Below are variants of the characters and themes discussed in this resource.
Baba Yaga
McCaughrean, G. (2000). Grandma Chickenlegs. Carolrhoda Books.
This picture book by children’s author Geraldine McCaughrean presents the Vasilisa and Baba Yaga story with striking illustrations by Moira Kemp. Tatia is a young girl whose mother dies and whose father remarries “a woman with eyes as sharp as needles and a soul as thin as a thread.” The stepmother sends Tatia on an errand to Grandma Chickenlegs. Tatia escapes being cooked for dinner with the help of her doll, Drooga, a comb, a ribbon, and a cat and dog living with Grandma Chickenlegs. Despite the unfriendly depictions of older women in the stepmother and Grandma Chickenlegs, the colorful illustrations add humor and fun. Grandma Chickenlegs’ green face, beehive hairdo, and bat-wings glasses make for a memorable visual interpretation of Baba Yaga. No source notes, but McCaughrean and Kemp are both well-established in children’s books.
McCoola, M. (2015). Baba Yaga’s Assistant. Candlewick Press.
In this graphic novel (illustrated by Emily Carroll with story by Marika McCoola), Masha is a teenager whose father who seems to prefer spending time with his girlfriend and her younger (hand-biting) daughter than with Masha. Masha clings to the memory of the grandmother who helped raise her and filled her up with Baba Yaga stories. To escape her new family, Masha answers a job ad for Baba Yaga’s assistant. Working for the witch, she finds a World’s Best Grandma mug in the cupboard and is surprised at how many of Baba Yaga’s expressions mirror the memories of her grandmother. The story manages to present a fresh take on the dysfunctional family element and the Baba Yaga character while not compromising all of her fearsome qualities. There are no source notes, but the back of the book has instructions on how to draw the main characters (including Baba Yaga’s notorious house).
Polacco, P. (1999). Babushka Baba Yaga. Puffin Books.
Patricia Polacco’s Baba Yaga in this picture book is not a fearsome witch but a lonely outsider who longs to be like the other old women in the village. She decides to disguise herself as a babushka, which leads her to a job taking care of a grandmotherless child. She and the child bond, but then one day at the park the other babushkas share folk tales, including one of the child-snatching Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga decides to retreat into the forest before her adopted grandchild finds out who she really is—until one day she gets a chance to save him and reveal her true kind heart. This is a good variant for parents who’d prefer a more sensitive portrait of Baba Yaga and elderly women for their children. The American-born Polacco is party of Russian descent and has written and illustrated over 100 children’s books.
Schanoes, V. (2021). Burning Girls and Other Stories. Tordotcom.
The title story in this collection of speculative stories by Veronica Schanoes was the 2013 winner of the Shirley Jackson Award for Best Novella. Many of the stories revolve around Jewish immigrants and working-class characters in historical events, yet also contain fairy tale elements (variations on Alice in Wonderland and “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” are explored) and a surprising punk rock aesthetic (one story centers on the life of Sid Vicious’s girlfriend, Nancy Spungen). In “Emma Goldman Takes Tea with Baba Yaga,” the biographical history of the radical 20th century anarchist is interwoven with a fantasy in which Goldman, back in Russia and disillusioned with the Russian Revolution, goes for a walk in the forest and meets Baba Yaga. The witch reveals she’s had her eye on Goldman since infancy as a worthy successor to the tired Baba Yaga. Jewish and Irish witches, young and old, populate other stories in the collection. Acclaimed children’s and fantasy author Jane Yolen provides the introduction.
Cailleach/Hag
Kaufman, K. (2018). Hag. Turner Publishing Company.
This novel set in Scotland and the United States spans several generations of women who are descended from the Cailleach. The story switches points of view and infuses Scottish history and folklore to shed light on the Cailleach legend as well as comment on feminism, heritage, and real-life events such as witch trials. There are no source notes, although the author credits her mother and grandmothers with sharing stories about the Cailleach. Kathleen Kaufman, the author, is a Colorado-based writer who has written other novels in the magical realism and literary horror genres.
Martin, E. (2014, April 20). The Hag Brings the Kerry Limbo Babies for a Happy Meal in Dublin. Literary Orphans. Accessed at http://www.literaryorphans.org/playdb/hag-brings-kerry-limbo-babies-happy-meal-dublin-emer-martin/.
This short story in the digital journal Literary Orphans introduces the Cailleach, “I am the hag. I am Ireland.” The humorous narrative follows the hag from her homebase in the southwest of Ireland to a jaunt in modern-day Dublin. The hag shapeshifts into a spider and takes with her eight “limbo babies” buried in a local graveyard for unbaptized children on a bus ride to Dublin. There they visit the National Museum, where the hag reconnects with some bog bodies on display that were excavated from her body, the earth. They also visit the Leprechaun Museum before the hag treats the limbo babies to a happy meal at McDonald’s. All along the hag reflects on her age, the passing of time, and Ireland’s changes from the Devonian age through the Famine to the present. This story, written by the Dublin-born novelist and artist Emer Martin, was originally written for her novel The Affection of a Hag, which was eventually published by Lilliput Press in 2018 under the title The Cruelty Men and includes many folklore and fairy tale references. The Cruelty Men includes a full list of the author’s folklore and history sources.
Matthews, C. (2003). Celtic Memories. Barefoot Books.
“The Cailleach of the Snows” is among 12 tales in this collection of children’s stories from Scottish, Irish, Manx, Breton, and Welsh sources. The Cailleach tale is set in Scotland and one of the author’s own devising, as she says in the notes section, which give further background about the tales and the author’s adaptations. This version combines the legend of the Cailleach with Bride, the pre-Christian goddess who was appropriated by Christianity as St. Brigid. The ancient Cailleach, who brings the winter and snow, is tricked by the young Bride, who brings the spring, to finally give up her power and allow a new season to flourish. Illustrations by Olwyn Whelan and songs, blessings, and traditional stories like “The Lady of the Lake” from Wales round out this unique collection.
Ó Crualaoich, G. (2003). The Book of the Cailleach: Stories of the Wise-Woman Healer. Cork University Press.
Gearóid Ó Crualaoich, a professor of folklore and ethnology at the University of College Cork, analyzes the oral traditions of the Cailleach and wise woman healer figures in Ireland. The book has three parts: a section about oral traditions and representations of women, a section of folk tales of the Cailleach and other local wise women, and a section of tales in the Irish language. Many of the Cailleach tales explain local features in the landscape or situate the Cailleach in relation to male-centered order. Commentaries follow each tale, and the book also feature a foreword by the author and illustrations. This is a more academic text but with oral folk tales about the Cailleach that are lesser-known beyond the local, rural communities.
Wilson, N. (Director). (2007). An Cailleach Bhéarra [film]. Metropolitan Films Ltd. (Available on YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQI3RCUFuYE, accessed April 15, 2021).
This 8-minute film written and directed by Naomi Wilson uses time-stamp photography, poetic narration, and a large puppet Cailleach in real landscapes to tell the tale of the Hag of Beare. The Cailleach is visited by a young priest who is given the impossible task of counting the bones in her attic to learn her true age. Every 100 years, to renew her youth and maintain the cycle of nature she must bathe herself in the sea at dawn before the dogs bark or she will be destroyed for good. The narration is in English with some Irish subtitles. The priest’s visit element is from a tale in the collection Legends of Saints and Sinners by Irish linguist and writer Douglas Hyde. The film won a Special Mention in the Cork Film Festival in 2007.
Elder Tales
Chinen, A.B. (1989). In the Ever After: Fairy Tales and the Second Half of Life. Chiron Publications.
Allan B. Chinen, a psychiatrist based in California, looks at 14 short tales that feature older people as protagonists to examine how “elder tales” can teach psychological truths and lessons about aging. Each tale is presented with its country of origin and source, followed by commentary by Chinen about the lesson of the tale that pertains to aging. Chinen’s interpretations rely on theories of human development by Carl Jung and Erik Erikson. The book includes extensive notes, a bibliography, and an index. Chinen has written several books that correlate psychological development and life stages with fairy tales.
Keding, D. (2008). Elder Tales: Stories of Wisdom and Courage from Around the World. Libraries Unlimited.
Dan Keding groups nearly 60 tales into sections arranged by theme: wisdom, tricksters, heroes, families, justice, magic and wonder, animal elders, and elder stories. In the preface Keding clarifies that these are his own retellings of traditional tales. Each story comes with its country of origin and a source footnote. There is also an introduction, bibliography, index, and sections that provide guidance on using the book with school children and with elders.
Yolen, J. (1999.) Gray Heroes: Elder Tales from Around the World. Penguin Books.
Jane Yolen’s collection of elder tales includes 75 tales with source notes, bibliography and index, and an introduction by Yolen. The tales are organized according to themes: wisdom, trickery, adventure, and love. Brief introductions begin each section, and the countries or cultures are identified in the table of contents and at the beginning of each story. A few come from familiar sources, such as Aesop and Arabian Nights.
Fairy Godmother
Adamson, A., Asbury, K., and Vernon, C. (Directors). (2004). Shrek 2 [film]. DreamWorks Animation.
The second of the Shrek movies sees Shrek the ogre and Princess Fiona married and just returned from their honeymoon, when Fiona’s parents invite the newlyweds to their kingdom in Far Far Away. Will the king and queen accept an ogre for their son-in-law? Or will Fairy Godmother succeed in her plans to break up the newlyweds so her son, the vain and vacuous Prince Charming, can marry the princess? This animated film continues to parody all fairy tale tropes—and many Hollywood tropes in general—like its predecessor. Voices include Mike Meyer, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas (playing the new character of Puss in Boots), and Jennifer Saunders (as the meddling, all-business, villain Fairy Godmother, also a new character). Saunders as the Fairy Godmother provides some of the film’s most memorable music, show-stopping moments.
Geronimi, C., Jackson, W., and Luske, H. (Directors). (1950). Cinderella. Walt Disney Productions.
One of Walt Disney’s most popular animated films, this version is a musical telling of the Cinderella tale based on Charles Perrault’s version. After becoming a widower, Cinderella’s father remarries the Lady Tremaine, who moves in with her two mean daughters, Anastasia and Drizella, and forces Cinderella to do all the chores and live in the attic. Kind-hearted, cheerful Cinderella makes friends with the mice and birds, who try to help her gussy up when the announcement of the ball is made. Cinderella’s stepsisters jealously ruin her plans. Then the fairy godmother shows up, a kindly older woman who sings as she magically turns Cinderella’s animal friends and various domestic objects into a coach, coachmen, and footmen and Cinderella’s rags into a ballgown and glass slippers. This family-friendly version notably ends without an explicit revenge scene upon the stepmother or stepsisters. Verne Felton voices the fairy godmother, whose depiction has become a standard of representations of the fairy godmother character.
Stromberg, R. (Director). (2014). Maleficent. Walt Disney Pictures.
A live-action retelling of Disney’s Sleeping Beauty that tells the story with the evil fairy godmother, Maleficent, at the center instead of the princess. Maleficent places the sleeping curse on the princess as revenge for a betrayal long ago by the princess’ father, before he became king. As Aurora, the princess, grows up, Maleficent unexpectedly bonds with her. The curse is fulfilled anyway, but the surprise comes in who awakens the princess. This version adapts from Disney’s visual presentation and interpreation of the Sleeping Beauty story, in its 1959 animated film, rather than drawing on literary versions. Yet there are several moments that broach the issue of consent, through both Maleficent and Aurora’s experiences. Angelina Jolie plays the title character, and Aurora is played by Elle Fanning. A sequel came out in 2019.
Grandmother
Block, F. L. (2000). The Rose and the Beast: Fairy Tales Retold. Joanna Cotler Books.
Francesca Lia Block retells nine classic fairy tales, such as Snow White, Thumbelina, and Bluebeard, setting them mostly in contemporary Los Angeles. The stories are dark and lyrically told, addressing issues like drug addiction and sexual abuse. “Wolf” retells the Little Red Riding Hood tale from the young girl’s point of view, with the girl fleeing her abusive stepfather to live with her grandma in the southwest desert. The grandma is portrayed as a wise and protective figure. Block manages to create a voice for the young girl (and many of the narrators) as believable, damaged, tough, and modern, with many references to pop culture. This is not a book for children, but the problems facing the characters in this collection and their tangle of emotions may resonate with teen and young adult readers.
Campoy, F. I., and Ada, A. F. (2006). Tales Our Abuelitas Told: A Hispanic Folktale Collection. Atheneum Books for Young Readers.
Isabel F. Campoy and Alma Flor Ada present 12 traditional tales from Hispanic culture, with color illustrations by Latino artists: Susan Guevara, Felipe Dávalos, Leyla Torres, and Viví Escrivá. The collection reflects the various roots in Hispanic culture, with stories from African, Arab, indigenous, Spanish colonial, and Hebrew cultures. There is a six-page introduction, two sections that list typical opening and ending lines of folk tales in Spanish and English, and long notes after each tale with sources, history, and personal comments from the authors (including memoirs of their abuelas/abuelitas, or grandmothers). In the author and illustrator biographies at the end, the contributors share more about their heritage, their art and storytelling backgrounds, and their family connections to the stories. Among the recognitions for this book is a Literary Guild Medal. A Spanish version was also published, Cuentos que contaban nuestras abuelas: cuentos populares hispánicos.
Edwards, C. (Director). (2005). Hoodwinked [film]. Kanbar Entertainment and Blue Yonder Films.
Hoodwinked is an animated retelling of the Little Red Riding Hood as a crime story. A pair of critter cops are investigating a baked goods robbery spree in the woods at the same time a disturbance occurs at Granny’s house. Red, Granny, the wolf, and the woodsman are interviewed in turn by the cops, each of them revealing character traits and plot turns that depart from the traditional fairy tale. (Granny is far from the helpless, stay-at-home, cookie-baking, doily-decorating old woman Red thinks her to be.) Anne Hathaway, Glenn Close, Patrick Warburton, and Jim Belushi are among the actors who voice the characters in this parody of a classic fairy tale and its themes of innocence, danger, and female helplessness.
Old Woman
Croall, M. P. (2009). Marwe: Into the Land of the Dead. Graphic Universe.
The tale of Marwe, a young girl who journeys into the land of the dead, is rendered in this short comic book written by Marie P. Croall and illustrated by Ray Lago, Craig Hamilton, and Ray Snyder. In this version, Marwe is an obedient Bantu-speaking Chaga girl (the text locates her people as living in East Africa, in modern-day Tanzania) who is working in the fields with her brother, who convinces her to take a break and leave the fields. After monkeys wreak havoc on the field in their absence, Marwe guiltily runs away from her family, then follows her curiosity to dive into a nearby lake, where she gets sucked into the land of the dead. There she meets an old woman, who takes care of her. Marwe decided to stay and work for the woman, and years pass before she decides to return home to seek her family’s forgiveness. The old woman helps her and gifts her beautiful jewelry and clothes, as well as guidance on recognizing the man she is meant to marry. Marwe returns home with the wisdom she’s earned and finds forgiveness with her family and a happy marriage. An index, glossary and pronunciation guide, authors’ notes (which provide names and sources consulted for the book’s cultural representations), and a list of further sources are included.
Hamilton, V. (1995). Her Stories: African American Folktales, Fairy Tale, and True Tales. The Blue Sky Press.
This collection by Newbery Medal winner Virginia Hamilton (M.C. Higgins, the Great, The People Could Fly) won the 1996 Coretta Scott King Award. It features 19 tales of African American tales that center girls and women as protagonists. Women of all generations are represented in the stories, which are illustrated with vibrant portraits and art by Caldecott Medal-winning artists Leo and Diane Dillon. The stories are organized by animal tales, fairy tales, supernatural tales, folkways and legends, and true tales (these last tales present oral histories of three elderly Black women and the historical events they’ve witnessed). An introduction, afterword, and source notes provide detailed information about the project and material. Comments follow each story that also provide more context and background. This is an excellent collection.
Huang, S. L. (2020). Burning Roses. Tordotcom.
This fantasy/sci-fi novella revisits and blends the European fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood and the Chinese myth of Hou Yi the Archer. The story finds Rosa (based on Red) and Hou Yi past midlife and companions to each other, their life interrupted by deadly strikes in the countryside caused by “sunbirds.” The two begin a quest to stop the destruction and share their life stories along the way. Author S.L. Huang has adapted the classic tales to include representation of Latina, lesbian, and transgender characters. The novella also incorporates elements of the Goldilocks and the Three Bears and Beauty and the Beast stories. Huang, whose fascinating background includes a career as a stuntwoman and weapons expert, does not provide source notes, but she has authored several novels and short stories in the action, sci-fi, and fantasy genres.
Photo credit: Natalia Y on Unsplash
McCaughrean, G. (2000). Grandma Chickenlegs. Carolrhoda Books.
This picture book by children’s author Geraldine McCaughrean presents the Vasilisa and Baba Yaga story with striking illustrations by Moira Kemp. Tatia is a young girl whose mother dies and whose father remarries “a woman with eyes as sharp as needles and a soul as thin as a thread.” The stepmother sends Tatia on an errand to Grandma Chickenlegs. Tatia escapes being cooked for dinner with the help of her doll, Drooga, a comb, a ribbon, and a cat and dog living with Grandma Chickenlegs. Despite the unfriendly depictions of older women in the stepmother and Grandma Chickenlegs, the colorful illustrations add humor and fun. Grandma Chickenlegs’ green face, beehive hairdo, and bat-wings glasses make for a memorable visual interpretation of Baba Yaga. No source notes, but McCaughrean and Kemp are both well-established in children’s books.
McCoola, M. (2015). Baba Yaga’s Assistant. Candlewick Press.
In this graphic novel (illustrated by Emily Carroll with story by Marika McCoola), Masha is a teenager whose father who seems to prefer spending time with his girlfriend and her younger (hand-biting) daughter than with Masha. Masha clings to the memory of the grandmother who helped raise her and filled her up with Baba Yaga stories. To escape her new family, Masha answers a job ad for Baba Yaga’s assistant. Working for the witch, she finds a World’s Best Grandma mug in the cupboard and is surprised at how many of Baba Yaga’s expressions mirror the memories of her grandmother. The story manages to present a fresh take on the dysfunctional family element and the Baba Yaga character while not compromising all of her fearsome qualities. There are no source notes, but the back of the book has instructions on how to draw the main characters (including Baba Yaga’s notorious house).
Polacco, P. (1999). Babushka Baba Yaga. Puffin Books.
Patricia Polacco’s Baba Yaga in this picture book is not a fearsome witch but a lonely outsider who longs to be like the other old women in the village. She decides to disguise herself as a babushka, which leads her to a job taking care of a grandmotherless child. She and the child bond, but then one day at the park the other babushkas share folk tales, including one of the child-snatching Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga decides to retreat into the forest before her adopted grandchild finds out who she really is—until one day she gets a chance to save him and reveal her true kind heart. This is a good variant for parents who’d prefer a more sensitive portrait of Baba Yaga and elderly women for their children. The American-born Polacco is party of Russian descent and has written and illustrated over 100 children’s books.
Schanoes, V. (2021). Burning Girls and Other Stories. Tordotcom.
The title story in this collection of speculative stories by Veronica Schanoes was the 2013 winner of the Shirley Jackson Award for Best Novella. Many of the stories revolve around Jewish immigrants and working-class characters in historical events, yet also contain fairy tale elements (variations on Alice in Wonderland and “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” are explored) and a surprising punk rock aesthetic (one story centers on the life of Sid Vicious’s girlfriend, Nancy Spungen). In “Emma Goldman Takes Tea with Baba Yaga,” the biographical history of the radical 20th century anarchist is interwoven with a fantasy in which Goldman, back in Russia and disillusioned with the Russian Revolution, goes for a walk in the forest and meets Baba Yaga. The witch reveals she’s had her eye on Goldman since infancy as a worthy successor to the tired Baba Yaga. Jewish and Irish witches, young and old, populate other stories in the collection. Acclaimed children’s and fantasy author Jane Yolen provides the introduction.
Cailleach/Hag
Kaufman, K. (2018). Hag. Turner Publishing Company.
This novel set in Scotland and the United States spans several generations of women who are descended from the Cailleach. The story switches points of view and infuses Scottish history and folklore to shed light on the Cailleach legend as well as comment on feminism, heritage, and real-life events such as witch trials. There are no source notes, although the author credits her mother and grandmothers with sharing stories about the Cailleach. Kathleen Kaufman, the author, is a Colorado-based writer who has written other novels in the magical realism and literary horror genres.
Martin, E. (2014, April 20). The Hag Brings the Kerry Limbo Babies for a Happy Meal in Dublin. Literary Orphans. Accessed at http://www.literaryorphans.org/playdb/hag-brings-kerry-limbo-babies-happy-meal-dublin-emer-martin/.
This short story in the digital journal Literary Orphans introduces the Cailleach, “I am the hag. I am Ireland.” The humorous narrative follows the hag from her homebase in the southwest of Ireland to a jaunt in modern-day Dublin. The hag shapeshifts into a spider and takes with her eight “limbo babies” buried in a local graveyard for unbaptized children on a bus ride to Dublin. There they visit the National Museum, where the hag reconnects with some bog bodies on display that were excavated from her body, the earth. They also visit the Leprechaun Museum before the hag treats the limbo babies to a happy meal at McDonald’s. All along the hag reflects on her age, the passing of time, and Ireland’s changes from the Devonian age through the Famine to the present. This story, written by the Dublin-born novelist and artist Emer Martin, was originally written for her novel The Affection of a Hag, which was eventually published by Lilliput Press in 2018 under the title The Cruelty Men and includes many folklore and fairy tale references. The Cruelty Men includes a full list of the author’s folklore and history sources.
Matthews, C. (2003). Celtic Memories. Barefoot Books.
“The Cailleach of the Snows” is among 12 tales in this collection of children’s stories from Scottish, Irish, Manx, Breton, and Welsh sources. The Cailleach tale is set in Scotland and one of the author’s own devising, as she says in the notes section, which give further background about the tales and the author’s adaptations. This version combines the legend of the Cailleach with Bride, the pre-Christian goddess who was appropriated by Christianity as St. Brigid. The ancient Cailleach, who brings the winter and snow, is tricked by the young Bride, who brings the spring, to finally give up her power and allow a new season to flourish. Illustrations by Olwyn Whelan and songs, blessings, and traditional stories like “The Lady of the Lake” from Wales round out this unique collection.
Ó Crualaoich, G. (2003). The Book of the Cailleach: Stories of the Wise-Woman Healer. Cork University Press.
Gearóid Ó Crualaoich, a professor of folklore and ethnology at the University of College Cork, analyzes the oral traditions of the Cailleach and wise woman healer figures in Ireland. The book has three parts: a section about oral traditions and representations of women, a section of folk tales of the Cailleach and other local wise women, and a section of tales in the Irish language. Many of the Cailleach tales explain local features in the landscape or situate the Cailleach in relation to male-centered order. Commentaries follow each tale, and the book also feature a foreword by the author and illustrations. This is a more academic text but with oral folk tales about the Cailleach that are lesser-known beyond the local, rural communities.
Wilson, N. (Director). (2007). An Cailleach Bhéarra [film]. Metropolitan Films Ltd. (Available on YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQI3RCUFuYE, accessed April 15, 2021).
This 8-minute film written and directed by Naomi Wilson uses time-stamp photography, poetic narration, and a large puppet Cailleach in real landscapes to tell the tale of the Hag of Beare. The Cailleach is visited by a young priest who is given the impossible task of counting the bones in her attic to learn her true age. Every 100 years, to renew her youth and maintain the cycle of nature she must bathe herself in the sea at dawn before the dogs bark or she will be destroyed for good. The narration is in English with some Irish subtitles. The priest’s visit element is from a tale in the collection Legends of Saints and Sinners by Irish linguist and writer Douglas Hyde. The film won a Special Mention in the Cork Film Festival in 2007.
Elder Tales
Chinen, A.B. (1989). In the Ever After: Fairy Tales and the Second Half of Life. Chiron Publications.
Allan B. Chinen, a psychiatrist based in California, looks at 14 short tales that feature older people as protagonists to examine how “elder tales” can teach psychological truths and lessons about aging. Each tale is presented with its country of origin and source, followed by commentary by Chinen about the lesson of the tale that pertains to aging. Chinen’s interpretations rely on theories of human development by Carl Jung and Erik Erikson. The book includes extensive notes, a bibliography, and an index. Chinen has written several books that correlate psychological development and life stages with fairy tales.
Keding, D. (2008). Elder Tales: Stories of Wisdom and Courage from Around the World. Libraries Unlimited.
Dan Keding groups nearly 60 tales into sections arranged by theme: wisdom, tricksters, heroes, families, justice, magic and wonder, animal elders, and elder stories. In the preface Keding clarifies that these are his own retellings of traditional tales. Each story comes with its country of origin and a source footnote. There is also an introduction, bibliography, index, and sections that provide guidance on using the book with school children and with elders.
Yolen, J. (1999.) Gray Heroes: Elder Tales from Around the World. Penguin Books.
Jane Yolen’s collection of elder tales includes 75 tales with source notes, bibliography and index, and an introduction by Yolen. The tales are organized according to themes: wisdom, trickery, adventure, and love. Brief introductions begin each section, and the countries or cultures are identified in the table of contents and at the beginning of each story. A few come from familiar sources, such as Aesop and Arabian Nights.
Fairy Godmother
Adamson, A., Asbury, K., and Vernon, C. (Directors). (2004). Shrek 2 [film]. DreamWorks Animation.
The second of the Shrek movies sees Shrek the ogre and Princess Fiona married and just returned from their honeymoon, when Fiona’s parents invite the newlyweds to their kingdom in Far Far Away. Will the king and queen accept an ogre for their son-in-law? Or will Fairy Godmother succeed in her plans to break up the newlyweds so her son, the vain and vacuous Prince Charming, can marry the princess? This animated film continues to parody all fairy tale tropes—and many Hollywood tropes in general—like its predecessor. Voices include Mike Meyer, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas (playing the new character of Puss in Boots), and Jennifer Saunders (as the meddling, all-business, villain Fairy Godmother, also a new character). Saunders as the Fairy Godmother provides some of the film’s most memorable music, show-stopping moments.
Geronimi, C., Jackson, W., and Luske, H. (Directors). (1950). Cinderella. Walt Disney Productions.
One of Walt Disney’s most popular animated films, this version is a musical telling of the Cinderella tale based on Charles Perrault’s version. After becoming a widower, Cinderella’s father remarries the Lady Tremaine, who moves in with her two mean daughters, Anastasia and Drizella, and forces Cinderella to do all the chores and live in the attic. Kind-hearted, cheerful Cinderella makes friends with the mice and birds, who try to help her gussy up when the announcement of the ball is made. Cinderella’s stepsisters jealously ruin her plans. Then the fairy godmother shows up, a kindly older woman who sings as she magically turns Cinderella’s animal friends and various domestic objects into a coach, coachmen, and footmen and Cinderella’s rags into a ballgown and glass slippers. This family-friendly version notably ends without an explicit revenge scene upon the stepmother or stepsisters. Verne Felton voices the fairy godmother, whose depiction has become a standard of representations of the fairy godmother character.
Stromberg, R. (Director). (2014). Maleficent. Walt Disney Pictures.
A live-action retelling of Disney’s Sleeping Beauty that tells the story with the evil fairy godmother, Maleficent, at the center instead of the princess. Maleficent places the sleeping curse on the princess as revenge for a betrayal long ago by the princess’ father, before he became king. As Aurora, the princess, grows up, Maleficent unexpectedly bonds with her. The curse is fulfilled anyway, but the surprise comes in who awakens the princess. This version adapts from Disney’s visual presentation and interpreation of the Sleeping Beauty story, in its 1959 animated film, rather than drawing on literary versions. Yet there are several moments that broach the issue of consent, through both Maleficent and Aurora’s experiences. Angelina Jolie plays the title character, and Aurora is played by Elle Fanning. A sequel came out in 2019.
Grandmother
Block, F. L. (2000). The Rose and the Beast: Fairy Tales Retold. Joanna Cotler Books.
Francesca Lia Block retells nine classic fairy tales, such as Snow White, Thumbelina, and Bluebeard, setting them mostly in contemporary Los Angeles. The stories are dark and lyrically told, addressing issues like drug addiction and sexual abuse. “Wolf” retells the Little Red Riding Hood tale from the young girl’s point of view, with the girl fleeing her abusive stepfather to live with her grandma in the southwest desert. The grandma is portrayed as a wise and protective figure. Block manages to create a voice for the young girl (and many of the narrators) as believable, damaged, tough, and modern, with many references to pop culture. This is not a book for children, but the problems facing the characters in this collection and their tangle of emotions may resonate with teen and young adult readers.
Campoy, F. I., and Ada, A. F. (2006). Tales Our Abuelitas Told: A Hispanic Folktale Collection. Atheneum Books for Young Readers.
Isabel F. Campoy and Alma Flor Ada present 12 traditional tales from Hispanic culture, with color illustrations by Latino artists: Susan Guevara, Felipe Dávalos, Leyla Torres, and Viví Escrivá. The collection reflects the various roots in Hispanic culture, with stories from African, Arab, indigenous, Spanish colonial, and Hebrew cultures. There is a six-page introduction, two sections that list typical opening and ending lines of folk tales in Spanish and English, and long notes after each tale with sources, history, and personal comments from the authors (including memoirs of their abuelas/abuelitas, or grandmothers). In the author and illustrator biographies at the end, the contributors share more about their heritage, their art and storytelling backgrounds, and their family connections to the stories. Among the recognitions for this book is a Literary Guild Medal. A Spanish version was also published, Cuentos que contaban nuestras abuelas: cuentos populares hispánicos.
Edwards, C. (Director). (2005). Hoodwinked [film]. Kanbar Entertainment and Blue Yonder Films.
Hoodwinked is an animated retelling of the Little Red Riding Hood as a crime story. A pair of critter cops are investigating a baked goods robbery spree in the woods at the same time a disturbance occurs at Granny’s house. Red, Granny, the wolf, and the woodsman are interviewed in turn by the cops, each of them revealing character traits and plot turns that depart from the traditional fairy tale. (Granny is far from the helpless, stay-at-home, cookie-baking, doily-decorating old woman Red thinks her to be.) Anne Hathaway, Glenn Close, Patrick Warburton, and Jim Belushi are among the actors who voice the characters in this parody of a classic fairy tale and its themes of innocence, danger, and female helplessness.
Old Woman
Croall, M. P. (2009). Marwe: Into the Land of the Dead. Graphic Universe.
The tale of Marwe, a young girl who journeys into the land of the dead, is rendered in this short comic book written by Marie P. Croall and illustrated by Ray Lago, Craig Hamilton, and Ray Snyder. In this version, Marwe is an obedient Bantu-speaking Chaga girl (the text locates her people as living in East Africa, in modern-day Tanzania) who is working in the fields with her brother, who convinces her to take a break and leave the fields. After monkeys wreak havoc on the field in their absence, Marwe guiltily runs away from her family, then follows her curiosity to dive into a nearby lake, where she gets sucked into the land of the dead. There she meets an old woman, who takes care of her. Marwe decided to stay and work for the woman, and years pass before she decides to return home to seek her family’s forgiveness. The old woman helps her and gifts her beautiful jewelry and clothes, as well as guidance on recognizing the man she is meant to marry. Marwe returns home with the wisdom she’s earned and finds forgiveness with her family and a happy marriage. An index, glossary and pronunciation guide, authors’ notes (which provide names and sources consulted for the book’s cultural representations), and a list of further sources are included.
Hamilton, V. (1995). Her Stories: African American Folktales, Fairy Tale, and True Tales. The Blue Sky Press.
This collection by Newbery Medal winner Virginia Hamilton (M.C. Higgins, the Great, The People Could Fly) won the 1996 Coretta Scott King Award. It features 19 tales of African American tales that center girls and women as protagonists. Women of all generations are represented in the stories, which are illustrated with vibrant portraits and art by Caldecott Medal-winning artists Leo and Diane Dillon. The stories are organized by animal tales, fairy tales, supernatural tales, folkways and legends, and true tales (these last tales present oral histories of three elderly Black women and the historical events they’ve witnessed). An introduction, afterword, and source notes provide detailed information about the project and material. Comments follow each story that also provide more context and background. This is an excellent collection.
Huang, S. L. (2020). Burning Roses. Tordotcom.
This fantasy/sci-fi novella revisits and blends the European fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood and the Chinese myth of Hou Yi the Archer. The story finds Rosa (based on Red) and Hou Yi past midlife and companions to each other, their life interrupted by deadly strikes in the countryside caused by “sunbirds.” The two begin a quest to stop the destruction and share their life stories along the way. Author S.L. Huang has adapted the classic tales to include representation of Latina, lesbian, and transgender characters. The novella also incorporates elements of the Goldilocks and the Three Bears and Beauty and the Beast stories. Huang, whose fascinating background includes a career as a stuntwoman and weapons expert, does not provide source notes, but she has authored several novels and short stories in the action, sci-fi, and fantasy genres.
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