We’re at an exciting reading transition point now where the 6yo wants to read more and more by himself, so I’ve been on the lookout for fun books that he can enjoy exploring independently. He loves silly stories and tall tales, so Funny Folk Tales for Children by Alison Galbraith was right up our street!
Published by The History Press – who have so many lovely folklore books for children – the book features eleven short stories retold by professional storyteller Alison. There’s a great variety of tales included from all around the world, including local versions from England and Scotland, as well as more far-flung escapades from Germany, Norway, Egypt, Russia, India, Japan. Some of the tales you’ll likely already be familiar with – like Sausages for Supper, which I remember hearing as a child as ‘The Three Wishes’. There’s a handy section at the back on Sources and Notes that tells you a little bit about each tale and its origins, and provides lots of generous advice about further reading – with some really useful links to websites like the Story Museum.
For the stories themselves, the language is pitched really well for younger readers – the vocab isn’t too overly complex and the sentences are clear – and there’s a lovely flow to each tale that makes it perfect for reading out loud. The main thing the 6yo needed a bit of help with was just the pronunciation of some of the trickier names, like Sean and Sian! In practical terms, the print is also a good size for children. There’s nothing worse than a paperback with tiny squashed print – but the layout is just as supportive for younger ones, especially the thoughtful spacing with cute little paragraph separators! Each story is accompanied by Lucinda Wilson’s lively little black and white illustrations. These often capture the funniest parts of the stories really nicely – the cranky wolf in Why Dogs Live With People was one of our favourites!
We’ve really enjoyed exploring this one together and reading it aloud has been a delight! It’s been a good step up from some of the simpler Aesop’s fables we’d read together before, and a nice branch out from our usual myth-heavy stories too. It’s also sparked a lot of questions about different places and animals. My favourite tale was the Badger Teapot based on Japanese folklore, while for the 6yo clearly nothing was going to beat the Irish/Scottish/Norwegian Cow on the Roof… !
wee classics 