Fairy tales are often overlooked nowadays in favor of newer, more contemporary read-aloud books. However, there are many benefits of continuing to share these classic stories with children in today’s world.
Many cultures share common fairy tales, like Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty, each told with their own cultural flavor. Hearing different versions of these stories helps us gain a deeper understanding of other cultures.
Children face a lot of “firsts” in their lives— first day of school, first piano recital, first sleepover away from home. Hearing stories of characters in fairy tales embarking on their own adventures helps foster a sense of openness to new experiences.
Fairy tales teach that hard work lays a foundation for success. Think about the Three Little Pigs. The little pig who works hard and takes his time to build a sturdy brick house is the one who triumphs at the end— not the lazy pigs who slap together a house of straw or sticks, only to have them blown down by the big bad wolf.
Let your imagination run free and celebrate National Tell a Fairy Tale Day by checking out the selections below or visit the Children’s Library to find even more titles in our Fairy Tale and Folklore section.
Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal - The author draws from a variety of folk traditions to put together this version of Cinderella, including elements from Mexico, Iran, Korea, Russia, Appalachia, and more.
3 Tales Retold and Illustrated - A retelling of three classic favorite fairy tales.
Goldy Luck And The Three Pandas - One Chinese New Year, Goldy Luck's mother sends her to the pandas next door with a plate of turnip cakes, but the pandas are out of the house and disaster follows. Includes a recipe for turnip cakes and an explanation of Chinese New Year.
Sleeping Beauty - Retells the story of a wicked fairy who casts a spell that dooms a princess to sleep for one hundred years.
Little Red Riding Hood - The story of a little girl who meets a wicked wolf in the forest on the way to her grandmother’s house.
Rose Red and Snow White - A bear, befriended by two sisters during the winter, returns one day to reward them royally for their kindness.
The Runaway Tortilla - In this Southwestern version of the Gingerbread Man, a tortilla runs away from the woman who is about to cook him.
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