Thai Children's Favorite Stories

July 29, 2019
“Once upon a time a kite flew above yellow bamboo rooftops, past green jungles, and high into the bright blue sky of Thailand.” Princesses, a vulture king, a faithful monk, and a foolish tiger populate traditional stories sprinkled with Thai words and phrases (a glossary in the back offers definitions). While the inclusion of such phrases supplies authenticity, tales that touch on complex beliefs and practices (for example polygamy in “There Is No Such Thing As a Secret,” or gender roles in “How the Bay of Bangkok Came to Be”) offer little context for readers unfamiliar with Thai culture. Meesukhon’s illustrations, notable for their shimmering color and modern, rounded forms, vibrantly frame the text, with its classical fairy tale cadences—“Long ago in old Ayudhya there lived a man named Nai Hah Tong who dreamed of turning copper into gold.” Ages 6–10.