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Her Stories: African American Folktales, Fairy Tales, and True Tales
In the tradition of Hamilton's The People Could Fly and In the Beginning, a dramatic new collection of 25 compelling tales from the female African American storytelling tradition. Each story focuses on the role of women--both real and fantastic--and their particular strengths, joys and sorrows. Full-color illustrations.
128 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1995
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1852 people want to read
About the author
Virginia Hamilton
137 books271 followersVirginia Esther Hamilton was the author of forty-one works of fiction and nonfiction. She was the first Black writer awarded the Newbery Medal and the first children's writer to be named a MacArthur Fellow (the "Genius" grant). She also received the National Book Award and the Hans Christian Andersen Medal.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
May 18, 2014
Her Stories by Virginia Hamilton is a wonderful collection of stories that touched my heart. This detailed writing no doubt deserves the Coretta Scott King award nominee. This book demonstrates appreciation for African American culture because these stories have been passed down from generations by African American women. Moreover, the author tells the story the way it was told originally by African Americans. This book shows many universal values including generosity because in one story, a girl named Mary Belle finds a mermaid that gave her food and water when no one else would treat her nicely. This book also shows happiness. Miss Hatty is lonely and scared of mice. Both those problems are solved when she gets a cat. Cats can make anyone happy, and of course, Miss Hatty was. Virginia Hamilton is now one of my favorite authors thanks to this wonderful book. And if you read this exciting, heart warming, terrific book, you'll find out why.
December 5, 2016
1) Book summary: This book is a collaborations of fairy tales, true tales, and folk tales of African American female characters.
2) Grade level, interest level, lexile: PreK-3rd, ages 4-8, 880L
3) Appropriate classroom use (subject area): Language art
4) Individual students who might benefit from reading: Young and teen age girls would benefit best from reading this book
5) Small group use (literary circles): I wouldn't use this for small group use
6) Whole class use (read aloud): Each day I would read a tale to my students before language art period
7) Related books in genre/subject or content area: The People Could Fly: African American Folktale
8) Multimedia connections (audio book, movie): Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback
2) Grade level, interest level, lexile: PreK-3rd, ages 4-8, 880L
3) Appropriate classroom use (subject area): Language art
4) Individual students who might benefit from reading: Young and teen age girls would benefit best from reading this book
5) Small group use (literary circles): I wouldn't use this for small group use
6) Whole class use (read aloud): Each day I would read a tale to my students before language art period
7) Related books in genre/subject or content area: The People Could Fly: African American Folktale
8) Multimedia connections (audio book, movie): Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback
September 1, 2020
An excellent selection of stories and the most beautiful illustrations I’ve seen from the Dillons. It includes among others: two mermaid stories, the origins of cats, spooky stories, fairytales and true stories from real women.
July 2, 2014
Ever wish you could have someone read some stories to you? While Her Stories: African American Folktales, Fairy Tales, and True Tales, by Virginia Hamilton, is an excellent collection of tales, I was strongly wishing someone would read them to me because I feel that is how these stories began. It is important that the stories be written so that generation after generation can enjoy these stories, but oral tradition is a one of a kind.
Her Stories is a collection of African American tales that have strong female characters. The collection has animal tales, fairy tales, supernatural tales, folk tales, and true tales. This book is a great resource for classes discussing traditional literature, and it would also be helpful when dealing with African American girls, and letting them know about all of these strong women.
Leo and Diane Dillon illustrated this book, and they used acrylics on illustration board. These illustrations are very rich in color. My main problem with the pictures is that their are not enough of them, and for me, they don't continue the text. This could be because of oral tradition of the text, and how pictures would not have been used originally, but the pictures are not needed. Since there are pictures, I would like more of them to help me understand the stories even more.
Her Stories is a collection of African American tales that have strong female characters. The collection has animal tales, fairy tales, supernatural tales, folk tales, and true tales. This book is a great resource for classes discussing traditional literature, and it would also be helpful when dealing with African American girls, and letting them know about all of these strong women.
Leo and Diane Dillon illustrated this book, and they used acrylics on illustration board. These illustrations are very rich in color. My main problem with the pictures is that their are not enough of them, and for me, they don't continue the text. This could be because of oral tradition of the text, and how pictures would not have been used originally, but the pictures are not needed. Since there are pictures, I would like more of them to help me understand the stories even more.
December 31, 2021
Virginia Hamilton's African-American folktales, Her Stories, is carefully chosen to include female main characters. Yet in the Antebellum South, the female characters don't always come across as strong or positive. Sometimes, they are manipulative, tricky, or jealous.
In effort to maintain a sense of the oral tradition, the folklore collected here is all written in dialect. Each tale is accompanied by a piece of background on history and general structure of regional folktales. I found it fascinating, but better suited to an older audience than I usually associate with fairytales.
In effort to maintain a sense of the oral tradition, the folklore collected here is all written in dialect. Each tale is accompanied by a piece of background on history and general structure of regional folktales. I found it fascinating, but better suited to an older audience than I usually associate with fairytales.
November 14, 2015
The Wolf and Little Daughter The Wolf and Little Daughter is an African American folktale. It took place in the house where Little Daughter and her father lived, and also it took place in the forest. In this folktale there is a problem. Little Daughter’s father told Little Daughter not to go out the gate because there were dangerous things like wolves. One day Little Daughter’s father needed to go out to look for something. Little Daughter decided to go outside to pick some flowers. She saw a beautiful wild yellow flower outside the gate. She thought nothing would happen to her if she just peeked out of the gate. When she was outside, she saw another beautiful flower just like the others and another one and another one. While she was picking those flowers she didn’t noticed that she was entering the forest, until she heard a noise. When she looked up she saw a great big wolf! While Little Daughter was picking the flowers she was singing a sweet song, and it seemed that the wolf liked it. The wolf said to her, “Sing that sweetest, goodest song again” (p. 157, line 22). So Little Daughter sang it: “Tray-bla, tray-bla, cum qua, kimo” (p. 157,line 24). Little Daughter tiptoed toward the gate to go back home, but the wolf chased her, and said, “Did you move?” Little Daughter shook her head. So then the wolf said, “Well, sing that sweetest, goodest song again” (p.158, line 32). Little Daughter sang it: “Tray-bla, tray-bla, cum qua, kimo” (p.158, line 35). Little Daughter tiptoed a little bit more, and the wolf said, “Did you move?” Little Daughter shook her head. The same thing happened again and again, until Little Daughter was safe behind the gate. As I said before, The Wolf and Little Daughter is a folktale, but this time I am going to tell you why is it a folktale. It is a folktale because it has a specific culture, a lesson, supernatural powers and has been passed from generation to generation. These four things are all the requirements a folktale needs. The Wolf and Little Daughter’s culture is African American (it says it under the title): “ A Wolf and Little Daughter: An African American folktale retold by Virginia Hamilton.” For me the lesson is that kids can’t disobey there parents, or that people should obey others that they think are telling them things for there own good. Because Little Daughter’s father told Little Daughter not to go out and she did it, then Little Daughter gets a consequence, which is that she gets almost eaten by a wolf. This folktale definitely has supernatural powers one of them is that the wolf could talk “ Did you move?” said the wolf (p. 158, line 28). Last but not least this folktale is passed from generation to generation. In the Author Study, it says: “Speaking of her four volumes of folk tales, Hamilton notes: “None of these stories was ever written for children. They were just told;
so I redid them, brought them out of the musty old manuscripts where nobody ever saw them.”
so I redid them, brought them out of the musty old manuscripts where nobody ever saw them.”
June 26, 2013
Describing “Her Stories: African American Folktales, Fairy Tales, and True Tales” told by Virginia Hamilton is a difficult task. The book features narratives from black folklore, and each narrative has female main characters. I respect the work that is being done in this collection of stories. It is important for these tales, that were often shared orally, to be written down for future generations to read and enjoy so this portion of America’s literary history is not lost. Hamilton does a great job of picking a wide variety of stories that span the animal, folk, fairy, and true tale genres. She chooses stories for this text that feature many interesting characters and predicaments. The compilation of stories is well done and meaningful, and there is a lot to be learned from this text about black culture and story telling in general.
The difficult part of this review is talking about the stories themselves. I can think of two reasons the individual stories in this anthology were not that enjoyable to me. First, the tales are so different from what I’m used to in traditional, white, Anglo-centric stories. Magical elements and events seem to come out of nowhere. Some stories don’t follow an expected story arch; new events just seem tacked on. Some stories don’t seem to have an overall theme but instead are sort of aimless. When a reader has grown up reading nothing other than traditional, white fairy and folk tales and fables, stories like these are jarring and difficult to get used to. (I wish I had more time to spend with them.) Second, these particular stories would be so much more effective read aloud by someone who could narrate them with verve and personality. The words tend to fall flat on the page. The stories lose something essential when they shift from oral to written. If a librarian or teacher were going to use this book, I would definitely suggest that several of the stories be read aloud so readers and students can hear the rich language.
This book features stunning color illustrations by Leo and Diane Dillon. My only complaint about the illustrations is that there aren’t more of them. Reading a fairy tale and seeing the picture of a black female protagonist is so important for readers who imagine that all princesses and fairies are white and blonde. I would recommend this book for second through fifth-grade readers, and I would encourage all readers to approach the book with patience and with the expectation that they are going to experience something new.
The difficult part of this review is talking about the stories themselves. I can think of two reasons the individual stories in this anthology were not that enjoyable to me. First, the tales are so different from what I’m used to in traditional, white, Anglo-centric stories. Magical elements and events seem to come out of nowhere. Some stories don’t follow an expected story arch; new events just seem tacked on. Some stories don’t seem to have an overall theme but instead are sort of aimless. When a reader has grown up reading nothing other than traditional, white fairy and folk tales and fables, stories like these are jarring and difficult to get used to. (I wish I had more time to spend with them.) Second, these particular stories would be so much more effective read aloud by someone who could narrate them with verve and personality. The words tend to fall flat on the page. The stories lose something essential when they shift from oral to written. If a librarian or teacher were going to use this book, I would definitely suggest that several of the stories be read aloud so readers and students can hear the rich language.
This book features stunning color illustrations by Leo and Diane Dillon. My only complaint about the illustrations is that there aren’t more of them. Reading a fairy tale and seeing the picture of a black female protagonist is so important for readers who imagine that all princesses and fairies are white and blonde. I would recommend this book for second through fifth-grade readers, and I would encourage all readers to approach the book with patience and with the expectation that they are going to experience something new.
February 6, 2013
Her Stories: African American Folktales, Fairy Tales, and True Tales are tales from female African American storytelling tradition. Each story gives its reader a glimpse into African American women strengths, bravery, joys, and sorrow. These stories focus on the role of African American woman that are actual and fantastic.
The theme of the many stories in this book or the book itself would be strength. These stories provide to its readers just how strong each woman was to overcome the many obstacles they faced as African American women.
Her Stories: African American Folktales, Fairy Tales, and True Tales has a colorful illustrations with one picture per story that gives you a visual image of the story as well as provides detailed about the story itself.
Her Stories: African American Folktales, Fairy Tales, and True Tales is a great book for children
between the ages 9 – 12 and a great classroom resource for all ages and of any culture interested
in reading traditional folklore on African American women. The book ends with a list of valuable resources where one can find other examples of African-American folklore.
At the end of the book that author included some reflections on her own childhood, and how her mother influenced her decision to compile stories about strong African American women. I personally would recommend this book to all African American parents with daughters as a resource to help broaden their daughter(s) understanding of where they came from and where they are going.
The theme of the many stories in this book or the book itself would be strength. These stories provide to its readers just how strong each woman was to overcome the many obstacles they faced as African American women.
Her Stories: African American Folktales, Fairy Tales, and True Tales has a colorful illustrations with one picture per story that gives you a visual image of the story as well as provides detailed about the story itself.
Her Stories: African American Folktales, Fairy Tales, and True Tales is a great book for children
between the ages 9 – 12 and a great classroom resource for all ages and of any culture interested
in reading traditional folklore on African American women. The book ends with a list of valuable resources where one can find other examples of African-American folklore.
At the end of the book that author included some reflections on her own childhood, and how her mother influenced her decision to compile stories about strong African American women. I personally would recommend this book to all African American parents with daughters as a resource to help broaden their daughter(s) understanding of where they came from and where they are going.
December 5, 2017
Wow finding this on goodreads nearly brought a tear to my eye. I read this book as a child, as my mother fed my sister and I the best fantasy books by black writers. This one, in particular, probably set the foundation for my very eccentric youth haha.
This book is a beautiful collection of stories with equally beautiful art work which helps bring the stories to life. Although it is meant for children I think adults would enjoy it as well. From what I can remember, many of the short stories are based on African American folklore. I think African folklore as well but I am not completely sure.
Amazing book!
This book is a beautiful collection of stories with equally beautiful art work which helps bring the stories to life. Although it is meant for children I think adults would enjoy it as well. From what I can remember, many of the short stories are based on African American folklore. I think African folklore as well but I am not completely sure.
Amazing book!
October 8, 2020
WOW. JUST WOW. This collection of tales is marvelously told, and each one ends with a comment about the historical and geographical context. Every story has a beautiful illustration to go with it. These practically beg to be read aloud, and each one speaks to the resilience and the creativity of the African American community.
September 25, 2012
The premise for this collection is excellent, and its contents are good and enjoyable, both stories and illustrations. I wish this project were about three times as long and included more scholarly content on each tale.
January 2, 2017
The collection itself is varied, interesting and informative. And the illustrations are absolutely stunning! I feel blessed to have found a copy of this hardcover at Goodwill for under $1 -- I can't believe someone gave it away; their loss.
4.5 stars
4.5 stars
Want to read
July 2, 2008It would be nice if my daughter would let me read more of this book to her. But she is an opinionated five month old, and we are moving along much too slowly.
December 6, 2020
So glad this was on display in my children's section! Almost wish I had kids to read it to.
February 4, 2019
Great stories that lift up African American women and their contribution in American history. Absolutely stunning illustrations. One small warning for any parents, some of the stories might be a little scary for younger children. (For instance - spoiler - one story has a man shoot a mermaid and while it is not explicit that the mermaid dies, the story simply says that the mermaid never comes back.)
Summary of the stories (spoilers below):
Little Girl and Buh Rabby - The Rabbit sneaks into get a girls peas by saying that the girls mom said it was OK. When the girl learns from her mother that it was not OK, she lets the rabbit in but doesn't let him out again until her father comes home and puts the rabbit in a sack. But the Rabbit convinces a Wolf to take the Rabbit's place in the sack.
Lena and Big One Tiger - Lena says she will never marry a man who is wounded or scarred. A tiger hears her, dresses up in fancy clothes and convinces her to marry him. But when they get home he locks him up in a cage until old Jacob hears Lena call out and releases her. The Tiger comes back and says some nonsense words, Old Jacob responds and Lena is freed.
Marie and RedFish - A girl wanted to marry a prince but the father got a wizard to change the man into a prince. The girl still went to the riverbank and see the prince. But the father followed the girl and shot the prince and demanded that she make the fish into his dinner. The father ate so much that his stomach burst and fish came out. The girl fell into a hole and met her prince and only one dark curl of her hair showed above ground.
Miz Hattie gets some Company - a woman is lonely and overwhelmed by mice and pests. One day the Lord comes to visit Miz Hattie and gives her a glove which turns into a cat which chases away the mice and keeps Hattie company. She names it Purralee.
Catskinella - doesn't want to marry the woodsman so she asks for a looking-glass mirror that can talk. The woodsman provides it. So she asks for a dress made of a cat skin and a ring for her engagement and it is also provided. On her wedding day she dressed in front of the mirror but then snuck away and the talking mirror kept telling her father and groom that she wasn't quite ready yet. They finally broke into the room, saw she was gone and broke the talking mirror. She went off to a castle where she tended chickens. The prince saw her and fell in love. It made him sick. He stated that only a certain cake could make him better. All the women tried to bake the cake, but the Prince liked Catskinella's cake which had her ring inside. They married and lived happily every after.
Good Blance, Bad Rose and the Talking Eggs - A mother has two daughters - one good and one evil. The good girl gives an old woman water and then runs off with the old woman when her mother is cruel to her. She obeys the old woman and doesn't laugh at any of the odd things she sees such as two axes fighting in midair, when the old woman takes her head off to comb her hair and when she finds that the old woman's back is broken glass which cuts her skin when she must rub it. (Although once she is done rubbing her back her hands heal.) The woman tells her to go to the hen house and get the eggs that say "take me" and toss them behind her as she heads home. They are filled with jewels, gold and fine dresses. The bad sister decides to go see the old woman but does everything wrong. She laughs when she sees the magical things and she takes the "don't take me" eggs which are filled with snakes, toads and frogs.
Mary Belle and the Mermaid - A father, step mother and two stepsisters treat our heroine (Mary Belle) very badly so she goes crying out to the river where she meets a mermaid. The mermaid feeds Mary Belle and comes when she calls. But Mary Belle tells her family about the mermaid and her father shots the poor mermaid. The mermaid was gone and never returned. Mary Belle waded into the river and disappeared into the waves.
Mom Bett and the Little Ones A-Glowing - Mom Bett's sits on her back porch on Friday (because it is bad luck to work on Friday) and looks at a tree at dawn and see many little fairies. The next day her son, Jody, sits with Mom Bett and he sees one fairy woman. This story has beautiful descriptive language even though not a lot happens. It is more about painting of waiting on the dawn.
Who You! - Women don't answer the door despite continuous knocking. Instead they laugh, eat, and smoke their pipes. Finally the knocks get so loud they can't avoid them, so one of the woman tries to make bread for the person at the door. The bread gets so big it fills the house and the women escape the house turning into owls.
Macie and Boo Hag - She talks about how the boo hag use to ride her at night and she couldn't sleep but her mother freed her by putting her in a bottle with cork and needles in the cork. But now that the woman is old the boo hag is back making it hard for the woman to sleep and her mother is no longer alive to help her.
Lonna and Cat Woman - the Cat Woman is an "albino skin...her-vampire." A girl named Lonna goes to the Cat Woman because she is in love with Samuel but Samuel loves pretty Polly. Lonna lets the vampire suck her blood, and as result the Cat Woman makes Polly get sick. Samuel then goes to the Cat Woman and also gets his blood sucked to heal Polly. Lonna comes back made that Cat Woman healed Polly. The Cat Woman thinks she has killed Lonna by shaking her and goes to dump the body but is picked up by the police where she died in prison since she didn't have access to blood.
Malindy and Little Devil - A little girl spills milk on her dress and agrees to give the devil her soul for the milk to be back in the pail, her dress to be cleaned and for to live until she is twenty-nine. When the devil comes back to collect on his debt she gives him the sole of her shoe.
Woman and Men Started Even - Women and Men use to be of the same strength but Man went to God and asked to be stronger than woman and he agrees. Woman object but God says once he has done something he won't undo it. Woman meets the devil who tells Woman to ask for a set of keys from God. God gives them to woman, they are the keys to the kitchen, the bedroom and the children's room. Man is mad that woman has the keys but once again he says once he gives something he won't take it back. It ends with the line that men are strong but women have the power.
Luella and the Tame Parrot - The slaves can't figure out how their master always knows when they stop working to pray or go into their cabin to get a little extra food. Finally they find out that a parrot has been giving them away so the next time the master is out they cover the parrots cage so he can't tell on them.
The Mer-woman out of the Sea - A town, which was previously wonderful and calm is suddenly hit by nonstop rain and flooding. It is said that it is because an apothecary has a mer-woman in a bell jar. So the town goes to force him to let her go. The crowd can't find the mer-woman but soon after the doctor leaves town and the rains stop.
Annie Christmas - Annie goes on a keelboat with her friends all dressed up. Each one leaves at a different stop for a date (or as the book says what was called at one time a dandy). Finally it is just Annie who hitches her keelboat to a side-paddle-wheel boat. She falls in love with the captain for a moment, but is broken hearted and out of love a moment later when he rejects her. She jumps overboard and is drown and her twelve sons carry her coffin and it is said that in the mist you can still find Annie singing a river tune.
Finally three real stories:
One of Millie Evens who describes having to drink milk out of a trough as a slave. She describes the different meals she got as a slave. That her masters thought that maybe while slaves were free in North Carolina that they wouldn't be free in Arkansas and so they traveled there only to find out freedom was already there. She does cast slavery in a somewhat positive light but it was 1930s when she was speaking so that might be both that she was suffering in the depression and that slavery was no so long gone that she had forgotten some of its harsher elements.
Lettice Boyer - describes the clothes she was given as a slave. She describes the beating of the slave men and how they had their ears marked like hogs. And how she knew that the Civil war was coming due to bible verses. She had lived independently for a while but now she lives with her granddaughter Hallie and Hallie's husband Will. She feels guilt that she can't contribute to the home but eats their bread although Will is kind and says that "as long as I've got bread, you have, too." At the end she ask the person taking down her story for cheese and light bread. Again she has some positive things to say about slavery but again the story was taken down in the 30s and she definitely felt bad about being a burden on her family now.
Mary Lou Thorton - Mary Lou was born in 1915. She describes how her mother gave birth to 13 children but only six survived. One child died by choking on a marble the doctor lived too far away and by the time he got there he couldn't save her. She talks about going to school by crossing a creek and if it rained it was dangerous to get home. She studied for a while in a one-room school house and later in a bigger school where the teacher suggested that she get promoted to the next grade but Mary Lou liked where she was and stayed. Her mother had about a fourth-grade education and her father a fifth grade education. In Mary Lou's first job she made $15 a week and she knew she was rich. She bought her father a blue serge suit which he thought was so nice that he hardly wore it because he wanted to be buried in it.
Finally the author talks about her own experience listening to stories from her mother including one in a tornado where the mother kept her daughter calm by looking at the trees bowing down to Grandmother Lilac and saying that it was the Lilac's fault that the wash got ripped off the line.
Summary of the stories (spoilers below):
Little Girl and Buh Rabby - The Rabbit sneaks into get a girls peas by saying that the girls mom said it was OK. When the girl learns from her mother that it was not OK, she lets the rabbit in but doesn't let him out again until her father comes home and puts the rabbit in a sack. But the Rabbit convinces a Wolf to take the Rabbit's place in the sack.
Lena and Big One Tiger - Lena says she will never marry a man who is wounded or scarred. A tiger hears her, dresses up in fancy clothes and convinces her to marry him. But when they get home he locks him up in a cage until old Jacob hears Lena call out and releases her. The Tiger comes back and says some nonsense words, Old Jacob responds and Lena is freed.
Marie and RedFish - A girl wanted to marry a prince but the father got a wizard to change the man into a prince. The girl still went to the riverbank and see the prince. But the father followed the girl and shot the prince and demanded that she make the fish into his dinner. The father ate so much that his stomach burst and fish came out. The girl fell into a hole and met her prince and only one dark curl of her hair showed above ground.
Miz Hattie gets some Company - a woman is lonely and overwhelmed by mice and pests. One day the Lord comes to visit Miz Hattie and gives her a glove which turns into a cat which chases away the mice and keeps Hattie company. She names it Purralee.
Catskinella - doesn't want to marry the woodsman so she asks for a looking-glass mirror that can talk. The woodsman provides it. So she asks for a dress made of a cat skin and a ring for her engagement and it is also provided. On her wedding day she dressed in front of the mirror but then snuck away and the talking mirror kept telling her father and groom that she wasn't quite ready yet. They finally broke into the room, saw she was gone and broke the talking mirror. She went off to a castle where she tended chickens. The prince saw her and fell in love. It made him sick. He stated that only a certain cake could make him better. All the women tried to bake the cake, but the Prince liked Catskinella's cake which had her ring inside. They married and lived happily every after.
Good Blance, Bad Rose and the Talking Eggs - A mother has two daughters - one good and one evil. The good girl gives an old woman water and then runs off with the old woman when her mother is cruel to her. She obeys the old woman and doesn't laugh at any of the odd things she sees such as two axes fighting in midair, when the old woman takes her head off to comb her hair and when she finds that the old woman's back is broken glass which cuts her skin when she must rub it. (Although once she is done rubbing her back her hands heal.) The woman tells her to go to the hen house and get the eggs that say "take me" and toss them behind her as she heads home. They are filled with jewels, gold and fine dresses. The bad sister decides to go see the old woman but does everything wrong. She laughs when she sees the magical things and she takes the "don't take me" eggs which are filled with snakes, toads and frogs.
Mary Belle and the Mermaid - A father, step mother and two stepsisters treat our heroine (Mary Belle) very badly so she goes crying out to the river where she meets a mermaid. The mermaid feeds Mary Belle and comes when she calls. But Mary Belle tells her family about the mermaid and her father shots the poor mermaid. The mermaid was gone and never returned. Mary Belle waded into the river and disappeared into the waves.
Mom Bett and the Little Ones A-Glowing - Mom Bett's sits on her back porch on Friday (because it is bad luck to work on Friday) and looks at a tree at dawn and see many little fairies. The next day her son, Jody, sits with Mom Bett and he sees one fairy woman. This story has beautiful descriptive language even though not a lot happens. It is more about painting of waiting on the dawn.
Who You! - Women don't answer the door despite continuous knocking. Instead they laugh, eat, and smoke their pipes. Finally the knocks get so loud they can't avoid them, so one of the woman tries to make bread for the person at the door. The bread gets so big it fills the house and the women escape the house turning into owls.
Macie and Boo Hag - She talks about how the boo hag use to ride her at night and she couldn't sleep but her mother freed her by putting her in a bottle with cork and needles in the cork. But now that the woman is old the boo hag is back making it hard for the woman to sleep and her mother is no longer alive to help her.
Lonna and Cat Woman - the Cat Woman is an "albino skin...her-vampire." A girl named Lonna goes to the Cat Woman because she is in love with Samuel but Samuel loves pretty Polly. Lonna lets the vampire suck her blood, and as result the Cat Woman makes Polly get sick. Samuel then goes to the Cat Woman and also gets his blood sucked to heal Polly. Lonna comes back made that Cat Woman healed Polly. The Cat Woman thinks she has killed Lonna by shaking her and goes to dump the body but is picked up by the police where she died in prison since she didn't have access to blood.
Malindy and Little Devil - A little girl spills milk on her dress and agrees to give the devil her soul for the milk to be back in the pail, her dress to be cleaned and for to live until she is twenty-nine. When the devil comes back to collect on his debt she gives him the sole of her shoe.
Woman and Men Started Even - Women and Men use to be of the same strength but Man went to God and asked to be stronger than woman and he agrees. Woman object but God says once he has done something he won't undo it. Woman meets the devil who tells Woman to ask for a set of keys from God. God gives them to woman, they are the keys to the kitchen, the bedroom and the children's room. Man is mad that woman has the keys but once again he says once he gives something he won't take it back. It ends with the line that men are strong but women have the power.
Luella and the Tame Parrot - The slaves can't figure out how their master always knows when they stop working to pray or go into their cabin to get a little extra food. Finally they find out that a parrot has been giving them away so the next time the master is out they cover the parrots cage so he can't tell on them.
The Mer-woman out of the Sea - A town, which was previously wonderful and calm is suddenly hit by nonstop rain and flooding. It is said that it is because an apothecary has a mer-woman in a bell jar. So the town goes to force him to let her go. The crowd can't find the mer-woman but soon after the doctor leaves town and the rains stop.
Annie Christmas - Annie goes on a keelboat with her friends all dressed up. Each one leaves at a different stop for a date (or as the book says what was called at one time a dandy). Finally it is just Annie who hitches her keelboat to a side-paddle-wheel boat. She falls in love with the captain for a moment, but is broken hearted and out of love a moment later when he rejects her. She jumps overboard and is drown and her twelve sons carry her coffin and it is said that in the mist you can still find Annie singing a river tune.
Finally three real stories:
One of Millie Evens who describes having to drink milk out of a trough as a slave. She describes the different meals she got as a slave. That her masters thought that maybe while slaves were free in North Carolina that they wouldn't be free in Arkansas and so they traveled there only to find out freedom was already there. She does cast slavery in a somewhat positive light but it was 1930s when she was speaking so that might be both that she was suffering in the depression and that slavery was no so long gone that she had forgotten some of its harsher elements.
Lettice Boyer - describes the clothes she was given as a slave. She describes the beating of the slave men and how they had their ears marked like hogs. And how she knew that the Civil war was coming due to bible verses. She had lived independently for a while but now she lives with her granddaughter Hallie and Hallie's husband Will. She feels guilt that she can't contribute to the home but eats their bread although Will is kind and says that "as long as I've got bread, you have, too." At the end she ask the person taking down her story for cheese and light bread. Again she has some positive things to say about slavery but again the story was taken down in the 30s and she definitely felt bad about being a burden on her family now.
Mary Lou Thorton - Mary Lou was born in 1915. She describes how her mother gave birth to 13 children but only six survived. One child died by choking on a marble the doctor lived too far away and by the time he got there he couldn't save her. She talks about going to school by crossing a creek and if it rained it was dangerous to get home. She studied for a while in a one-room school house and later in a bigger school where the teacher suggested that she get promoted to the next grade but Mary Lou liked where she was and stayed. Her mother had about a fourth-grade education and her father a fifth grade education. In Mary Lou's first job she made $15 a week and she knew she was rich. She bought her father a blue serge suit which he thought was so nice that he hardly wore it because he wanted to be buried in it.
Finally the author talks about her own experience listening to stories from her mother including one in a tornado where the mother kept her daughter calm by looking at the trees bowing down to Grandmother Lilac and saying that it was the Lilac's fault that the wash got ripped off the line.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2017
Her Stories: African American Folktales, Fairy Tales, and True Tales (Hardcover)
by Virginia Hamilton
used to connect to fairy tales and folk lore...
read the stories looking for lessons to help them connect to the story.
nice tales to help show cultural differences.
by Virginia Hamilton
used to connect to fairy tales and folk lore...
read the stories looking for lessons to help them connect to the story.
nice tales to help show cultural differences.
January 25, 2011
This is one of those books that I picked up from my stack of books gathered from the library, started to peruse intending to simply read a story or two in it (it being a compilation of a variety of tales) and ended up sitting there reading the whole thing. I love folktales and fairytales. They tell so much about a culture: how they lived, what they valued, and what they feared. The variety of these collected tales retold by Ms. Hamilton is amazing. Some have aspects and character types common to other folk and fairy tales found in other cultures. Some tales demonstrate unique twists and styles that I found surprising, as they are not as familiar to me. I appreciated the author’s inclusion of commentary at the end of each story, giving some background to the story. This is an element that I adore because it is so helpful to know when and where such stories originated, from whom the story was garnered, or what aspects are key to a culture or style of story. For example, it was noted that stories such as “Who You!” and “Woman and Man Started Even” are examples of a particular type of style, the pourquoi (why) tale, sometimes found in African American folklore. Other commentary explains that a story, such as Lonna and the Cat Woman, may have elements that are not found very often in African American tales. In this case, the story contains the rare inclusion of a her-vampire. Many of these female-focused stories were originally recorded in other languages or dialects found in specific regions. The author noted in the beginning of the book that the stories “are composed anew in my own written-down style of telling,” making the stories more accessible to her audience, while trying to stay true to the style of the story and the region.
I would include stories from this book in units on folktales, regional studies, and multicultural studies. The stories could be used with a variety of grades, from elementary all the way up to high school. It would be interesting to compare and contrast some of these stories with tales from other regions of the United States and from abroad, especially a study of female-centered folk and fairy tales. Another study could compare/contrast these stories to ones found in regions of Africa and the Caribbean from which some of these stories may have originated.
I would include stories from this book in units on folktales, regional studies, and multicultural studies. The stories could be used with a variety of grades, from elementary all the way up to high school. It would be interesting to compare and contrast some of these stories with tales from other regions of the United States and from abroad, especially a study of female-centered folk and fairy tales. Another study could compare/contrast these stories to ones found in regions of Africa and the Caribbean from which some of these stories may have originated.
October 4, 2011
Her Stories is book of African American folktales, fairy tales and true tales. Some of the folktales written in this book have been written before and others are stories I've never heard of until I read this book. Each tale is about 2-3 pages long and each story is broken down into different categories. The categories include, animal tales, fairy tales, supernatural, folkways and legends and true tales. I found it interesting that this book has a few "true tales" which come from African American women who were slaves.
This book is appropriate for middle school age children. At that age, the children should be able to understand the language and the reference points presented in this book.
Each story is accompanied by a picture. The illustrator did a wonderful job in drawing just one picture to summarize the entire tale. Each picture is very detailed and vivid in color. Each picture has a border that makes them look like paintings. Some pictures are scary yet appropriate for the tone of the story. For example, under the supernatural category, "Who you" has a picture on an owl flying with a young girl right beside her. I am able to depict the fact that the owl is a female because the owl's face is that of a woman. Her eyes are yellow and her skin is midnight black. At first glance, this illustration is a bit scary, however, the story falls under the supernatural category, so the illustration is appropriate for the story.
I would recommend this book to young African American girls because the stories and illustrations are culturally appropriate. This book also has great bedtime stories that can be read nightly.
This book is appropriate for middle school age children. At that age, the children should be able to understand the language and the reference points presented in this book.
Each story is accompanied by a picture. The illustrator did a wonderful job in drawing just one picture to summarize the entire tale. Each picture is very detailed and vivid in color. Each picture has a border that makes them look like paintings. Some pictures are scary yet appropriate for the tone of the story. For example, under the supernatural category, "Who you" has a picture on an owl flying with a young girl right beside her. I am able to depict the fact that the owl is a female because the owl's face is that of a woman. Her eyes are yellow and her skin is midnight black. At first glance, this illustration is a bit scary, however, the story falls under the supernatural category, so the illustration is appropriate for the story.
I would recommend this book to young African American girls because the stories and illustrations are culturally appropriate. This book also has great bedtime stories that can be read nightly.
January 22, 2017
#folktales #women
March 12, 2015
Title: Her Stories: African American Folktales, Fairy Tales, and True Tales
Author: Virginia Hamilton
Genre: Children's books, folk tales
Setting: Most of these stories are set in America before the Civil War. A few of the True Tales (women's own stories, towards the end) went later.
Reason for Reading: PoC book challenge, #3! So far I am finding it less intimidating to read books for this challenge that I know I can finish in a day. I am still hoping to read longer works as well, but also want to show myself that I can do this.
Finished In: Days
Pages: 128
Copyright Date: 1995
Cover: A black woman with a large hat holds a jar with a tiny creature in it.
First line: "Little Girl was always home."
Themes: Identity, jealousy, slavery, poverty.
Best part: Although I picked this book up to get more familiar with African-American folk tales, I found the true tales at the end of the book very interesting.
Worst part: Many of these were so sad. Saddest for me was "Mary Belle and the Mermaid."
Imaginary Theme Song: Cornbread and Butter Beans by the Carolina Chocolate Drops
Grade: B
Recommended for: Parents who want more diverse stories for their children. Folk tale afficianados.
Related Reads: Don't Bet On the Prince edited by Jack Zipes.
Author: Virginia Hamilton
Genre: Children's books, folk tales
Setting: Most of these stories are set in America before the Civil War. A few of the True Tales (women's own stories, towards the end) went later.
Reason for Reading: PoC book challenge, #3! So far I am finding it less intimidating to read books for this challenge that I know I can finish in a day. I am still hoping to read longer works as well, but also want to show myself that I can do this.
Finished In: Days
Pages: 128
Copyright Date: 1995
Cover: A black woman with a large hat holds a jar with a tiny creature in it.
First line: "Little Girl was always home."
Themes: Identity, jealousy, slavery, poverty.
Best part: Although I picked this book up to get more familiar with African-American folk tales, I found the true tales at the end of the book very interesting.
Worst part: Many of these were so sad. Saddest for me was "Mary Belle and the Mermaid."
Imaginary Theme Song: Cornbread and Butter Beans by the Carolina Chocolate Drops
Grade: B
Recommended for: Parents who want more diverse stories for their children. Folk tale afficianados.
Related Reads: Don't Bet On the Prince edited by Jack Zipes.
April 3, 2015
I chose the book "Her Stories: African Folktales, Fairy Tales, and True Tales" By Virginia Hamilton, which is a book of folklore collection. This book has 25 compelling tales from the female African American storytelling tradition. Each story focuses on the role of women (both real and fantastic)and their particular strengths, joys, and sorrows. This book also won the Coretta Scott King Award for Author Award and Illustrator Honor (1996). I gave this book a rating of a 4 out of 5 because the language of this book would be more for older children since there are some big vocabulary words. Also, I feel like the length of each story makes it more for older children since they have a longer attention span. Some of the stories are short and some are a couple of pages long. The illustrations in the book are somewhat effective because there aren't pictures on every page, there are only a couple of pictures throughout each story. Overall, I thought this book was interesting, in just the fact that it was based on African American folktales, fairy tales, and true tales. I don't really think many children would be interested in reading this collection of stories just because some of the stories in this book aren't really noticeable or read to today. I personally might consider using this book with children because it exposes/introduces them to different kinds of folktales, fairy tales, and true tales that they may have not known about.
January 20, 2016
Virginia K Hamilton is seriously a legend. The stories in here are little known stories that are engaging, funny, scary, interesting, twisted, sad...
They come from all over the black american diaspora, and with the insanely beautiful artwork by Leo and Diane Dillon, this is for sure worth while to have in the home.
Recommended for people ages 4 and up. The little ones will enjoy them as fairy tales, and the older kid in all of us will enjoy them on multiple levels.
MARIE AND REDFISH
loved this story, but it is so sad and weird, that i couldn't really tell you why, since I'm normally a happy ending kind of girl. The meanness of her family seems to have no root cause. You know that the parents dont want Marie with the prince, but other thanher being "too young for courtin" you don't know why. Although that seems like a good enough reason in a modern world, the folk tales mostly seem to be from a time when young marriages were the norm, so on its own, that excuse doesnt hold water, to me. And when the father literally ate his daughters love, that was just... ugh. The ending was definitely bittersweet sad. I felt sorry for the mom, too, who had a blown up husband at home and a lost daughter at the shore...
They come from all over the black american diaspora, and with the insanely beautiful artwork by Leo and Diane Dillon, this is for sure worth while to have in the home.
Recommended for people ages 4 and up. The little ones will enjoy them as fairy tales, and the older kid in all of us will enjoy them on multiple levels.
MARIE AND REDFISH
loved this story, but it is so sad and weird, that i couldn't really tell you why, since I'm normally a happy ending kind of girl. The meanness of her family seems to have no root cause. You know that the parents dont want Marie with the prince, but other thanher being "too young for courtin" you don't know why. Although that seems like a good enough reason in a modern world, the folk tales mostly seem to be from a time when young marriages were the norm, so on its own, that excuse doesnt hold water, to me. And when the father literally ate his daughters love, that was just... ugh. The ending was definitely bittersweet sad. I felt sorry for the mom, too, who had a blown up husband at home and a lost daughter at the shore...
May 21, 2008
(Summary) Sixteen dramatic folktales and three engaging autobiographical stories with African American women and girls as their protagonists
(Claudia) A fascinating and diverse collection of stories starring African-American woman and girls--and mer-women, fairies, a “she-vampire” and other fabulous creatures--grouped into themes: animal stories, fairy tales, stories of the supernatural, folktales and legends, and three autobiographical memoirs retold by Hamilton from published oral histories. The stories are written in a variety of eminently readable colloquial styles, well complemented by the Dillons’ dramatic full-page illustrations, one per story. A good source for readalouds for grades 3-7, and for children from grade 4 and up to read on their own. Coretta Scott King Author Award, 1996.
(SLJ) “Nineteen marvelous selections retold by a master storyteller. Whether magical, eerie, comic, or touching, the tales are aptly served by the gorgeous, glowing acrylic paintings.”
(Booklist) “… the notes on the stories—where they came from, how they traveled and changed, what they mean—are as fascinating as the tales themselves.”
(Claudia) A fascinating and diverse collection of stories starring African-American woman and girls--and mer-women, fairies, a “she-vampire” and other fabulous creatures--grouped into themes: animal stories, fairy tales, stories of the supernatural, folktales and legends, and three autobiographical memoirs retold by Hamilton from published oral histories. The stories are written in a variety of eminently readable colloquial styles, well complemented by the Dillons’ dramatic full-page illustrations, one per story. A good source for readalouds for grades 3-7, and for children from grade 4 and up to read on their own. Coretta Scott King Author Award, 1996.
(SLJ) “Nineteen marvelous selections retold by a master storyteller. Whether magical, eerie, comic, or touching, the tales are aptly served by the gorgeous, glowing acrylic paintings.”
(Booklist) “… the notes on the stories—where they came from, how they traveled and changed, what they mean—are as fascinating as the tales themselves.”
Read
July 3, 2011Virginia Hamilton has compiled a variety of traditional African-American stories that were told by women and published them in this book. She breaks the book into four sections: animal tales, supernatural tales, folkways and legends, and true tales. Each section is different, ranging from unique stories to describe why certain things came to be to classic tales told with an African-American spin. Hamilton finishes the book with true tales of three African-American women, told by the women themselves.
This book would serve as a great read aloud or supplemental reading for older students in combination with an African American or Civil War unit. It is not likely a book many students will pick up for pleasure reading because of the short story format, which is not always popular with more mature readers. After each story, Hamilton explains the type of story and any cultural aspects or terms needed to fully understand it. These sections may be a good starting point for lessons for a teacher.
This book would serve as a great read aloud or supplemental reading for older students in combination with an African American or Civil War unit. It is not likely a book many students will pick up for pleasure reading because of the short story format, which is not always popular with more mature readers. After each story, Hamilton explains the type of story and any cultural aspects or terms needed to fully understand it. These sections may be a good starting point for lessons for a teacher.
July 4, 2013
Hamilton, a gifted storyteller and writer for children and young adults, has put together and adapted a fantastic collection of African American animal tales, folk tales, fairy tales, supernatural stories, and even "true tales." The illustrations by Diane and Leo Dillon are lively, bold and beautiful. I wish each story had been illustrated and more pictures were present throughout. My favorites are "Mary Belle and the Mermaid," "Annie Christmas," and the true tales from Millie Evans, Lettice Boyer, and Mary Lou Thornton.
This collection is meant to be read aloud and shared - and while I admire and appreciate her attempt to link these stories to the strength and endurance of her foremothers, I would not call each story in this collection distinctly womanist nor liberatory for contemporary women readers. Hamilton's decision to adapt these stories "from the fractured, so-called black English [...] into accessible, colloquial speech" is also worth thinking about further in the context of adaptation and children's literature.
This collection is meant to be read aloud and shared - and while I admire and appreciate her attempt to link these stories to the strength and endurance of her foremothers, I would not call each story in this collection distinctly womanist nor liberatory for contemporary women readers. Hamilton's decision to adapt these stories "from the fractured, so-called black English [...] into accessible, colloquial speech" is also worth thinking about further in the context of adaptation and children's literature.
November 29, 2016
This collection of 25 compelling folktales, fairy-tales, and true tales from the female African American tradition has won both the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award and the Coretta Scott King Award.
The Stories focus on real and fantastic roles of women and their joys, strengths, and sorrows it captures treasured oral tales, followed by a brief informational article of information. From the Cinderella classic, "Catskinella", in which young girl's life is transformed when she dresses in the skin of a cat, to supernatural, ghostly stories such as "Boo Hag", Her Stories is full of delightful, compelling, and disturbing tales.
My favorite is The Mer-woman Out of Water. Cinderella classic, "Catskinella", in which young girl's life is transformed when she dresses in the skin of a cat, to supernatural, ghostly stories such as "Boo Hag", Her Stories is full of delightful, compelling, and disturbing tales. My favorite is The Mer-woman Out of Water.
The Stories focus on real and fantastic roles of women and their joys, strengths, and sorrows it captures treasured oral tales, followed by a brief informational article of information. From the Cinderella classic, "Catskinella", in which young girl's life is transformed when she dresses in the skin of a cat, to supernatural, ghostly stories such as "Boo Hag", Her Stories is full of delightful, compelling, and disturbing tales.
My favorite is The Mer-woman Out of Water. Cinderella classic, "Catskinella", in which young girl's life is transformed when she dresses in the skin of a cat, to supernatural, ghostly stories such as "Boo Hag", Her Stories is full of delightful, compelling, and disturbing tales. My favorite is The Mer-woman Out of Water.
June 6, 2013
I found this around my parent's home when I was a kid and I must have read it a dozen times. The stories are chilling and just amazing. The fact that they all center around women is also something unique about the collection that is a welcome change of pace. As an adult now, I still find them to be fascinating and beautiful stories.
But, above all else, I love this collection because of the illustrations by Leo and Diane Dillon. Their art brings the stories to life and is just superb. They capture the essence of each story perfectly and their art style fits the tone of the folk tales, adding that hint of magic and mystery and horror. Here is a selection of illustrations from the book if you would like to see what I am talking about.
But, above all else, I love this collection because of the illustrations by Leo and Diane Dillon. Their art brings the stories to life and is just superb. They capture the essence of each story perfectly and their art style fits the tone of the folk tales, adding that hint of magic and mystery and horror. Here is a selection of illustrations from the book if you would like to see what I am talking about.
November 29, 2016
Read the full review here: http://newberyandbeyond.com/newbery-r...
Her Stories is a book of lovely stories and illustrations. It includes African, African-American, and Creole folk tales and fairy tales, along with a few nonfiction bios, all focused on female protagonists. And I love the fact that each of the tales includes helpful explanatory notes which describe the origins of the story and how it ties into that culture’s storytelling tradition.
If you want to add diversity to your child’s bookshelf, you could hardly do better than this collection of stories about African and African American women. The stories themselves are wonderful, the illustrations are gorgeous, and the short story format makes it easy to read one or two with your child before bed.
Her Stories is a book of lovely stories and illustrations. It includes African, African-American, and Creole folk tales and fairy tales, along with a few nonfiction bios, all focused on female protagonists. And I love the fact that each of the tales includes helpful explanatory notes which describe the origins of the story and how it ties into that culture’s storytelling tradition.
If you want to add diversity to your child’s bookshelf, you could hardly do better than this collection of stories about African and African American women. The stories themselves are wonderful, the illustrations are gorgeous, and the short story format makes it easy to read one or two with your child before bed.
June 18, 2008
I've never heard of this book, but this will be my multicultural book to read.
This book was okay. It is a bunch of short stories, folk tales, fairy tales etc. The reason I didn't like it, which is probably not a good reason because most fairy tales or folk tales are like this, is because the stories were kind of weird.
Like one story told of how the girl's boyfriend got turned into a fish and then her dad ate the fish and all of these little tiny fish exploded out of his belly. So some of them were just weird like that, but it was fun to see the different stories and the moral's behind them and how they were told and related to the culture.
This book was okay. It is a bunch of short stories, folk tales, fairy tales etc. The reason I didn't like it, which is probably not a good reason because most fairy tales or folk tales are like this, is because the stories were kind of weird.
Like one story told of how the girl's boyfriend got turned into a fish and then her dad ate the fish and all of these little tiny fish exploded out of his belly. So some of them were just weird like that, but it was fun to see the different stories and the moral's behind them and how they were told and related to the culture.
August 18, 2024
A beautifully written and illustrated treasure of a book, Her Stories: African American Folktales, Fairytales, and True tales is a true labor of love. I enjoyed reading it, and some of these stories, especially the legends and folklore will make wonderful accompaniments to the myth and folklore class I am currently teaching. I have this in the form of a library book, but I think this one would be worth owning, definitely shelf-worthy. I heard about it from the afterword of Phillip Williams’ book, Ours, a favorite summer read. I highly recommend Her Stories, a celebration of African American women’s lore.
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