Reading Responses 4 (Wk7: 10/6 - 10/12): Folklore

[Dr. Buffy]

Reading Responses 4 (Wk7:): Folklore  

Part 1: Add all the required children's books that you read for this week to the Goodreads group bookshelf. This week you read SIX traditional literature books.  

Note: You may not be able to add a book, if the book has already been added to the group bookshelf by another student. In this case, just add the title with your response.  

Part 2: Choose a book that you read this week EXCEPT FOR Cinderella. Answer to the following questions in the comment area. 
1. A citation for the book, formatted in APA format. (Add a book cover/link to the book in the comment area, if possible.) 
 
2. A brief annotation (no more than two sentences) for the contents of the book. 

3. Evaluate your picture book based on Betsy Hearne’s article “Cite the Source: Reducing Cultural Chaos in Picture Books”. According to Hearne’s source note countdown, where does the book fall into? Your answers to #3 should be about 100 words. 

[Adebayo]

In what ways could acknowledging the Chinese origins of the story help readers better understand the cultural values reflected in The Empty Pot?

[Elisabetta]

Stone Soup

1. Muth, J. J. (2003). Stone soup. Scholastic Press.
2. Three monks stop to stay the night in a mountain village amidst their pilgrimage to find doors locked and windows shut against neighbors and guests. The monks set out to make stone soup for dinner and as villagers become interested in making soup from only water and stones, they bring food from home to add to the pot and a community soup is made. At the end of the story, the town opens their arms to their guests and more importantly each other.
3. This book scores a 1 (model source note) on Hearne’s source note countdown because of the included author’s note that gives information about the roots of the folktale, the setting this book is in, and the changes he made to the story to reflect the culture the story now exists within. The author’s note is very detailed about acknowledging the origins of the folklore as having roots in Europe and also the existence of related stories in Jamaca, Korea and the Philippines. He tells us that he took the traditional form of the folktale and set it in China. He dives into how this retelling mirrors the Buddha story tradition of tricksters (reflected as the three monks in this book) spreading enlightenment (in this case, community, collaboration and gratitude). The author explains some of the cultural context of the motifs he used in the illustrations, all which add a richness to the story and the setting.

[Faith]

Grimm, J., Grimm, W., & Blume, K. (1986). Rapunzel. F. Coppenrath.

This is a Rapunzel retelling, navigating the classic fairy tale with rich, Renaissance-style oil paintings that give the story a timeless depth. The detailed illustrations and words work together to create a visually stunning and emotionally resonant version of the traditional tale.

Paul O. Zelinsky’s Rapunzel falls near the top of Betsy Hearne’s “source note countdown,” as it clearly cites its origins in both the Grimm Brothers’ version and earlier Italian sources like Petrosinella by Giambattista Basile. Zelinsky provides a detailed author’s note explaining how he adapted and combined elements from these tales, showing transparency and respect for the story’s lineage. This careful acknowledgment aligns with Hearne’s call for accuracy and responsibility in retellings. By crediting his sources, Zelinsky helps readers understand the cultural evolution of Rapunzel and models scholarly integrity in picture book storytelling.

[Sara]

1. Riordan, R. (2014). Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods. Disney-Hyperion.
2. Have you ever wondered how Zeus became the King of the Gods? Or why Poseidon is always grumpy? This book spills all the godly drama! Told by the Rick Riordan character Percy Jackson, it's a fun, comprehensive, and hilarious peek into the major Greek myths. Percy can make those ancient stories totally accessible and relatable for even the most reluctant modern day readers.
3. Categorizing this book using Betsy Hearne's "Source Note Countdown" is a unique situation here because this book isn't based on one single traditional literature story. It's pulling from a massive amount of classical Greek literature. While it doesn't have a large bibliography at the back, it definitely isn't a "Nonexistent Source Note" (#5).

Riordan is very clear about basing his stories on Greek myths, and even lets the reader know in the introduction that he's adapting established stories from many different sources, which keeps it out of the "Background-as-Source Note" (#4) category. The author is fully transparent about this book being a modern adaptation of Greek mythology told by Percy Jackson. The conversational and funny way of telling the stories still respects the oral traditions of the traditional literature element. Since everyone knows the source is classic Greek mythology, and Riordan uses all the original names and plots, the book scores closest to a “Well-Made Source Note” (#2).

[Christina]

The Origin of Day and Night
Rumbolt, P. (2020). The origin of day and night. Inhabit Media.
This is the story of a fox and a hare who must work together to survive. Can they share their magic and find a balance?
I was saddened to discover my "source note" for this book fell into the fourth category. To some degree, it could be accredited in the third category. The online summary of this book describes it as an Inuit tale that has been passed down orally for hundreds of years. it is further described as a traditional animal tale that gives young readers a window into Inuit mythology. Unfortunately, the actual book makes no mention of where or how this tale began. It is worth mentioning however in the fine print on the CIP page, the book mentions being possible in part thanks to the Government of Canada. So while it is a good story, and beautifully illustrated, it lacks a strong source of origin.

[Hannah]

1. Jules, J. (2013). Never say a mean word again. Wisdom Tales.
2. Samuel, the son of a Muslim vizier and Hazma, the son of a Jewish tax collector become unlikely friends when Samuel's father tasks him with making sure Hazma never says a mean word to him again.
3. This book’s source note is well-made, meaning it falls into the number 2 spot on Hearne’s source note countdown. It is in a large and visible print block at the end of the book, accompanied by an illustration of Samuel, the main character. The author cites the source of this medieval legend, saying she saw it in two Jewish scholarly works. She gives context to the cultural landscape of medieval Spain and how its inhabitants of different faiths lived together. Samuel Ha-Nagrid, who is the father of the fictional main character, was a real person in the time this story takes place and is the original main character of the tale. The author explains that she reimagined the story taking place between two children instead.