Heroes, Fools, and Ghosts

November 1, 2012

Gr 4-6-This series does not live up to its potential. It is not quite a collection of stories or an explanation of folk traditions, and it does not truly cover North America. The books range from largely neglecting Mexico and Canada to covering folklore around the world in very general terms. Black Cats is the most successful of the volumes, with Arkham collecting regionally distinct folk customs across the U. S. and Canada. But even that title, with its long introductory prose section with few illustrations, struggles. Sirens is a helpful blend of history and legendary stories, but includes fewer elements of folklore than the other titles. Snedeker's titles are more problematic, with less focus on the topics and a slight Christian bias in Celebrations. The color photos, reproductions, and illustration add little to the texts.

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