paper engineering by Kees Moerbeek, which really had me marvelling at its complexity. 10 classic tales are brought to life in beautifully detailed pop-ups which will fascinate children with their detail, thus enhancing their interest in the stories. I was amazed at the intricacy of the pop-ups, which repay really close attention, as does the vibrant artwork.. There is one huge pop-up on each page and two smaller ones to illustrate each story, plus four miniature pop-ups in the centre. A book to treasure and share with your children. These timeless tales will always deserve a place in every home, as they hold a message for everyone, and this innovative new book gives a fresh, dramatic approach and is a great addition to any collection.

Arabian Nights by Wafa' Tarnowska

Wafa' Tarnowska introduces this collection by telling us the origin of The Thousand and One Nights, and how the stories have come down to us. There are eight stories retold in this lovely book, including Aladdin, Shahrazade and The Ebony Horse. All the retellings are absolutely true to the originals and I hope they will encourage children (and adults) to read more of these wonderful tales.Just look at the vibrant colours shown in the illustration alongside to get an idea of how beautiful the illustrations in this book are. They really are superb and complement the stories wonderfully. This is a perfect gift book and will be treasured your many years to come.

 Mr Aesop's story shop by Bob Hartman

This lavishly illustrated book shows that there is always room for a new version of an old favourite.Aesop entrances people in the marketplace by his story telling and Bob Hartman will entrance you too, with his fresh take on the traditional tales. Jago's illustrations are perfect - just take a close look at the expressions on the faces of the animals - wonderful.The moral of each tale is given at the end, meaning they are visible and memorable. It is a beautifully presented book that would make a lovely keepsake, as it is a book to which one can keep returning and finding new enjoyment.

Greek Beasts and Heroes by Lucy Coats

This is a marvellous set of 12 books. At the start of each book, the author explains that the Greek gods and monsters disappeared into the world of the heavens for some peace. Luckily for us, before they went, they gave humans the gift of storytelling. The first in the series, 'The beasts in the jar' tells us that Atticus, a sandalmaker, was a wonderful storyteller who wanted to tell his stories in Troy at the competition instituted by the gods. Finally, his dream comes true and he sets off on his pony, Melissa - the series of 12 books relate the stories he tells on the way. The last books in the series tell how Atticus fared when he finally reached the competition.....but you'll have to read the books to find out!

These are wonderful retelling of myths familiar and not so familiar and they can be read in any order - but it's much more fun to follow Atticus on his journey. Every story is followed by a page (cleverly highlighted in orange) telling of Atticus' own adventures, and it is fun for children to follow this. At the end of each book is a useful section which tells you where you can find other stories featuring characters in the current book - a great way to encourage children into reading on.

The stories are ideal for 5 to 8 year olds, and make super stories to read aloud. They are also an ideal support for studying the Ancient Greeks in school. The illustrations complement the stories beautifully and really bring them to life.

• Greek Beasts and Heroes 2: The Magic Head
• Greek Beasts and Heroes 3: The Monster in the Maze
• Greek Beasts and Heroes 4: The Dolphin's Message
• Greek Beasts and Heroes 5: The Silver Chariot
• Greek Beasts and Heroes 7: The Flying Horse
• Greek Beasts and Heroes 8: The Harp of Death
• Greek Beasts and Heroes 9: The Dragon's Teeth
• Greek Beasts and Heroes 10: The Hero's Spear
• Greek Beasts and Heroes 11: The One-Eyed Giant

 Stories for a fragile planet by Kenneth Steven

This beautifully illustrated book brings together stories from around the world and across the centuries. The common theme is caring for our beautiful planet. The inclusion of stories from countries such as Greenland and South America make this book stand out from other collections. Many of the stories show how much we can learn from the animals. Jane Ray's wonderful illustrations really capture the essence of each story and make this a book to treasure.

The Day the Rains Fell by Anne Faundez

Lindiwe visits Earth to show her daughter Thandi all the beautiful plants and animals she has made. But when they arrive, they see wilted trees. They find soil that is dusty and lifeless. The animals are tired and thirsty. Lindiwe and Thandi must find a way to make Earth well again. The beautiful watercolour illustrations by Karin Littlewood really bring this book to life. Find out how the animals thanked Thandi by making her a glorious necklace.

Beowulf retold by Jacqueline Morley

Graphic novels are a great way to introduce the great classics of literature. They draw children in and motivate them to read books which they may not otherwise attempt. This retelling of Beowulf introduces the characters and explains how the poem came to be written. The striking illustrations and speech bubbles will capture the attention. I especially like the inclusion of facts about the author, the poem and the historical setting, and the index is a useful feature. There are many more in the series, including Kidnapped and Oliver Twist. An excellent series.

Greatest Greek Myths by Sally Kindberg and Tracey Turner.

This is a fun way to get to grips with all those Greek myths that can be so confusing. Why did Icarus drown? Where do we get the word 'tantalise' from? Who fell in love with his own reflection? This hardback with red/black illustrations throughout is a really original way to introduce children to Greek myths and the refresh the memory of adults. All the well-known myths are here but you will also find some you didn't know - we all know about King Midas and gold, but what about King Midas and the Ass's Ears?