OUR FOLKTALES: THE ALL-TIME FAVOURITE FOLKTALES OF ASIA

From the Back Cover\nOur Folktales: The All-time Favourite Folktales from Asia is a collection of eight beloved children's stories from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines and Singapore. In these beautifully illustrated tales, you will meet brave heroes who outsmart others, mystical spells that enchant, talking animals that are full of mischief, and so much more.
The diversity and wonder of Asia are found in these precious stories that have been passed down through generations, and now, adapted in this compilation, for your reading pleasure. These stories will not just fascinate young readers, they will also educate because they speak of admirable traits, like strength and determination, family loyalty, and and even, mysterious allegories that reveal history!\nOur Folktales: The All-time Favourite Folktales from Asia is a collection of eight beloved children's stories from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines and Singapore. In these beautifully illustrated tales, you will meet brave heroes who outsmart others, mystical spells that enchant, talking animals that are full of mischief, and so much more.The diversity and wonder of Asia are found in these precious stories that have been passed down through generations, and now, adapted in this compilation, for your reading pleasure. These stories will not just fascinate young readers, they will also educate because they speak of admirable traits, like strength and determination, family loyalty, and and even, mysterious allegories that reveal history!\nFrom School Library Journal\nGr 6 Up—Wan-Lau chooses one tale each from only eight Asian countries: China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, and Singapore. Brief notes follow each. In the Chinese zodiac race, Tiger is "very angry to come third," but Dragon stops to help others; three animals cooperate. The note explains that ethnic Chinese "feel proud to bear the personality traits" of their animal: including the cheats and false friends, like Rat and sneering Snake, taking on the stereotypes of their assigned sign. The positive-message Myanmarese [sic] "folktale" features 20th-century toys. The Indonesian princess is clever; the Malay princess is clever but heartless. The Singaporean slave hero must swallow quantities of a demon's vomit, but he does become extremely strong. Only the Japanese Issun-boshi/"Inch Boy" is well known in the west. Each tale is illustrated by a different artist, in strikingly different yet consistently stunning styles. The colors are rich, the details vivid and distinctive. Often the backgrounds are flat, providing a perfect field for integrating the art. VERDICT Although the tales are uneven, the copious illustrations are completely enthralling. An additional purchase.—Patricia D. Lothrop, formerly St. George's Sch., Newport, RI