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Fairy Tales for Fearless Girls
Discover the inspiring tales of kick-ass girls in this empowering collection of classic children's tales, retold by multi-award-winning author Anita Ganeri.
Showcasing narratives that celebrate strong, independent women, these fairy tales contain heroines that aren't reduced to being wives or witches! Instead, they run free and possess the qualities we would hope for in our daughters and friends: self-confidence, strength, wits, courage, fearlessness, and independence. They live freely, happily ever after, without restraint or narrowly defined roles.
These stories include:
• Atalanta the Huntress (Greece)
• Nana Miriam (Niger)
• Fitcher's Bird (Germany)
• The Girl and the Puma (Argentina)
• Li Chi Slays the Serpent (China)
• Brave Woman Counts Coup (US/White River Sioux)
• Mizilca (Romania)
• The Pirate Princess (Poland/Jewish)
• The Samurai Maiden (Japan)
• Molly Whuppie (England)
Showcasing narratives that celebrate strong, independent women, these fairy tales contain heroines that aren't reduced to being wives or witches! Instead, they run free and possess the qualities we would hope for in our daughters and friends: self-confidence, strength, wits, courage, fearlessness, and independence. They live freely, happily ever after, without restraint or narrowly defined roles.
These stories include:
• Atalanta the Huntress (Greece)
• Nana Miriam (Niger)
• Fitcher's Bird (Germany)
• The Girl and the Puma (Argentina)
• Li Chi Slays the Serpent (China)
• Brave Woman Counts Coup (US/White River Sioux)
• Mizilca (Romania)
• The Pirate Princess (Poland/Jewish)
• The Samurai Maiden (Japan)
• Molly Whuppie (England)
3 pages, Audiobook
First published July 16, 2019
25 people are currently reading
326 people want to read
About the author
Anita Ganeri
1,698 books61 followersAnita Ganeri is a highly experienced author of children’s information books, specialising in religion, India/Asia, multiculturalism, geography, biography and natural history. She became a freelance writer after working at Walker Books (as foreign rights manager) and Usborne Publishing (as an editor). Since then, she has written over 300 titles, including the best-selling Horrible Geography series for Scholastic. The series won the Geographical Association Silver Award in 1999 and was cited as being ‘an innovation that all geographers will applaud’. She is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society where she conducts most of her research for the books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
June 30, 2019
A HAPPY ENDING IS MORE THAN JUST GETTING MARRIED!
While this is very clearly a children's book, it is a book I wish I could have read when I was a child and that is what made me like it so much. I loved (and still do, actually) fairy tales as a kid, but traditional fairy tales have very rigid, stock female characters that only aim at one this - getting married. This book shows that there is more to being a girl that just finding 'the one'.
THE THINGS I LIKED
Illustrations: Every fairy tale in this book is accompanied by a handful beautiful, colourful illustrations that really drew me in. They brought the stories to life in a wonderful way.
Diversity: Each heroine in this book is different from the one before. She may be a princess or a queen, or she's been left by her poor parents. But it's not just their circumstances, that are diverse - their nationalities are as well. European, Asian, African - you name it! This book embraces all ethnicities.
Morals: Like I said, this book illustrates how getting married is not always the only happy ending. Some of the girls do get married and find their happily ever after with their husband. But other find happiness in adventures, family, careers or such. A Powerful statement to teach young girls - you don't need a man to make you happy. You have that ability all by yourself!
WHAT I DISLIKED
Arrangement: To me, the arrangement of the stories was off. First of all, it opened up with the weakest story of the bunch, the story of Brave Bradamante, which was a big disappointment. You have to open with a bang. Secondly, there were some stories that should just not follow each other simply because they were too alike - like Bradamante and Atalanta, who both challenged their suiters to beat them before getting married. Or the Little Molly Whuppie and Mizilca stories, that both feature a set of three sisters. To really stress the diversity, I think these stories should be spread out and not clumped together. But that's just my personal opinion.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
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While this is very clearly a children's book, it is a book I wish I could have read when I was a child and that is what made me like it so much. I loved (and still do, actually) fairy tales as a kid, but traditional fairy tales have very rigid, stock female characters that only aim at one this - getting married. This book shows that there is more to being a girl that just finding 'the one'.
"Why shouldn't girls be heroes too?"
THE THINGS I LIKED
Illustrations: Every fairy tale in this book is accompanied by a handful beautiful, colourful illustrations that really drew me in. They brought the stories to life in a wonderful way.
Diversity: Each heroine in this book is different from the one before. She may be a princess or a queen, or she's been left by her poor parents. But it's not just their circumstances, that are diverse - their nationalities are as well. European, Asian, African - you name it! This book embraces all ethnicities.
Morals: Like I said, this book illustrates how getting married is not always the only happy ending. Some of the girls do get married and find their happily ever after with their husband. But other find happiness in adventures, family, careers or such. A Powerful statement to teach young girls - you don't need a man to make you happy. You have that ability all by yourself!
WHAT I DISLIKED
Arrangement: To me, the arrangement of the stories was off. First of all, it opened up with the weakest story of the bunch, the story of Brave Bradamante, which was a big disappointment. You have to open with a bang. Secondly, there were some stories that should just not follow each other simply because they were too alike - like Bradamante and Atalanta, who both challenged their suiters to beat them before getting married. Or the Little Molly Whuppie and Mizilca stories, that both feature a set of three sisters. To really stress the diversity, I think these stories should be spread out and not clumped together. But that's just my personal opinion.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
FOLLOW MY BLOG FOR MORE BOOK GOODNESS
May 16, 2020
The diversity of stories in Fairy Tales for Fearless Girls is wonderful. From India to Sweden, Japan to West Africa; we are taken on a gorgeous illustrated ride throughout the world. Our champions are all girls whom have been told, for one reason or another, their ‘place in the world’ or where their capacity maxes out. Of course, these women defy that idea and, in most cases, challenge it head on.
Artwork
The art of Khoa Le is by far the highlight of this hardcover, over sized book for me. It’s the kind of book a little girl might receive, read a thousand times, and keep forever. I have three books like this from my childhood: one is Disney stories, another Raggedy Ann stories and finally an amazing illustrated copy of Little Women. But while beauty is important, let’s face it the text and stories are far more important in (to me at least) when it comes to content.
The Text of the Tales
The stories told all feature a leading female, often younger or just of marrying age. These women range from warriors to magicians to intellects, and more. My personal favourites were the instances where the girl outsmarted a foe (usually a man, but not always) with her smarts, riddles, or common sense. That said, any girl will likely find at least one story that resonates with them, regardless of what attribute they value most; be it intelligence, strength, magic or beauty.
My Favourites
I didn’t hate any of the stories. Some were just okay, others ended too abruptly, and one or two that were based off cultures I know a little more about didn’t quite live up to what I’d imagined or hoped for them. But two stories stood out for me.
Nana Miriam and the Horrible Hippopotamus
In this early placed story (third in) we are in West Africa and a daughter is told by her hunter father that no one can kill a hippo. No one, but especially not her. Guess what our girl must do then to prove otherwise? Not the most clever story in the book; but this one felt so great to finish as it’s a clear ‘win’ by our heroine. As an early story in the anthology it set a good tone for what's to come
The Princess, the Merchants, and the very Unusual Cupboard
The second story anchors the collection. Set in Sudan it features one of the most clever girls we meet in this anthology. She is annoyed by merchants who agree to “help her” get more value for an item by giving her money but also looking to secure her hand in marriage. By the end she shows them what it feels like to be bought or sold, and even shipped to the highest bidder. I liked the obvious comparison to slavery here and that the position of wife, which here is clearly a lesser role, is still important enough (in the end) to be worthy of our gal if the partner is respectful. It keeps the idea of a strong relationship and it’s value intact, doesn’t degrade men quite as much as some other stories did, and it’s the perfect reminder that gender isn’t the only thing that has (and sadly still does) separate people from one another.
Overall
This isn’t necessarily the best fairy tales collection I’ve read that targets middle grade or a bit younger children. But it is the most diverse; representing different cultures and locations around the world. The perfect type of book to be in a daycare, school library, or featured at a children’s gathering of any sort. I believe any child could find at least one story they identify with.
It could also be a good gift for a young girl. Be aware that animals are killed/hunted for food and sport (I have a 7-year-old cousin this would really upset, for example); but otherwise I don't foresee major objections by parents to the content. I would definitely buy this for a random gift exchange between kids, as an unwrapped gift donation for holidays, or as a donation to any library.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
Artwork
The art of Khoa Le is by far the highlight of this hardcover, over sized book for me. It’s the kind of book a little girl might receive, read a thousand times, and keep forever. I have three books like this from my childhood: one is Disney stories, another Raggedy Ann stories and finally an amazing illustrated copy of Little Women. But while beauty is important, let’s face it the text and stories are far more important in (to me at least) when it comes to content.
The Text of the Tales
The stories told all feature a leading female, often younger or just of marrying age. These women range from warriors to magicians to intellects, and more. My personal favourites were the instances where the girl outsmarted a foe (usually a man, but not always) with her smarts, riddles, or common sense. That said, any girl will likely find at least one story that resonates with them, regardless of what attribute they value most; be it intelligence, strength, magic or beauty.
My Favourites
I didn’t hate any of the stories. Some were just okay, others ended too abruptly, and one or two that were based off cultures I know a little more about didn’t quite live up to what I’d imagined or hoped for them. But two stories stood out for me.
Nana Miriam and the Horrible Hippopotamus
In this early placed story (third in) we are in West Africa and a daughter is told by her hunter father that no one can kill a hippo. No one, but especially not her. Guess what our girl must do then to prove otherwise? Not the most clever story in the book; but this one felt so great to finish as it’s a clear ‘win’ by our heroine. As an early story in the anthology it set a good tone for what's to come
The Princess, the Merchants, and the very Unusual Cupboard
The second story anchors the collection. Set in Sudan it features one of the most clever girls we meet in this anthology. She is annoyed by merchants who agree to “help her” get more value for an item by giving her money but also looking to secure her hand in marriage. By the end she shows them what it feels like to be bought or sold, and even shipped to the highest bidder. I liked the obvious comparison to slavery here and that the position of wife, which here is clearly a lesser role, is still important enough (in the end) to be worthy of our gal if the partner is respectful. It keeps the idea of a strong relationship and it’s value intact, doesn’t degrade men quite as much as some other stories did, and it’s the perfect reminder that gender isn’t the only thing that has (and sadly still does) separate people from one another.
Overall
This isn’t necessarily the best fairy tales collection I’ve read that targets middle grade or a bit younger children. But it is the most diverse; representing different cultures and locations around the world. The perfect type of book to be in a daycare, school library, or featured at a children’s gathering of any sort. I believe any child could find at least one story they identify with.
It could also be a good gift for a young girl. Be aware that animals are killed/hunted for food and sport (I have a 7-year-old cousin this would really upset, for example); but otherwise I don't foresee major objections by parents to the content. I would definitely buy this for a random gift exchange between kids, as an unwrapped gift donation for holidays, or as a donation to any library.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
January 6, 2021
„Приказки за безстрашни момичета” (изд. Хермес) е издание, което си струва да грабнете заради поне петнадесет причини. Петнадесет приказки от близо и далеч, петнадесет сюжета от различни култури, съживени за ново поколение читатели, петнадесет героини, олицетворили качества като индивидуалност, независимост, свободен дух, вяра в собствените си способности и вътрешна сила. Прибавете към тези причини и още поне две – сладкодумния преразказ на Анита Ганери и изящните стилни илюстрации на талантливата виетнамска художничка Хуа Лей. Май вече е пределно ясно - „Приказки за безстрашни момичета” не е книга, която искаме да пропуснем! Прочетете ревюто на „Книжни Криле”: https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/202...
January 7, 2024
I received an advance reader copy of this book to listen to in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
***AUDIO BOOK VERSION***
Fairy Tales for Fearless Girls is a wonderful collection of stories for girls from all around the world. I was familiar with a few of these stories, such as Atalanta and Bradamante, but not all, so it was a great book to listen to. Full of diversity and inspirational characters, this book gives a more modern outlook on the happy endings we can achieve for ourselves, which goes beyond just getting married like a traditional fairytale leaves us with. The reader/listener is taken on adventures where they learn that happiness can be found also from forging a career we love, going on adventures, and through family and hobbies (just for an example). The narrator is great to listen to and narrates each story well. I'd say this book is suitable for children aged 10+ to adulthood.
***AUDIO BOOK VERSION***
Fairy Tales for Fearless Girls is a wonderful collection of stories for girls from all around the world. I was familiar with a few of these stories, such as Atalanta and Bradamante, but not all, so it was a great book to listen to. Full of diversity and inspirational characters, this book gives a more modern outlook on the happy endings we can achieve for ourselves, which goes beyond just getting married like a traditional fairytale leaves us with. The reader/listener is taken on adventures where they learn that happiness can be found also from forging a career we love, going on adventures, and through family and hobbies (just for an example). The narrator is great to listen to and narrates each story well. I'd say this book is suitable for children aged 10+ to adulthood.
June 28, 2019
*thank you to Netgalley and Arcturus Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
4 stars.
These were pretty good. I enjoyed some more than others but I liked the diversity of stories. They blended well together and it was so good to read stories where the girl didn't need to be saved by a boy like typical fairytale stories. The introduction was amazing and had me hooked right away. If you are looking for short stories about girls who are strong and smart and independent, then this book is one to grab. I also really like the cover.
4 stars.
These were pretty good. I enjoyed some more than others but I liked the diversity of stories. They blended well together and it was so good to read stories where the girl didn't need to be saved by a boy like typical fairytale stories. The introduction was amazing and had me hooked right away. If you are looking for short stories about girls who are strong and smart and independent, then this book is one to grab. I also really like the cover.
June 19, 2019
Fairy Tales for Fearless Girls by Anita Ganeri is a fun book for fearless girls! Full of diversity and culture, we would definitely recommend this book!
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 19, 2023
A compilation of multiple fairytales that are commonly themed around 'not that typical girl'. A bit hilarious and a lot adventurous, this book was filled with new stories and no retelling of our childhood ones. Almost all the stories are quite short and even the overall length of the book is also very short.
My favourite was 'The Warrior Queen and the Wizard' and 'Maada the Mountain Dweller'. Another unique thing about this book was that it was based globally, with each story across a different country. Great for children, good for adults.
Genre: #fairytales
Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐️
Thankyou @netgalley @arcturusbooks for the digital ARC
My favourite was 'The Warrior Queen and the Wizard' and 'Maada the Mountain Dweller'. Another unique thing about this book was that it was based globally, with each story across a different country. Great for children, good for adults.
Genre: #fairytales
Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐️
Thankyou @netgalley @arcturusbooks for the digital ARC
July 9, 2019
A wonderful collection of 15 folktales and myths from around the world focusing on strong girls who aren’t afraid to break the societal stereotypes!
There were only two stories in here that I’d heard of before, and only one that I actually knew the story behind, so for the most part these were all new to me! While many of the same motifs and plot points show up in many of the stories, each is unique in the way each girl handles the situation and saves the day. I specifically loved the stories about the girls who did all sorts of bad@$$ stuff to save the kingdom and its people and then rejected marriage, preferring to continue on being bad@$$.
My favorite of all the stories was probably “How Mizilca Tricked a Sultan and Saved Her Father From Disgrace”–definitely awesome on all levels.
The illustrations throughout were very pretty and while they didn’t necessarily add anything to the stories, they were a colorful addition to the book.
I think it would have been a full 5 star read for me if there had been a bit about each tale at the end of the book, mentioning variations of the story in the region it comes from and any further adventures or continuations of the myth. The title also was off-putting to me… it makes it sound like “fearless girls” can only exist in the imaginary worlds of fairy tales, which certainly isn’t true! I understand the reasoning behind the title was to inspire the exact opposite of that, but it just nagged me too much not to mention.
These are great read-aloud stories for younger girls who are sure to enjoy reading the book themselves once they’re older, and continuing to be inspired by these awesome characters!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy to review!
(Cross posted on my blog.)
There were only two stories in here that I’d heard of before, and only one that I actually knew the story behind, so for the most part these were all new to me! While many of the same motifs and plot points show up in many of the stories, each is unique in the way each girl handles the situation and saves the day. I specifically loved the stories about the girls who did all sorts of bad@$$ stuff to save the kingdom and its people and then rejected marriage, preferring to continue on being bad@$$.
My favorite of all the stories was probably “How Mizilca Tricked a Sultan and Saved Her Father From Disgrace”–definitely awesome on all levels.
The illustrations throughout were very pretty and while they didn’t necessarily add anything to the stories, they were a colorful addition to the book.
I think it would have been a full 5 star read for me if there had been a bit about each tale at the end of the book, mentioning variations of the story in the region it comes from and any further adventures or continuations of the myth. The title also was off-putting to me… it makes it sound like “fearless girls” can only exist in the imaginary worlds of fairy tales, which certainly isn’t true! I understand the reasoning behind the title was to inspire the exact opposite of that, but it just nagged me too much not to mention.
These are great read-aloud stories for younger girls who are sure to enjoy reading the book themselves once they’re older, and continuing to be inspired by these awesome characters!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy to review!
(Cross posted on my blog.)
June 24, 2019
I love this! I will be buying this for my sort-of-niece! The art is gorgeous, the stories are engaging and have a great theme of princesses and warriors as strong protagonists, rather than the damsels in distress. I know that sounds run of the mill and like every sort of "give them a pink sword, now THEY'RE the heroes!" sort of book for girls that has come out since I was a kid in the 90s, but this book is genuinely quite well thought out and represents different cultures and different aspects of what it means to be a girl in the world. And I really cannot stress enough how gorgeous the illustrations are!!
June 21, 2019
These heroines don't sit around waiting for a prince or a Jack to save them; they get on with things themselves, using wit, strength and bravery to overcome obstacles and save the day. These are lesser known stories; I read a lot of folk tales, and I was only familiar with one of these. (Mollie Whuppie, if you're curious.) The illustrations are fantastic and add exactly the right tone. This is a lovely collection and will be very popular.
February 2, 2026
Eine tolle Auswahl an Märchen aus verschiedenen Ländern der Welt mit selbstbestimmten Frauen als Figuren. Und dann noch so schöne Illustrationen. Super zum Verschenken!
July 16, 2019
I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley
This was a really great collection of stories. They were all fairly short [around 2-3k words each] and featured several really cute illustrations for each story. I liked that there was a wide variety in the stories both in terms of what the girls did in the stories and also the countries that they originated from. I would definitely recommend this for people who are looking for new fairy tale type stories to read to their daughters [and sons!].
This was a really great collection of stories. They were all fairly short [around 2-3k words each] and featured several really cute illustrations for each story. I liked that there was a wide variety in the stories both in terms of what the girls did in the stories and also the countries that they originated from. I would definitely recommend this for people who are looking for new fairy tale type stories to read to their daughters [and sons!].
June 21, 2019
Thank you so much to Arcturus Publishing/Arcturus Digital for sending me an ebook through NetGalley to review of Fairy Tales for Fearless Girls written by Anita Ganeri.
This was a really fun read, this whole book is female empowerment and I loved every single story in this.
Each character was unique and told a totally different tale, some were the girls being hero’s, some were warriors, some were proving to the men around them that they can do what they can do, others were cunning, smart and independent.
These fairy tales take you all over the world to Russia, India, China, Japan, South & West Africa, Natives in Canada and many more giving you tales of brave girls in cultures you don’t always get to read stories about. This made these stories even more enjoyable to read as the character and cultures made the fairy tales different to any others out there.
I highly recommend this book it sends out a great message to young girls that nothing and no one can stop them, that they can do what they put their minds too and they are smart, brave and talented. Reading this book gives them not only a thoroughly entertaining read but can also inspire them and give them great female hero’s to read about.
I also must point out the beautiful art work throughout this book for each story illustrated by Khoa Le, they really added to the story as you could see the characters and the events that were happening.
This was a really fun read, this whole book is female empowerment and I loved every single story in this.
Each character was unique and told a totally different tale, some were the girls being hero’s, some were warriors, some were proving to the men around them that they can do what they can do, others were cunning, smart and independent.
These fairy tales take you all over the world to Russia, India, China, Japan, South & West Africa, Natives in Canada and many more giving you tales of brave girls in cultures you don’t always get to read stories about. This made these stories even more enjoyable to read as the character and cultures made the fairy tales different to any others out there.
I highly recommend this book it sends out a great message to young girls that nothing and no one can stop them, that they can do what they put their minds too and they are smart, brave and talented. Reading this book gives them not only a thoroughly entertaining read but can also inspire them and give them great female hero’s to read about.
I also must point out the beautiful art work throughout this book for each story illustrated by Khoa Le, they really added to the story as you could see the characters and the events that were happening.
June 24, 2019
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book to read! I requested it based on the title- I love fairy tales and I'm always looking for stories to read to my 6 year old daughter. What could be better than fearless girls? This is a very interesting collection of stories from different cultures around the world. I like that it is so diverse, I think it's a great collection for budding fearless girls to read. I will say that the age range probably skews older than my daughter- the language is rather dense and would probably work best for 8 and older, but that just means in a couple of years my daughter will be able to enjoy reading this with me!
July 14, 2019
A wonderful empowering collection of fairy tales , a book full of new stories full of independent, strong females , also wonderful as from all over the world with lots of different cultural perspectives and this is recommended reading from for me to everyone , young, old, male or female. We need more books like this. Highly recommended
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
September 5, 2019
Beautifully illustrated, wonderfully diverse, this book for young readers teaches us that adventure isn't just for boys- and Happily Ever After doesn't HAVE TO end with a wedding.
May 13, 2020
Frankly, this was really disappointing.
I'm not against fairy tales showcasing badass girls/women, but I would like my fairy tales with badass girls/women to not be ruined by unhealthy messages and contradictory storylines.
While I grasp that fairy tales have some pretty unhealthy messages from the start, replacing old unhealthy messages with equally unhealthy messages is NOT the way to go. For example, in one story a mother berates her daughters for thinking they ate some expensive food without permission (btw no one uses their FUCKING WORDS in this collection lest the story be solved with COMMON SENSE) and claims they may as well marry the mountain dweller if they're going to behave this way. So both girls run away from home, go on a dangerous journey, find the mountain dweller, bring him back to their village, then tell him they won't marry him because THEY ONLY DID ALL OF THIS TO TEACH THEIR MOTHER A LESSON. Woooooow, so not only did they waste this guy's fucking time bringing them to their village (the trip is apparently dangerous and long) but the message young girls should get from this is, "if your mother scolds you, run away from home?" Yeah, not exactly the best message you should be sending to young, impressionable girls.
In another story, the main heroine makes it clear that she doesn't want to get married and even scolds her mom for offering her hand in marriage as a prize. But GUESS WHAT? She changes her mind at the VERY END AND DECIDES TO GET MARRIED! Awesome, NOW we're teaching young girls that if they're not interested in marriage, they'll change their mind eventually! Because IT'S NOT LIKE SOME GIRLS NEVER WANT TO GET MARRIED AND ARE TOTALLY CONFIDENT IN THAT DECISION! And it's not like that decision isn't totally frowned upon in society and they won't be harassed til the end of their days if they don't get married! Of COURSE not, that NEVER HAPPENS!
What's worse is that there were SEVERAL stories in the collection where the girls/women chose not to get married and that was FINE, so I don't know what the point of making it clear that the girl didn't want to get married and then have her change her mind appros of nothing. It's insanely frustrating and it infuriated me.
Also, there were several stories that made it clear that "this girl was brave" and "this girl was super duper courageous and didn't take no guff from no one," but she was following a man, usually a king's, instructions. Rather than, you know, saying "yeah no, I'm not going on that dangerous journey for your personal gain". Stuff like this pissed me off because it's trying to make these girls sound brave and independent, but often they were still taking orders from a man even when it wasn't necessary. If you're going to promote the idea of "strong, independent" women, you have to go all the way otherwise it looks hypocritical.
All my ranting aside, there were some stories that I genuinely enjoyed and I loved reading fairy tales from other countries. I've always been curious about other countries' myths and fairy tales and I did thoroughly enjoy reading them on their own.
Overall, I wouldn't say this was terrible, but it's not as great as it could have been. I'm glad I read it just to see the fairy tales that came from other countries, but I'm not sure I'd recommend it if you're heavily focused on "strong female characters". Then again, I have a very specific idea as to what constitutes said female characters, so I'm sure most people will enjoy this more than I did.
I'm not against fairy tales showcasing badass girls/women, but I would like my fairy tales with badass girls/women to not be ruined by unhealthy messages and contradictory storylines.
While I grasp that fairy tales have some pretty unhealthy messages from the start, replacing old unhealthy messages with equally unhealthy messages is NOT the way to go. For example, in one story a mother berates her daughters for thinking they ate some expensive food without permission (btw no one uses their FUCKING WORDS in this collection lest the story be solved with COMMON SENSE) and claims they may as well marry the mountain dweller if they're going to behave this way. So both girls run away from home, go on a dangerous journey, find the mountain dweller, bring him back to their village, then tell him they won't marry him because THEY ONLY DID ALL OF THIS TO TEACH THEIR MOTHER A LESSON. Woooooow, so not only did they waste this guy's fucking time bringing them to their village (the trip is apparently dangerous and long) but the message young girls should get from this is, "if your mother scolds you, run away from home?" Yeah, not exactly the best message you should be sending to young, impressionable girls.
In another story, the main heroine makes it clear that she doesn't want to get married and even scolds her mom for offering her hand in marriage as a prize. But GUESS WHAT? She changes her mind at the VERY END AND DECIDES TO GET MARRIED! Awesome, NOW we're teaching young girls that if they're not interested in marriage, they'll change their mind eventually! Because IT'S NOT LIKE SOME GIRLS NEVER WANT TO GET MARRIED AND ARE TOTALLY CONFIDENT IN THAT DECISION! And it's not like that decision isn't totally frowned upon in society and they won't be harassed til the end of their days if they don't get married! Of COURSE not, that NEVER HAPPENS!
What's worse is that there were SEVERAL stories in the collection where the girls/women chose not to get married and that was FINE, so I don't know what the point of making it clear that the girl didn't want to get married and then have her change her mind appros of nothing. It's insanely frustrating and it infuriated me.
Also, there were several stories that made it clear that "this girl was brave" and "this girl was super duper courageous and didn't take no guff from no one," but she was following a man, usually a king's, instructions. Rather than, you know, saying "yeah no, I'm not going on that dangerous journey for your personal gain". Stuff like this pissed me off because it's trying to make these girls sound brave and independent, but often they were still taking orders from a man even when it wasn't necessary. If you're going to promote the idea of "strong, independent" women, you have to go all the way otherwise it looks hypocritical.
All my ranting aside, there were some stories that I genuinely enjoyed and I loved reading fairy tales from other countries. I've always been curious about other countries' myths and fairy tales and I did thoroughly enjoy reading them on their own.
Overall, I wouldn't say this was terrible, but it's not as great as it could have been. I'm glad I read it just to see the fairy tales that came from other countries, but I'm not sure I'd recommend it if you're heavily focused on "strong female characters". Then again, I have a very specific idea as to what constitutes said female characters, so I'm sure most people will enjoy this more than I did.
May 11, 2023
A compilation of multiple fairytales that are commonly themed around 'not that typical girl'. A bit hilarious and a lot adventurous, this book was filled with new stories and no retelling of our childhood ones. Almost all the stories are quite short and even the overall length of the book is also very short.
My favourite was 'The Warrior Queen and the Wizard' and 'Maada the Mountain Dweller'. Another unique thing about this book was that it was based globally, with each story across a different country. Great for children, good for adults.
Genre: #fairytales
Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐️
Thankyou @netgalley @arcturusbooks for the digital ARC
My favourite was 'The Warrior Queen and the Wizard' and 'Maada the Mountain Dweller'. Another unique thing about this book was that it was based globally, with each story across a different country. Great for children, good for adults.
Genre: #fairytales
Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐️
Thankyou @netgalley @arcturusbooks for the digital ARC
February 7, 2020
I will use it when teaching English as a foreign language - the illustrations are beautiful, and the stories are just perfect for advanced readers in (upper) elementary school.
January 10, 2021
Непознати принцеси от цял свят - Имани, Фън Мин, Брадаманте, Аталанта, Унанана и още. Те са много смели и сбъдват мечтите си!
January 6, 2021
Страхотни приказки, които ми доставиха искрено удоволствие.
December 29, 2023
Според мен тази книга наистина показва характера на момичетата
August 6, 2019
This sounded promising: strong girls and women getting to be the fierce and brave main characters. I found the execution to be rather lacking. Most of the stories were short and a lot of them just changed the classic hero from male to female. This doesn’t feel like equality, portraying your men as figures who never think their actions through. There were some messages that I did absolutely approve. For example, a happy ending is more than getting married, you don"t need a man to save you and you should make your own future.
Some of the stories were great but others felt a little repetitive. I know fairy tales aren't supposed to have plot twists or never before seen elements but it felt just a little too alike for me. I may have liked it more if there were fewer stories, while the remaining stories got a little more place. That way, you can make your readers connect a little more.
I do have to admit that this was diverse: all of the stories took place in different pieces of the world. You have Russia, Sudan, Romania, Norway and even the Incas. The illustrations were amazing. They fitted the stories, made them come to life. They definitely increased my reading experience!
Thank you Arcturus Publishing for providing this copy via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
Some of the stories were great but others felt a little repetitive. I know fairy tales aren't supposed to have plot twists or never before seen elements but it felt just a little too alike for me. I may have liked it more if there were fewer stories, while the remaining stories got a little more place. That way, you can make your readers connect a little more.
I do have to admit that this was diverse: all of the stories took place in different pieces of the world. You have Russia, Sudan, Romania, Norway and even the Incas. The illustrations were amazing. They fitted the stories, made them come to life. They definitely increased my reading experience!
Thank you Arcturus Publishing for providing this copy via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
June 9, 2020
I'm always on the lookout for new collections of fairy tales, especially ones that expose me to stories that I've never heard of before. That's why Fairy Tales for Fearless Girls immediately grabbed my attention-not to mention the fact that I found the illustrations appealing. (They're adorable without being to "cute-sy". Plus, their quality is consistent throughout the book. For that reason alone, I would have LOVED this one as a kid)
While the stories featuring "fearless heroines who don't need rescuing" are supposed to be this book's virtue, I personally think this collection's biggest draw is actually in its diversity. Among other locations, there are stories from India, Sudan, Japan, and Romania (just to name a few). In fact, there were actually only about three stories I found familiar. I can't say it's the absolute best collection of fairy tales for children that I've read, but I certainly think it would be a good introduction for kids who've already read the most popular tales and are hungry for more.
My main complaint about the book is more about scholarship than storytelling. I read this as an ebook, so I apologize if the print is different, but there weren't any sources in the back of the book. I know this is for children, but I've read plenty of children's book that include sources for further reading in the back. There were so many stories in here I wanted to look up, but couldn't find anything on, even through google. (I assume this comes from the author coming up with her own titles or translations of the tales?) Anyway, it's hard to judge whether these are accurate interpretations when I have no way to look up the originals! So some sort of "further reading" list would have been particularly helpful, in my opinion.
While the stories featuring "fearless heroines who don't need rescuing" are supposed to be this book's virtue, I personally think this collection's biggest draw is actually in its diversity. Among other locations, there are stories from India, Sudan, Japan, and Romania (just to name a few). In fact, there were actually only about three stories I found familiar. I can't say it's the absolute best collection of fairy tales for children that I've read, but I certainly think it would be a good introduction for kids who've already read the most popular tales and are hungry for more.
My main complaint about the book is more about scholarship than storytelling. I read this as an ebook, so I apologize if the print is different, but there weren't any sources in the back of the book. I know this is for children, but I've read plenty of children's book that include sources for further reading in the back. There were so many stories in here I wanted to look up, but couldn't find anything on, even through google. (I assume this comes from the author coming up with her own titles or translations of the tales?) Anyway, it's hard to judge whether these are accurate interpretations when I have no way to look up the originals! So some sort of "further reading" list would have been particularly helpful, in my opinion.
December 2, 2019
I will always advocate for multicultural girl stories that show how powerful girls can be. Which is why I was excited to see this collection of Fairy Tales with female heroines. I loved that they took place all around the world highlighting a variety of cultures. I liked that the girls solved their own problems and where the heroes of their stories. What I didn't like was the language of the stories. It seems like these fairy tales/legends/folk tales were dumbed down for a modern reader and I didn't appreciate that. I think today's kids are smart enough to read a story with strong language and I think stories are better when they are not simplified. These all seemed simple in their tellings. In fact I looked up a couple of the stories and the original versions seem much more interesting and intense. This could have been a great collection instead it was just meh.
September 23, 2019
What a fabulous collection of stories for the modern girl! These are princesses who save themselves, who don’t need a strong, handsome prince and who easily outwit the bad guys! Very much 21st century tales told in the style of traditional fairy tales and fables - I particularly enjoyed ‘How Little Molly Whoopie Outwitted the Giant’ and ‘Unanana and the Elephant.’
I very much enjoyed this read and as soon as it comes out I’ll be buying a copy or two for the strong little princesses in my life, and I recommend that you do too!
I received a free ARC from Netgalley in return for a fair review.
I very much enjoyed this read and as soon as it comes out I’ll be buying a copy or two for the strong little princesses in my life, and I recommend that you do too!
I received a free ARC from Netgalley in return for a fair review.
August 19, 2019
*Disclaimer: I was given an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
What a great collection of different fairy tales that can be read in place of your typical stories where there's always a happy ending involving marriage (I know that some fairy tales do not end happily...).
Some stories weren't as engaging, which is expected, but others showcased strong characters that were independent and chose their own destinies.
Highly recommend!
What a great collection of different fairy tales that can be read in place of your typical stories where there's always a happy ending involving marriage (I know that some fairy tales do not end happily...).
Some stories weren't as engaging, which is expected, but others showcased strong characters that were independent and chose their own destinies.
Highly recommend!
April 29, 2020
„Fantastic Stories for Fearless Girls“ fügt sich nahtlos in die Reihe der Bücher ein, die von rebellischen und starken Frauen- und Mädchenfiguren erzählen und die generell mit Rollenklischees aufräumen. „Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls“ und „Stories for Boys Who Dare to be Different“ zum Beispiel. Gut so, denn Geschichten über starke Männer, Helden und ehrenhafte Ritter gibt es zur Genüge. Es wird Zeit, dass hier der Spieß umgedreht wird und von furchtlosen Frauen erzählt wird! In dieser Geschichtensammlung sind 15 Erzählungen aus aller Welt versammelt, die von Mädchen und Frauen berichten, die mutig und entschlossen ihren Weg gehen.
Nacherzählt von Anita Ganeri, beinhaltet „Fantastic Stories for Fearless Girls“ eine ziemlich bunte Geschichten-Mischung. Sie haben ihren Ursprung in Griechenland, Niger, Japan, Norwegen, Indien, Russland, Kanada, Tansania und anderen Ländern. Das macht die märchenhafte Reise durch das Buch besonders spannend, denn immer erfährt man auch einiges über die Kultur und Lebensgewohnheiten der Menschen dieser Länder. Dies spiegelt sich in den traumhaft schönen Illustrationen von Khoa Le wieder. Sie sind farbenprächtig und detailliert und passen zudem immer perfekt zum jeweiligen Ursprungsland der Geschichte. Besonderheiten der jeweiligen Kultur werden hervorgehoben, von der Kleidung bis hin zur Architektur, die Fantasie wird angeregt und besonders beim Vorlesen sind die Illustrationen eine absolute Bereicherung.
Die Geschichten sind spannend und überraschend humorvoll und schon die Titel machen neugierig, wie zum Beispiel „Wie die kleine Molly Whuppie einen Riesen übertölpelte“ oder „Atalanta, die flinkfüßige Jägerin“. Mädchen und Frauen führen Erwachsene und Männer an der Nase herum, sie zeigen, dass sie ebenfalls stark, klug und mutig sind. Sie nehmen ihr Leben und ihr Schicksal selbst in die Hand, anstatt darauf zu warten, dass ein Mann für sie entscheidet. Mal müssen sie wie Mulan zur Kämpferin werden, damit ihr alter Vater nicht in den Krieg ziehen muss. Mal nehmen sie es mit einer Seeschlange auf und retten den Vater aus dem Exil. Ein andermal beweisen sie Mut, indem sie ihren Ehemann aus der Gefangenschaft retten. Mein Fazit: Mehr davon! Und bis dahin lese ich diese Erzählungen einfach immer wieder.
Highlights
Starke Frauenfiguren
Spannende, humorvolle und magische Geschichten
Wunderschöne Illustrationen
Nacherzählt von Anita Ganeri, beinhaltet „Fantastic Stories for Fearless Girls“ eine ziemlich bunte Geschichten-Mischung. Sie haben ihren Ursprung in Griechenland, Niger, Japan, Norwegen, Indien, Russland, Kanada, Tansania und anderen Ländern. Das macht die märchenhafte Reise durch das Buch besonders spannend, denn immer erfährt man auch einiges über die Kultur und Lebensgewohnheiten der Menschen dieser Länder. Dies spiegelt sich in den traumhaft schönen Illustrationen von Khoa Le wieder. Sie sind farbenprächtig und detailliert und passen zudem immer perfekt zum jeweiligen Ursprungsland der Geschichte. Besonderheiten der jeweiligen Kultur werden hervorgehoben, von der Kleidung bis hin zur Architektur, die Fantasie wird angeregt und besonders beim Vorlesen sind die Illustrationen eine absolute Bereicherung.
Die Geschichten sind spannend und überraschend humorvoll und schon die Titel machen neugierig, wie zum Beispiel „Wie die kleine Molly Whuppie einen Riesen übertölpelte“ oder „Atalanta, die flinkfüßige Jägerin“. Mädchen und Frauen führen Erwachsene und Männer an der Nase herum, sie zeigen, dass sie ebenfalls stark, klug und mutig sind. Sie nehmen ihr Leben und ihr Schicksal selbst in die Hand, anstatt darauf zu warten, dass ein Mann für sie entscheidet. Mal müssen sie wie Mulan zur Kämpferin werden, damit ihr alter Vater nicht in den Krieg ziehen muss. Mal nehmen sie es mit einer Seeschlange auf und retten den Vater aus dem Exil. Ein andermal beweisen sie Mut, indem sie ihren Ehemann aus der Gefangenschaft retten. Mein Fazit: Mehr davon! Und bis dahin lese ich diese Erzählungen einfach immer wieder.
Highlights
Starke Frauenfiguren
Spannende, humorvolle und magische Geschichten
Wunderschöne Illustrationen
May 12, 2023
Bedtime tales, traditionally told about non-traditional young women.
The length, structure and language of a typical fairy tale is present. But the characters are oh-so-different. And it's telling that when the first girl is offered a hand in marriage by a king, I was jolted out of my reverie by the 'no'. Yes, I knew what to expect. But it seems I remember too well the tales I read and watched when young and am much too used to the happy ending being the marriage and safe conclusion. More fool me.
I'm glad a new generation have the chance to be exposed to stories where it isn't just young, brave men fighting monsters, standing up to evil, adventuring, outwitting. This is a selection of short tales where young women go out and make their mark on the world, perfect and use skills to save the day, use their guiles to overcome tricksy foe.
You won't know their names yet, but the stories will seem familiar with a gender squint. I loved seeing girls turn down offers, citing their need to explore and be free, no need to be tied down or rely on anyone else.
What better lesson can we teach both boys and girls than this, that they are not confined by their gender or start in life? That we do not expect 'only x' of them? That marriage is not the be-all-and-end-all?
Enjoyed the audio retelling as well - nothing is missed by not reading this on paper - and hope other parents and children enjoy this and take in the life lessons contained therein.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample audio copy.
The length, structure and language of a typical fairy tale is present. But the characters are oh-so-different. And it's telling that when the first girl is offered a hand in marriage by a king, I was jolted out of my reverie by the 'no'. Yes, I knew what to expect. But it seems I remember too well the tales I read and watched when young and am much too used to the happy ending being the marriage and safe conclusion. More fool me.
I'm glad a new generation have the chance to be exposed to stories where it isn't just young, brave men fighting monsters, standing up to evil, adventuring, outwitting. This is a selection of short tales where young women go out and make their mark on the world, perfect and use skills to save the day, use their guiles to overcome tricksy foe.
You won't know their names yet, but the stories will seem familiar with a gender squint. I loved seeing girls turn down offers, citing their need to explore and be free, no need to be tied down or rely on anyone else.
What better lesson can we teach both boys and girls than this, that they are not confined by their gender or start in life? That we do not expect 'only x' of them? That marriage is not the be-all-and-end-all?
Enjoyed the audio retelling as well - nothing is missed by not reading this on paper - and hope other parents and children enjoy this and take in the life lessons contained therein.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample audio copy.
January 9, 2020
Fairy Tales for Fearless Girls is a collection of fairy tales I really want to be able to share with my children one day. What it says on the cover is exactly what it does: these fairy tales tell the stories of fearless girls that come and save the day on their own.
Let's be honest, classic fairy tales are miserable. People (girls) die or are tortured or are raped; there's none of that misery here. These are happy stories to tell children, so they know that they can conquer the world. And it's not all slaying of dragons by fierce sword-wielding female soldiers, some of the girls are brave and fearless because they're clever and sly and driven by love. None just play a part because they're pretty.
I don't know how much this collection of stories are based on classic fairy tales, but these stories cover a range of cultures (and very few of them are white). It's really refreshing to read fairy tales with exciting characters and new stories that aren't predictable and are solved in a creative way.
The book is full of beautiful illustrations as well, which show just how amazingly un-white the characters are. Not only are they stunning, but they introduce children to a whole world of storytelling which may not have previously been available to them, or they allow children to see themselves in a setting where they may have previously been absent.
Let's be honest, classic fairy tales are miserable. People (girls) die or are tortured or are raped; there's none of that misery here. These are happy stories to tell children, so they know that they can conquer the world. And it's not all slaying of dragons by fierce sword-wielding female soldiers, some of the girls are brave and fearless because they're clever and sly and driven by love. None just play a part because they're pretty.
I don't know how much this collection of stories are based on classic fairy tales, but these stories cover a range of cultures (and very few of them are white). It's really refreshing to read fairy tales with exciting characters and new stories that aren't predictable and are solved in a creative way.
The book is full of beautiful illustrations as well, which show just how amazingly un-white the characters are. Not only are they stunning, but they introduce children to a whole world of storytelling which may not have previously been available to them, or they allow children to see themselves in a setting where they may have previously been absent.
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