Heather
Heather asked Jane Yolen:

I'm a huge fan of your stories based on fairy tales. I'm trying to learn more about fairy tales and folktales. Do you have any recommendations on good primary sources and theoretical books?

Jane Yolen Start with anything by Jack Zipes, Marina Warner, or Maria Tater. Or go to the website SurLaLune. A lot of people who are storytellers use my book FAVORITE FOLKTALES FROM AROUND THE WORLD (Pantheon). I have a long essay about folk and fairy tales at the beginning of the book plus shorter intros to each of the sections in the book. I also wrote TOUCH MAGIC which is about fairy tales folklore and fantasy in the literature of childhood. Reading all those and digesting the materials should take you the better part of a year. Good luck and good reading.

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