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Beyond the Glass Slipper: Ten Neglected Fairy Tales To Fall In Love With
Some fairy tales everyone knows—these aren’t those tales
. These are tales of kings who get deposed and pigs who get married. These are ten tales, much neglected. Editor of Enchanted Conversation: A Fairy Tale Magazine, Kate Wolford, introduces and annotates each tale in a manner that won’t leave novices of fairy tale studies lost in the woods to grandmother’s house, yet with a depth of research and a delight in posing intriguing puzzles that will cause folklorists and savvy readers to find this collection a delicious new delicacy.
Beyond the Glass Slipper is about more than just reading fairy tales—it’s about connecting to them. It’s about thinking of the fairy tale as a precursor to Saturday Night Live,/i> as much as it is to any princess-movie franchise: the tales within these pages abound with outrageous spectacle and absurdist vignettes, ripe with humor that pokes fun at ourselves and our society.
Never stuffy or pedantic, Kate Wolford proves she’s the college professor you always wish you had: smart, nurturing, and plugged into pop culture. Wolford invites us into a discussion of how these tales fit into our modern cinematic lives and connect the larger body of fairy tales, then asks—no, insists—that we create our own theories and connections. A thinking man’s first step into an ocean of little known folklore.
Beyond the Glass Slipper is about more than just reading fairy tales—it’s about connecting to them. It’s about thinking of the fairy tale as a precursor to Saturday Night Live,/i> as much as it is to any princess-movie franchise: the tales within these pages abound with outrageous spectacle and absurdist vignettes, ripe with humor that pokes fun at ourselves and our society.
Never stuffy or pedantic, Kate Wolford proves she’s the college professor you always wish you had: smart, nurturing, and plugged into pop culture. Wolford invites us into a discussion of how these tales fit into our modern cinematic lives and connect the larger body of fairy tales, then asks—no, insists—that we create our own theories and connections. A thinking man’s first step into an ocean of little known folklore.
160 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
About the author
Kate Wolford
6 books73 followersKate Wolford is editor and publisher of Enchanted Conversation: A Fairy Tale Magazine at fairytalemagazine.com. She teaches first-year college writing, incorporating fairy tales in her assignments whenever possible.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
April 30, 2018
"The important thing to remember is that fairy tales are living stories." - that is a quote from, and one of the main messages of Beyond the Glass Slipper.
Which is a fairly odd book, in terms of structure, as I simple expected it to be a collection of fairytales, as it states it is - but it's so much more than that - which is both good and bad, and I'll explain why.
The book starts with some background about fairytales, studying them and the fact that there are far more fairytales than just the ten iconic ones we're used to seeing in the media - ones that are none the worse than the popular ones do exist and should be celebrated as well.
This analysis of fairytales continues further into the book, and, in fact, precedes every fairytale. A wonderful choice for both book clubs as well as classrooms, as it has many discussion questions and facts - but I think I would have preferred this info to go after the fairytale, not before - as now we get mini-spoilers before every single one. Of course, if you're not reading an ebook version, then flipping several pages back and reading them afterwards would not be too hard. The insights are incredibly valuable and I wouldn't have been able to see the fairytales like I did without them - but it's not quite what I expected from this book. Maybe there's too much focus on the insights and too little on the fairytales themselves. However, considering what it is, it's a job done amazingly well.
Which is a fairly odd book, in terms of structure, as I simple expected it to be a collection of fairytales, as it states it is - but it's so much more than that - which is both good and bad, and I'll explain why.
The book starts with some background about fairytales, studying them and the fact that there are far more fairytales than just the ten iconic ones we're used to seeing in the media - ones that are none the worse than the popular ones do exist and should be celebrated as well.
This analysis of fairytales continues further into the book, and, in fact, precedes every fairytale. A wonderful choice for both book clubs as well as classrooms, as it has many discussion questions and facts - but I think I would have preferred this info to go after the fairytale, not before - as now we get mini-spoilers before every single one. Of course, if you're not reading an ebook version, then flipping several pages back and reading them afterwards would not be too hard. The insights are incredibly valuable and I wouldn't have been able to see the fairytales like I did without them - but it's not quite what I expected from this book. Maybe there's too much focus on the insights and too little on the fairytales themselves. However, considering what it is, it's a job done amazingly well.
August 22, 2013
I'm fortunate enough to have spent three months studying fairy tales as part of my children's literature minor, and I can honestly say that I wish I had had a copy of this book in my hands back then. One of the best features of Wolford's book is that she doesn't treat her text as a book for the classroom (though it could be used that way); she intends her book for the lay reader who wants to know more about fairy tales and how they function. Her writing style is clear and straightforward, and she manages to present her scholarly material without condescending to the reader.
Many readers look down on fairy tales, viewing them as simplistic and lacking literary value, but they are one of the few literary universals: Every culture has them, and they're often the first kind of literature we're exposed to. These simple stories are like suitcases, full of themes and social rules just waiting to be unpacked. Wolford helps the lay reader by introducing each of the ten lesser-known tales she has chosen with additional explanation and questions to help guide the reading (she can't help herself, she's a teacher, and I love her for it). Each story is also annotated in the margins with useful information, though I will admit that I read all of the annotation first, and then the story, to keep from interrupting the flow of the narrative. If I have a complaint it is only that I wish that the book were longer! Instead of ten tales, how about ten sections with multiple variants of each story, all similarly annotated? Ok, ok, I'm greedy. Wolford also provides an annotated bibliography for those who would like to read more.
This book is very accessible to readers of many levels, and I highly recommend it to a variety of audiences. I encourage the audience to recommend this book to their local school and public libraries.
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads in exchange for my honest review.
Many readers look down on fairy tales, viewing them as simplistic and lacking literary value, but they are one of the few literary universals: Every culture has them, and they're often the first kind of literature we're exposed to. These simple stories are like suitcases, full of themes and social rules just waiting to be unpacked. Wolford helps the lay reader by introducing each of the ten lesser-known tales she has chosen with additional explanation and questions to help guide the reading (she can't help herself, she's a teacher, and I love her for it). Each story is also annotated in the margins with useful information, though I will admit that I read all of the annotation first, and then the story, to keep from interrupting the flow of the narrative. If I have a complaint it is only that I wish that the book were longer! Instead of ten tales, how about ten sections with multiple variants of each story, all similarly annotated? Ok, ok, I'm greedy. Wolford also provides an annotated bibliography for those who would like to read more.
This book is very accessible to readers of many levels, and I highly recommend it to a variety of audiences. I encourage the audience to recommend this book to their local school and public libraries.
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads in exchange for my honest review.
June 28, 2013
Beyond the Glass Slipper provides a glimpse into a world of fairy tales not usually seen by people whose idea of the genre is defined by Disney's bastardized versions of them (the *real* Little Mermaid did not get the prince). In addition to introducing the reader to lesser known tales by Hans Christian Andersen, Andrew Lang, and more obscure writers, Kate Wolford (editor of this book and also the brains behind the Enchanted Conversation site, www.fairytalemagazine.com) also gives us in-depth historical background information on each story and fascinating side-bar facts and points.
As well, Kate provides many thought-provoking questions about the stories in the book, and a detailed annotated bibliography, so that you could use it as a textbook in a high school or university English course on fairy tales.
As someone who read every single story by Andersen, the Grimm Brothers, and Lang in her youth, I was delighted to revisit some of the stories that I had forgotten, and be introduced to others I'd never known. This is a valuable addition to my collection of fairy tales from the greats.
As well, Kate provides many thought-provoking questions about the stories in the book, and a detailed annotated bibliography, so that you could use it as a textbook in a high school or university English course on fairy tales.
As someone who read every single story by Andersen, the Grimm Brothers, and Lang in her youth, I was delighted to revisit some of the stories that I had forgotten, and be introduced to others I'd never known. This is a valuable addition to my collection of fairy tales from the greats.
December 13, 2018
Not a bad selection all round, but definitely not the best either. Wolford selected the following fairy tales she thinks should be more known than they are:
1. The Nixy
2. The Soldier and the Vampire
3. The Three Pennies
4. Fairy Gifts
5. The Loving Pair
6. The Dirty Shepherdess
7. Gifts of the Little People
8. The Blue Light
9. King Pig
10. Kisa the Cat
I think the issue is that Wolford fixated too much on the "morale" and the didacticism of these tales, making it the centre of her argument that these tales deserve to be more known because of said moralising & educational content. In theory, it is sound, right? But Wolford doesn't stop to think that the reason these tales aren't as known as she believes they should is because the motifs are either already plenty present in other tales, more known or not, or because these tales aren't exactly either the best examples of the themes or don't teach them like the author believes they do. The classic arch-famous fairy tales are arch-famous precisely because they speak to the everyday citizenry as powerfully as centuries ago, and dusting off supposedly obscure tales to force supposedly "llttle known" themes down our throats isn't going to do the trick.
And, on the other hand, they might not be as unknown either. I myself already knew three of those included and remembered them well, and considering that most of these were taken from the Grimms, Andersen, and Lang's coloured tale anthologies, probably most have read them as well. The ones that are legitimately not very known to us in the West, The Soldier and the Vampire and Kisa the Cat, are cheating, because they're Slav and indigenous Finnish, and nobody would seriously pretend that Westerners know them. None of the ten tales is going to be particularly impressive, but some are nice. You don't need this pretentious anthology, though, any good collection of Andersen will contain the best ones, or you can also look them up in Andrew Lang's lovely coloured fairy tale books.
1. The Nixy
2. The Soldier and the Vampire
3. The Three Pennies
4. Fairy Gifts
5. The Loving Pair
6. The Dirty Shepherdess
7. Gifts of the Little People
8. The Blue Light
9. King Pig
10. Kisa the Cat
I think the issue is that Wolford fixated too much on the "morale" and the didacticism of these tales, making it the centre of her argument that these tales deserve to be more known because of said moralising & educational content. In theory, it is sound, right? But Wolford doesn't stop to think that the reason these tales aren't as known as she believes they should is because the motifs are either already plenty present in other tales, more known or not, or because these tales aren't exactly either the best examples of the themes or don't teach them like the author believes they do. The classic arch-famous fairy tales are arch-famous precisely because they speak to the everyday citizenry as powerfully as centuries ago, and dusting off supposedly obscure tales to force supposedly "llttle known" themes down our throats isn't going to do the trick.
And, on the other hand, they might not be as unknown either. I myself already knew three of those included and remembered them well, and considering that most of these were taken from the Grimms, Andersen, and Lang's coloured tale anthologies, probably most have read them as well. The ones that are legitimately not very known to us in the West, The Soldier and the Vampire and Kisa the Cat, are cheating, because they're Slav and indigenous Finnish, and nobody would seriously pretend that Westerners know them. None of the ten tales is going to be particularly impressive, but some are nice. You don't need this pretentious anthology, though, any good collection of Andersen will contain the best ones, or you can also look them up in Andrew Lang's lovely coloured fairy tale books.
January 3, 2014
Kate Wolford has chosen 10 rarely-read fairy tales to include in this delightful volume. As our fairy god-mother guide, her commentary pops in around the margins of each tale, revealing strange bits of fairy lore for the pumpkins and mice they really are. Or are they? She leaves the slipper for you to inspect, and begins each tale with an introduction and a set of careful considerations and questions for the reader to pursue on their own (or in a class or reader's group). Being an avid fairy tale reader myself, I was thrilled to have only recognized two out of ten tales, but to also find so many relations between these little-read tales and other, more well known fairy tale types. She ends the book with a wonderful listing of websites and books to pursue for new and old fairy tale enthusiasts alike. A great read for anyone who loves fairy tales, and an especially helpful collection to those who have been overwhelmed by the sheer number of fairy tales out there. For those who've lost their taste by the over-done, you'll find renewed interest in stories about fairies themselves (rarely seen in fairy tales), ghostly companions, true friendship, less than perfect endings, and even a vampire!
January 7, 2019
A wonderful insight into some lesser known fairy tales each with an introduction from the author. I skipped the 'Consider' sections as I wanted to get straight to the stories and enjoy them for what they were. Some very useful recommendations for further fairy tale discoveries at the end of the book was a bonus.
December 25, 2019
This is not only small collection of interesting and somewhat obscure fairy tales, but also a discussion from the author (collector? editor?) on the history and importance of fairy tales in general and thought/questions to consider when reading each story. It's not too academic for causal readers or book clubs, but still pushes on to think a little about how fairy tales served (and still serve) a purpose in society.
Fairy tales: not just for making Disney rich or screwing up the self-images of little girls.
Fairy tales: not just for making Disney rich or screwing up the self-images of little girls.
February 6, 2022
3.5 stars. I really enjoyed the selection of fairy tales presented in this tome. I would have enjoyed it much more if the annotations didn't feel so intrusive. Starting with the prologue, when Wolford repeats herself over and over again in self-praise, to the intros and questions that are *before* the tales, and include spoilers for all stories. Also, many of the annotations didn't provide any insight whatsoever.
August 14, 2023
An interesting collection of less-known fairy tales with annotations
December 9, 2022
Four stars - really liked it (I give five stars to very few books :) )
BEYOND THE GLASS SLIPPER is a very enjoyable read, whether you are simply looking for little known fairy tales, or are an author looking for inspiration.
Every fairy tale is preceded by a brief essay, and you can certainly read those first, or you can do what I did - start with reading the fairy tale, then go through all the notes in the margins, and leave the essay for the end, to see how Kate Wolford interprets the story and what she says about it.
Each essay ends with a list of questions that help you dig into the story more deeply. If you're a teacher, you can use those questions in class discussions. If you're a writer, the questions might give you some ideas for your own stories, or at the least, will help you see other fairy tales in more depth, and teach you how to ask yourself questions about what you're reading.
BEYOND THE GLASS SLIPPER is a very enjoyable read, whether you are simply looking for little known fairy tales, or are an author looking for inspiration.
Every fairy tale is preceded by a brief essay, and you can certainly read those first, or you can do what I did - start with reading the fairy tale, then go through all the notes in the margins, and leave the essay for the end, to see how Kate Wolford interprets the story and what she says about it.
Each essay ends with a list of questions that help you dig into the story more deeply. If you're a teacher, you can use those questions in class discussions. If you're a writer, the questions might give you some ideas for your own stories, or at the least, will help you see other fairy tales in more depth, and teach you how to ask yourself questions about what you're reading.
September 14, 2016
"Every tale is meant to engender thought and discussion...I am designing the introductions, questions and annotations to provoke readers."
10 lesser-known European fairy tales collected and annotated by Kate Wolford ( Enchanted Conversation ) for casual readers as well as students. Beyond the Glass Slipper will be most appreciated by those looking to discuss what they've read.
I recommend reading the fairy tale first, then its introduction, next the annotations, and finish up with the "Consider" section of the introduction.
Fairy tales included:
The Nixy
The Solider and the Vampire
The Three Pennies
Fairy Gifts
The Loving Pair
The Dirty Shepherdess
Gifts of the Little People
The Blue Light
King Pig
Kisa the Cat
4 stars
10 lesser-known European fairy tales collected and annotated by Kate Wolford ( Enchanted Conversation ) for casual readers as well as students. Beyond the Glass Slipper will be most appreciated by those looking to discuss what they've read.
I recommend reading the fairy tale first, then its introduction, next the annotations, and finish up with the "Consider" section of the introduction.
Fairy tales included:
The Nixy
The Solider and the Vampire
The Three Pennies
Fairy Gifts
The Loving Pair
The Dirty Shepherdess
Gifts of the Little People
The Blue Light
King Pig
Kisa the Cat
4 stars
December 22, 2016
I think the title promises a lot that it doesn't deliver on. These certainly were neglected fairy tales. But I didn't fall in love with any of them. They were interesting reads, but it was clear to see why they are largely forgotten/ignored nowadays.
The collection is written like a classroom discussion. The questions Kate Wolford poses before each story were insightful and thought-provoking, to be sure. However, I also just kind of wanted to read some fairy tales I hadn't read before, end story.
For me, the biggest turn-off came in the introduction. Wolford plugged her 'blogozine' so many times that I wound up having ZERO interest in checking it out. A mention here and there would've had me looking it up after finishing the book. Now, I don't even want to look up the name.
Overall, I was 'meh' about this whole thing. I don't think I'd recommend this to anyone.
The collection is written like a classroom discussion. The questions Kate Wolford poses before each story were insightful and thought-provoking, to be sure. However, I also just kind of wanted to read some fairy tales I hadn't read before, end story.
For me, the biggest turn-off came in the introduction. Wolford plugged her 'blogozine' so many times that I wound up having ZERO interest in checking it out. A mention here and there would've had me looking it up after finishing the book. Now, I don't even want to look up the name.
Overall, I was 'meh' about this whole thing. I don't think I'd recommend this to anyone.
May 30, 2014
What a delightful book! I felt like I was taking a class with Ms Wolford. I have to be honest, when I first flipped through the book and saw the notes alongside the story, I worried it would prove too difficult to read. HOWEVER, wrong, wrong, wrong! As I got into the rhythm of reading the into, then the story, I found myself looking forward to her delish commentary in each section of the story--it really was like taking a class. Ms Wolford's comments are indeed informative and thought provoking, plus, I can't tell you how often I actually laughed aloud. HIGHLY RECOMMEND
April 22, 2015
Kate Wolford has an obvious love for the genre and put care into selecting which fairy tales to include. This is a good access point for anyone who is looking to dig more deeply into analysis -- it is an academic book, mainly, and the tales themselves are heavily annotated. I ended up reading the fairy tales by themselves, ignoring the notes, then going back and reading each section with the introduction notes and annotations. Overall, I'd recommend this as an introduction to anyone wanting to explore the fairy tale genre. Then follow up with something by Jack Zipes.
August 4, 2020
Education not entertainment.
This reads like a scholarly work more than a book of fairytales, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, it's not what I was looking for. The stories are OK. The incidental writing is interesting. But I felt like I was in a Literature class and kept expecting to be graded on what I had to say about the stories. I am so past that stage of my life. I'm all about entertainment now... But someone else might enjoy this book more than I did.
This reads like a scholarly work more than a book of fairytales, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, it's not what I was looking for. The stories are OK. The incidental writing is interesting. But I felt like I was in a Literature class and kept expecting to be graded on what I had to say about the stories. I am so past that stage of my life. I'm all about entertainment now... But someone else might enjoy this book more than I did.
July 3, 2017
"Fall in love with" is definitely overselling the stories in this book - they range from just okay to pretty good. So, if you just want to read fairy tales and folklore, look elsewhere. On the other hand, if you're like me and want an accessible book that delves beyond the surface of a variety of tales, this book is good. I found the reading order that worked best for me was to read the intro to each story first, then the tale itself, then the annotations, and end with the questions to consider. I'm definitely not a fairy tale scholar, and can't honestly call myself even a casual fan of fairy tales (I haven't even read all the well known fairy tales), but I did enjoy this book. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
April 8, 2018
A fun read with some interesting stories in it; definitely ones I hadn't read before. I would have loved it if the kindle edition has the pop-up footnotes like some other books I've read recently (I think Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell had that?), instead of taking one to a footnote section where you see all of the footnotes, and from where you have to hit back to get back to where you were. After the first story or two, I started skipping ahead to just read the story straight through first, get my OWN impression of it, THEN backtrack to the introduction and questions for the story, and THEN go to all the footnotes and just read them in order. Made for a more enjoyable experience, for me.
June 20, 2020
If you wish to explore fairy tales deeper or be enchanted by lesser known tale then this book may be the one for you. It could be a great tool to assist in book/reading clubs and short community courses as it teases out ideas, questions and thoughts right beside the stories shred within.
November 19, 2019
Delightful and thought provoking and... I'm such a dork that I knew at least half of these "obscure" tales already.
June 7, 2023
My favorite was The Three Pennies.
April 6, 2021
Not quite what I was expecting. The fairy tales were interesting, but oddly, I was much less interested in the author’s annotations. Usually I enjoy annotated books, but this one just didn’t do it for me.
October 21, 2023
I registered this book at BookCrossing.com! BCID: 915-17032360
http://bookcrossing.com/journal/17032360/
Beyond the Glass Slipper: Ten Neglected Fairy Tales To Fall In Love With was not what I expected. This book is written by Kate Wolford, a college professor and editor and publisher of Enchanted Conversation: A Fairy Tale Magazine. She certainly knows her fairy tales and organized this book much like a textbook might be organized. Beyond the Glass Slipper isn't as thick or dense as a textbook, but it definitely could be used as a supplemental text. I don't know if I'd go so far as to say this is a "scholarly" text, but each fairy tale is preceded by "academic" or literary analysis of the tale, and the tales are all annotated in the margins of the text.
I found these "neglected" fairy tales boring for the most part. I had never heard of any of them, so I don't know that they're "neglected" so much as they are not popular or known, especially outside their countries of origin. The only one I enjoyed was King Pig. They're all written very simply in plain language, and they're all short. I found them dull.
The analysis prior to each tale does give away some spoilers, so it might be best to skip this part and come back to it after you've read the fairy tale, which could make reading this book more enjoyable. The questions to consider would be valuable for educators or could be used by book clubs to fuel discussion. If you're looking for just a collection/anthology of fairy tales, then I don't think Beyond the Glass Slipper is for you.
http://bookcrossing.com/journal/17032360/
Beyond the Glass Slipper: Ten Neglected Fairy Tales To Fall In Love With was not what I expected. This book is written by Kate Wolford, a college professor and editor and publisher of Enchanted Conversation: A Fairy Tale Magazine. She certainly knows her fairy tales and organized this book much like a textbook might be organized. Beyond the Glass Slipper isn't as thick or dense as a textbook, but it definitely could be used as a supplemental text. I don't know if I'd go so far as to say this is a "scholarly" text, but each fairy tale is preceded by "academic" or literary analysis of the tale, and the tales are all annotated in the margins of the text.
I found these "neglected" fairy tales boring for the most part. I had never heard of any of them, so I don't know that they're "neglected" so much as they are not popular or known, especially outside their countries of origin. The only one I enjoyed was King Pig. They're all written very simply in plain language, and they're all short. I found them dull.
The analysis prior to each tale does give away some spoilers, so it might be best to skip this part and come back to it after you've read the fairy tale, which could make reading this book more enjoyable. The questions to consider would be valuable for educators or could be used by book clubs to fuel discussion. If you're looking for just a collection/anthology of fairy tales, then I don't think Beyond the Glass Slipper is for you.
February 3, 2014
So okay, here's the thing:
I don't love fairy tales. They're frustrating for me to read, because they feel so incomplete as stand alone narratives (though I imagine with the appropriate cultural context of the time period they would be less so) and when you get a big book of them, they get really repetitive really fast. (I made this mistake with Grimm's fairy tales in high school, and much like that time I ate too many pancakes with maple syrup as a child and got sick off of them, I developed something of an aversion to repeating the experience.) So when this book landed in my mailbox, I kind of dragged my feet.
But.
Kate Wolford's collection is REALLY thoughtfully put together. There isn't any of the repetition of feeling like you're reading the same story over and over again, and her notes are pretty great, too. She allowed me to actually ENJOY reading this sampling of fairy tales, and even inspired me to think about some of the elements of the stories within other forms of storytelling -- like the Saga of the Volsungs.
I still don't love fairy tales, but this collection definitely cleansed my palate of the "I never want to look at another fairy tale again" bitter aftertaste that I'd been suffering from for the last, oh, 12 years or so. So for that, she gets a well deserved 4 stars!
If you already DO like fairy tales, I expect you'll enjoy it even more than I did.
I don't love fairy tales. They're frustrating for me to read, because they feel so incomplete as stand alone narratives (though I imagine with the appropriate cultural context of the time period they would be less so) and when you get a big book of them, they get really repetitive really fast. (I made this mistake with Grimm's fairy tales in high school, and much like that time I ate too many pancakes with maple syrup as a child and got sick off of them, I developed something of an aversion to repeating the experience.) So when this book landed in my mailbox, I kind of dragged my feet.
But.
Kate Wolford's collection is REALLY thoughtfully put together. There isn't any of the repetition of feeling like you're reading the same story over and over again, and her notes are pretty great, too. She allowed me to actually ENJOY reading this sampling of fairy tales, and even inspired me to think about some of the elements of the stories within other forms of storytelling -- like the Saga of the Volsungs.
I still don't love fairy tales, but this collection definitely cleansed my palate of the "I never want to look at another fairy tale again" bitter aftertaste that I'd been suffering from for the last, oh, 12 years or so. So for that, she gets a well deserved 4 stars!
If you already DO like fairy tales, I expect you'll enjoy it even more than I did.
July 15, 2013
Beyond the Glass Slipper is an eclectic collection of seldom-seen fairy tales, compiled by Kate Wolford, editor of Enchanted Conversation: A Fairy Tale Magazine. Some stories are just different, with unusual themes for fairy tales, such as friendship between women, or what happens after a couple gets married. But some are problem tales. Things work out well, but perhaps they shouldn't, leaving the reader with more questions than answers, and without the sense of satisfaction that fairy tales typically provide. My particular favorites were The Nixy, The Three Pennies, The Dirty Shepherdess, and King Pig.
Kate Wolford's notes guide the reader through these tales with ease. Her style is casual, insightful, and at times, funny. Each tale contains an introduction complete with questions for discussion or to be used as a jumping off point for writers. I might have preferred the question section to be after the story rather than before it, but that is a very small matter.
I do wish I'd had Kate Wolford as a teacher in college, but Beyond the Glass Slipper is the next best thing. It's a delightful collection, and I'm glad to add it to my fairy tale collection.
Kate Wolford's notes guide the reader through these tales with ease. Her style is casual, insightful, and at times, funny. Each tale contains an introduction complete with questions for discussion or to be used as a jumping off point for writers. I might have preferred the question section to be after the story rather than before it, but that is a very small matter.
I do wish I'd had Kate Wolford as a teacher in college, but Beyond the Glass Slipper is the next best thing. It's a delightful collection, and I'm glad to add it to my fairy tale collection.
December 19, 2016
I couldn't really get into the stories. But if I had to choose, I'd say I liked "The Shepherdess" the most. It kind of reminded me of "Cinderella".
October 15, 2013
This book is well put together. I can tell by the introduction for the book and the introduction for each fairy tale that Kate is a university professor. I wish she had been mine. She writes that readers may read this for academic purposes or simply for enjoyment. Some fairy tales I read with an academic mind and some I read for fun. The introduction and side notes are extremely helpful. I learned much about fairy tales from reading this book, something I hope to introduce in some way during my own career as a teacher.
It is hard to pick a favourite fairy tale from the book but if I had to I would pick "The Dirty Shepherdess." It reminded me of a Shakespeare play, but I don't want to spoil anything. Kate has annotations and discussion questions for each fairy tale so I can make connections and even pose questions if I wish to lead a group discussion on the fairy tale. I am happy to have this book as part of my collection.
It is hard to pick a favourite fairy tale from the book but if I had to I would pick "The Dirty Shepherdess." It reminded me of a Shakespeare play, but I don't want to spoil anything. Kate has annotations and discussion questions for each fairy tale so I can make connections and even pose questions if I wish to lead a group discussion on the fairy tale. I am happy to have this book as part of my collection.
August 9, 2013
I decided to start reading the book because it was one that goodreads recommended to me and I am very glad I did. The layout of the book is the same for each of the 10 stories: an introduction to the story, some points to consider while reading, than finally the story with annotations by Kate Wolford. I love the points to consider as well as the annotations because they got me thinking about things that I never really considered while reading the stories and it is always nice to get a different perspective. Prior to reading this book I had only read one of the fairy tales (The Blue Light) so it was nice to be introduced to stories and authors that I was not familiar with, and they were not ones that I have heard time and time again. The bibliography was also a nice addition to the book because now I have some new books to check out that are all about fairy tales^-^
February 10, 2017
I'm not precisely the audience this book was intended for--super fans and scholars of fairy tales--but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I really had no idea how many (thousands??) of fairy tales exist. And this collection goes well beyond the Disney portrayals of well-known ones.
The anthologist's format of comments and questions at the beginning gave me flashbacks to college, but after the first couple, I read the comments and skipped the questions. I probably would have thought more about them if they'd come at the end of the stories.
Overall, it was a quick, enjoyable read. Another great anthology from World Weaver Press.
The anthologist's format of comments and questions at the beginning gave me flashbacks to college, but after the first couple, I read the comments and skipped the questions. I probably would have thought more about them if they'd come at the end of the stories.
Overall, it was a quick, enjoyable read. Another great anthology from World Weaver Press.
November 22, 2016
Interesting Stories.
Some of these are new to me and some are variations on stories I've read before. I am sure that is true with many stories that were passed down orally.
It is true that many fairy tales do not have happily ever after conclusions and I don't think they were always meant to be. Little Red Riding Hood is an excellent example of warnings about strangers, the dangers that are present in a rural society.
Many of the happy endings are actually revisions to stories with less happy endings.
It was worth it to read because I love a good fairy tale and collecting them.
It is a good relax and enjoy book.
Some of these are new to me and some are variations on stories I've read before. I am sure that is true with many stories that were passed down orally.
It is true that many fairy tales do not have happily ever after conclusions and I don't think they were always meant to be. Little Red Riding Hood is an excellent example of warnings about strangers, the dangers that are present in a rural society.
Many of the happy endings are actually revisions to stories with less happy endings.
It was worth it to read because I love a good fairy tale and collecting them.
It is a good relax and enjoy book.
September 17, 2013
I received a copy of this book through a Goodreads first reads drawing. This is a collection of fairy tales that most people are not familiar with. The author started each one with some explanatory notes, then added annotations throughout each story. That made it more difficult to read, yet it added to the understanding of each story.
This book is a departure from the kinds of books I usually read, but I can definitely recommend it. Fairy tale fans will love it; those of us on the fringes can gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of this genre.
This book is a departure from the kinds of books I usually read, but I can definitely recommend it. Fairy tale fans will love it; those of us on the fringes can gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of this genre.
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