Can You Guess My Name?

Can You Guess My Name? Traditional Tales Around the World. Judy Sierra. Illustrated by Stefano Vitale. 2002. 128 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence from the introduction: Many of the world's folktales resemble one another in surprising ways, as anyone who hears them or reads them soon discovers.

Premise/plot: Judy Sierra has collected fifteen folktales from around the world. There are five sections (with three stories apiece): "I'll Blow Your House In!" "Just the Right Friends," "Can You Guess My Name?" "I Married a Frog," and "The Scary House in The Woods."

My thoughts: I enjoyed reading this book very much. While I can't say that I loved each story and each section equally, what I loved I really LOVED. My favorite story, without a doubt, was "The Three Geese" (Italy). IN a way, it reads like The Three Little Pigs, but, it stars geese not pigs. And it ends with a fabulous line: "and there they ate macaroni and lived happily." Another story I enjoyed was "Medio Pollito" (Argentina).
© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Strega Nona

Strega Nona. Tomie dePaola. 1975. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: In a town in Calabria, a long time ago, there lived an old lady everyone called Strega Nona, which meant "Grandma Witch."

Premise/plot: When Strega Nona hires Big Anthony to help out, she warns him NOT to touch the pasta pot. Human nature being what it is, Big Anthony instantly NEEDS to get a hold of that pot. He watches Strega Nona while she's using the pasta pot. He thinks he knows its secret. That's only partially true. When she leaves town for a few days, he brags all about this pot and what it can do. Which leads to TROUBLE. Will Big Anthony regret his disobedience and his boasting?

My thoughts: HOW VERY FUN! I can't believe I am only now discovering this one. I loved the pasta pot. And seeing pasta practically take over the town was awesome! I would pity Big Anthony his tummy ache, but, he did have no business meddling with magic.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10
© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

I Know A Story (1938)

I Know A Story. Miriam Blanton Huber, Frank Seely Salisbury, and Mabel O'Donnell. Illustrated by Florence and Margaret Hoopes. Wonder-Story. 1938/1953, 1962. Harper & Row. 190 pages. [Source: Bought]

This is a decades-old reading textbook featuring folk tales! It includes these stories:

• The Gingerbread Boy
• The Three Bears
• Billy Goats Gruff
• Mr. Vinegar
• The Straw Ox
• Little Red Riding Hood
• The Boy Who Went to the North Wind

It also includes these poems:

• The Rabbit
• Mice
• In The Fashion
• Chipmunk
• Mother Goose Rhymes
• Indian Children
• The Woodpecker
• The Animal Store
• A Visit From St. Nicholas

I was familiar with many of these stories, you probably are as well. But a few were new-to-me. For example, I'd never heard "Mr. Vinegar," "The Straw Ox," or "The Boy Who Went to the North Wind."
"Mr. Vinegar" was a strange story of a foolish man. The ending made no sense either! But despite its strangeness, there were some elements I found myself liking.

Overall, I liked the stories much better than the poetry. My favorite story was probably "The Boy Who Went to the North Wind."


© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews