Diane Wolkstein (1942–2013)

Tigers and goats don't usually become friends, but after Teegra and Cabree find themselves taking shelter in the same cave one dark, stormy night, the two young animals become inseparable for a time. When Teegra is reunited with his family, he gives his friend a parting gift: a banza, or banjo. As Teegra's aunt states, "The banza belongs to the heart, and there is no stronger protection than the heart." Soon enough, Cabree learns the truth of this adage, when she must confront ten hungry show more tigers by the riverside...

This amusing tale, with its reversal of the usual order of things - the hunters end up terrified, the prey victorious - is an homage to the power of music, and of words. Wolkstein - whose other folkloric retellings include White Wave and Oom Razoom - delivers an engaging narrative; while Marc Brown - best known for his Arthur series - provides expressive illustrations that perfectly capture the emotions of the tale. Highly recommended to all folklore lovers, particularly those with an interest in Haiti! show less

A collection of mythological stories about the Sumerian Goddess Inanna, gleaned from stone tablets from 2000 BCE. The stories begin with Inanna rescuing a Huluppu tree from the wild waters of the Euphrates River. Other stories relate to Inanna gaining wisdom from the god Enki after getting him drunk on beer, her courtship and love with the shepherd Dumuzi, her descent into the Underworld and its consequences, and several hymns of praise in her honour.

The second half of the book is an show more academic examination of the stories, starting with a Sumerian history and cultural background from cuneiform translator Samuel Noah Kramer, an exegeseis of the tales themselves by folklorist Diane Wolkstein and descriptions of the various artworks photographed in the book.

I found it fascinating not only because the stories were strong: Innana's strength and character shine through undimmed by the intervening millenia; but also for the cross-disciplinary academic collegiality of the authors and the story of the excavation and translation of the tablets themselves. show less

Cute retelling of a lesser-known Brothers Grimm story...but what the heck is with the names Jared and Raina? The princess is named for a ray of sunshine but "rain" is literally in her name.

Anyway, cute illustrations, an active princess who chooses, helps, and works with her prince before getting married, and gets herself out of an abusive situation. She even learns a lesson and frees her birds from their cages after escaping the house where she'd been kept prisoner. Much better than the show more best-known princess fare. show less

When the king sees Olga, the wife of Alexis the archer, he is struck by her beauty, and devises a cunning plan to rid himself of his rival and claim her for himself. Dispatched to "I know not where," and ordered to bring back "I know not what," Alexis is in despair, until Olga gives him her handkerchief and a magical ball to follow. With the aid of these items, his magical in-laws, a talking frog, and the invisible servant, Oom Razoom, Alexis eventually returns in triumph...

I've encountered show more this story before, in various collections of Russian folklore, and although it is by no means my favorite tale from this tradition, I usually find it quite enjoyable. Unfortunately, although Wolkstein's retelling is competent enough, I was distracted and irritated by Dennis McDermott's illustrations, and am forced to agree with the School Library Journal reviewer, who observes that they are too western in style. Perhaps I've simply been spoiled by all the lovely Bilibin editions I own, but I just couldn't seem to work up any enthusiasm for this version. Definitely a title I would only recommend to Russian folklore enthusiasts with a completist streak. show less