Folktales for a Better World: Stories of Peace and Kindness - Elizabeth Laird - ★★★★.½

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AUTHOR: Elizabeth Laird

ILLUSTRATOR: Mehrdokht Amini
GENRE: Children's Anthology
RATING: 4.5 Stars.

In a Nutshell: An excellent collection of positive folktales.

The author states in the foreword that folktales are the ancient wonders of the world. Many of us have grown up reading folktales from various cultures. These stories contain an old-world feel that delivers value and satisfaction beyond time. No wonder then that they are published even today. Here’s one more gem of a folktale anthology available to modern young readers.

As the title indicates, this collection contains “folktales for a better world.” The seven stories in this book are all chosen based on their ideology of promoting peace and kindness and humaneness. It is somewhat ironic if you keep in mind that the tales have been chosen from a few of the most troubled countries of the world - Ethiopia, Sudan, Palestine, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Syria.

We all know that folktales are sometimes quite dark, and sometimes outdated in terms of their inherent misogyny. What I liked most about this collection is that none of the seven stories promoted a patriarchal domination or a weak-woman-needs-man-to-rescue-her mindset. In fact, there were two stories where the woman saves the day. Such a pleasure to see well-chosen folktales that carry an essence of the past but also adhere to the values of the present to ensure a progressive future!

What adds the icing to the cake is the illustrations. They match the folktales in look, charm and appeal.

The official target age for this collection is 5-8 year olds, but a couple of the stories might work better for the older kinds in that range. The vocabulary level is quite easy though.

Overall, I loved all the seven tales in this little collection, and wish it had contained a few more.

Recommended to anyone who enjoys old-fashioned folktales that are relevant even in the modern world.

My thanks to Interlink Publishing Group Inc and Edelweiss+ for the DRC of “Folktales for a Better World: Stories of Peace and Kindness”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

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