Comments on: Fairy Tales: Picture Books, Chapter Books, and Writing Ideas

By: Ruth Sanderson

Ruth Sanderson — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 03:56:10 +0000

Great posts on the importance of fairy tales, Melissa!

I’ve been retelling and illustrating them for years, and they have been a passion since I was growing up. I feel that fairy tales and mythic stories are very important for older children as well as the 3-6-year old crowd. I really appreciate teachers who incorporate fairy tale units in their classrooms. Every child should know the basic tales, in addition to the “fractured” versions that are highly popular. (and terrific, of course) Studying motifs and then writing their own original fairy tales is a great writing exercise for students in the older elementary, 5th and 6th grades.

And this year is the 200th Anniversary of Grimms’ Fairy Tales – long live fairy tales!

Ruth Sanderson
Author/illustrator

By: Melissa Taylor

Melissa Taylor — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:21:49 +0000

In reply to Crystal Whimsey. thank you, Crystal! :)

By: Crystal Whimsey

Crystal Whimsey — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:10:14 +0000

Your website is as informative and engaging as it is beautiful…and it is very beautiful. I am a big believer in the value of fairytales to both the young and the young of heart. Updated versions are evidence of our historical progress. I still do laundry just as great grandmother did but I’m not going to bang my clothes across a washboard. Literature and music make the world go around and educators like yourself keep it spinning in the right direction. Three cheers for Imagination Soup!

By: Melissa Taylor

Melissa Taylor — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 14:02:00 +0000

In reply to Mika. thanks for the recommendations --

By: Mika

Mika — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 09:06:52 +0000

One of my current favourites is a lovely modern tale, called “The Conquerors”, by David McKee. It’s a short picture book. Not sure if you would count it as a proper fairytale though, there are no fantasy characters in it and it doesn’t have the traditional shape of a fairytale. More of a fable perhaps? The message is basically non-violence.

Apart from that, I love compendia of fairytales. We used to have loads when I was little, as my mother was a children’s librarian. There was one called “A World of Fairytales”, compiled by James Riordan, with really beautiful illustrations. It included the story of Peer Gynt, I remember.

Barefoot Books do some really lovely ones too, with stunning pictures (I’m not affiliated, I just like their stuff! http://www.barefootbooks.com)

By: Melissa Taylor

Melissa Taylor — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 18:47:27 +0000

In reply to Cathy @ NurtureStore.

no – thanks for the suggestion!! 🙂

By: Cathy @ NurtureStore

Cathy @ NurtureStore — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 18:42:31 +0000

Have you read Fairy Tales by Berlie Doherty and illustrated by Jane Ray? Beautiful re-telling and illustrations and my girls’ favourite for bedtime stories.