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Barefoot Books Presents Animal Tales
Originally published as The Dial Book of Animal Tales from Around the World.
Find out how a monkey gets the better of a crocodile, how an unassuming spider helps her community when all of the stronger animals fail, and how a rabbit is rewarded for making a special sacrifice. Each of the stories in this collection features different animals and each comes from a different culture.
Funny, exciting and thought-provoking, Naomi Adler s retellings reflect her mastery of storytelling. Amanda Hall's beautiful and playful illustrations and borders capture the traditional motifs of each culture. The anthology combined with our new Animal Tales Audio Book CD makes a distinctive gift for animal lovers of any age.
Find out how a monkey gets the better of a crocodile, how an unassuming spider helps her community when all of the stronger animals fail, and how a rabbit is rewarded for making a special sacrifice. Each of the stories in this collection features different animals and each comes from a different culture.
Funny, exciting and thought-provoking, Naomi Adler s retellings reflect her mastery of storytelling. Amanda Hall's beautiful and playful illustrations and borders capture the traditional motifs of each culture. The anthology combined with our new Animal Tales Audio Book CD makes a distinctive gift for animal lovers of any age.
8 pages, Audio CD
First published October 1, 1996
1 person is currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
Naomi Adler
4 books1 followerNaomi Adler is a teacher, storyteller, theater worker and children's author. Born in Israel, she trained to be a Montessori teacher, and joined the Polka Theatre for Children in 1980, where she ran workshops on drama, storytelling, movement, dance, puppet- and mask-making. She has spent much of the past twenty-five years running workshops for special needs people in hospitals, day centers, special schools and community centers. Adler travels extensively, and has recently worked in Russia, the Ukraine and the USA. Her strong commitment to the art of storytelling is inspired by her belief in the value of stories to us all.
(source: Barefoot Books)
(source: Barefoot Books)
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 27, 2018
An engaging collection of animal folktales, taken from a diverse range of traditions the world over, The Barefoot Book of Animal Tales (also published as The Dial Book of Animal Tales) presents nine stories that young folklore enthusiasts are sure to love. With the exception of The Musicians of Bremen and Sedna and King Gull, humans do not enter these tales, which are devoted to the doings of the "animal nations." But although humans are rarely to be seen, it is clear - as is so often the case with folklore - that they are meant to learn a lesson. The tales include:
Grandmother Spider, a Cherokee story in which a group of animals hope to bring light to their part of the world, and dispatch first Brother Possum and then Brother Buzzard. When they have no luck, tiny Grandmother Spider volunteers... I like that this was both a porquoi tale, explaining the appearance of possums and buzzards, and a morality tale, emphasizing the fact that small and elderly members of the community have an important contribution to make, and should be respected.
The Rabbit and the Moon, a Buddhist fable from India, in which a saintly, self-sacrificing rabbit, whose virtue influences all the forest animals around her, is rewarded by a "great heavenly spirit," who places her in the moon, so that she might serve as an example to all. I was charmed at the idea of a "Rabbit in the Moon," rather than an old man, but felt somewhat ambiguous about the moral message of this tale. I'm not sure that I agree that self-abnegation is the highest virtue, and I was struck by the fact that Rabbit's self-sacrifice, rather than being actuated by a desire to save the spirit, who already had food to eat, was motivated by a desire to be self-sacrificing.
The Dragon and the Cockerel, a Chinese tale in which lowly Dragon convinces the Cockerel to loan him his antlers for the Celestial Spirit's New Year celebration, and, being so happy at the unprecedented honor and attention he receives, refuses to return them. Here again, I had rather ambiguous feelings about the ethics of the story. I found it rather odd that the dragon, which is so revered in China, would be rewarded for breaking his word. The story seems to invite us to sympathize with him, because Cockerel is so vain and unpleasant, but I find it difficult to believe that the original storyteller meant to teach that we should only keep our word to those we like...
The Greedy Frog, an Aboriginal story from Australia, in which the massive frog Tiddalick sucks up all the water in the land, causing a severe drought. The other animals, on the brink of death, first plead with Tiddalick to return the life-giving moisture, and then try to make him laugh, causing him to release the missing water. Like Grandmother Spider, this story about the Dreamtime emphasizes the fact that the small and humble (in this case, the eel) have a role to play, and explains a natural phenomenon: the fact that frogs fill themselves with water and bury themselves in the ground when a drought is coming.
Adler attributes this tale to an Aboriginal storyteller named Wendy Watson, whom she met at an exhibition of Aboriginal painting in London, the same woman she credits for Didgeridoo Magic, a tale included in her other collection, Play Me A Story: Nine Tales About Musical Instruments . Australia is a big place though, and I find myself wishing that Adler had indicated to which Aboriginal nation Ms. Watson belongs.
The Musicians of Bremen, a German tale about a donkey, a dog, a cat, and a cock, who all run away from the humans who no longer want them, eventually driving a band of thieves from their den, and finding a new home. This tale has always struck me as being both humorous and melancholy. On the one hand, the animals succeed through a hilarious set of misunderstandings, in which the thieves believe that a terrible monster has taken up residence in their home. On the other hand, there is no denying the sense of sadness implicit in the idea of faithful animal friends being abandoned when they become old.
Never Trust a Pelican, a Thai story in which a clever pelican conceives of a way to keep himself fed without having to work at it. His terrible story of a coming drought convinces the fish to jump right into his bill, in the belief that he will transport them to a new home. Only wise old crab suspects that all is not as it seems... Tales in which animals learn not to trust those who usually prey upon them are common in the folk traditions of the world. This story also seems to teach that it is not wise to always take things at face value.
The Monkey's Heart, a Kenyan tale in which generous Monkey shares the fruit of the mango tree with all his friends, including crocodile, only to find himself in trouble when crocodile's chief decides he must have monkey heart to eat... Here again is a fable about not trusting those with a penchant for eating your kind.
Sedna and King Gull, an Inuit tale from Canada, in which a young woman falls in love with and is married to King Gull, creating the creatures of the sea from his body, when he is killed by hunters. Although I haven't read a great deal of Inuit mythology, I know that Sedna is an incredibly important figure - the deity of marine animals, that vital source of life for the peoples of the far north. Reading this tale reminded me that I have been meaning to investigate her mythology in more depth.
And finally, Magic in the Rain Forest, an indigenous Brazilian tale in which Snake steals Jaguar's eyes through magic, and Harpy Eagle wins them back. This is another porquoi tale, which explains the jaguar's excellent sight, and the fact that he leaves part of kill for the harpy eagle. Here again I wish Adler had mentioned from which indigenous culture the original storyteller came.
All in all, I found this an enjoyable collection. Some of the stories were already familiar to me, but most were completely new. I like to read themed collections of international folklore upon occasion, because it reminds me of the connections between seemingly distant cultures. Amanda Hall's watercolor and crayon illustrations were a charming accompaniment.
Grandmother Spider, a Cherokee story in which a group of animals hope to bring light to their part of the world, and dispatch first Brother Possum and then Brother Buzzard. When they have no luck, tiny Grandmother Spider volunteers... I like that this was both a porquoi tale, explaining the appearance of possums and buzzards, and a morality tale, emphasizing the fact that small and elderly members of the community have an important contribution to make, and should be respected.
The Rabbit and the Moon, a Buddhist fable from India, in which a saintly, self-sacrificing rabbit, whose virtue influences all the forest animals around her, is rewarded by a "great heavenly spirit," who places her in the moon, so that she might serve as an example to all. I was charmed at the idea of a "Rabbit in the Moon," rather than an old man, but felt somewhat ambiguous about the moral message of this tale. I'm not sure that I agree that self-abnegation is the highest virtue, and I was struck by the fact that Rabbit's self-sacrifice, rather than being actuated by a desire to save the spirit, who already had food to eat, was motivated by a desire to be self-sacrificing.
The Dragon and the Cockerel, a Chinese tale in which lowly Dragon convinces the Cockerel to loan him his antlers for the Celestial Spirit's New Year celebration, and, being so happy at the unprecedented honor and attention he receives, refuses to return them. Here again, I had rather ambiguous feelings about the ethics of the story. I found it rather odd that the dragon, which is so revered in China, would be rewarded for breaking his word. The story seems to invite us to sympathize with him, because Cockerel is so vain and unpleasant, but I find it difficult to believe that the original storyteller meant to teach that we should only keep our word to those we like...
The Greedy Frog, an Aboriginal story from Australia, in which the massive frog Tiddalick sucks up all the water in the land, causing a severe drought. The other animals, on the brink of death, first plead with Tiddalick to return the life-giving moisture, and then try to make him laugh, causing him to release the missing water. Like Grandmother Spider, this story about the Dreamtime emphasizes the fact that the small and humble (in this case, the eel) have a role to play, and explains a natural phenomenon: the fact that frogs fill themselves with water and bury themselves in the ground when a drought is coming.
Adler attributes this tale to an Aboriginal storyteller named Wendy Watson, whom she met at an exhibition of Aboriginal painting in London, the same woman she credits for Didgeridoo Magic, a tale included in her other collection, Play Me A Story: Nine Tales About Musical Instruments . Australia is a big place though, and I find myself wishing that Adler had indicated to which Aboriginal nation Ms. Watson belongs.
The Musicians of Bremen, a German tale about a donkey, a dog, a cat, and a cock, who all run away from the humans who no longer want them, eventually driving a band of thieves from their den, and finding a new home. This tale has always struck me as being both humorous and melancholy. On the one hand, the animals succeed through a hilarious set of misunderstandings, in which the thieves believe that a terrible monster has taken up residence in their home. On the other hand, there is no denying the sense of sadness implicit in the idea of faithful animal friends being abandoned when they become old.
Never Trust a Pelican, a Thai story in which a clever pelican conceives of a way to keep himself fed without having to work at it. His terrible story of a coming drought convinces the fish to jump right into his bill, in the belief that he will transport them to a new home. Only wise old crab suspects that all is not as it seems... Tales in which animals learn not to trust those who usually prey upon them are common in the folk traditions of the world. This story also seems to teach that it is not wise to always take things at face value.
The Monkey's Heart, a Kenyan tale in which generous Monkey shares the fruit of the mango tree with all his friends, including crocodile, only to find himself in trouble when crocodile's chief decides he must have monkey heart to eat... Here again is a fable about not trusting those with a penchant for eating your kind.
Sedna and King Gull, an Inuit tale from Canada, in which a young woman falls in love with and is married to King Gull, creating the creatures of the sea from his body, when he is killed by hunters. Although I haven't read a great deal of Inuit mythology, I know that Sedna is an incredibly important figure - the deity of marine animals, that vital source of life for the peoples of the far north. Reading this tale reminded me that I have been meaning to investigate her mythology in more depth.
And finally, Magic in the Rain Forest, an indigenous Brazilian tale in which Snake steals Jaguar's eyes through magic, and Harpy Eagle wins them back. This is another porquoi tale, which explains the jaguar's excellent sight, and the fact that he leaves part of kill for the harpy eagle. Here again I wish Adler had mentioned from which indigenous culture the original storyteller came.
All in all, I found this an enjoyable collection. Some of the stories were already familiar to me, but most were completely new. I like to read themed collections of international folklore upon occasion, because it reminds me of the connections between seemingly distant cultures. Amanda Hall's watercolor and crayon illustrations were a charming accompaniment.
September 3, 2019
The Barefoot Book of Animal Tales from Around the World has nine stories about different animals and the challenges they go through. From getting the light, to rabbit shape on the moon, to animals from different cultures allow kids and adults to read interesting stories. I really can't tell you to much without giving each short story away.
As a future teacher, this book would be great to start class with to get the students mind going. this is also great to use for Science classes especially if you are teaching about animals. I really liked the first story because its a silly way of how a possum gets his tail. I would have to make sure to tell my students that these stories are not true because i dont want my students to go home telling their parents how possums got their tail.
Overall, i would reconmend this book to all teachers and parents to read to their students/kids.
As a future teacher, this book would be great to start class with to get the students mind going. this is also great to use for Science classes especially if you are teaching about animals. I really liked the first story because its a silly way of how a possum gets his tail. I would have to make sure to tell my students that these stories are not true because i dont want my students to go home telling their parents how possums got their tail.
Overall, i would reconmend this book to all teachers and parents to read to their students/kids.
December 5, 2022
This is a great collection of animal origin myths for ages 3-10. This collection includes many different stories from around the world with different cultures. This collection is not only great for children, but for adults too. These stories are silly and adventurous and I, a 20 year old, really enjoyed them. A simple read but also nostalgic. The colorful illustrations are great to keep young readers engaged. Teachers may use this book in a classroom to explore creativity in writing, to learn about origin myths, and/or to learn a lesson/problem solving.
November 10, 2020
I generally don't bother reviewing picture books, but this one really stood out. Loved the re-telling of the Tiddalick the Frog myth so much, that I returned the library copy and bought our own. Appreciated that the illustrator incorporated the style of Aboriginal artwork that we have been studying into this Australian Aboriginal myth. I'll be looking for more books from this publisher.
December 13, 2019
My son enjoyed these. Format was nice, Art was cute. I enjoyed the fact that each story had a different feel to it. Gave us some variety.
November 26, 2021
Gostei muito deste livro. As ilustrações são muito bonitas e as histórias estão muito bem contadas.
August 9, 2025
Πολύ ωραίες ιστορίες-μύθοι από πολλά μέρη του κόσμου. Έχει μεγάλο ενδιαφέρον να βλέπεις πώς οι άνθρωποι εξηγούσαν τα φυσικά φαινόμενα και άλλα πράγματα που δεν καταλάβαιναν
October 12, 2012
I went to the library looking for collections of stories to read to my son at night. These were a little long for him, but I enjoyed reading them as I thought they were retold really well and had great illustrations. As the author said in the back of the book, these would be great for storytelling contests and storytimes. I had never heard of most of the stories so it was great to hear so many new ones. I would love to own this book! Recommended for ages 4-8, 5 stars.
August 27, 2013
My kids (age 2 and 5) love every story in this book. Naomi Adler has collected a nice variety of stories from all over the world and found a way to target them towards a wide audience of kids, but never dumbs it down or over-simplifies. Awesome artwork too.
May 10, 2023
Every glowing review mentions the illustrations...but we listened to the audiobook, so maybe that's why i didn't love this book. (That, and the narrator's voice was hard to listen to without getting annoyed!)
October 11, 2016
This book was one of the loveliest compilations I've ever seen. The stories were simple and rich with culture, the illustrations were gorgeous and I'm definitely buying this for my own reference (I'm a folklore fanatic) and personal library.
October 16, 2012
very nice collection
November 17, 2014
I didn't love it, but I didn't mind reading it. It didn't capture my heart as so many other children's books have, but our kids bring it to me over and over again.
July 1, 2015
My 4 year old loved having the stories read to him and now wants to listen to the audios. I think these were great takes and I loved that they were from all over the world.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews