The Many Different Ways to Tell Rapunzel

Folk tales are one of my favorite things to read. I love the diversity of stories across cultures and I enjoy finding new stories with familiar twists and familiar stories with new twists. On the Children's Services booklist page we have several lists of folk tale variants.

While Paul O. Zelinsky's retelling of Rapunzel might be my favorite, there are many more on the variant list that are worth looking at. Read Sugar Cane: A Caribbean Rapunzel by Patricia Storace to appreciate a new setting, or try The Canary Prince by Eric Jon Nones for a Turinese version of the princess locked in the tower tale.

The Gingerbread Man is not just a cookie. He can be a tortilla, a matzo ball, or cornbread. If you are in the mood for a classic, straight retelling, try Paul Galdone's The Gingerbread Boy.

We also have booklists or variants for Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Rumpelstiltskin, and Three Little Pigs. Speaking of folktale variants, if you have a sense of humor, please do yourself a favor and read The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka. I won't go into how wonderful it is here, because I already went into how wonderful it is here.

Happy New Year!

All locations of the ACPL will be closed today and tomorrow (December 31st & January 1st). Please visit the main library on Sunday between 12pm & 5pm for all of your informational needs.

Did you forget to pick up that classic before the library closed on Thursday? Check out Internet Archive's Children's Library. It is quite useful when your child asks about the story of Tom Thumb when the library is closed and you can't remember exactly how it goes.

Germanfest at the Library Tomorrow

Please join us tomorrow, June 8th at 2:00 at the main library for an hour filled with German vocabulary, songs, stories, a craft and yes...the Chicken Dance!
We will also have lots of books for you to take home, like these versions of the German folktale, Little Red Riding Hood!

Mrs. P's Storytelling Site

If you are in the mood to listen to a good story, but can't make it to the Library, try out Mrs. P. Mrs. P tells stories on a wonderfully interactive site for children and their grown-ups. Listen to some fairy tales, play games, or write a letter to Mrs. P. The first page of the site has information about what you will find on the site. Just click on ENTER THE MAGIC LIBRARY to visit Mrs. P's storytelling world. There's plenty of online reading and story fun for a wide range of ages and interests!

Fairy Tales!

Goldilocks and the Three Bears...









The Gingerbread Man...











Rumpelstiltskin...










...these are just a few of the fairy tales that you may have heard or read. But did you know there are LOTS of different versions of these old, old stories? Take a look at our Fairy Tale Booklists, and check out some of the books - you may find some new favorites!