The aim of the paper is to present several fairy tales from Giuseppe Pitrè's collection as a potentially interesting reading material for children. Since classical fairy tales in some cases depict traditional gender roles, they can present an obstacle to children's gender construction. Therefore, it is also important to read those stories which do…

One hundred popular children's books for ages 0-6 were selected from a local metropolitan library system with data from 10 library branches. These frequently checked out books were then analyzed for how disabilities were represented in the books. This study found that only a few books checked out of the library represent children with differing…

A nation's folk literature offers a window into its people and their beliefs across time and geographic locations. Whether the stories are tall tales, creation stories, or fairy tales, they reveal insights into the make-up of the populace--what they believe, what motivates them, what their attitudes are, how they behave, and how time and place…

This paper presents and discusses the responses of a class of first-grade students and a class of fourth-grade students to the elements of psychological maltreatment in the fairy tales "Cinderella" and "The Twelve Months." Responses of the first-grade students indicate that both boys and girls felt that the fairy tale heroine let herself be…

Presents a critical overview of academic writing on women and folklore, organized in three categories: (1) literature on images of women in verbal folklore, and the role of negative images in shaping attitudes; (2) research on womens' oral genres and performance and female use of folklore; and (3) studies of women as folk performers and artists.…

This article considers the cultural messages embedded in the patriarchal canon of fairy tales and their implications for the construction of gender-appropriate behavior. The characteristics of feminist re-visions of fairy tales are discussed, and studies that explore the importance of access to alternative discourses in order for children to…

Underscoring folklore's appropriateness to multicultural classroom settings are its connection with past and present cultures, its constancy and change, and its potential for oral transmission of human values. Most importantly, folktales and songs enable children to participate in the history of universal human emotions. To effectively include…

This booklet examines folk tales and fairy stories derived from folk wisdom from the standpoint that they are not an escape from reality, but that they help people deal with the reality that technology cannot explain. The book focuses on the pros and cons of folk and fairy tales and on their nature and function. It also presents an analysis of a…

Searched cross-cultural collections and found that, of 2,500 fairy tales reviewed, only two percent featured older adults as protagonists. Discusses six themes from these stories which contain valuable folk wisdom about psychological development in later life. (Author/ABB)

Reviews 14 children's books concerned with traditional Native American tales and experiences, written mostly by Native authors and published 1989-93. Includes books on Hiawatha, buffalo, the battle of the Little Bighorn, the Fetterman Fight, and traditional beliefs and values; Cree, Navajo, Chickasaw, and Seneca tales and stories; fictional…

Analyzes two Yup'ik tales depicting the cyclic relationships between humans and animals and between the living and the dead. Emphasizes the importance in the Yup'ik world view of boundaries and passages. Suggests that human actions, rules, and ceremonies create boundaries or may close or open paths between people, as well as between human/animal…

This exploration of the two leading varieties of nonsense literature defines strict nonsense as that in which the laws of nature are suspended and replaced by new laws which the author decrees, and loose nonsense as usually comic writing about a singular unlikely event. Examples of these two types of verse in children's literature are cited. (22…

Examines approximately 28 children's books containing American Indian stories. Evaluates the authenticity of the stories, their effectiveness in adapting oral materials to written form, and their suitability for classroom use. Bibliographic notes include prices. (SV)

Reviews six children's books about American Indian culture, traditional life, and folk tales by Native and non-Native authors. Discusses questions related to whether non-Natives should write about Native life, whether the same criticism should apply to Native and non-Native authors, and problems in adapting oral materials. (SV)

Describes a project designed to test the feminist hypothesis that the Cinderella-style fairytales promoted by Anglo-American society harmfully reinforce restrictive images of girlhood and womanhood. Results indicate that girls 9 to 11 years of age are "resisting readers," able to criticize and manipulate--as well as enjoy--the gender images…