Do your kids know about folktales? These are stories from a culture’s oral traditions meant to share values and/or explain something in the natural world or about human nature, often are about ordinary people, and can include talking animals like fables. Sometimes folktales contain a wise life lesson at the end just like a fable does.
When researching folktales, I found that there is quite a bit of overlap with myths, fables, and legends. One website I read said, “Folktales include myths, legends, fables, animal tales and fairy tales.” Which makes it a bit confusing when trying to distinguish the difference between these different stories. Plus, tall tales are considered folktales.
For now, we’ll just say that folktales are stories meant to teach something and they are orally passed down from generation to generation.
(More or less.)
However, the point of this post is not to define folktales so much as but to share with you new folktales picture books for kids that recently impressed me. I think you’ll really like these titles.
Folktales for Kids
Helga’s Dowry: A Troll Love Story by Tomie dePaola
A hardworking, clever troll named Helga earns her own dowery so that Lars will finally marry her, not Inge. But once she’s amassed a dowery, she realizes that Lars doesn’t love her, he just wants her money. But there is someone who loves Helga and doesn’t need money — the king! Tomie dePaola does it again!
Martina: The Beautiful Cockroach / Martina, la hermosa cucaracha by Berta de Llano, illustrated by Jaime Rivera Contreras
Doña Julia wanted to help Martina find a suitable groom. So she devised a tricky test for prospective suitors. Anyone who would drink the disgusting tembleque with added salt would show that they really liked being with Martina. Eventually, she meets Perez, a kind mouse, who passes the test and they get married in a big ceremony. Adorable!
The Crane Girl adapted by Curtis Manley, illustrated by Lin Wang (JAPAN)
A Crowded Farmhouse Folktale by Karen Rostoker-Gruber, illustrated by Kristina Swarner
A farmer complains to a wise woman about his small house. She tells him to put all his animals inside. After a while, she tells him to put the animals back outside. When he does that, the farmer feels like his house is spacious and perfect for his family.
Pacho Nacho by Silvia Lopez, illustrated by Pablo Pino (MEXICO / JAPAN)
This hilarious story begs to be read aloud. It’s about a family that has two sons, the oldest son has a VERY long name that his parents insist everyone use, Pacho-Nacho-Nico-Tico-Melo-Felo-Kiko-Rico. This name appeased the family who suggested all the names but when he falls into the river, it takes so long for his brother Juan to say his name and get help that the parents decided to shorten his name. Based on an old Japanese folktale, you’ll love the retelling set in Mexico interspersed with Spanish words. LOVE this book!!
The Children’s Moon by Carmen Agra Deedy, illustrated by Jim LaMarche
Have you ever wondered why there are eclipses? This folktale explains it! The moon wants to see children so she asks the sun to share about the day and she tells the sun all about night — the moonflowers and fireflies and best of all, the stars. The sun is furious to know the stars are just like him — and wants to see them for himself. They work together to eclipse and the sun saw galaxies and felt a little less alone. Then, the sun shone brightly on the moon so she could appear in the sky and the children would see her, and she would see them, too. Back matter explains a bit more about the moon.
The Cat from Hunger Mountain by Ed Young (ASIA, maybe CHINA)
Japanese Children’s Favorite Stories by Florence Sakade, illustrated by Yoshisuke Kurosaki (JAPAN)
Reading these 20 folktales, you’ll notice distinctive Japanese elements as well as similarities in folktales from other countries, particularly the life lessons learned in each. This book is whimsically illustrated and the stories are enchanting.
Yokki and the Parno Gry by Richard O’Neill and Katharine Quarmby, illustrated by Marieke Nelissen (ROMANI)
The Romani, or Traveling Folk, carry with them many rich traditions, of which is this traditional story about a boy who told stories about a Parno Gry, a flying white horse, to lift the spirits of his family during a hard time. In the stories, the Parno Gry takes them to bustling markets where they sold their wares again. But these are just stories and the people are losing hope in the face of hunger and lack of jobs. Then one day, the Parno Gry arrives to fly the Romani to a new location with more food and hopeful possibilities.
The Secret of the Kelpie retold by Lari Don, illustrated by Philip Longson (SCOTTISH)
Read about the enticingly dangerous Kelpie who lures you to the water only to drown you. Fortunately, in this folklore story, a quick-thinking sister deciphers the rock pictures and saves her siblings. I found this fascinating, would your kids?
Elephant in the Dark based on a poem by Rumi, retold by Mina Javaherbin, illustrated by Eugene Yelchin (INDIA)
El Chupacabras by Adam Rubin, illustrated by Chas McCreery (MEXICO)
Wacky and fun, written in sentences that mix English and Spanish and Spanish and English, this modern folktale explores the chupacabra in a way that isn’t scary but more light-hearted. A farmer and daughter discover the goatsucker (chupacabra) has sucked one of their precious goats. So, the father asks the flower seller for help. She gives him magic powder which, when overused, makes a herd of gigantic goats! Now, they need the chupacabra’s help to suck out some of the air! Beautiful, earthy illustrations. “Hector had to fix everything, pero la dama de las floras lo ayudo.”
Never Trust a Tiger (Animal Stories) A Story From Korea retold by Lari Don, illustrated by Melanie Williamson (KOREA)
A man saves a tiger from a pit only to have the tiger want to EAT him. But, that’s not right says the man. A good deed should be followed by another good deed. Of course, the tiger doesn’t care about the man’s moralizing. So the man insists they ask someone else to judge. After asking an ox, a tree, and a hare, you’ll love the surprise ending that the hare sets into motion. Superb! While this is set up as an early chapter book, it’s also great for reading aloud, too. Discover more Animal Stories from Barefoot Books.
The Gigantic Turnip by Aleksei Tolstoy, Niamh Sharkey, and Imelda Staunton (RUSSIA)
The illustrations are so amazing, they’re the perfect tone for this delightful folktale. An old man and an old woman plant many vegetables one year. The vegetables grow and get harvested, all except for the turnip because it’s so gigantic. Since the couple can’t pull it out themselves, they ask one farm animal after another to help, making a long chain of pullers. Finally, they ask the last, smallest creature to help — a mouse. And what do you think happens? It comes out! And everyone has turnip stew for dinner. Just goes to show us that even the littlest can help. Find more Barefoot Books about world cultures.
How the Stars Came to Be by Poonam Mistry
This simple folk tale with exquisite illustrations tells the story of how the stars came into the sky from the Sun so the Fisherman could find his way home safely and the Daughter wouldn’t be worried.
Vole and Troll by Iza Trapani
This book is perfect for reading aloud to children with lots of repetitions and songs. A clever Vole uses familiar preschool songs to trick the Troll into singing and getting distracted that the Vole can get across the bridge safely. The Troll gets so angry when he realizes and repeats this familiar refrain: “Troll-dee-roll. I’m a troll, And my favorite food is Vole. With a knick-knack, paddywhack, Better pay the toll, Or you’ll end up in my bowl.” How will this charming story end? With the Vole and Troll singing together in harmony!
The Girl with a Brave Heart by Rita Jahanfouz
A story from Tehran about kindness…A little girl encounters an old lady who asks her to destroy things in her yard but the little girl listens to hear heart and makes the garden beautiful again. To thank her, the old lady makes the girl beautiful. When the girl’s sister hears about this, she visits the old lady also. But, she doesn’t follow her heart and destroys the lady’s things — and gets rewarded in kind, with ugliness.
Five Sisters by Stephanie Campisi, illustrated by Madalina Andronic
An old man and old woman desperately want but never have their own children. One day, a magical tree gives the old man its branches from which he carves five colorful wooden nesting dolls. The dolls bring the couple joy and companionship. Then when the worst happens and a wolf attacks, the tree helps them again. Magically, one of the dolls becomes a real girl. Gorgeous Russian-style artwork.
Carrimebac: The Town that Walked by David Barclay Moore, illustrated by John Holyfield
Brilliant storytelling with a classic folktale feel…Rootilla Redgums and her peculiar grandson, Julius strolled into Walkerton, Georgia on a hot, sweaty afternoon. Surrounded by White towns that wouldn’t do business with the Black townsfolk of Carrimbac, Rootilla changes that by teaching the Black townspeople to weave rugs that never wear out, to bake ceramic jugs that never empty of sarsaparilla, and to carve wooden walking sticks that somehow never get you lost in the woods. Outsiders grow fearful and angry– and soon a mob of Fearful Folk arrive in white sheets with blazing torches. What happens next is nothing short of magic and righteousness but you’ll have to read the story to find it out how Julius and his duck save the town.
Lore of the Wild Folklore & Wisdom from Nature by Claire Cock-Starkey, illustrated by Aitch
Even though I dislike the typeface, I like the format of featuring animals and stories about those animals in folktales. For example, Horses and Donkeys is one section and another is Magpies, Ravens, and Crows.
Treasury of Magical Tales From Around the World by Donna Jo Napoli, illustrated by Christina Balit
This incredible tome packed with beautifully illustrated, magical folk tales and traditional stories from Italy, Angola, Palestine, Korea, China, Australia, and many other countries from around the world will keep your kids in stories for weeks and months. Setting this treasury of stories apart from the rest are the sidebars of factual information, the global stories that represent diverse cultures and countries, and mesmerizing illustrations.
The Legend of Auntie Po by Shing Yin Khor
Find more folktales for kids online at Storyarts.
One Response
Thank you for featuring, “A Crowded Farmhouse Folktale” on your blog!
I LOVE the illustrator that the publisher chose for my book.
K