Classic Fairy Tales To Read Aloud

by Naomi Lewis

A wonderful collection for sharing with the whole family, this anthology gathers together the fairy tale s that have established themselves as enduring favourites ov er the years. '

Genres: Fairy Tales

224 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 1996

About the author

British poet, essayist, literary critic, anthologist and reteller of stories for children. She is particularly noted for her translations of the Danish children’s author, Hans Christian Andersen, as well as for her critical reviews and essays. She was a recipient of the Eleanor Farjeon Award.

Reviews

[Nick Papaxanthos · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this to read aloud to my three-year-old, and it got the job done: an introduction to fairytales. The translations are uneven, some using more contemporary language, others more old-fashioned. A good selection of stories, some more popular than others. A mixed bag, but good enough! Consider this a small collection, and the stories no better read aloud than in another.

[R.K. Cowles · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 3/4 stars

[Rosie]

as an oldest child i am offended at how the eldest children almost always suck

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice collection of stories. They are well written and I enjoy her versions.

[Madalyn Bradburn]

Choice [Fairytale]: Selections made by Lewis, Naomi. The Princess and the Pea (1835). Target audience: grades 1-5.
Fairytales have always provided an unforgettable way of storytelling to me. This book provides a selection of traditional stories containing lovable characters and meaningful themes. These stories were chosen for reasons related to being some of the best retellings of traditional stories for reading aloud. These stories can be enjoyed by students in the classroom as well as families at home. The traditional features of overlapping genres contain “fables of animals and witches, princes and princesses, as well as magic and mystery.” These tales come from infamous story authors: the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, and Charles Perrault. I loved the inclusion of notes as an introduction to each story as well as the gorgeous, vivid images throughout the book! Some of the stories included in this selection are: Little Red Riding Hood, East O’ the Sun and West O’ Moon, The Fisherman and his Wife, The Princess and the Pea, The Troll Bride, Puss in Boots, Rapunzel, The Flying Trunk, Hansel and Gretel, The Wild Swans, and The Twelve Dancing Princesses.
I loved reading the story, Hansel and Gretel, because I was able to compare it to A Tale Dark and Grimm that stars these two characters. It was refreshing to read the Brothers Grimm version and be able to compare both stories. The use of imagery and dialogue allowed me to enjoy the story even further.