A collection of ten original nursery tales for the very young is based on folklore from around the world, from an Indonesian children's rhyme to a Khanti fairy tale. The tales, which promote cooperation and self-awareness, are infused with a true storyteller's voice; the illustrations are soft and appealing. From HORN BOOK 1994, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

This unusual collection was inspired by folktales told all over the world. While populated with well-known figures--crafty animals, curious children and kindly grandmothers--it is unlikely that any of the stories will be familiar. A fox turns to trickery and abandons his tail, a boy transforms himself into a peanut, a mouse discovers her ability to roll, and an elderly lady outwits a coyote. The stories are amusing, sometimes surprising, and speed ahead on their own internal logic--which is not always straightforward. Often the tales are circular and involve repetitions of both language and actions, resulting in a fluidity that makes these entries perfect for reading aloud. Fitzgerald attractively interprets the tales with serene watercolors in which calm tones capture the fun of the plots while leaving most of the sparkle for the narrative. Solid, reassuring animals (a la Graham Percy) and button-nosed children ground the text in the recognizable. Ages 5-9. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Ages 2-5. Toronto storyteller Lottridge knows what little ones like in their folklore: simple and direct story lines, rhythmic rhyme and repetition, simple dialogue, plenty of action, and a reassuring ending. Drawing on folktales, nursery rhymes, and fingerplays from around the world, she delivers an outstanding collection of 10 familiar and lesser-known short stories with remarkable freshness and appeal. The soft watercolor, ink, and conte crayon compositions contribute to the cozy atmosphere as they combine an old-fashioned style with a modern suburban setting. Faithful to her sources and featuring heroes of many colors, this deserves a place next to such nursery classics as Rockwell's The Three Bears and Haviland's The Fairy Tale Treasury. ~--Julie Corsaro.

PreS-Gr 3-From distant lands-Malaysia, Russia, China, the Congo, the Far North-Lottridge has collected and adapted 10 folktales. All are short, from four to eight pages including illustrations. Each presents a child or an animal with a unique problem or desire, from a monkey who wants to dance on the village rooftops, to four animals who want to picnic on top of the mountain. All of the stories have thoroughly satisfying endings. In ``The One-Turnip Garden,'' the girl who was too little to help plant and tend the garden is the one whose words help harvest the ``big gigantic turnip.'' The stories have fine traditional structures, with a series of incidents building to a climax. They are written to invite listeners' participation in repeating verses, phrases, or cumulative lists. The many charming pale watercolor illustrations are the icing on the cake. A page of notes gives the national origin and sometimes the collection of tales from which the story was adapted. Storytellers and their audiences, parents looking for short bedtime selections, and children who have recently learned to read will enjoy this book. One copy won't be enough for busy children's rooms.-Nancy Seiner, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Nursery tales from around the world--Russia, Africa, India, China, Indonesia, and more--adapted by an experienced storyteller who is also a gifted one. Whether it's a Malaysian tale about a little boy who insists on being ``in the middle'' when he and his father sleep out in the jungle resulting in such a tangle of arms and legs that it frightens away a hungry tiger; or an engaging restructuring of the more familiar ``The Turnip,'' these fresh, simple renditions are beautifully paced and full of the kind of nuanced repetitions that build suspense and invite participation. Fitzgerald's plentiful watercolors come in all sizes, from vignettes to full pages; they have an ingenuous sweetness of tone appropriate to a collection notable for its lack of violence (and without bowdlerizing any old favorites). The excellent source notes reveal that in some cases restructuring is substantial- -e.g., in two cases a brief rhyme becomes a full story. In the same spirit, the illustrations are in a single harmonious style rather than reflecting the cultures of earlier versions. A grand resource, especially for sharing aloud. (Folklore/Young reader. 3-9)