East Asian Folktales, Myths and Legends

The latest title in the Scholastic ‘Folktales, Myths and Legends’ series offers a collection of stories from East Asia, thoughtfully retold by Eva Wong Nava. The anthology includes tales from China, Vietnam, Korea, Japan and Mongolia and is a much needed and very welcome addition to the range of traditional stories available.

The book opens with an excellent introduction which clarifies much for readers who are not familiar with these stories or the countries where they originate. It explains how these stories spread, why there are themes and tales common to more than one location and celebrates the oral tradition of storytelling. It also reflects on religious and social influences which have shaped the stories. It makes a fascinating read and adds much to the enjoyment of the book.

Organised into five sections- Origin and Discovery Tales, Festival Stories, Animal Tales, Tales of Good, Wise and Brave, and Ancient Love Stories- each story has a brief introduction, offering background knowledge and context. The tales are beautifully retold and are wonderful to read aloud, making them a joy to share. I have always loved the story of Momotaro and really enjoyed the version included here!

I can’t recommend this collection highly enough as it is sure to introduce new readers to the joy of some wonderful traditional tales and inspire them to share these with others.

East Asian Folktales, Myths and Legends

Eva Wong Nava, illustrated by Jocelyn Kao

Scholastic    ISBN: 978-0702325236

You can read my review of ‘I Love Chinese New Year’ here.