Ghosts and Goblins

July 1, 2016

Gr 2-6-Since these collections contain tales from many cultures, readers might expect them to evince differences in settings and language, but, alas, the retellings are sadly featureless. While it's generally accepted that individual storytellers will alter folktales to their own styles, it's odd to have the princess of an old Scottish story say "yuck" or for parents in a story set in Mexico to be referred to as "mom" and "dad." It is commendable that at the end of Serpents and Werewolves, author Don references the original works that inspired her retelling and explains why she chose to change certain elements of the tales. Pearson, on the other hand, gives no indication of the source materials she's used, stating in the afterword to Magic and Misery that she "came to realize it didn't matter where they began because they are all part of a common European heritage." While in two of the volumes, the tales come from all over the world, in Magic and Misery the stories are predominantly European. Students may also be confused by the organization of the series. In addition, the tale "The Bride Who Waited" (labeled "North American") features a "Sioux maiden" without any further context. Also, "The Gold Sea" is referred to as a "Canadian Tribal Tale" without any specification of what tribe. VERDICT For simple retellings of folktales, Virginia Haviland or Anne Rockwell's classic collections are a better bet.-Miriam Lang Budin, Chappaqua Library, NY

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